12_symphony_of_light-第33部分

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twisted　and　hurled　his　opponent　way；　once　again　he　brought　the　cannon　into　play；　and　once　again　Corg　seemed　to　laugh　off　the　attempts。

The　alien's　voice　seethed　over　the　tac　net：　〃Your　pitiful　attempts　make　your　defeat　at　my　hands　all　the　more　pleasurable！〃

Scott　snorted。　〃I'll　be　satisfied　with　boring　you　to　death；　then！〃

The　Battloid　had　the　cannon　in　both　hands　now；　the　first　volley　missed；　and　the　second　impacted　harmlessly　against　the　mand　ship's　crown。　In　response　Corg　loosed　a　flock　of　missiles　from　his　ship's　shoulder…mounted　racks；　and　Scott　met　the　stakes　with　an　equal　number　of　his　own。　The　projectiles　destroyed　themselves　in　midair　between　the　two　ships；　but　Corg　had　followed　his　missiles　in；　emerging　from　the　smoke　and　bringing　the　metalshod　foot　of　his　ship　against　the　VT's　control　modules　before　Scott　had　an　opportunity　to　take　evasive　action。　Electrical　discharges　snapped　around　the　inside　of　the　Beta's　cockpit　like　summer　lightning　as　circuits　fried　and　systems　shorted　out。　Scott　sat　defenseless　in　the　seat　as　shock　poured　through　his　armor　and　the　displays　cried　out　last　warnings。　Corg's　ship　was　behind　him　now；　cannon　raised。　Scott　thought　he　would　feel　the　final　blow　against　the　Battloid's　back；　but　Corg　played　his　hand　for　insult　instead。　He　targeted　and　zapped　the　Beta's　thrusters；　incapacitating　the　ship。

The　Battloid　menced　a　slow　facedown　descent；　trailing　thick　smoke　from　its　leg　and　neck。。。

Corg　watched　it　for　a　moment；　laughing　out　loud　in　his　cockpit；　then　turned　to　deal　with　the　half　dozen　fighters　that　had　suddenly　appeared　to　avenge　their　mander。

〃How　quaint；〃　he　sniggered　to　himself。

He　positioned　himself　central　to　their　assault　and　let　them　take　their　best　shots；　which　he　avoided　with　ease。　Then；　as　they　came　in　at　him；　he　showed　his　teeth　and　counterattacked；　taking　out　the　first　as　it　swooped　past　him；　then　a　second；　third；　and　fourth　as　they　strived　to　ensnare　him。


At　the　same　time；　Corg's　Troopers　were　taking　the　battle　to　the　edge　of　space。　The　so…called　Mollusk　Carriers　and　squadrons　of　Pincer　units　a　thousand　strong　had　moved　in　to　engage　the　main　fleet。　Laser　fire　crisscrossed　and　lined　local　space；　spherical　explosions　blossoming　like　so　many　small　novas。

Hundreds　of　Invid　ships　were　annihilated　by　mecha　they　could　not　even　see；　let　alone　fight。　Squadrons　of　Enforcers　and　Pincer　ships　were　wiped　out；　Mollusk　Carriers　exploded　before　they　could　even　release　their　brood。　And　yet　they　continued　to　e；　more　and　more　of　them。


On　the　bridge　of　the　fleet　flagship；　Reinhardt　received　the　latest　updates。　〃Estimate　of　Invid　troop　capability　is　ing　in　now；　sir；〃　Sparks　reported。

〃I　want　a　full　status　report　on　the　assault　force　entry　into　Reflex　Point；〃　he　demanded。

〃They're　continuing　to　meet　heavy　resistance；　sir。〃

Reinhardt　studied　the　monitors　and　displays。　〃If　push　es　to　shove　we're　going　to　be　forced　to　use　the　neutron　S　missiles。〃

〃But　our　troops。。。〃　said　Sparks；　alarmed。

〃I'm　aware　of　the　consequences；〃　Reinhardt　answered　him　grimly。　〃But　is　there　a　choice？　Either　we　eliminate　them　and　reclaim　the　planet　or　give　it　all　away。　We　can　deal　with　the　ethics　later　on。〃

〃I　understand；〃　Sparks　said　softly。

〃Shadow　Fighter　launch　is　plete；〃　a　female　tech　said　over　the　link。

〃This　is　it；　then；〃　said　Reinhardt。　〃Wish　them　Godspeed　for　me；　Lieutenant。〃


In　the　hive　chamber；　Lancer；　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Sera　had　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　Protoculture　globe　as　glimpses　of　the　battle　in　space　were　relayed　to　the　Regis's　sanctum　sanctorum。　It　was　obvious　to　the　Humans　that　the　Regis　was　growing　concerned　now；　she　was　no　longer　the　omniscient　being　they　had　first　met。

〃All　units　regroup；〃　she　was　telling　her　troops。　〃Repel　the　invaders　at　all　costs！〃　As　she　swung　around　to　face　her　small　audience；　her　eyes　found　Sera。　〃Your　defection　has　cost　us　much；　my　child。〃

No　one　really　understood　what　she　meant　by　it；　least　of　all　Sera。　It　was　true　that　she　had　stayed　her　hand　when　it　had　e　to　killing　Lancer；　but　it　was　beyond　her　how　her　presence　in　the　current　battle　could　have　affected　things　or　altered　the　oute　any。　〃It　can't　be；〃　she　answered　her　Queen…Mother；　knowing　guilt　for　the　first　time。

Lancer　was　about　to　add　something；　when　he　saw　one　of　the　cells　of　the　munication　sphere　black　out。　It　was　the　third　time　he　had　seen　it　happen　now；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　the　sphere　was　tied　in　not　only　to　the　Regis　in　some　direct　way　but　to　her　offspring　as　well。　He　turned　his　attention　to　the　battle　images　again：　A　squadron　of　Enforcers　was　being　decimated　by　laser…array　fire　erupting　from　what　seemed　to　be　empty　space；　and　as　the　last　of　the　ships　were　destroyed；　another　cell　faded　and　was　gone。　Annie　noticed　it；　too。

〃Hey；　look　at　that！〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　dark　patch　on　the　underside　of　the　globe。

〃It　loses　power　with　each　Invid　loss；〃　Lancer　explained。　〃Isn't　that　right；　Regis？〃

The　alien　looked　down　at　him　imperiously。　〃You　are　perceptive；　Human。。。And　as　you　have　observed；　our　entire　race　feels　the　loss　when　even　one　of　our　children　ceases　to　exist。〃

The　pain　she　must　have　known；　Lancer　found　himself　thinking。　Even　over　the　course　of　the　past　year；　to　mention　nothing　of　what　had　happened　before；　with　the　Tirolian　Masters；　then　Hunter　and　the　so…called　Sentinels。。。

〃Those　Shadow　Fighters　are　chewing　them　up！〃　Lunk　enthused　as　more　and　more　Invid　ships　disappeared　in　fiery　explosions　and　seemingly　sourceless　cross　fires。

Lancer　took　a　step　toward　the　pillar　of　flame　that　was　the　Invid　Queen…Mother。　〃Your　forces　can't　detect　those　fighters；〃　he　told　her。　〃Your　children　are　defenseless；　don't　you　understand？　Now　you're　the　only　one　who　can　end　this　destruction。〃

Unmoved；　the　queen　regarded　him。　〃Twice　in　our　recorded　history　we　were　forced　to　relinquish　our　home　and　journey　across　the　galaxy。。。　But　this　time　we　shall　not　leave！〃

〃Don't　you　know　when　to　take　no　for　an　answer？！〃　Lunk　shouted　at　her。　〃Your　children　are　dying！〃

Sera　glanced　at　Lunk；　then　looked　up　to　the　Regis。　〃Mother；　perhaps　we　should　listen　to　him。。。　〃

〃You　have　the　power　to　transform　any　world　you　choose；〃　Lancer　argued。　〃Some　planet　you　won't　have　to　fight　for！〃

〃You　cannot　understand；〃　the　Regis　said；　almost　sadly。　〃The　Flowers　of　Life　exist　on　this　world　and　this　world　only。　They　are　our　strength；　they　are　our　life。　Without　them；　we　would　perish。〃


Scott　opened　his　eyes　to　Marlene's　face　and　a　world　of　pain。　He　was　in　his　battle　armor　and　propped　up　against　a　tree　not　far　from　the　smoldering　remains　of　a　crashed　fighter。　He　had　no　recollection　of　the　events　that　had　landed　him　there。

〃Scott；〃　Marlene　was　saying；　dabbing　at　his　head　with　a　moistened　rag。　〃Is　your　head　any　better？〃

Scott　saw　blood　on　the　rag　and　raised　his　fingers　to　the　wound。　Even　this　slight　movement　brought　a　wave　of　pain　along　his　left　side；　at　the　very　least　his　ribs　were　cracked　under　the　armor's　chest　plate。　〃Agh。。。what　happened？〃　he　groaned。

Marlene　gestured　to　the　VT；　〃You　were　shot　down。　I　saw　you　fall　and…〃

〃Where's　the　Beta's　ponent？〃　He　tried　to　raise　himself　and　collapsed；　Marlene　laid　her　hand　and　cheek　against　his　chest。

〃You　shouldn't　be　moving；　Scott。　Stay　here　with　me！〃

〃I've　got　to　get　back。。。　〃　He　saw　that　she　was　staring　at　him　in　a　peculiar　way　and　couldn't　understand　it。　The　revelations　of　the　previous　day　and　the　sequence　inside　the　chamber　of　the　hive　were　lost　to　him。　〃Marlene；　what's　wrong？〃　he　asked　her；　almost　warily。

〃I。。。I　don't　know　how　to　explain　it；〃　she　stammered。　〃I　feel　so　strange；　so　concerned　about　you。。。Do　you　think　you　could　love　me；　Scott？　Even　if　only　for　a　little　while？〃

Some　of　it　was　ing　back　to　him　now；　scenes　of　battle；　memories　of　Corg！　He　looked　at　her　like　she　was　crazy　to　be　saying　these　things。　〃Marlene；　I'm　capable　of　only　one　thing；　and　that's　fighting　the　Invid！〃　Refusing　her　offered　lips；　he　managed　to　struggle　through　the　pain　and　get　to　his　feet。

Marlene　chased　after　him　as　he　ran　off。　〃But；　Scott；〃　she　screamed；　〃I　love　you！〃


Elsewhere；　two　Battloids　were　moving　through　the　chaos　like　lovers　taking　a　Sunday　stroll　in　the　park。　Rand's　had　just　suffered　a　near　miss；　and　Rook　was　teasing　him　about　it　over　the　tac　net。

〃I　think　you　need　some　lessons　in　how　to　maneuver；　kiddo。　My　grandmother　could　do　better　than　that。〃

〃All　right；〃　he　told　her　in　the　same　teasing　voice。　〃But　the　next　time　you're　in　trouble；　don't　e　to　me　for　help。　〃

〃Who'll　e　to　who　for　help？〃

Rand　smiled　for　the　screen。　〃Love　you；　too。〃

〃Same　goes　for　me；〃　Rook　started　to　say；　but　Corg's　approach　put　a　quick　end　to　the　flirtation。

He　split　them　up　with　fire　from　his　hand　cannon。　They　had　arrived　on　the　scene　too　late　to　see　what　the　alien　had　done　to　Scott；　so　it　took　Rand　by　surprise　when　Corg　moved　against　him　hand　to　hand…something　seldom　done　in　midair…effortlessly　knocking　the　rifle/cannon　from　the　Alpha's　grip。　Rook　stared　out　of　her　cockpit　amazed；　watching　the　two　ships　begin　to　duke　it　out；　moving　in　to　exchange　rapid　flurries　of　blows；　then　separating　only　to　thruster　in　against　each　other　all　over　again；　trying　to　punch　each　other's　lights　out。　But　Rand　was　nothing　if　not　resourceful；　and　somehow　he　managed　to　get　the　Invid　ship　in　a　kind　of　full　nelson；　which　left　Corg　vulnerable　to　all　frontal　shots。

〃Okay；　I've　got　him！〃　Rook　heard　Rand　yell　over　the　net。　〃Blast　him！〃

Rook　tried　to　depress　the　HOTAS　trigger　button；　but　her　fingers　simply　refused　to　obey　the　mand。　If　she　didn't　catch　the　alien　just　right；　Rand　would　be　destroyed　along　with　him。　Her　face　was　beading　up　with　sweat　and　the　HOTAS　was　shaking　in　her　grip　as　though　palsied；　but　she　couldn't　bring　herself　to　fire　with　Rand's　safety　at　stake。　He　was　screaming　at　her；　telling　her　not　to　concern　herself。。。

Corg　was　just　as　confused　as　Rand：　the　red　Battloid　had　a　clear　shot　at　him；　but　instead　of　firing　the　pilot　was　throwing　herself　against　him；　trying　to　batter　him　with　the　mecha's　cannon。　It　was　a　tactical　blunder　and　one　that　gave　him　all　the　time　he　needed　to　reverse　the　Battloid's　hold。　Corg　grinned　to　himself　and　fired　off　a　charge　into　his　opponent's　right　arm；　taking　it　off　at　the　elbow；　then　he　threw　open　the　mand　s