12_symphony_of_light-第5部分

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s；　swirls　and　spirals　of　galactic　stuff　strewn　like　diamonds　on　velvet。　She　beheld　a　vision　of　Optera　through　Sera's　eyes；　of　the　Invid　as　they　were　before　the　ing　of　Zor；　of　the　Flowers　before　the　Fall。　Then　Sera's　unconscious　unlocked　for　her　the　horrors　of　days　since。　Marlene　saw　the　quest　for　their　stolen　grail；　the　transmutation　of　the　race　to　an　army　of　relentless　warriors；　burdened　with　a　need　for　mecha　and　Protoculture　that　rivaled　the　Masters'　own；　the　trip　across　the　galaxy　to　this　planet　they　now　called　their　own；　and　the　dispossession　of　its　indigenous　beings；　just　as　they　themselves　had　once　been　dispossessed。。。

And　there　was　a　voice　in　Marlene's　mind…one　that　she　could　not　identify　but　that　at　the　same　time　seemed　to　be　her　own：

〃Reach　into　the　cosmic　consciousness　of　your　race；　Ariel；〃　the　voice　told　her。　〃And　although　you　feel　you　are　dreaming；　watch　send　observe　the　beauty　of　your　home。　For　we　are　a　race　of　powerful　beings　destined　to　control　the　universe　with　our　intellect　and　power；　and　you；　Ariel；　are　a　part　of　that　power。　e　back　to　us；　my　child；　e　back；　Ariel；　and　rejoin　the　hive。。。〃

Marlene　stared　at　Sera　as　her　face　took　form　once　again；　the　journey　through　space…time　concluded；　and　thought：　I　know　her：　we're　like　sisters　somehow。。。

Then　without　warning；　explosions　were　rocking　the　ledge　and　erupting　around　the　base　of　Sera's　mand　ship。　Scott　and　the　rest　of　the　team　had　positioned　themselves　on　the　ridgeline　above　the　gully　and　were　firing　bursts　against　the　mand　ship　and　its　sole　minion。

Momentarily　confused　by　the　renewed　fighting；　Sera　broke　off　her　contact　with　Marlene　and　returned　to　the　cockpit　of　her　ship；　lifting　off　at　once　and　joining　her　charge　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　chasm。　But　no　sooner　did　she　touch　down　than　the　ledge　gave　way　and　the　two　dropped　together；　impacting　rocks　and　outcroppings　as　they　fell。

Lunk　and　Rand　pulled　Lancer　and　Marlene　to　safety。　It　seemed　unbelievable　that　they　had　all　survived　and　that　all　their　crazed　plans　had　worked。　But　even　more　unsettling　was　the　Human　pilot　who　had　once　again　demonstrated　a　bewildering　ambivalence。　Scott　refused　to　believe　that　the　woman　had　purposely　stayed　her　hand；　he　pointed　out　how　she　had　fired　on　him　earlier　without　punction。　Lancer；　however；　knew　better　than　to　accept　Scott's　explanation　that　the　woman　had　been　distracted　by　their　sudden　fire。　And　he　also　saw　that　something　inexplicable　had　transpired　between　the　woman　and　Marlene。　Both　Rand　and　Annie　had　been　touched　by　the　Invid　consciousness　in　the　past；　but　their　psychic　encounters　had　been　brief　and　transient。　Marlene；　on　the　other　hand；　had　been　profoundly　affected。

〃I　don't　belong　with　you；〃　Marlene　told　Lancer　later；　when　the　others　had　moved　off　in　the　direction　of　the　buried　mecha。　〃Please；　Lancer；　I'll　just　bring　trouble　for　all　of　you。。。〃

He　tried　to　fort　her　as　best　he　could　by　offering　himself　as　her　protector。　And　that　did　seem　to　calm　her　a　bit。　But　it　brought　him　little　succor。

Who　would　be　next　to　feel　the　enemy's　mind　probe？　he　wondered；　shivering　as　he　led　Marlene　away　from　the　abyss。


CHAPTER　THREE

In　quieter　moments　I　find　myself　wondering　about　the　men　and　women　I　have　served　with　during　these　long　campaigns。　I　think　about　the　ones　left　behind；　like　Max　and　Miriya；　and　the　ones　sent　away；　like　John　Carpenter；　Frank　Tandler；　Owen；　and　the　rest。　The　list　goes　on　and　on。　Would　I　have　joined　that　crew　had　it　not　been　for　the　Sentinels；　abandoned　these　dark　domains　for　even　a　chance　at　seeing　Earth's　blue　skies　once　again？　I　think：　Absolutely。　But　what　can　my　homeworld　offer　me　now？　Certainly　not　peace；　that　endangered　species。　Retirement；　perhaps。　How　Lisa　would　laugh！
Admiral　Hunter；　as　quoted　in　Selig　Kahler；　The　Tirolian　Campaign

Freeing　the　Veritechs　and　Cyclones　from　the　snowslide　proved　to　be　a　greater　challenge　than　anyone　had　expected。　The　team　brought　the　collective　heat　of　their　MARS…Gallant　H90　hand　blusters　to　bear　against　the　massive　chunks　of　ice　that　had　been　loosed　during　the　avalanche；　by　sunrise　they　had　succeeded　in　defrosting　the　Alpha　Fighter。　Tango…9　explosive　and　the　VT's　thrusters　did　the　rest　of　the　work　in　a　tenth　the　time；　but　Annie　and　Marlene　sustained　mild　cases　of　frostbite　nonetheless。　And　despite　Scott's　optimistic　projection；　it　took　the　team　several　false　starts　and　another　two　days　to　cross　the　Sierra　range。　But　waiting　for　them　was　the　desert　with　those　warm　highland　winds；　and　with　it　came　a　renewed　sense　of　purpose　and　determination。

This　was　the　same　arid　expanse　crossed　by　pioneers　and　adventurers　during　North　America's　push　toward　its　western　horizon；　but　few　would　have　recognized　it　as　such。　Over　the　course　of　the　last　two　decades　the　region　had　seen　periods　of　devastation　to　rival　those　of　its　geoformative　years。　Dolza's　fleet　of　four　million　had　not　overlooked　the　cities　that　had　grown　up　here；　and　neither　had　Khyron　after　New　Macross　had　risen　to　the　fore。　Vast　stretches　of　the　territory　were　cratered　from　the　thousands　of　annihilation　bolts　rained　upon　it；　host　still　to　equal　numbers　of　rusting　Zentraedi　dreadnoughts；　thrust　like　war　lances　into　the　ravaged　land。　Just　north　of　the　team's　present　route　were　the　remains　of　Monument　City；　which　had　played　such　a　pivotal　role　in　the　Second　Robotech　War。

Population　centers　had　grown　up　in　some　of　the　craters；　but　most　of　these　were　abandoned　now；　their　onetime　residents　returned　to　life…styles　more　befitting　the　territory's　original　nomadic　tribespeople　than　the　Robotechnologists　who　had　once　tried　to　breathe　new　life　into　the　wastes。

Scott　had　listened　intently　to　Lancer　and　Lunk's　information；　he　of　course　had　read　and　heard　accounts　of　Macross　and　Monument；　and　the　team's　propinquity　to　those　legendary　cities　filled　him　with　an　awe　usually　reserved　for　sacred　places　and　archeological　power　spots。　It　made　him　think　about　the　long　road　that　had　taken　him　back　to　this　land　of　his　parents'　birth　and　the　treacherous　one　that　lay　ahead。　The　team　was　close　to　Reflex　Point　now…the　presence　of　an　Invid　tower　assured　him　of　this　much…but　he　had　to　wonder　how　many　more　twists　and　turns　they　would　have　to　negotiate　before　they　stood　at　the　portal　of　the　Regis's　central　hive；　how　many　Invid　stood　in　their　way；　and　how　many　more　deaths　their　journey　would　entail。

There　were　many　such　munication　towers　placed　around　the　hive　plex；　and　Scott　knew　from　past　experience　that　the　team's　further　progress　toward　Reflex　Point　would　depend　on　how　many　of　these　they　could　circumvent；　or　better　still；　destroy。　Options　were　discussed　while　the　team　made　temporary　camp　near　a　meandering　river　where　cottonwoods　and　conifers　provided　a　narrow　green　ribbon　of　safety　and　shade。　In　the　end　it　was　decided　that　Scott　and　Rand　would　recon　the　outlying　area；　nearby　were　the　ruins　of　a　deserted　city　and　what　appeared　to　be　an　inhabited　town。　Annie　insisted　on　tagging　along；　hoping　they　would　run　across　a　cowboy　or　two。

The　three　freedom　fighters　set　out　on　Cyclones；　Annie　in　her　customary　place　on　the　pillion　seat　behind　Rand。　Only　Scott　was　suited　up　in　battle　armor。　Rand　had　tried　to　talk　him　out　of　it　but　soon　recognized　that　Scott　fancied　himself　the　only　law　and　order　between　here　and　Reflex　Point。

A　short　ride　brought　them　into　the　town　they　had　glimpsed　from　the　Veritechs；　a　curious　bination　of　high…tech　modular　buildings　and　wooden　structures　fashioned　after　centuries…old　designs；　plete　with　elaborate　facades；　shaded　boardwalks；　and　hitching　posts　for　horses　and　pack　animals。　The　dirt　streets　were　empty；　but　this　no　longer　came　as　any　surprise。　Scott　was　certain　the　townsfolk　were　well　aware　of　their　arrival　and　were　merely　concealing　themselves　until　the　proper　moment。　As　they　powered　the　Cyclones　down　the　town's　main　street；　he　could　almost　feel　the　weapons　being　trained　on　them　from　upper…story　windows。

The　one　thing　he　hadn't　figured　on　was　getting　arrested。

But　that's　just　what　the　residents　of　Bushwhack　had　in　mind　when　they　finally　did　show　themselves；　twenty　or　so　strong；　dressed　in　Twentieth…century　garb　and　armed　with　antique　rifles；　shotguns；　and　revolvers。　They　formed　a　broad　circle　around　the　rebels　and　ordered　Scott　and　Rand　away　from　their　mecha。　Scott　was　willing　to　ply…even　to　go　as　far　as　removing　his　battle　armor…until　he　saw　the　ropes　e　out。　But　by　then　it　was　too　late　to　do　much　about　it。　He　and　Rand　were　stripped　of　their　weapons；　tied　up；　and　led　by　the　jeering　mob　to　the　sheriff's　office。

He　was　a　short；　stocky　man　with　curly　black　hair　and　a　handlebar　mustache。　He　was　wearing　a　beat…up　felt　fedora　and　a　sheepskin　coat。　Scott　didn't　see　any　badge　displayed；　but　when　the　sheriff　pointed　a　six…gun　at　him；　he　stopped　looking。

〃Anybody　who　goes　around　dressed　like　that　is　just　lookin'　for　trouble；〃　the　sheriff　told　him；　gesturing　to　the　heap　of　Cyclone　armor　Scott　had　piled　in　the　street。　〃I　reckon　you're　under　arrest；　strangers。〃

〃But　we　haven't　done　anything！〃　Rand　protested；　struggling　against　the　rope　coiled　around　his　arms。　Silently　he　cursed　himself　for　having　listened　to　Scott's　harebrained　logic　about　uniforms　and　earning　respect。

〃Well；　you　look　like　you　might　do　something；〃　the　sheriff　answered　him；　putting　the　muzzle　of　the　revolver　close　to　Scott's　head。

〃It's　illegal！〃　Scott　argued；　trying　to　step　away。

〃Yeah；　you　can't　arrest　us　without　charges；〃　Annie　added。

The　sheriff's　dark　eyes　narrowed。　〃That　so？　Well；　I　reckon　I'll　be　the　one　to　decide　that；　young　'un。　You　renegade　soldiers　and　your　catch　try　to　take　over　everything。　But　we're　not　lettin'　you　take　over　this　town。〃

〃Who'd　want　to；　anyway？〃　said　Annie。

〃But　we're　not　renegades；〃　Scott　argued。　〃I'm　from　Mars…〃

〃From　Mars？！〃　The　sheriff　laughed　and　turned　to　the　crowd。　〃Here　that；　folks？　He's　from　Mars！〃　The　crowd　started　whooping　it　up。　〃Reckon　you　better　tell　it　to　the　judge；　robby。〃

〃Fine；〃　Scott　said　through　gritted　teeth。　〃Lead　us　to　him。〃

The　sheriff　flashed　a　smile　and　pushed　his　hat　back　on　his　head。　〃You're　lookin'　at　'im。〃

Again　the　crowd　got　into　the　spirit；　laughing　and　jeering。　One　dangled　a　noose　in　front　of　Rand's　face；　while　a　second　began　to　inspect　Rand's　boots　with　an　evil　glint　in　his　eye。　There　was　what　a