tz.cobra strike-第63章

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　〃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　section　of　forest　twenty　kilometers　north。〃
　〃They'll　leave　that　for　the　ground　troops　in　the　morning；　I　suppose；〃　someone　else　put　in　dryly。
　Pyre　grimaced；　the　news　of　the　convoy　moving　south　along　the　roads　had　e　from　the　Dewdrop　only　fifteen　minutes　earlier。　〃Probably；〃　he　admitted。　〃Though　if　I　were　them　I'd　bring　the　helicopters　back　for　the　party；　too。　Not　much　point　in　subtlety　by　that　time。〃
　〃What　fun；〃　Justin　said。　〃Any　other　good　news？〃
　Pyre　shrugged。　〃Only　that　the　convoy's　not　due　for　a　few　more　hours　at　the　least…which　means　some　of　us　should　get　reasonably　caught　up　on　our　sleep　before　then。〃
　〃Only　some　of　us？〃
　〃We've　got　to　have　sentries；〃　Pyre　pointed　out。　〃Can't　count　on　the　Qasamans　not　to　sneak　something　past　the　Dewdrop…and　the　helicopters　might　e　back。　Hey；　get　used　to　it；　friends…this　is　what　warfare　is　all　about：　worry　and　lack　of　sleep。〃
　Plus；　of　course；　a　lot　of　dying。　Pyre　hoped　they　wouldn't　have　to　find　out　too　much　about　that　part。
　The　helicopters〃　early　morning　flyby　hadn't　gone　unnoticed　by　the　gleaner…team；　of　course。　But　it　wasn't　until　the　day's　testing　began　that　they　discovered　the　villagers；　too；　had　heard　the　overhead　activity。
　〃You　can　see　it　in　their　faces　and　body　language　as　clearly　as　if　they　were　wearing　wraparound　displays/〃　McKinley　told　Winward　tightly　an　hour　into　the　interviews。　〃They　know　the　government's　on　to　us　and　they're　fully　expecting　some　kind　of　move　soon；　probably　within　a　day。〃
　Winward　nodded；　York　and　the　others　aboard　the　Dewdrop　had　e　to　the　same　conclusion。　〃Well；　we　certainly　can't　sit　put　for　a　hall…scale　military　operation　here。　What's　the　earliest　time　you　can　be　finished？〃
　〃Depends　on　how　much　data　you　want　to　take　back；〃　the　other　shrugged。　〃We're　already　bining　the　original　day　two　and　day　three　schedules；　taking　half　the　data　points　we'd　originally　planned　for　each…〃
　From　one　of　the　rooms　down　the　hall　came　a　muffled　shriek　and　the　crash　of　a　falling　object。　〃What…？〃　McKinley　snapped；　spinning　around。
　Winward　was　already　moving　at　a　dead　run；　auditory　enhancers　keyed　for　follow…up　noises。　The　sounds　of　a　struggle　。。。　muffled　curses　。。。　that　door…
　He　slammed　it　open　to　see　one　of　the　Cobras　pulling　a　struggling　Qasaman　from　the　desk　he'd　apparently　thrown　himself　across。　The　experimenter；　picking　himself　up　shakily　from　the　floor　behind　his　overturned　chair；　was　white…faced　with　shock；　the　pale　skin　in　sharp　contrast　to　the　oozing　blood　on　his　cheek。　Beside　him　on　the　floor　lay　a　dead　mojo。　The　Cobra　looked　up　as　Winward　strode　in。　〃The　mojo　tried　to　attack；　and　I　had　to　kill　it。　I　was　a　little　too　slow　to　stop　this　one。〃
　Winward　nodded　as　McKinley　skidded　into　the　room　behind　him。　〃Get　him　out　of　here；〃　he　told　the　Cobra。
　〃Killers；〃　the　Qasaman　spat　toward　Winward　as　theotherCobrahauledhim　toward　the　door。　〃Foulspring　excrement　vermin…〃
　The　door　slammed　on　his　tirade。　〃Loses　a　lot　in　translation；　I'll　bet。〃　Winward　and　McKinley　moved　to　the　tester's　side。　〃You　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　the　other　nodded；　dabbing　with　a　handkerchief　at　his　cheek。　〃Took　me　pletely　by　surprise…his　control　just　seemed　to　snap；　and　there　he　was　on　top　of　me。〃
　Winward　exchanged　glances　with　McKinley。　〃When　was　that？　When　his　mojo　was　killed？〃
　〃Oddly　enough；　no。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　think　they　both　jumped　me　at　the　same　time。　Though　I　couldn't　swear　to　that。〃
　〃Um；〃　McKinley　nodded。　〃Well；　the　tapes　will　show　the　details。　You'd　better　go　to　HQ；　get　those　scratches　looked　at。　No　point　taking　any　chances。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Sorry。〃
　〃Not　your　fault。　And　don't　e　back　until　you're　sure　you　feel　ready　to　continue。　We're　not　in　that　much　of　a　hurry。〃
　The　tester　nodded　and　left。　〃If　he's　too　obviously　nervous　it　could　skew　his　results；〃　McKinley　explained。
　Winward　nodded。　He　had　the　recorder　box　back　on　the　table　now　and　popped　the　rear　panel。　〃Let's　see　what　really　happened。〃
　The　tester；　it　turned　out；　had　been　correct。　Bird　and　man　had　attacked　at　precisely　the　same　moment。
　〃You　can　see　signs　of　agitation　in　both　of　them；〃　McKinley　pointed　out；　running　the　tape　again。　〃The　rippling　feathers　and　snapping　motions　of　the　beak　here；　the　shifting　muscle　lines　in　his　face；　here；　and　the　hand　movements。〃
　〃This　is　all　in　response　to　ultrasonics　that　humans　can't　hear？〃　Something　prickled　on　the　back　of　Win…ward's　neck。
　〃Right。　Just　took　at　the　tester　here…he's　in　the　same　ultrasonic　beam　and　isn't　so　much　as　sweating　hard。〃　McKinley　bit　at　his　lip。　〃But　I　wasn't　expecting　this　much　of　a　mon　reaction。〃
　〃They're　getting　some　of　their　courage　back；　maybe；　knowing　troops　are　on　the　way。〃
　〃But　the　birds　aren't　supposed　to　be　intelligent　enough　to　pick　up　on　things　like　that；〃　McKinley　growled。
　〃Maybe　they　pick　it　up　via　body　language　from　their　humans。　Maybe　that's　the　way　the　mojos〃　agitation　transmits　in　reverse；　too；〃
　〃Possible。〃　McKinley　sighed。　〃Unfortunately；　the　body　language　and　telepathic　theories　are　going　to　be　very　hard　to　distinguish　between　without　long…term　studies。〃
　〃Which　we　don't　have　time　for。〃　Winward　grimaced。　〃Well；　do　the　best　you　can…maybe　you　and　the　bio　people　will　be　able　to　pull　useful　results　out　of　the　raw　data。　In　the　meantime；　try　to　avoid　pushing　any　more　of　your　subjects　over　the　brink。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　Banyon　took　a　deep　breath；　exhaled　it　carefully。　At　long　last；　paydirt。
　The　three　creatures　eyeing　the　humans　from　the　undergrowth　were　krisjaws；　all　right…surely　no　two　creatures　on　Qasama　could　have　those　wavy；　flame…shaped　canine　teeth。　Nearly　two　meters　long；　with　the　lean　musculature　and　stealth　of　predators；　they　eased　toward　the　four　humans；　eyes　fixed　on　their　prey。
　And　Governor　Telek's　theory　had　been　correct。　On　the　shoulder　of　each　sat　an　equally　attentive　mojo。
　〃Now　what？〃　Hanford　murmured；　a　bit　nervously；　at　Banyon's　side。　〃You　have　the　recorders　running？〃　The　Cobra　sensed　rather　than　saw　Hanford's　nod。　〃Everyone　else　in　position？〃
　Three　acknowledgments　came　through　his　earphone。　The　other　Cobras　had　the　krisjaws　boxed　up　。。。　and　it　was　time　to　test　the　predators〃　reactions。　〃Get　ready；〃　he　muttered　to　the　zoologists　grouped　behind　him。　〃Here　goes。〃　Raising　his　hands；　he　fired　a　salvo　from　fingertip　lasers　into　the　brush　at　either　side　of　the　stalking　animals。
　The　krisjaws　weren't　stupid。　All　three　froze　in　place　for　a　long　minute　and　then　began　backing　away　as　cautiously　as　they'd　been　advancing。　They　got　barely　a　meter；　though；　before　a　second　burst　of　laser　fire　from　one　of　Banyon's　hidden　flankers　traced　a　line　of　smoldering　vegetation　behind　them。　Again　they　froze；　heads　turning　slowly　as　if　to　seek　out　their　hidden　assailant。　〃Well；〃　Banyon　said　after　a　few　seconds；　〃it　looks　like　they'll　be　staying　put　for　a　bit。　How　close　did　you　want　to　examine　them？〃
　〃No　closer　than　necessary；〃　one　of　the　zoologists　muttered。　〃I　don't　trust　a　flash　net　to　hold　anything　that　size。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　Hanford　said…though　not　all　that　confidently；　Banyon　thought。　〃Let　me　take　a　shot　at　the　one　on　the　right。　Everyone　watch　for　trouble。〃
　There　was　a　soft　chuff　of　pressed　air　from　behind　Banyon's　shoulder；　a　glimpse　of　a　tiny　cylinder　arrowing　toward　the　target　krisjaw…and　with　an　explosive　crack　the　flash　net　blew　out　to　tangle　the　krisjaw's　head　and　forelegs。　Screeching；　the　mojo　on　its　back　shot　clear　。。。　and　the　krisjaw　went　berserk。
　Banyon　had　used　flash　nets　against　spine　leopards　on　Aventine　on　numerous　occasion…had　trapped　bigger　and　meaner…looking　animals　orr…the　Menssana's　five…world　tour　a　couple　of　months　ago…but　never　in　all　that　had　he　seen　such　a　violent　reaction。　The　krisjaw　screamed　in　rage；　slashing　as　best　it　could　with　teeth　and　claws　at　the　fine　mesh　clinging　to　its　body；　rolling　around　in　the　underbrush　and　occasionally　even　twisting　itself　entirely　off　the　ground　in　its　frenzy。
　And　within　seconds　it　had　opened　up　tears　in　the　net。
　Hanford　stepped　a　pace　forward；　raising　his　air　gun　again；　but　Banyon　had　already　made　his　decision。　〃Forget　it；〃　he　called　to　the　zoologist　over　the　no