11_metamorphosis-第2章

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　Pits　for　our　experiments　in　bioengineering；　as　we　did　on　Praxis。〃

More　shadows　formed　in　the　otherworldly　bonfire。

〃We　have　cloned　creatures　from　all　significant　eras　of　this　planet's　history　and　are　studying　them　for　useful　traits　at　locations　all　across　the　globe。　We　will　also　study　their　interaction　with　the　once…dominant　species；　Homo　sapiens。〃

Her　disembodied　voice　rose；　ringing　like　an　anthem；　stirring　Invid　on　every　rung　of　her　species'　developmental　ladder；　from　the　crudest　amoeboid　drone　gamete　to　her　most　evolved　Enforcer。

〃Long　ago；　the　Invid　made　the　great　mistake　of　believing　alien　lies；　of　believing　in　trust；　of　taking　part　in…〃　Her　voice　faltered　a　little；　this　final　sin　had　been　the　Regis's　alone。

〃In　love。〃

And　the　love　Zor　had　drawn　from　her　had　been　mirrored　by　her　male　mate；　the　Regent；　as　psychotic　hatred　and　loathing。　This　had　caused　the　Regent　to　fling　himself…purposely　and　perversely…down　and　down　a　de…evolutionary　path　to　monstrousness　and　mindlessness；　to　utter　amorphous　primeval　wrath。　But　the　other　half　of　the　Invid　species；　his　children；　worshipped　him　nonetheless。

The　Regis　steeled　herself。　Her　mind…voice　rang　out　again。

〃But　we　have　paid　for　those　failures　for　an　age！　For　an　age　of　wandering；　warfare；　death；　and　privation！　And　once　we　have　discovered　the　Ultimate　Form　appropriate　to　this　planet；　we　shall　assume　that　form；　and　we　will　secure　our　endless　new　supply　of　the　Flower　of　Life。　Our　race　will　bee　the　supreme　power　it　was　meant　to　be！〃

But　she　shielded　from　her　universe　of　children　the　misgiving　that　was　never　far　from　her　thoughts。　Here　on　Earth…the　planet　the　Flower　itself　had　chosen…the　once…dominant　life　form　was　cast　in　the　image　of　Zor。

And　again　the　Regis　felt　herself　fractured　in　a　thousand　ways；　yet　drawn　in　one　direction。　What　affliction　is　more　accursed　than　love？


Rand　bent　over　the　handlebars　of　his　Cylone　bat　cycle　as　Annie　yelled；　her　face　pressed　close　so　he　could　hear　her　over　the　mecha's　roar；　the　passage　of　the　wind；　and　the　dampening　effect　of　his　Robotech　armor。

〃Look；　there's　Scott；　at　ten　o'clock！〃

Rand　had　already　seen　the　hovering　blue…and…white　Alpha　settling　for　a　VTOL　setdown。　There　weren't　many　useful…size　clearings　in　the　thick　forest　in　this　region。　Certainly；　there　was　nothing　like　a　suitable　airstrip　for　a　conventional　fighter　craft　within　a　hundred　miles　or　more。

The　designers　who　had　given　the　fighter　Vertical　Takeoff　and　Landing　capability　of　course　knew　how　important　that　would　be　in　a　tactical　situation　in　a　conventional　war。　But　Rand　sometimes　wondered　if　they　had　foreseen　how　helpful　the　VTOL　would　be　to　a　pack　of　exhausted　guerrillas　who　were　Earth's　last　mitted　fighting　unit。

〃I　see　'im；〃　Rand　yelled　back　to　Annie；　rather　than　pointing　out　that　he　had　been　tracking　Scott　both　by　eye　and　on　the　Cyc's　display　screen。　Rand　didn't　like　to　admit　it；　but　he　had　developed　a　soft　spot　in　his　heart　for　the　winsome；　infuriating　bundle　of　adolescent　energy　who　had　insisted　on　being　a　part　of　the　team。

Annie　had　insisted　on　ing　along　with　him　on　point；　too。　She　was　determined　to　do　her　share；　take　her　risks；　be　considered　an　adult　part　of　the　team。　Rand　saw　that　a　lot　of　her　self…esteem　was　riding　on　the　oute　and　grumblingly　admitted　that　he　wouldn't　mind　some　pany。　Scott　and　the　rest　had　given　in；　perhaps　for　the　same　reason　that　they　never　questioned　the　pint…size　redhead's　outrageous　claim　that　she　was　all　of　sixteen。

You　could　either　accept　Annie　for　her　feisty　self　or　risk　shattering　the　brave　persona　she　had　forged；　with　little　help　or　support；　to　make　her　way　in　a　dangerous；　despair…making　world。

Now　she　banged　Rand's　armor。　〃Turn　there；　turn　there！〃

〃Pillion…seat　driver；〃　Rand　growled；　but　he　turned　down　the　game　path；　the　cycle　rolling　slowly；　homing　in　on　Scott's　signal。　〃We're　about　ten　minutes　ahead　of　the　others；　Scott。〃

Scott's　voice　came　back　over　the　tactical　net。　〃Good。　Still　no　sign　of　the　Invid；　but　we　can　run　a　sweep　of　the　area　before　the　others　get　here。〃

None　of　them　saw　it　or　registered　it　on　their　instruments；　but　in　the　dim　forest　darkness；　massive　ultratech　shapes　moved…two…legged；　insectlike　walking　battleships。

Just　like　armored　monsters　from　a　madman's　nightmare。


CHAPTER　TWO

Oh；　great！　We　been　shanghaied　aboard　Charon's　Ark！
Remark　attributed　to　Annie　LaBelle　by　Scott　Bernard

Following　the　path　their　scout　team　had　taken；　Lancer；　Rook；　and　Lunk　rode　down　the　long；　dangerous　road　toward　Reflex　Point。　Lancer　was　riding　his　Cyclone　in　the　lead；　wearing　full　techno…armor；　the　masculine；　warlike　side　of　his　divided　personality　clearly　present。　He　was　sure　and　confident；　Rook　Bartley　thought　to　herself；　a　practiced　mecha　rider　and　a　deadly　warrior。

Rook；　also　in　full　Robotech　panoply；　had　just　caught　up　on　her　red…and…white　Cyc；　having　made　sure　that　the　team　wasn't　being　followed　and　it　was　safe　to　leave　the　rear　guard。　She　let　Lancer　hold　the　lead；　glancing　over　to　make　sure　all　was　well　with　Lunk。

Things　always　seemed　to　be　well　with　the　big；　burly　ex…soldier　when　he　was　on　the　road；　riding　in　his　beloved　all…terrain　truck。　Taking　one　look　at　Lunk；　it　was　easy　to　jump　to　the　conclusion　that　there　wasn't　much　going　on　upstairs。　His　low　forehead　and　the　thick　sideburns　that　curled　around　and　up　under　his　eyes　made　him　look　like　a　ic…strip　caveman。

But　anyone　who　had　talked　to　him；　or　looked　closely　into　those　soulful　eyes；　or　seen　him　do　the　things　Rook　had　seen　him　do；　understood　why　conventional　wisdom　counsels　against　drawing　quick　conclusions。

As　for　Rook；　she　still　found　it　strange　to　be　riding　with　a　gang　again；　even　though　Scott　insisted　on　calling　it　a　team；　and　everybody　else　kept　insisting　that　they　had　their　own　agenda　and　that　the　alliance　was　temporary。　She　still　wasn't　sure　how　she　had　teamed　up　with　them。　It　was　too　easy　to　say　that　she　had　shared　danger；　hardship；　triumph；　and　defeat　with　them；　she　had　done　that　with　others　before。　She　kept　looking　toward　the　time　when　she　could　ride　as　a　loner　once　again。

Of　course；　there　was　Rand。。。

Screw　Rand！　she　snarled　to　herself。


From　their　places　in　the　shadows　of　the　great　trees；　the　Invid　Shock　Trooper　mecha　kept　watch；　making　sure　the　Humans　were　moving　the　right　way。　So　far；　the　Troopers　noted；　these　life…forms　hadn't　needed　any　herding。

The　location　of　the　nearest　Genesis　Pit　was　logical；　situated　along　the　easiest　passageway　through　the　mountains。　The　Entrapments　were　well　deployed；　the　routine　specimen　collection　was　going　well。　The　mecha　floated　along　quietly　and　slowly；　their　thrusters　muted　as　they　awaited　their　moment。


〃Heads　up；　Annie！〃　Rand's　voice　sounded　a　bit　tinny　through　his　helmet's　external　speaker。　〃Scott's　right　on　schedule；　of　course。〃

Of　course；　what　else？　Would　Scott　Bernard；　the　rules…and…regs　sole　survivor　of　the　massacre　of　his　squadron　be　even　a　few　seconds　off？

Annie　leaned　out　from　the　Cyclone　and　saw　Scott's　Alpha　settling　in　the　clearing。　She　pulled　the　bill　of　her　trademark　baseball　cap；　with　its　huge　emblem　that　read　E。T。；　lower　〃Um…hmm。〃

She　tried　not　to　let　her　relief　sound　in　her　voice。　Although　she　had　insisted　on　taking　a　turn　at　riding　point；　she　was　much　more　at　ease　riding　next　to　Lunk　in　the　truck　（or　APC；　as　Lunk　insisted　on　calling　it；　since　it　was　Armored　and　was　indisputably　a　Carrier　of　Personnel）。　Annie　wasn't　even　armed。　Weapons　made　her　a　little　queasy。

But　now　she　didn't　have；　to　worry；　because　everything　was　going　well。　The　Alpha　had　switched　to　Guardian　mode　for　the　VTOL　landing。

The　cockpit　canopy　slid　back。　Scott；　armored　in　Robotechnology；　stepped　out；　walked　out　to　the　forward　edge　of　the　swing…wing's　fixed　glove；　and　hopped　down。

Annie　looked　around　at　the　trees　and　the　darkness　they　shed　in　the　waning　light；　as　Rand　pulled　up　next　to　Scott　in　a　spray　of　sand　and　gravel；　some　of　it　rattling　and　hissing　off　Scott's　armor。　〃I　guess　this　means　we're　staying　here；　huh？〃　She　was　tough　despite　her　age；　but　she　had　done　most　of　her　surviving　in　settlements　and　cities。　The　wilds　unnerved　her。

Scott　had　gone　around　to　the　rear　of　the　Guardian's　portside　leg　to　open　a　hidden　partment。　〃I'll　get　my　Cyclone　and　we'll　run　a　security　sweep　of　the　area　before　the　others　get　here。〃

He　pulled　forth　and　activated　the　pact　package　that　turned　into　his　Cyclone；　unfolding　and　reconfiguring。　He　thought　about　ordering　Annie　to　wait　in　the　cockpit　of　the　fighter；　but　she　had　a　special　gift　for　getting　into　trouble；　and　so　he　discarded　the　notion。　〃Let's　go。〃

Scott　and　Rand　sped　away；　following　the　dry　streambed；　looking　for　an　opportunity　to　leave　it　and　move　cross…country。　Scouts　seldom　learn　anything　worth　knowing　on　the　main　road；　except　when　it's　too　late。


Acting　as　a　scout　for　its　unit　just　as　Scott　had　done　for　his；　an　Invid　Shock　Trooper　closed　in　on　its　target。

Normally　the　Invid　were　slow　to　detect　Humans　unless　the　prey　had　been　specifically　targeted；　or　there　had　been　a　sizable　expenditure　of　Protoculture。　This　time；　however；　the　Regis's　fearsome　war　machines　had　been　sent　to　guard　a　specific　area　and　herd　specimens　into　the　Genesis　Pit。　The　Humans　had　e　into　their　territory。　By　some　oversight；　there　w