16_world_killers- 第17节

The　first　Enforcer　gazed　at　the　baffling　displays　of　the　instruments　while　the　supposedly　relapsed　patients　drooled；　howled　like　dogs；　and　went　into　vigorous　spasms。　Jean　watched　from　a　step　away；　her　hands　behind　her　back。

〃What　does　all　this　mean？　Explain！〃　the　Invid　demanded。

Jean　produced　one　hand　so　that　she　could　point。　〃It's　all　right　there　on　the　middle　scanner！　See？〃

As　the　thing　leaned　in　for　a　closer　look；　she　whipped　around　the　power…delivery　cable　she　had　yanked　loose　and　thrust　it　against　the　armored　torso。　Crackling　wreaths　of　pure　energy　swathed　the　thing；　sending　it　into　convulsions。　Jean　made　a　silent　prayer　of　thanks　that　the　cable's　thick　insulation　kept　her　from　being　fried　as　well。　Nevertheless；　the　field　generated　by　the　furious　current　made　her　short　hair　stand　on　end。

The　radiant　wrath　of　it　drove　her　back　after　only　a　second　or　two；　though；　forcing　her　to　drop　the　cable。　The　Enforcer　was　still　shuddering　and　lurching；　Jean　thought　she　might　have　succeeded　in　mortally　wounding　the　embryolike　Invid　inside；　or　the　systemry　of　its　mecha。

The　second　Enforcer　was　angling　for　a　shot　at　her；　careful　to　keep　the　afflicted　Sentinels　and　Max　and　Wolff　in　its　field　of　fire。　But　as　it　raised　its　massive　rifle；　a　hand　pulled　the　pistol　from　its　belt。　Vince　Grant　took　a　quick　step　back　and　shot　the　thing　straight　in　the　back　of　the　helmet。

Smoke　and　steam　and　green　goop　burst　from　the　gap　in　the　Invid　armor；　along　with　the　smell　of　incinerated　tissue　and　forge…spatterings　of　molten　alloy。　Vince　had　to　dodge　quickly　as　the　second　guard　collapsed　backward；　nearly　pinning　him。

The　other　captives　were　all　on　their　feet　now；　closing　in　on　the　fallen　Enforcers。　〃D'you　think　they　got　off　an　alert？〃　Max　wondered。

〃Probably　not；　but　that　doesn't　mean　we're　in　the　clear；〃　Wolff　surmised。　He　gingerly　touched　the　fallen　rifle　of　the　one　Jean　had　zapped；　it　was　warm；　but　intact　and　apparently　still　functional。　He　hoisted　the　rifle　onto　his　shoulder。

Vince　passed　his　pistol　to　Rick　and　took　up　the　other　rifle。　Lisa　took　the　zapped　guard's　handgun　before　Max　could　grab　it。　It　was　shaped　something　like　a　giant　Protoculture　staple　gun。　〃Rank　Hath　Its　Privilege；　and　all　that。〃　She　smiled。

Max　gave　her　a　lopsided　smirk。　〃Use　it　in　good　health；　Lisa。　Only；　let's　get　goin'！〃

There　was　universal　agreement　on　that。　Rick　weighed　the　bulky　Invid　sidearm　as　he　led　the　way；　grateful　that　the　Sentinels　had　all　done　familiarization　fire　with　enemy　weapons　against　such　an　emergency。　He　paused　in　the　doorway　and　turned　to　find　Lisa　a　pace　behind　him；　ready　to　back　him　up。

They　started　off　down　the　corridor。　At　the　first　corner；　Rick　came　face　to　face　with　Veidt　and　almost　shot　him。

〃e。　Hurry。〃　Veidt　pirouetted　and　sailed　away　at　high　speed；　leaving　the　others　to　pound　after　him。　They　followed　him　to　a　liftfield　that　bore　them　up　to　the　roof　of　the　place。

〃How　did　you　know　we　escaped？〃　Max　demanded　as　the　field　drifted　him　out　onto　the　sunlit　roof　landing　stage。

〃We　can　keep　surveillance　on　anything　that　transpires　in　the　Halls　of　Healing；〃　Veidt　replied。　〃After　all；　one　is　well　advised　to　keep　a　close　watch　on　patients。　Quickly　now：　put　those　on。〃

He　pointed　toward　a　pile　of　sleeveless　Haydonite　robes　lying　on　a　medium…smallish　flying　carpet。　They　dove　at　the　disguises；　tumbling　onto　the　carpet。　It　took　some　reshuffling　for　Vince　to　wind　up　with　the　longest　garment；　and　even　then　his　legs　were　exposed　from　midshin　down。　He　settled　for　kneeling；　the　bulky　Invid　rifle　held　between　his　knees。

The　others　were　more　easily　concealed；　and　in　another　moment　Veidt　had　the　carpet　aloft。　Lisa　realized　that　there　was　no　way　to　confine　her　hair；　or　for　the　others　to　keep　theirs　from　flying；　un…Haydonitelike；　in　the　wind；　but　there　was　no　help　for　that　now。　At　least　the　high　collars　helped　camouflage　them　somewhat。

Of　them　all；　only　Miriya　hadn't　recovered　pletely。　Max　kept　one　arm　around　her　as　she　hung　onto　him　woozily。

They　passed　through　plex　traffic　patterns　of　carpets；　cone…fliers；　offworld　aircraft；　and　Invid　vehicles；　but　Veidt　negotiated　it　with　no　apparent　effort；　and　nobody　appeared　to　notice　them。

〃Veidt；　I　don't　know　what　your　plan　is；〃　Rick　called　out；　〃but　we've　got　pressing　matters　of　our　own。　One　of　them　is　that　the　Praxians　are…〃

〃Are　being　held　as　slaves　by　the　Invid；〃　Veidt　anticipated。　〃I　am　well　aware　of　it。　And　we're　on　our　way　now　to　do　something　about　that。　It's　the　most　likely　starting　place　for　our　effort　to　dislodge　the　Regent　from　my　world。〃

Rick　wished　once　again　that　it　was　possible　to　call　the　Sentinels'　cruiser…the　Ark　Angel；　as　they　had　dubbed　her…for　a　pickup；　but　knew　now　that　that　would　only　result　in　an　uneven　battle　the　Sentinels'　flagship　couldn't　hope　to　win。　Besides；　there　was　every　possibility　the　cruiser　would　be　attacked　by　Haydon　IV's　〃antibodies。〃

Wolff　saw　that　the　flying　carpet　was　on　a　course　toward　the　Invid　stronghold　at　the　juncture　of　Sky　Road　and　Silver　Way；　where　he　had　seen　the　amazon　POWs　earlier。　He　braced　himself；　wishing　he　had　had　time　to　pick　up　a　gun。

But　under　Veidt's　guidance；　the　carpet　began　descending　just　before　reaching　the　stronghold；　to　settle　onto　a　landing　hardtop　on　the　roof　of　the　building　next　door；　overlooking　the　broad　boulevard。　〃The　next　slave　work　party　should　e　along　just　beneath　us；〃　he　said。

〃What；　you　expect　the　few　of　us；　with　four　small　arms；　to　eliminate　Inorganics？〃　Wolff　scoffed。　〃If　it's　so　easy；　why　didn't　you　do　it　before？〃

〃As　you　know；　direct　physical　violence　is　not　the　Haydonite　forte〃　Veidt　pointed　out。　〃But　since　there　is　no　longer　any　route　of　escape　from　the　planet；　aiding　and　abetting　it　is　our　only　recourse。

〃And　besides；　the　women　will　be　guarded　by　Enforcers　and　Armored　Officers；　not　Inorganics。　More　to　the　point；　the　successes　of　the　Sentinels　have　given　other　Haydonites　the　encouragement　they　needed　to　lend　us　aid。〃

〃It's　just　as　well　things　worked　out　this　way；〃　Lisa　said；　checking　her　pistol。　〃We　couldn't　leave　the　Praxians　here；　enslaved。〃

Again；　that　keenness　in　Lisa　to　fight　took　Rick　somewhat　by　surprise。　Looks　like　something　I'm　gonna　have　to　get　used　to。

〃Other　things　will　be　working　in　your　favor　as　well；〃　Veidt　continued；　〃and　I　haven't　long　to　explain　them。〃

The　line　of　Praxians　moved　tiredly；　after　a　grueling　day　of　work　in　the　Invid　warehouses　and　shipyards。　The　Central　Slavepen　loomed　before　them。

Of　course；　the　Invid　didn't　need　the　labor　of　the　tens　of　thousands　of　women　they　had　captured　in　their　conquest　of　Praxis；　there　were　drones　and　automata　enough　to　perform　the　work。　But　it　made　sense　to　keep　them　busy　and　exhausted；　and　to　utilize　them。　Besides；　the　practice　pointed　out　to　the　Praxians…and　the　Haydonites　and　various　off…world　races　represented　in　Glike…exactly　what　happened　to　those　who　defied　the　Regent。

The　Enforcers　on　the　ground　and　their　Armored　Officer　who　skimmed　overhead　in　his　open；　single…occupant　skirmish　ship　kept　careful　watch　on　their　captives。　Sometimes；　after　an　eighteen…or　twenty…hour　work　shift；　the　females　became　rebellious；　unwilling　to　reenter　their　cells。　That　was　when　it　took　a　good　jolt　from　the　slave　headbands　or　a　nerve　lash　to　keep　them　moving。

Sure　enough；　one　of　the　habitual　troublemakers　broke　from　the　line　just　as　she　was　about　to　pass　through　the　portals　to　the　slave　kennels。　She　was　shorter　than　most　of　them；　and　solid；　round…faced　and　olive…skinned。　Heedless　of　the　rebukes　of　the　headband　and　the　nerve　whip；　she　was　still　defiant。

〃I'm　not　going　back　into　any　cage！〃

〃You　have　been　warned；〃　the　nearest　Enforcer　said；　activating　the　POW/slave's　headband。　Writhing　in　pain；　she　would　be　flung　into　her　cage　despite　what　she　had　said；　and　so　would　anyone　who　stood　with　her。　It　was　tedious　work　for　the　Enforcers；　but　they　had　nothing　better　to　do　anyway。　They　lived；　literally；　to　serve　their　Regent。

But　on　this　bright　turquoise　Haydon　afternoon；　the　timetable　was　suddenly　thrown　out。　The　headband　didn't　respond；　and　the　defiant　one　stood　there；　showing　her　white　teeth　in　a　fighting　sneer；　hands　up　in　bat　posture；　feet　positioned　and　ready。

The　Enforcer　tried　again；　but　there　was　still　no　response