16_world_killers-第42章

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's　not　answering。　I　think　it's　a　double…cross。〃　She　looked　intently　at　the　duplicate　trigger；　on　her　mand　console；　for　the　explosives　in　Tesla's　collar。

〃All　right；　make　another　approach；〃　he　answered　from　the　drop　bay。　〃I'm　taking　in　the　last　of　the　reserves；　to　get　our　troops　back　out。〃

It　was　on　her　lips　to　object；　but　she　held　it　in。　The　lessons　of　the　Praxians　had　subsumed　those　of　the　Academy。　Of　course　you　don't　leave　your　buddies　in　deep　trouble；　no　matter　what　the　cost。　She　knew　it　as　well　as　he。　It　was　just　that　she　wished　she　could　make　the　assault　with　him　and　the　other　units。

She　brought　the　ship　onto　a　new　heading；　bearing　down　on　Beroth　at　low　altitude　and　steady　helm；　ing　to　dead…slow。　Luckily；　the　Invid　had　used　up　most　of　their　missiles；　and　their　conventional　cannonfire　and　smaller　rockets　weren't　powerful　enough　to　do　more　than　dent　the　starship's　armor　and　blow　away　noncritical　superstructural　features。

Ark　Angel　nudged　over　or　smashed　a　lot　of　local　architecture　on　its　touchdown；　lying　almost　smack　in　the　middle　of　Beroth。　At　Rick's　mand　the　bat　teams　charged　out　to　provide　fire　support　for　the　Sentinels　elements　still　trying　to　disengage；　now　that　Tesla's　forces　had　abandoned　them。

Lisa　saw　from　the　tactical　displays　that　it　looked　very　grim。　It　was　clear　that　Tesla　was　leaving　them　in　the　lurch；　having　some　plan　of　his　own；　but　there　was　little　the　Sentinels　could　do　about　it；　the　Brain's　Inorganics　were　after　them　now。

At　that　moment　even　the　shaky　timetable　of　the　withdrawal　was　set　aside。　There　were　sounds　of　Protoculture　weapons　fire　in　the　city。　Spheris　itself　cried　out　in　torment。


Baldan　and　Teal　hosed　the　Brain　and　its　attendants　with　steady　streams　of　riflefire；　cutting　Officers　and　Enforcers　down　and　leaving　streaks　of　blackening　tissue　across　the　sides　of　the　heaving　Invid　monstrosity。

The　attack　had　e　so　suddenly　that　all　opposition　was　mowed　down　before　there　was　any　chance　for　the　Invid　to　return　fire。　With　wild　elation　Baldan　thought；　We've　taken　them　by　surprise。　We　can　kill　the　Brain　and　end　the　battle　here！

But　even　as　he　thought　that；　the　floor　was　heaving　beneath　him。　Protoculture　weapons　had　been　fired；　and　Spheris　was　reacting　in　pain。

His　affinity　for　his　world　let　him　understand　what　was　happening。　Sympathetic　vibrations　of　a　sort　only　Protoculture　could　evoke　were　sending　fractures　along　and　between　the　Crystal　Highways；　like　fractal　daggers　driven　into　Spheris　itself。　Somehow；　the　mere　explosions　of　mecha　didn't　produce　this　phenomenon…perhaps　because　such　bursts　were　undirected。　But　the　riflefire；　minor　as　it　was　in　parison　to　the　warfare　going　on　in　Beroth；　was　a　different　matter　entirely。

Baldan　and　Teal　were　knocked　off　their　feet　and　the　Brain　was　sloshed　around　in　its　nutrient　pool。　Baldan　tried　to　get　to　his　feet　and　shoot　the　Brain　again；　but　Teal　shouted。　〃No；　or　you　may　doom　us　all！　e；　e！　Before　the　Inorganics　get　us！〃

The　floors　were　already　drumrolling　to　the　heavy　tread　of　running　Inorganics　ing　in　answer　to　the　Brain's　agonized　summons。　Baldan　rose　at　last；　taking　his　mother's　arms　and　dragging　her　off　the　other　way。　She　dropped　her　rifle　and　clung　to　him。　They　tottered　away　as　the　hive　shook　on　its　foundations。

The　bend　in　a　corridor　brought　them　up　against　a　sealed　security　door；　the　sound　of　the　Inorganics　came　closer。　Baldan　backed　off　and　fired　at　the　door　over　and　over；　even　though　he　knew　it　would　do　no　good。

As　the　biped　mecha　came　lumbering　around　the　corner；　Teal　saw　the　method　to　Baldan's　madness。　The　floor　quaked　and　shifted；　and　a　prow　of　icy　crystal　thrust　itself　up　into　sight。　Spheris　was　reacting　against　its　source　of　pain。

The　upthrust　had　cut　the　Inorganics　off　from　their　quarry　for　the　moment。　Baldan　threw　down　the　rifle；　took　his　mother's　hand；　and　veered　at　the　crystal　as　the　hive　tilted　again。　They　melded　with　it　and　were　safely　away。

Churning　in　its　nutrient　pool；　nearly　insane　with　the　pain　of　its　wounds；　the　Brain　lost　all　control。　If　the　slave　races　were　going　to　use　Protoculture　weapons；　Protoculture　weapons　it　would　be！


Tesla；　too；　nearly　lost　his　balance　as　the　planet　convulsed。　The　Brain　demonstrated　its　ire　a　moment　later。　Weapons　pods　set　on　tall　masts　around　the　hive　opened　up。　The　blasts　were　highly　accurate；　hitting　Tesla's　blinking…eye　Inorganics　and　blowing　them　part。

〃To　the　ships！　The　ships！〃　he　howled；　an　echo　of　his　mental　mand。　The　disguised　troop　transports　were　only　yards　away；　but　most　of　his　loyal　troops　were　still　covering　his　retreat。

He　dithered；　racked　by　indecision。　To　flee　without　the　army　he　had　gathered　would　leave　him　a　wretched　outcast　once　again；　but　to　stay　was　to　be　killed；　either　by　the　Brain；　the　Sentinels；　or　the　very　planet！　Better　to　live　to　fight　another　day。

〃We　raise　ship　immediately！〃　he　screamed；　so　loud　that　Burak　and　Gnea　winced。


The　Crystal　Highways　themselves　spasmed。　The　planet　bid　fair　to　tear　itself　apart。　The　Spherisians　who　had　trusted　the　safety　of　the　underground　looked　at　one　another。


〃Get　everybody　back！　Disengage！〃　Rick　was　nearly　hoarse　from　shouting　his　mands　over　the　tac　net。　〃Prepare　for　pickup！〃

It　felt　as　if　Spheris　was　going　to　e　apart　at　the　seams；　and　the　only　thing　to　do　was　try　to　get　his　Sentinels　to　safety。　He　had　no　idea　what　the　upheavals　meant　for　the　Spherisians　themselves；　but　there　didn't　seem　to　be　much　he　could　do　for　them；　except…

He　switched　to　mand　freq。　〃Lisa！　Do　not　use　Protoculture　weapons！　It'll　only　make　things　worse　down　here！〃

That　didn't　seem　to　bother　the　Invid　Brain；　though。　Rays　and　annihilation　disks　streamed　from　the　hive's　defensive　batteries；　wiping　out　every　mecha　that　flashed　the　signal　of　Tesla；　and　whatever　Sentinel　targets　they　could　find　as　well。

The　tide　of　the　Inorganics'　battle　had　definitely　turned；　with　Tesla's　mecha　fighting　dispiritedly　or　simply　turning　to　run；　while　the　Brain's　war　machines　came　on　relentlessly。　Still；　for　some　reason　none　of　the　Inorganics　were　using　Protoculture　weapons。　Some　programmed　proscription？

The　Brain's　gunners　were　really　pouring　it　on　now；　and　the　planet　rocked。　Rick　despaired　of　ever　getting　his　troops…or　himself…out　alive。


Around　the　perimeter　of　the　hive　one　head　rose　from　the　living　rock　as　if　being　born　from　it。　Then　another　emerged；　and　another。　Soon　scores　were　there　as　the　planet　swayed　and　bucked　under　them。　They　exchanged　looks　and　unspoken　words；　then　sank　back　out　of　sight。


Tesla　wailed　as　a　sudden　tremor　knocked　him　from　his　feet　and　overbalanced　a　Crann　that　toppled　across　him。

He　fought　to　keep　hold　over　his　troops；　to　maintain　dominance　over　the　transport　crews　he　had　taken　under　his　control；　and　to　ward　off　the　Brain's　mental　attack。　But　in　this　latest　setback；　something　had　to　give。

Gnea　felt　her　mind　pried　loose　from　Tesla's　bond。　She　shook　her　head；　hearing　a　ringing　and　seeing　lights　before　her　eyes。　A　voice　in　her　mind　said；　〃Gnea！　Quickly！　Over　here！〃

She　spun　around　and　saw　Veidt　poised　not　twenty　feet　away；　on　a　flying　carpet。　His　robes　were　blackened　and　punctured　where　shrapnel　or　bullets　had　plucked　at　them。　〃Make　haste！　There　are　only　seconds！〃　She　realized　that　he　had　freed　her　from　Tesla's　grip。

Other　Inorganics　were　trying　to　separate　Tesla　from　the　one　that　had　sprawled　across　him。　Gnea　grabbed　Burak's　shoulder。　〃e！　We're　leaving！〃

Burak　tried　to　shake　her　loose。　〃Let　me　be！〃

She　knew　nothing　about　the　unholy　alliance　into　which　Burak　had　entered　with　Tesla…how　much　deeper　the　Invid's　hold　was　over　the　Perytonian　than　over　Jack　and　herself。　She　just　assumed　Veidt　hadn't　been　able　to　wrench　Tesla's　mental　grip　off　both　victims　at　once。

So；　with　Praxian　directness；　she　yanked　Burak　back　around　and　swung　a　roundhouse　right　that　tagged　him　precisely　on　the　chin。　His　knees　buckled　but　she　had　him　up　and　over　her　shoulder　in　one　move。　Legs　driving　like　pistons；　she　crossed　the　space　between　herself　and　the　hovering　carpet　in　three　bounds；　nearly　overturning　it　when　she　landed　on　it。

Veidt　kept　it　steady；　however；　and　it　zoomed　off　toward　the　approaching　Ark　Angel；　keeping　low　because　of　all　the　conventional　firing　still　going　on；　and　the　blasts　from　the　hive。　Gnea　noticed　with　interest　that　the　carpet　was　actually　the　resilient　floor　matting　from　Veidt's　cone…flier…a　novel　way　of　making　an　emergency　escape　conveyance　serve　double　duty。

Evidently；　Haydonites　could　survive　falls　from　considerable　heights；　she　decided。

Firing　from　the　hive　was　getting　heavier；　and　all　Spheris　was　straining　and　shaking。　〃It　seems　the　Regent's　forces　will　have　their　revenge　no　matter　what。〃

Veidt　shook　his　head　serenely。　His　mental　powers　had　given　him　a　glimpse　of　the　latest　developments。　〃I　think　not。　See　there？〃

Gnea　looked　where　he　was　pointing　and　the　breath　caught　in　her　throat。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX

At　least　Kyle　had　victory　in　his　grasp　and　died　with　a　certain　serenity。　I　guess　I　just　don't　deserve　either　one　of　those　things。
Minmei

Two　glittering　figures　stood；　hand　in　hand；　gazing　at　the　vast　hive　of　the　Invid。

All　around　the　place；　a　ring　of　thousands　upon　thousands　of　Spherisians　was　rising；　head　and　shoulders；　from　the　body　of　their　planet。　As　that　wa