15_death_dance-第24章

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Rick　could　see　that　the　news　came　as　a　shock　to　Kami　and　Learna　also。

〃So　much　for　surgical　strikes　from　the　ship；〃　Max　said。

Rick　regarded　the　chief　for　a　moment。　He　found　that　he　was　not　yet　accustomed　to　seeing　Garudans　without　then…breathers；　omnivores　they　might　be；　but　there　was　a　ferocity　to　their　muzzles　he　wasn't　all　that　fortable　with。　Outwardly；　the　chief　resembled　Kami；　but　there　was　a　solemnness　to　his　aspect　that　was　absent　in　the　younger　Garudan。

〃What　about　mecha？〃　Lisa　wanted　to　know。　〃Scouts；　Shock　Troopers？〃

〃Only　when　their　transport　ships　arrive；〃　the　chief　told　her。　〃They　patrol　near　the　farms　to　protect　the　nutrient　shipment　while　it　is　being　loaded。　Rarely　do　they　venture　into　tribal　sectors。〃

Rick　watched　the　chief　gnaw　at　a　hunk　of　meat　one　of　the　women　had　offered　him。　〃Is　there　any　regularity　to　the　shipments？〃

The　chief　exchanged　a　few　sentences　with　Kami　in　the　Garudan　tongue。　The　Sentinel　translated。　〃Approximately　every　three　standard　months。〃　This　was　changed　every　so　often　in　an　attempt　to　foil　what　was　an　extensive　underground　network　at　work　on　Garuda。　But　the　Invid　never　managed　to　keep　anything　secret　for　very　long。

〃And　when　did　the　last　shipment　leave？〃

〃One　month　ago。〃

Rick　grinned　beneath　his　transpirator　mask。　〃That　means　we're　in　the　clear　for　the　moment。　Even　if　they've　already　municated　with　their　fleet；　reinforcements　could　take　weeks　to　get　here。〃

〃The　closest　farm　is　about　one　hundred　miles　from　here；〃　Learna　said；　without　being　asked。　〃Kami　and　I　know　that　area　well。〃

〃An　aerial　recon；〃　Max　suggested。

〃No；〃　Rick　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　should　tip　our　hand　just　yet。　We'll　go　in　on　Hovercycles　first。　Take　a　quick　look　around　before　we　plan　an　assault。　Just　because　mecha　haven't　been　observed　doesn't　mean　they're　not　in　there。〃

〃I　agree；〃　Rick　heard　Jack　say　behind　him。

Karen　nudged　Jack　with　her　elbow　for　butting　in。　〃Sir？〃　she　then　said　to　Lisa；　hoping　Jack　would　learn　by　example。

〃Go　ahead；　Karen。〃

〃I　was　just　wondering　what　exactly　happened　to　the　first　Invid　troops　that　landed　here…before　the　hives　were　built；　I　mean。〃

Again；　Kami　and　the　chief　exchanged　a　few　words。

〃They　went　mad；〃　the　Garudan　leader　said　evenly。　〃Then　they　died。〃


The　recon　team…Rick；　Lisa；　Jack；　Karen；　Rem；　and　Kami　as　scout…left　the　village　shortly　before　dawn；　sticking　close　to　the　northern　fringe　of　Garuda's　preternaturally　quiet　forest。　They　had　traveled　seventy…five　miles　by　the　time　Rhestad　rose…a　massive　oblate　field　of　crimson　that　did　little　to　warm　the　land。　The　two　villages　they　passed　en　route　had　already　been　informed　of　the　mission。　Worried　about　attracting　any　undue　attention　to　themselves；　Rick　had　requested　that　the　Garudans　simply　go　about　their　business；　but　there　was　obviously　too　much　excitement　in　the　air　for　that。　For　sometimes　miles　at　a　stretch；　Rick　would　see　them　crouched　along　the　paths　the　Hovercycles　cut　through　the　woods；　silent　and　feral；　vulpine　eyes　aglow　in　the　eerie　morning　light。

At　mile　eighty…five　the　team　encountered　its　first　Inorganic　patrol…a　pack　of　Hellcats　a　dozen　strong；　roaming　the　forest　like　some　fiendish　pride　of　saber…tooths。　Kami　had　spotted　them　and　passed　the　word；　the　Hovercycles　were　shut　down　and　concealed。　It　was　understood　by　now　that　the　Inorganics　were　more　than　marauders　or　Robopolice　units；　they　functioned　as　the　remote　eyes　and　ears　for　the　Invid　living　puters；　which　in　turn　directed　the　scientists　or　mand　troops。　Engagement；　therefore；　even　if　it　ended　in　victory；　would　have　only　served　to　alert　the　hive　to　the　team's　position；　so　they　lay　as　still　as　they　could；　pressed　close　to　the　chilled　ground　until　the　pack　had　moved　through。

Rick　and　Lisa　were　on　their　stomachs；　side…by…side；　environmental　suits　adjusted　to　mimic　the　colors　and　textures　of　the　area's　fernlike　ground　cover。　Rick　had　his　arm　flung　protectively　across　his　wife's　back；　and　was　gazing　at　her　through　the　helmet's　bubble…shield。　Her　eyes　returned　the　wrinkled　look　his　own　were　trying　to　convey。　It　was　the　first　time　he　and　Lisa　had　been　out　together　in　a　long　while；　and　if　this　wasn't　exactly　anyone's　idea　of　an　ideal　date　or　the　〃closeness〃　Lisa　had　in　mind　during　their　most　recent　heart…to…heart；　at　least　they　were　together。　And　somehow…though　Rick　would　have　been　at　a　loss　to　explain　it…he　felt　more　assured　with　Lisa　beside　him。　At　the　same　time　her　presence　had　a　kind　of　calming　effect；　because　no　matter　what　they　might　have　to　face；　he　was　freed　from　having　to　worry　about　where　she　was　or　what　dangers　she　might　have　otherwise　been　facing　alone。　Here；　he　had　some　measure　of　control　over　her　situation…their　situation。

Moving　more　cautiously　after　Kami　gave　the　all…clear　sign；　the　team　took　another　hour　to　cover　the　last　fifteen　miles。　They　had　portions　of　the　enormous　hive　in　sight　for　five　of　those　miles；　but　didn't　get　an　unobstructed　view　of　the　thing　until　they　were　almost　on　top　of　it。　It　sat　in　the　center　of　an　ancient　impact　crater；　in　a　veritable　forest　of　Optera　trees；　a　dome…shaped　structure　with　a　base　almost　ten　miles　around；　posed　entirely　of　what　appeared　to　be　organic　facets　or　geodesies；　in　fact；　the　hive　had　the　look　of　something　grown　rather　than　erected。　Four　mile…high　cattaillike　antenna　towers　were　positioned　at　cardinal　points　around　the　hive's　oddly　〃bubbled〃　base。

Through　field　glasses；　Rick　could　discern　Garudan　slaves　gathering　mutated　fruits　from　the　trees。　Huge　containers　of　these　were　being　conveyed　to　the　hive　itself　by　Invid　soldiers　in　specially　outfitted　suits；　often　piloting　Hovercarts　of　various　design。　Tracking　the　carts'　movements　ultimately　enabled　Rick　to　discover　one　of　the　hive's　tunnellike　transport　corridors。

〃What　happens　later　on？〃　Rick　whispered　to　Kami；　who　had　stooped　down　to　ask　for　the　binoculars。　〃Are　the　workers　taken　into　the　hive？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　bringing　his　muzzle　close　to　the　helmet's　audio　pickups。　〃The　labor　camp　lies　about　two　miles　from　here。〃　Kami　pointed　out　the　direction。

〃Are　you　certain　there　are　no　Garudans　inside　the　hive？〃

Kami　shook　his　head。　〃Not　certain。〃　The　hives　were　the　only　places　on　the　planet　impervious　to　Garudan　Sendings　and　out…of…body　flights；　but　the　Invids'　continued　presence　on　world　in　general　had　confused　things。　The　clouds　and　wind　were　full　of　sinister　whisperings。

〃Then　we've　gotta　find　out；〃　Rick　said；　turning　around　to　motion　the　others　forward。

Jack　remained　behind　as　rear　guard；　while　the　rest　of　the　team　began　to　work　their　way　over　the　low　ridge　that　was　the　crater's　rim　and　down　into　the　basin　itself。　It　was　warmer　here；　Rick　realized　without　having　to　check　the　suit's　sensor　displays；　redolent；　too；　he　imagined；　as　the　Optera　tree　forests　on　Praxis　had　been。　They　were　closing　on　the　edge　of　the　cultivation　area　now；　and　it　was　time　for　Kami　to　go　it　alone。

〃Don't　take　any　chances；〃　Rick　cautioned　him。　He　checked　his　chronometer。　〃One　hour。　If　you're　not　back　by　then；　we're　moving　out。〃

〃I'll　get　word　back　to　you　from　the　camp　if　anything　happens。〃

The　underground；　Rick　reminded　himself。

〃Just　see　that　it　doesn't；〃　Rem　said。

Karen　and　Lisa　wished　Kami　luck；　and　he　started　to　move　off。

Then　all　at　once　a　small　mountain　was　growing　under　their　feet。　Rick　thought　for　a　moment　that　this　might　be　how　the　bulb…canopied　Optera　trees　pushed　themselves　from　the　ground。　Lisa　and　the　others　had　been　knocked　off　their　feet；　but　he　was　still　riding　the　rise　up；　arms　outstretched　like　a　high…wire　walker。　Elsewhere　he　could　see　two　more　humps　beginning　to　form。　Kami　yelled　something　inprehensible；　just　before　Rick　leaped　and　caught　hold　of　a　network　of　vinelike　tendrils　encasing　the　canopy…bulb　of　the　nearest　tree。　He　was　dangling　ten　feet　above　the　ground　now；　looking　down　on　his　teammates　and　wondering　why　they　had　their　weapons　drawn；　when　a　triple…clawed　Scout　pincer　suddenly　slammed　into　the　tree　not　a　foot　from　his　head。　The　bulb　split　open　like　an　overripe　melon；　showering　him　with　viscous　green　gop　and　what　he　took　to　be　seeds。

Lisa　and　Karen；　meanwhile；　were　firing　charges　at　the　crab…ship；　trying　to　position　themselves　for　a　shot　at　the　mecha's　scanner；　a　pouting　red　mouth　low　d