tz.cobra strike-第68章
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came an explosion as the Qasamans destroyed the tree that blocked their path。 Slowing as he passed the last of their prepared trees； Pyre sent it crashing down behind him； a move that should put the ground troops out of the game for good。 Pushing his pace to the limit； he watched the sky for both the descending Dewdrop and the Qasamans〃 inevitable aerial response。
From his vantage point the events occurred simultaneously。 Far ahead the glittering shape of the small starship dropped rapidly against the blue sky as； overhead； three small helicopters screamed southward to the attack。 A hard lump rose into Pyre's throat as He watched them disappear behind the tree…tops。 They were； as York had predicted； modified civilian craft 。。。 but the Cobras〃 brief tangle with them had showed them well worth taking seriously。
He kept running。 Far ahead the roar of the helicopters〃 engines changed pitch as they reached the village。 Small explosions came faintly over the wind in his ears and； once； the sort of blast he remembered from the helicopter they'd shot down over the barricade。 He wondered who had pulled it off this time； and whether the Cobra had lived through it。 Blinking the tears from his eyes； he squinted against the wind and kept going。
And suddenly it was all over。 A great roiling pillar of black smoke rose above the trees； and seconds later the Dewdrop shot out of it like a missile from its launcher。 The two remaining helicopters climbed after it； but their weapons weren't designed to fire straight up and the Dewdrop's gravity lifts were more than adequate to maintain the starship's lead。 The three craft became points of reflected light in the sky 。。。 and then were just two spots。
The Dewdrop； gleaner…team's scientists aboard； had escaped。 Leaving the Cobras behind。
Ahead； someone stepped from the trees along the road and gave Pyre a quick wave before retreating to cover again。 Pyre slowed and joined him。 〃Any trouble？〃 the other Cobra asked。
Pyre shook his head。 〃They're at least ten minutes behind me。 Any sign of our escort yet？〃
The other grinned。 〃Sure。 Just listen。〃
Pyre notched up his enhancers。 In the distance he could hear a low rumble； acpanied by a well…remembered snuffling。 〃Right on schedule。 Everyone ready？〃
〃This end is； anyway。 I presume gleaner…team's Cobras made it out while everyone was blinded by the smokescreen。〃
〃And were all busy assuming the Cobras were going inward instead of owfward；〃 Pyre nodded。 This would be a whole lot easier if the Qasamans thought everyone had escaped in the Dewdrop。
The rumbling was getting closer。。。。
And then； across the road； they burst out of the woods： a bololin herd； running for all it was worth。 A big herd； Pyre saw； the far end of its leading edge lost beyond a curve in the road and the dust of its own passage。 Maybe a thousand animals in all 。。。 and among all those warm bodies； hidden from sight by all that dust； forty Cobras would hardly be noticeable。 Even if someone thought to look。
The leading edge had passed； the herd's flanks perhaps twenty meters away。 Turning； Pyre and the other Cobra began to pace them； drifting closer to the herd as they ran until they were perhaps four meters away。 Glances ahead and behind showed the rest of outrider…one joining the flow。 At the herd's opposite flank； if all had gone well； the gleaner…team Cobras were doing likewise。
And for the next few hours； they should all be reasonably safe。 After that…
After that； the Menssana lay three hundred kilometers almost dead ahead； presumably still unnoticed by the planetary authorities。 If it could stay that way for the next six hours； the Cobras would be aboard and the ship in orbit long before any aircraft could be scrambled to intercept it。
Theoretically； anyway。 Pyre settled his legs into a rhythmic pace； letting his servos take as much of the load as possible。 Personally； he would be happy if things even came close。
And in this case； they did。
Chapter 30
They listened in silence as McKinley went through his presentation； and when he was finished Stiggur sighed。 〃No chance of an error； I don't suppose。〃
McKinley shook his head。 〃Nothing significant； certainly。 We had enough test subjects to get good statistics。〃
Across the table from him； Jonny pursed his lips； the bittersweet taste of Pyrrhic victory in his mouth。 He'd been vindicated； his 〃crazy〃 theory about the mojos more or less confirmed。
But the price of that victory was going to be war。
He could see that in the faces around the table。 The other governors were scared…more than they'd ever been after the Dewdrop's first mission。 And even though some of them might not know how they'd respond to that fear； he understood human nature enough to know which way most would eventually go。 Fight and flight were the only basic options 。。。 and the Cobra Worlds had no place to run。
Fairleigh cleared his throat。 〃I still don't understand how the mojos can be doing all this。 I mean； you've established their brain capacity is too small for intelligence； haven't you？〃
〃There's no particular need for intelligence in this；〃 McKinley said。 〃It's the mojo's symbiont…either hu…
man or krisjaw…who actually assess the situation。 The mojo simply picks up that evaluation and pushes for the response that is in the mojo's best interests。〃
〃But that takes judgment； and that implies intelligence；〃 Fairleigh persisted。
〃Not necessarily；〃 Telek shook her head。 〃Straight extrapolative logic could simply be part of the mojo's instinct package。 I've seen instincts in other animals that appear to take as much or more intelligence than that would require。 You'll notice that the Chata spookie seems to manage the same trick with only a slightly larger cranial capacity。〃
〃It could be even easier； at least for the mojo；〃 McKinley added。 〃Presumably the human conies up with his own list of possible responses； including…on some level…how each response would affect the mojo。 Choosing among those takes no more intelligence than any animal needs to survive in the wild。〃
〃Could you be reading the data wrong； somehow； then？〃 Stiggur asked。 〃We need to be absolutely sure of what's going on。〃
〃I don't think we are； sir；〃 McKinley shook his head。 〃We didn't get as many details out of Moff as Winward was hoping we would； but I think what he did say pretty well confirms this interpretation。〃
〃Not to mention the krisjaw incident；〃 Roi murmured。 〃There's no rational explanation for their behavior if the mojos weren't in at least partial control。〃
The room fell silent。 Stiggur glanced around the table； then nodded at McKinley。 〃Thank you。 Doctor； for your time。 We'll get in touch if we have any more questions。 You'll be able to give this presentation to the full Council tomorrow？〃
McKinley nodded。 〃Two o'clock； right？〃
〃Right。 We'll see you then。〃
McKinley went out； and Stiggur turned back to the table。 〃Any discussion before we vote on our remendation？〃
〃How could something like this have happened？〃 Vartanson asked； his tone almost petulant。 〃Symbi…onts don't just swap partners whenever they feel like it。〃
〃Why not？〃 Roi shrugged。 〃I'm sure Lizabet could e up with dozens of other examples。〃
〃Nothing like that many； but there are some；〃 Telek nodded。 〃In this case； I think； you just have to look at the krisjaw's characteristics to see why humans look so attractive as partners。 First off； the mojos need good hunters to kill bololins for them； but the vi…ciousness that makes krisjaws good hunters also means a returning mojo probably has half a chance of being eaten itself until it reestablishes control。 You saw the films of the attack…the mojos were barely off their krisjaws〃 backs before the animals went berserk。〃
〃And their range is longer with humans？〃 Hemner asked。
〃It seems to be； yes； but that may be only incidental；〃 Telek said。 〃The real point is that humans with guns are simultaneously safer hunters and better hunters。 That also means the humans seldom if ever lose the fight and get killed； by the way； which saves the mojo the trouble of finding and getting used to someone new。〃
〃The training period being especially dangerous if it's breaking in a new kr
