12_symphony_of_light-第19部分

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ly　after　they　had　defeated　the　Earth　forces；　apparently；　the　whole　right　side　of　his　body　had　been　vivisected　and　replaced　with　prostheses　and　alloy　plating。　Worse　than　that；　his　friends　had　stood　by　and　made　no　attempt　to　rescue　him。　He　was　an　unusually　sensitive　man；　Rook　insisted；　and　I　had　acted　like　a　plete　moron。〃

〃I　don't　know　why　I　didn't　put　two　and　two　together　then　and　figure　out　who　the　stranger　was；　I　guess　I　was　just　too　wrapped　up　in　Rook's　attachment　to　him　to　see　the　obvious。　‘I　have　some　unfinished　business　to　take　care　of；'　he　had　told　her　in　response　to　her　invitation　to　join　us。〃

〃Well；　by　the　time　we　got　back　to　town；　I　was　convinced　that　I　had　been　wrong　and　full　of　forgive　and　forget　toward　Rook。　The　open　invitation　didn't　exactly　thrill　me；　but　I　somehow　managed　to　swallow　my　protests　and　keep　still　about　it。〃

〃'Rand；　level　with　me；'　Rook　said　when　we　were　getting　off　the　Cycs。　‘Was　I　wrong　to　befriend　that　stranger？'〃

〃‘No；'　I　told　her。　‘You've　gotta　follow　your　feelings　sometimes；　no　matter　what。'　Naturally　I　thought　she　was　trying　to　get　to　the　heart　of　the　possessive　feelings　I　had　displayed。　It　was　only　later　that　I　realized　what　was　really　on　her　mind：　she　had　known　all　along　just　who　it　was　she　was　helping　and　befriending。　The　question　had　nothing　to　do　with　us；　it　had　to　do　with　loyalties　of　an　entirely　different　sort。。。〃

〃We　had　tracked　down　Scott　and　the　gang　to　a　saloon/restaurant　straight　out　of　an　old　Western　movie。　But　if　the　place　took　me　by　surprise；　the　sight　of　Yellow　Dancer　nearly　floored　me。　I　suppose　I　had　started　to　think　of　her　as　gone…a　missing　person…someone　who　had　traveled　the　road　with　us　for　a　short　while　and　vanished；　a　casualty　of　this　bizarre　war。　So　to　see　Lancer　now；　in　his　turquoise　tunic　and　helmet/bonnet；　his　pink　belt　and　skin…tight　pants；　filled　me　with　contrasting　feelings。　Scott　and　Lunk　were　at　the　bar　knocking　back　a　few　while　Yellow　sang　a　very　subdued　‘Lonely　Soldier　Boy。'〃

〃A　couple　of　the　town's　soldiers　came　in　just　then；　announcing　that　they　had　finally　dug　up　a　photo　of　this　Dusty　Ayres　character；　and　they　wanted　to　pass　it　around　to　us。　Rook　and　I　stood　at　the　bar　with　the　rest　of　them　as　the　photo　circulated。　It　was　of　course　the　face　of　our　mysterious　stranger。　The　cigarette　in　his　mouth　made　him　look　even　more　sinister　than　he　had　appeared　in　the　flesh。〃

〃I　was　waiting　for　Rook　to　say　something　or　at　least　throw　me　a　look；　but　she　didn't　do　either。　I　turned　to　her；　my　face　all　twisted　up；　and　said：

〃‘You　see？…I　was　right　all　along！'〃


CHAPTER　TEN

If　the　Ayres　incident　proved　one　thing；　it　was　that　Humans　and　Protoculture　were　basically　immiscible。　Invid　and　Protoculture？　That　was　something　else；　as　we　shall　see。
Mingtao；　Protoculture：　Journey　Beyond　Mecha

Rook　edged　away　from　the　bar　and　left　the　saloon。　The　sight　of　Dusty's　photo　in　the　hands　of　all　those　soldiers　who　were　eager　to　see　him　killed；　all　those　soldiers　who　had　allegedly　lost　friends　at　his　hands；　had　brought　into　question　her　earlier　efforts　on　his　behalf。　Her　flirtations。　She　sat　in　the　dark　on　the　saloon　steps；　while　inside　the　soldiers　drank　and　swore　vengeance；　and　wondered　why　she　always　seemed　to　fall　for　the　bad　boys；　the　loners　and　rogues。　It　went　back　to　Cavern　City；　she　supposed；　to　Romy　and　the　Angels　and　the　days　when　she　had　been　something　of　an　outlaw　herself。　She　couldn't　deny；　however；　that　she　had　seen　something　noble　in　Dusty's　character。　She　thought　back　to　that　brief　glimpse　she　had　had　of　his　chest　plates　and　prosthetic　arm。　〃My　friends　did　nothing　to　stop　them；〃　she　recalled　him　telling　her。　〃They　made　no　attempt　to　rescue　me；　or　at　least　put　me　out　of　my　misery。。。　〃　Not　that　that　justified　his　going　on　a　murder　spree。

Rook　heard　Rand's　voice　and　glanced　over　her　shoulder　in　the　direction　of　the　saloon。　He　was　telling　the　men　that　he　knew　where　Dusty　could　be　found。　But　he　made　no　mention　of　the　time　he　and　Rook　had　spent　with　him。　He　was　being　his　usual　protective　self；　and　yet　Rook　found　that　she　was　angry　instead　of　grateful；　she　didn't　want　to　thank　him　as　much　as　throttle　him。　Because　Rand；　underneath　all　the　arrogance　and　sarcasm；　was　actually　a　pretty　sensitive　man…in　a　hick　sort　of　way。

Rook　shut　her　eyes　and　pressed　her　hands　to　her　forehead；　as　though　in　an　attitude　of　prayer。　I　knew　he　was　the　one　they　were　searching　for；　but　it　just　doesn't　seem　possible　that　he　could　be　so　cold…blooded。　And　maybe　Rand　is　right…maybe　he　is　an　Invid　agent。　When　she　looked　up；　she　found　Marlene　standing　in　front　of　her。

〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Marlene　asked　her。　〃I　saw　how　upset　you　got　in　the　saloon。〃

〃I'm　touched；〃　Rook　said　nastily　as　Marlene　sat　down　beside　her。

Marlene　made　a　puzzled　expression。　〃I　guess　I　must　deserve　that　for　some　reason。。。You　see；　I　don't　mean　to　pry；　but　you　just　looked　like　you　could　use　a　friend。〃

Rook　sighed　and　took　Marlene's　hand。　〃I'm　sorry；　Marlene。　In　fact　I　was　just　thinking　about　friendship。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　talk　about　it？〃

Rook　made　Marlene　promise　that　what　she　was　about　to　say　would　remain　between　them；　then　she　told　her　about　the　brief　skirmish　with　the　Invid　ships　and　the　wounded　rider　she　had　helped。　〃It　was　Dusty　Ayres；〃　Rook　confessed。　〃I　think　I　knew　right　from　the　beginning；　but　I　just　didn't　want　to　believe　it。　And　after　he　told　me　what　he　had　been　through；　I　started　to　feel　sorry　for　him。　I　probably　wouldn't　have　said　anything　if　that　photo　hadn't　turned　up。　Now　I'm　going　to　have　to　lie　about　it。〃

〃But　Rand　won't　say　anything。　He　doesn't　know　what　you　were　feeling。〃

Rook　showed　a　thin　smile。　〃Oh；　he　knows；　Marlene；　he　knows。。。〃

A　light　rain　had　begun；　but　a　moment　passed　before　Rook　took　any　notice　of　it。　She　could　hear　the　soldiers　in　the　saloon　discussing　their　plans　to　hunt　Dusty　down。　Suddenly；　she　shot　to　her　feet；　startling　Marlene。　〃I　won't　be　able　to　rest　until　I　see　him　again。　Maybe　I　can　convince　him　to　surrender　before　he　gets　himself　killed！〃

Rook　raced　off；　leaving　Marlene　alone　in　the　rain。


An　hour　later；　Scott　was　leading　a　Robotech　posse　across　the　sands。　Rand　was　overhead　in　one　of　the　Alphas　（the　Beta　was　close　to　depleted）；　directing　the　five　Cyclone　riders　to　where　he　and　Rook　had　last　seen　the　outlaw　Ayres。　The　APC　was　trying　to　keep　up　with　the　group；　Lunk　had　two　of　the　town's　soldiers　with　him。　No　one　knew　where　Rook　had　gone；　Rand　had　an　idea；　but　he　wasn't　saying。

A　heavy　rain　was　falling；　and　the　barren　land　had　all　the　charm　of　a　landscape　in　hell。　But　Scott　was　inured　to　the　idiosyncrasies　of　the　Earth's　weather。　Besides；　he　was　obsessed　with　Ayres's　capture；　even　though　he　had　wanted　no　part　of　it　initially。　Perhaps　it　was　because　he　was　convinced　that　there　was　more　to　the　story　than　anyone　was　telling　him。　A　supposedly　invulnerable　outlaw　who　was　systematically　killing　off　Robotech　soldiers。。。And　yet　the　man　wasn't　thought　to　be　an　Invid　agent；　and　no　one　had　the　slightest　idea　what　was　motivating　him　to　murder。　It　just　didn't　add　up。　Scott　was　even　beginning　to　suspect　Rand　of　holding　something　back。　It　was　obvious　from　the　things　he　had　said　back　in　the　saloon　that　he　and　Rook　had　had　more　than　a　passing　encounter　with　Ayres。　But　why　would　Rand　lie　about　it？　Scott　wondered。　With　Reflex　Point　almost　close　enough　to　touch　（and　with　the　new　information　the　town's　soldiers　had　supplied　him）；　it　was　imperative　that　the　mystery　be　solved　so　everyone　could　get　back　on　track。

As　if　to　reinforce　Scott's　concerns；　a　squadron　of　some　fifteen　Invid　ships　appeared　suddenly　out　of　the　clouds。

〃Invid　at　twelve　o'clock！〃　Lancer　reported　over　the　net。　〃A　bunch　of　'em；　too！〃

Scott　made　a　motion　for　the　Cycloners　to　fan　out。　〃Here　we　go；　Rand；〃　he　sent　up　to　the　Alpha。　〃Standard　battle　plan！〃

In　the　Veritech　cockpit；　Rand　had　to　laugh。　Standard　battle　plan。　That　was　their　little　joke；　meaning：　Do　your　best　and　we'll　all　try　to　keep　from　killing　one　another　in　the　process。

Rand　wished　them　luck　and　threw　his　fighter　into　the　thick　of　things。　The　squadron　was　posed　of　Pincer　units　and　one　blue　leader　that　he　could　see；　he　managed　to　destroy　one　of　the　ships　straight　away　but　spent　the　next　few　minutes　juking　and　dodging　discs　and　laser　fire　from　the　rest。　The　blue　especially　was　riding　his　tail　with　a　vengeance。

〃Too　many　of　them！〃　he　shouted　over　the　net；　upside　down　now　and　enmeshed　by　angry　red　bolts　and　streams　of　annihilation　discs。　〃Where　the　hell　is　Rook　when　we　need　her？〃


Elsewhere　on　the　sands；　Rook　was　confronting　the　outlaw。　Ayres　had　almost　fired　on　the　red　Veritech　when　it　appeared　but　had　stayed　his　hand　at　the　last　minute　when　he　recognized　Rook　inside　the　cockpit。　She　was　standing　by　the　fighter's　kowtowed　nose　now；　mindless　of　the　rain。　Dusty　was　dressed　in　the　same　poncho　and　hat　he　had　worn　earlier；　his　all…terrain　war　machine　was　idling　softly　behind　him。　〃You　took　a　chance　ing　out　here；　Rook；〃　he　was　telling　her。

〃I　know　that。　But　it　was　a　chance　I　had　to　take；　Dusty。〃

He　grinned　at　her　knowingly。　〃So　you　know　my　name；　huh？　And　you　just　had　to　find　out　more　about　the　mysterious　killer。　Is　that　it？〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　started　to　say；　wondering　if　she　could　bring　herself　to　admit　more。

〃Well；　there's　nothing　more　to　find　out；〃　he　answered　before　she　could　go　on。　〃So　get　back　in　your　fighter　and　forget　about　trying　to　involve　yourself　in　this。〃

〃But　I'm　already　involved；〃　Rook　shouted。　〃I　knew　who　you　were　this　afternoon。　I　didn't　need　to　learn　that　in　town。　And　all　I'm　asking　you　for　is　an　explanation。〃

Dusty　started　back　to　his　cycle。　〃I've　got　things　to　do；　Rook。　I　don't　have　time　for　this。〃

Rook　pushed　wet　hair　back　from　her　face。　〃I　guess　I　was　naive　to　think　I　could　keep　you　from　killing　again；　so　you　leave　me　no　choice。。。〃　She　drew　her　blaster　and　leveled　it　at　him。　〃I'm　a　soldier；　Dusty；　just　like　the　rest　of　them。　I　have　friends　to　protect。〃

She　could　see　that　she　had　surprised　him；　but　he　made　no　move　for　his　weapon。　〃I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；　Rook…〃

〃Don't　move　or　I'll　fire；〃　she　warned　him。

〃You're　making　a　mistake；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Just　put　the　blaster　away　and　listen　to　me。　Don't　make　me　do　something　I'm　going　to　regret。〃

Rook's　nostrils　flared；　but　she　c