16_world_killers-第23章

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as　yet　been　unable　to　make　contact。〃

〃Well；　make　sure　my　flagship　is　ready　to　lift　off　the　moment　I　arrive；〃　the　Regent　roared。　If　those　were　Invid　ships；　he　would　fry　Haydon　IV　from　a　safe　distance；　if　not；　he　would　be　ready　for　a　strategic　withdrawal　in　the　fastest　vessel　in　the　Invid　fleet。

〃And　where　are　our　reinforcements？〃　he　added。

〃They　are　being　delivered　now　to　the　eastern　and　northern　sectors　of　the　city；　Mighty　One；　for　diversionary　counterattacks　to　facilitate　our　withdrawal。　We　are　also　monitoring　a　droppage　in　city　power　resources；　and　a　corresponding　decrease　in　antibody　activity。〃

Perhaps　it　would　be　possible　to　win　after　all。　How　the　Sentinels　and　the　Haydonites　and　the　Praxians　would　pay！　He　began　planning　an　elaborate；　days…long　festival　of　torture　and　executions；　but　the　daydream　was　smashed　to　pieces　moments　later。

〃Signal　from　the　approaching　starships；　Omnipotent　Lord；〃　a　technician　said。　With　that；　the　face　of　Breetai　appeared　on　the　screen。

The　giant　felt　an　unsmiling　satisfaction。　He　had　somehow　known　all　along；　in　his　bones；　that　the　Regent　was　not　dead。　There　was　no　way　the　creature　could　have　been　tricked　or　yielded　up　his　life　so　easily。

For　a　few　seconds；　the　Regent　found　that　he　couldn't　catch　his　breath。　Breetai；　the　Zentraedi's　most　brilliant　mander；　and；　after　the　late　Dolza；　their　most　powerful　warrior！

Breetai　glared　at　the　Regent。　〃We're　ing　for　you；〃　he　said；　and　nothing　more。　The　screen　went　blank。

The　Regent　sent　his　staff　scurrying　with　angry　blows　and　kicks。　〃More　speed！　I'll　kill　the　first　one　to　offer　me　excuses！〃

His　ace　in　the　hole　might　be　of　crucial　importance　after　all。　The　Regent　faced　his　brace　of　pet　Hellcats。　〃Go；　and　fetch　the　Zor…clone　to　me！〃

They　sprang　away；　and　the　Regent　summoned　a　lackey。　Quietly；　so　that　the　others　present　couldn't　hear；　he　directed；　〃Have　my　personal　battle　armor　prepared。〃


The　carpet　was　barely　big　enough　for　two　heavily　armed　Humans　and　Veidt；　and　jostling　was　a　hazardous　business　indeed。　But　somehow　Jack　and　Karen　managed　to　keep　their　footing　as　the　thing　whooshed　through　the　sky。　How　Veidt　maintained　his　place；　levitating　above　the　carpet　as　he　did；　was　something　the　Humans　couldn't　understand。

They　came　up　on　the　Land　Cruiser　from　behind；　as　it　ground　Glike　under　it；　making　its　ponderous　way　toward　the　starport。　Figuring　speed　and　distance；　Karen　calculated　that　they　only　had　a　few　minutes　to　find　and　save　Rem。

〃How're　we　gonna　find　him；　in　a　crate　that　size？〃　Jack　said　over　the　sound　of　the　air　rushing　by　them。

〃I　can　sense　his　whereabouts；〃　Veidt　responded　simply。　With　the　trauma　of　Sarna's　death；　Veidt　seemed　changed…more　intense；　more　capable；　but　cold　and　remote。　A　terrible　price　to　pay　for　increased　powers；　Karen　reflected　sadly。

She　brought　her　mind　back　to　matters　at　hand。　〃I'm　more　worried　about　how　we're　gonna　get　into　that　tin　can。〃

〃Vowad　has　arranged　for。。。a　diversion；〃　Veidt　said。　Even　as　he　said　it；　kaleidoscopic　flames　licked　up　from　the　rubble　around　the　Land　Cruiser's　treads　and　the　buildings　about　to　be　crushed　under　them。　The　flames　circled　and　formed　a　swirling　whirlpool；　a　scintillating　funnel　of　Haydonite　antibody　power。　Up　and　up　it　rose；　until　it　stood　two　hundred　feet　high。　Then　it　shifted；　flashing；　and　took　form。

〃Oh　my　god！〃　Karen　breathed。

It　was　a　fiery　image　of　Zor；　straddled…legged；　blocking　the　Land　Cruiser's　path　of　retreat。


〃Kill　him！　Kill　him！？the　Regent　yammered；　laying　about　him　on　the　Land　Cruiser's　bridge。　〃I；　your　god；　mand　you　to　kill　Zor　for　once　and　for　all！〃


When　the　Land　Cruiser　loosed　its　awesome　barrage　at　the　unmoving　figure；　Veidt　was　ready。

He　wove　the　carpet　in　among　the　volleying　supercannon　and　lesser　gun　batteries。　The　salvos　were　disintegrating　the　cityscape　before　them；　but　had　no　apparent　effect　on　the　colossal　Zor。

High　on　the　aft　part　of　the　cruiser's　hull；　a　rack　of　missiles　was　rising　into　place　from　its　shielded　pod。　As　the　pod　doors　opened　to　allow　it　to　rise；　Veidt　swooped　through；　into　the　space　between　the　hulls。　Karen　and　Jack　found　themselves　clinging　to　one　another；　trying　to　keep　their　footing；　praying　the　Haydonite　knew　what　he　was　doing。

Jack　was　so　scared　that　he　couldn't　even　enjoy　the　embrace。

Veidt　seemed　to　know　the　entire　layout　of　the　cruiser；　every　nut　and　bolt。　An　ammo　elevator　to　the　launcher's　magazine　gave　them；　in　turn；　access　to　a　utility　core。　In　seconds；　they　were　racing　down　a　passageway　scaled　to　media　size；　high　over　the　heads　of　the　preoccupied　Invid。

Veidt　flew　them　to　a　remote　part　of　the　cruiser's　belly。　They　stopped　before　a　partment　with　a　giant　hatch。　〃Rem's　cell；〃　Veidt　explained。

But　the　hatch　was　open。　Karen　and　Jack　piled　off；　rifles　ready；　to　peer　inside。　The　Regent's　two　Hellcats；　having　cornered　Rem；　spun　on　the　intruders。

The　'Cats　pounced　at　the　Humans　even　as　Jack　and　Karen　brought　their　muzzles　up　blazing。


Clad　in　his　heavy；　powered　battle　armor；　the　Regent　railed　and　raved　as　his　cruiser's　most　powerful　cannonades　failed　to　have　any　effect　on　the　enormous　figure　of　Zor　that　stood　blocking　his　way。

〃Have　my　flagship　lift　off　and　open　fire！〃　he　shrieked。

As　the　order　was　relayed；　a　tech　said；　〃All…Powerful　One；　there　is　an　unidentified　flying　object　approaching！〃

The　Regent　looked　at　the　monitor　to　which　the　tech　was　pointing。　Sure　enough；　something　was　racing　forward　right　along　the　upper　hull；　weaving　in　between　gun　and　missile　batteries；　too　close　to　the　cruiser　to　be　fired　upon。

〃I…I…〃　The　Regent　felt　his　head　spin。　He　saw　a　Haydonite　flying　carpet　with　several　figures　riding　it。　As　it　zipped　past　the　bridge；　two　resplendent　objects　were　tossed　and　bounced　off　the　forward　hull　just　in　front　of　the　viewport。

The　Regent　shoved　aside　the　crew　members　who　were　trying　to　see　what　had　been　dropped；　and　had　a　look　for　himself。　There　on　the　deck　lay　the　two　mighty　collars；　mounted　with　gems　from　all　the　Invid…dominated　worlds；　that　his　pet　Hellcats　had　worn。　The　Regent　let　out　a　piercing　screech；　and　was　about　to　direct　all　fire　at　the　fleeing　carpet；　when　yells　of　horror　burst　from　his　crew。

The　giant　Zor　was　moving。

The　fiery　image　strode　forward；　straight　for　the　Land　Cruiser；　even　as　the　flagship　rose　from　the　nearby　starport　and　began　firing　at　it　with　all　guns。　The　Regent　bleated　in　pure　dread　and　hurled　techs　out　of　his　way；　charging　for　the　bridge's　hatch。

The　towering；　demonic　Zor　dove　at　the　cruiser　in　apparent　slow　motion；　arms　spread　and　fingers　curled；　as　if　to　enfold　it。　The　collision　sent　waves　of　light　racing　outward　like　waves　in　a　pond　when　a　rock　is　thrown　in。　Multicolored　flames　flared　up　along　the　cruiser's　bow　as　the　figure　began　to　merge　with　it。

High　on　the　hull；　an　emergency　ejection　port　opened　and　a　metallic　shape　shot　straight　up　like　a　sub…launched　missile。　Riding　the　propulsive　power　of　his　augmentation　modules；　the　Regent　arrowed　away　toward　his　flagship。

Below　him；　the　cruiser　was　already　half　engulfed　in　the　destructive　force　of　Haydon　IV's　defensive　system。　A　series　of　explosions　ripped　the　war　machine　apart　like　an　overtaxed　boiler　and　leveled　that　part　of　the　city。

In　that　moment；　gazing　down　as　he　ascended　on　his　suit　jets　and　reflecting　upon　the　sum　total　of　defeats　and　reversals；　the　Regent　retreated　into　uttermost　devolved　depths。　While　his　powered　armor's　automatics　made　the　linkup　with　the　flagship　and　guided　him　into　its　airlock；　and　the　vessel　itself　lifted　away　from　Haydon　IV　at　maximum　boost；　the　Regent　abandoned　temper　tantrums　and　frustrated　rantings　for　the　impersonal　malevolence　of　a　serpent。

The　Regis　would　never　understand　his　choice　of　deevolution；　but　then　she　had　never　sampled　it。　She　had　never　known　how；　in　its　purest　form；　the　devolved　state　took　away　the　pain　of　introspection；　of　reflection；　of　shame　and　regret　and　misgiving。

She　would　never　know　the　mindless　hatred　and　untainted　hostility　and　the　personal　peace　that　state　could　bring。　But　for　her　mate；　it　was　a　chosen　way　of　life。

His　defeats　were　forgotten　now　that　he　had　submerged　his　higher　self；　he　luxuriated　in　a　rancor　so　all…embracing　that　it　satisfied　him　like　a　drug。　But　in　that　trance；　contrary　to　the　accustomed　blankness；　a　Vision　appeared。　It　defined　itself；　ing　into　mental　focus；　thrown　up　before　the　Regent's　eyes　by　the　depths　of　his　loathing　and　his　thirst　for　revenge。　It　was　an　answer　to　his　dilemma。　It　was　the　face　of　General　T。R。　Edwards。


Like　other　worlds　the　Sentinels　had　visited；　Haydon　IV　had　its　shrine　to　the　godlike　being　after　whom　it　had　been　named。

This　one　did　not　occupy　a　mountaintop　or　city　plaza　or　polar　ice　cap。　Rather；　it　stood　at　the　center　of　a　burnished　alloy　plain　three　hundred　miles　in　diameter；　the　only　feature　of　a　landscape　that　was　otherwise　as　smooth　as　a　looking　glass。

Unlike　other　worlds'；　Haydon's　icon　wasn't　carved　from　ice　or　hewn　from　the　living　rock　of　a　peak。　Instead；　a　projected；　ghostly　image　of　the　legendary　figure　stood　nearly　a　mile　high。　It　bore　a　resemblance　to　a　Haydonite　in　that　the　features　were　smooth；　anonymous；　the　arms　were　within　the　high…collared　cape；　so　that　Haydon　looked　very　much　like　the　inhabitants　of　that　world。　Only　the　h