12_symphony_of_light-第30部分

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ire。　Rand　watched　from　the　edge　of　the　woods　as　Veritechs　swooped　in　on　release　runs　and　booster…climbed　into　the　sunlight。　The　sounds　of　battle　rumbled　through　the　surrounding　hills　and　shook　the　ground　beneath　his　feet。　He　could　see　that　the　battalion　was　meeting　with　heavy　resistance；　despite　what　Captain　Harrington　had　said　about　underplaying　their　hand。　The　Invid　knew　exactly　what　was　at　stake；　and　they　weren't　about　to　be　tricked。

I　can't　do　it；　he　thought。　I　can't　just　stand　here　and　watch　them　go！

Without　a　word　to　Rook　or　Annie；　he　donned　his　helmet　and　made　for　his　Cyclone。　They　called　out　after　him。

〃I'm　not　going　to　sit　it　out　after　ing　this　far；〃　he　told　them。　〃I　figure　the　time　has　e　for　a　little　well…meaning　insubordination。〃

Rook　tried　again　to　stop　him；　to　talk　some　sense　into　him；　but　her　words　lacked　conviction…even　she　didn't　believe　what　she　was　saying。　〃That　idiot's　going　to　get　himself　killed　without　somebody　to　look　after　him！〃

Annie　saw　what　was　ing　but　didn't　bother　to　try　to　stop　her　other　than　to　shout　a　halfhearted；　〃Wait！〃…and　that　was　only　because　she　didn't　want　to　be　left　behind。　She　began　to　chase　after　them；　leaving　the　woods　and　risking　a　mad　unprotected　dash　across　the　battlefield；　but　it　was　Lunk　she　ultimately　caught　up　with。

He　had　been　riding　escort　to　various　Cyclone　squads；　adding　his　own　missiles　to　the　riders'　laser…array　fire；　when　an　Invid　mand　ship　he　had　finished　off　with　heat…seekers　almost　toppled　on　him；　sending　the　APC　out　of　control。　Suddenly　he　was　flung　into　the　shotgun　seat；　and　the　vehicle　was　skidding　to　a　halt　in　the　thick　of　the　fighting。　And　the　next　thing　he　knew　Annie　was　in　the　driver's　seat；　practically　standing　up　to　reach　the　pedals　and　shouting：　〃I'll　show　you　how　to　handle　this　thing！〃

〃What　the　heck　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded；　grateful　and　concerned　at　the　same　time。

Annie　accelerated；　pinning　him　to　the　seat。

〃What's　it　look　like　I'm　doing？！〃

〃e　on；　Mint；　gimme　the　wheel〃

〃Forget　it！〃　she　yelled　into　his　face　as　he　made　a　reach　for　it。　〃I'm　not　gonna　be　left　behind　anymore；　Lunk！〃

Lunk　backed　off　and　regarded　her。　She　was　a　trooper；　he　had　to　admit；　a　regular　workout。


Deep　within　the　hive；　the　instrumentality　sphere　glowed　with　images　of　the　battle…a　Cyclone　charge；　an　aerial　encounter；　death　and　devastation。　A　living　flame　of　white　energy　now；　the　Regis　beheld　the　spectacle　and　understood。

〃The　Earth　people　have　risen　in　great　numbers　against　us；〃　she　addressed　her　troops；　in　position　elsewhere　in　the　hive。　〃And　now　they　dare　to　attack　our　very　center；　to　threaten　all　that　we　have　labored　to　achieve。　But　this　time　we　will　put　an　end　to　it。　Corg；　I　call　upon　you　to　defend　the　hive。　Destroy　them；　as　they　would　us；　for　the　greater　glory　of　our　race！〃

〃It　will　be　my　pleasure　and　my　privilege；〃　Corg　answered　her　from　the　cockpit　of　his　mand　ship。　Behind　him；　his　elite　squad　of　warriors　readied　themselves　as　the　hive　began　to　open；　the　subatomic　stuff　of　the　barrier　shield　pouring　in　to　fill　the　drone　chambers　with　white　radiance。

But　Corg　was　suddenly　aware　of　a　Human…sized　figure　silhouetted　against　that　blinding　light。　〃No；　wait！　You　mustn't！〃　it　shouted。

Ariel；　in　her　Human　guise　and　garb；　was　below　him；　searching　for　sight　of　him　in　the　cockpit。　〃So；　you've　returned。。。What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　to　speak　to　the　Regis。　Let　me　through…this　madness　must　be　stopped！〃

〃Madness？！〃　he　shouted；　stepping　his　ship　forward　menacingly。　〃What　are　you　saying？

Ariel　gestured　to　the　outside　world。　〃They're　only　fighting　to　regain　the　land　that　is　rightfully　theirs。。。the　land　we've　taken！〃

〃You've　lived　among　them　too　long；　Ariel；〃　Corg　told　her。　〃Or　should　I　call　you　Marlene？。。。Now　stand　aside！〃

Corg　leapt　his　ship　over　her　head；　nearly　decapitating　her；　but　she　had　ducked　at　the　last　instant　and　was　on　all　fours　now；　weeping；　Sera's　pink　and　purple　ship　towering　over　her。

〃Sera；　you　must　listen　to　me；〃　Marlene　pleaded；　getting　to　her　feet。　〃Have　we　forgotten　our　past？　You　yourself　opened　my　mind　to　these　things。　Have　we　forgotten　that　our　own　planet　was　stolen　from　us？　What　gives　us　the　right　to　inflict　the　same　evil　on　these　people？〃

Sardonic　laughter　issued　through　the　ship's　externals。　〃So　suddenly　our　Ariel　remembers；〃　sneered　Sera。　〃And　you　would　have　us　surrender。。。Well；　we　have　traveled　too　far　to　concern　ourselves　with　this　barbaric　life…form's　needs。　Soon　this　will　be　our　world；　and　our　world　alone。〃

〃We've　traveled　far；　and　yet　we　have　learned　nothing。〃

Sera　engaged　her　ship's　power　systems　and　leapt　into　the　light；　the　roar　of　the　thrusters　drowning　out　Marlene's　anguished　pleas。


Outside；　the　barrier　had　been　breached　by　antimatter　torpedoes　delivered　against　it　by　two　Veritechs　and　subsequent　blasts　from　the　battalion's　destabilizer　cannons。　Cyclone　riders　and　Battloids　were　now　punching　through　the　rend　and　battling　Pincer　Ships　on　the　ground　nearest　the　hive　wall。

The　outpouring　of　Protoculture　energy　released　from　the　shield　was　working　a　kind　of　seasonal　magic　across　the　landscape；　reconfiguring　not　only　local　weather　patterns　but　the　life　processes　of　the　flora　itself。　Rand　and　Rook；　riding　at　the　head　of　a　contingent　of　Cycloners；　moved　from　winter　to　spring　in　a　matter　of　seconds。　Spores　and　pollen　clusters　the　size　of　giant　snowflakes　were　wafting　through　the　newly　warmed　air；　young　grass　was　spreading　like　some　green　tide　across　the　valley；　and　trees　and　flowers　were　blossoming　in　vibrant　colors。

〃This　sure　wasn't　in　the　forecast！〃　Rand　mented　over　the　net。

〃Look　at　all　these　wildflowers！　Poppies；　marigolds…〃

〃Yeah；　but　I　don't　like　the　look　of　that　big　cornflower　up　ahead。〃

Rook　saw　a　blue　Enforcer　ship　surfacing　in　front　of　them；　its　cannon　tips　already　aglow　with　priming　charges。　〃Fan　out；〃　Rand　ordered　the　rest　of　the　Cyclone　group　as　energy　bolts　were　thrown　at　them。　The　two　freedom　fighters　launched　their　Cycs　and　changed　over　to　Battle　Armor　mode。

〃Draw　its　fire！〃　said　Rook；　boostering　up　and　off　to　the　left。

Rand　remained　at　ground　level；　taunting　the　blue　devil　with　trick　shots；　while　Rook　came　in　from　behind　to　drop　the　thing。　But　a　second　Invid　suddenly　appeared　out　of　nowhere　and　swatted　her　from　the　air　with　a　cannon　twist　that　smashed　one　side　of　the　armor's　backpack　rig；　shearing　away　one　of　the　mecha's　tires。　She　went　into　an　uncontrolled　fall　with　her　back　to　the　larger　ship；　but　Rand　swooped　in　to　position　himself　between　the　two　of　them。

〃It's　okay；　I've　got　you　covered。〃

〃Leave　it　to　me！〃　she　told　him；　voice　full　of　anger；　as　Rand　triggered　off　a　series　of　futile　shots。

〃If　I'd　left　it　to　you；　you'd　be　a　pile　of　smoking　rubble　by　now；　and　I'm　just　too　fond　of　you　to　let　that　happen！〃

〃You're　what？！〃

Rand　risked　a　look　over　his　shoulder　at　her。　〃You　heard　me…I'm　fond　of　you；　dammit！〃

It　was　a　hell　of　a　time　to　be　confessing　his　feelings；　she　thought；　but　it　was　turning　out　to　be　one　of　those　days。　〃I…I　don't　know　what　to　say。。。　〃

Rand　swung　back　to　his　opponent　and　saw　that　the　Invid　ship's　cannons　were　about　to　fire。　〃Don't　say　anything；〃　he　yelled　in　a　rush；　〃just　moooove！〃

The　cannons　traversed　and　followed　the　Cycloners　up；　but　the　pilot's　aim　was　off；　and　Rand　managed　to　sweep　in　and　bull's…eye　the　ship　from　behind。

〃Nice　shooting　there；　cowboy；〃　Rook　said；　ing　alongside　him　later。　〃I　bet　you　try　to　impress　all　the　girls　that　way。〃

There　was　a　sweetness　in　her　voice　he　had　never　heard　before　and　a　smile　behind　the　faceshield　of　her　helmet　that　lit　up　his　heart。　〃No；　only　the　ones　who　can　outshoot　me；〃　he　laughed。

They　were　both　some　fifty　feet　off　the　ground；　almost　leisurely　in　flight；　as　though　the　battle　had　ended。　Then；　without　warning；　there　was　something　up　there　with　them：　a　kind　of　towering　diamond…shaped　flame　of　white　energy　inside　of　which；　naked　and　transcendent；　was　a　Human　female　with　long；　flowing　red　hair。。。

The　vision；　if　that　indeed　was　what　it　was；　also　appeared　to　Lunk　and　Annie；　who　were　down　below　in　another　part　of　the　arena。

〃What　the　devil　is　that　thing？！〃　Lunk　said；　back　behind　the　wheel　of　the　APC　now。

At　that　the　flame　seemed　to　tinkerbell　across　the　sky；　as　though　calling　to　them。　Annie　swore　to　herself　that　she　was　seeing　Marlene　up　there　but　dismissed　the　thought　as　wishful　thinking。　The　flame；　however；　did　seem　to　be　beckoning　to　them。

〃Do　you　get　the　feeling　it　wants　us　to　follow　it？〃

〃That　seems　to　be　the　idea；〃　said　Lunk；　putting　the　vehicle　into　gear。　〃And　I've　learned　that　you　never　say　no　to　a　hallucination。〃


At　the　same　time；　almost　directly　over　the　hive；　where　the　fighting　had　been　fast　and　furious；　Scott　and　Lancer　were　reconfiguring　their　fighters　to　Battloid　mode　in　the　hope　that　some　of　the　Expeditionary　Force　fly…boys　would　follow　their　lead。　The　air　bat　units　had　been　sustaining　heavy　losses；　and　Scott　reasoned　that　the　boys　had　been　flying　far　too　long　in　zero…gee　theaters。　He　recalled　the　fear　he　had　felt　when　Lunk　first　surprised　him　with　the　Alpha…and　back　then　he　was　only　going　up　against　two　or　three　Troopers　ships；　nothing　like　the　swarms　of　Invid　aircraft　that　were　in　the　skies　today。

Reconfigured；　the　two　teammates　demonstrated　what　a　year　of　guerrilla　fighting　had　taught　them；　they　dropped　down　close　to　the　hive；　rifle/cannons　blazing；　and　took　out　one　after　another　Invid　ship…even　the　most　recent　entries　to　the　aliens'　supply：　the　Battloid…like　Retaliator　ships；　upscale　versions　of　the　Invid　Urban　Urban　Enforcer　street　machines。　Lancer　went　so　far　as　to　bat　a　couple　of　them　with　the　rifle/cannon；　showing　just　how　to　make　gravity　work　to　one's　advantage。

Then　suddenly　there　was　a　kind　of　flame　whisking　along　beside　them；　tipped　on　its　side　and　incandescent。

Lancer　said：　〃It's　some　sort　of　vapor　cloud；　I　think。　But　I　can't　get　a　decent　fix　on　it。　See　if　you　can　get　close　to　it。〃

Scott　banked　his　fighter　toward　the　apparition　and　trained　his　scanners　on　it。　But　it　was　his　eyes　that　gave　him　the　answer：　Inside　the　flame　cloud　a　naked　figure　swam；　larger　than　life　and　recognizable。

No；　it　can't　be！　Scott　thought。

All　at　once　Lancer's　voice　pierced　the　cacophony　of　sounds　ing　over　the　tac　net。

〃I'm　hit；　Scott！