12_symphony_of_light-第20部分

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〃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　couldn't　keep　Dusty's　words　from　undermining　her　will。　She　recalled　how　he　had　shot　Rand；　and　she　recalled　the　stories　of　his　invulnerability。。。At　last　she　lowered　her　weapon；　and　Dusty　thanked　her。

〃You　remember　what　I　told　you　at　the　river；　Rook？　About　the　Invid's　experiments　with　me？〃　He　tossed　the　poncho　over　one　shoulder　and　opened　his　shirt　to　give　her　a　good　look　at　the　alloy　plates　that　covered　half　his　chest。　〃My　friends　let　this　happen　to　me；　Rook。　They　stood　by　and　let　those　monsters　use　me　like　a　laboratory　animal。　They　replaced　my　entire　right　side　piece　by　piece　with　Protoculture…generated　organs　and　these　metallic　prostheses。〃　Ayres　glared　at　her。　〃Do　you　really　blame　me　for　hunting　them　down？〃

Rook　lifted　her　head　to　answer　him。　〃It　must　have　been　unbearable；〃　she　began　on　a　sympathetic　note。　〃But　think　about　it；　Dusty：　you　were　a　soldier　once。　Maybe　your　friends　couldn't　get　to　you。　Maybe　they　tried　and　failed。　And　look　what　you're　doing　now：　you're　killing　the　only　people　who　can　avenge　you。　Your　enemies　are　the　Invid。　How　can　you　be　sure　they　didn't　implant　something　in　your　brain　when　they　were　carrying　out　those　experiments…something　that　would　pel　you　to　attack　your　own　friends。〃

Rook　waited　for　him　to　respond。　The　latter　possibility　made　a　lot　more　sense　to　her　than　the　former；　because　if　Dusty's　friends　really　had　made　an　attempt　to　rescue　him；　why　were　they　now　acting　like　the　whole　deal　was　one　big　mystery　to　them？　It　was　a　moot　point；　though：　Dusty　was　shaking　his　head；　rejecting　what　she　had　said。

He　raised　his　prosthesis　into　the　cycle's　headlamp　and　indicated　eleven　crosshatched　marks　engraved　into　the　forearm　alloy。　〃Each　mark　is　a　name　I'd　just　as　soon　forget；〃　he　told　her。　〃But　I　won't　forget　until　I've　killed　every　one　of　them！〃

More　than　the　marks；　Rook　could　see　the　madness　in　Dusty's　eyes。　〃I　understand；〃　she　said　softly。

He　uttered　a　short　maniacal　laugh。　〃I　was　hoping　you　would；　Rook。〃　He　goosed　the　cycle's　throttle　and　pulled　the　hat　down　on　his　forehead。　〃I've　got　no　gripe　with　your　friends；　but　don't　try　to　stop　me…any　of　you。　〃

Rook　allowed　him　to　ride　off。　We'll　meet　again；　she　told　herself。　And　I'll　do　what　I　have　to　do。。。


Rand　took　out　another　Pincer　unit　with　heat…seekers　from　the　undercarriage　launch　rakes　and　reconfigured　to　Battloid　mode；　bringing　the　rifle/cannon　out　in　the　mecha's　metalshod　right　fist。

〃It　looks　like　we've　gotten　ourselves　into　a　hole　this　time；〃　Lunk　said　from　the　ground；　where　the　soldiers　were　pouring　fire　into　the　sky。

Employing　the　foot　thrusters　to　stabilize　the　ship；　he　raised　the　weapon　to　high　port　position　and　bracketed　yet　another　Invid　in　his　sights。　He　triggered　off　a　burst；　catching　the　ship　midsection。　〃Just　keep　firing；〃　Rand　told　Lunk；　while　the　enemy　fell　like　a　meteor。

Scott　screeched　his　mecha　to　a　halt　and　stood　up；　straddling　the　seat　to　bring　his　assault　rifle　into　play。　In　the　distance　at　ground　level；　he　saw　a　bright　light　moving　toward　him。　〃Something's　ing！〃　he　alerted　the　others。

〃Let's　hope　it's　on　our　side；〃　said　Lancer。

Lunk　lowered　his　weapon　to　have　a　look　at　it。　〃It's　sure　moving　fast！〃

Suddenly　the　Invid　ships　ceased　their　attack　and　began　forming　up　on　the　blue　leader；　as　though　to　observe　the　arrival　of　the　newer。　Then　Rand's　voice　cut　through　the　net：　〃That's　Dusty　Ayres's　machine！〃

With　a　dozen　Invid　ships　still　overhead；　Rand　expected　Scott　would　have　had　sense　enough　to　pull　back　and　regroup；　but　instead；　he　heard　Scott　say；　〃Let's　get　him！〃　and　launch　himself　in　pursuit　of　the　outlaw。　Two　of　the　other　Robotech　soldiers　followed　his　lead。

Dusty　Ayres　saw　the　Cyclones　speeding　toward　him　and　flashed　a　satisfied　grin。　Well；　well；　Steve　and　Kent　driving　out　with　their　greetings；　he　thought。　How　considerate　of　them。　The　launcher's　panel　slid　to；　and　Ayres　let　his　thumb　hover　over　the　trigger　button。　〃Now　die！〃　he　screamed；　and　fired。

Missiles　streaked　from　the　rack　and　found　their　targets；　the　two　riders　were　blown　to　bits。　Scott　squinted　as　flames　geysered　up　out　of　the　sands；　instantly　superheating　the　air　and　filling　it　up　with　the　stench　of　death。　〃Outflank　him！〃　Scott　manded　Lancer　and　the　fifth　Cycloner。　〃We'll　try　a　cross　fire！〃

The　three　Cyclones　and　the　APC　converged　on　the　lone　rider；　announcing　themselves　with　a　horizontal　storm　of　lethal　rounds。　But　Ayres　appeared　to　be　weathering　it　all；　his　clothes　were　torn　to　shreds　and　aflame；　but　the　man　himself　was　unscathed。

〃They　were　right；　Scott！　The　guy's　indestructible！〃　Lancer　exclaimed。

Ayres　answered　the　challenge　with　shots　of　deadly　accuracy；　first　taking　out　the　Cycloner；　then　picking　off　the　soldiers　in　the　APC　one　by　one　before　loosing　missiles　against　the　vehicle　itself。　Lunk　was　thrown　a　good　twenty　feet　from　the　fiery　wreck；　when　he　looked　up；　he　saw　Scott　hovering　over　Ayres　in　Battle　Armor　mode；　dumping　everything　the　mecha　had　against　him。　Lancer　pulled　up　a　moment　later；　and　Scott　put　down　beside　the　two　of　them。

〃Nice　shooting；〃　said　Lancer　as　the　three　of　them　regarded　the　ruin　that　was　Dusty's　cycle。

But　it　wasn't　over　yet：　Ayres…at　least　something　that　resembled　Ayres…was　stepping　from　the　flames。

〃I　must　be　seeing　things！〃　Lunk　cried。

Scott's　eyes　went　wide　beneath　the　helmet　faceshield。　〃I　wish　I　could　say　you　needed　glasses；　but　I'm　seeing　it；　too！〃

In　the　meantime；　everyone　had　forgotten　about　Rand…all　except　the　Invid　Enforcer；　that　is。　The　rest　of　the　ships　were　still　in　formation　overhead；　but　the　mander　had　pursued　Rand　to　the　ground。　Still　in　Battloid　mode；　he　was　trying　to　go　one　on　one　with　the　thing；　but　his　reconfigured　fighter　was　an　infant　to　the　enemy's　giant。

Fortunately；　Rook　came　roaring　to　his　aid　not　a　moment　too　soon；　somehow　managing　to　pilot　her　red　VT　right　through　the　Pincer　bat　units　without　a　fight。　Together；　the　two　Veritechs　turned　on　the　Enforcer　and　brought　it　down　with　enough　explosive　heat　to　turn　the　rain　to　clouds　of　steam。　When　the　Pincer　Ship　pilots　saw　this；　they　broke　formation　and　fell　on　the　Humans；　but　by　now　Rand　and　Rook　were　back　to　back；　with　the　VTs'　weapons　systems　synchronized。　On　Rand's　mand　they　launched　all　their　remaining　cluster　rockets；　and　in　the　fireworks　display　that　followed；　every　Invid　ship　was　destroyed。

At　the　same　time；　Lancer　was　seeing　fireworks　of　his　own。　The　first　to　attack　Ayres；　he　was　the　first　down；　toppled　by　a　blow　from　the　outlaw's　bionic　arm。　Lunk　was　already　out…he　had　fainted　from　shock…but　Scott　stepped　forward　now；　raising　his　weapon　and　cautioning　Ayres　not　to　move。　Confident　inside　the　reconfigured　mecha；　Scott　reasoned　that　Lancer's　battle　armor　hadn't　been　enough　to　withstand　the　Human　monster's　strength；　but　surely　Ayres　couldn't　bring　a　Cycloner　down。。。

Scott　tried　to　reason　through　it　again　a　moment　later；　when　he　found　himself　flat　on　his　back　with　Ayres　standing　over　him　aiming　a　blaster　at　his　heart。　He　couldn't　even　recall　the　punch　Ayres　had　thrown。

〃Stay　there；〃　said　Ayres。　〃Don't　get　up。〃

Who　is　to　say　what　he　might　have　done　had　the　two　Veritechs　not　put　down　on　either　side　of　him　just　then？　Rook　and　Rand　had　the　fighters　in　Guardian　mode　now；　Rand　leveled　the　rifle/cannon　on　Ayres　while　Rook　leaped　from　her　cockpit　to　face　off　with　the　gleaming　half…Human　outlaw。

〃You　told　me　it　was　just　revenge；　Dusty。　That　you　weren't　after　the　rest　of　us；　remember？〃

〃They　tried　to　kill　me；〃　Ayres　threw　back；　training　his　hand　weapon　on　her。　The　implication　was　clear：　if　Rand　fired；　Rook　was　going　to　die　as　well。　No　one　was　even　certain　at　this　point　that　the　VT　could　really　take　Ayres　out。

〃Well；　what　did　you　expect　them　to　do？〃　Rook　screamed。　〃You're　a　murderer。〃　She　took　two　steps　toward　the　muzzle　of　the　weapon。　〃So　you　might　as　well　start　with　me；　because　these　people　mean　more　to　me　than　life　itself。　And　if　I　thought　that　my　helping　you　had　contributed　to　their　deaths；　I　couldn't　live　with　myself。〃　She　gestured　to　her　breast。　〃Go　ahead；　Dusty：　right　here；　right　here。。。〃

Scott；　Lancer；　and　Lunk　were　urging　Rook　to　get　back；　but　she　stood　her　ground。

Ayres　glowered　at　her　and　extended　his　weapon；　but　a　moment　later；　much　to　Rand's　amazement　and　everyone　else's　relief；　he　lowered　it。

〃I　couldn't　do　that；〃　he　said；　unable　to　meet　her　eyes。　〃I　just　couldn't。。。Maybe　if　I'd　had　friends　like　you；　none　of　this　would　have　happened。　I　told　you：　I've　got　no　argument　with　any　of　you　people。〃

In　the　midst　of　all　this；　the　Invid　Enforcer　had　struggled　to　its　feet　and　was　now　taking　halting　steps　toward　the　Humans。　Scott　and　the　rest　of　the　team　swung　their　guns　off　Dusty　to　train　them　on　the　approaching　ship。　But　Ayres　told　them　not　to　worry　about　it。　〃I　can　tell　by　the　way　it's　moving　that　it's　no　threat　to　us　anymore。〃

Scott；　who　figured　he　knew　the　Invid　just　about　as　well　as　anyone；　disagreed　and　told　his　team　as　much。　So　it　seemed　that　only　Dusty　was　surprised　when　the　ship's　cannons　flared　to　life。　He　pushed　Rook　aside；　raised　his　handgun；　and　fired；　bull's…eyeing　the　ship's　scanner。

Rook　hid　her　face　from　the　ensuing　blinding　flash　and　follow…up　explosion。　She　thought　she　heard　a　bloodcurdling　scream　pierce　through　it　all；　one　of　agony　and　release；　and　when　she　looked　up　Ayres　was　gone；　disintegrated　along　with　a　great　portion　of　the　Invid　ship　itself。


The　team　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　picking　up　the　pieces。　Rook　filled　everyone　in；　grateful　for　Rand's　efforts　to　support　her　but　in　the　end　overriding　his　objections。　No　one　blamed　her；　really；　they　had　all　seen　so　much　in　the　way　of　revenge；　betrayal；　and　deceit　this　past　year　that　Ayres's　story　was　nothing　new。

〃I　told　him　his　real　enemies　were　the　Invid；〃　Rook　explained。　〃I'm　sure　they　put　something　in　his　head；　they　had　more　control　over　him　than　he　realized。〃

〃More　than　he　wanted　to　admit；　that's　for　sure；〃　said　Lancer。　〃Those　ships　pulled　back　to　see　what　we'd　do　up　against　their　toy。　He　was　probably　an　early　experiment　to　see　if　they　could　use　us　against　one　another。〃

〃And　it's　obvious　they　can；〃　Scott　added。　He　exc