16_world_killers-第8章

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nt　reached　down　to　stroke　his　pet's　head；　enjoying　Cabell's　uneasiness。

Cabell　had　good　reason　to　be　wary　of　the　Invid　Inorganic　mecha　called　Hellcats。　When　the　Invid　first　invaded　Tirol；　one　had　tried　to　tear　him　limb　from　limb。

Those　sitting　on　their　haunches　to　either　side　of　the　Regent's　throne　were　even　larger　than　the　usual；　and　Hellcats　were　far　bigger　than　any　saber…tooth　that　ever　lived。　They　were　a　glassy　indigo；　their　eyes　gleaming　like　ruby　lasers。　They　were　armed　with　razor…sharp　claws；　sword…edged　shoulder　horns　and　tail；　and　glittering　fangs。　About　their　muscular　throats　were　resplendent　collars　set　with　gems　from　many　worlds。

Cabell　found　himself　transfixed　by　the　'Cats'　baleful　glares；　so　it　was　Veidt；　looking　and　sounding　serene　as　he　floated　there；　who　spoke。　〃Mighty　Regent！　Please　accept　our　gratitude　for　granting　us　this　moment　of　your　attention。　We　know　what　great　demands　are　placed　on　your　time。〃　He　bowed　solemnly。

〃You　have　no　idea；〃　the　Regent　contradicted　in　his　growling；　gurgling　voice；　〃none　whatsoever！〃　His　mantle　flared　and　the　four…fingered　hands　balled　into　fists　the　size　of　kegs。

〃So　do　not　flatter　yourselves。　I'm　reconsolidating　an　interstellar　empire；　and　you　ask　me　to　turn　my　thoughts　to　trifles。　Still…noblesse　oblige；　and　all　that；　I　want　it　known　that　once　I　hold　the　universe　in　my　fist；　I　will　not　be　an　unkind　overlord。〃　The　mantle　pulled　back　a　bit。

Veidt　bowed　his　head　but　looked　unperturbed。

The　Regent　considered　the　matter　with　more　caution　than　he　would　have　admitted。　The　conflict　revolving　around　Veidt；　his　mate　Sarna；　and　Sarna's　〃father；〃　Vowad…if　such　a　concept　as　parentage　could　fairly　be　used　with　regard　to　Haydonites…concerned　the　whole　planet。　And　it　was　one　of　the　things　that　had　worked　to　the　Regent's　advantage；　he　mulled。

Brute　force　was　the　standard　Invid　method　of　dealing　with　the　enemy；　but　here　on　Haydon　IV　that　was　impossible。　But　intrigue；　like　warfare；　was　an　art　the　Opterans　had　acquired　after　Zor　destroyed　their　idyllic　existence。　And　so；　the　Regent　knew　there　were　certain　games　that　must　be　played；　and　played　to　best　effect。　Thus；　this　interview。

〃No；　you　will　find　me　most　reasonable　and　benevolent；　as　I　have　been　here　today；〃　the　Regent　added；　knowing　the　planet　itself　was　listening。　〃And　how　goes　the　healing？〃

Cabell　had　found　his　nerve　again。　He　smoothed　his　flowing；　embroidered　robes；　shrugged　to　resettle　the　high；　stiff　collar　that　surrounded　his　head；　and　stroked　the　white　beard　that　nearly　reached　his　waist。　〃Rather　well；　we　think；　though　it's　difficult　to　tell。　The　Haydonites　are　using　a　sort　of　therapy　employing　their　arts　of　nanoengineering。　Prognoses　are　good。〃

〃How　fortunate　for　them。〃　The　Regent　nodded；　but　he　was　silently　angry　that　the　effects　of　exposure　to　Garuda's　biosphere　hadn't　killed　the　Hunters　and　the　rest。　〃And　now　that　you　have　brought　me　this　report；　you　may　go。〃　The　Regent　gestured　to　his　bodyguard　mander　to　show　the　visitors　out。

〃Just　a　moment。〃　Cabell　stopped　him。　〃There　is　the　question　of　my　apprentice；　the　young　clone　Rem。　I　ask　you　to　release　him　to　us；　that　he　may　undergo　the　treatments；　too。〃

〃I　am　not　finished　with　Rem　quite　yet；〃　the　Regent　said　hatefully；　glancing　down　at　them。　Even　seated；　the　tyrant　overshadowed　them　like　some　pharaonic　statue。　〃And　as　for　you；　you　may　go。〃

Now　it　was　Cabell's　turn　to　bristle；　the　anger　in　his　voice　quite　surprised　the　Regent。　〃Not　until　you　let　me　see　that　boy！　Not　until　we　take　him　for　proper　care！〃

Hearing　his　tone；　both　Hellcats　came　to　their　feet；　spitting　and　showing　their　long　fangs。　But　Cabell　was　undeterred；　meeting　the　Regent's　fury　with　fury　of　his　own。

Veidt　spoke　before　Cabell　could；　though。　〃Great　Regent！　All　the　galaxy　has　heard　of　your　vast　intellect　and　spirit。　Here　now　is　your　chance　to　prove　that　you　can　show　mercy。　Consider　what　praise　it　will　win　you！　Why；　word　of　it　would　reach　even　to　the　Regis　herself。〃

Sly；　the　Regent　mused；　studying　Veidt。　For　a　race　of　artificial　beings；　the　Haydonites　showed　surprising　emotion　and　understanding　of　motivation。

Veidt　had　touched　a　nerve。　Very　likely；　the　Regis's　spies　would　inform　her　of　such　a　matter　as　the　Regent's　showing　mercy…or　if　not；　his　own　agents　could　see　to　it　that　she　heard。　More　than　almost　anything；　he　wanted　to　win　her　back。　And　while　his　headlong　plunge　into　deevolution　kept　him　from　truly　understanding　those　impulses　that　guided　his　onetime　mate；　the　Regent　thought　that　mercy　shown　to　the　Zor…clone　would　certainly　please　her。

So　he　said；　〃Rem　has　already　received　the　treatments　I　have　permitted　your　panions　to　undergo；　for　I　am　not　through　with　him　as　yet。　Be　that　as　it　may；　I　will　grant　you　a　promise　solution：　you　may　visit　him　in　his　confinement；　provided　that　you　try　to　get　him　to　see　reason。〃

The　Regent's　subject　planetary　systems；　if　they　were　eavesdropping；　would　no　doubt　register　that　in　the　Regent's　favor。　He　was　quite　proud　of　himself。　He　had　turned　the　bothersome　visit　of　Veidt　and　Cabell　around　so　that　he　might　profit　from　it　in　a　number　of　ways。

And；　with　a　little　luck；　he　had　bought　enough　time　to　e　up　with　a　way　of　slaying　the　Sentinels　once　and　for　all。


Jack　Baker　shot　yet　another　of　the　energy　serpents；　watching　it　de…rezz　into　fast…swirling　will…o'…the…wisps　of　light　that　dissipated　and　went　dark。　It　occurred　to　him　that　those　flickering　pinpoints　of　light　might　be　fading　only　to　reconverge　and　e　at　him　again；　but　there　was　no　time　to　wonder　about　that。

〃Jack！　Two　o'clock！〃　gritted　Learna；　who　stood　to　Jack's　right；　still　finishing　off　a　writhing；　crackling　mass　that　was　headed　straight　for　her　from　her　right。　Twelve　o'clock　was　the　leader's　position；　of　course。

Jack　finished　blowing　away　a　bunch　of　the　things　to　his　left　that　were　wriggling　at　him；　then　traversed　his　beam　and　flamed　the　two…o'clock　snakes。　He　caught　sinuous　movement　to　his　left　again　and　began　hosing　down　a　nearby　console　with　a　sustained　Protoculture　salvo；　it　was　thick　with　energy　serpents；　like　a　medusa。

Bela；　in　the　Battloid's　rear…now　lower…seat；　whistled　and　made　ear…piercing　war　cries；　when　she　wasn't　spotting　new　targets　for　him。　She　seemed　to　be　enjoying　herself。

The　Battloids'　security　wheel　was　surrounded　by　a　sea　of　undulating　glow…shapes；　more　and　more　seeped　forth　by　the　second；　from　every　crevice　and　feature　of　the　place。　The　mecha　swept　their　constant…fire　aim　around　and　up　and　back；　but　the　snakes　closed　in　relentlessly。　It　was　as　if　the　technolandscape　had　e　alive。

The　Battloids　fought　with　all　the　strength；　power；　and　precision　that　Robotechnology　had　built　into　them；　but　it　seemed　hopeless。　Energy　levels　were　dropping　sharply　due　to　the　ferocious　demands　of　the　weapons　systems。

My　first　real　mand。　Jack　thought　bitterly；　and　my　last；　too；　maybe。　Perfect　record：　no　wins。

Then　he　thought　of　the　afflicted…Karen　and　the　others…somewhere　above；　in　Glike。　And　Veidt；　Cabell；　and　the　rest　of　the　escorts　would　be　there；　too；　all　of　them　counting　on　Jack's　team　to　get　through。

But　it　was　Karen's　face　he　saw　before　him；　and　it　made　him　fight　like　a　man　possessed。

But　even　the　awesome　firepower　of　five　titan　Battloids　wasn't　enough　to　keep　back　the　tide　of　Haydon　defenders；　energy　serpents　struck　at　the　foot　of　Jan's　mecha；　sending　out　bursts　of　heat　and　light；　and　dissolving　metal。　She　lurched；　checked　herself　when　her　first　impulse　was　to　stomp　them　（which　would　only　have　made　it　that　much　easier　for　them　to　damage　her）；　and　zapped　them　instead；　melting　decking　and　sending　gobs　of　incandescence　flying。

But　while　Janice　was　doing　that；　another　dozen　snakes　got　in　close　enough　to　coil　and　strike　at　Kami；　who　was　to　her　right。　The　shields　appeared　to　give　no　protection　whatsoever　against　the　things。　In　the　meantime；　several　more　dropped　onto　Lron　from　high　overhead　and　began　melting　their　way　through　his　Battloid。

Jack　made　himself　face　the　fact　that　there　was　no　way　out　for　the　Battloids。　Snakes　were　beginning　to　rain　down　from　the　ceiling；　and　he　couldn't　see　any　avenue　of　retreat　for　the　mecha。　It　was　a　mand　he　hated　giving　as　much　as　a　naval　officer　would　hate　giving　the　order　to　abandon　ship；　but　Jack　gritted　his　teeth　and　said；　〃Prepare　to　eject。〃

He　got　no　argument；　everyone　had　seen　that　their　current　situation　was　untenable；　and　knew　that　getting　clear　of　the　Protoculture…powered　mecha　was　their　only　chance。　While　listening　to　the　others　run　through　the　eject　checklist　and　doing　so　himself；　Jack　hit　a　control　stud　as　he　imaged　his　ship。

His　Battloid　made　a　bowling　movement。　Crysta's　cockpit/escape　capsule　went　sliding　into　the　clear　along　the　decking。　A　rough　ride；　but　better　than　being　consumed　by　Haydon　IV's　gruesome　defenses。　The　snakes　ignored　the　module；　but　kept　ing　at　the　VTs。

〃You　all　strapped　in　tight　back　there；　Bela？〃

〃Take　us　for　a　ride；　Jackie　boy！〃　she　roared　merrily。

Jack　hurried　his　checklist　rundown；　to　catch　up　with　the　others。　The　Veritechs　had　zero…zero…eject　systems；　so　that　occupants　could　survive　a　punch…out　even　at　ground　level；　even　at　a　standstill。

The　snakes　had　gotten　through　on　the　decking　now；　swarming　at　them；　while　more　rained　down　from　every　cranny　in　the　ceiling　like　some　biz