12_symphony_of_light-第34部分

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ff　a　charge　into　his　opponent's　right　arm；　taking　it　off　at　the　elbow；　then　he　threw　open　the　mand　ship's　arms　to　propel　the　Human　mecha　backward。　Engaging　his　thrusters　now；　he　fell　against　the　red　ship；　striking　it　with　enough　force　to　stun　the　mecha's　female　pilot。

Rook　came　around　as　Corg's　ship　was　surfacing　in　her　forward　viewport；　the　hand　cannon　primed　and　aimed　at　her。　But　just　then　Rand　rammed　the　thing　from　behind；　and　although　he　had　managed　to　interrupt　Corg's　shot；　he　received　the　blast　that　had　been　meant　for　her。

Rook　could　hear　his　scream　pierce　the　net　as　his　crippled　Battloid　began　a　slow　backward　fall；　bleeding　smoke　and　fire　and　sustaining　shot　after　shot　from　Corg's　weapons。　Rook　came　up　from　behind　to　try　to　slow　his　descent；　but　Rand　protested　loudly：

〃Rook；　it's　useless。。。He's　ing　in　for　another　run。　You've　gotta　save　yourself！〃

〃You're　out　of　your　gourd；　mister；〃　she　told　him；　〃I'm　not　letting　you　go　now！〃

Corg　had　the　two　Battloids　centered　in　his　sights　and　was　preparing　to　fire　the　one　that　would　annihilate　them　both；　when　an　energy　bolt　out　of　the　blue　impacted　against　the　back　of　his　ship。

Scott's　voice　came　over　the　tac　net　as　Rook　saw　the　ponent　section　of　the　Beta　e　into　view。

〃Get　Rand　out　of　here。　I'll　take　care　of　things　up　top。〃

〃Roger；〃　she　exclaimed；　wrapping　the　arms　of　her　mecha　more　tightly　around　that　of　her　crippled　friend。

The　Beta　and　the　alien　mecha　went　at　it　again；　only　this　time　both　of　them　knew　it　would　be　for　keeps。　Enough　of　Scott's　memory　had　returned　to　make　him　aware　of　what　Corg　had　done　to　him。

The　two　ships　spun　through　a　series　of　fakes　and　twists；　drops　and　booster　climbs；　slamming　each　other　with　missiles　and　volleys　from　their　cannons。　Again；　flocks　of　projectiles　tore　into　the　skies　and　met　in　thunderous　explosions；　throwing　angry　light　across　the　field。　But　then　Scott　saw　a　way　to　prey　on　the　alien　pilot's　technique：　He　made　a　move　as　though　to　engage　Corg　hand　to　hand；　then　surreptitiously　loosed　a　full　rackful　of　heatseekers　as　Corg　hovered　open…armed　and　defenseless。

Even　Corg　wasn't　aware　of　how　much　damage　the　Bludgeons　had　done　to　his　ship　and　sat　for　a　moment；　plimenting　the　Human　pilot　on　what　had　been　a　clever　if　underhanded　maneuver。　But　all　at　once　his　ship's　autosystems　were　flashing　the　truth；　even　as　the　first　explosions　were　enveloping　him；　searing　flesh　and　bone　from　the　humanoid　form　that　had　been　created　for　his　young　soul。。。

Scott　shielded　his　eyes。　Fire　and　green　nutrient　seemed　to　gush　from　the　ship　at　the　same　instant　as　the　explosion　quartered　it；　arms　and　legs　blown　in　different　directions。　But　as　important　as　it　had　been　for　him　personally；　Scott　knew　it　for　what　it　was：　a　minor　battle　in　a　war　that　was　still　raging　all　around　them。


Scott　put　down　a　few　minutes　later　to　see　about　his　friends。　His　mecha's　missile　supply　was　virtually　depleted；　and　it　was　time　to　let　the　fleet　VT　squadrons　take　charge　of　things　for　a　while。　He　asked　Rand　if　he　was　all　right；　but　instead　of　the　thanks　he　thought　he　was　due；　Rand　said：　〃What　the　heck　did　you　say　to　Marlene？〃

〃Yeah；〃　added　Rook；　〃we　can't　get　a　word　out　of　her。〃

〃I'd　rather　not　talk　about　her；〃　Scott　started　to　say。　But　without　warning　Rand　was　all　over　him；　head　bandage　or　no；　his　hands　ripping　at　the　armor　at　Scott's　neck。

〃You're　gonna　tell　me　whether　you　like　it　or　not！　You　think　you　can　just　walk　out　on　this　thing？　She's　got　some　crazy　idea　that　she　loves　you…as　if　she　had　some　idea　of　what　that　means。　But　you're　gonna　see　to　it　that　she　understands；　pal！　I　think　you　would　have　loved　her；　too；　if　you　hadn't　found　out　she　was　an　Invid。〃

Rook　separated　the　two　of　them。　Then　she　had　a　few　things　of　her　own　to　say　to　Scott。　〃Stop　torturing　yourself　over　your　dead　girlfriend　and　e　back　to　life；　will　you？〃

〃How　can　I　ever　forget　that　she　was　killed　by　the　Invid…by　Marlene's　race？〃

〃So　you're　going　to　hold　that　against　Marlene？〃　Rand　seethed。　〃It　wasn't　like　she　pulled　the　trigger；　you　know。　Besides；　what　about　all　the　Invid　you　and　the　rest　of　Hunter's　troops　killed？　This　war　has　made　victims　out　of　all　of　us。　When　are　you　going　to　realize　that　the　Invid　are　just　our　latest　excuse　for　warfare？〃

〃Rand；　you've　lost　it…you've　gone　battle…happy。　They　started　it；　they　attacked　our　planet…〃

〃Listen；　there　were　wars　before　we　even　heard　of　the　Invid　or　the　Robotech　Masters　or　the　Zentraedi。　You　might've　lost　your　Marlene　fighting　other　Humans。〃

Scott　shook　his　head　in　disbelief；　but　even　so　he　sensed　some　rightness　in　Rand's　words。　Not　the　way　he　was　phrasing　it；　more　in　the　sentiments　he　was　trying　to　express；　the　sensibilities。。。

After　a　moment；　he　said：　〃If　only　we　could　have　avoided　this。。。　〃

Scott　Bernard　might　as　well　have　asked　to　negate　his　own　birth。


CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN

The　so…called　trigger　point　was　that　point　at　which　Flower　production　would　have　provided　the　Regis　with　adequate　supplies　of　liquid　nutrient　for　the　conversion　of　her　hibernating　hive　drones　to　quasi…Human　form。　Once　this　had　been　acplished；　her　soldiers　with　their　Protoculture…fueled　ships…the　Troopers；　Pincers；　and　Enforcers；　would　have　been　turned　loose　to　eradicate　the　remaining　Human　population；　including　those　who　had　prised　the　labor　force　in　the　Protoculture　farms；　which　（with　more　than　enough　Protoculture　on　hand　to　maintain　a　standing　army）　would　have　been　shut　down。　Presumably。。。But　would　this　then…reformed　race　have　taken　up　where　they　had　left　off　on　Optera？　Would　they　continue　to　employ　the　Flower　that　had　been　central　to　their　society　there？　Would　they　have　bee　somewhat　Humanized　by　the　Reshaping？。。。We　are　open　to　suggestions。
Zeus　Bellow；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

With　the　arrival　of　the　Invid　legions　from　the　Southlands　the　tide　began　to　turn　on　the　Expeditionary　Force。　It　was　a　matter　of　sheer　numbers。

Even　though　the　Shadow　Fighters　had　been　initially　successful　in　decimating　the　enemy　ranks；　the　odds　had　now　changed。　The　alien　hordes　were　now　punching　through　Reinhardt's　forward　lines　and　launching　strikes　against　the　fleet　warships　themselves。　Consequently；　contingents　of　Shadow　Fighters　had　fallen　back　to　protect　their　mother　craft；　leaving　vast　regions　of　space　unprotected　and　vulnerable　to　infiltration。　And　though　the　hive　barrier　shield　had　been　breached；　the　Terran　ground　troops　had　yet　to　gain　entry　to　Reflex　Point　itself。　Reinhardt；　of　course；　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　six　Humans　not　only　had　been　inside　the　hive　but　had　met　the　Invid　Regis　face　to　face。

〃Three　cruisers　wiped　out！〃　Sparks　reported　from　his　duty　station　as　the　flagship　was　rocked　by　another　volley　of　enemy　fire。　〃They're　all　over　us；　mander。　Even　the　Shadow　Fighters　can't　stop　them！〃

Reinhardt　swiveled　in　the　mand　chair　to　study　one　of　the　threat　board　displays。　〃Blast　it！　What　in　heaven's　name　is　preventing　Harrington's　men　from　getting　into　that　hive？！〃

〃Sir；　the　Second；　Third；　and　Fifth　Divisions　are　reporting　extremely　heavy　casualties。　I　can't　raise　the　Fourteenth　at　all。〃

Reinhardt　cursed。　If　the　fourteenth　was　wiped　out；　it　meant　that　responsibility　for　the　entire　assault　had　fallen　to　the　Cyclone　squadrons。　And　they　would　have　to　acplish　that　without　air　support。

〃At　this　rate　we　won't　be　able　to　hold　out　for　more　than　a　few　hours；〃　Reinhardt　muttered。　〃Order　one　of　the　Shadow　squadrons　to　prepare　for　a　direct　assault　against　the　hive。　I　don't　care　how　they　acplish　it…even　if　we　have　to　pull　everyone　back　for　a　diversionary　move。　Tell　the　air　wing　mander　that　I'm　instructing　cruisers　in　the　fleet　to　concentrate　their　firepower　in　sector　six。　We'll　guarantee　a　hole；　but　the　rest　is　up　to　them。〃

Sparks　swung　to　his　tasks。

Reinhardt　sucked　in　his　breath　and　waited。


In　the　hive　chamber　the　Regis　regarded　the　Protoculture　globe　with　growing　alarm。　Though　her　children　were　meeting　with　success；　the　battle　was　far　from　won。　And　could　it　ever　be？　she　began　to　ask　herself。

〃This　planet　retains　the　malignant　spirit　of　the　Robotech　Masters；〃　she　said　out　loud　to　Sera　and　the　three　Humans。　〃Whether　one　race　or　the　other　emerges　victorious　is　of　little　consequence　now；　because　such　lingering　hatred　will　only　breed　greater　hatred　into　the　race　that　survives。　This　world　is　contaminated；　and　I　am　only　just　beginning　to　understand。。。〃

〃The　conflict　will　rage　from　generation　to　generation　unless　every　last　Human　is　wiped　out；　and　that　still　won't　be　enough。　Because　we　have　inherited　that　evil　bent。　Our　gene　pool　is　polluted　by　it。〃

Cocooned　within　her　column　of　cold　white　fire；　the　Regis　turned　slowly　to　gaze　down　upon　Sera。　〃My　child；　this　is　not　what　we　seek。　This　is　not　what　we　have　traveled　so　long　to　achieve。　But　I　begin　to　see　a　way　clear　of　the　treachery　that　has　ensnared　us。。。the　truth　I　refused　to　grasp　on　Haydon　IV　It　is　almost　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　me　across　the　very　reaches　of　space　and　time。。。as　though　he　had　some　inkling　of　the　injustices　he　unleashed　even　then；　when　his　Masters　first　directed　their　greed　against　us。。。　〃

She　could　see　Zor's　image　in　her　mind's　eye；　and　it　came　to　her　now　that　the　Flower。　that　had　been　the　cause　of　it　all　was　about　to　bring　their　long　journey　full　circle。　That　the　Protoculture　he　had　conjured　from　its　seeds　was　to　provide　her　with　the　energy　she　needed　to　plete　the　Great　Work　and　ascend　with　her　children　to　a　higher　plane；　the　noncorporeal　one　at　last；　that　timeless　dimension。　No　earthly　chains　to　bind　them。。。no　emotions；　no　lust；　only　the　continuous　joys　and　raptures　to　be　found　in　that　realm　of　pure　thought。

But　could　he　really　have　seen　this　all　along；　been　so　omniscient？　she　asked　herself。　Such　a　precise　vision；　such　an　incredible　realtering　and　reshaping　of　events。。。Sending　his　ship　away　to　this　world；　then　drawing　the　Masters　and　their　gargantuan　armies　here；　only　so　that　the　Flower　could　take　root　and　flourish；　so　that　the　Invid　might　follow。

And　now　these　returning　ships　with　their　untapped　reservoirs　of　Protoculture…destined　from　the　start　to　be　her　mate　in　the　new　order。

She　had　been　so　misguided　in　assuming　his　form；　in　so　doing　she　had　been　captured　by　the　rage　and　fears　and　emotions　that　blinded　her　to　Protoculture's　true　purpose。　It　was　not　simply　to　supply　mech