12_symphony_of_light-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　destructive　catharsis；　pouring　out　all　the　misunderstood　feelings　and　frustrations　that　were　part　of　the　life　the　Regis　had　given　him。

But　outside　the　circle　of　pincer…clawed　ships；　the　Humans　had　some　feelings　of　their　own　to　express。　And　suddenly　there　were　explosions　ing　from　the　trees　that　surrounded　the　building；　explosions　Corg　could　not　understand。　He　watched　as　his　Troopers　were　hurled　violently　against　one　another　and　sent　smashing　into　the　building's　stone　walls。　Others　were　lifted　off　the　ground　by　the　force　of　the　blasts。　Claws；　scanners；　and　pieces　of　hardware　became　fiery…hot　projectiles　blown　from　his　decimated　squadron。　The　hull　of　his　own　ship　was　holed　with　shrapnel　and　pieces　of　airborne　debris；　and　all　at　once　he　felt　himself　overturned；　felled　by　a　storm　of　enemy　fire。　Shock　Troopers　were　taken　out　while　they　attempted　to　lift　off；　erupting　like　brilliant　balls　of　flame；　raining　pieces　of　themselves　throughout　the　field。

〃Easy　as　shooting　fish　in　a　barrel；〃　Rand　said　from　the　perimeter。

Lunk；　too；　was　yahooing　from　the　window　of　the　house。　The　women　had　joined　him　in　the　front　room；　clad　only　in　bath　towels。　Annie　was　so　excited；　she　leapt　clear　out　of　her　towel；　breasts　bobbing　up　and　down；　but　Lunk　was　too　preoccupied　with　the　explosions　to　notice。

〃Ka…boom！　Yeah！　I　love　this　stuff！〃

〃Wow！　This　is　the　best　birthday　present　of　all！〃

Meanwhile　the　few　remaining　Invid　ships；　including　the　mand　ship；　were　taking　to　the　skies　in　retreat。

〃Okay；　we're　free　to　use　the　Alphas；〃　Scott　told　Lancer　and　Rand。　〃Let's　move　it！〃

The　three　men　ran　past　the　house　to　the　concealed　fighters；　waving　back　to　Lunk　and　their　towel…clad　teammates。　Lancer　stopped　to　say：　〃Don't　anyone　go　to　bed　yet；　because　we　fly…boys　have　one　more　surprise　in　store！〃

〃Another　surprise？〃　Annie　asked　him；　adjusting　her　towel。　〃Just　what　are　you　guys　up　to　now？〃

〃Just　you　wait　and　see；〃　Lancer　said；　running　off　to　catch　up　with　Scott。

Lunk　had　jumped　out　of　the　window　and　was　showing　Annie　an　enigmatic　grin。　〃I've　got　one　of　my　own；〃　he　added；　rushing　away。

The　women　exchanged　puzzled　looks　and　then　some　as　the　sky　began　to　fill　with　starburst　explosions。

Rook　laughed。　〃He　wasn't　kidding：　they　really　are　Roman　candle　launchers。〃

Annie　looked　at　her。　〃You　mean　you　knew　all　along？〃

〃Only　some　of　it。〃

Scott　was　glad　to　see　that　the　fireworks　had　only　added　to　the　enemy's　confusion。　The　Invid　ships　were　streaking　away；　trying　desperately　to　evade　the　fireworks；　fooled　into　thinking　they　were　some　sort　of　lethal　missile。

In　fact；　Corg　was　reporting　as　much　to　the　Regis　while　he　led　his　ragtag　troops　back　toward　the　hive。

But　Scott　didn't　call　for　pursuit。　Instead；　the　Alphas　formed　up　on　his　lead　and　went　through　the　unrehearsed　moves　they　had　discussed　earlier　that　day。

〃It's　wonderful；　isn't　it；　Annie？〃　Marlene　said　from　the　window　of　the　house。

〃I've　never　had　a　birthday　like　this；〃　the　teenager　was　saying。

〃I　don't　think　any　of　us　have　had　a　birthday　like　this；〃　said　Rook。

And　it's　really　happening。。。it's　not　a　dream！

The　women　could　see　the　skywriting　now；　and　Rook　read　the　words：　〃Happy。。。Birthday。。。〃

Up　above；　Rand　said：　〃I'll　bet　Admiral　Hunter　never　had　you　guys　doing　this　with　your　Alpha　Fighters；　huh；　Scott？〃

Scott　smiled；　then　realized　that　Rand　was　off　course　somehow。　〃What　are　you　doing　down　there？〃　he　asked。

Rand　made　no　response　and　pleted　his　part　of　the　skywriting　moves。　From　the　window；　the　three　women　watched　as　his　Alpha　spelled　out　〃Mint〃　under　the　birthday　greeting。

Rook　snorted。　〃So　that's　why　Rand　wanted　to　write　your　name。〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　Annie　sighed；　turning　away　from　the　window　for　a　moment。　〃I　guess　it's　a　lot　better　nickname　than　‘Peewee。'〃


CHAPTER　NINE

The　planet　＇Earth＇　secured；　the　Regis　then　had　to　decide　what　to　do　about　the　surviving　Human　population。　She　knew　from　past　experience　that　Humans　could　be　a　dangerous　lot；　even　these　Terrans；　who　seemed　somehow　inferior　to　the　Tirolian　species。　Eventually　it　would　occur　to　her　to　use　a　percentage　of　the　survivors　as　laborers　in　the　Protoculture　farms；　but　that　was　only　after　what　can　best　be　described　as　a　trial…and…error　period；　during　which　an　unlucky　assortment　were　subjected　to　experiments　too　gruesome　to　dwell　on。　Fortunately；　most　of　the　laboratory　cases　died　outright　or　soon　thereafter；　though　a　scant　few　remained　to　wander　their　ravaged　homeworld　less　than　Human。
Bloom　Nesterfig；　Social　Organization　of　the　Invid

As　Rand　told　it：

〃The　soldiers　had　been　dead　a　week；　but　the　town　was　just　getting　around　to　burying　them　when　we　rode　in。。。I　have　to　admit　that　I　had　put　no　stock　in　the　rumors　we　had　been　hearing　on　the　road；　but　sure　enough；　the　town　had　its　own　contingent　of　Robotech　soldiers；　Mars　Division；　like　Scott；　survivors　from　that　same　ill…fated　assault　on　Earth。　It　was　remarkable　enough　to　e　across　a　populated　village　so　near　the　Invid　control　zone；　but　to　find　fellow　soldiers　as　well　was　almost　more　than　Scott　could　bear。　I　still　have　an　image　of　him　parked　in　the　middle　of　that　town's　dust　bowl　of　a　main　street；　straddling　the　Cyc　with　a　big　grin　on　his　face　and　broadcasting　our　arrival　to　one　and　all　over　the　mecha's　externals。　When　only　a　handful　of　folks　wandered　out　to　greet　us；　I　remember　thinking：　Here　we　go　again；　just　another　ghost　town　run　by　a　bunch　of　rubes　and　rogues。　But　then　we　learned　that　everyone　that　counted　was　at　the　graveyard。〃

〃That's　where　Scott　ran　into　the　robbies。　Not　straight　away；　though；　there　was　a　funeral　service　in　progress；　so　we　all　just　hung　around　on　the　outskirts　of　the　action　until　the　crowds　thinned。　There　were　church　bells　ringing　in　the　distance。　After　that；　Scott　went　in　to　introduce　himself　to　the　one　soldier　who　seemed　to　be　in　charge…a　tall　officer；　wearing　shades　and　a　high…collared　gray　uniform　like　Scott's。　I　never　did　catch　the　dude's　name；　e　to　think　of　it；　I　don't　think　the　two　of　us　exchanged　more　than　a　brief　handshake　the　whole　time　we　were　in　town。〃

〃It　turned　out　that　they　had　been　there　for　some　months；　they　had　put　down　as　a　unit　somewhere　south　of　Reflex　Point　and　worked　their　way　into　the　Northlands；　hoping　to　e　across　other　Mars　Division　survivors。　They　saw　a　lot　of　action　early　on；　but　now　they　were　just　hanging　on；　waiting　for　the　big　one　to　go　down。　They　had　all　heard　of　Scott　and　were　excited　to　learn　that　the　Expeditionary　Force　was　indeed　on　its　way。　They　had　a　good　deal　of　intelligence　dope　on　Reflex　Point；　but　there　was　something　they　needed　to　talk　about　before　getting　down　to　basics。〃

〃There　were　three　fresh　graves　in　the　cemetery；　marked　by　simple　wooden　crosses；　one　of　which　was　crowned　with　a　‘thinking　cap；'　its　faceguard　shattered。　I　naturally　assumed　that　the　Invid　had　paid　the　town　a　visit　and　left　their　usual　calling　cards；　but　that　wasn't　the　case。　It　seems　that　the　three　had　been　gunned　down　by　some　lone　biker　who　went　by　the　name　of　Dusty　Ayres。　These　latest　murders　brought　the　total　to　eleven。〃

〃Scott　was　flipped　out　to　learn　that　someone　other　than　the　Invid　were　killing　soldiers；　he　asked　the　officer　about　Ayres。〃

〃‘We　don't　know　much　about　him；'　the　man　replied。　‘Except　that　he　seems　to　have　it　in　for　soldiers。'　The　officer　threw　his　men　a　dirty　look。　‘Some　people　claim　he　can't　be　killed。'〃

〃I　didn't　like　hearing　this；　but　for　Scott　it　explained　how　three　soldiers　could　be　brought　down　by　one　loner。　I　didn't　bother　to　point　out　that　a　man　needn't　be　invulnerable　to　get　the　better　of　a　group；　because　it　was　obvious　that　Scott　was　already　thinking　Invid。　No　Human　could　do　such　a　thing。　As　if　he　had　to　be　reminded　about　the　sympathizers　we　had　met　along　the　way。　Wolff；　to　name　just　one。。。〃

〃‘Sounds　like　a　real　mystery　man；'　Lancer　offered。　‘And　nobody　knows　why　he's　here；　huh？'〃

〃Scott　said　more　firmly；　‘You　must　know　more　about　this　guy。'〃

〃I　was　glad　to　see　that　I　wasn't　the　only　suspicious　one　among　us。　But　the　officer　wasn't　swayed　to　say　any　more　about　Ayres。　‘I　wish　I　had　more。'　The　man　shrugged。　‘Everything's　just　rumors　right　now。'〃

〃‘Dusty　Ayres；　you　say；'　Scott　repeated。〃

〃‘That's　the　only　name　I've　ever　heard　him　called。'〃

〃Lancer　brought　up　the　sympathizer　idea。〃

〃Lunk　punched　his　open　hand。　‘I　just　wish　he'd　try　to　start　something　with　us。　I'd　break　his　face。'〃

〃Terrific；　I　thought。　I　looked　at　the　three　graves　and　wondered　how　our　helmets　would　look　on　those　crosses。〃

〃‘He's　got　to　be　hunted　down；'　the　officer　told　Scott。　‘Will　you　join　us；　Lieutenant？'〃

〃Scott　was　wary。　‘I'm　not　going　to　involve　any　of　my　people　until　I　know　more　about　this　matter。'〃

〃‘Sure　thing；　Lieutenant。　You　take　your　time。　While　the　rest　of　us　die。。。'〃

〃I　sucked　in　my　breath；　you　just　didn't　go　around　saying　things　like　this　to　Scott　unless　you　were　already　holding　an　H90　to　his　head。　Fortunately；　Lancer　stepped　in　to　intervene。　Only　thing　was；　he　actually　took　it　upon　himself　to　volunteer　our　services。　Lunk；　the　big　lug；　seconded　it；　and　I　guess　that　was　enough　for　Scott。〃

〃‘You　won't　regret　it；　Lieutenant；'　the　officer　thanked　us。〃

〃I；　of　course；　already　regretted　it；　but　everyone　else　was　talking　tough　and　anxious　to　get　started。〃


〃We　left　Annie　and　Marlene　behind…much　to　our　birthday　girl's　dismay。　After　all；　she　had　been　‘seventeen'　for　a　full　week　now；　and　didn't　that　entitle　her　to　share　in　the　‘fun　stuff'？　Those　were　her　words：　‘It　simply　isn't　fair！'〃

〃Rook　got　a　big　charge　out　of　this　but　didn't　bring　it　up　until　later；　after　we　had　split　up　into　several　groups。〃

〃‘Fair？　Did　she　really　say　〃fair〃？'〃

〃I　repeated　Annie's　exact　words　into　my　helmet　mike　and　laughed。　We　were　both　in　battle　armor　now　and　cruising　side　by　side　across　the　barren　stretch　where　Ayres　had　last　been　seen；　close　to　where　the　bodies　of　the　three　soldiers　had　been　found。　The　area　had　once　been　called　‘the　Panhandle；'　for　reasons　unknown；　but　it　was　just　plain　desert　to　us；　no　different　from　the　wastes　we　had　been　traveling　through　since　leaving　the　mountains　behind。　Scott　and　Lancer　were　off　somewhere　south　of　us；　and　Lunk　was　riding　with　a　few　of　the　other　soldiers。〃

〃I　confessed　to　Rook　how　pissed　off　I　was　by　the　whole　deal。　‘I　mean；　what　happened　t