15_death_dance-第14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！


dy　succumbing　to　the　hive's　artificial　atmosphere；　had　been　shackled　and　dumped　in　a　corner。

〃That　smell　is　the　stink　of　your　own　soldiers'　blood；〃　Rick　snarled　at　the　scientist；　gesturing　to　his　green…smeared　suit。

〃The　cornered　creature's　final　attack；〃　the　Invid　said　to　his　white…robed　group　of　barefoot　assistants；　in　Tiresian　for　Rick's　benefit。　〃The　being　uses　words　as　weapons。〃

〃What　do　you　want　with　us？　Why　didn't　your　soldiers　kill　us？〃

The　scientist's　snout　sensors　twitched；　as　if　he　was　sniffing　the　air。　〃Perhaps　we　shall。　But　there　is　some　information　we　require　first。　It　would　save　us　much　bother　if　you'd　simply　agree　to　answer　our　questions…it　might　even　save　your　lives。〃

Rick　snorted。　〃Dream　on；　slug。〃

〃As　I　thought；〃　the　scientist　directed　over　his　shoulder。　He　studied　Rick　a　moment；　then　began　to　move　down　the　line；　pausing　in　front　of　Kami。　〃You　were　one　of　the　Garudans　selected　by　Tesla　for　the　Regent's　zoo；　were　you　not？〃

Kami　leaned　in　as　if　to　whisper　something　and　snapped　at　the　Invid's　face；　missing　it　by　inches。　Just　as　suddenly；　a　soldier　threw　a　stranglehold　on　Kami　from　behind；　in　his　weakened　state；　the　Garudan　was　easily　subdued。

The　scientist　shrugged　it　off　and　continued　his　appraisal　of　the　group；　leering；　Rick　thought；　at　Karen；　and　puzzling　for　a　moment　over　Rem。　〃Why；　you're　Tiresian。〃　he　said　at　last；　and　whirled　through　an　excited　turn　to　face　his　group。　〃We　have　a　marvelous　opportunity　here　to　acplish　something　invaluable　for　the　realm。　For　the　record；〃　he　added；　looking　to　Rick；　〃where　are　the　Robotech　Masters？〃

Rick　beetled　his　brows。　〃The　Masters？〃

〃Yes。　Where　is　the　Protoculture　matrix？〃

Rick　groaned。　The　thing　had　bee　a　thorn　in　the　galaxy's　side。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃

〃That　is　hardly　the　response　we　require　to　justify　sparing　your　lives；　Earther。　Be　reasonable；　you　have　Protoculture…fueled　ships；　Protoculture…based　weapons。。。How　did　you　e　by　these　if　not　through　contact　with　the　Masters　or　the　matrix？　Unless；　of　course；　the　Flowers　of　Life　grow　on　your　homeworld。。。〃

Rick　fought　to　keep　his　surprise　from　registering。　So　that's　what　they're　after；　he　thought；　and　recalled　something　Roy　Fokker　had　told　him　almost　ten　years　ago　about　the　warning　Lang　had　inadvertently　keyed　in　the　SDF…1…Zor's　warning　about　the　Invid！　The　Tirolian　knew！…he　knew　the　Invid　would　eventually　go　in　search　of　the　matrix。　Cabell's　words　to　Lang　rang　in　Rick's　ears：　You　must　destroy　the　Invid　here；　destroy　them　while　you　still　can！

〃I　see　something　in　your　eyes；　Human；〃　the　scientist　was　saying。　〃You　know　something。〃

Rick　tightened　his　lips　to　a　thin　line。

〃Then　perhaps　your　dreams　will　tell　us　what　we　wish　to　know。〃　The　Invid　waved　a　hand　at　the　soldiers。　〃Take　the　Humans　outside。〃

〃You　can't！〃　Kami　bit　out；　his　windpipe　pinced　in　the　soldier's　grip。　Others　had　stepped　in　to　take　hold　of　Rick；　Karen；　Rem；　and　Lisa。　〃They'll　die！〃

〃Yes；〃　the　scientist　said　matter…of…factly；　〃they　probably　will。〃


CHAPTER　TEN

The　psy　scanners　the　Invid　employed　on　Garuda　（on　Hunter　and　the　rest）　were　patterned　on　similar　devices　developed　by　the　Tiresians。　Ironically　enough；　the　Robotech　Masters　had　used　the　scanners　on　Zor　shortly　after　his　death；　（and　would　use　them　again　to　monitor　Zor　Prime　after　the　clone　had　been　inserted　into　the　Fifteenth　ATAC）；　much　as　the　Invid　were　using　them　on　Rem。
History　of　the　Second　Robotech　War；　volume　XXXI；　〃Tirol〃

Dream　a　little　dream　with　me。
Late　twentieth…century　song　lyric

The　male　human　was　dreaming　of　pursuit。　He　was　being　chased　by　some　sort　of　bird　creature　with　an　enormous　wingspan；　and…an　Invid　scientist　had　noted…a　body　shaped　curiously　like　those　of　the　raptorial　birds　depicted　face…to…face　on　the　Human's　uniform　insignia　patch。　The　Human　was　running　downhill；　hopelessly　out　of　control；　with　the　bird　pecking　at　his　neck　and　back；　flapping　its　great　wings　all　the　while。　The　backdrop　for　the　dream　was　a　world　of　ravaged　landscapes；　barren；　cratered　expanses　of　solidified　volcanic　flow。　The　Human　was；　and　at　the　same　time　was　not；　both　the　pursued　and　pursuer。　Crowds　of　other　Humans　seemed　to　be　viewing　the　event　from　the　sidelines；　gesturing；　pointing；　applauding；　laughing。　One　wore　the　face　of　the　injured　Human　female　who　was　presently　being　terrorized　by　dreams　of　her　own…although　she　was　sympathetic　here；　eager　to　help　the　running　man；　so　it　appeared。

〃There's　nothing　of　use　to　us　in　this　one's　thoughts；〃　the　head　scientist　said　dismissively。　Disappointed；　he　turned　from　the　images　in　the　instrumentality　sphere　and　moved　to　the　sphere　his　assistants　had　set　up　to　monitor　the　dreams　of　the　injured　female。

Lisa；　like　Rick；　Karen；　and　Rem；　was　strapped　on　her　back　to　a　kind　of　gurney；　with　her　head　positioned　beneath　a　thick　and　heavy…looking　ring…shaped　device　that　resembled　a　scaled…down　version　of　an　MRI　scanner。　What　the　Invid　scientists　were　calling　dreams；　however；　were　of　the　wide…eyed　variety…altered　states　of　consciousness；　hellish　ones　by　and　large；　normally　kept　locked　away　behind　those　proverbial　doors　of　perception。　Five　minutes　of　exposure　to　Canada's　tainted　atmosphere　had　been　enough　to　elicit　them。　The　scientists　had　no　way　of　knowing　whether　this　constituted　what　would　amount　to　a　lethal　exposure…some　Invid　had　lasted　as　long　as　half　an　hour　without　suffering　irreversible　effects。　But　these　Humans　were　fragile　things；　physically　strong　for　their　size；　it　was　true；　but　with　limited　tolerance　for　even　the　slightest　of　psychic　assaults。　They　were　inhabitants　of　the　base　realms；　the　sensate　worlds　at　the　lower　end　of　the　spectrum；　as　insubstantial　as　interstellar　dust；　and　therefore　highly　expendable。

The　leader　of　the　white…robed　group　now　activated　the　sphere　attached　to　the　device　above　Lisa's　head；　and　here；　too；　the　scientists　encountered　images　of　pursuit。　Kami；　muzzled　and　shackled　in　a　corner　of　the　hive's　lab；　was　too　deep　into　his　own　delirium　to　take　note　of　their　dismay。

〃It　seems　to　be　something　of　a　fixation　with　them；〃　one　of　the　assistants　ventured。

The　Human　female　was　for　all　intents　and　purposes　trapped　on　a　spiral　staircase　that　lacked　any　clear…cut　terminus。　Moreover；　whatever　it　was　that　was　pursuing　her；　hunting　her；　was　so　vague　a　thing　as　to　be　untranslatable　by　the　sphere's　Protoculture　circuitry。　There　were　momentary　flashes　of　a　feline　creature；　however；　that　brought　to　mind　the　Invid's　own　Hellcats。　But　the　central　concern　of　the　dream　and　dreamer　was　the　female's　seemingly　reduced　size。

〃Some　reference　to　the　Zentraedi；　perhaps？〃

The　master　scientist　made　a　disgruntled　sound。　〃Who　can　tell　with　these　beings？　Let　us　move　on。〃

They　grouped　together　in　front　of　Karen's　sphere　next；　arms　folded　and　four…fingered　hands　tucked　into　the　sleeves　of　their　robes。　The　master　among　them　had　found　himself　strangely　moved　by　this　green…eyed；　honey…haired　Human；　but　unfortunately　her　dream…terrors　proved　to　be　as　pedestrian　and　unrevealing　as　the　previous　ones。　Her　world　was　at　least　populated　with　a　host　of　other　beings；　but　they　were　there　principally　to　insure　that　Karen　was　suitably　horrified　by　the　prospect　of　being　buried　alive。

The　master　expressed　his　distaste　after　a　minute's　viewing。　〃What　a　pitiful　race。。。One　wonders　why　they　don't　walk　in　fear　of　their　own　shadows。　They've　been　more　traumatized　than　Optera　itself。〃

By　now　they　had　reached　Rem…the　Tiresian…and　to　their　absolute　astonishment；　there　in　living　color　and　as　big　as　life　in　the　center　of　the　attendant　sphere　was　Optera。　This　much　could　have　been　accounted　for　and　dismissed；　but　next　they　found　themselves　viewing　images　of　the　Regis　in　her　pretransformed　state！　And　this　was　not　the　defoliated　Optera　of　their　ravenous　present；　but　the　edenic　homeworld　of　their　racial　past…a　verdant　wonderland；　with　fields　of　Flowers　basking　in　the　warmth　of　the　planet's　twin　suns；　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see　across　a　landscape　of　arcadian　beauty。　Here　was　the　lost　harmony；　the　innocent　splendor；　the　paradisiacal　ease　they　could　now　access　only　in　moments　of　collective　trance；　or　at　the　mystical　promptings　of　the　Queen…Mother　herself。

The　scientists　were　reduced　to　silence；　to　tears　of　an　ethereal　sort。

〃It's　as　if。。。〃

〃Say　it；〃　the　master　demanded。

〃。。。as　if　this　one　knew　our　world　before　the　techno…voyager's　arrival。〃

〃These　are　his　thoughts。〃

With　what　would　translate　as　shame；　the　master　scientist　deactivated　the　sphere　and　led　his　group　to　a　sphere　significantly　larger　than　the　rest…their　munications　instrumentality；　overshadowed　by　a　relatively　small　specimen　of　bubble…chambered　brain。

〃We　must　inform　the　Regent　of　this　at　once。〃

〃And　say　what？〃

〃That　we　have　found　Zor！〃


It　had　taken　Jack　all　the　inner　strength　he　could　muster　to　keep　from　tearing　down　into　that　basin　orchard　with　guns　blazing。。。He　had　heard　the　explosion　that　dropped　the　first　Scout　ship；　and　had　scrambled　up　to　the　top　of　the　crater　rim　like　a　mountain　goat　on　amphetamines。　Weapon　fire；　follow…up　blasts。。。by　the　time　he　got　there；　Rick　and　the　others　were　surrounded　by　Invid　soldiers…more　than　even　he　wanted　to　go　up　against。　Lisa　was　down；　Rick　bending　over　her。　Kami；　Rem；　Karen！　He　had　located　a　safe　vantage　point　and　watched　as　his　friends　were　led　off　to　the　hive；　then　a　short　time　later　they　had　reappeared　at　the　dome's　tunnellike　entrance；　this　time　stripped　of　their　transpirators。　For　some　reason　he　had　felt　pelled　to　time　their　exposure；　sitting　there　powerless　and　near　crazed　while　the　chronometer　display　counted　off　the　minutes；　five　heart…stopping　minutes！　He　had　run　for　the　place　where　they　had　stashed　the　cycs；　found　his　way　back　to　the　trails　they　had　cut　in　predawn　light；　reentered　the　village。。。all　the　while　expecting　Shock　Troopers　to　emerge　from　the　ground；　Hellcats　or　Robo…automata　to　leap　on　him　from　the　treetops。　Pursued　by　nightmares。。。

Jack　was　just　now　finishing　his　hurried　and　breathless　recap；　sitting　cross…legged　in　the　village　longhouse　and　sucking　nutrient　through　a　tube　while　the　chief　and　some　of　the　Sentinels　watched　him。

〃We've　gotta　spring　them；〃　he　said　at　last；　his　thirst　slaked。　〃Right　away；　before　they're　moved。〃

The　chief　spoke　to　a　member　of　the　tribe；　the　male　Garudan　nodded　his　head　a　few　times　and　took　off　in　a　rush。　〃He　has　been　instructed　to　pass　the　word；〃　the　chief　explained。　〃We　will　be　alerted　if　and　when　they　are　moved。〃

Learna　was　beside　herself；　her　neck　fur　on　end。　She　had　tried　time　and　time　again　to　Send　herself　to　the　hive；　but　each　of　her　attempts　had　ended　in　failure。　〃Kami　will　die　inside　the　hive。　He　must　be　returned　to　Garuda's　air。〃

〃He　wasn't　brought　out　with　the　rest　of　them；〃　Jack　told　her；　then　turned　to　Cabell。　〃How　long　is　too　long？〃

The　old　man　made　as　if　to　stroke　his　beard　under　the　suit。　〃I　can't　answer　you；　Jack。　Tirol　sent　the　Zentraedi　here；　the　clones。。。I　believe　Rem　and　I　are　the　first　Tiresians　to　set　foot　on　Garuda　since　Zor　himself　landed　here。〃

〃Can't　you　even　estimate　it？〃　Jack　pressed　him。

Cabell　saw　Jack's　frustration　and　concern。　〃I　don't　imagine　anything　less　than　fifteen　minutes　would　prove　fatal。〃　He　was　relieved　to　see　Jack　relax　some。

〃But　why　would　they　do　that…why　not　just　kill　them；　Wise　One？〃　Gnea　thought　to　ask。

The　chief　shrugged　his　powerful　shoulders。　〃To　torture　them；　perhaps　to　see　if　they　could　learn　anything　from　their　thoughts。〃

〃All　right；〃　Max　broke　in；　〃suppose　we　wait　till　dusk。　Your　people　will　be　heading　back　to　the　camps　by　then；　right？〃

Learna　and　the　chief　nodded；　uncertain。

〃We　stage　a　diversionary　raid　on　one　of　the　other　hives。　Try　to　draw　off　as　many　of　their　mecha　as　we　can。　At　the　same　time；　a　rescue　team　goes　in。〃

〃Agreed；〃　Jack　said；　and　some　of　the　others　joined　him　in　voicing　their　support。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Cabell　objected　when　everyone　had　quieted　down。　〃It's　risky。　Those　hives　are　much　more　plex　than　they　appear。〃

〃Well；　of　course　it's　risky；〃　Jack　argued；　〃but　I　don't　see　that　we　have　any　choice。　What　are　we　supposed　to　do…walk　up　and　knock　on　the　door？　Uh；　excuse　me；　but　we　were　wondering　if　you　might　be　willing　to　return　our　teammates…〃

〃There　is　an　easier　way　to　get　them　back。〃

Jack　swung　around　to　see　who　had　interrupted　him。　When　he　saw　it　was　Burak　he　fell　silent；　along　with　almost　everyone　else。　The　Perytonian　had　bee　something　of　an　invisible　being　since　the　attempted　mutiny；　and　to　hear　him　suddenly　speak；　much　less　offer　an　opinion；　was　something　of　an　event。

〃You　are　forgetting　our　race　in　the　hold；〃　Burak　said　to　the　group's　collective　puzzlement。

〃You　mean　'ace　in　the　hole；'〃　Jack　corrected　him。

〃Whatever…〃

〃Tesla；〃　Cabell　exclaimed。

The　devil　from　Peryton　nodded。

〃A　hostage　exchange？〃　Max　asked。

Burak　grinned　beneath　his　mask。　〃Something　like　that。〃


On　Optera；　the　Regent's　servant　reported　only　that　five　Sentinels　had　been　captured　on　Garuda；　he　knew　better　than　to　steal　the　scientists'　thunder。　The　Regent　was　relaxing　in　his　sterile　nutrient　bath　when　the　muniqu？was　received；　having　discovered　that　he　could　essentially　guarantee　messages　merely　by　setting　foot　in　the　Olympic…size　tub。　Anxious　for　some　news　of　Tesla；　or　information　regarding　the　next　destination　of　the　Sentinels；　he　had　spent　the　better　part　of　a　week　in　the　bath；　waiting。　Now　he　practically　ran　to　the　throne　room；　sashing　his　robe　as　he　approached　the　municator　sphere。

〃Five　Sentinels；〃　he　said　out　of　breath。　〃Which　ones？〃　〃A　Garudan；　three　Humans；　and。。。a　Tiresian。〃　The　Regent　was　pleased　to　learn　that　he　had　correctly　anticipated　the　Sentinels'　destination。　He　had　passed　the　word　to　all　his　lieutenants　that　their　troops　be　placed　on　alert。　But　it　was　captives　he　was　after　this　time；　not　body　counts；　and　no　mention　was　to　be　made　of　his　supposed　assassination。　With　captives　in　hand；　he　hoped　to　learn　whether　or　not　Tesla　had　been　acting　alone；　or　in　league　with　the　rebels。

〃A　Tiresian　you　say。〃

〃Yes；　my　liege。　We　have　him　here　with　us　now。〃　The　Regent　peered　at　the　terror…stricken　face　centered　in　the　sphere's　image；　and　brought　his　hand　to　his　snout　in　a　gesture　of　contemplation。　〃This　one　looks。。。familiar　somehow。〃

〃Well　he　should；　Your　Highness；〃　the　master　scientist　said　as　Rem's　image　de…rezzed。　〃We　subjected　the　three　Humans　and　the　Tiresian　to　Garuda's　atmosphere　in　an　effort　to　extract　the　data　you　requested。〃

〃And？〃　the　Regent　replied　anxiously。　〃Did　you　discover　the　location　of　the　Humans'　homeworld…this　Earth！〃

〃No。　However；　we　may　have　a　clue　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　matrix；〃　the　scientist　was　quick　to　add。　〃My　lord；　allow　us　to　screen　for　your　pleasure　the　results　of　the　Tiresian's　exposure。〃

The　Regent　scowled　at　the　sphere。　〃Do　not　bore　me　with　details；〃　he　cautioned。

〃You　will　find　this　anything　but　boring；〃　the　scientist　told　him。

The　Regent　viewed　the　playback　for　a　moment；　then　staggered　backward；　collapsing　into　his　high…backed　throne。　He　sat　agape；　a　defeated　husband　watching　tapes　of　his　wife。。。the　seduction；　the　transgression；　the　cruel　aftermath；　all　captured　in　graphic　detail。　That　face；　that　face。。。

〃How？〃　the　Regent　finally　managed。　〃How　is　this　possible？　He　is　dead。〃　Or　is　he？　the　Regent　suddenly　asked　himself。　Could　he　have　been　duped　all　these　years　into　thinki