12_symphony_of_light-第3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！


　slope　next；　then　Lunk　and　Rand。　Scott　waved　them　on；　yelling　all　the　while　and　triggering　the　handgun　for　all　it　was　worth　against　the　Invid　who　had　nearly　taken　his　head　off　a　few　moments　before。　He　managed　a　lucky　shot　that　blew　the　thing's　leg　off；　and　it　settled　down　into　the　basin　snow　and　exploded。

Only　Scott　and　Rook　remained　in　the　cirque　now；　along　with　the　four　undamaged　Troopers　that　were　moving　toward　them　with　evil　intent。

〃Rook！　Are　you　all　right？！〃　Scott　yelled。

She　gave　him　the　okay　sign　and　started　to　make　her　way　toward　his　position；　pivoting　once　or　twice　to　get　a　shot　off　at　her　pursuers。　The　Invid　were　pouring　a　storm　of　discs　at　them；　so　they　had　to　flatten　themselves　every　so　often　as　they　attempted　to　close　on　the　chute。　Scott　continued　to　send　out　what　his　blaster　could　deliver　and　wasn't　surprised　to　see　the　enemy　split　ranks　and　head　off　for　a　flanking　maneuver。　Rook　was　a　few　yards　in　front　of　him　when　the　two　of　them　went　over　the　side。　Scott　tried　to　dig　his　heels　in；　then　realized　why　the　rest　of　the　team　had　disappeared　so　quickly。　Under　a　thin　layer　of　snow　the　chute　was　a　solid　sheet　of　glacial　ice。


Sera　saw　the　apparent　leader　of　the　group　whipping　down　the　slope　and　lifted　off　to　pursue　him。　She　paused　briefly　on　the　edge　of　the　slide　to　issue　instructions　to　her　troops；　then　engaged　the　thrusters　that　would　send　her　down　toward　the　tree　line　along　the　Humans'　course。

Although　Lancer　might　have　given　Sera　pause；　she　had　no　bonds　with　the　rest　of　the　team。　She　came　alongside　Scott；　realizing　that　he　could　see　her　through　the　mand　ship's　transparent　bubble；　and　trained　her　cannons　on　him。　But　at　the　last　minute；　Scott's　heels　found　a　bit　of　purchase　and　he　suddenly　ended　up　somersaulting　out　of　harm's　way；　each　of　Sera's　shots　missing　him　as　he　rolled　down　the　slope。

The　Invid　princess　came　to　a　halt　at　the　bottom　of　the　chute　where　the　others　had　taken　up　positions　behind　groupings　of　terminal　moraine　boulders。　Lunk　was　loosing　bursts　against　the　cockpit　canopy　that　made　it　impossible　for　Sera　to　tell　in　which　direction　the　leader　had　headed。

Sera　allowed　the　brutish　Human　to　have　his　way　for　an　instant；　then　turned　on　him；　aware　of　the　blood　lust　she　felt　in　her　heart。　But　all　at　once　one　of　the　Human's　teammates　ran　from　cover　and　pushed　the　big　one　off　his　feet　and　out　of　the　path　of　her　shots。　Angered；　Sera　traversed　the　mand　ship's　cannons　to　find　him；　realizing　only　then　that　it　was　the　lavender…haired　Human。

Her　hand　remained　poised　above　the　weapon's　ovalshaped　trigger；　paralyzed。


Elsewhere；　the　rebels　and　Shock　Troopers　continued　to　trade　fire。

Marlene　cowered　behind　a　boulder　as　lethal　packets　of　energy　crisscrossed　overhead；　her　hands　pressed　to　her　head；　as　if　she　were　fearful　of　some　internal　explosion。

〃Fight　or　die！〃　she　screamed；　her　words　lost　to　the　storm。　〃There　must　be　another　way。。。another　life！〃

Then；　a　moment　later；　the　fighting　itself　surrendered。　Scott　heard　an　intense　rumbling　above　him　and　looked　up　in　time　to　see　enormous　chunks　of　ice　fall　from　the　buttresses　surrounding　the　cirque；　avalanching　down　into　the　basin；　scattering　the　Invid　Troopers　and　burying　the　Cyclones　and　Veritechs　under　tons　of　crystalline　snow。


CHAPTER　TWO

Scott　had　assumed　that　the　〃waning〃　＇sic＇　of　Yellow　Dancer　had　something　to　do　with　Lancer's　infatuation　with　Marlene；　but　while　Scott　was　certainly　on　the　right　track；　he　had　the　wrong　cause…a　fact　that　contributed　to　the　rivalries　that　arose　later　on。　Had　the　two　men　sat　down　and　talked　things　out；　perhaps　they　would　have　realized　that　Marlene　was　not　the　amnesiac　Scott　wanted　to　believe　she　was；　nor　Sera　the　Human　pilot　Lancer　assumed　her　to　be。　Time　and　time　again　this　failure　to　municate　would　undermine　the　team's　movement　toward　unity；　right　to　the　end。
Zeus　Bellow；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

It　was　Scott's　idea　that　they　separate　into　three　groups。　The　avalanche　had　indeed　buried　the　VTs　and　Cyclones；　but　at　the　same　time　it　had　forced　the　Invid　out　of　the　basin　area　and　bought　some　breathing　space　for　the　team。　Reunited；　they　had　picked　their　way　farther　down　the　mountainside；　splitting　up　when　they　reached　the　tree　line。　There　they　left　obvious　evidence　of　their　separate　paths　in　the　snow；　hoping　the　Invid　mander　would　similarly　redeploy　her　Troopers。　This　way；　Scott　hoped；　his　irregulars　would　stand　a　better　chance　of　circling　back　to　the　chute　and　retrieving　the　mecha。

Somehow。

The　squall　had　moved　through；　but　the　temperature　had　actually　risen　a　couple　of　degrees。　Nevertheless；　the　freedom　fighters　were　soaked　to　the　skin　and　feeling　the　chill。　Annie　felt　it　more　than　the　others…her　jumpsuit　had　little　of　the　thermal　protection　afforded　Rook　by　the　Cyclone　bodysuit；　and　she　simply　wasn't　as　inured　to　the　cold　as　Rand。　As　a　result；　she　had　ridden　piggyback　into　the　woods；　her　shaking　arms　draped　around　Rand's　neck。

〃It'll　get　better　when　we　get　into　the　trees；〃　Rand　had　assured　her。　〃I　can't　promise　you　a　fire　right　away；　but　at　least　you'll　be　out　of　this　wind。〃

At　this　point　Rand　had　no　real　plan　beyond　finding　temporary　shelter　where　they　could　regain　some　of　their　strength。　All　of　them　had　taken　a　beating；　and　Rook　had　some　severe　facial　burns。　Rand　didn't　imagine　that　Scott　and　Lunk　were　in　much　better　shape；　and　even　though　Lancer　had　been　spared　real　harm；　he　had　Marlene　to　look　out　for；　which　was　in　some　ways　worse　than　being　out　there　alone。　Rand　had　berated　himself　for　having　left　his　survival　pack　in　the　Alpha。　For　the　past　few　weeks　he　had　been　plaining　to　Scott　that　everyone　was　being　too　reliant　on　the　mecha　systems　for　survival；　and　now　here　he　was　out　in　the　woods　with　nothing　more　than　a　handgun　and　his　fenceman's　tool。　But　a　few　steps　down　the；　forest's　wide　trail　his　attitude　began　to　improve　considerably；　especially　after　he　spied　the　snare。

Evidently　at　one　time　the　place　had　been　occupied　by　others　who　were　less　than　sympathetic　to　the　Invid。　There　were　three　small；　almost　igloolike　shelters　containing　foodstuffs；　tools；　and　lengths　of　cord　and　cable；　but　more　important；　the　trees　along　the　trail　had　been　rigged　to　repel　intruders。

Rand　left　Annie　in　Rook's　care　in　one　of　the　shelters　and　went　off　into　the　moonlight　to　investigate。　That　the　designers　of　the　traps　had　been　after　big　game　was　immediately　obvious；　but　each　of　the　tree　and　cable　mechanisms　was　in　need　of　attention；　and　Rand　realized　that　he　was　going　to　have　to　work　fast　if　the　snares　were　to　serve　their　purpose。　So　while　Rook　and　Annie　warmed　themselves；　he　went　to　work　replacing　worn　cables；　resecuring　counterbalances；　and　sharpening　stakes。　He　had　to　fell　several　medium…size　trees；　but　he　had　been　careful　to　select　only　those　that　would　topple　with　the　least　amount　of　noise。　And　thus　far　there　had　been　no　sign　of　the　Invid。

He　was　busy　on　a　final　piece　of　handiwork　now；　down　on　his　knees　in　the　snow　using　cutters　on　the　cable　that　guyed　the　central　snare。

〃Aren't　you　finished　yet？〃　he　heard　Rook　ask　behind　him。

He　turned　from　his　task　to　give　her　a　wry　look。　She　was　ten　feet　away；　arms　folded　and　a　smirk　on　her　face。　〃Hope　you　and　Mint　have　been　fortable；〃　he　answered　with　elaborate　concern。

Rook　made　an　affected　gesture。　〃Oh；　we'll　manage　until　the　servants　arrive。　Have　you　been　having　fun　with　your　cat's　cradle？〃

Rand　twisted　a　final　piece　of　cable　around　itself　and　stood　up；　regarding　the　contraption　in　a　self…satisfied　way。

〃Sometimes　I　amaze　myself。〃

Rook　walked　over　and　gave　the　wire　a　perplexed　tug。　〃This　is　the　better　mousetrap　you　promised　us？〃

〃You　two　just　stay　put　in　the　shelter　and　leave　the　metal　nightmares　to　me；　okay？〃

She　scowled。　〃Your　confidence　is　underwhelming。〃

〃Pretend　to　believe　in　me；〃　he　quipped。

Just　then　Annie　ran　into　the　clearing；　breathless　and　pointing　back　toward　the　foot　of　the　chute。

〃They're　ing！〃

Rand　told　Rook　to　see　if　she　could　do　something　about　the　tracks　they　had　left　in　the　snow；　so　she　and　Annie　went　to　work　with　conifer　switches　while　he　smoothed　the　snow　around　the　snare。　He　briefed　his　teammates　on　its　workings　and　ran　rapidly　through　the　contingency　plan　he　hoped　they　wouldn't　have　to　resort　to。　Fifteen　minutes　later；　he　was　climbing　up　into　one　of　the　trees　and　Annie　and　Rook　were　back　in　the　shelter。

Rand　squirreled　around　a　bit　until　he　found　a　good　place　for　himself　in　the　upper　branches；　then　cupped　his　hands　to　his　mouth　and　shouted；　〃Help！　Help　me；　I'm　hurt！〃　directing　his　false　alarm　along　the　trail　that　led　to　the　base　of　the　snowslide。　Rook　and　Annie　heard　his　call　and　hunkered　down　in　the　shelter；　peering　out　at　the　clearing　through　a　narrow　slot　in　the　wall。　Soon　they　heard　the　sound　of　heavy　footfalls；　and　a　Trooper　lumbered　into　the　clearing；　its　blood…red　scanner　searching　the　trees。

Rand　drew　his　H90　and　reminded　himself　to　remain　calm。　He　could　see　that　the　Trooper　was　following　the　footprints　they　had　purposely　left　intact　on　the　trail。

〃A　little　farther。。。〃　Rand　encouraged；　whispering　to　himself　through　gritted　teeth。

The　Invid　took　two　more　perfectly　placed　steps；　which　brought　each　of　its　cloven　feet　down　into　the　trap's　ring　mechanisms。　Cables　cinched　and　tightened；　while　others　grew　taut；　straining　at　turnbuckles　and　activating　pulleys　that　had　been　concealed　high　in　the　surrounding　branches。　Elsewhere；　poles　and　trees　began　to　spring　loose；　groaning　as　they　straightened　up；　released　at　last　from　their　bowed　bondage。　The　Trooper's　feet　were　pulled　out　from　under　it；　and　suddenly　it　was　being　hauled　into　the　air；　captive　and　inverted。

Grinning　in　delight；　Rand　moved　out　onto　the　branch　to　view　the　hapless　thing's　ascent。　But　a　moment　later　his　smile　was　collapsing：　the　snare　had　been　well　engineered　but　underbuilt。　Either　that　or　the　lashed　trees　had　seen　too　many　seasons。　One　after　another　they　were　beginning　to　splinter　under　the　Trooper's　weight；　cables　stretched　and　snapped；　and　pulleys　were　ripped　from　their　moorings。　As　the　ship　plummeted　headfirst　toward　the　snow；　Rand　armed　his　weapon　and　squeezed　off　four　quick　shots；　only　one　of　which　connected。　But　all　that　served　to　do　was　alert　the　Invid　to　his　presence。　Before　he　could　react；　the　Trooper's　cannons　came　to