12_symphony_of_light-第28部分

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What　Graham　had　termed　a　cave　was　actually　a　kind　of　pocket　in　the　hillside；　well　concealed　and　protected　by　a　broad　earthen　overhang。　Several　Invid　patrol　ships　had　overflown　the　area；　but　the　cannon　had　thus　far　escaped　detection。　Rand　wasn't　all　that　impressed　by　his　first　sight　of　the　thing。　But　the　weapon　was　massive；　he　had　to　admit；　with　a　boxcar…sized　barrel　that　had　a　kind　of　mitered　muzzle。　There　was　an　adjacent　drive　unit；　its　front　cockpit　portion　enclosed　by　a　bubble　shield。　The　whole　arrangement　was　mounted　on　a　three…legged　circular　base　that　housed　the　weapon's　thrusters　and　hoverports。　It　reminded　Rand　of　some　of　the　artillery　used　by　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross　in　the　Second　Robotech　War。

Rand　and　Graham　scrambled　down　the　slope　while　Annie　waved　good　luck　from　the　overhead　ledge。　The　photographer　trained　her　camera　on　the　young　girl；　then　swung　around　to　catch　Rand　as　he　was　seating　himself　at　the　cannon's　controls。

〃On　second　thought；　this　thing　looks　awesome；〃　he　said；　grinning　for　the　lens。　〃But　I'm　sure　I'll　be　able　to　handle　it。　Why；　when　I　think　back　to　some　of　the　spots　we've…〃

〃Get　started！〃　Graham　yelled　from　the　ground。　〃I　want　to　get　a　shot　of　you　ing　out　of　the　cave。〃

Rand's　face　reflected　his　disappointment；　but　a　moment　later　he　was　pushing　buttons　and　flipping　switches；　the　cannon's　thruster　fires　roaring　to　life　beneath　him。　He　had　had　limited　experience　with　Hovercraft　of　any　sort；　but　what　he　knew　was　enough　to　send　the　weapon　free　of　its　rocky　enclosure　and　place　it　to　strategic　advantage　on　a　high　ledge　overlooking　the　valley　floor；　the　river　a　dark；　sinuous　ribbon　below　him。　Infrared　scanners　told　him　where　the　Invid　patrol　ships　were　thickest；　and　without　much　thought　as　to　the　consequences；　Rand　slipped　on　a　pair　of　targeting　goggles　and　began　to　arm　the　gun。

Back　at　Annie's　side　now；　Sue　Graham　aimed　her　camera　and　readied　herself　for　the　shot。

The　syncro…cannon　erupted；　spewing　a　flash　of　blue　fire　into　the　night。　The　first　blast　tore　right　through　four　Invid　Enforcer　ships；　a　streaking　projectile　through　paper　targets。　No　more　looking　for　vulnerable　spots　now；　Rand　said　to　himself。　He　grinned　and　triggered　three　follow…up　one　to　take　out　the　survivors　that　were　making　for　the　skies。

Suddenly　patrol　craft　and　Troopers　were　lifting　off　all　across　the　valley。　It　was　as　though　someone　had　tossed　a　smoke　bomb　into　a　into　a　bee's　nest。　And　Rand　kept　firing；　scorching　earth　and　air　alike　with　the　cannon's　devastating　salvos。　Then；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　Graham；　in　her　armor　now　and　astride　a　black　Cyclone。

〃Hey；　what　are　you　up　to？〃　he　asked　her　over　the　tactical　net。　He　saw　Graham　gesture　to　her　camera。

〃I've　got　work　to　do。〃

〃But　we're　going　to　need　you　now　that　we've　stirred　everything　up！〃　Rand　yelled；　but　she　was　already　gone。


Scott　and　the　others　took　to　the　Veritechs　at　the　cannon's　first　discharge。　Rook　hadn't　witnessed　such　an　incredible　display　of　power　since　the　early　battles　between　the　last　of　the　Southern　Cross　and　the　first　Invid　wave。　But　even　so；　this　was　Reflex　Point；　not　some　low…echelon　outpost　hive　staffed　with　Scouts　and　a　couple　of　Trooper；　ships。　For　every　ten　Invid　the　cannon　destroyed；　there　were　ten　more　in　the　air；　and　Rook　began　to　curse　Rand　for　taking　it　on　himself　to　confront　them。

The　three　Veritechs　had　a　bad　time　of　it；　that　they　survived　at　all　was　in　no　small　way　a　result　of　the　pandemonium　Rand's　shots　were　causing。　Numerous　though　they　were；　the　Pincer　Ships　and　Troopers　seemed　to　be　buzzing　around　in　a　blind　rage；　desperate　to　counterattack　but　at　a　loss　as　to　direction；　in　some　cases　they　were　even　annihilating　one　other。　Consequently；　Scott；　Rook；　and　Lancer　were　able　to　inflict　a　good　deal　of　secondary　damage　as　the　syncro…cannon　continued　to　send　swaths　of　blue　death　into　the　field。

But　the　Invid　ultimately　located　the　cannon；　and　their　forces　proved　to　be　more　than　Rand　could　handle。　Recalling　what　Scott　had　said　earlier…that　he　would　rather　see　the　cannon　destroyed　than　fall　to　the　enemy…Rand　saw　to　it　that　that　was　the　case；　arming　the　syncro's　self…destruct　mechanism　even　as　Pincer　Ships　were　moving　in　to　overwhelm　him。　He　had　rejoined　Annie　and　was　shielding　her　with　his　own　body　when　the　thing　finally　blew；　taking　twenty　or　more　Invid　ships　with　it。

〃I　didn't　want　to　blow　the　damn　thing　up；〃　Rand　explained　to　Annie　as　dirt　and　rocks　rained　down　on　them。　〃But　it　was　better　than　letting　them　get　their　steely　paws　on　it！〃

Shortly；　the　Beta　was　hovering　over　them；　a　rescue　rope　dangling　blessedly　from　its　undercarriage。　Rand　was　shocked　to　find　Marlene　in　the　rear　partment；　but　Scott　told　him　that　they　couldn't　risk　leaving　anyone　behind。　Lunk　was　off　somewhere　in　the　APC。　Rand　sent　Annie　back　to　sit　with　Marlene　and　climbed　into　the　Beta's　rear　cockpit　seat。

〃Prepare　for　mecha　separation；〃　Scott　told　him　over　the　net。　He　said　nothing　about　Graham　and　nothing　about　Rand's　action；　hoping　to　make　Rand　feel　all　the　worse　about　it。

〃I'm　ready；　mander；〃　Rand　said　by　way　of　apology。

He　then　turned　to　the　women　and　told　them　to　brace　themselves。


Sue　Graham　was　overjoyed　at　the　shots　she　had　been　getting：　entire　squadrons　of　Invid　Pincer　Ships　Ships　reduced　to　slag　heaps　by　blasts　from　the　syncro…cannon；　Veritechs　and　alien　Troopers　going　at　it　tooth　and　claw　in　Earth's　night　skies；　the　ground…shaking　self…destruction　of　the　cannon　itself…Invid　craft　clasped　onto　it　like　so　many　frenzied　land　crabs；　the　frightened　look　on　the　face　of　the　young　female　freedom　fighter　as　she　climbed　toward　the　safety　of　the　hovering　Beta　Fighter。　It　was　splendid　stuff；　fantastic…the　kind　of　footage　that　would　earn　her　awards。

She　knew　that　Lieutenant　Bernard　had　caught　sight　of　her　once　or　twice　during　the　chaos　and　was　well　aware　of　what　he　thought　of　her。　But　she　found　it　easy　to　dismiss　him　from　her　concerns。　It　might　be　a　bit　unfortable　later　on；　Sue　told　herself；　but　with　the　main　fleet　already　overdue；　she　wouldn't　have　to　put　up　with　the　lieutenant's　flak　for　very　long。　She　had　to　admit；　though；　that　he　had　certainly　provided　her　with　some　of　the　day's　best　action　sequences…especially　now　that　his　Beta　had　undergone　mecha　separation　and　his　motley　band　had　all　reconfigured　their　fighters　to　Battloid　mode。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　she　had　seen　techno…knights　dishing　it　out。　She　kept　her　camera　trained　on　the　skies　for　a　time；　singling　out　the　red　Alpha　and　its　attractive　pilot。

But　suddenly　her　lens　found　an　even　more　interesting　subject：　the　blond　Human　who　had　stepped　from　the　Invid　mand　ship　the　day　before。　She　had　seen　his　craft　off　and　on　during　the　battle；　but　now　she　had　him　fully　in　her　sights。　And　so；　apparently；　did　the　pilot　of　the　Beta's　rear　ponent…that　daredevil　Rand。　The　two　ships；　Battloid　and　Invid　mander；　exchanged　hyphens　of　laser　fire　and　flocks　of　heat…seeking　missiles；　they　darted　across　the　valley　like　two　insects　in　a　kind　of　death　ritual。　But　in　the　end　it　was　the　Earthling　who　prevailed；　his　missiles　tore　into　the　hovering；　perhaps　depleted　ship　and　holed　it　top　to　bottom；　blowing　away　one　of　its　cannon　arms　and　sending　it　into　a　lethal　dive。

Sue　reconfigured　her　Cyclone　to　Battle　Armor　mode　and　zoomed　in　to　meet　it；　a　gleaming　figure　in　black　hopping　across　the　battle…scarred　terrain。　Most　of　the　drone　ships　had　also　taken　note　of　their　mander's　demise　and　were　fleeing　the　arena　in　the　direction　of　the　central　hive。

Sue　raised　her　camera　and　took　a　few　steps　toward　the　fallen　ship；　its　pilot　on　the　ground　motionless　beside　it。　He　had　scampered　out　of　the　ruined　cockpit　and　collapsed；　but　Sue　was　certain　he　wasn't　dead。　As　she　stepped　closer；　the　blond　man　got　up；　gasping。　She　centered　him　in　the　lens　brackets　and　asked：　〃Who　are　you？　How　long　have　you　been　fighting　for　them？　What's　the　Regis　really　like？〃

The　pilot　dropped　to　his　knees；　lianas　tight　against　his　abdomen　and　stared　at　her　unprehendingly。　Then　he　was　on　his　feet　again；　taking　shuffling　steps。

Sue　heard　the　angry　rasp　of　thrusters　behind　her　and　turned　to　look　up　at　the　source　of　the　sound。　It　was　one　of　the　few　remaining　Pincer　Ships；　evil　on　its　mind。　She　broke　into　a　wild　run；　but　the　first　discs　were　already　on　their　way。　For　a　brief　instant　her　eyes　met　those　of　the　blond　pilot；　before　white　light　erased　the　world。。。


Scott　got　off　a　few　rifle/cannon　shots　at　the　retreating　Pincer　Ship；　but　the　thing　got　away。　He　ordered　a　sweep　of　the　area；　then　put　down　where　he　had　seen　the　mand　ship　crash　and　Sue　Graham　shoot　her　last　footage。　Lunk；　Lancer；　and　the　rest　joined　him　after　a　moment。

〃Hey；　is　this　guy　really　an　Invid　or　what？〃　Lunk　said；　standing　over　the　body　of　the　blond　man　as　though　afraid　to　touch　it。

Scott　went　over　to　the　photographer　and　gently　removed　her　helmet。　Alive　but　mortally　wounded；　Sue　let　out　a　long；　deep　moan。　Scott　tried　to　cradle　her　head　in　his　lap；　but　the　bulky　armor　of　the　Cyclone　prevented　it。　He　pushed　her　hair　away　from　her　face。

〃It　seems　I've　got　pictures　of　an　Invid　with　the　body　of　a　Human；〃　she　managed　to　say；　looking　up　at　Scott　through　glazed　eyes。

〃Were　they　worth　dying　for；　Graham？〃

Behind　him；　Annie　was　making　disgusted　sounds。　She　and　Lunk　and　Marlene　watched　as　green　blood　pulsed　from　the　pilot's　wounds。　〃Anybody　that　bleeds　green　blood　must　be　an　Invid；〃　she　announced。　〃But　how　e　they　look　like　us　all　of　a　sudden？　I　mean；　he　looks　almost　Human；　doesn't　he；　Marlene？〃

〃Like　that　other　blond　pilot；〃　said　Lancer。　〃That　woman。〃

Annie　turned　around　to　find　out　why　Marlene　wasn't　answering　her；　she　saw　that　Marlene　was　staring　wide…eyed　at　a　wound　she　had　received　to　her　left　shoulder。　Alarmed；　Annie　reached　out。　Then　she　noticed　the　blood。

It　was　green。

Annie　collapsed　to　her　knees　in　disbelief。　Was　it　possible　that　through　all　their　months　together　she　had　never　seen　Marlene　bleed？　It　had　to　be　some　kind　of　mistake…a　hallucination！

Annie's　actions　had　drawn　everyone's　attention；　and　all　eyes　were　now　fixed　on　Marlene。　No　one　knew　how　to　react：　someone　might　as　well　have　told　them　that　Marlene　was　suffering　from　a　fatal　disease。　The　pale　woman　looked　from　face　to　face；　then　put　her　hands　to　her　head　in　a　gesture　of