15_death_dance-第32部分

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g　a　truce　by　way　of　surrender。〃

The　Regent　shot　to　his　feet。　〃This　is　a　dream！〃

〃No；　m'lord。〃

The　Regent　stood　motionless　for　a　moment；　then　laughed。　〃Here！　Of　course　they　would　surrender　here；　where　to　fire　first　means　certain　death。〃　He　reached　up　to　feel　his　swollen　cowl。　〃However。。。〃

The　lieutenant　waited　while　the　Regent　paced　in　front　of　his　throne。　〃Yes；　yes；　it　could　work。〃　He　swung　around。　〃Inform　the　Sentinels　that　we　accept　their　terms。　And　bring　the　Zor…clone　to　my　chambers。　I　will　put　it　to　him　simply：　the　matrix　for　the　lives　of　his　rades。　What　could　be　more　just？〃


〃May　the　Great　Shaper　Haydon　watch　over　you　this　day；〃　Teal　told　the　shuttle　group　from　the　balcony　in　the　SDF…7's　launch　bay。

Vince；　Cabell；　Max；　and　the　others　saluted　their　friends　as　the　hatch　sealed　itself。　In　a　moment　the　shuttle's　attitude　jets　flared；　and　the　craft　began　to　descend　toward　the　green　and　silver　crescent　that　was　Haydon　IV。

The　second　group　numbered　twelve；　including　the　three　Invid…one　in　each　of　the　three　armored　Alpha　Veritechs。　Jack　had　a　no…nonsense　air　about　him　as　he　strapped　into　the　forward　cockpit　of　his　mecha。　Bela　was　behind　him；　Gnea；　Kami；　and　one　of　the　scientists　in　the　Beta　module。　Janice　was　piloting　the　second　VT；　with　Burak　in　the　copilot's　seat；　and　Lron　and　Tesla　in　the　Beta。　The　third　VT　held　Learna；　Crysta；　and　the　second　scientist。　Jack　had　taken　one　last　look　at　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　before　they　had　been　moved　into　the　shuttle；　and　the　sight　of　their　slack；　colorless　faces　was　with　him　now　as　he　engaged　the　Alpha's　thrusters　and　maneuvered　the　ship　out　of　the　launch　bay。　The　SDF…7's　human　and　XT　crew　had　been　instructed　to　keep　the　fortress　clear　of　the　Invid　fleet；　but　in　close　enough　proximity　to　Haydon　IV's　surface　to　eliminate　any　threat　of　an　enemy　sneak　attack。

Veidt　and　Sarna　had　done　their　best　to　convince　the　Sentinels　to　abandon　their　plans　for　an　unannounced　approach；　but　Jack　and　the　rest　were　determined　to　give　it　a　try。　Besides；　it　wasn't　like　they　were　going　in　with　weapons　blazing。　Their　approach　would　be　a　gentle　one；　Jack　had　insisted；　a　simple　landing　in　the　forests　west　of　the　planet's　principal　city。　Surely；　three　small　mecha　weren't　going　to　touch　off　Haydon　IV's　legendary　（and　somewhat　questionable）　defenses。

It　is　merely　intent；　Veidt　had　tried　to　tell　them。

Jack　heard　the　words　surfacing　in　his　thoughts；　and　made　an　effort　to　push　them　from　his　mind。　In　a　moment　he　would　be　able　to　discern　details　of　the　planet's　surface　topography。　It　was　bound　to　be　an　extraordinary　sight…an　entire　world　reconfigured　to　conform　to　the　demands　of　its　inhabitants。

Jack　found　himself　wondering　about　the　guiding　intelligence　behind　such　a　feat。

Then　he　began　to　notice　that　the　forest　they　had　chosen　as　landing　zone；　was；　well；　moving…sliding　east　to　west　across　the　variegated　landscape　like　some　sort　of　by…pass　door。　And　something　very　bizarre　was　rising　up　at　them　from　the　space　that　forest　had　vacated。。。Swirling　vortices　of　energy；　radiant　silken　scarves　riding　Haydon　IV's　savage　updrafts。

Jack　sent　a　telephathic　plea　to　the　planet：　We've　e　in　peace。　We've　e　in　peace！