10_invid_invasion-第5章

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　their　atmospheric　approach。　Our　thermal　energy　shields　are　already　seriously　drained。〃

〃Roger；〃　said　Scott；　at　the　same　time　waving　the　chain…gun　to　signal　his　wingmen。　〃We'll　escort　you　through。〃

Scott　saw　the　transport's　thrusters　fire　a　three…second　burst；　realigning　the　ship　for　its　slow　descent。　He　sat　back　and　punched　up　orbital　entry　calculations　inn　the　data　screen；　fed　these　over　to　the　autopilot；　and　returned　his　attention　to　wide…range　radar。　Suddenly　Marlene　was　on　the　net　again；　alerting　him　to　a　unit　of　bandits　moving　against　him　at　four　o'clock。　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　glimpsed　them　even　as　their　signatures　were　registering　on　the　mecha's　radar　screen。

〃I　see　them；〃　he　answered　her　calmly。

Scott　permitted　the　half　dozen　Invid　to　close　in；　enabling　his　onboard　targeting　puter　to　get　a　fix　on　all　of　them。　It　was　a　calculated　risk　but　one　that　paid　off　a　moment　later　when　the　Battloid's　deltoid　partments　opened　and　each　launched　a　missile　that　homed　in　on　its　target。　Scott　boostered　himself　away　from　the　silent　fireworks　and　rechecked　the　screen：　There　was　no　sign　of　enemy　activity。

〃We're　all　clear；　mander；〃　he　reported；　easing　up　the　thinking　cap's　faceshield。

Gardner's　face　now　flashed　into　view　on　the　cockpit's　small　mo　screen。　〃Scott！　We　must　try　to　slip　through　and　hit　Reflex　Point　before　the　Regis's　drones　have　a　chance　to　regroup。　Understood？〃

〃Roger　mander；〃　Scott　returned。　At　a　signal　from　the　HUD；　he　dropped　the　faceshield；　the　inside　surface　of　which　was　displaying　approach　vectors　and　numerical　data。　He　opened　the　tac　net。　〃Our　entrance　azimuth　is　one…two…one…one。。。Reconfiguring　for　orbital　deviation。〃

Scott　armed　the　Veritech's　shield　after　it　had　shifted　mode　and　brought　the　fighter　alongside　Gardner's　descending　transport。　The　hull　temperature　of　his　own　ship　was　reaching　critical　levels；　and　he　reasoned　that　the　same　thing　had　to　be　occurring　on　the　larger　ship。　A　glance　told　him　he　was　correct　and　more。　The　underside　of　the　mand　vessel　was　radiating　an　intense　glow　that　suggested　an　improper　angle　of　approach。　Scott　waited　for　the　vessel　to　correct　itself；　and　when　it　didn't；　he　went　on　the　net。

〃Remend　you　recalculate　entry　horizon；　mander。　The　ship　appears　to　be　entering　too　quickly。〃

〃It　can't　be　helped；　Scott。　We've　got　to　put　down。　Our　shields　will　never　see　us　through　another　attack。〃

〃Sir；　you'll　never　live　to　see　another　attack　if　you　don't　readjust　your　course　heading；〃　Scott　said　more　firmly。　〃That　ship　wasn't　built　for　this　kind　of　gravitational　pull。　You're　going　to　tear　her　apart！〃

Scott　tried　to　suppress　a　mounting　feeling　of　panic。　He　heard　Marlene　tell　Gardner　that　the　reserve　thermal　energy　shields　were　now　pletely　exhausted。　Gardner　ordered　her　to　engage　the　retros。

Scott　craned　his　neck　to　see　if　the　retros　were　having　any　effect；　his　guts　like　a　knot　pressing　against　his　diaphragm。　He　saw　something　break　free　from　the　tail　section　of　the　transport；　glow；　and　burn　out。　He　was　trying　to　maintain　proximity　with　the　ship；　but　as　a　result　his　own　displays　were　suddenly　flashing　warnings　as　well。　I'd　better　slow　down　myself　if　I　don't　want　to　be　decorating　a　big　part　of　the　landscape。

Scott　pulled　the　mode　selector　to　G　position　and　stepped　out　of　his　fear　temporarily　to　think　the　Veritech　through　to　Guardian　mode。　As　the　legs　of　the　mecha　dropped；　reverse…articulating；　he　engaged　the　foot　thrusters；　substantially　cutting　his　speed。　At　the　same　time；　Gardner's　transport　was　roaring　past　him　in　an　uncontrolled　plunge。

〃mander；　pull　out！〃　he　cried　into　the　net。　Marlene！

Caught　between　self…sacrifice　and　desperation；　Scott　could　do　little　more　than　bear　witness　to　the　agonizingly　slow　deterioration　of　the　mand　ship…the　end　of　all　he　held　dear　in　the　world。　The　transport　was　a　glowing　ember　now；　slagging　off　fragments　of　itself　into　the　void。　The　intense　heat　would　have　already　boiled　the　blood　of　those　inside。。。

Marlene！

His　mind　tried　to　save　him　from　the　horror　by　denying　the　events；　cocooning　him　in　much　the　same　way　the　Veritech　did。　But　averting　his　gaze　only　worsened　matters。　Everywhere　he　looked　ships…of…the…fleet　were　breaking　apart；　flaming　out　as　they　plunged　into　Earth's　betraying　blue　softness；　wings　and　stabilizers　folded　by　heat；　delicate　necks　snapped；　molten　alloy　falling　like　silver　tears　in　the　night。

The　Veritechs　were　faring　better；　but　columns　of　Invid　were　now　on　the　ascent　to　deal　out　their　own　form　of　injustice。

They　fell　upon　the　helpless　transports　and　mand　ships　first；　helping　nature's　cruel　reversal　along　with　deliberately　placed　rends　and　breaches；　spreading　further　ruin　throughout　the　fleet。　Scott　saw　acts　of　bravery　and　futility：　a　Battloid　already　crippled　and　falling　backward　into　the　atmosphere　pouring　cannon　fire　against　the　enemy；　two　superheated　Veritechs　attempting　to　defend　a　transport　against　dozens　of　Invid　claw　fighters；　another　VT；　boosters　blazing；　in　a　kamikaze　run　toward　the　head　of　the　column。

Scott　instructed　his　ship　to　jettison　the　rear　augmentation　pack　and　increased　his　speed；　atmosphere　be　damned。　There　was　still　an　outside　chance　that　some　of　Gardner's　crew　had　made　it　into　the　evacuation　pods。　If　only　the　Invid　could　be　kept　away　from　the　hapless　transport。

〃Please；　pull　out！〃　Scott　was　screaming　through　gritted　teeth。　〃Please；　please。。。〃

Then；　all　at　once；　the　transport's　triple…thrusters　died　out；　and　an　instant　later　the　ship　was　engulfed　in　a　soundless　fireball　that　blew　it　to　pieces。

Marlene！　Scott　railed　at　the　heavens；　his　fists　striking　blows　against　the　canopy　and　console　as　the　Veritech　menced　a　swift　unguided　fall。


CHAPTER　TWO

I　don't　think　I'll　ever　forget　the　first　time　I　laid　eyes　on　Scott　Bernard…beneath　all　that　Robotech　armor；　I　mean。　He　had　the　Look　of　the　Lost　in　his　eyes；　and　a　stammer　in　his　voice　that　was　pure　tremolo。　The　latter　proved　to　be　a　case　of　offworld　accent…some　Tirolian　holdover…but　that　Look。。。I　just　couldn't　meet　his　eyes；　I　sat　there　tinkering　with　the　Cyclone；　trying　to　figure　out　whether　I　should　run　for　the　hills　or　off　the　guy　then　and　there。　Later　on…much　later　on…he　told　me　about　that　first　night　in　the　woods。　I've　got　to　laugh；　even　now：　Ask　Scott　Bernard　the　one　about　the　tree　falling　in　the　wilderness…and　prepare　to　have　your　head　bitten　off？
Rand；　Notes　on　the　Run

Tirol；　once　the　homeworld　of　the　Robotech　Masters；　then　an　Invid　colony　when　the　Masters　had　uprooted　the　remnants　of　their　dying　race　and　journeyed　to　Earth　in　search　of　Protoculture；　was　a　reconfigured　planet；　much　of　its　surface　given　over　to　humankind's　needs；　its　small　seas　and　weather　patterns　tamed。　Not　like　this　Earth；　Scott　thought；　with　its　solitary　yellow　sun　and　distant　silver　satellite。　He　yearned　for　Tirol。　It　had　been　his　home　as　much　as　the　SDF…3　had　been；　he　missed　the　binary　stars　of　Fantoma's　system；　the　protective　presence　of　the　motherworld　itself。　How　remote　one　felt　from　the　heavens　on　this　displaced　world。

Scott　recalled　Admiral　Hunter's　rousing　send…off　speech；　his　talk　of　the　〃cool　green　hills　of　home〃…his　home；　Earth。　Scott　laughed　bitterly　to　himself；　the　planet's　native　splendor　lost　on　him。

The　Alpha　had　found　a　soft　spot　to　cushion　its　fall　in　some　sort　of　highland　forest。　Oak　and　fir　trees；　Scott　guessed。　The　VT　was　history；　but　cockpit　harnesses　and　collision　air　bags　had　kept　him　in　one　piece。　However；　the　crash　had　been　violent　enough　to　plow　up　a　large　hunk　of　the　landscape。　He　had　lost　his　helmet　and　sustained　a　forehead　bruise；　then　came　a　follow…up　thigh　wound　of　his　own　making　when　he　had　rather　carelessly　climbed　from　the　wreck。

He　was　sitting　in　the　grass　now；　his　back　against　the　fighter's　fuselage；　his　head　and　left　leg　bandaged　with　gauze　from　the　ship's　first…aid　kit。　He　had　gotten　rid　of　his　cumbersome　armor　just　before　nightfall　but　kept　his　blaster　within　reach。

The　forest　was　dark　and　full　of　sounds　he　could　not　identify；　although　he　was　certain　these　were　all　natural　calls　and　chirps　and　whistles…from　what　he　had　seen　thus　far；　Earth　was　primitive　and　uncontrolled。

And　there　were　just　too　many　places　for　an　enemy　to　hide。

〃Give　me　a　scorched　Martian　desert　any　day；〃　Scott　mu