16_world_killers-第5章
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Lron； who had been pacing the others in a steep dive； along with Kami and Learna； called out； 〃Jack； I see water； a large body of it！〃 There was panic in his voice； but he was calming himself because that was the only possible way to help his mate。
There might be hope yet。 〃Where？〃 Jack barked。
〃Over in the opening in the terrain； where those energy things came from。〃
Jack swore： salvation in the lion's den？ Not likely。 〃Crysta； you're gonna have to try to eject。 Right now！〃
She growled； 〃I cannot； Jack； ejection mechanism won't respond。〃 There was a kind of abject keening noise in the background of her transmission…the Invid scientist she was carrying； no doubt。
Though the two Battloids had slowed the Beta's fall； they couldn't stop it。 〃Okay then： we shoot craps。 It's bath time； Crysta！ Brace for a splashdown！〃
Lron； Learna； and Kami closed in； too； applying all thrusters to help slow Crysta's fall and shove her ship into position over the large underground lake or sea that Learna had spied。 The distant sparkle of the water pinwheeled up and up at them with frightening speed。 In the last seconds； they were able to reduce the speed of their fall…then the water smashed into them。
Jack felt as if his neck had been snapped； and he was aware of water bubbling and surging against his canopy。 Any conventional aerospace craft would have broken or sprung a thousand leaks； but somehow the Alpha held。 Jack broke the surface to see Lron's Beta still fighting desperately to keep Crysta's afloat。
Jack hit his burners and lifted clear of the water on trails of blue flame。 Crysta's ship was no longer encased in the energy antibodies； but its fuselage looked broken； and it was no doubt taking on water。 Janice Em's Alpha appeared next to it； helping Lron try to keep it from sinking； the water boiling and hissing from the blast of their thrusters； but it was a losing battle。
〃Just hold on a second more！〃 Jack yelled。 〃Crysta； I'm getting you out of there！〃
His Alpha extruded the special manipulator tentacles that were built into all VTs。 In another moment； they had stretched forth to open access plates on one of the damaged Beta's nacelles。 It only took a moment for them to work the manual controls for the emergency…rescue system。
The entire cockpit module of Crysta's Beta slid free from the rest of the ship； Jack took it up in his Battloid's armored hands even while his manipulators were retracting。 〃Okay； get clear！ I've got her！〃
Lron and Janice released their hold on the Beta； and it sank from sight in a fountain of bubbles and froth； steam rising from the water。 Jack had risen clear and was sliding the cockpit module into a special fitting on the underside of his Battloid's right forearm。
〃Just relax and enjoy the ride。〃 Jack tried to sound light…hearted； but he was scanning his new surroundings and checking out his sensors； expecting another attack。 He wasn't so sure the VTs could survive another fight。
〃I cannot fathom it；〃 Bela was saying。 〃Why would this Haydon IV of Veidt's have an underground sea？ Is it not； as he and Sarna have told us； a…what was their phrase？… an artificial world！〃
〃That's what they said； all right；〃 Janice Em added。 〃Only； personally； this wasn't what I pictured。〃
Nor had Jack。 He had imagined a more elaborate kind of O'Neill colony； perhaps； or even a miniature Dyson sphere； but not something truly planet…size。
But it was indisputably an artifact of some kind。 Beginning at the shores of the lake； fantastic underground mountains reared； looking to Jack like living instrumentality…inorganic versions of living forms and ecosystems。
Veidt and Sarna and the few other Haydonites among the Sentinels had been either unable or unwilling to give exact explanations as to how things worked here； and Jack began to curse them for it now。
Jan was continuing； 〃If the whole place really is an artifact； one of their biggest problems would be managing atmosphere and climate。 It makes sense that they'd have huge reservoirs of water and ways of moving it around…under the surface and on it and even over it； as precipitation and clouds…〃
〃What we should be giving thought to is whether any of those fire…demons still lurk down here；〃 Bela broke in。
〃I see none； nor detect any；〃 Lron reported。 The others concurred。
〃Perhaps the machines cannot see or smell us when we're down here；〃 Gnea； the younger amazon； suggested。 〃After all； they're used to adversaries ing at them from outer space； not stepping inside their very gates。〃
Like flies hiding on an upraised flyswatter； Jack realized…which was only a good idea until the swatter's operator discovered the flies' whereabouts。
The opening overhead seemed to be shrinking； and some members of the team cried out； preparing to lift off and escape。 Jack yelled for them to stand fast。 〃You want those air defenses to nail us for good？ We're safe for now； and it looks like we discovered a back entrance。〃
He was less sure than he sounded。 The Haydonite defense systems hadn't been challenged in two thousand years （although； granted； they allegedly had cost some local warmonger a few hundred ships that time）。 Jack had difficulty believing that planetary defenses so outdated could be any match for Robotech mecha。 After all； how much trouble would Wolff Pack Hovertanks have with Earth weapons even twenty years obsolete？
〃Now； we've got a transponder fix on the shuttle； and an inertial track；〃 Jack went on。 〃It looks to me like there's plenty of room for Battloids to make their way along underground。 That's how we're gonna get to Glike。〃
There was a muted motion and then Lron's voice came up over the net。 〃It seems Tesla doesn't agree with your idea； Jack Baker； but a pistol waved at his snout has him quiet once more。
〃I for one think this is a good plan you have。 We can remain out of sight beneath the city； and if we encounter trouble； we always have the option of blasting our way back to the surface。〃
Jack bit back his own dark conclusions on what an unfortunate recourse that would be。 〃Jan； you take the point。 Lron； drop back and walk drag。 I'll be slack man； then Learna； then you； Kami。〃 Jack took up his position at the head of the main body； keeping Janice in sight as she picked out their route。
He had thought about walking point； but he was in mand and responsible for looking after his tiny unit from a more appropriate place。 Besides； Jan had proven herself to be amazingly capable…adept at military sciences； mecha piloting； small arms； and hand…to…hand。 She even excelled at the archaic weapons of the Praxian amazons。
These excellent military abilities； ing from a woman whose former claim to fame was as a female vocalist； didn't make a lot of sense to Jack； but just now he was grateful to have her there。 Jack watched as； far overhead； the last of the opening in Haydon IV's surface closed out the last few rays of Briz'dziki。
The VTs waded up from the underground reservoir； shedding waterfalls； as the last of the bubbles rose from Crysta's VT。 Jan found a route through a thing that they took for a spillway； some twenty yards in diameter。 Though there were some light sources in the labyrinth of living instrumentality； the Veritechs brought up all their wing…lights and spotlights to cut through the gloom。
Jan scouted several conduits and accessways。 Twice； the team pulled back to the brink of the sea to start over again because the route had narrowed to a squeeze so tight that the Battloids couldn't get through。 The third try was a washout due to extremely high radiation levels； the VTs would protect their occupants for quite a while； but Jack had no idea how long the journey would take； and had no desire to end up as a human night…light。
The fourth try brought them into a sort of pipeline all aglow with the colors of the rainbow。 The sensors couldn't determine what the light effects were； but they didn't seem harmful； and time was wasting。 〃Let's do it；〃 Jack decided。
The team moved along like infantry； or SWAT officers； Lron covering the rear in a kind of crabstep； the enormous rifle/cannon of the Beta held at high port。 The pipeline's diameter was about thirty feet； not much higher than the Battloids； and so the mecha moved cautiously。
In some places； the route was lined with pulsing bundles of filament as thick as a mecha's leg…like brilliant gatherings of unshielded optical fibers。 In others； intertwinings of mysterious ducting and hoses resembled an incredible Robotech root system。 Stupendous struts and support members were the geology of the underground world。
Gradually； though； the 〃terrain〃 started changing。 The pipeline widened again； and the Battloids had as much room as foot soldiers moving along a highway。 A world of dazzling； inprehensible supertech plexity surrounded them。 Light danced and tremendous loads of power surged and hummed。
It was a technological reflection of the nearby Arabian Nights cityscape in Glike。 But； the manifestations were above； as well as around and below。 Ziggurat power…management terminals bigger than any Egyptian pyramid； enigmatic things that looked like Van de Graaff generators the size of the Monument City Sportsdome； megastructures of warped； prismatic lig
