16_world_killers- 第44节

But　they　ran　on　without　pause　and　in　perfect　cooperation；　because　that　was　Tesla's　will。　At　the　entrance　to　the　hive；　Burak　led　the　way；　being　more　familiar　with　the　layout　of　such　places。

There；　too；　the　Invid　seemed　to　be　distracted　to　the　point　of　utter　carelessness…at　least　where　non…Invid　interlopers　were　concerned。　The　pair　made　their　way　through　the　shadows；　as　reinforcements　went　pounding　up　and　down　the　corridors。　Navigated　by　Tesla's　hold　on　them；　they　came　at　last　to　the　place　where　the　Flower　of　Life　had　brought　forth　its　burden。

Here；　too；　the　Fruit　had　only　appeared　recently；　so　much　so　that　it　wasn't　quite　ripe　yet。　Therefore；　it　hadn't　been　harvested　yet　for　shipment　to　Optera。　Tesla　took　that　as　another　sign　that　he；　not　the　Regent；　was　destined　to　rule　his　species　and　the　universe。


〃The　Invid　are　fighting　it　out　sure　enough；　sir；〃　Karen　reported　back　to　Rick　over　the　mand　net；　〃but　there's　no　way　to　tell　who's　who！〃

She　pleted　her　close　pass　in　the　Fighter…mode　Logan　VT；　weaving　among　stray　shots　and　deliberate　ones；　missiles　and　autocannon　both；　that　drew　lines　through　the　sky　around　her。

〃Suggest　you　delay　drop；　I　say　again；　delay　drop；　until　we　can　figure　out　what's　going　on。〃

〃Understood。〃　In　the　Ark　Angel's　tactical　information　center；　Rick　switched　to　his　link　with　Lisa　up　on　the　bridge。　〃Did　you　get　that？〃

〃Acknowledged。〃　She　swept　the　ship　around　into　a　holding　pattern；　as　it　was　jarred　by　the　atmosphere。　In　the　mustering　points；　hundreds　of　troops　cussed　at　the　delay　and　wondered　what　was　wrong；　the　waiting；　the　veterans　knew；　could　sometimes　be　the　worst　part　of　all。

Karen　brought　her　VT　about　and　went　to　Guardian　configuration　for　another　pass。　She　finally　spotted　her　objective。　〃I've　got　Tesla　sighted！　Gnea　and　Veidt；　too；　but　I　don't　see　Burak　or　Jack！〃　She　felt　her　heart　sink　within　her。

Just　then　Gnea's　voice　came　over　the　net。　〃Attention；　Karen！　Jack　and　Burak　are　inside　the　Invid　hive；　stealing　a；　um；　special　weapon　that　Tesla　says　can　win　the　battle。　Make　the　pickup　on　them　at　the　main　intersection　south　of　the　hive；　Jack　will　have　his　set　keyed　for　a　homing　signal。

〃Also　be　advised：　Tesla　will　instruct　his　troops　to　emit　blinking　signals　with　their　optical　sensors。　I　say　again；　troops　with　blinking　signals　are　friendlies。〃

〃Roger　that；〃　Karen　said。　She　relayed　the　information　to　Lisa　even　as　her　VT　leapt　away　through　the　sky；　thrusters　bellowing；　to　make　the　pickup　on　Jack　and　Burak。

Below　her；　Tesla　took　his　concentration　from　the　battle　for　an　instant　to　tell　Gnea；　〃Well　done。〃

The　faster　the　Fruit　was　brought　to　him；　the　better。　And；　having　a　Veritech　at　his　disposal　would　enhance　his　situation；　too。


This　time；　the　Fruit　was　as　yellow　as　a　sunflower　and　grew　in　a　shape　that　was　nearly　a　perfect　pyramid。

Jack　and　Burak　had　bundled　up　as　many　as　they　could　in　their　jackets；　and　crept　out　of　the　hive　once　more；　like　raiding　mice　among　the　hurrying　giant　Inorganics。

At　one　point；　they　felt　disoriented　as　Tesla　wondered　if　it　wouldn't　be　worthwhile　to　send　them　on　a　suicide　attack　to　the　Brain。　But　the　moment　passed　as　the　scientist　realized　that　the　Brain　would　be　far　too　well　guarded　for　two　lightly　armed　humanoids　to　tackle。　Besides；　he　must　have　the　Fruit；　before　something　happened　to　it。

When　they　reached　the　intersection；　Jack；　by　Tesla's　decree；　keyed　the　homing　signal。　He　and　Burak　got　ready　to　put　the　rest　of　the　plan　into　effect。


Zooming　down　in　a　wash　of　thruster　fire；　Karen　could　see　no　sign　of　either　Jack　or　Burak。　And　yet；　she　was　getting　a　strong　signal　from　the　set。

The　only　building　still　standing　in　the　area　was　a　sturdy…looking　structure　suggesting　a　bunker　of　polished　opal。　Karen　checked　her　instruments；　the　signal　was　ing　from　there。　Its　entrances　were　far　too　small　for　a　Battloid。

Jack's　voice　came　up　on　the　net。　〃Karen；　get　in　here　and　help　me　with　Burak；　he　took　a　bad　hit。〃

The　fighting　had　moved　from　the　area；　but　she　still　considered　Jack's　proposal　dubious。　〃Can't　you　get　him　to　the　entry？　I　can　pick　him　up　with　the　Battloid's　hand。〃

Jack　sounded　weak　and　weary。　〃Goddamn　you；　it's　all　I　can　do　to　keep　him　from　ing　apart　in　pieces！　And　I　caught　a　hit　or　two　myself。〃

Karen　imaged　the　mechamorphosis；　and　the　VT；　back　in　Guardian　shape；　knelt　with　its　radome　almost　touching　the　ground。　She　was　out　of　the　cockpit　and　running　in　another　second　or　two；　sidearm　drawn。　She　passed　into　the　dark　interior；　calling　his　name。

Something　hit　her　from　behind；　and　the　next　thing　she　knew；　Jack　and　Burak　were　standing　over　her　with　drawn　guns。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR

I've　been　accused　of　over…romanticizing　certain　aspects　of　the　events　that　day。　Maybe　so；　and　if　that's　the　kind　of　thing　that　irks　you；　then　don't　read　on。
What　you　should　do　to　keep　yourself　busy；　though；　is　make　sure　you　try　the　glass　slipper　on　every　appropriate　foot　that　es　your　way。　You　might　change　your　mind…or　your　luck。
Jack　Baker；　Upwardly　Mobile

Glowing　disembodied　along　the　crystal　highways；　Baldan　II　implored　his　people。

〃We　know　which　media　we　must　strike　at　now！　Tesla's　troops　and　even　the　Sentinels　may　not　be　enough！　We　must　help　them！〃

But　everywhere　it　was　the　same。　〃We　are　safe　here　in　the　bosom　of　Spheris。　Let　the　outworlders　fight　their　own　battles！〃

The　heart　he　had　put　into　them　was　gone　again；　now　that　someone　seemed　ready　to　hand　the　Spherisians　peace　and　freedom　on　a　platter。　Baldan　brooded；　and　wondered　if　such　a　gift　could　ever　be　trusted；　and　how　much　harm　it　would　do　Spheris　in　the　long　run。

Teal　spoke　across　the　mineral　medium　to　him。　〃What　shall　we　do？　Baldan；　if　you　want　to　fight；　I　am　with　you。〃

〃There　is　one　thing　we　might　do；〃　he　said。　Reorienting　his　mind…spirit　along　new　vectors；　he　headed　toward　Beroth。　Teal　rose　after。


Karen　knew　her　flight　helmet　had　saved　her　from　being　killed；　from　the　positions　of　the　two　as　they　stood　looking　down　at　her；　she　presumed　Burak　had　struck　the　blow。

She　tried　to　move　and　realized　she　was　trussed　up　with　her　own　flight　harness　and　their　uniform　harnesses。

Burak　was　tucking　her　dropped　pistol　in　his　gunbelt。　〃I'll　get　the　Fruit。　Make　sure　she's　secure。　And　don't　forget　to　bring　her　helmet。〃

Jack　removed　the　helmet；　but　then　stood　looking　down　at　her　uncertainly；　weighing　his　Badger。　〃Jack；　Tesla's　making　you　do　this；　isn't　he？　Jack；　don't　listen　to　him！　Stop　and　think　what　you're　doing；　before…〃

〃Silence！〃　Burak　was　back。　〃Be　grateful　that　Omnipotent　Tesla　directs　us　to　spare　you；　or…〃

Then　his　expression　became　a　little　vague；　as　did　Jack's；　as　they　both　listened　to　something　she　couldn't　hear。　Burak　glanced　down　at　her　with　a　devilish　grin；　his　horns　silhouetted　against　the　entrance。

〃It　seems　you're　not　indispensable　after　all；　Penn。〃　He　turned　to　Jack。　〃Finish　her；　while　I　load　the　Fruit。〃　Burak　had　no　punctions　about　killing　Karen…not　under　Tesla's　coercion。　But　he　was　much　more　concerned　that　the　Fruit　stay　in　his　possession；　giving　him　some　minimal　leverage　with　the　Invid。

〃Jack；　don't　do　this；〃　she　whispered。

He　bolstered　his　gun　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　His　forehead　was　covered　with　rivulets　of　sweat。　Hooking　his　hands　in　her　bonds；　he　began　pulling　her　up。　A　part　of　him　felt　that　he　couldn't　simply　leave　her　body　there；　that　he　must　move　it　further　into　the　darkness　to　hide　his　terrible　crime。　Another　part　simply　wanted　to　lift　her　up　and　bear　her　away…away　from　the　danger。

Her　infighting　moves　were　severely　limited：　ankles　and　knees　were　strapped　together；　her　hands　bound　behind　her　at　elbows　and　wrists。　But　as　he　lifted　her　up；　she　made　her　play；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　knocking　him　unconscious。

Lurching　against　him；　she　pinned　him　between　the　wall　and　herself；　putting　her　mouth　to　his。　The　zombielike　dullness　slipped　from　him；　and　after　a　surprised　instant；　he　kissed　her　back；　arms　going　around　her；　supporting　her。　He　buried　his　fingers　in　her　hair　and　hugged　her　tight。　Time　stopped　for　both　of　them。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Burak's　footsteps　clicked　on　the　floor。

Jack　could　only　release　her　and　turn　to　go　for　his　gun　in　a　desperate　contest。　Karen　tucked　her　chin　in　and　managed　to　avoid　having　her　head　cra