15_death_dance-第1章

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Robotech　Sentinels：　Death　Dance
Book　15　of　the　Robotech　Series
Copyright　1988　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



CHAPTER　ONE

It　was　as　if　the　Expeditionary　mission　was　fated　to　strike　a　truce　with　someone；　and　the　Regent　just　happened　to　be　the　only　enemy　in　residence。　In　another　five　years　the　Robotech　Masters　would　arrive　in　Earthspace；　followed　three　years　later　by　the　Regis　and　her　half　of　the　Invid　horde；　but　in　2026　（Earth…relative）　this　was　still　speculation；　and　for　a　few　brief　days　there　was　talk　of　peace；　trust；　and　other　impossibilities。
Ahmed　Rashona；　That　Pass　in　the　Night：　The　SDF…3　and　the　Mission　to　Tirol

A　fleet　of　Invid　warships　emerged　from　their　transtemporal　journey　through　hyperspace　into　the　cool　radiance　of　Fantoma's　primary；　like　so　many　shells　left　revealed　on　a　black　sand　beach　by　a　receding　tide。　The　mollusklike　carriers　positioned　themselves　a　respectful　distance　from　the　moon　they　had　captured　then　lost；　only　the　fleet's　mullet…shaped　flagship　continued　its　approach；　menacing　in　its　sealed　silence。

At　the　edge　of　the　ringed　giant's　shadow；　Tirol's　guardian；　the　SDF…3；　swung　round　to　face　off　with　the　Regent's　vessel；　the　crimson　lobes　of　its　main　gun　brilliantly　outlined　in　starlight。

Aboard　the　Earth　fortress；　in　the　ship's　Tactical　Information　Center；　Major　General　T。　R。　Edwards　watched　as　a　transport　shuttle　emerged　from　the　tip　of　one　of　the　flagship's　armored　tentacles。　Edwards　trusted　that　the　Regent　was　aboard　the　small　craft；　acpanied　certainly　by　a　retinue　of　guards　and　scientists。　The　presence　of　the　Invid　fleet　made　it　clear　that　any　acts　of　aggression　or　duplicity　would　spell　mutual　annihilation　for　Invid　and　Humans　alike。

Admiral　Forsythe；　who　manded　the　SDF…3's　bridge　in　the　wake　of　Lisa　Hayes's　departure　with　the　Sentinels；　was　now　in　constant　munication　with　the　Invid　flagship。　It　was　the　Regent　who　had　taken　the　initiative　in　suggesting　this　extraordinary　visit；　but　Forsythe　had　insisted　that　the　fortress　remain　at　high　alert　status　at　least　until　the　Regent　was　aboard。　Disillusioned　by　decades　of　war　and　betrayal；　and　hardened　by　the　grim　realities　of　recent　reversals；　it　was　the　Human　race　that　had　grown　wary　of　summits；　distrustful　of　those　who　would　sue　for　peace。

Scanners　and　camera　remotes　monitored　the　approach　of　the　Regent's　shuttlecraft　and　relayed　relevant　data　to　screens　in　the　fortress's　cavernous　Tactical　Center；　where　techs　and　staff　officers　were　keeping　a　close　watch　on　the　situation。　Edwards　moved　to　the　railing　of　the　mand　balcony　for　an　overview　of　the　room's　enormous　horizontal　situation　screen。　Studying　the　positions　of　the　Invid　troop　carriers　in　relation　to　the　SDF…3；　it　occurred　to　him　how　easy　it　would　be　to　fire　at　them　right　now；　perhaps　take　half　of　them　out　along　with　the　Regent　himself　before　the　Invid　retaliated。　And　even　then　there　was　a　good　chance　the　fortress　would　survive　the　return　fire；　which　was　bound　to　be　confused。　Numerous　though　they　might　be；　the　Invid　seemed　to　lack　any　real　knowledge　of　strategy。　Edwards　was　convinced　that　their　successful　strike　against　the　SDF…3　almost　six　months　ago　had　been　the　result　of　surprise　and　old…fashioned　blind　luck。　More　to　the　point；　he　felt　that　he　had　an　intuitive　understanding　of　this　enemy…a　second　sense　birthed　during　his　brief　exposure　to　the　brainlike　device　his　own　Ghost　Squadron　had　captured　on　Tirol。

Edwards　reminded　himself　of　the　several　good　reasons　for　exercising　restraint。　Apart　from　the　fact　that　the　actual　size　of　the　Invid　fleet　remained　unknown；　there　was　this　Regis　being　to　wonder　about；　her　whereabouts　and　motivations　had　yet　to　be　determined。　Besides；　he　sensed　that　the　Regent　had　something　more　than　peace　negotiations　in　mind。　In　any　case；　the　data　Edwards　had　furnished　the　Invid　regarding　the　Sentinels'　ship　had　already　linked　the　two　of　them　in　a　separate　peace。　But　Edwards　was　willing　to　play　out　the　charade…even　if　it　amounted　to　nothing　more　than　an　opportunity　to　appraise　his　potential　partner。

He　dismissed　his　musings　abruptly　and　returned　to　the　balcony　console；　where　he　received　an　update　on　the　shuttlecraft's　ETA　in　the　fortress　docking　bay。　Then；　giving　a　final　moment　of　attention　to　the　room's　numerous　screens　and　displays；　he　hurried　out；　adjusting　his　alloy　faceplate　as　one　would　a　hat；　and　tugging　his　dress　blues　into　shape。

The　docking　bay　had　been　transformed　into　a　kind　of　parade　grounds　for　the　occasion；　with　everyone　present　as　decked　out　as　they　had　been　at　the　Hunters'　wedding　extravaganza。　There　had　been　no　advance　notice　of　what；　if　any；　protocols　were　to　be　observed；　but　a　brass　band　was　on　hand　nonetheless。　The　impression　the　Plenipotentiary　Council　wished　to　convey　was　that　of　a　highly…organized　group；　strong　and　decisive；　but　warlike　only　as　a　last　resort。　The　twelve　members　of　the　council　had　a　viewstand　all　to　themselves　at　the　edge　of　a　broad　magenta　circle；　concentric　to　the　shuttle's　touchdown　zone。　A　majority　of　the　council　had　ruled　against　the　show　of　force　Edwards　had　pushed　for；　but　as　a　concession；　he　had　been　allowed　to　crowd　the　bay　with　rank　after　rank　of　spit…shined　mecha…Battloids；　Logans；　Hovertanks；　Excalibers；　Spartans；　and　the　like。

The　shuttle　docked　while　Edwards　was　making　his　way　to　a　preassigned　place　near　the　council's　raised　platform；　since　he　had　been　the　council's　spokesperson　in　arranging　the　talks；　it　had　been　decided　that　he　represent　them　now　in　the　introductory　proceedings。　Edwards　had　of　course　both　seen　and　fought　against　the　enemy's　troops；　and　he　had　met　face…to…face　with　the　scientists　Obsim　and　Tesla；　but　neither　of　these　examples　had　prepared　him　for　his　first　sight　of　the　Invid　Regent；　nor　had　the　Royal　Hall's　municator　sphere　given　him　any　sense　of　the　XT's　size。　Like　the　lesser　beings　of　the　Invid　race；　the　Regent　was　something　of　an　evolutionary　pastiche…a　greenish　slug…headed　bipedal　creature　whose　ontogeny　and　native　habitat　was　impossible　to　imagine…but　he　stood　a　good　twenty　feet　high　and　was　crowned　by　an　organic　cowl　or　hood；　adorned；　so　it　seemed；　with　a　median　ridge　of　eyeball…like　tubercles。　Dr。　Lang　had　talked　about　self…generated　transformations　and　reshapings　that　had　little　to　do　with　evolution　as　it　had　e　to　be　accepted　（and　expected）　on　Earth。　But　all　the　Protoculture　pataphysics　in　the　galaxy　couldn't　keep　Edwards　from　gaping。

A　dozen　armed　and　armored　troopers　preceded　the　Regent　down　the　shuttle　ramp　（a　ribbed　saucer　similar　in　design　to　the　troop　carriers）；　and　split　into　two　ranks；　genuflecting　on　either　side　of　what　would　be　the　Regent's　carpeted　path　toward　the　council　platform。　Recovered；　Edwards　stepped　forward　to　greet　the　alien　in　Tiresian；　then　repeated　the　words　in　English。　The　Invid　threw　back　the　folds　of　his　cerulean　robes；　revealing　four…fingered　hands；　and　glared　down　at　him。

〃I　learned　your　language…yesterday；〃　the　Regent　announced　in　a　voice　that　carried　its　own　echo。　〃I　find　your　concepts　most。。。amusing。〃

Edwards　looked　up　into　the　Regent's　black　eyes　and　offered　a　grin。　〃And　rest　assured　we'll　do　our　best　to　keep　you　amused；　Your　Highness。〃　He　was　pleased　to　see　the　alien's　bulbous　snout　sensors　begin　to　pulsate。

Edwards's　one…eyed　gaze　held　the　Regent's　own　for　an　instant；　and　that　was　all　he　needed　to　realize　that　something　was　wrong…that　this　being　was　not　the　one　he　had　spoken　to　via　the　munications　sphere。　But　he　kept　this　to　himself；　falling　aside　theatrically　to　usher　the　Regent　forward　to　the　council　platform。

The　Plenipotentiary　members　introduced　themselves　one　by　one；　and　after　further　formalities　the　Regent　and　his　retinue　were　directed　to　the　amphitheater　that　had　been　designated　for　the　talks。　The　Regent's　size　had　necessitated　a　specific　route；　along　which　Edwards　had　made　certain　to　place　as　many　varieties　of　mecha　as　he　could　muster。　Each　hold　the　summit　principals　passed　through　found　bat…ready　Veritechs　and　Alphas；　each　corridor　turn；　another　squad　of　RDF　troops　or　a　contingent　of　towering　Destroids。　While　aboard；　the　Regent's　every　word　and　step　would　be　monitored　by　the　extensive　security　system　Edwards　had　made　operational　as　part　of　his　Code　Pyramid　project…a　system　that　had　also