12_symphony_of_light-第4部分

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rved　to　do　was　alert　the　Invid　to　his　presence。　Before　he　could　react；　the　Trooper's　cannons　came　to　life　and　discharged　a　blast　that　connected　squarely　with　the　trunk　a　few　feet　below　his　shaky　perch。　The　tree　came　apart；　and　Rand　and　the　upper　section　were　blown　backward　by　the　explosion。

He　and　the　Trooper　hit　the　ground　at　almost　the　same　instant；　both　of　them　knocked　senseless　by　their　falls。　But　the　Invid　was　the　first　to　stir。　As　the　Trooper　rose　slowly　to　its　feet；　Rook　and　Annie　saw　the　ship's　scanner　wink　into　awareness。　Rand　was　still　unconscious；　facedown　in　the　snow；　one　outstretched　arm　hooked　around　the　base　of　the　tree　he　had　slammed　into　on　his　way　down。　Annie　began　to　scream。

Horrified；　Rook　watched　the　Invid　take　three　forward　steps　and　position　itself　over　her　fallen　teammate。　She　barreled　out　of　the　shelter；　yelling　for　Rand　to　wake　up；　raising　her　blaster　even　as　the　Trooper　was　raising　its　claw。　She　had　to　put　five　shots　into　the　alien's　back　before　it　swung　around；　and　when　it　did；　it　was　clever　enough　to　use　its　pincer　as　a　shield。　Undaunted；　Rook　continued　to　fire　until　she　saw　those　telltale　globes　of　priming　light　form　at　the　ship's　cannons；　then　she　spun　around　and　hastily　tried　to　retreat。　The　Invid　dropped　her　with　a　disc　that　threw　her　into　a　headlong　crash。　She　rolled　over；　struggling　to　regain　her　breath　as　the　Trooper　approached；　uncertain　if　she　should　be　thankful　that　the　thing　had　let　her　live。　Suddenly　she　heard　Annie's　taunting　voice　close　by　and　watched　amazed　as　her　diminutive　friend　began　to　pelt　the　towering　ship　with　snowballs。

Rook　raised　herself　and　resumed　fire；　hoping　to　draw　the　Invid's　attention　before　Annie　succeeded　in　enraging　it。　Rand　had　meanwhile　e　around　and　was　contributing　his　own　bursts；　and　together　they　somehow　managed　to　send　the　Trooper　to　its　knees。

〃Go；　go！〃　Rand　yelled；　motioning　Rook　and　Annie　past　him。

They　both　knew　what　he　was　up　to　and　broke　for　the　trail　where　Rand　had　rigged　the　second　trap。　Rook　turned　around　to　see　if　he　was　following。

〃I'm　right　behind　you！〃　she　heard　him　yell。

And　so　was　the　Trooper；　looming　up　over　them　and　the　trees；　monstrous…looking　in　the　moonlight；　like　the　nightmare　it　was。

But　it　performed　just　as　Rand　had　expected；　stepping　boldly　along　the　path；　unaware　that　one　area　held　a　special　surprise。　And　in　a　moment　the　Trooper　was　sinking　to　its　waist　through　the　snow；　down　into　a　pit　that　had　been　dug　underneath　the　trail。

〃Cut　your　lines！〃　Rand　shouted　to　the　women。

Rook　ran　to　the　area　he　had　indicated　and　drew　her　knife。　She　severed　the　cables　as　he　called　out　the　numbers。　Instantly；　sharpened　logs　swung　down　toward　the　trapped　Trooper　from　the　surrounding　treetops。　Thrusters　blazing　against　the　pit's　hold；　the　Invid　dodged　the　first　two　and　parried　the　third　with　its　pincer　targone；　but　the　fourth　punched　through　the　ship's　scanner　and　immobilized　it。　The　Trooper　was　lifted　up　out　of　the　pit　and　sent　flat　on　its　back　in　the　trail。　The　sharpened　log　protruded　out　of　its　blood…red　eye　like　a　stake　thrust　into　a　vampire's　heart。

〃God。。。we　did　it；〃　Annie　said　in　disbelief。

Rook　wiped　sweat　from　her　brow。　〃Too　close　this　time；　just　too　close。〃

〃Not　bad。〃　Rand　smiled；　striding　over　to　the　bleeding　ship。　〃A　bit　primitive　perhaps；　but　I　had　confidence　in　it。

Rook　scoffed　at　him。　〃Sure　thing；　Rand。　And　I　suppose　almost　getting　yourself　killed　was　part　of　the　plan？〃

〃That's　always　part　of　my　plan；〃　he　told　her。　〃Just　to　impress　you　a　bit。〃

〃You're　never　scared？〃　Annie　said；　taken　in。

Rook　looked　over　at　Rand；　then　down　at　Annie。　〃Only　when　no　one's　looking　at　him；〃　she　told　her。


Somewhat　closer　to　the　chute；　Scott　and　Lunk　were　attempting　to　bring　their　own　primitive　plan　into　play。　They　had　skirted　the　edge　of　the　woods；　keeping　themselves　just　above　the　tree　line；　then　worked　back　toward　the　western　buttress　of　the　cirque。　As　hoped；　the　Invid　mander　had　split　its　forces…her　forces；　Scott　was　now　telling　himself…but　two　of　the　four　Troopers　had　picked　up　their　trail　and　were　narrowing　the　gap。

The　avalanche　had　touched　off　secondary　slides　in　several　of　the　tributary　crevasses　below　the　basin；　and　in　one　of　these；　an　exposed　grouping　of　moraine　boulders　perched　precariously　above　the　gully's　narrow　floor。　Scott　thought　that　if　they　could　lure　the　Troopers　into　the　ravine；　then　somehow　manage　to　loosen　those　boulders。。。

Lunk　was　skeptical；　but　he　didn't　see　that　there　were　any　alternatives。　The　VTs　and　Cyclones　hadn't　been　pletely　buried　by　the　snow；　but　they　couldn't　even　think　about　reaching　them　until　they　had　cut　the　enemy　down　to　size。　So　he　volunteered　to　go　up　top　and　see　if　he　could　pry　some　of　the　rocks　free；　while　Scott　set　out　to　bait　the　two　enemy　ships。

Lunk　had　found　what　he　considered　to　be　a　persuasive　boulder　that　would　force　the　entire　group　into　a　slide；　and　he　had　his　shoulder　to　it　when　Scott　entered　the　ravine　at　a　run；　the　Troopers　right　behind　him。　The　lieutenant　reached　the　end　of　the　ravine　and　turned　to　fire　a　few　shots　at　his　pursuers；　meant　more　to　antagonize　than　to　inflict　any　damage。　But　more　than　that；　Scott's　short　burst　was　aimed　at　keeping　the　Troopers　at　bay　for　just　the　few　seconds　Lunk　needed　to　send　the　boulder　crashing　down　toward　them。

〃Hurry！〃　Lunk　heard　between　H90　reports。　〃They're　in　position！〃

Lunk　shoved　his　bare　shoulder　to　the　stone；　boots　trying　to　find　purchase　in　the　snow。　Down　below；　one　of　the　Troopers　opened　fire　on　Scott。　The　anni　discs　threw　up　a　fountain　of　snow　that　momentarily　buried　him；　but　Lunk　saw　Scott　shake　himself　out　of　it。　And　perhaps　it　was　the　sight　of　his　friend's　peril　that　gave　him　the　extra　push　he　needed；　because　all　at　once　the　boulder　was　toppling　over　and　mencing　its　slide　and　tumble　toward　the　pack。

Scott　heard　the　rock　impact　the　mass　and　decided　to　help　things　along　by　training　his　weapon　on　the　ledge　itself。　The　charges　from　his　MARS…Gallant　did　what　sheer　momentum　alone　couldn't；　and　in　a　moment　the　whole　mass　was　avalanching　toward　the　bottom　of　the　ravine　with　a　ground…shaking；　deafening　roar。　Scott　threw　himself　up　the　opposing　slope；　figuring　the　Invid　would　blast　free　of　the　ravine；　giving　him　and　Lunk　a　chance　to　reach　the　VTs。　He　never　hoped　they　would　actually　catch　the　Troopers　unaware；　but　that　was　exactly　what　happened。　They　had　both　tried　to　lift　off；　but　the　bounding　rocks　had　shattered　the　ships'　sensors；　and　in　the　confusion　the　things　got　caught　up　in　the　slide　and　were　overturned　and　buried。

When　the　snow　settled；　Lunk　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　ravine；　a　triumphant　look　on　his　face。

〃Not　bad；　eh；　mander？！〃　he　yelled　down。

Scott　surveyed　the　damage　they　had　wrought　and　could　only　regard　it　in　wonder。　〃Yeah；　great；　pal；〃　he　called　back。　〃Just　like　we　planned。〃


Lancer　and　Marlene　had　run　clear　through　a　finger　of　woods。　They　were　not　far　from　Rand　and　the　others；　but　their　trail　had　led　them　to　the　edge　of　a　deep　gully；　with　a　river　of　snow　several　hundred　feet　below　them。　They　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　the　one　Trooper　on　their　tail　was　the　last　of　the　four。

Marlene　seemed　unaware　of　where　she　was　or　what　it　was　they　were　running　from。　Lancer　had　simply　pulled　her　along　like　a　helpless　child；　often　shielding　her　with　his　body　from　debris　flung　up　by　the　Trooper's　discs。　But　now　all　he　could　do　was　gaze　hopelessly　across　the　ten　feet　of　empty　space　that　separated　them　from　the　gully's　opposite　face。

〃Maybe　if　we　hurry　we　can　double　back　around；〃　Lancer　told　her；　trying　to　make　it　sound　feasible。

But　as　he　took　hold　of　her　thin　wrist　again　and　prepared　to　set　off；　he　saw　the　Trooper　emerging　from　the　woods；　closing　in　on　them　fast。　Marlene　understood　that　they　would　have　to　jump　across　the　abyss。　She　nodded　to　Lancer；　her　forehead　wrinkled　up　in　apprehension。

They　gave　themselves　several　yards　of　runway　and　made　a　mad　dash　toward　the　ledge；　hand　in　hand　as　they　soared　across　the　chasm。　And　they　almost　made　it。　But　they　fell　short　by　a　foot；　catching　hold　of　the　edge…which　was　really　little　more　than　snow…and　falling　backward　to　what　they　thought　would　be　the　chasm　bottom。　Instead；　however；　they　landed　on　a　narrow　ledge　approximately　ten　feet　below　the　lip。

Lancer　was　thinking　that　things　couldn't　get　much　worse；　but　of　course　they　could。　Above　them；　the　Invid　mand　ship　came　into　view。　But　to　his　surprise；　he　watched　as　the　control　nacelle　sprang　open　and　a　Human　pilot　jumped　down　from　the　padded　cockpit。　It　was　the　same　brainwashed　captive　he　had　seen　on　the　island：　a　slim　female　of　medium　height　with　punked　out　greenblond　hair　and　eyes　as　red　as　a　Trooper's　scanner。　She　wore　a　bodysuit　of　colored　panels　that　emphasized　the　body's　major　muscle　groups　in　swaths　of　black；　purple；　and　pink…like　the　colors　of　the　mand　ship　itself。

〃I　know　you；〃　Lancer　called　to　her　as　she　peered　down　at　them。　〃Why　are　you　fighting　for　the　Invid？〃

The　woman's　only　response　was　to　mock　him　with　a　short　laugh。

Lancer　pointed　at　her　accusingly。　〃You're　a　traitor！　Answer　me：　Why　are　you　fighting　for　them？〃

Sera　continued　to　stare　at　the　Human；　angered　and　confused　at　the　same　time。　I　should　destroy　this　thing　called　man；　she　thought。　But　for　some　reason　I　cannot。

The　Trooper　who　had　pursued　Lancer　and　Marlene　through　the　woods　appeared　on　the　opposite　ledge　now；　but　it；　too；　held　its　fire。

Lancer　regarded　the　ship　warily；　then　swung　back　around　to　confront　the　woman；　who　was　obviously　in　mand　of　the　situation。　〃Can't　you　understand　me？！〃　he　demanded。　When　he　failed　to　get　a　response；　he　altered　his　tone　to　one　of　cynical　surrender。　〃Then　get　it　over　with。　But　spare　this　woman。　She's　done　no　wrong。〃

Marlene　and　Sera　met　each　other's　gaze。　And　during　the　exchange；　which　Lancer　thought　brief；　a　wealth　of　racial　memories　was　transmitted。

That　face。。。thought　Marlene。　It's　as　though　time　has　stopped　and　I　can　look　into　my　past　and　my　future　simultaneously。。。

Sera's　face　had　dissolved；　but　Marlene　seemed　to　follow　those　flashphoto　eyes　on　a　journey　through　space　and　time。　Cosmic　vistas　opened　up　before　her；　stains　and　weblike　filigrees　of　brilliantly　hued　clouds；　swirls　and　spirals　of　galactic　stuff　strewn　like　diamonds　on　velvet。　She　beheld　a　vision　of　Opter