12_symphony_of_light-第23部分

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〃We've　got　transportation；〃　Lancer　said；　holding　back。

Simon　stepped　back　to　regard　the　trio　quizzically。　〃Perhaps　it's　not　in　good　taste　to　ask　too　many　questions；〃　he　said　after　noticing　Rand　and　Lancer's　sidearms。

〃Probably　not。〃　Lancer　smiled。

〃Well；　you've　just　got　to　e　to　the　show　tonight；　that's　all　there　is　to　it；〃　Simon　enthused。

〃The　Invid　are　permitting　performances？〃　Lancer　asked。

〃They　haven't　tried　to　stop　us　yet。　I　guess　they　figure　it　keeps　the　slaves　happy　and　out　of　their　way。〃


Meanwhile；　in　the　hive　atop　the　Trump　Building；　Sera　was　engaged　in　an　argument　with　her　brother/prince；　Corg。　The　Robotech　rebels　had　not　been　located；　and　Corg　was　in　favor　of　taking　matters　into　his　own　hands　by　simply　exterminating　every　Human　in　the　city。

〃I　will　not　permit　it；〃　Sera　told　him。　〃Observation　of　these　life…forms　has　not　yet　been　pleted。　They　require　more　study；　even　if　that　means　the　rebels　live　for　a　time　more。〃

〃Your　lenience　is　a　sign　of　weakness；〃　Corg　answered　her。　〃I　say　destroy　them　now。〃

She　glared　down　at　him　from　the　massive　throne…a　monolithic　two…horned　affair　set　atop　what　appeared　to　be　a　thick…stalked；　flat…topped　mushroom；　adorned　along　its　outer　edge　with　a　band　of　glossy　red　discs。　Beneath　the　cap　stood　two　Urban　Enforcers；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　statues。　The　domed　room　itself　resembled　the　inside　of　a　living　neural　cell。

〃You　seem　to　forget　our　instructions；　my　brother。　We　are　to　study　the　Humans'　behavior　patterns　and　learn　from　them。〃

Corg　made　a　disgruntled　sound。　〃The　experiment　is　as　good　as　plete。　It　is　time　to　exterminate　these　lifeforms。　I'll　proceed　with　my　program；　regardless　of　instructions。〃

She　knew　that　he　had　been　defeated　on　every　occasion　and　wondered　whether　this　was　influencing　his　behavior；　but　she　didn't　want　to　point　this　out　to　him。　〃I'm　warning　you；　Corg；　do　not　challenge　my　authority　in　this　matter。　The　Regis　has　placed　me　in　charge。〃

〃For　the　moment；〃　he　snarled。

〃What　makes　you　so　sure　of　that？〃

〃It's　perfectly　obvious。　You　have　no　stomach　for　destruction。　But　you've　known　all　along　that　our　plan　calls　for　the　eradication　of　these　creatures。　And　I　intend　to　begin　that　process　immediately。〃

Corg　disappeared　through　the　floor　of　the　hive　even　as　Sera　was　ordering　him　to　call　off　his　attack。　She　reseated　herself　to　digest　his　words。

Maybe　he　is　right；　she　began　to　tell　herself。　Perhaps　I　don't　have　the　determination　to　carry　out　this　task。　She　had　to　admit　to　herself　that　she　had　no　grasp　of　the　emotions　that　were　keeping　her　from　destroying　the　rebels…especially　that　one　who　had　touched　her　with　his　voice。　Surely　she　should　have　killed　him　when　they　had　faced　each　other　at　the　chasm。　But　she　had　let　him　live；　and　now　Corg　was　beginning　to　suspect　her。　All　at　once　it　seemed　imperative　that　she　speak　with　Ariel；　because　in　that　brief　confrontation　with　her　lost　sister　she　had　e　close　to　understanding　some　of　the　changes　that　were　going　on　inside　her。

Sera　shot　to　her　feet。

I　must　try　to　find　her。。。


Corg　wasted　no　time　assembling　his　Shock　Troopers　and　mencing　his　murderous　assault　on　the　city's　Human　population。

Across　the　Hudson　River；　where　Scott　and　the　rest　of　the　team　were　awaiting　word　from　Lancer；　Marlene　sensed　the　warlord's　destructive　swing　and　screamed　as　those　hellish　emotions　assailed　her　consciousness　once　again。

Scott　was　by　her　side　in　an　instant。　〃Where？〃　he　asked　as　he　tried　to　fort　her。　〃Where　are　they　attacking？〃

〃The　city；〃　she　managed　to　bite　out；　hands　pressed　to　her　head；　body　rocking　back　and　forth　in　Scott's　arms。　〃They're　going　to　wipe　out　the　entire　city！〃

〃But　you've　got　to　be　mistaken；〃　Scott　started　to　say　when　the　sound　of　the　first　explosions　reached　him。　He　grabbed　a　binocular　scanner　and　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　roof　that　was　their　temporary　camp。　Training　it　on　the　city；　he　saw　countless　flashes　of　intense　light；　and　within　minutes　it　seemed　that　the　entire　northern　portion　of　the　island　was　ablaze。


CHAPTER　TWELVE

There　is　some　truth　to　the　claim　that　Corg　contributed　to　the　Invid's　defeat；　such　as　it　was；　but　only　in　the　sense　that　his　premature　blood　lust　succeeded　in　alienating　Sera　that　much　sooner。　On　the　other　hand；　the　so…called　parallels　with　the　Zentraedi　Khyron　are　rather　forced　and　remain　unconvincing。　To　be　honest；　who　can　we　point　to　that　did　not　contribute　to　the　defeat？　One　might　as　well　blame　Marlene；　Sera；　Zor；　for　that　matter。　Lay　the　blame　on　love；　if　you　will；　on　Protoculture。
Dr。　Emil　Lang；　The　New　Testament

Corg　assembled　his　Urban　Enforcer　squadrons　at　the　northern　tip　of　the　island　and　manded　them　to　begin　a　southward　march；　sanitizing　the　city　top　to　bottom。　Shock　Trooper　ships　would　back　them　up；　creating　apocalyptical　fires　to　flush　the　Humans　from　their　dwellings。

The　residents　thought　they　were　witnessing　some　sort　of　drill　until　the　first　streams　of　annihilation　discs　hit　the　streets；　then　there　was　sheer　panic。　People　fled　from　burning　buildings　only　to　be　caught　up　in　volleys　of　fire　from　the　Invid　ground　troops。　Block　after　block　burned；　filling　the　evening　sky　with　infernal　light。　The　brick　and　concrete　facades　of　buildings　collapsed　into　the　avenues；　sending　up　storms　of　glowing　embers　and　acrid　ash。　Hundreds　were　trapped　in　the　rubble；　and　hundreds　more　perished　in　the　alleyways　and　streets；　in　shafts　and　courtyards。　No　one　could　prehend　what　was　occurring。　Had　they　brought　this　on　themselves　somehow？　Had　they　transgressed　or　violated　some　Invid　regulation　no　one　had　been　aware　of？　Or　was　this　simply　the　way　it　would　always　end　from　now　on？　No　more　old　age　or　disease；　no　more　heart　attacks　or　accidents；　just　random　bursts　of　blinding　light；　spurts　of　systematic　extermination。。。

Corg　smiled　down　on　the　ensuing　destruction　from　the　cockpit　of　his　mand　ship。　There；　Princess；　he　laughed　to　himself。　Observe　your　life　forms　now！


Downtown；　in　Simon's　dance　theater；　Jorge　held　a　note　that　had　just　been　delivered　by　one　of　the　underground's　black　eagle　courier　birds。　The　sounds　of　distant　explosions　had　already　reached　into　the　building；　and　an　atmosphere　of　dread　prevailed。　〃Listen　up；　everybody！〃　he　announced。　〃The　Invid　are　on　a　rampage。　They're　offing　everyone！　Sweeping　through　the　whole　city；　north　to　south！〃

〃Oh；　my　God！〃　muttered　Simon。　〃They're　through　with　us！　I　knew　it　would　e　to　this　someday！〃

Lancer　looked　over　at　Rand；　his　face　all　twisted　up。　〃It's　because　of　us；　Rand；〃　he　seethed；　just　loud　enough　for　his　friend　to　hear。　〃We　brought　this　on。　Just　our　being　here。。。〃

Rand　accepted　it　with　a　kind　of　shrug　and　took　another　bite　from　the　sandwich　Jorge　had　fixed　him　before　all　hell　broke　loose。

〃We've　got　to　get　out　of　here；〃　one　of　the　dancers　was　telling　the　rest　of　the　troupe。　〃They're　getting　closer！〃

The　man　was　right；　Lancer　realized；　the　explosions　were　louder　now；　near　enough　to　shake　the　theater　itself。　The　first　blast　to　strike　the　building　threw　everyone　to　the　floor。　The　lights　flickered　once　and　went　out；　a　few　people　screamed。

〃We　have　to　help　these　people　get　to　shelter；〃　Lancer　told　Rand　when　intermittent　power　returned。　Dust　and　particles　of　debris　filled　the　air。　Lancer　had　his　weapon　drawn。。。

Rand；　who　had　almost　swallowed　the　sandwich　whole；　pulled　it　from　his　mouth　and　gasped　for　his　breath。　〃Get　them　to　shelters？　What　about　them　getting　us　to　shelters？〃

Jorge　was　standing　beside　them；　helping　a　petrified　Annie　to　her　feet。　〃We　can　reach　the　subway　from　the　basement；〃　he　said　rapidly。　〃We'll　be　safe　there。〃

〃Depends　on　how　serious　they　are；〃　Rand　started　to　say。　But　Jorge　was　already　herding　his　fellow　performers　toward　the　exits。

Two　more　crippling　explosions　erupted　in　their　midst　just　then；　and　all　of　a　sudden　the　interior　of　the　theater　was　in　flames。　Most　of　Simon's…troupe　had　already　made　it　through　the　exit　doors；　but　the　director　himself　was　standing　stock　still；　as　though　in　shock。　Lancer　ran　over　to　him　and　spun　him　around；　catching　the　look　of　devastation　in　his　eyes。

〃Simon；　you've　got　to　leave！〃

〃My　theater。。。〃

Lancer　put　his　hands　on　Simon's　shoulders；　steering　him　away　from　the　blaze　that　had　already　scorched　both　their　faces。　〃Listen　to　me。。。The　theater's　gone。　And　it　won't　help　anybody　if　you　go　up　with　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃It's　over；〃　Simon　said　flatly；　overe。

〃e　on；　man。　There'll　be　other　shows；　we'll　get　through　this。〃

Simon　offered　a　wan　smile。　〃Maybe。。。〃

A　column　collapsed　behind　them；　bringing　down　a　portion　of　the　balcony　and　fueling　the　fire。

〃Of　course　there　will！〃　Lancer　yelled。　〃Unless　we　don't　get　you　out　of　here　right　now！〃　Rand　was　by　the　door；　one　hand　shielding　his　face　from　the　heat；　yelling　for　them　to　get　a　move　on。　Lancer　grabbed　hold　of　Simon's　hand　and　led　him　off　at　a　run。


〃Unbelievable；〃　Scott　was　saying　on　the　rooftop　across　the　river。　〃It　looks　like　they're　trying　to　destroy　the　whole　city　and　everybody　in　it。〃　He　scanned　the　infrared　binoculars　north　to　south；　then　lowered　them。

Rook　and　Lunk　stood　silently　by　the　retaining　wall；　mesmerized　by　the　fiery　spectacle。　Marlene　was　off　to　one　side；　hugging　her　arms　to　herself。　Scott　swung　around　to　Lunk。

〃How　much　Protoculture　will　we　have　if　we　cannibalize　the　Cyclone　power　systems？〃

〃Maybe　a　dozen　canisters。〃

〃We　have　to　act　quick；〃　Rook　told　Scott。　〃Annie　and　the　boys　are　somewhere　in　the　middle　of　that　firestorm。〃

Scott　tightened　his　mouth。　Why　haven't　they　contacted　me　as　planned？　he　asked　himself；　already　dressing　them　down。　With　a　dozen　canisters　of　fuel；　they　would　have　just　enough　to　power　the　three　Veritechs　for　a　short　time。　But　unless　they　were　able　to　resupply　afterward；　that　would　effectively　finish　the　mecha；　fighters　and　Cyclones　both。　And　even　the　instrumentality　nodes　of　Reflex　Point　were　a　good　three　hundred　miles　west　of　the　city。

〃e　on；　Scott；〃　Rook　was　saying；　her　mind　made　up。　〃Let's　switch　the　canisters　and　get　out　there。〃

Scott　issued　a　silent　nod　of　consent　and　went　down　on　one　knee　by　Marlene's　side　while　Rook　and　Lunk　moved　off。　〃You　better　stay　behind；〃　he　told　her。　〃I　don't　want　to　risk　bringing　you　any　closer　to　that　place。　I　can　see　what　you're　already　going　through。〃

〃I…I'll　be　all　right　here；〃　she