11_metamorphosis-第26章

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　across　the　Cosmos　to　regenerate　themselves　into　a　new　form。　They　want　to　rule　the　physical　Universe；　and　the　higher　planes　of　existence；　too！〃

〃Wow！　His　brain's　been　fried！〃　Annie　whispered。

〃Naw；　Annie；〃　Rook　countered。　〃The　boy　just　hasn't　woken　up。〃　She　gave　him　a　therapeutic　slap　on　the　cheek　that　she　tried　not　to　enjoy　too　much。　Rand　found　himself　back　in　the　real　world。

He　took　a　few　deep　breaths　and　started　again。　〃I　know　now　why　the　Invid　are　here。　They're　trying　to　survive　by　plugging　themselves　into　the　Earth's　evolutionary　system。　Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　you　can't　hardly　blame　'em！　We'd　do　it；　too；　if　we　faced　racial　extinction！〃

Which　we　do；　he　realized。

Scott　was　close　to　taking　a　swing　at　Rand。　〃I　couldn't　care　less　whether　the　Invid　survive　or　go　the　way　of　the　Zentraedi　and　the　Robotech　Masters；　just　as　long　as　they　leave　Earth。　This　is　our　planet！〃

〃Well；　I　wasn't　saying　that　we…〃

〃I　don't　know　what　happened　to　you　out　there；　Rand；〃　Scott　seethed；　〃but　it　seems　to　have　knocked　your　loyalties　out　of　whack。〃

〃He　was　lying　on　a　bunch　of　Flowers　of　Life；〃　Rook　blurted。　〃A　whole　little　field　of　them。　And　the　sandstorm　hadn't　bothered　them；　not　even　a　bit。〃

While　the　others　were　thinking　about　that；　Rand　said；　〃What　about　Marlene？　Is　she　all　right？〃

Rook　looked　at　him　for　long　seconds　before　she　said；　〃She's　still　pretty　weak；　I'm　afraid。〃

Rand　went　down　on　one　knee　next　to　her。　Under　his　gaze；　she　stirred；　wakened；　smiled　up　at　him　as　she　had　hours　and　an　eternity　ago。　It　had　taken　a　look　and　a　thought；　not　a　kiss；　to　wake　the　sleeping　damsel。

Well；　Fair　Milady；　I　don't　know　if　you'll　ever　realize　it；　but　you　and　I　have　just　been　on　quite　a　spin。　And　I　wouldn't　have　missed　it　for　the　world。

Rook；　leaning　against　the　cave　wall　with　her　arms　crossed；　glowered　at　the　two。　Maybe　Marlene　was　brain…damaged；　but　that　was　no　excuse　to　gaze　up　at　a　bumpkin　like　Rand　with　liquid；　lambent　eyes。　He　was　nothing　but　a　wasteland　Forager！

〃Hi；〃　Rand　smiled　down　gently。　And　now　Scott；　too；　was　scowling。　In　true　military　style；　he　didn't　bother　to　consider　his　reasons　for　being　irked　at　Rand。　It　was　easier　than　examining　his　feelings　for　Marlene。

Rand　touched　Marlene's　cheek。　Her　gaze　gave　him　the　eerie　feeling　that　she　had　truly　been　along　on　the　all…time　championship　motocross　run。　Marlene　smiled　up　at　him。

A　thought　crossed　Rand's　mind。　What　was　it　Rook　said　he　had　been　lying　on？


Eventually；　as　Scott　had　fatalistically　expected；　a　patrol　of　Shock　Troopers　spotted　them。　The　freedom　fighters　jumped　the　Invid　right　away。

They　knew　little　about　the　Regis；　but　they　were　beginning　to　suspect　something。　The　simple　fact　was　that　the　Regis's　attention　was　often　diverted　to　matters　elsewhere　in　her　world…embracing　scheme；　and　offworld　as　well。　Although　the　whereabouts　of　her　Simulagent　and　this　persistently　bothersome　group　of　enemies　were　high　on　her　priorities　list；　the　Regis　had　a　staggering　number　of　projects　and　operations　to　control　and　guide。

All　the　freedom　fighters　knew　was　that　there　was　still　a　chance　to　avoid　disaster　if　the　team　could　act　quickly　enough。　Once　more　the　VTs　dodged　and　fired；　barrelrolled　and　spat　missiles。

This　battle　took　place　over　a　strange　landscape。　The　place　looked　like　a　jungle；　except　it　appeared　to　have　been　roofed　over。　A　translucent；　shell…like　pink　covering　stretched　over　hundreds　of　square　miles　of　river　valley。　The　roof；　or　whatever　it　was；　had　numerous　irregular　openings　in　it；　openings　so　big　that　the　VTs　could　fly　in　and　out　virtually　at　will。　But　so　could　the　Invid。

The　Humans　were　hampered　by　low　Protoculture　levels　and　ordnance　supplies；　Scott　wondered　if　they　would　even　have　enough　to　get　them　through　this　latest　mass　dogfight。　But　Lancer　was　a　tough；　precise　fighter　jock；　frugal　with　fuel　and　ammo　when　it　was　necessary；　and　he　and　Scott　had　taught　Rand　and　Rook　well。　Trooper　after　Trooper　went　tumbling；　burning；　from　the　air　under　the　weird　shell…roof。

Down　below；　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Marlene　were　having　it　a　little　tougher；　as　a　Trooper　noticed　them　and　came　swooping　down　at　them。　〃Hey；　you　fancy　fly…boys　up　there！〃　Annie　squawked　over　the　tac　net；　〃you　forgetting　your　friends　here　on　terra　firma？〃

Rand　broke　away　from　the　〃ratrace〃　and；　nearly　at　deck　level；　went　after　the　Shock　Trooper　that　was　on　the　APC。　But　suddenly　a　bunch　of　trees　came　at　him　out　of　nowhere。　I　think　I　zigged　when　I　shoulda　zagged；　he　thought；　as　retros　proved　insufficient　and　the　Beta　hung　up　in　a　treetop。

A　disc's　explosion　overturned　the　truck　and　the　Trooper　closed　in　for　the　kill；　as　the　shocked　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Marlene　watched。　All　in　an　instant；　a　bolt　from　a　heavy　VT　cannon　holed　the　enemy　through　and　through；　and　it　toppled。

The　three　looked　up　to　where　Rand's　Beta　hung　like　a　fly　in　web。　〃Some　shot；　huh？〃　he　beamed；　although　he　was　draped　over　his　instrument　panel　at　an　undignified　angle。

〃Jeepers；　what　a　dopey　landing；〃　marveled　Annie。

Above；　Scott　and　the　others　switched　from　Protoculture　to　reserve　impulse　power；　and　used　their　jamming　gear　and　spread　clouds　of　aerosol　smokescreen　behind　them。　Then　they　dived　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　river　valley's　〃roof；〃　breaking　contact。　As　they　had　hoped；　the　Invid　went　off　in　all　directions；　apparently　mystified　as　to　where　the　prey　had　gone。


The　group　made　its　camp　and　held　council。　With　power　and　ammo　levels　so　low；　Scott　unveiled　what　he　considered　to　be　the　only　workable　plan　for　continuing　the　trip　to　Reflex　Point。

〃A　raft？〃　Rand　exclaimed。

Scott　sipped　from　his　mug。　〃There　are　two　things　to　remend　the　idea：　We'll　save　what　little　Protoculture　we　have　left；　and　we　won't　attract　the　Invid　by　activating　our　mecha。〃

Lancer　blew　on　his　coffee。　〃I　think　it's　a　brilliant　idea。　We'll　just　let　the　river　do　all　the　work。〃

Rand　looked　at　the　mecha。　〃You're　talking　about　one　helluva　raft；　there。　D'you　know　anything　about　rafts；　spaceman？〃

Annie　started　demanding　that　she　be　allowed　to　supervise　and　that　the　raft　be　named　in　her　honor。　Rook　scolded　her　and　said　that　this　wasn't　some　dumb　jungle　movie　where　all　you　need　is　a　couple　of　vines　and　a　coconut。

Things　began　to　turn　into　one　of　the　team's　signature　free…for…alls。　Lancer　rose；　stretched；　and　paced　away　toward　the　river。　〃Since　I　don't　know　the　first　thing　about　marine　engineering；　I　volunteer　for　lookout　duty。〃

〃Probably　afraid　he'll　break　a　fingernail；〃　Lunk　grunted。

Rand　was　agreeing；　〃The　guy's　just　a　lazy　bum；〃　when　something　heavy　tapped　his　shoulder。

Scott　was　handing　him　the　ax。　〃Country　boy；　it's　time　you　showed　us　your　stuff。　I　know　this　thing's　a　little　primitive；　but　at　least　it　works　without　Protoculture。　Just　think　of　a　raft　as　a　very　large　ski。〃


Lancer　drank　in　the　quiet　beauty　of　the　place。　He　found　himself　in　a　very　quiet；　serene　world。

ing　to　the　shore　of　a　fast…moving　stream；　he　decided　the　current　was　too　swift　for　predators　and　elected　to　bathe。　In　a　moment；　he　had　stripped；　taken　soap　and　personal　articles　from　his　belt　pouch；　and　plunged　in。


Several　miles　downstream　from　the　team's　landing　spot；　another　Invid　stronghold　straddled　the　river　on　five　asymmetrical　legs。　It　looked　like　a　bulbous　insect　with　a　glowing；　low…hanging　belly。

Inside　was　a　Hive　Center　like　and　yet　unlike　that　of　the　fortress。　The　Sensor　there　was　identical　to　the　other　in　its　physical　shape；　but　its　color　was　a　putrid；　lit…from…within　green。　But　in　one　particular　way；　this　was　a　very　different　scene：　The　Regis　had　manifested　herself。

An　oval　energy　flux　surrounded　by　a　blue　nimbus；　its　long　axis　vertical；　hung　over　the　Sensor。　The　mauve　flux　gave　off　solar　prominences　of　light。　Within　it　were　swirling　lights　and　within　the　swirl；　barely　discernible　in　the　brilliance；　was　the　female　form　of　the　Regis。

〃Our　Matrix　is　now　approaching　the　bio…energy　level　needed　for　transmutation。〃

Regis　and　Sensor　were　attended　by　several　Shock　Troopers。　One　of　these　the　Regis　instructed；　〃Trooper；　step　forward！〃

The　Shock　Trooper　obeyed；　somehow　seeming　subdued　despite　its　immense　size　and　armaments。　The　incandescence　played　across　its　armor　as　it　stared　at　its　ruler…deity；　the　Regis。

〃You　have　proved　yourself　time　and　again；〃　she　told　it；　〃as　both　a　soldier　and　a　shape…changer。　In　both　these　capacities　you　have　helped　ensure　the　survival　of　our　race。　Your　outstanding　achievements　won　you　the　honor　of　engaging　the　enemy　in　the　Shock　Trooper　armor　that　now　enfolds　your　being。〃

Her　face　was　little　more　than　a　blank　mask　with　shadowed　eye　sockets　and　the　ridge　of　a　nose。　〃Now　the　time　has　e　for　you　to　continue　your　evolution；　to　take　the　next　step　upward　in　the　spiral　of　Protogenetic　progress！　Are　you　ready？〃

The　Trooper；　watching　her　with　its　single　optical　sensor；　made　a　biotechnic　gurgling　and　a　kind　of　hunching　bow　of　obeisance。

〃Very　well！　As　I　have　spoken；　so　it　shall　be　done！　Prepare　yourself　for　disembodiment　and　transmutation！〃　The　Regis　flung　her　arms　wide；　and　the　green　Sensor　was　aglow。　Energy　crackled　and　sizzled　through　the　Hive　Center。

Vines　of　living　Protoculture　power　snaked　out　from　the　Sensor　to　envelope　the　Trooper。　In　another　moment　it　seemed　to　be　in　a　rictus　of　agony；　i