10_invid_invasion-第40章

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Rand　could　feel　the　blaster's　priming　charge　grounding　on　his　skull。　He　wished　he　could　see　the　man's　eyes；　know　just　what　he　was　thinking。　〃I've　seen　it　before…everyone　out　to　save　their　own　necks；　trading　lives。。。But　why　you；　Wolff？　Why？〃

Wolff　retracted　the　blaster。　〃Because　they　can't　be　beaten。〃　He　sneered。　〃Because　it's　better　to　have　a　few　safe　towns　than　an　entire　planet　of　slaves。。。And　because。。。because　of　things　you　wouldn't　understand；　kid。〃

Rand　scowled。　〃You　better　kill　me；　Wolff；　because　I'm　gonna　see　to　it　that　you're　stopped。〃

Wolff　stepped　back　and　holstered　his　sidearm。　〃Go　ahead　and　tell　the　town。　See　if　they　believe　you。〃

Wolff　turned　and　hurried　off。


Rand　unfastened　the　scorched　battle　armor　from　his　forearm　while　he　watched　Wolff　leave。　Relieved　that　his　burns　weren't　as　serious　as　he　had　feared；　he　began　to　search　the　tall　grass　and　brush　for　his　blaster；　wondering　if　he　might　be　able　to　catch　up　with　Wolff　before　he　reached　the　Cyclones。

Go　ahead　and　tell　the　town；　Rand　recalled　Wolff　telling　him。　See　if　they　believe　you。

Suddenly　he　heard　Rook's　voice　and　looked　up。　Scott　was　with　her；　one　arm　draped　over　Rook's　shoulders　for　support。　His　battle　armor　was　blackened　in　places；　but　he　looked　otherwise　intact。

〃I　can't　believe　my　eyes；〃　Rand　said；　extending　his　hand　to　Scott。　〃Is　it　really　you？〃

〃Barely；〃　Scott　returned。

〃I　found　him　in　a　hole　in　the　ground。〃　Rook　laughed。

〃And　I　miss　it　already。〃　Scott　disengaged　himself　from　Rook　and　started　to　say　something　about　a　prehistoric…looking　creature　he　had　seen　while　in　hiding；　when　he　spied　Wolff　several　hundred　yards　off。　He　tried　a　shaky　step　in　that　direction　and　said　to　Rand；　〃Is　that　Colonel　Wolff？　He　came　back　to　look　for　me？〃

Rand　put　a　hand　out　to　restrain　him。　〃Let　him　go；　Scott。〃　Scott　looked　over　his　shoulder；　puzzled。　〃I've　got　something　to　tell　you；　and　you're　not　going　to　like　it。。。Wolff。。。Wolff's　a　traitor。　He's　got　an　arrangement　with　the　Invid…he's　been　trading　soldiers'　lives　for　Protoculture。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Scott's　eyes　were　flashing。

〃He's　a　traitor！　I　saw　him　with　my　own　eyes。　And　an　Invid；　Scott；　not　a　ship　but…〃

Rand　didn't　see　the　punch　ing。　Now；　lying　facedown　in　the　grass；　he　couldn't　even　remember　feeling　it。　〃You're　lying；　you　little　coward！〃　Scott　was　yelling。　Rand　rolled　over　and　sat　up；　feeling　a　slight　numbness　beginning　to　spread　across　his　jaw。　〃When　I　confronted　him；　he　didn't　deny　it。　I'm　telling　you；　we　were　both　led　out　here　to　be　killed。〃

Scott　roared　something　and　launched　himself；　but　Rook　stepped　in　his　way。　In　his　weakened　state　he　was　no　match　for　Rook　and　was　easily　held　back。　But　she　could　do　nothing　about　the　curses　he　was　hurling　Rand's　way。

All　at　once　a　fiery　explosion　effectively　erased　all　traces　of　the　struggle；　the　concussive　force　of　it　flattening　Rook　and　Scott　to　the　grass　on　either　side　of　Rand。　Through　the　smoke　the　three　could　see　Trooper　after　Trooper　issuing　from　the　ground　around　them；　blinding　globes　of　incipient　fire　at　the　tips　of　shoulder　cannons。

In　a　moment；　annihilation　discs　were　zipping　into　the　area；　pulverizing　rocks　and　roots　and　whatever　else　lay　in　their　path。　Rand　helped　Scott　make　it　to　the　safety　of　the　stone　outcropping；　while　Rook　laid　down　cover　fire　with　her　hand　blaster。

〃The　Cyclones…where　are　they？！〃　said　Scott。

Rook　indicated　a　direction。　〃I'll　see　if　I　can　slow　these　things　down　some。　Swing　back　around　and　pick　me　up。〃

Scott　and　Rand　signaled　their　assent　and　rushed　off；　crouching　as　they　ran。

Jonathan　Wolff　watched　them　from　another　part　of　the　forest。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　Bernard　had　lived　and　was　strangely　relieved。　Nevertheless；　his　escape　had　been　but　a　minor　stay　of　execution；　for　there　were　at　least　six　Troopers　going　up　against　the　three　freedom　fighters。　Wolff　could　see　that　the　woman　was　remaining　behind　to　buy　time　for　her　rades。　But　even　if　the　other　two　were　fortunate　enough　to　make　it　to　their　Cyclones；　it　would　just　be　a　matter　of　time。

Unless　someone　came　to　their　aid　with　the　appropriate　firepower。

An　Alpha　fighter；　for　instance；　Wolff　said　to　himself。


Rand　got　to　the　Cyclone　first　and　doubled　back　to　pick　up　Rook　and　convey　her　to　the　waiting　red。　Afterward　he　launched　and　went　to　Battle　Armor　mode；　neatly　disposing　of　one　of　the　Troopers　with　a　single　shot　to　the　thing's　sensor。

Rook　and　Scott　were　similarly　reconfigured　now　and　going　after　a　second　alien。　Scott　dazzled　the　Trooper　with　in…close　fancy　flying；　then　boostered　up　and　away　from　its　pincer　swipes　to　loose　a　Scorpion；　which　the　creature　blocked　with　its　claw　armor。　In　return　the　Invid　pilot　loosed　a　volley　of　annihilation　discs　against　Scott；　but　in　so　doing　had　overlooked　Rook　and　the　missile　she　launched　straight　to　its　vulnerable　scanner。　The　Trooper　was　blown　to　pieces；　and　the　three　teammates　regrouped　on　the　ground。　The　woods　around　them　were　crawling　with　Invid。

〃We're　surrounded；〃　Rand　thought　to　point　out；　his　back　to　Rook　and　Scott。　〃Now　what　do　we　do？〃

〃What　we　always　do；〃　said　Scott；　almost　laughing。　〃Fight　our　way　out。　Now；　look　alive。〃

Rand　launched　first；　but　critically　misjudged　his　trajectory　and　ended　up　snagged　by　a　Trooper's　claw。　Scott　heard　his　desperate　cry　through　the　net；　but　even　before　he　could　think　about　how　to　free　his　friend；　a　bolt　out　of　the　blue　took　the　Invid's　pincer　off　at　the　elbow。　An　instant　later；　Scott　saw　the　Alpha　streak　overhead。　He　was　confused　until　he　heard　Rand　yell；　〃Wolff！　It's　gotta　be　him！〃

Wolff　had　the　VT　in　Guardian　mode。　Missiles　tore　from　undercarriage　launch　tubes；　detonating　like　geysers　of　fire　around　one　of　the　Troopers。　But　the　creature　survived　the　storm　and　struck　back。　Wolff　rolled　and　tumbled　the　fighter　through　a　steady　stream　of　discs　and　dropped　in　to　knock　the　troublemaker　off　its　feet。　He　then　switched　to　Battloid　mode　and　came　back　down　at　the　rest　of　them；　the　rifle/cannon　discharging　white　death　from　its　high…port　position。

There　were　two　Pincer　ships　in　the　skies　now；　and　Wolff　propelled　the　Alpha　up　to　deal　with　them。　One　of　the　Invid　had　barely　arrived　in　the　arena　when　it　was　disintegrated　by　a　flock　of　heat…seekers　Wolff　launched　from　the　Battloid's　shoulder　racks。

On　the　ground；　Scott　was　saying；　〃A　traitor　wouldn't　handle　an　Alpha　like　that。〃　He　and　the　others　had　followed　the　fight　and　were　now　in　the　arid　heights　west　of　the　base　escarpment。

Wolff　came　on　the　net　a　moment　later。　〃Just　thought　I'd　give　you　a　few　pointers；　flyboy。〃

〃Be　my　guest！〃　Scott　enthused。

Wolff　kept　the　VT　in　Battloid　configuration　to　take　out　the　second　Pincer　ship　before　moving　against　the　remaining　Troopers。　He　literally　stomped　one　of　these　senseless　by　bringing　the　mecha　down　full　force　on　the　alien's　head。　But　the　acrobatic　act　ended　up　costing　him　a　precious　few　seconds：　Wolff　pivoted　the　Battloid　in　time　to　deal　with　the　final　Invid；　but　not　before　the　Trooper　succeeded　in　holing　the　techno…knight　with　an　energy　bolt　that　passed　clear　through　it　like　a　flaming　spear。

Scott　watched　the　crippled　Battloid　go　down　on　one　knee；　then　reconfigure　to　Guardian　mode；　seemingly　of　its　own　accord。

〃Colonel　Wolff！〃　he　yelled；　running　over　to　the　fighter。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃

The　canopy　went　up；　and　Wolff　managed　to　clamber　out　of　the　cockpit；　one　hand　pressed　to　his　side　wound。　He　lowered　himself　to　the　ground；　collapsing　into　Scott's　arms。　Gently；　Scott　laid　Wolff　on　the　ground；　his　own　hands　now　awash　in　the　colonel's　blood。　〃You're　bleeding；　sir；〃　he　told　Wolff　hurriedly。　〃We've　got　to　get　you　back　to　the　base。〃

Wolff　reached　up　and　removed　his　dark　glasses。　〃Too　late；　Bernard；〃　he　answered　weakly；　eyes　closed。　〃Get　yourselves　out　of　here　on　the　double。〃

〃I　won't　let　you　die　like　this；〃　Scott　objected。　〃You're　ing　back　with　us！〃

Wolff　forced　his　eyes　open　and　looked　hard　into　Scott's　own。　〃I'm　a　traitor；　mander…〃

〃Colonel…〃

〃And　a　traitor　should　be　left　to　die　out　in　the　open。。。〃　Wolff　shivered　from　a　cold　that　began　deep　down　in　his　guts。　〃When　I　think　of　the　lives　I　traded　to　save　my　own　skin。。。〃　Wolff　screamed　as　something　seemed　to　e　loose　inside　him。　Scott　watched　him　blanch　and　felt　t