10_invid_invasion-第17章

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Ringo　laughed　and　slapped　his　knee。　〃Sorry　if　I　blew　your　cover。　I　keep　forgettin'　you're　too　modest　to　brag　about　your　military　record！〃

〃What're　you　trying　to　prove？〃　Lunk　yelled；　muscles　and　veins　standing　out　like　cords　in　his　beefy　neck。

〃Nothin'；〃　Ringo　returned。　〃Nothin'　at　all。　'Cept　the　Invid　hate　soldiers；　and　since　we　don't　have　much　use　for　them　ourselves；　we　decided　to　help　them　along　this　time。〃

Lunk　began　to　rev　his　cycle；　but　Scott　gestured　to　him　to　hold　his　ground。　〃Hand　over　your　hostage！〃　Scott　demanded　of　Ringo。

The　gang　leader　turned　to　his　men　and　laughed。　〃We　might　just　make　you　part　of　today's　quota；　robby！〃

〃Yeah；　we　ain't　picky！〃　the　knifer　threw　in。

〃And　we're　not　afraid　of　your　firepower；　neither；〃　the　hulk　yelled　from　the　sidecar；　raising　a　bazooka…type　weapon　into　view。

〃They're　psyching　themselves　up；〃　Rook　cautioned　the　others。　〃Be　ready！〃

On　Ringo's　word　the　four　cycles　leapt　forward　in　a　charge；　but　all　at　once　a　round　detonated　in　their　midst；　throwing　some　of　them　off　their　machines。　Scott；　Rand；　and　Rook　exchanged　looks；　wondering　who　had　fired。　Then　they　heard　Spider　and　Annie's　simultaneous　screams　and　looked　up：　Three　Invid　Shock　Troopers　had　appeared　over　the　canopy　of　the　oak　tree。　Ringo　and　his　boys　were　bolting　for　the　shelter　of　the　ranch　house　as　continued　flashes　from　the　Troopers'　shoulder　cannons　shook　the　ground　and　blew　their　cycles　apart。　Kevin　was　trying　desperately　to　free　himself　from　the　tree　trunk；　and　Annie　was　shouting；　〃Do　something！〃

Scott　took　the　initiative　and　shot　his　Cyclone　forward；　engaging　the　thrusters　and　going　to　Battle　Armor　mode　as　the　mecha　left　the　ground。　Two　of　the　Invid　went　after　him；　while　the　third　dropped　in　low　toward　Lunk　and　the　others。　Rand　was　working　the　system　switches　frantically；　eager　for　the　mecha　to　reconfigure。

〃e　on！　e　on！。。。What　the　heck's　wrong　with　this　thing！？〃　he　said　to　Rook。

〃Just　calm　down；〃　she　told　him。　〃Remember　what　Scott　told　you…your　thoughts　have　to　help　it　along。　Relax　and　stop　bashing　away　at　it。〃　Rook　lowered　her　head　and　threw　the　thumb　switch。　Rand　watched　amazed　as　the　cycle　restructured；　wrapping　itself　around　her　and　integrating　with　her　armor。　〃Treat　it　gently…like　it's　alive；〃　Rook　added；　standing　now。

Scott　meanwhile　was　off　in　another　part　of　the　grassy　fields　dancing　between　the　annihilation　discs　sent　his　way　by　the　Troopers　who　had　put　down　on　either　side　of　him。　Lunk　saw　him　lift　off　after　half　a　dozen　agile　leaps　and　bounces　and　return　fire　from　the　suit's　forearm　rocket　launchers。

〃I　can't　escape　it！〃　Lunk　yelled　to　no　one　in　particular。　〃I　thought　I'd　never　be　fighting　again！〃

Rook　was　engaging　the　third　Invid；　while　Rand　continued　to　struggle　with　reconfiguration。　He　was　about　to　give　up　on　it；　when　he　felt　the　mecha's　reciprocal　vibe；　and　suddenly　the　damned　thing　was　actually　conforming　itself　to　his　armor。　He　stood　up；　showing　a　look　of　disbelief　under　the　helmet's　faceplate；　and　gently　engaged　the　system's　hoverthrusters；　searching　the　skies　for　signs　of　Rook　or　Scott。　At　last　he　saw　the　red　Cyclone　rider。　She　was　powering　up　through　a　backflip　one　minute　and　dropping　like　a　stiff…legged　bomb　the　next。　But　her　Invid　target　leapt　away　in　time；　hooking　itself　overhead　and　dishing　out　a　blast　that　nearly　caught　her。　She　avoided　the　explosion　by　launching　straight　up；　but　the　Trooper　was　sticking　close；　discharging　two　more　bolts；　one　of　which　nicked　her　armor　and　sent　her　into　a　spinning　descent　toward　a　stand　of　trees。

Scott　was　handling　himself　well　against　the　other　two　Troopers　but　had　yet　to　land　a　Scorpion　on　either　of　them。　He　was　down　on　the　ground　now；　getting　off　another　shot　before　the　Invid　surrounded　him；　pincers　swinging；　discs　cratering　the　soft　earth。　Rand　joined　him；　and　together　they　managed　to　chase　the　Troopers　off　momentarily。

Scott　was　congratulating　Rand　on　his　mechamorphosis　when　Lunk　pulled　up　alongside　on　the　triplewheeler。

〃You　weren't　ever　a　member　of　the　space　battalion；　were　you？〃　Lunk　asked　Scott。

〃Yeah？。。。〃　said　Scott。　〃So　what？〃

〃Then　you　can　fly　a　Veritech。〃

〃Of　course　I　can；〃　Scott　said　excitedly。　〃Do　you　have　one？〃

Lunk　nodded。　〃Follow　me。〃

Rand　watched　them　zoom　off；　Scott　running　alongside　Lunk's　cycle。　He　dodged　an　Invid　that　attempted　to　flatten　him　into　the　ground　and　brought　his　forearm　up　to　fire。　But　the　Trooper　was　already　flying　off　to　link　up　with　the　other　two；　all　three　headed　in　the　same　general　direction　as　Lunk　and　Scott。

If　I　hang　around　with　this　guy　long　enough；　I'm　gonna　get　myself　killed　for　sure；　Rand　said　to　himself。

Then　Rook　was　suddenly　beside　him；　upright　in　Battle　Armor　mode　and　hovering　two　feet　off　the　ground。　〃What's　the　matter；〃　she　asked　him；　〃your　joints　rusting　up　on　you　or　something？〃

〃No；　I　was　just　trying　to…〃

〃You　really　aren't　much　use　in　bat；　are　you？〃

〃Hey；　wait　a　minute！〃　Rand　shouted　as　she　began　to　hover　off　in　the　same　configuration。　〃It's　not　like　I'm　supposed　to　be　here；　you　know。　I　mean；　technically　I'm　a　nonbatant；　did　you　know　that？　Did　I　ever　tell　you　about　the　time　I　fought　off　three　Invid　patrols　at　the　same　time。。。？〃

From　the　cover　of　the　ranch　house；　Ringo　watched　Spider　set　Kevin　free　from　the　ropes　that　held　him　to　the　tree。　Knifer　was　kneeling　by　the　window；　peering　over　the　stool；　the　hulk　was　cowering　in　a　corner　under　a　shelf。

〃Stop　your　whinin'；　you　lily…livered　rogue！〃　Ringo　shouted　from　the　window。

Knifer　looked　up。　〃Hey；　Ringo；　I　think　I　can　hear　your　knees　knockin'。〃

Ringo　made　an　exasperated　face　and　brought　his　fist　down　on　Knifer's　skull。　〃It's　because　I'm　mad；　bonehead。　Mad；　mad；　mad！〃　He　punctuated　each　word　with　a　follow…up　blow。

Elsewhere；　Annie　was　asking　Yellow　Dancer　why　she　was　hanging　around。　They　were　in　the　singer's　pink　armored　vehicle；　parked　some　distance　from　the　scene　of　the　initial　fighting。　〃What　do　you　want　from　them？〃　Annie　wanted　to　know。　〃I'm　warning　you；　I　can　get　very　jealous。〃

Yellow　turned　to　her　from　the　driver's　seat　with　an　enigmatic　smile。　〃Believe　me；〃　she　assured　Annie；　〃there's　absolutely　nothing　for　you　to　be　jealous　of。〃

〃Well；　then；　it's　okay；〃　Annie　said；　perking　up。　〃You　can　hang　around　as　much　as　you　want。〃


The　Veritech　hangar　was　a　dilapidated　circular　building；　holed　in　numerous　places；　with　a　hemispherical　red　roof　sectioned　off　and　reinforced　by　curved　trusses。　A　mostly　ruined　solar　windmill　rose　alongside　the　structure；　which　Scott　guessed　was　a　barn　of　some　sort。　Up　ahead；　he　saw　Lunk　give　a　wave；　jump　the　triple…wheeler　from　the　top　of　a　small　grassy　embankment；　and　accelerate　through　the　fallow　fields　that　led　to　the　makeshift　hangar。　The　Invid　Shock　Troopers　were　in　hot　pursuit　overhead；　their　gleaming　crablike　bodies　filling　the　sky。

〃Hurry！〃　Scott　could　hear　Lunk　shout。

Scott　had　been　expecting　to　find　the　rusting　shell　of　a　first…generation　Veritech；　but　once　inside　the　building　his　hopes　took　a　leap　forward。　Carefully　positioned　in　the　spacious　loft　was　what　looked　to　be　a　well…maintained　Alpha　Fighter；　sans　augmentation　pack　and　boosters；　and　certainly　a　leftover　from　the　latter　stages　of　the　Second　Robotech　War。

〃Climb　in；〃　said　Lunk。　〃She's　ready　to　fly。〃

〃Who's　been　maintaining　it？〃　Scott　asked　as　he　struggled　out　of　the　reconfigured　Cyclone。

〃Listen；　I'm　not　as　stupid　as　you　might　think；〃　Lunk　said；　raising　his　voice　above　explosive　volleys　from　the　Invid。　Discs　were　striking　the　fields　nearby；　loosening　dirt　and　debris　from　the　exposed　rafters。　〃I　was　a　certified　bio…maintenance　engineer。　Trust　me；　this　baby　will　fly　like　a　dream。〃

Scott　climbed　into　the　barn　loft　and　gave　the　Veritech's　radome　an　affectionate　pat。　He　threw　himself　up　to　the　open　canopy；　got　a　good　handhold；　and　slipped　into　the　cockpit。　He　hadn't　bothered　to　change　out　of　the　Cyclone　armor；　but　now　he　exchanged　his　helmet　for　the　Veritech's　own　〃thinking　cap〃　and　began　a　run…through　of　the　systems。　It　was　so　long　since　he　had　piloted　a　VT　in　atmosphere；　he　wondered　if　he　could　bring　it　off　now。

〃Everything　seems　in　order！〃　he　called　down　to　Lunk　as　an　explosion　tore　out　a　huge　section　of　wall。

Lunk's　hands　went　to　his　ears；　and　he　threw　himself