tz.cobra strike-第23章
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oking horns sprouted from the massive heads； and running down the back was a dorsal strip of thirty…centimeter quills that even an Aventinian spine leopard would have been proud to possess。 There were at least a hundred of the creatures in sight already； running shoulder to shoulder and head to tail； with more pouring in behind them 。。。 and as Pyre tensed in automatic bat reaction； the Qasamans opened fire。
Christopher spat something startled sounding； and even Pyre…who'd had an idea what to expect…jerked at the sound。 The Dominion had given up simple explosive firearms long ago in favor of lasers and more sophisticated rocket cartridges； but such progress had apparently passed Qasama by。 The guns ahead of Joshua roared like miniature grenades going off 。。。 and some of the bololins in the herd abruptly faltered and fell。
Pyre happened to be looking directly at one of the quadrupeds as it was hit； and he was thus the first one in the lounge to see the tan…colored bird that shot upward from the carcass。
It was at least half again as large as a mojo； that quick glance showed him as the bird arrowed off the screen； but seemed built along the same predacious lines。 Its hiding place； as near as he could tell； had been the bololin's dorsal quill forest 。。。 an instant later Joshua reacted and the view shifted upward； and Pyre saw more of the birds already in the air； presumably having similarly deserted dying bololins。
Closing rapidly on them was a flock of mojos。
〃They're crazy；〃 Christopher said； barely audible over the gunfire。 〃Those birds are bigger than they are…〃
〃And they seem to be predators； too；〃 Telek growled。 〃Something's wrong here…predators don't usually pick on other predators。 Joshua！…keep tracking the birds。〃
The display steadied； and Pyre watched in morbid fascination as a mojo came in from above and behind one of the larger birds； swooping down with talons ready。 It hit…got a grip…and for half a dozen heartbeats it clung there in piggyback position。 The larger bird twisted violently； to no avail； leveled out once more…
And the mojo spread its wings and dropped off and back。 Making no attempt to pursue； it turned in a lazy circle and headed back to the crowd of Qasamans。
〃What the blooming hell？〃 Telek muttered。
Pyre couldn't have put it better himself。
Joshua's gaze returned to the street now。 The herd was out of sight； and through the settling dust about twenty carcasses were visible； mangled to various degrees。 One of the Qasamans…Moff； Pyre saw… stepped out into the avenue and looked carefully in both directions。 Holstering his pistol； he stepped back； and as if on signal； the other guns likewise vanished and the crowds began to break up。
Telek squeezed the mike hard。 〃Yuri…everybody… find out everything you can about what just happened。 Especially the thing with the birds。〃
Silently； Pyre seconded the order。 Though he doubted the contact team really needed that prompting。
Joshua certainly hadn't needed Telek to state the obvious…bursting with curiosity； he could barely wait until Moff had pushed his way through the dispersing crowd to fire off his first question。 〃How did those animals get into the city so easily？〃 he asked。
Moff frowned； throwing a glance at York as well。 〃I told you to stay back。〃
〃Sorry。 What were those…bololins； you called them？ …what were they doing here？〃
Cerenkov and Rynstadt had joined the group now； as had most of Moffs associates。 〃The bololins migrate periodically；〃 he said； almost reluctantly。 〃A herd like that always forms for a run； and you'll agree something like that would be almost impossible to stop。 So we've built the city to pass them through with as little damage as possible。〃
York glanced at the carcasses in the avenue。 〃As little damage to you； anyway。〃
〃Crews will be along momentarily to take them to a processing area；〃 Moff said。 〃Both meat and hides will be saved。〃
〃You'd do better to split a few off from the herd and stop them before you shoot；〃 York persisted。 〃Letting them get trampled like that doesn't do hide or meat any good。〃
〃What was all that with the mojos and those other birds？〃 Joshua asked as Moff started to reply。 〃Do mojos hunt like that even when they don't intend to eat？〃
〃To…？ Oh； I see。〃 Moff reached up to stroke his mojo's throat。 〃Tarbines aren't a food animal。 Mojos seek them for reproduction。 Cerenkov；〃 he said； turning away from Joshua； 〃we will need to cut short our visit to the marketplace if we intend to reach the art gallery during the time it will be cleared for us。 If you wish； we can return here another time。〃
〃All right。〃 Cerenkov sent a long look toward the bololin carcasses as Moff steered them down the avenue to the cross street where their car had been moved。 〃Does this sort of thing happen very often？〃
〃Occasionally。 Perhaps more often in the next few days…there is a major migration underway。 But there's no need for concern。 The probability you will be near the affected streets is small； and even if you are the rooftop alarms always give adequate warning。 e now； we must hurry。〃
Conversation ceased。 As they walked； Joshua nudged York and slowed his pace a bit。 York matched his speed； and as Moff and the others pulled a few paces ahead； Joshua reached up to put his thumb over the microphone on his translator pendant。 〃You've lived on a lot of worlds；〃 he murmured to the other。 〃You ever seen a male and female of the same species that look that different？〃
York shrugged minutely； his hand similarly on his translator。 〃I've seen or heard of some that are even more mismatched than that 。。。 but I've never heard
of a mating that looks that much like an out…and…out attack。 Almost like…well； hell； I'll say it： like a rape。〃
Joshua felt a shiver run up his back。 〃It did； didn't it？ The mojos were hitting them like condorines swooping down on rabbits。〃
〃And the tarbines were trying like crazy to get away。 Something really weird's happening here； Joshua。〃
Ahead； Moff glanced back。 Casually； Joshua dropped his arm back to his side and increased his speed； York doing the same beside him。 They'd have to find some private way to clue Cerenkov in on this and get him to start probing； Joshua knew； already trying to figure out a way to do that。 He hoped the other's silver tongue would be up to the challenge 。。。 because if the mojo's mating behavior was evidence of some significant biological principle here； it could be vital to root such information out。
And it wa；s sure as hell that the support team； stuck inside the Dewdrop； wouldn't be able to do anything in that direction。
〃No；〃 Telek shook her head。 〃Absolutely not。 It's
insane。〃
〃It's not insane；〃 Pyre retorted。 〃It's feasible； practical； and there's no other way to get hard data。〃 He glanced at the displayed map of Sollas and the red mass that was the puter's estimate of the bololin herd's position。 〃And we've got maybe fifteen minutes to take advantage of that herd。〃
〃You'll be outside…alone…in unknown and presumably hostile country；〃 Telek growled； ticking off fingers with quick； almost vicious motions。 〃You'll have limited munication with us and none at all with the locals； should you stumble on any。 And you probably wouldn't have a chance of sneaking back in unnoticed…which means that if you got hurt you'd be forcing me to choose between your life and anything further for the mission。〃
〃And if I don't go you may never find out why male mojos rape their females；〃 Pyre said quietly。 〃Not to mention why the tarbines ride bololins。 Or for that matter； why the bololins are so hard to keep out of cities。〃
Telek looked at Christopher and Nnamdi。 〃Well？〃 she demanded。 〃Say something； you two。 Tell him he's crazy。〃
The two scientists exchanged glances and Christopher shrugged unfortably。 〃Governor； we're here to learn everything we can about this place；〃 he said； his eyes not meeting either Telek's or Pyre's。 〃I agree it's dangerous 。。。 but Almo's right about the bololins probably not getting this close again。〃
〃And he is a Cobra；〃 Nnamdi put in。
〃A Cobra。〃 Telek almost spat the word。 〃And so he's invulnerable to accidents and snake bites？〃 She dropped her eyes to the city display。
For
