15_death_dance-第16章

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nels'　partnership　with　the　creatures　had　rendered　the　GMU　almost　toy…like　in　appearance。

Rick　continued　to　watch　in　amazement　as　more　and　more　orbs　attached　themselves　to　the　cluster。　The　GMU's　massive　wheels　were　fully　off　the　ground　now；　and　Rick　was　anticipating　Vince　Grant's　words　even　before　they　issued　through　the　helmet　speakers。

〃The　ride's　starting；　Rick。　You　better　get　the　Alphas　up。〃　Grant's　tone　was　one　of　excited　disbelief。

Rick　turned　in　time　to　see　Veidt　give　him　a　knowing　nod；　signaling　that　he　had　〃heard〃　Grant's　message。　When　the　Haydonite　began　to　move　off　in　the　direction　of　Max's　Alpha；　elevating　some　as　he　hovered　along　the　rim　of　the　chute；　Rick　chinned　Bela's　frequency。

〃A　moment　more；〃　the　Praxian　told　him。　〃Teal　is　with　us。〃

〃What's　she　doing　down　there？〃　Rick　asked；　surprised。　〃Everyone　was　supposed　to　be　aboard　by　now。〃

〃You　will　hear　it　from　her　own　mouth；〃　Bela　told　him　shortly。

Rick　understood　that　it　had　something　to　do　with　Baldan's　death；　and　thought　better　than　to　press　for　details。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　Kami　and　Learna　they'll　be　riding　with　Max　and　Veidt。　You　and　Teal　will　go　up　with　me。〃

Bela　acknowledged；　and　Rick　hurried　off　to　the　Guardian…mode　Alpha；　which　was　sitting　at　the　edge　of　the　GMU's　bubble　mountain　like　some　diminutive　bird…of…prey。　He　threw　himself　up　into　the　cockpit　and　brought　the　mecha's　engines　to　life。　Beside　him　the　mountain　was　lifting　off；　while　Praxis　continued　to　rumble　its　ominous　farewells。


In　Fantomaspace；　meanwhile；　the　pirated　shuttle　carrying　Wolff　and　pany　from　the　SDF…3　was　closing　fast　on　the　anchored　dreadnought　Lang　had　been　instrumental　in　procuring。

〃They're　warning　us　to　e　about　and　return　to　the　fortress；〃　Janice　told　Wolff　from　the　mand　seat。　〃Scanners　show　two　gunships　on　our　tail。〃

Wolff　leaned　forward　to　study　a　monitor；　straining　against　the　chair's　harness。　Elsewhere　in　the　small　mand　cabin；　Sarna　and　Burak　were　similarly　strapped　in。　Too　large　for　any　two　of　the　shuttle's　acceleration　couches；　Tesla　was　in　the　cargo　hold；　shackled　but　free…floating。

〃Any　word　from　the　cruiser？〃　Wolff　asked　in　a　determined　voice。

〃Negative。　They're　not　even　responding　to　the　SDF…3　bridge。〃

〃Good。　Now　if　we　can　just　get　there　in　time。。。〃

A　blaring　sound　began　to　wail　from　the　control　station's　external　speakers；　and　Janice　swung　to　an　adjacent　console。　〃We're　being　targeted。〃

〃Ignore　it；〃　Wolff　snapped。　〃The　first　one　will　be　a　warning　shot。　With　a　little　luck　we'll　be　too　close　to　the　cruiser　for　them　to　risk　a　second。〃

〃Steady。。。〃　Janice　cautioned；　and　a　split　second　later　a　bolt　of　angry　light　strobed　into　the　cabinspace　through　the　forward　viewports。　A　second　burst　followed；　singeing　the　shuttle's　radome。　Displays　and　monitors　winked　out；　then　revived。

Wolff　showed　the　others　a　roguish　grin。　〃Now　we　couldn't　answer　them　if　we　wanted　to。〃

〃Cruiser's　docking　bay　is　opening。　The　bridge　is　patching　into　our　guidance　system。　The　SDF…3　thinks　they're　assisting　in　our　capture。〃

〃Let　them　take　us　in；〃　Wolff　ordered。　He　turned　his　head　to　take　a　final　look　at　the　SDF…3；　suppressing　a　wish　to　see　the　fortress　holed　and　derelict。

Janice　straightened　in　her　chair　to　obstruct　his　view。　〃The　fortress　is　repeating　the　warning。　Admiral　Forsythe…〃

〃To　hell　with　them；〃　Wolff　barked。

Four　crewmembers　were　on　hand　to　meet　the　shuttle　in　the　docking　bay。　〃We　were　attached　to　Major　Carpenter's　mand；〃　one　of　the　young　officers　explained　as　Wolff　stepped　out。　〃Wele　aboard；　sir。〃

Sarna　hovered　alongside　Wolff；　Janice　was　last　out；　keeping　a　watchful　eye　on　Burak　and　Tesla。

Wolff　accepted　the　proffered　hands。　〃Carpenter；　huh？　Good　man。　Sorry　he　can't　be　with　us。〃

〃Dr。　Lang　has　other　plans　for　him；　sir；〃　an　ensign　supplied。

〃So　I　understand；〃　Wolff　said。　Then；　as　if　remembering：　〃Listen；　we've　got　to　do　something　about　those　gun…〃

〃All　taken　care　of；　sir。　We　put　a　few　shots　across　their　bow　and　they　showed　their　bellies。〃

Wolff　returned　a　weak　smile。　〃You　know　what　that　means；　Captain…you're　mitted。〃

〃We　were　all　along。　Now　we　can　act　on　it。〃

〃All　right；〃　Wolff　said；　nodding；　his　smile　broadening。　〃Let's　get　under　way。〃

As　they　left　the　bay；　the　ensign　added；　〃Course　is　set　for　Praxis。〃

〃What's　our　ETA？〃　Janice　wanted　to　know。

〃Two　days　relative。〃　The　captain　saw　their　surprise。　〃We've　made　some　improvements　since　you　left。〃

〃I　guess　you　have；〃　Wolff　enthused。　And　he　began　to　think　about　those　improvements　as　the　captain　hurried　him　to　the　bridge。　Carpenter　was　one　lucky　soul；　getting　a　shot　at　returning　to　Earth。　Wolff　never　would　have　believed　he　could　be　envious　of　such　an　opportunity；　but　the　events　of　the　past　thirty…six　hours　had　punched　a　lot　of　holes　in　his　former　thinking。　Things　have　changed；　he　seemed　to　hear　both　Lang　and　Minmei　say；　and　indeed　they　had。　He　would　be　the　next　to　return　Earthside；　he　decided。　One　way　or　another。　And　for　the　first　time　in　a　year　he　thought　about　the　family　he　had　left　behind；　and　the　love　he　would　try　to　reawaken。


The　orbs　had　lifted　the　GMU　to　an　altitude　of　almost　twenty　miles　by　the　time　Rick　and　Max　brought　their　Alphas　aboard。　Below；　hidden　beneath　a　swirling；　agitated　pall　of　cloud　cover；　Praxis　was　fractured　beyond　recognition；　the　molten　stuff　of　its　core　geysering　to　the　surface　and　boiling　away　the　planet's　oceans　and　fragile　atmosphere。　Microclimates　and　cyclonic　storms　added　to　the　fury；　unleashing　blinding　bolts　of　lightning　and　torrents　of　black　rain；　while　volcanoes　answered　the　skies　with　thunderous　volleys　of　their　own　making。　Praxis　bellowed　and　roared　like　some　tortured　animal；　rattling　the　GMU　with　its　clamorous　cries。

In　the　base's　pressurized　ordnance　bay；　Rick　and　the　others　began　to　wonder　whether　they　would　make　it　after　all。　Veidt　had　told　them　that　the　orbs　could　only　remain　clustered　for　a　short　time　once　they　reached　the　outer　edge　of　the　planet's　envelope；　but　with　Praxis　seemingly　entering　its　final　phase；　the　base　would　need　to　be　hundreds　of　thousands　of　miles　out…at　least　as　far　as　the　planet's　primary　satellite。　The　way　Cabell　saw　it；　the　Sentinels　had　one　recourse：　to　use　the　most　fully　fueled　VTs　and　Logans　I　to　reach　the　far　side　of　the　moon。　A　preliminary　count　of　the　available　mecha；　however；　had　already　pointed　up　the　cruel　truth　half　the　Sentinels　would　have　to　face；　and　even　so；　what　would　the　rest　have　acplished　outside　of　prolonging　the　inevitable？　Were　they　to　throw　together　a　bivouac　on　the　moon's　frozen　surface；　or　simply　wander　the　wastes　like　some　misguided　flock　until　the　mechas'　power　and　life…support　systems　failed？

In　another　part　of　the　bay；　Gnea　and　Bela　were　asking　Teal　why　she　had　gone　back　to　the　cave。　Neither　of　the　Praxians　knew　much　about　Spheris　or　the　ways　of　its　crystalline　life…forms；　but　the　women　guessed　that　Teal　would　have　been　just　as　happy　to　have　remained　on　Praxis　with　her　dead　rade。

〃But　we've　all　endured　losses　and　hardships；〃　Bela　was　telling　her；　trying　to　be　helpful。　〃Recall　how　Lron　and　Crysta　suffered　when　the　Farrago　met　its　end；　and　how　Gnea　and　I　grieved　for　our　Sisterhood。　Now　our　very　world。。。〃

Lron；　who　was　standing　within　earshot；　made　a　kind　of　mournful　growl。　〃Death　is　the　way　of　the　world；〃　he　muttered　in　the　usual　Karbarran　fashion。　〃We　do　not　mourn　the　loss　of　our　friends；　we　are　resigned　to　such　things。〃

〃I'm　not　mourning　for　Baldan；〃　Teal　said；　looking　up　at　him　and　Crysta。　〃I'm　upset　about　the　child。〃

〃The　dead　child；〃　Gnea　started　to　say。

〃It's　not　dead；〃　Teal　said　harshly；　standing　up　and　walking　away　from　them。

〃It　lives？〃　Bela　said；　catching　up　and　spinning　her　around　by　the　arm。　〃And　you　would　knowingly　abandon　it？〃

〃Let　her　be；　Bela；〃　Lron　cut　in。　〃You　know　nothing　of　their　ways。〃

〃I　know　what　it　means　to　leave　a　being　to　die；〃　she　answered　him。　〃Why；　Teal？〃　she　asked。

The　Spherisian　gazed　at　her　coldly。　〃Because　I　will　have　to　care　for　the　infant。　That　is　our　way。〃

Teal　snatched　her　arm　away　and　Bela　threw　back　her　broad　shoulders。　〃I　will　return　for　the　child。　I　will　raise　it；　if　you　won't。〃

Teal　whirled　on　her；　pointing　a　hand　accusingly。　〃What　do　Praxians　know　of　motherhood？　I　forbid　you！〃

Even　Gnea　had　misgivings　about　the　idea；　and　risked　a　step　into　Bela's　path。　〃Think　twice；　Sister。　Besides；　it　is　too　late…Halidarre　rests　and　our　Praxis　is　out　of　reach。〃

〃I'll　take　you；〃　a　female　voice　rose　up　from　the　group　of　mecha　pilots　that　had　gathered　round。　Miriya　Sterling　eased　her　way　her　way　through　the　group；　until　she　was　toe…to…toe　with　the　amazon。　〃I'll　take　you；〃　she　repeated。

〃A　Praxian　and　a　Zentraedi　sharing　the　same　small　space？〃　Gnea　scoffed。　〃Even　such　a　mission　of　mercy…〃

〃No　matter　what　you　may　think　of　me；〃　the　former　Quadrono　ace　responded；　〃I　know　as　much　about　the　sanctity　of　life　as　any　of　you　do。　Give　it　a　try；　Bela…for　the　infant's　sake。〃　She　thrust　a　helmet　into　Bela's　hands。

Bela　held　on　to　the　thing　for　a　moment；　then　donned　it；　and　raced　with　Miriya　for　one　of　the　Skull's　red　VTs。

Rick　didn't　even　consider　trying　to　stop　them…not　that　Bela　or　Miriya　would　have　listened　to　him　in　any　case。　He　had　noticed　a　kind　of　latent　xenophobia　surfacing　among　the　Senti