16_world_killers-第16章
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willing to reenter their cells。 That was when it took a good jolt from the slave headbands or a nerve lash to keep them moving。
Sure enough； one of the habitual troublemakers broke from the line just as she was about to pass through the portals to the slave kennels。 She was shorter than most of them； and solid； round…faced and olive…skinned。 Heedless of the rebukes of the headband and the nerve whip； she was still defiant。
〃I'm not going back into any cage！〃
〃You have been warned；〃 the nearest Enforcer said； activating the POW/slave's headband。 Writhing in pain； she would be flung into her cage despite what she had said； and so would anyone who stood with her。 It was tedious work for the Enforcers； but they had nothing better to do anyway。 They lived； literally； to serve their Regent。
But on this bright turquoise Haydon afternoon； the timetable was suddenly thrown out。 The headband didn't respond； and the defiant one stood there； showing her white teeth in a fighting sneer； hands up in bat posture； feet positioned and ready。
The Enforcer tried again； but there was still no response。 Another amazon； with a long flame…red braid； stepped from the ranks； and two more came behind her。 The Enforcers registered the fact that there was some sort of malfunction and prepared to reestablish order in a more direct way； with sonic lashes and warning shots…or with armored blows and Protoculture blasts； if it came to that。
But as the first Enforcer raised its weapon； an Invid rifle beam hit its helmet squarely and blew it apart。 Another rifle bolt hit the next nearest Enforcer； drilling through it in a split second。 Pistol blasts peppered the skirmish ship and the Armored Officer in it； who； taken by surprise while flying low and slow； emitted smoke and flame。 The skirmish ship went off kilter and slewed toward the road surface。
The warrior women of Praxis quickly realized that an ambush had been mounted； and that the despised headbands could no longer deal out punishment。 There were people on the upper landing stage…Tiresoids； though they were wearing Haydonite robes for some reason…urging them on。
The warrior women didn't need much urging。 With a chorus of cries like angry Hellcats； they sprang at their enemies。
CHAPTER TEN
The DNA sings its four notes
Cytosine； adenine； guanine； thymine。
In infinite configurations
As though Bach were God；
Or vice…versa
Mingtao； Protoculture： Journey Beyond Mecha。
〃How do we know this isn't the demented malfunction of a berserk android？〃 Tesla bawled； plastered up against the rear wall of the travel capsule。 Garak and Pye were hunkered down near him。
Jack was checking the action of his submachine gun nervously； making sure for the tenth time that the magazine was loaded with exploding armor…piercers。 〃You don't get a vote； so it doesn't matter what you think。 And the rest of us believe Jan。〃
He tried the magazine release again； to make sure he could eject an old and insert a new one smoothly。 He was about to say something else when Bela broke in。
The big amazon turned on Tesla； holding her sword。 More than twice her height； the Invid sucked his gut in； afraid she was about to split it open。
〃Yes。 I believe my people are being held prisoner here。 Yes； I believe that Veidt and some of the others are in a conspiracy to throw your species out； and yes； I think the Regent's reign on Haydon IV will end today。〃
But she turned to Jan anxiously； in spite of that。 〃Can't this thing move any faster？〃
〃We'll be there soon；〃 Janice Em tried to reassure her。 〃But I must tell you that the battle's already being joined。〃
It was unnecessary to ask where that information had e from。 Jan's inexplicable link with the Awareness that resided in Haydon IV had already proved itself beyond doubt。 Elevators； funiculae； bucket transporters…they had all e at Jan's beck and call； speeding the raiders on their way。
And the Awareness had told her things； things the others couldn't hear。 She knew of Veidt's saboteurs' remote…canceling of the power system that energized the slave headbands； of the escape of Rick and the others； of the risky battle plan they were following。 She knew that Veidt himself was ignorant of the fact that she had tapped into the Awareness。
She had also been shown the origins of the hatred between Vowad and Veidt； and the reason Vowad was the linchpin of the entire battle。
Jan also knew things the Awareness had chosen to tell her alone； at least for now…things about its defensive systems。 Better than anyone on the planet； she knew how time was pressing on the Awareness； the rebels； her own raiding party…the entire focal point of events。
One thing she didn't quite understand was why the Awareness of the planet had accepted her。 It was barely translatable into Human terms； but in some ways the Awareness had seemed to recognize her； as if some message had been built into it to awaken at the instant when the synthetic mind of Janice Em made contact with it。 That troubled her greatly； but there was simply no time to address it right now。
The travel capsule began to slow。 〃Game time；〃 Jan said。
〃Are you sure you've got the terminus pinpointed？〃 Jack asked； taking up a firing position just before the doors； the submachine gun raised。 The others were kneeling or standing behind him； readying Karbarran pneumatic rifles and Garudan clawguns and dart…throwers； and grenades and all the rest； in a hedgehog of conventional fire…power。
〃Just as I said；〃 Jan went on； reading signs none of the others could even perceive。 〃The Central Slavepen mand post。〃
To the astonishment of Enforcers and Armored Officers who hadn't even been aware it was movable； the central pylon in the middle of their mand post swung open。 They were preoccupied with the first reports of a slave uprising and mystified by the fact that they couldn't get any response from the slave headbands。
But every Invid there heard it when the first Armored Officer to spot the raiders squealed an almost ultrasonic peal of alarm。
Kneeling and standing in two ranks； Jack and his party began hosing fire all around the mand center。
Although the weapons of the fallen Enforcers were outsize by normal Human standards； they were not too unwieldy for the robust amazons。 The guns were appropriated at once。 With piercing yells； many of the women took great pleasure in ripping off the inert headbands and hurling them to the ground and stomping them flat； or twisting them into junk； or； among the brawnier； simply snapping them in two。
By that time； a flying carpet was settling nearby； carrying the Tiresoids who were robed as locals； but flown by a real Haydonite。
Rick had intended to make a quick announcement to get things on track； but Lisa beat him to it。 She flung off her robe and leapt to the shining pavement while the carpet was still a yard above the road； holding her pistol high and firing it twice to get their attention。
〃Warriors of Praxis！ We are Sentinels； allies of your great fighter Bela！ We've broken free of the Regent and we mean to raise rebellion！ Are you with us？〃
Some of the liberated slaves fired into the air too； to signal their intent； while the rest cheered Lisa and those whom the amazons naturally assumed to be Lisa's followers。 The rest of the Sentinels were also shedding their disguises； and though several of them had the obvious drawback of being male； the Praxians hailed them。 At least the big dark…skinned fellow with the rifle was amazon size…and more…and looked encouragingly tough。
〃The power to the slavebands is out； but we're not sure how long that will last；〃 Lisa went on。 〃We have to strike at once！ Your queen and your sisters are right there in the Central Slavepen。 Here's how we're going to get them out。〃
It was basically the plan the Sentinels had thrown together while waiting for the slaves to pass by； but she had inserted a few refinements of her own。 Rick had to admit he was impressed。 The amazons； all drilled in the disciplines of warfare； split up into squads and moved out with little confusion or delay。
Inside the slavepen mand post； things had begun going disturbingly wrong。
A short time before； the power…relay system that energized and controlled the slave headbands had simply gone dead。 Almost immediately； reports had begun ing in from the working parties at various Invid installations and en route that the Praxians were in revolt。 The cages where the captives were quartered had bee a bedlam； too； and the amazons were apparently trying to bend the bars apart with their bare hands。
Word had been sent to the Regent； and troops were already being deployed to trouble spots from elsewhere in the city and the countryside。
〃At least one bunch is still under control；〃 an Armored Officer observed in his single…sideband voice。 A remote screen showed a column of returning prisoners shuffling through the main entrance of the plex； heads bent in dejection and exhaustion。
〃Perhaps the malfunction isn't systemwide；〃 another suggested； then the two turned their attention to deploying reinforcements。 But no one in the mand center had noticed that the instrumentation on the slaves' headbands was dark。 And they had turned away before realizing
