15_death_dance-第32部分

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〃Yes；〃　she　answered　him；　looking　down　at　Rem　as　he　groaned　and　rolled　over。　It　took　all　her　strength　to　keep　from　reaching　out　to　touch　him。　Would　he　remember　her？　she　wondered。　Would　the　clone's　cellular　memory　reveal　what　Zor　had　been　thinking　when　he　seduced　her；　when　he　returned　to　Optera　for　the　seedlings；　backed　by　an　army　of　warrior　giants？　Would　that　same　memory　reveal　the　path　the　matrix　had　taken；　the　course　she　would　follow？。。。〃Conduct　your　experiments；〃　she　told　the　relieved　group。　〃Show　me　the　future　of　our　race！〃


Jonathan　Wolff　was　beyond　believing　in　miracles；　but　he　was　hard…pressed　for　a　better　word　to　describe　the　sight　of　several　hundred　Garudans　charging　onto　the　scene　to　rescue　their　enslaved　brethren。　They　were　cresting　the　hilltop　now…armed　with　everything　from　war　clubs　and　bolos　and　grapnel…shaped　things　to　Karbarran　air　weapons　and　antimecha　rockets…and　dropping　down　on　the　Invid　soldiers　who　were　keeping　the　slaves　hemmed　in。　A　dozen　or　so　Bioroids　on　Hoverplatforms　were　providing　them　with　air　support；　employing　their　stem…mounted　cannons　to　rain　destruction　on　Hellcats　and　Cranns　alike。

Countless　defenseless　Garudans　had　been　killed　in　the　Inorganics'　genocidal　attack；　but　that　didn't　stop　the　survivors　from　rallying　once　they　realized　that　their　world　had　mitted　itself　to　an　all…or…nothing　stand。　They　rushed　the　Invid　lines；　which　were　already　strained　to　the　breaking　point；　and　fell　upon　the　offworlders　with　a　violence　only　blind　fury　could　release。　It　took　five；　ten；　often　fifteen　Garudans　to　bring　down　a　single　armored　soldier；　but　one　by　one　the　enemy　fell。　Some　were　pummeled　to　death；　others　disintegrated　by　their　own　weapons；　and　still　others　were　stripped　of　their　masks　and　respirator　tanks　and　left　to　run　amok；　crazed　long　before　the　spores　could　work　their　effect…crazed　by　the　naked　fear　of　that　end。

Spurred　on　by　this　reversal；　the　Wolff　Pack　and　Skull　Squadron　pulled　out　all　the　stops。　Until　this　moment；　concern　for　the　well…being　of　Rick　and　their　other　captured　rades　had　to　some　extent　weakened　their　resolve；　and　it　took　the　Garudans'　desperate　charge　to　make　them　remember　what　the　fight　for　liberation　was　all　about。　Re…inspired；　VT　pilots　and　Hovertankers　let　loose　their　own　shadow　selves；　and　swept　like　avenging　angels　through　ruptured　sky　and　forests　infernal。　Shock　Troopers；　soldiers；　Optera　trees；　the　farms　themselves…nothing　was　to　be　spared　their　wrath。

With　total　abandon；　Wolff　urged　his　mecha　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　madness；　destroying；　crippling；　killing。　For　one　instant　he　rejoiced　at　hearing　Miriya　Sterling's　voice　over　the　tac　net…she　was　presently　riding　tandem　in　Max's　Alpha/Beta　fighter…but　that　was　no　more　than　a　fleeting　reminder　of　a　past　life。　He　considered　himself　one　of　the　dead　now；　in　no　world's　hell　but　his　own。　And　from　that　hollow　center　came　a　murderous　intent　that　knew　no　bounds。　He　could　only　hope　that　some　of　the　Sentinels　would　live　to　see　victory　that　day。


〃Behind　you！〃　Janice　shouted。

But　Jack　had　already　seen　them　and　was　halfway　through　his　turn；　the　rocket　launcher　atop　his　shoulder。　Three　Invid　soldiers　were　advancing　up　the　corridor；　their　forearm　cannons　booming。　Jack　triggered　his　shot　and　caught　one　of　the　XTs　dead　center。　The　explosion　was　enough　to　drop　the　other　two；　but　only　momentarily；　they　were　back　on　their　feet　in　an　instant；　resuming　their　advance　while　Jack　reached　for　the　grenades　clipped　to　his　web　belt。

〃We've　got　them！〃　he　heard　Lron；　or　possibly　Crysta；　growl。　The　Karbarrans　were　positioned　on　either　side　of　the　corridor　terminus；　grenades　in　their　outstretched　mitts。　〃Now！〃　Lron　said；　and　the　two　pivoted　and　released。

Jack　flattened　himself　against　the　floor　and　covered　his　head；　the　roar　and　concussive　heat　washed　over　him　and　he　rolled　to　one　side；　running　through　a　quick　check　of　everyone's　position。　Janice　was　behind　him；　kneeling　over　the　quivering　mass　that　was　Tesla；　Gnea　and　Bela　were　off　to　the　right；　along　a　section　of　curved；　featureless　wall　just　short　of　a　second　corridor　terminus。　Learna　was　opposite　them；　near　the　tubestand　and　sphere　arrangement　Tesla　had　called　a　municator。　The　four　Invid　soldiers　who　had　greeted　them　after　the　〃elevator〃　ride　were　sprawled　on　the　floor；　dead；　two　with　arrows　sunk　inches　deep　into　their　thick　necks。　Close　by　two　more　were　dead　or　dying；　dropped　by　high…speed　projectiles　from　the　Karbarrans'　air　rifles。

〃Get　him　up！〃　Jack　yelled；　scrambling　to　his　feet　and　motioning　to　Tesla。　〃Gnea；　Bela；　check　that　corridor！〃

The　Praxian　women　had　crossbows　and　swords　held　low　as　they　moved　in；　Crysta　came　up　behind　them　with　her　rifles　ready　to　mete　out　additional　force。　Tesla　was　up　now　and　dusting　off　his　robes。

〃Barbarians；〃　he　said；　looking　around　at　the　dead　soldiers。

〃Save　it；〃　Jack　spat；　giving　him　a　nudge　in　the　gut　with　the　launcher。

Tesla　looked　down　his　snout　at　the　Human。　For　small　and　primitive　beings；　he　decided；　they　were　possessed　of　an　incredible　ferocity　at　times。　And　while　this　in　itself　was　not　unmon；　it　was　pletely　at　variance　with　the　sympathetic；　caring　traits　they　were　so　fond　of　displaying。

Tesla；　Jack；　Janice；　and　Learna　were　nearing　the　municator　sphere　when　something　suddenly　charged　the　air…a　resonant；　bone…rattling　hum　that　carried　a　peculiar　odor　with　it。

〃An　alert；〃　Tesla　announced；　fingers　on　the　sphere's　activation　controls。　〃Seems　you've　succeeded　in　calling　attention　to　yourselves。〃

〃Anything？〃　Jack　called　out　to　Gnea。　She　shook　her　head；　then　offered　him　a　perplexed　shrug。

〃Ahh；　there's　the　reason　they're　leaving　us　alone。。。〃

Jack　turned　around　in　time　to　see　an　image　e　to　life　in　the　heart　of　the　sphere。　It　took　a　moment　to　make　sense　of　the　scene；　and　Learna　was　the　first　to　gasp。

〃Looks　as　though　we've　a　rebellion　on　our　hands；〃　Tesla　ventured。

The　sphere　showed　a　virtual　army　of　Garudans　pouring　into　the　basin。　Invid　soldiers　were　butchering　them　from　dug…in　positions　close　to　the　base　of　the　hive。　The　Optera　tree　forest　was　ablaze；　giving　the　crater　the　look　of　a　devil's　cauldron。

〃It's　suicide！〃

Janice　put　her　arm　around　Learna's　soft　shoulders。

〃Then　let's　make　it　count　for　something；〃　Jack　said　in　a　determined　voice。　He　nudged　Tesla　into　motion　again；　and　the　Invid　began　to　lead　them　along　one　of　the　corridors。　Shortly　they　were　standing　before　a　shimmering　portal　similar　to　the　one　at　the　hive　entrance。　Once　again；　Tesla's　hand　or　voice　〃unlocked〃　the　portal；　and　the　team　found　themselves　in　a　kind　of　control　center；　filled　with　〃furniture〃…strangely　contoured　chairs　and　fairly　conventional　tables　and　countertops…wardrobe　closets；　instrumentality　columns；　municator　spheres　of　various　size　and　design；　and　what　looked　to　be　Tiresian　Robotech　devices。

The　team　fanned　out　to　search　the　space　and　Lron　made　an　important　discovery　behind　one　of　the　long　counters：　two　cowering　white…robed　Invid　scientists。

The　Karbarran　pulled　them　up　by　their　necks　and　shoved　them　toward　the　center　of　the　room。

〃Tesla！〃　one　of　them　seethed；　following　up　with　what　Jack　imagined　to　be　a　few　choice　Invid　epithets。　Janice　translated：　〃He　called　Tesla　a　traitor。　Said　it　was　true　what　they'd　heard　about　him。〃

〃Meaning　what？〃　Jack　asked。

〃Why；　my　leading　you　here；〃　Tesla　said　too　quickly。

〃Where　is　Kami？〃　Learna　demanded。

Tesla　put　the　question　to　them；　then　grunted　when　the　scientists　had　replied。　〃They　refuse　to　say。〃

Jack　grabbed　Crysta's　rifle　and　held　it　to　the　head　of　one　of　the　scientists。　〃Ask　him　again。〃

Tesla　listened　to　the　reply　and　shook　his　head。

〃All　right　then…〃

〃Hold　it　a　moment；　Jack；〃　Bela　interrupted。　〃Perhaps　they　crave　a　lungful　of　Garuda's　fresh　air。。。〃

Tesla　told　the　two　what　the　Sentinels　had　in　store　for　them；　even　Jack　could　see　their　snout　sensors　blanch　at　the　prospect。　No　one　really　needed　the　translation。

〃They've　changed　their　minds；〃　Tesla　announced　with　a　snort　of　disapproval。

And　with　that　the　scientists　began　to　lead　the　Sentinels　on　a　circuitous　tour　through　the　dome；　descending　always；　via　tractor　tubes　and　spiral　drops　where　there　should　have　been　stairs；　past　conveyor　systems　and　vat　after　vat　of　Fruits　or　pulverized　stem　and　Fl