15_death_dance-第10章

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e。　The　Alpha's　way　off　the　mark。　We　should　have　some　data　soon。〃

〃Was　it　the　globes？〃

〃Can't　tell；　Rick；〃　Vince　said　without　turning　around。

Just　then　Wolff's　voice　crackled　into　life　through　the　room's　speakers。　〃…actly　sure　what　happened。　Sarna　was　just　passing　along　instructions　to　the　orbs；　then　all　of　a　sudden　the　Beta　broke　away。　We're　way　off　course。　Can　you　give　as　a　new　heading？〃

〃ing　up；〃　Rick　answered　him。　〃Do　you　have　any　traffic　from　Janice？〃

〃Negative；　Rick。　I　can't　even　get　a　fix　on　the　ship。〃

〃She's　closing　on　the　module；　Jonathan；〃　Vince　said。　〃Any　guesses？〃

〃Not　right　now。〃

Rick　was　about　to　add　something　when　the　hatch　hissed　open。　〃We've　got　troubles；　sir；〃　a　Skull　pilot　announced。

〃We're　aware　of　it；〃　Rick　said；　more　harshly　than　was　necessary。

The　captain　took　a　puzzled　look　around。　〃No；　sir；　in　the　caves。　We're　under　attack。〃

〃Attack？　From　what？〃　Rick　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　the　woman　was　covered　with　dirt。　Her　face　was　smeared　with　some　unidentifiable　black　fluid　or　grease。

〃Uh；〃　the　pilot　stammered；　〃you're　going　to　have　to　decide　for　yourself；　sir。〃

Rick　and　the　pilot　left　the　base　at　a　run。　Outside；　Rick　saw　scores　of　orbs　streaming　from　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　Veidt　and　a　handful　of　Praxians　and　mecha　pilots　were　doing　their　best　to　calm　the　creatures；　but　Max　and　Miriya；　along　with　half　the　Wolff　Pack；　were　nowhere　in　sight。

〃In　here；　sir！〃　the　pilot　was　shouting；　motioning　to　the　cavernous　entrance。

The　floor　of　the　cave　was　shaking；　and　Rick　heard　low　rumbling　sounds　he　initially　attributed　to　tectonic　tremors；　then　he　realized　that　he　was　hearing　explosions。　These　grew　more　concussive　as　he　neared　the　grotto。

The　place　was　in　a　state　of　near　pandemonium；　dozens　of　orbs　bobbing　along；　underlit　by　intense　flashes　of　explosive　light　that　was　pouring　out　from　holes　and　shafts　in　the　floor；　strident　voices　raised　above　the　clatter　of　weapon　fire；　and　something　else…a　kind　of　shrill；　clacking　noise；　as　eerie　as　it　was　loud。

Rick　glanced　around；　trying　to　make　sense　of　things。　Karen　Penn　was　off　in　a　corner；　terrified；　although　Kami　and　Learna　were　by　her　side。　Teal　stood　some　distance　from　them；　alone　near　what　looked　to　be　a　limb　of　rock。　Gnea　and　Bela　were　carrying　coiled　lengths　of　cord　toward　a　shaft　opening；　close　by　were　a　couple　of　Perytonians　and　a　few　men　from　Wolff's　team；　donning　gas　masks　and　strapping　on　web…gear　ammo　packs。

Without　warning　someone　thrust　a　Wolverine　into　his　hands。

〃Max！〃　Rick　said；　whirling　around。　〃What's…〃

〃Cover　up；〃　Max　cut　him　off。　He　tossed　Rick　a　mask　and　trotted　off　toward　the　shaft；　cradling　an　Owens　Mark　IX　mob　gun。　〃Jack　and　Rem　are　trapped　down　there；〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder。　〃We've　killed　a　bunch　of　them　already；　but　they　just　keep　ing！〃

〃Killed　a　bunch　of　what？　Who　keeps　ing？〃

At　the　opening；　Max　pulled　down　his　respirator　and　hooked　on　to　one　of　the　cords　that　had　been　lowered　into　the　shaft。　〃Ready？〃　he　shouted　above　the　din　from　down　below。　Breathless；　Rick　followed　his　lead；　and　the　two　of　them　took　to　the　rigs。

A　moment　later；　on　the　floor　of　an　enormous　sublevel　room；　Rick　was　certain　they　had　overshot　their　mark　and　landed　in　hell。　In　the　strobing　light　he　could　see　they　were　standing　on　the　rim　of　a　massive　well　that　seemed　to　drop　straight　down　to　the　planet's　molten　core。　Here；　too；　the　ceiling　was　covered　with　orbs…most　of　them　of　greater　size　than　any　he　had　seen　on　the　surface；　but　it　was　the　creatures　crawling　up　out　of　that　well　that　had　left　him　speechless。　They　might　have　been　Hovertank…size　spiders；　except　for　their　eyestalks；　double…tiered　segmented　bodies；　and　front…facing　mouths。　And　if　they　weren't　the　devil's　own　creation；　Rick　decided；　then　he　didn't　ever　want　to　meet　their　maker。　For　no　god　could　have　loved　so　hideous　and　evil…looking　a　beast。

It　thrilled　him　to　realize　that　the　black　stickiness　coating　the　cavern's　floor　was　blood　from　these　things；　but　even　that　was　not　enough　to　wash　the　fear　out　of　him。　He　remembered　reading　somewhere　that　there　was　an　actual　endogenous　terror　hormone　certain　creatures　gave　rise　to　in　the　human　body；　and　indeed　he　seemed　to　remember　them　in　some　primal　corner　of　his　mind。　But　then　he　suddenly　recalled　where　he　had　actually　seen　them：　they　were　the　creatures　an　ancient　and　unknown　Praxian　hand　had　depicted　on　the　cave's　walls！


Tesla　was　amazed　by　the　Human　female's　strength。　He　had　finally　succeeded　in　dragging　her　backward　into　the　Beta's　cargo　space　and　now　had　both　of　Janice's　seemingly　frail　wrists　firmly　clasped　in　his　own　hands；　but　it　had　been　a　struggle　all　the　way。　Burak；　meanwhile；　had　slid　forward　into　the　cockpit　seat　to　handle　the　controls。　The　drive　module　was　looming　into　view　through　the　VT's　canopy；　right　on　schedule；　and　theirs　for　the　taking。

〃Wele　to　our　crew；〃　Tesla　was　saying　to　the　still…untamed　female。　〃Glad　to　have　you　aboard。〃　Jonathan　Wolff's　urgent　voice　could　be　heard　over　the　open　net。

Janice　twisted　around；　almost　breaking　free　of　his　hold；　and　glared　at　him。　〃Is　this　any　way　to　treat　a　guest？〃

〃If　I　let　you　free；　will　you　promise　to　behave？〃

Janice　gave　her　head　a　defiant　toss。　〃Try　me。〃

Tesla　eased　his　grip；　and　the　android　everyone　thought　a　woman　lunged　for　Burak's　neck。　Tesla　pinioned　her　arms　and　threw　her　roughly　against　the　aft　bulkhead；　he　was　pleased　to　see　some　of　the　fight　go　out　of　her。

〃Burak；〃　Janice　said　weakly；　one　hand　to　her　head。　〃What's　your　part　in　this？　I　can't　believe　you'd　leave　your　friends　to　die　back　there。〃

Burak　showed　her　his　profile；　velvety　horns　and　heavily　boned　brows　accented　amber　in　the　display　lights。　〃It's　the　only　way　I　can　help　free　my　planet；〃　he　offered。　〃You　can't　understand…〃

〃Enough　of　this；〃　Tesla　interrupted；　taking　stock　of　the　wounds　Janice's　fingernails　had　opened　on　his　arms。　〃Pay　attention　to　what　you're　doing。　And　shut　down　the　m；〃　he　added；　gesturing　to　the　net　switch。

The　crystalline…shaped　Spherisian　module　filled　their　view　now；　eclipsing　the　stars。　Burak　matched　the　Beta's　course　to　the　module's　seemingly　slow…motion　end…over…end　roll；　and　began　to　maneuver　the　mecha　along　the　drive's　scorched　and　much…abused　hull。　He　utilized　the　onboard　puter　to　municate　with　the　module's　own；　and　within　minutes　the　docking…bay　hatch　was　opened；　the　Beta　was　home　free。

When　the　bay　had　repressurized；　the　trio　climbed　from　the　Beta　cockpit　and　eventually　found　their　way　to　the　bridge。　Tesla　carried　Janice　the　entire　way；　bear…hugged　to　his　huge　chest　like　some　sort　of　stuffed　toy　he　couldn't　live　without。　Burak　lugged　along　the　mutated　fruits　he　had　smuggled　aboard　the　VT　before　liftoff。

The　Invid　was　feeling　omnipotent…not　only　because　he　had　so　easily　outwitted　the　Sentinels；　but　because　he　would　soon　be　on　his　way　to　Optera　for　the　face…to…face　encounter　with　the　Regent　he　had　so　often　envisioned　these　past　periods。　The　fruits　from　Karbarra　and　Praxis　had；　so　he　believed；　rendered　him　superior　to　the　monarch　he　had　once　served　as　soldier　and　would…be　son。　And　now　it　was　time　for　the　Regent　to　step　aside　and　grant　him　his　due　position　as　leader　of　the　Invid　race。　Tesla　had　e　to　understand　that　it　took　more　than　mere　strength　to　lead；　it　took　insight　and　vision；　and　these　gifts　were　his　in　abundance。

But　as　they　arrived　at　the　drive's　control　room；　some　very　real　problems　presented　themselves；　eroding　Tesla's　fantasies　and　summoning　an　anger　from　his　depths。

〃But　you　told　me　you　could　astrogate　this　ship！〃

With　a　gesture　of　helplessness；　Burak　turned　from　the　starmaps　and　spacefold　charts　he　had　called　up　on　the　Spherisian　guidance　monitors。　〃I　thought　I　could；　but　now。。。〃

Tesla　stormed　over　to　him　and　began　to　scan　the　screens；　puzzling　over　the　datascrolls。　He　pointed　a　thick　finger　at　one　of　them。　〃Here。　Here　is　Optera。〃

Burak's　eyes　opened　wide。　〃Optera！　But；　Tesla…Peryton；　we're　going　to　Peryton。〃

Telsa　pushed　him　aside。　〃In　due　time；〃　he　said　absently。　〃First　there　is　something　I　must　attend　to。〃

Burak　steeled　himself。　〃Then　attend　to　it　without　my　help。〃

Tesla　made　a　violent　motion　with　his　hands；　but　checked　himself　short　of　the　Perytonian's　neck；　taking　him　instead　by　the　shou