12_symphony_of_light-第16部分

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ir　nearby。　〃I　never　thought　I'd　live　to　see　her　wearing　a　dress　like　a　regular　little　girl。〃

Scott　was　outside　the　window；　eavesdropping；　his　handgun　raised。　Lancer　found　him　there　and　wondered　what　it　was　all　about。

〃You're　concerned　about　Marlene；　aren't　you？〃

〃Well；　what　about　you；　Lancer？　Don't　you　get　the　feeling　there's　something　mysterious　about　her？　And　I　don't　just　mean　the　amnesia。　It　goes　beyond　that。。。like　she's　never　had　a　past　to　remember。　Like。。。〃

〃Like　what；　Scott？　Go　on；　say　it。〃

But　Scott　simply　tightened　his　mouth　and　shook　his　head。

Lancer　sighed　knowingly　but　wasn't　about　to　open　up　his　own　thoughts　if　Scott　couldn't　bring　himself　to　do　the　same。　〃I　don't　think　that　she's　going　to　murder　us　all　in　our　sleep；　Scott。　But　I　agree　that　she's　an　unusual　woman。　Maybe　we　just　have　to　give　her　some　time　to　e　out　of　it。〃

Scott　gave　him　a　dubious　look　and　was　about　to　press　the　point；　but　just　then　Rand　broke　into　the　conversation。

〃Hey；　guys；　do　you　really　think　the　Invid　might　show　up　tonight？〃

There　was　something　about　Rand's　tone　that　suggested　more　than　his　usual　concern；　almost　as　if　he　had　other　plans。　But　Lancer　chose　to　reply　to　his　remark；　not　to　the　unsaid　things。　〃There's　no　sign　of　them　yet；〃　Lancer　told　him。　〃And　believe　me；　that's　just　the　way　I　want　it。　I　think　I've　had　more　than　enough　entertainment　for　one　day。〃

Rand　tittered；　delighted。　〃Well；　maybe　you've　had　enough。　But　as　far　as　I'm　concerned　the　party's　just　beginning。〃

Lancer　beetled　his　brows。　〃Rand；　what　exactly　do　you　have　in　mind？〃


When　Rook　and　Marlene　finished　the　dishes；　they　woke　Annie　up　and　surprised　her　with　a　bag　of　peppermints　they　hadn't　brought　out　at　the　party。

〃Peppermints！〃

Rook　patted　her　on　the　shoulder。　〃I　knew　those　bags　you　took　wouldn't　last。〃

Annie　was　handling　the　bag　lovingly　one　moment；　and　the　next　she　was　crying。　〃When　I　think　that　I'm　having　a　real　birthday　after　wanting　one　so　badly。。。with　peppermints　and　everything。。。〃　She　buried　her　face　against　Marlene。

〃We're　just　glad　you　enjoyed　it；〃　Rook　said；　smiling。　〃The　only　problem　is　we　only　get　to　do　it　once　a　year。〃　She　yawned　and　stretched。　〃And　now；　something　for　the　three　of　us　to　enjoy　together。。。〃


The　bathroom　was　in　the　rear　of　the　house；　it　was　a　pletely　tiled　room　with　a　shower　stall　and　a　sunken　tub　large　enough　for　four。　Rand　had　been　there　when　Rook　made　the　discovery；　and　he　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　she　would　go　back　to　avail　herself　of　the　pleasures　of　an　honest…to…goodness　hot　bath。　So　he　had　already　stationed　himself　below　the　room's　only　window　well　before　the　time　Rook；　Marlene；　and　Annie　entered。　He　couldn't　believe　his　luck　when　he　realized　that　all　three　were　about　to　take　the　plunge。

He　had　actually　convinced　himself　that　he　had　no　idea　just　what　the　room　contained。　As　far　as　he　or　anyone　else　was　concerned；　he　was　merely　standing　guard　out　here　while　the　rest　of　the　guys　dillydallied　out　front；　cleaning　their　weapons　and　waiting　for　the　Invid　to　home　in　on　that　device　Lancer　had　rigged　in　the　armory。　Therefore；　it　was　entirely　understandable　that　he　poke　his　head　up　to　that　window　at　the　first　sign　of　any　unusual　noises；　because　who　knew　what　was　lurking　around　in　these　supposedly　deserted　villages？

What　he　hadn't　figured　on　was　the　damn　window　being　quite　so　high；　he　was　forced　to　stand　on　the　rather　shaky　woodpile　underneath　it　in　order　to　peer　in。　And　it　was　only　then　that　he　realized　the　window　glass　itself　was　frosted…not　opaque　but　certainly　a　lot　less　clear　than　he　would　have　liked。　And　the　steam　from　all　that　hot　water　wasn't　helping　any；　either。

Nevertheless；　he　was　able　to　discern　a　good　deal　of　what　was　going　on。　He　knew；　for　example；　that　that　was　Marlene　stepping　out　of　her　pants；　and　Annie　discarding　her　dress；　and　Rook　slipping　off　her　jumpsuit　and　bra　and　panties。。。It　was　just　the　details　that　were　left　to　his　imagination。　And　the　need　to　know　those　details　soon　had　him　on　tiptoe　atop　the　woodpile；　eyes　and　cupped　hands　pressed　to　the　glass。

Annie　was　already　in　the　sunken　tub　when　the　first　logs　began　to　slip　under　his　feet。

〃It　sure　is　warm　enough；〃　she　was　saying。　〃I　feel　like　a　lobster。〃　Naked；　Rook　and　Marlene　were　laughing　playfully　but　not　loud　enough　to　cover　up　the　sounds　from　outside　the　window。

Rand　gripped　the　windowsill；　held　his　breath；　and　tried　to　will　the　logs　silent；　but　they　just　kept　rolling　off　the　top　of　the　pile　and　crashing　against　the　side　of　the　house。　At　first　he　wasn't　sure　if　the　women　had　heard　anything；　nor　could　he　be　sure　they　were　looking　his　way。　But　the　bathroom　was　awfully　quiet　all　of　a　sudden。。。

I'm　just　investigating　these　strange　sounds；　Rand　said　to　himself　over　and　over。　I'm　just　investigating　these　strange　sounds

〃Hey；　is　there　somebody　out　there？！〃　Annie　asked。

Rand　heard　her　and　started　to　back　off；　but　the　pile　gave　way　again　and　sent　him　down　on　his　butt　to　the　ground。　By　the　time　he　turned　around；　the　window　had　been　thrown　open；　and　in　addition　to　clouds　of　steam　came　a　bucketful　of　ice…cold　water　that　caught　him　squarely　on　the　back　and　seemed　to　lift　him　right　off　the　ground。

〃That　oughta　cool　you　down；　Rand；〃　he　heard　Rook　saying。

〃That's　what　I　get　for　trying　to　be　helpful？！〃　he　shouted　in　return；　running　off　toward　the　front　of　the　house。


Overhead；　the　Invid　squadron　closed　in　on　the　village；　a　constellation　of　evil　moving　across　the　heavens。

〃Estimated　three　point　seven　three　minutes　to　objective；〃　Corg　told　his　troops。　〃Focus　scanning　systems　on　Protoculture　activity。　And　remember：　These　are　Robotech　rebels。　They　are　not　to　be　neutralized　for　the　farms；　they　are　to　be　destroyed。〃


Scott　and　the　others　had　moved　indoors　by　the　time　Rand　entered；　towel…drying　his　hair　and　trying　to　work　some　warmth　into　his　scalp。　Lunk　was　spreading　out　the　sleeping　bags；　and　Scott　seemed　to　be　spit…polishing　the　muzzle　of　one　of　the　assault　rifles。

〃I'm　starting　to　think　maybe　the　Invid　aren't　as　stupid　as　we　thought　they　were；〃　Lancer　was　saying　from　the　window。

〃Don't　worry；　they　won't　let　us　down；〃　Scott　told　him。　〃Just　keep　your　eyes　peeled。〃

Shivering；　Rand　draped　the　towel　around　his　neck。　〃Whew！〃　he　said　loudly　enough　to　capture　everyone's　attention。　〃I've　never　been　able　to　figure　women　out。　They　go　on　and　on　about　how　men　don't　appreciate　them；　and　when　we　do　go　out　of　our　way　to　appreciate　them；　they　start　screaming　bloody　murder　like　it　was　all　news　to　them。〃

Lancer　threw　him　a　disapproving　look。　〃There's　a　big　difference　between　appreciating　them　and　leering　at　them；　Rand。〃

〃Ah；　what　do　you　know　about　it？〃　Rand　countered　angrily。

Scott　ignored　the　two　of　them　and　asked　Lunk　about　the　so…called　Roman　candles　he　had　set　up　outside。

〃It's　just　my　part　of　the　surprise　for　Annie's　birthday；〃　Lunk　explained。


Meanwhile；　the　birthday　girl　was　back　in　the　tub　having　her　hair　washed　by　Rook。　She　asked　Marlene　if　she　had　ever　been　in　love。

〃Scott　asked　me　the　same　question；〃　Marlene　said；　soaping　herself　up；　〃and　I　have　to　give　you　the　same　answer　I　gave　him：　I　know　it　must　sound　strange；　but　I　honestly　don't　remember。〃

〃How　can　you　not　remember　if　you　were　in　love？〃　Annie　said　in　amazement。

Marlene　shrugged。　〃I've　forgotten　everything。　I'm　a　living；　breathing；　walking　blank…I　can't　even　remember　what　my　purpose　in　life　is。〃

〃Your　purpose　in　life　is　to　find　a　man；〃　Annie　told　her　with　certainty。　〃Everyone　knows　that。　Rook　has　found　herself　a　man。〃

Rook　stopped　massaging　Annie's　hair　and　gently　twisted　her　head　around。　〃If　you're　talking　about　Rand；〃　she　said　into　Annie's　face；　〃let　me　enlighten　you　about　a　thing　or　two。　First　of　all；　about　this　business　of　needing　a　man…huh？！〃

Marlene　was　staring　at　them　in　stark　terror。

〃They've　e！〃　she　screamed。　〃The　Invid　are　here！〃

Inside　the　armory　the　bio…emulator　continued　its　false　siren　song。


The　men　were　also　aware　that　the　Invid　had　arrived；　and　the　ships　were　doing　just　what　the　plan　called　for：　forming　a　circle　around　the　building。

〃Remind　me　to　congratulate　the　wise　guy　who　invented　that　bio…emulator；〃　Lancer　said；　arming　his　blaster。　〃It's　working　like　a　charm。〃

Scott　was　the　first　through　the　open　window。　〃Lunk；　stay　with　the　women。　And　Rand；　grab　those　detonators　on　your　way　out。　Time　for　this　evening's　next　surprise。〃


While　Scott；　Lancer；　and　Rand　were　stealing　away　from　the　house；　Corg　was　issuing　orders　to　his　troops。　They　had　put　down　in　formation　fifty　yards　from　the　circular　structure　and　were　spreading　out　to　take　up　positions。　The　voice　of　the　Regis　came　across　the　munications　net。

〃You　have　reached　the　focus　of　the　disturbance。〃

〃Deploy　for　plete　encirclement　of　the　Robotech　rebels；〃　Corg　ordered。　〃None　of　them　must　be　allowed　to　slip　through　our　grasp。〃

〃Scanners　indicate　the　Protoculture　emanations　are　definitely　Robotech　in　origin。。。〃　the　Regis　updated　as　the　bat　units　fanned　out。

〃We　will　not　fail　you　this　time；　my　queen；〃　Corg　started　to　say；　but　the　Regis　had　something　to　add。

〃However；　the　nature　of　your　readings　is　disturbing。　The　Protoculture　activity　is　unusually　steady　in　its　dispersal　pattern。　We　detect　no　modulations　or　fluctuations　of　any　kind…almost　as　if　the　matrix　waverings　were　being　synthetically　produced。〃

〃Nonsense！　Humans　are　incapable　of　such　deception！〃　He　already　had　the　cannon　arm　of　his　ship　raised。

The　cockpit　displays　in　Corg's　ship　began　to　flash　as　new　data　was　received　and　transmitted。　〃Our　bio…detectors　register　no　sign　of　Human　movement　within　the　structure；〃　the　Regis　continued。　〃Probability　cortex　indicates　likelihood　of　a　trap；　increasing　by　a　factor　of　one　hundred　for　every　five　seconds　you　remain　in　present　situation。。。〃

Corg　reached　out　and　shut　down　the　audio　signals。　〃Open　fire！〃　he　manded。

Streams　of　annihilation　discs　began　to　tear　into　the　circular　walls　of　the　armory；　and　explosions　erupted　across　the　face　of　the　dome；　filling　the　cool　air　with　the　sound　of　thunder　and　throwing　pyrotechnic　light　into　the　night　sky。　Corg　continued　to　scream　〃Fire！　Fire！〃　urging　his　troops　on　to　greater　heights　of　destructive　catharsis；　pouring　out　all　the　misunderstood　feelings　and　frustrations　that　were　part　o