15_death_dance-第28章

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〃Wolff；〃　he　said。

〃A　small　craft；〃　one　of　the　new　crewmen　reported。　〃Not　much　bigger　than　an　Alpha。　Transport；　maybe。〃

〃Put　it　up；〃　Wolff　said；　swinging　to　a　monitor　screen。

〃No　can　do；　sir。　Too　far　for　visuals。〃

〃Is　it　within　range？〃

〃Just　barely。〃

〃Armed？〃

〃Negative；　sir。　But　it　launched　from　the　sector　where　the　Hunters　are　being　held。〃

Wolff　contemplated　the　blip　on　the　screen。

〃Let　it　go；〃　he　said。　〃The　way　things　stand；　what　difference　is　one　small　ship　going　to　make？〃


CHAPTER　ELEVEN

Unlike　the　Zentraedi；　who　had　in　a　sense　taught　them　everything　they　knew　about　warfare；　the　Invid　were　not　above　the　idea　of　taking　hostages。　The　reason　for　this　can　be　traced　back　to　the　chaotic　period　following　the　defoliation　of　Optera　by　the　Masters'　newly　created　clone　warriors。　The　Regent　was　convinced　that　Zor　had　stolen　the　Flowers　of　Life　merely　to　offer　them　up　in　exchange　for　the　Regis　herself。　Emulating　the　Tiresian　then；　the　Regent　had　sent　out　his　new　army　not　to　kill；　but　to　capture　Zor；　in　the　hopes　of　holding　him　hostage　for　the　return　of　the　Flowers！
Bloom　Nesterflg；　The　Social　Organization　of　the　Invid

〃I　just　think　we　should　talk　this　over　first；　that's　all；〃　Tesla　told　the　assembled　Sentinels；　Bioroid　pilots；　and　assorted　members　of　Kami's　tribe。

He　could　see　that　the　Garudans　weren't　exactly　thrilled　to　have　an　Invid　in　their　midst…particularly　the　Invid　who　had　supervised　the　Regent's　specimen　mission　some　time　ago…and　he　was　beginning　to　wonder　whether　he　would　even　make　it　out　of　the　village　alive；　let　alone　into　one　of　the　farm…hives。　Still；　he　reasoned；　if　he　could　e　up　with　a　better　plan　than　the　hostage　exchange　the　Sentinels　seemed　to　be　favoring　at　the　moment；　he　might　be　able　to　save　himself　from　either　fate。

〃After　all；〃　Tesla　continued；　undaunted；　〃it　doesn't　sound　to　me　like　you　have　this　thing　entirely　worked　out。　The　whens；　the　wheres；　the　hows。。。And　for　all　I　know；　the　Regent　may　have　given　orders　for　me　to　be　shot　on　sight。〃

This　much　was　true；　and　as　a　result　the　group　lapsed　into　an　uneasy　silence。　They　couldn't　simply　call　the　farm；　nor　could　they　just　waltz　in　waving　the　proverbial　white　flag。　But　this　was　where　Tesla　was　supposed　to　supply　answers；　and　instead　he　was　suddenly　acting　as　though　he　couldn't　bear　to　part　pany　with　his　captors。　In　private　Janice　had　told　everyone　to　expect　as　much；　although　she　had　been　vague　about　the　reasons。

〃Then　what　the　heck　have　we　been　keeping　you　around　for　all　this　time？〃　Jack　shouted。　〃You're　supposed　to　be　our　ace　in　the　hole；　not　some　hunk　of　dead　weight。〃

〃Jack；　I'm　hurt；　I'm　really　hurt；〃　Tesla　returned；　trying　to　put　emotion　behind　the　words。

The　shuttle　was　back　on　the　planet's　surface　now。　Vince　Grant　was　still　aboard　the　SDF…7；　but　almost　everyone　else　with　the　exception　of　Teal　had　shuttled　down。　Jean's　team　was　in　the　process　of　erecting　an　atmosphere…controlled　geodesic　medical　module　on　the　outskirts　of　the　village　to　house　Rick　and　the　others　once　they　were　freed。　Veidt　and　Sarna　had　affirmed　that　five　or　even　fifteen　minutes'　exposure　to　Garuda's　atmosphere　wouldn't　prove　lethal；　but　at　the　same　time　the　danger　to　Rick　and　the　others　was　increasing　with　each　moment　they　were　kept　from　proper　treatment。　Just　what　constituted　〃proper〃　treatment　had　yet　to　be　determined；　and　Veidt　refused　to　speculate　until　the　Humans　were　rescued　and　run　through　a　battery　of　tests。

Burak　was　sorry　he　had　opened　his　mouth；　but　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　to　change　things。　Besides；　Tesla　was　giving　it　his　best　shot　and　might　yet　convince　the　Sentinels　to　adopt　a　different　course　of　action。

〃Let's　hear　it；　if　you've　got　a　better　plan；〃　Miriya　Sterling　was　saying。

Tesla　put　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　paced　back　and　forth；　the　crown　of　his　head　inches　from　the　longhouse　rafters。　The　breathing　gear　the　med　group　had　fashioned　for　the　Invid　was　a　jury…rigged　affair　of　masks；　tanks；　and　tubes；　giving　Tesla　a　decidedly　elephantine　appearance。

〃How's　this？〃　he　asked　at　last；　swinging　around　to　face　Jack；　Cabell；　the　chief；　and　a　few　others。　〃Divert　attention　away　from　the　farm　by　initiating　a　raid…〃

〃We're　one　step　ahead　of　you；　Tesla；〃　Max　said；　interrupting。　〃Infiltrate　a　small　party　at　the　same　time；　and　end　up　giving　your　troops　more　hostages。〃

〃It　doesn't　have　to　end　that　way；〃　Tesla　argued。　〃Not　if　I'm　with　the　mando　team。〃

Jack　grunted。　〃What　do　you　know　that　Rick　didn't　know？　We　went　in　quiet　as　mice　and　they　nailed　us。〃

〃It　was　the　mecha…your　Hovercycles…that　gave　you　away。　The　farm's　defenses　can　sense　Protoculture　activity。　So　even　though　you　got　past　the　Inorganics。。。〃

Tesla　left　the　sentence　unfinished；　pleased　to　see　that　the　Sentinels　were　offering　one　another　surprised　glances。

〃No　wonder　they　got　the　jump　on　us；〃　Jack　remarked。

〃What　about　weapons；　Tesla？〃　Cabell　thought　to　ask。

〃Weapons；　too；〃　the　Invid　answered　him。

Max　looked　around　the　longhouse。　〃Where　does　that　leave　us？〃

〃Swords；　crossbows；　spears；〃　Gnea　said　proudly。

Cabell　shook　his　head。　〃They're　no　use　against　Inorganics。〃

〃Grenades；　then；〃　Learna　chimed　in。　〃Rocket　launchers…〃

〃And　these；〃　said　the　chief；　as　two　of　his　tribesmen　dragged　an　odd…looking　crate　into　the　hut。

Inside　were　a　dozen　Karbarran　firearms　not　unlike　Lron's　own　small…bore。　Each　wooden　and　metal…fitted　rifle　had　a　large　globular　fixture　forward　of　the　trigger　guard　and　forestock　lever。　〃We　received　many　such　crates　during　the　final　days　of　the　Masters'　empire；〃　the　chief　went　on　to　explain　as　Lron　hefted　one　of　the　weapons。

〃Yes；〃　Lron　said；　〃Karbarra　was　exporting　rebellion　then。〃　He　glanced　over　at　Tesla。　〃Until　the　Invid　appeared。〃

Max；　too；　was　studying　the　Invid。　〃All　right；　Tesla；〃　he　said；　ing　to　his　feet。　〃We'll　play　this　one　your　way。　But　all　deals　are　off　at　the　first　sign　of　any　monkey　business。〃

Tesla　regarded　Max　and　the　others　through　his　hastily　fashioned　mask。　〃Now；　why　would　I　want　to　do　that　when　I've　had　enough　trouble　just　trying　to　act　Human？〃


This　time　the　team　was　principally　XT…Lron　and　Crysta；　Gnea　and　Bela；　with　Learna　as　guide。　That　Jack　would　acpany　them　had　been　taken　for　granted；　and；　after　Tesla's　plan　had　been　given　the　okay；　Janice　signed　on。　The　Praxians　felt　more　fortable　with　their　one…handed　crossbows；　shields；　and　shortswords　than　anything　else　the　Sentinels　could　offer　in　the　way　of　weaponry；　and　Gnea　wouldn't　part　pany　with　her　spearlike　naginata。　But　the　others　carried　Karbarran　air　rifles；　satchels　of　mand…detonated　explosives；　conventional　fragmentation　grenades；　and　rocket　launchers。　Shortly　after　Garuda's　midnight；　the　eight…member　team　was　inserted　by　Garudan　flitters　to　within　twenty　miles　of　the　crater；　allowing　them　ample　time　to　reach　the　farm…hive　before　sunrise。

At　the　same　time；　Wolff　and　the　Sterlings　met　back　at　the　shuttle　to　coordinate　plans　for　their　joint　diversionary　raid　against　two　neighboring　farms。　It　was　decided　that　the　Veritechs　and　Hovertanks　would　mence　their　strikes　at　sunrise；　when　the　Garudan　slaves　would　still　be　in　the　camps。

〃We're　going　to　concentrate　our　fire　against　the　orchards；　here　and　here；〃　Max　briefed　his　squadron　later　on；　pointing　to　areas　on　the　maps　Learna　had　provided。　The　hives　themselves…processing　plants　really…were　almost　certainly　protected　by　energy　shields　like　the　one　the　Invid　had　thrown　over　Tiresia's　Royal　Hall　during　the　battle　for　Tirol。　But　since　the　Sentinels'　main　objective　was　to　draw　out　the　enemy　mecha；　Max　saw　no　reason　why　targeting　the　precious　Optera　tree　plantations　couldn't　achieve　the　same　result。

〃Colonel　Wolff's　tankers　will　position　themselves　along　this　ridgeline　and　move　in　after　you've　pleted　your　initial　runs。　Then　you're　to　pulverize　that　hive。　If　we　dump　enough　into　that　shield　we　might　be　able　to　punch　through。〃　Similar　all…out　bursts　had　worked　against　the　Karbarran　hives。　Max　scanned　his　small　audience。　〃Any　questions？〃　When　all　the　headshaking　was　over；　he　added；　〃All　right　then；　let's　saddle　up。〃

Outside　the　shuttle；　he　caught　sight　of　Miriya；　who　had　been　off　briefing　the　Skull's　Red　contingent；　and　hurried　over　to　her　just　as　she　was　scampering　up　into　the　Alpha's