12_symphony_of_light-第2部分

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Marlene　whimpered；　shaking　uncontrollably。　〃What's　wrong　with　me；　Rook？　Why　do　I　feel　like　this？〃

〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　you。　You　just　have　to　understand　that　you　had　a　terrible　shock；　and　it's　going　to　take　a　while　to　get　over　it。〃

Lancer　put　away　his　weapon　and　joined　Rook。　〃Maybe　I　can　help；〃　he　told　her。　Then；　gently：　〃Marlene；　it's　Lancer。　Listen；　I　know　what　you're　going　through。　It's　painful　and　it　frightens　you；　but　you　have　to　be　strong。　You　have　to　survive；　despite　the　pain　and　fear。〃

〃I　know；〃　she　answered　him　weakly；　her　head　resting　on　her　arms。

〃Just　have　faith　that　it'll　get　better。　Soon　it'll　get　better　for　all　of　us。〃

Still　vigilant；　Rand　and　Scott　watched　the　scene　from　across　the　fire。　The　young　Forager　made　a　cynical　sound。　〃That　sounds　a　little　too　rich　for　my　blood。〃

〃Optimistic　or　not；　Rand；　he's　right；〃　Scott　returned。

Rand's　eyes　flashed　as　he　turned。　〃I　only　wish　I　felt　that　confident。〃


Not　far　from　the　warmth　and　light　of　the　fire；　something　monstrous。　was　pushing　itself　up　from　beneath　the　snow…covered　surface。　It　was　an　unearthly　ship　of　gleaming　metals　and　alloys；　constructed　to　resemble　a　life…form　long　abandoned　by　the　race　that　had　fashioned　it。　To　Human　eyes　it　suggested　a　kind　of　bipedal　crab　with　massive　triple…clawed　pincer　arms　and　armored　legs　ending　in　cloven　feet。　There　was　no　specific　head；　but　there　were　aspects　of　the　ship's　design　that　suggested　one；　central　to　which　was　a　single　scanner　that　glowed　red　like　some　devilish　mouth　when　the　craft　was　inhabited。　And　flanking　that　head　were　two　organic…looking　cannons；　each　capable　of　delivering　packets　of　plasma　fire　in　the　form　of　annihilation　discs。

Originally　a　race　of　shapeless；　protoplasmic　creatures；　the　creators　of　the　ship；　the　Invid；　had　since　evolved　to　forms　more　patible　with　the　beings　they　were　battling　for　possession　of　Earth。　This　creative　transformation　of　the　race　had　its　beginnings　on　a　world　as　distant　from　Earth　as　this　new　form　was　distant　from　the　peaceful　existence　the　Invid　had　once　known。　But　all　this　went　back　to　the　time　before　Zor　arrived　on　Optera；　before　the　Invid　Queen…Mother；　the　Regis；　had　been　seduced　by　him；　and　before　Protoculture　had　been　conjured　from　the　Flower　of　Life。。。

The　Regis　had　failed　in　countless　attempts　at　fashioning　herself　in　Zor's　image　but　had　at　last　succeeded　in　doing　so　with　one　of　her　children…the　Simulagent　Ariel；　whom　the　Humans　called　Marlene。　Then；　upon　losing　her　through　a　trick　of　fate；　the　Queen…Mother　had　created　Corg　and　Sera；　the　warrior　prince　and　princess　who　were　destined　to　rule　while　the　Regis　carried　on　with　the　experiment　that　would　one　day　free　her　race　from　all　material　constraints。

It　was　Sera's　ship　that　surfaced　next；　the　heat　of　its　sleek　hull　turning　the　glacial　ice　around　its　feet　to　slush。　Purple　and　trimmed　in　pink；　the　craft　was　more　heavily　armed　than　its　panion　ship；　with　a　smaller　head　area　sunk　between　massive　shoulders　and　immensely　strong　arms。　Momentarily；　four　additional　ships　of　the　more　conventional　design　surfaced　around　the　Humans　and　their　windblown　fire。

Sera　heard　the　Queen…Mother's　mand　emanate　through　the　bio…construct　ship　that　had　led　the　squad　to　the　high　pass。

〃All　Scouts　and　Shock　Troopers：　you　may　move　into　your　attack　positions　at　this　time！　Sera；　you　will　now　take　mand。　You　are　personally　responsible　for　the　elimination　of　these　troublesome　insurgents。〃

Sera　signaled　her　understanding　with　a　nod　of　her　head　toward　the　cockpit's　mo　screen。　She　had　dim　memories　of　a　time　not　long　ago　when　she　had　fought　against　these　Humans　in　a　different　climate；　and　acpanying　this　was　a　dim　recollection　of　failure：　of　Shock　Trooper　ships　in　her　charge　blown　to　pieces；　of　an　inability　on　her　part　to　perform　as　she　had　been　instructed　by　the　Regis。。。But　all　this　was　unclear　and　mixed　with　a　hundred　new　thoughts　and　reactions　that　were　vying　for　attention　in　her　virgin　mind。

〃As　you　mand；　Regis；〃　she　responded　as　confidently　as　she　was　able；　her　scanners　focused　on　the　seven　Humans　huddled　around　the　fire。　〃We　now　have　them　pletely　surrounded。　And　with　our　superior　abilities；　we　will　succeed　in　carrying　out　your。。。your　orders。〃　Somewhat　more　mechanically；　she　added；　〃Nothing　will　stop　us。〃

Had　the　Regis　heard　her　falter？　Sera　asked　herself。　She　waited　for　some　suggestion　of　displeasure；　but　none　was　forthing。　It　was　only　then　that　she　allowed　herself　to　increase　the　magnification　of　her　scanner　and　zero　in　on　the　Human　whose　face　had　caused　her　lapse　of　purpose。

It's　him！　she　thought；　once　again　taking　in　the　fine　features　of　the　one　whose　strange；　seductive；　and　achingly　beautiful　sounds　had　drawn　her　to　that　jungle　pool；　the　one　who　had　surprised　her　there；　stood　naked　before　her；　holding　her　in　the　grip　of　his　strong　hands　and　assaulting　her　with　questions　she　could　not　answer。　And　it　was　this　same　Human　she　had　glimpsed　later　during　the　heat　of　battle　when　her　own　hand　had　betrayed　her。。。

〃Sera！　You're　waiting　too　long！〃　the　Regis　shouted　through　the　bio…construct's　link。

Sera　felt　the　strength　of　the　Queen…Mother　begin　to　creep　into　her　own　will　and　force　her　hand　toward　the　weapon's　trigger　stud；　but　one　part　of　her　struggled　against　it；　and　at　the　last　moment；　even　as　the　weapon　was　firing；　she　managed　to　swing　the　ship's　cannon　aside；　so　that　the　shot　went　astray。。。


Lancer　was　just　menting　on　the　beauty　of　the　snowfall　when　the　first　enemy　blast　struck；　flaring　overhead　and　erupting　like　a　midnight　sun　in　the　snowfields　near　the　grounded　VTs…a　single　short　burst　of　annihilation　discs　that　had　somehow　missed　their　mark。　Scott　was　the　first　to　react；　propelling　himself　out　of　the　circle　into　a　tuck…and…roll；　which　landed　him　on　his　knees　in　the　perimeter　snow；　his　MARS…Gallant　handgun　raised。　But　before　he　could　squeeze　off　a　quantum　of　return　fire；　a　second　Invid　volley　skimmed　into　the　team's　midst；　sending　him　head　over　heels　and　flat　on　his　face。　He　inhaled　a　faceful　of　snow　and　rolled　over　in　time　to　see　a　series　of　explosions　rip　through　the　camp；　brilliant　white　geysers　leaping　from　plasma　pools　of　hellfire。　On　the　ridgeline　he　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　an　Invid　Trooper　before　it　was　eclipsed　by　clouds　of　swirling　snow。

The　rest　of　the　team　had　already　scattered　for　cover。　Scott　spied　Lancer　hunkering　down　behind　an　arc　of　moraine　slide　and　yelled　for　him　to　stay　put　as　Invid　fusillades　swooshed　down　into　a　gully　below　the　ridge；　throwing　up　a　storm　of　ice　and　shale。　Rand；　meanwhile；　was　closing　on　the　Alpha　Fighter；　discs　nipping　at　his　boot　heels　from　two　Invid　Troopers　who　had　positioned　themselves　just　short　of　the　saddle。　Running　a　broken　course　through　the　snow；　he　clambered　up　onto　the　nose　of　the　Veritech　and　managed　to　fling　open　its　canopy。　But　the　next　instant　he　was　flat　on　his　back　beneath　the　radome　of　the　fighter；　a　Shock　Trooper　towering　above　him。　Frantically；　Rand　brought　his　hands　to　his　face；　certain　the　Trooper's　backhand　pincer　swipe　had　opened　him　up。　But　the　thing　had　missed。

Now；　he　thought；　all　I've　gotta　do　is　keep　from　being　roasted　alive！

Radiant　priming　globes　had　formed　at　the　tip　of　the　cannon　muzzles；　as　these　winked　out；　platters　of　blinding　orange　light　flew　toward　him　like　some　demon's　idea　of　Frisbee。　Rand　cursed　and　rolled；　thinking　vaguely　back　to　that　deer　he　had　killed　down　below。。。

Two　hundred　yards　away　Scott　was　on　his　feet；　blasting　away　at　the　Invid　mand　ship　positioned　on　the　ridge。　Unless　his　eyes　betrayed　him；　it　was　the　same　ship　that　had　been　sent　against　them　during　their　ocean　crossing　to　the　Northlands。　And　that　was　a　bad　sign　indeed；　because　it　meant　that　the　Regis　had　finally　gotten　around　to　singling　the　team　out　as　a　quarry　worthy　of　pursuit。　He　squinted　into　the　storm　and　fired；　uncertain　if　the　ship　was　still　there。　The　wind　had　picked　up　now；　and　icy　flakes　of　biting　snow　were　adding　to　the　chaos。　From　somewhere　nearby　he　heard　Lancer　shout：　〃Behind　you；　Scott！〃　and　swung　around　to　face　off　with　a　Trooper　that　was　using　the　Veritechs　for　cover。　Scott　traded　half　a　dozen　shots　with　it　before　a　deafening　explosion　threw　him　violently　out　of　the　fray；　he　felt　an　intense　flashburn　against　his　back　and　was　eating　snow　a　moment　later。　ing　to；　he　had　a　clear　view　of　the　ridge；　of　the　pastel…hued　mand　ship　standing　side　by　side　with　a　somewhat　smaller　Trooper。　The　Trooper　had　lifted　off　by　the　time　Scott　scrambled　to　his　feet；　it　put　down　in　front　of　him；　sinking　up　to　its　articulated　knee　joints　in　the　snow。　Scott　stumbled　backward；　searching　for　cover；　while　the　Invid　calmly　raised　its　clawed　pincer　for　a　downward　strike。

A　short　distance　away；　Rook　sucked　in　her　breath　as　she　witnessed　Scott　narrowly　escape　decapitation。　Fortunately；　the　snow　beneath　his　feet　had　given　way　and　he　had　fallen　backward　into　a　shallow　ravine　at　the　same　moment　the　Trooper's　claw　had　descended。　But　now　the　thing　was　poised　on　the　edge　of　the　hollow；　preparing　to　bring　its　cannons　into　play。　Rook　turned　her　profile　to　the　ship；　the　H90　long　gun　gripped　in　her　extended　right　hand；　and　fired　two　blasts。　Given　the　near…blizzard　conditions；　it　was　too　much　to　ask　that　her　shots　find　any　vulnerable　spots…although　her　second　burst　almost　made　a　hole　through　the　ship's　eyelike　scanner。　The　Trooper　swung　toward　her；　almost　the　impatient　turn　one　would　direct　toward　a　mischievous　child；　and　loosed　two　discs　in　response；　one　of　which　tore　into　the　earth　twenty　yards　in　front　of　her　with　enough　charge　to　blow　her　off　her　feet。

By　now；　five　Invid　Troopers　had　put　down　in　the　cirque；　their　colorful　mander　was　still　on　the　ridge　monitoring　the　scene。　The　team；　meanwhile；　had　been　herded　toward　the　steep　glacial　slope　at　the　basin's　edge。　Scott　leapt　up　out　of　his　hollow　after　Rook　took　the　heat　off　him　and　waved　everyone　toward　his　position。　〃Everyone　over　the　side！〃　he　yelled　into　the　wind。　〃Slide；　down　the　slope　back　to　the　tree　line！〃

〃But　the　mecha！〃　Rand　returned；　gesturing　back　to　the　basin。

〃Forget　it！　We've　gotta　make　for　the　woods！〃

Scott　saw　Annie　go　over　the　side　and　ride　down　the　chute　on　her　butt；　trailing　a　scream　that　was　half　fear；　half　thrill。　Lancer　and　Marlene　took　to　the　slope　next；　then　Lunk　and　Rand。　Scott　waved　th