tz.cobra strike-第62章

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　latter　and　a　set　of　curves　appeared　on　the　screen。　〃posite　of　the　three　hundred　sixty　Qasamans　we　tested　today；〃　he　told　Winward。　〃pared　to　a　data　base　line　we　took　on　Aventine　the　week　before　we　left。　The　Qasamans　maintain　a　much　lower　stress　level；　despite　the　obnoxious　content　of　the　questions；　as　long　as　their　mojos　are　on　their　shoulders。　It　rises　some　when　we　put　the　birds　across　the　room；　but　it　doesn't　really　shoot　up　until　the　birds　are　out　of　sight。　Then　it　actually　goes　above　our　baseline　levels…right　here…　and　it　drops　off　much　faster　when　they　get　the　mojos　back。〃
　Winward　pursed　his　lips。　〃Some　of　that　could　be　irritation　from　having　to　go　over　the　same　questions　twice；〃　he　suggested。
　〃And　some　of　it　could　be　differences　between　our　cultures；　though　we've　tried　to　minimize　both　effects；〃　McKinley　nodded。　〃Sure。　We　haven't　got　any　proof　yet；　but　the　indications　are　certainly　there。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Subliminal　control　。。。　〃So　what　are　you　doing　tomorrow　that'll　be　worse？〃
　〃We're　going　to　let　them　keep　their　mojos　throughout　the　questioning；　but　we're　going　to　irritate　the　birds　with　ultrasonics　and　see　how　much　if　any　of　the　tension　transfers。〃
　〃Sounds　like　great　fun。　You　know　enough　about　mojo　senses　to　know　what'll　do　the　trick？〃
　〃We　think　so。　I　guess　we'll　find　out。〃
　〃Um。　Then　day　three　is　when　you　try　mixing　the　mojos　and　owners　up？〃
　〃Right。　And　we'll　also　do　the　hunt…stress　test　some　time　in　there；　whenever　outrider…three　is　able　to　get　their　bololin　herd　here。　I　only　hope　we'll　have　enough　people　with　sensor…ribbons　on　by　then　to　get　us　some　good　numbers…it's　for　sure　we　won't　be　able　to　repeat　that　experiment。〃　McKinley　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃You　look　pensive。　Trouble？〃
　Winward　pursed　his　lips。　〃You　really　think　it'll　take　the　rest　of　the　planet　two　more　days　to…figure　out　something's　wrong　and　make　some　major　response？〃
　〃I　thought　we　wanted　them　to　react。〃
　〃We　want　them　to　react　sufficiently　for　us　to　see　their　heavy　weaponry；　if　any；〃　Winward　said。　〃We　don't　want　them　to　put　togetherssomething　powerful　enough　to　roll　over　us。〃
　〃Ouch。　Yes；　I　concede　the　difference。　Well　。。。　if　they　move　faster；　I　guess　we'll　just　have　to　speed　things　up。　And　you　Cobras　will　have　to　start　earning　your　room　and　board　here　the　hard　way。〃
　Winward　grimaced。　Heavily　armed　Qasamans　。　。　。　and　clouds　of　mojos。　〃Yes。　I　guess　we　will。〃
　
　
　Chapter　28
　
　York　had　put　in　a　long　day　aboard　ship　and　had　looked　forward　to　at　least　one　good　night's　sleep　before　things　heated　up　below。　But　he'd　been　asleep　barely　four　hours　when　the　inter's　pinging　dragged　him　awake。　〃Yes…York/〃　he　mumbled。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Something　happening　on　Qasama；〃　the　duty　officer's　voice　said。　〃I　think　you'll　want　to　see　this。〃
　〃On　my　way。〃
　Robed　and　barefoot；　he　was　seated　before　one　of　the　big　displays　in　two　minutes　flat　。。。　and　the　image　there　was　indeed　worth　waking　him　for。
　〃Helicopters；〃　he　identified　them　to　the　two　spotters　on　duty。　〃Possibly　with　auxiliary　thrusters…　they're　making　pretty　good　speed。　Where'd　they　e　from？〃
　〃We　first　picked　them　up　a　few　kilometers　east　of　Sollas；〃　the　duty　officer　told　him。　〃Could　have　e　a　fair　distance；　though；　if　they'd　been　going　slower；　it　was　the　movement　we　noticed　first。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　York　tapped　keys；　watched　the　results　appear　at　the　bottom　of　the　screen。　Six　units；　flying　just　a　bit　subsonic…which　didn't　prove　anything　about　their　actual　capabilities…heading　southeast　toward　the　Menssana's　village。　ETA；　roughly　two　hours。　〃Get　me　Governor　Telek；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder。
　　　Telek　had　also　been　asleep；　and　by　the　time　the　Menssana's　duty　officer　rousted　her　out　of　bed　York　had　a　bit　more　information。　〃Two　oNhem　are　fairly　big；　possibly　implying　troop　carriers；〃　he　told　her。　〃The　other　four　are　smaller；　I'd　guess　reconnaissance　or　attack。　Odds　are　probably　good　that　they're　converted　civilian　craft；　instead　of　specifically　military　ones；　which　should　be　to　our　advantage。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　they　don't　have　gravity　lifts；〃　Telek　mused。　〃That's　one　technological　edge　we　know　we've　got。〃
　〃Not　necessarily。〃　York　shook　his　head。　〃No　one　puts　grav　lifts　on　attack　helicopters；　whether　they've　got　〃em　or　not…the　things　are　wildly　inefficient　for　tight；　high…speed　maneuvering。　Besides；　for　nighttime　applications　a　grav　lift's　glow　makes　you　a　flying　bull's…eye。〃
　〃So　these　are　something　we　should　worry　about？〃
　York　snorted。　〃Worry　and　a　half。　We　used　a　lot　of　helicopters　back　in　the　Marines；　and　I've　seen　them　chew　up　areas　twice　the　size　of　your　village。〃
　Telek's　inter　image　went　tight…lipped。　〃Except　that　they'd　kill　three　thousand　of　their　own　people　if　they　try　that。〃
　〃Right；　and　I　doubt　they're　quite　that　desperate　yet；〃　York　agreed。　〃And　they're　unlikely　to　hang　around　overhead　sniping　at　the　Cobras　until　they　have　an　idea　of　what　we've　got　to　shoot　back　with。〃
　〃So　the　gleaner…team　stays　put；〃　Telek　said。　〃But　the　outrider　teams　go　to　ground？〃
　〃They　certainly　make　themselves　inconspicuous。　And　the　Menssana　gets　the　hell　out　of　there。〃
　〃Damn。〃　Telek　bit　at　her　lip。　〃Yeah；　you're　right。　You　think　going　to　ground　a　hundred　kilometers　away　will　be　safe　enough？〃
　〃The　farther　the　better。　But　you've　got　to　move　fast；　before　they're　close　enough　to　spot　your　grav　lifts。　I　don't　want　to　find　out　the　hard　way　what　sort　of　air…to…air　capability　they　have。〃
　〃Good　point。　Captain　Shepherd？〃
　〃Three　minutes　to　lift；〃　the　other's　voice　came　into　the　circuit。　〃We've　picked　a　tentative　hiding　place　three　hundred　kilometers　northwest　of　here；　subject　to　your　approval。〃
　〃What；　right　in　the　path　of　the　helicopters？〃　York　frowned。
　〃No；　several　kilometers　off　their　approach。　There's　a　large　section　of　good　rock　cover　under　a　crevasse　overhang　there…and　it's　certainly　the　last　direction　the　Qasamans　would　expect　us　to　run。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Telek　put　in　impatiently。　〃Just　get　us　moving；　I'll　look　the　maps　over　when　I　have　time。　Decker；　keep　an　eye　on　those　helicopters　and　let　us　know　if　anything　else　shows　up。〃
　〃Will　do；〃　York　said。　〃And　you　people　sit　on　your　screens；　too…they　could　have　sneaked　antiaircraft　or　spotters　out　there　under　the　trees　earlier　today。〃
　〃You're　a　fort　in　my　old　age；〃　Telek　returned　dryly。　〃I've　got　to　go　now；　get　Michael　on　the　line。　Talk　to　you　later。〃
　Telek's　image　vanished　from　the　screen。　〃At　least　they　can't　block　or　trace　our　munications　this　time　around；〃　the　duty　officer　said。
　〃Unless　they've　learned　about　split…frequency　radio　in　the　past　six　weeks；〃　York　told　him　heavily。　〃And　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　them。〃　Taking　a　deep　breath；　he　chased　the　last　of　the　sleep　from　his　mind。　〃All　right；　gentlemen；　let's　get　busy。　plete　sweep　of　the　village　and　everything　for　a　thousand　kilometers　around　it。　If　anything's　moving　out　there；　I　want　to　know　about　it。〃
　The　helicopter　formation　broke　up　about　fifty　kilometers　west　of　the　village；　two　of　the　smaller　ones　heading　straight　in　while　the　others　circled　to　the　north　and　south。　Winward's　Cobras　braced　for　an　attack　。。。　but　the　craft　made　only　a　single　pass　overhead　before　regrouping　to　the　east　and　swinging　around　to　head　north。　For　awhile　they　tracked　along　the　road；　and　Pyre　and　his　outrider…one　team　braced　in　turn。　But　if　they　were　spotted　there　was　no　sign。　Continuing　north；　the　helicopters　faded　into　the　background　somewhere　near　the　next　village；　disappearing　from　the　Dewdrop's　screens。
　〃You　think　they　picked　us　up？〃　Justin　asked　Pyre　as　the　ten　Cobras　of　outrider…one　returned　cautiously　to　their　roadside　positions。
　〃Hard　to　tell；〃　the　other　sighed；　checking　his　watch。　About　an　hour　and　a　half　to　local　sunrise…plenty　of　time　for　the　craft　to　refuel；　rearm；　even　sit　around　for　awhile　and　discuss　strategy；　and　still　get　back　in　time　for　a　predawn　attack　if　they　wanted　to。　〃Depends　really　on　how　good　their　infrareds　are。　Radar　and　motion　sensors　would　have　been　pretty　useless　with　the　tree　canopy　this　thick。〃
　〃I　would　have　thought　they'd　have　attacked　if　they'd　spotted　us；〃　one　of　the　others　mented。
　〃Unless　they　still　think　we　didn't　notice　them　in　the　darkness；〃　Pyre　pointed　out。　〃In　that　case　they　might　prefer　not　to　tip　off　the　gleaner…team　by　incinerating　a　se