11_metamorphosis-第36章

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thers。　At　last　he　bounded　into　a　clearing　where　hot；　blinding　light　shone　down　on　him。　He　shielded　his　eyes　with　the　flat　of　his　hand　and　gazed　up。

It　was　an　alien　mecha　like　nothing　there　had　ever　been　before；　anywhere。　The　late　morning　sun　glinted　all　around　it；　and　reflected　off　enormously　strong　purple　ponents　and　pink　trim；　making　the　machine…mountain　difficult　to　see。

Lancer　blocked　the　light　with　his　hand；　moving　a　little。

It　must　have　landed　while　I　was　swimming；　but…it　didn't　attack　me！　It　seems　abandoned。　But　how　could　that　be？　According　to　all　reports　the　drones　are　helpless　eggs　outside　their　mecha。

He　heard　a　sound　and　sensed　some　movement。　The　young　woman　stepped　out　from　behind　one　of　the　machine's　colossal　legs。　He　saw　now　that　the　color　pattern　of　her　bodysuit　reiterated　the　colors　of　the　alien　Trooper。

He　stared　at　her　as　she　watched　him　silently。　〃Y…you　can't　be　the　pilot！　You're　Human；　not　an　Invid　drone；　where's　the　pilot；　the　alien？〃

Something　galvanized　her；　she　leapt；　incredibly　high；　as　the　mecha　bent　toward　her；　the　turret　in　its　muzzle　blossoming　open　to　receive　her。　Rather　than　the　egg…nest　described　by　Rand　and　Annie；　the　new　Trooper's　control　nacelle　was　a　padded　cockpit　pletely　encased　in　armor。

Lancer　was　still　yelling　to　her　as　the　cockpit　closed　and　the　Trooper's　back　and　foot　thrusters　fired　up。　He　was　nearly　blown　from　his　feet　and　singed　by　the　backwash；　the　invader　lifted　off；　leaving　the　grass　burned　and　smoldering　where　it　had　stood。

He　blinked；　coughing　from　the　smoke　and　the　sand　she　had　kicked　up。　By　the　time　he　opened　his　eyes　again；　the　Trooper　was　a　diminishing　meteor　racing　to　the　east。

This　is　unbelievable！　She　was　the　pilot　of　that　mecha！　Does　this　mean　Humans　are　fighting　for　the　Invid？


Shaken　by　her　encounter　with　Lancer；　and　unable　to　unravel　the　plex　series　of　feelings　and　impulses　that　had　assailed　her；　Sera　rejoined　Corg　and　the　contingent　of　Shock　Troopers。　But　she　made　no　mention　of　what　had　happened　and　that；　too；　confused　her。

But　Corg　and　the　Troopers'　sensors　had　detected　Lunk's　test　activations；　as　he　checked　his　repair　job。　Sera　had　barely　rejoined　them　when　they　assumed　attack　formation　and　rocketed　toward　the　island　where　Humans　had　been　sensed。


Rand　eased　himself　into　a　frayed　chaise　longue　next　to　Rook。　Scott　threw　himself　down　on　all　fours　in　the　sand；　resolving　never　to　go　swimming　in　a　flight　suit　again。　As　he　hunched　around　to　sit　down；　his　hand　happened　to　touch　Marlene's　shoulder。

She　gasped　as　if　she　had　been　touched　with　a　live　wire；　and　seemed　to　go　into　shock。　〃Must've　pinched　some　kinda　nerve；〃　Rand　diagnosed。

〃I　tell　you；　I　barely　touched　the　woman！〃　Scott　shot　back　angrily；　face　reddening　at　the　thought　of　how　he　longed　to　caress　her。

〃Su…uure；　Scott；〃　Rook　teased。　〃Probably　just　your　sexual　magnetism。〃　She　looked　to　Marlene；　who　was　gazing　into　empty　air。　〃This　might　be　a　good　sign；　though；　if　she's　having　flashbacks　or　something；　maybe　it　means　her　memory's　returning。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　Scott　said；　but　he　wondered　if　he　really　did；　or　if　he　would　be　sorry　on　the　day　that　happened。

Marlene　abruptly　clutched　at　her　hair。　〃I　feel　them　ing　closer！　They're　here！〃

But　the　thunder　of　the　attack　had　already　made　the　Humans　look　up。　Down　through　the　clouds　plunged　Corg　and　Sera；　leading　their　Pincer　Ships　and　Shock　Troopers。　〃Invid　squadron　heading　this　way！〃　Rand　hollered；　bounding　out　of　his　beach　chair。

〃Invid；〃　Marlene　was　moaning。　〃Reflex　Point。。。Regis。。。〃


〃We're　out　of　time；　but　I　think　we　can　still　make　a　break　for　it；〃　Scott　said；　tight…lipped。　〃I'll　run　the　boats。　Rand；　Rook：　suit　up　and　make　sure　you're　ready　for　my　signal。〃

They　snapped　to　it；　fast　as　any　Mars　Division　elite　troops；　sprinting　away；　feet　throwing　up　sand。　Scott　grabbed　for　Marlene's　arm；　but　this　time　she　showed　no　reaction　to　his　touch。

The　Invid　pleted　several　sweeps　of　the　island；　preparing　to　go　in　closer。　Then　they　noticed　the　pair　of　PT　boats　moving　out　to　sea　at　maximum　speed。

Corg　felt　delighted　at　the　chance　to　slay　Humans。　With　voice　and　arm　signals；　he　ordered　the　attack。　Pincer　Ships　followed　him　for　the　first　pass。　Scott；　on　shore；　watched　and　did　his　best　to　evade　the　enemy's　strafing　runs；　but　the　jury…rigged　remote　controls　were　slow　in　responding。


Rand　and　Rook　rushed　to　get　into　their　armor；　dragging　the　camouflage　nets　off　their　VTs　even　while　Lunk　was　working；　with　infuriating　deliberateness；　to　finish　the　last　of　his　repairs　on　Rook's　Alpha。


Two　passes　had　both　PTs　leaking　smoke　and　had　blown　open　the　weather　bridge　on　one。　Receiving　no　counterfire；　the　Invid　dropped　lower　to　recon。　They　saw　the　boat's　wheel　moving　with　no　living　hand　upon　it；　and　noted　the　remote　transmissions　it　was　receiving。

The　Regis's　voice　spoke　from　their　puter/mo　net。　〃Scanners　reveal　no　Human　units　in　target　vessels。　Warning！　Possible　strategic　entrapment　maneuver！〃


Scott　figured　he　had　played　the　possum　hand　for　just　about　all　it　was　worth。　Here　we　go；　firing　all　missiles。

The　team　had　loaded　the　PT　boats'　racks　with　surface…to…air　missiles；　since　surface…to…surface　bat　was　unlikely。　Now　the　launchers　rose　and　traversed　and　targeted。　Guided　by　their　radars；　the　racks　emptied；　and　sixteen　Tarpon　heat…seekers　came　boiling　and　corkscrewing　up　at　the　Invid。　Caught　by　surprise；　three　of　the　Pincer　Ships　were　blown　to　bits。　The　rest　went　into　evasive　maneuvers。

Corg　studied　the　situation。　The　puter　delivered　its　analysis　in　the　Regis's　voice。　〃Tracking　sensors　place　origin　of　remote　control　transmissions　at　coordinates　delta　6…5。　Presence　of　Human　life…form　at　that　location　is　also　confirmed。　〃

Corg's　optical　sensor　showed　him　another　ocean　craft；　a　bigger　one；　docked　at　a　quay　under　a　sheltering　boatyard　roof。　Corg　dove　toward　it；　with　the　Pincer　Ships　and；　eventually；　Sera　failing　in　behind。

Scott　watched　as　they　neared　the　island。


Lancer　charged　into　the　clearing　where　the　VTs　were　being　readied　for　flight。　〃I　just　found　out…something　horrible；〃　he　panted。

Rand　was　armored；　helmet　in　hands。　〃What　is　it？　We　just　sprang　the　trap！〃

〃The　repairs　are　all　finished　and　it's　time　to　scramble；〃　Rook　added。　〃What's　the　problem　now？〃

Lancer　gave　them　a　devastated　look。　〃I　just　found　out　that　the　Invid　are　using　Human　pilots！〃


Scott　sat　behind　the　controls　of　the　cutter's　main　gun　battery；　in　the　forward　turret。　The　pumped…laser　cannon　was　outmoded　by　Mars　Division　standards；　but　it　still　delivered　a　terrific　shot。

Corg　and　Sera；　dodging　the　cannon　blasts；　homed　in　on　the　cutter　like　angry　dragonflies。　Scott　had　already　shot　down　one　Pincer　Ship；　but　these　new　mecha　were　frustratingly　fast　and　maneuverable。　Their　annihilation　disc　shots　chopped　up　the　water　and　the　quay　around　the　cutter；　and　Scott　clenched　his　teeth。　C'mon　Rand！　Rook；　Lancer！　Don't　let　me　down！

Then　the　VTs　were　on　the　scene；　closing　in　on　the　oning　Invid；　both　sides　pitching　with　all　the　firepower　they　had。　The　new…style　mecha　dodged；　but　two　more　Pincer　Ships　went　down。　The　aliens　broke　and　evaded；　scattering　to　re…form　and　change　their　tactics。

Scott　knew　they　would　be　back　shortly　though。　He　pulled　himself　from　the　turret　as　Annie；　Marlene；　and　Lunk　hurried　over。　Lunk　tossed　his　tool　cases　in　the　direction　of　the　little　stern　chopper　pad；　where　his　trusty　truck　was　hidden…covered　with　a　tarp　in　preparation　for　the　voyage。

Scott　assured　Annie　that　he　was　all　right　and　Lunk　apologized　for　the　repairs'　having　taken　longer　than　he　expected。　Scott　gave　the　big　ex…soldier's　shoulder　a　squeeze。　〃Save　your　breath；　you　worked　miracles　for　us；　Lunk。〃

As　per　plan；　Lunk　assumed　mand　of　the　cutter　while　Scott　ran　off　to　get　his　VT　into　the　air。　Just　as　Annie　and　Marlene　were　preparing　to　help　free　up　the　berthing　lines；　a　growling　in　the　air　made　Lunk　look　out　to　sea。

The　Pincer　Ship　Scott　had　winged；　its　portside　claw　missing；　trailing　smoke　and　fire；　had　e　around　for　a　suicide　run。　It　was　aimed　straight　for　the　cutter。

Lunk　sent　Marlene　and　Annie　to　seek　shelter；　then　dove　into　the　forward　gun　turret　and　began　pounding　away　at　the　alien　with　the　pumped…laser　cannon。　Because　the　Pincer　Ship's　aerodynamics　had　been　changed　by　the　damage　it　had　suffered；　it　bucked　and　was　buffeted　by　the　air；　evading　Lunk's　fire　more　effectively　than　it　could　have　if　it　had　been　whole。

The　alien　filled　his　targeting　scope。　A　moment　later　the　world　went　dark。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE

By　this　time；　the　Mars　and　Venus　Divisions　should　be　well　engaged　in　their　battle　with　the　Invid；　and　building　toward　the　final　blow　at　Reflex　Point。
Air　and　ground　forces　of　the　Human　race；　we　salute　you　and　send　you　our　best　wishes！　We　know　that；　in　your　overwhelming　numbers；　and　with　the　undeniable　power　of　Human　Robotechnology　behind　you；　you　will　triumph！
Morale　twix　from　Colonel　Ackerman　（GI　staff…SDF…3）　to　Earth　relief　strikeforce　（never　received）

So　far　the　three　VTs　were　winning　the　air　battle。　Pincer　Ships　were　no　match　for　VTs　in　one…on…one　dogfights。　But　the　new　enemy　mecha　had　been　hanging　back；　studying　their　opponents；　Rand　wasn't　sure　what　would　happen　if　they　decided　to　jump　in　with　both　feet　and　a　roundhouse　swing。

La