16_world_killers-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Robotech　Sentinels：　World　Killers
Book　16　of　the　Robotech　Saga
Copyright　1988　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



CHAPTER　ONE

They　were　the　New　Paladins；　riding　forth　to　answer　the　trumpet　call　to　a　nightmare　war。
They　were　mortals　caught　up　in　events　that　transcended　anything　they　had　ever　expected。
Many　of　them　were　career　military　people　who　had　learned　that　wars　were　often　won　by　those　who　made　the　fewest　screwups。
But　they　also　knew　that　everybody　screws　up　sometime。
Le　Roy　la　Paz；　The　Sentinels

〃Everybody　stay　sharp！　Looks　like　we're　gonna　have　to　go　to　guns！〃

Jack　Baker　trimmed　the　mated　Veritechs　he　was　flying…the　sleek　Alpha　fighter　was　now　joined　like　a　vaned　nose　cone　to　the　bigger；　burlier　Beta　ship。　A　quick　glance　over　his　weapons　status　displays　revealed　that　the　other　two　Alpha…Betas　of　his　raiding　party　were　still　in　tight　formation　behind　him。

〃Jack；　no！〃　yelled　Janice　Em。　She　was　in　the　second　ship　along　with　Burak；　Lron；　and　Tesla。　〃You　heard　what　Veidt　and　Sarna　said：　this　world's　defenses　will　respond　to　any　hostile　action！〃

Actually；　Veidt　had　said　the　legendary　protective　systems　of　the　planet　responded　to　the　mere　intent　of　intrusion　or　provocative　act。　And　that　certainly　seemed　to　be　the　case　today；　even　though　the　fighters　had　gone　in　with　weapons　and　shields　down。

〃I　got　a　news　flash　for　you：　we've　already　got　Haydon　IV　PO'd　at　us；　kiddo；〃　Jack　snorted。　〃Or　d'you　think　this　planet's　surface　usually　twitches　and　then　starts　spitting　sparklers　at　people？　Get　ready；　like　it　or　not；　it　looks　as　if　we're　in　for　some　turns　'n'　burns。〃

One　part　of　him　registered　the　fact　that　the　terrain　of　Haydon　IV　wasn't　actually　twitching；　it　was　changing　shape；　like　something　from　one　of　those　old…time　clay…animation　flicks。　And　the　things　shooting　up　at　the　ining　Veritechs　were　more　like　swirling　vortices　or　sheets　of　flame　than　sparklers。

Whatever　they　were；　they　were　traveling　at　such　high　velocity　that　Jack　saw　the　VTs　had　no　chance　of　running　for　it。

〃Activate　shields　and　weapons。〃　Jack　tried　to　sound　calm。　〃And　stay　close　to　me。〃　It　was　too　late　to　go　back；　so　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　drive　on。

Only　he　wished　there　were　experienced　bat　fliers　in　the　other　two　bined　VTs。　Janice　had　been　through　training；　and　so　had　Learna；　but　neither　of　them　had　any　dogfighting　experience　to　speak　of。　He　would　have　preferred　to　have　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling　flying　at　his　wingtips。

But　Miriya　had　been　stricken；　like　Rick　Hunter　and　his　wife　Lisa；　by　the　strange　microorganisms　of　Garuda。　And　so　had　another　Sentinel；　one　whose　possible　death　filled　Jack　with　feelings　and　impulses　that　bewildered　and　shocked　him。。。

He　tried　to　put　that　out　of　his　mind；　what　was　happening　to　the　famous　Baker　cool　and　concentration？　Damn！

From　the　cockpit's　rear　seat；　where　she　was　strapped　into　the　copilot's　station；　Bela　reached　forward　to　clap　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃That's　the　lad！　Kick　their　flaming　arses！　I'll　loan　you　the　boot！〃

The　vortices　of　fire　came　darting　and　circling；　changing　shape　and　roiling…like　silken　scarves　on　the　wind。　All　Jack's　sensors　were　in　alarm　mode；　but　none　of　them　could　tell　him　what　he　was　facing。

Fire　with　fire；　he　told　himself　fatalistically；　and　put　a　burst　of　pumped　laser　into　the　first　one　to　e　into　range。

Somehow　Tesla　got　on　the　tac　net。　〃No；　you　fool！　You're　signing　our　death　warrants！〃

〃Don't　bother　me；　I'm　workin'；〃　Jack　growled。

The　cannonfire　seemed　to　have　no　effect；　the　vortice　changed　course　a　bit　and　came　straight　for　him。　He　shot　it　again。　The　other　VTs　chose　targets　of　opportunity　and　opened　up；　too。

The　vortices　flared　angrily；　and　some　were　jarred；　but　they　kept　ing。　More　came　from　what　seemed　to　be　an　opening　in　the　countryside　below；　like　flecks　of　incandescent　paint　falling　upward。

Jack　was　still　firing　when　the　first　vortex　hit　him。　It　flared　angrily　against　his　shields；　sending　the　indicators　toward　the　danger　zones；　and　it　seemed　he　could　feel　the　infernal　heat　right　through　the　fuselage。　More　swarmed　after。

The　other　VTs　were　struck；　too。　The　vortices　spread　across　them；　coating　them　in　a　blinding　radiance。


〃Wake　up！　e；　e；　I　have　no　time　for　this　nonsense！　Wake　him！〃

Rem　heard　the　thick；　moist　rumbling　voice；　loud　enough　to　echo　and　shake　the　walls。　He　associated　it　with　the　sensation　he　felt　now：　bonds　still　holding　his　raw；　bleeding　wrists　and　ankles；　and　the　cottony　blur　the　Invid　psy…scanners　had　left　in　his　brain。

At　the　Regent's　mand；　Invid　officers　applied　brief　pain　to　speed　up　the　effects　of　the　reviving　injections　they　had　given　him。　Rem　squirmed　and　moaned；　shaking　off　part　of　the　fog；　and　opened　his　eyes。

Rem　saw　the　throne　room　that　the　Regent　had　decreed　for　himself　high　in　a　Haydon　IV　tower。　It　was　a　minor　mercy　to　see　the　light　of　Briz'dziki；　the　local　sun；　rather　than　the　cold　insides　of　the　Invid's　nearby　hive。

Rem　tried　to　recall　what　he　was　doing　there；　and　it　came　back　in　a　confused；　horrifying　rush。　Capture　by　the　Invid　on　Garuda；　exposure　to　Garudan　atmosphere…why　wasn't　he　dead；　or　mad？

Or；　perhaps　he　was…perhaps　he　was　both。

No；　he　wasn't　dead；　the　pain　of　his　shackles　was　a　branding…hot　clarity　too　sharp　for　that。　But　mad。。。

As　he　struggled　feebly；　he　heard　a　low；　mosquitolike　humming　that　quickly　built　until　it　shock…waved　from　one　side　of　his　skull　to　the　other。　The　shackles　seemed　to　grow　teeth　and　gnaw　at　his　wrists；　promising　to　devour　their　way　up　his　arms　and　legs；　ripping　and　savaging。

Rem　screamed。　The　Invid　stench　coagulated　with　evil　glee　in　his　chest…he　was　sure　he　would　suffocate。

Not　mad；　then…but　even　more　terribly；　a　victim　of　hin；　the　Garudan　altered…reality　or　transcendent　state。

Kami　and　Learna　and　their　people　thrived　that　way…in　hin…as　a　matter　of　symbiotic　course；　interacting　with　their　environment　on　a　microorganic；　even　subatomic；　scale。　Stranded　from　the　synergistic　biota　of　their　planet；　they　would　not　even　be　sentient　beings。

But　to　outside　life…forms；　exposure　to　the　atmosphere　of　Garuda　and　to　hin　was　a　sentence　of　death　by　insanity。

Rem　fought　to　hold　onto　some　last　shred　of　reality。　The　seemingly　endless　memories　of　the　Optera　of　long　ago；　and　the　paradise　it　had　been…but　had　he　only　dreamed　them？　Images　of　the　Regent's　estranged　mate；　the　Regis；　and　her　passion　for　Zor；　whose　biogenetic　material　had　been　made　manifest　in　Rem's　cloning…were　they　fever…dreams　of　the　hin？　But　they　had　seemed　so　real；　not　hallucinatory；　more　ordered　and　in　focus　than　any　dream　or　nightmare。

The　Invid　officers　hoisted　Rem　to　his　feet　with　a　clanking　of　his　chains。　To　Rem's　addled　and　tormented　senses；　the　cold　tiles　felt　like　white…green　frost　that　burned　the　soles　of　his　feet　and　froze　them　at　the　same　time。

The　Regent　loomed　before　him；　twenty　feet　high；　massive　and　terrible；　his　mantle　spread　like　a　cobra's　hood　as　he　gazed　down　through　liquid　black　eyes　as　big　as　manhole　covers。　Rem　felt　the　hin　seize　him　again；　making　the　breath　in　his　lungs　congeal　and　refuse　to　move。

Rem　heard　his　own　whimpering；　felt　his　self…control　about　to　slip　from　his　grasp。　He　had　the　abrupt　impression　that　there　were　things　in　the　shadows　waiting　to　pounce　upon　him　and　feast　on　his　marrow；　then　take　his　mind　and　steal　his　soul。　And　though　a　remote　part　of　his　intellect　could　recognize　it　as　the　mind…wrenching　effect　of　hin；　he　couldn't　find　the　strength　of　will　to　fight　it。

〃Stand　him　up　straight；〃　the　Regent　said；　when　Rem　would　have　pulled　himself　into　a　weeping　fetal　ball。　〃Hold　his　head　up。〃

When　Rem　was　standing　up　and　staring；　as　wild…eyed　as　an　animal　with　its　leg　in　a　trap；　the　Regent　went　on。　〃You're　a　very　difficult　fellow；　Tiresian。　Or　should　I　say；　‘Clone'？　Or　better　yet；　‘Zor…clone'？〃

He　held　up　four…fingered　fists　on　wrists　several　times　thicker　than　Rem's　waist。　〃Whatever　you　really　are；　here's　something　that　might　interest　you。　Your　Sentinel　friends　are　ing。〃

Rem　couldn't　hide　a　wretched　whimper　of　disbelief　and　despair　mixed　with　crazed　hope。　The　Regent　caught　it。　〃That's　right：　they　are　ing　directly　into　my　hands。　To　be　imprisoned　like　you；　to　be　put　to　the　Inquisition　like　you；　and　to　go　through　all　the　pain　and　mind…probing　you've　gone　through。〃

Rem　was　nearly　in　tears；　but　the　Regent　was　leaning　forward　in　the　colossal　throne；　drowning　him　out。　〃But　it　needn't　happen　that　way！　You　can　save　them；　Zor…clone；　and　save　yourself　as　well！　The　Haydon　IV　healers　can　cure　them　and　cure　you；　too；　this　very　hour；　you　can　leave　with　them…if　you'll　simply　say　a　few　paltry　words　and　give　me　what　I　want。〃

Rem　was　broken。　Courage　and　conviction　and　strength　and　faith…and　even　love…are　overrated　when　it　es　to　defense　against　torture。　Yet　the　Regent　failed　to　incorporate　one　thing　into　his　equations…the　one　factor　that　no　agony　could　overe：　ignorance。

〃Tell　me　where　the　last　Protoculture　matrix　is；〃　the　Regent　hissed。　〃Tell　me　where　the　original　Zor　sent　it…hid　it！　You　have　many　of　his　memories…how；　I'm　not　sure。　But　that　one　must　be　there；　it　must！〃

But　it　wasn't。　If　it　had　been；　Rem　would　have　yielded　it　up　in　a　moment。　That　escape　was　closed　to　him；　though。

Rem　laid　his　head　to　his　chest　and　sobbed。　Deep　in　the　hin；　he　felt　the　sunlight　jeering　at　him；　his　fear…sweat　turning　to　acid　against　his　skin；　panic　closing　off　his　windpipe。

He　heard　the　creak　as　the　Regent　rose　from　his　chair。　〃Above　all　things；　I　despise　stubbornness。　That；　I　punish。〃


Lynn…Minmei　tried　to　stop　the　passageway　from　spinning　as　she　lurched　along；　her　hand　held　by　the　mysterious　VT　pilot；　she　was　barefoot　and　disheveled；　sick　with　the　drinks　she　had　downed　but　sicker　still　with　her　latest　and　worst　glimpse　of　Human　nature。

Not　that　she'd　meant　to　drink　a　lot；　she　had　nothing　but　contempt　for　drunkards。　But　life　as　the　consort　of　General　T。　R。　Edwards　was　a　little　easier　to　bear　after　a　round　or　two。　And　then　there　was　the　drink　itself…from　Edwards's　private　bottle…something　she　had　heard　the　top…echelon　officers　jokingly　call　weed…whacker。

It　was　a　150…proof　vacuum　distillate　that　had　been　soaked　in　fibers　from　a　plant　related　to　the　Flower　of　Life；　and　strained　out　again。　Brackish；　deadly。　But　oddly　smooth　and　warming。　

Best　taken　by　the　slow　shot　glass。

But；　she　had　needed　something　to　fortify　her　as　she　sat　there　and　listened　to　Edwards…the　man　Minmei　had　thought　she　loved；　the　man　to　whom　she　had　given　herself…reveal　himself　as　a　devil　incarnate。

She　was　dizzy；　and　thought　she　might　lose　her　balance；　or　her　lunch…she　had　had　no　dinner。　〃Wait；　wait；〃　she　puffed；　breathless。　Her　head　spun；　and　she　tasted　bile　in　the　back　of　her　throat。

The　VT　pilot　stopped　and　turned　to　her；　gesturing　in　a　way　that　made　it　clear　he　was　concerned　about　her。　Minmei　brushed　her　hair　out　of　her　eyes　yet　again；　to　study　him。　〃Do　I　know　you？　Who　are　you？〃

He　was　tall　and　lean；　and　demonstrated　a　supple　strength。　Behind　the　tinted　facebowl　of　his　flight　helmet；　all　she　could　discern　was　the　dark；　thick　beard。　He　regarded　her　for　a　moment；　then　answered；　〃It　says　right　here：　REF　Service　#　666…60…937。〃

She　could　see　that；　and　his　flight　officer's　insignia　and　unit　flash。　But　his　name　tape；　stitched　over　his　left　breast　pocket；　was　unfamiliar：　Isle；　L。　His　voice；　ing　through　the　helmet's　tinny　external　speaker；　was　unrecognizable。

Her　mystery　savior　was　wearing　the　unit　patch　of　one　of　the　outfits　from　Dr。　Lang's　research　facility。　Lang　had　managed　to　ram　through　the　council　an　authorization　for　his　own　security　forces；　but　Edwards　had　fought　the　seconding　of　pilots　to　the　Robotech　scientist。　So；　this　was　almost　certainly　one　of　the　fliers　who　had　been　selected　from　the　lower　ranks　and　trained　on　Tirol　to　fill　the　cockpits　of　Lang's　personal　army。

But　what　was　he　doing　on　SDF…3？

Minmei　swayed　slowly　from　side　to　side；　closing　one　eye　in　an　effort　to　focus　on　him。　〃C'mom；　c'mon；　I　mean；　why're　y'doing　this？〃　She　still　wasn't　sure　he　wouldn't　drag　her　back　to　Edwards…maybe　to　claim　some　kind　of　reward　or　favor。

She　was　also　waiting　for　the　alarms　to　go　off。

Surely；　by　now；　Edwards　had　realized　that　she　hadn't　simply　fled　his　embrace　and　his　bedroom　for　some　fresh　air。　Even　vain；　cold　Edwards　must　have　admitted　to　himself　by　now　that　Minmei　had　made　a　break　for　freedom。

〃You　said　you　want　to　go　to　Tiresia；　didn't　you？〃　the　VT　flier　was　saying。　〃And　perhaps　to　Garuda；　or　Haydon　IV？　I'll　see　that　you　get　to　wherever　you　want　to　go；　Minmei。　But　Tiresia's　the　obligatory　first　stop。〃

There　was　some　resonance　in　his　voice；　even　over　the　speaker；　that　she　thought　she　recognized。　Minmei　sighed　and　ran　her　hand　through　her　fine　black　hair　again。　Plainly；　no　VT　could　make　a　star…jump；　and　the　few　remaining　REF　vessels　that　could　go　superluminal　were　scarcely　the　kind　of　spacecraft　you　could　sign　out　like　a　borrowed　fanjet。

But　there　was　something　in　the　man's　tone；　something　steely　and　yet　passionate；　that　didn't　sound　like　it　brooked　failure。

She　vaguely　remembered　saying　to　him；　outside　Edwards's　quarters；　that　she　wanted　to　go　to　Tiresia　or　Garuda；　but　the　beginning　of　their　adventure　was　an　alcoholic　mini…blackout。　She　was　not　sure　what　her　plan　had　been；　though；　except　that　Jonathan　Wolff　and　Rick　Hunter　were　out　there　someplace。

She　shook　her　head　slowly。　〃I　don't…I　don't。。。〃

He　took　her　hand　again。　〃Don't　worry；　Minmei。〃

Then　he　led　her　off　again。　Minmei　lost　track　of　things　for　a　while；　but　Wearily　realized　at　one　point　that　he　was　shoving　oversize　deck　slippers　onto　her　bare　feet。　At　another　point；　she　felt　something　sting　her　arm　and　saw　that　he　had　given　her　a　shot　with　a　medikit　ampule。

〃Antinausea；〃　REF　#　666…60…937　explained。　〃It　makes　it　tough　to　see　out　the　cockpit　canopy　if　you　heave　your　cookies。〃

〃Cockpit？〃　she　repeated；　trying　to　figure　out　what　he　was　getting　at。　Then　she　realized　that　he　had　her　standing　near　a　hatch　that　led　to　a　hangar　deck。　There　were　the　distant　whines　of　VTs　being　readied　for　flight。

〃Wait　right　here；〃　he　said　after　he　led　her　into　the　vast；　mostly　darkened　hangar　deck。　Minmei　did　not　get　to　ask　what　he　was　doing；　he　was　gone。

The　antinausea　drug　settled　her　queasiness　and　brought　her　around　a　bit；　too。　She　was　drawing　deep　breaths　and　burping　a　bit；　sitting　on　the　deck；　when　he　caught　her　hands　and　pulled　Minmei　upward。

〃All　set；　just　follow　me。　That's　our　ship　over　there。〃

〃Wh…〃

And　then　they　were　walking　among　the　parked　mecha　of　the　hangar　deck。　Welding　sparks　leapt　and　humming　maint…crew　machinery　made　noise　in　the　distance；　and　she　could　hear　men　and　women　yelling　or　cursing　or　cajoling　or　laughing　as　they　sweated　to　keep　the　REF's　fighting　forces　operational。

He　was　leading　her　toward　an　armored　Alpha；　a　lusterless　gray　fighter　trimmed　in　olive　drab；　bulked　by　its　augmentation　pods。　It　was　one　of　the　most　formidable　ships　in　the　REF　inventory；　and　she　didn't　think　it　likely　that　it　had　been　assigned　to　one　of　Lang's　〃six…month…wonder〃　pilots。

Minmei　saw　the　boarding　ladder　before　her　and　it　brought　back　a　flood　of　memories。　She　was　a　non…tech　person；　why　did　mecha　insist　on　playing　such　an　overwhelming　part　in　her　life？

Then　somebody　yelled　from　the　distance；　and　more　voices　took　up　the　cry。　She　realized　woozily　that　the　voices　were　ing　her　way。　She　ha