10_invid_invasion-第7章

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Now　let's　get　on　with　evening　the　score　with　the　Regis　and　her　Invid　horde；　Scott　said　to　himself　as　he　set　off。

The　worst　thing　about　being　a　lone　survivor　were　the　memories　that　survived　with　you；　Scott　decided。　If　only　one　could　erase　them；　switch　them　off　somehow。　But　Scott　knew　that　he　couldn't；　the　people　one　loved　were　more　frightening　ghosts　than　anything　imagination　could　conjure　up。　And　they　couldn't　be　outrun。。。

Less　than　an　hour　from　his　crash　site；　Scott　was　surprised　to　find　himself　on　what　appeared　to　be　a　trail　or　an　ancient　roadway　lined　with　trees。　But　an　even　greater　shock　awaited　him　over　the　rise：　a　veritable　desert　at　the　foot　of　the　wooded　foothills　that　witnessed　his　crash；　stretching　out　toward　distant　barren　mountains。　Scott　slid　the　Cyclone　to　a　halt　and　stared　homesick　at　the　sight。

Who　said　there　were　no　Fantoma　landscapes　on　Earth？

Scott　had　never　heard　Wolff；　Edwards；　or　any　of　the　old…timers　brag　about　this。　It　was　almost　as　vast　as　Spheris！

Now　reassured　as　well　as　renewed；　Scott　twisted　the　Cyclone's　throttle　and　streaked　down　into　the　wastes。


Elsewhere　in　the　wastes　rode　a　survivor　of　a　different　campaign；　but　his　cycle　was　of　a　different　sort；　（twenty　years　old　if　it　was　a　day；　and　running　desperately　short　of　fuel　pellets）。

A　clear…eyed；　short；　sinewy　teenager　with　a　shaggy　mop　of　red　hair　and　an　unwashed　look　about　him…both　by　necessity　and　by　design…he　called　himself　Rand；　his　inherited　names　long　abandoned。　He　was　born　about　the　time　the　SDF…3　had　been　launched　from　Little　Luna；　and　he　had　seen　the　rise　and　fall　of　Chairman　Moran's　government；　the　invasion　of　the　Robotech　Masters；　and　humankind's　subsequent　regression　to　barbarism；　a　turn　of　events　that　had　culminated　with　the　arrival　of　the　Invid　and　their　easily　won　conquest。

Just　now　Rand　was　doing　what　he　did　best：　keeping　himself　alive。　His　old　bike　was　closing　in　on　the　object　he　had　seen　plummet　from　the　night　sky　two　days　ago；　something　too　slow　and　controlled　to　have　been　a　meteor；　too　massive　for　an　Alpha。　He　had　made　up　his　mind　to　track　its　fall；　abandoning　his　earlier　plans　to　try　for　Laako　City　in　the　hopes　of　beating　other　Spotters；　Foragers；　and　assorted　rogues　to　the　find。

Rand　relaxed　his　wrist　and　let　the　bike　e　to　a　slow　stop　a　good　kilometer　from　the　impact　point。　He　threw　back　the　hood　of　his　shirt　and　slid　his　goggles　up　onto　his　forehead。　The　ship　was　even　larger　than　he　had　guessed；　like　some　great　bird　with　enormous　hexagonally　shaped　cargo　pods　strapped　to　the　undersides　of　its　wings。　It　was　still　glowing　in　places　but　obviously　had　been　cooled　by　the　rains　that　had　drenched　the　irradiated　wastes　during　the　night。　Rand　cautiously　resumed　his　forward　motion；　pleting　a　circle　around　the　thing　at　the　same　safe　distance。　There　were　no　tracks　or　footprints　in　the　still…moist　sands；　which　meant　that　no　one　had　left　or　entered　the　wreck　during　the　past　twelve　hours　or　so。

He　cycled　through　a　second；　tighter　circle　and　headed　in；　convinced　that　he　was　first　to　arrive　on　the　scene。　Approaching　the　ship　now；　he　could　discern　numbers　and　letters　stenciled　on　the　fuselage…M_R_DIV_I　…but　could　make　no　sense　of　the　whole…where　it　had　e　from　or　why。

The　wreck　had　the　stench　of　recent　death　written　all　over　it。　He　wasn't　in　the　least　looking　forward　to　walking　into　cargo　bays　wallpapered　with　Human　remains；　but　he　was　just　going　to　have　to　shut　his　eyes　to　that　part　of　it。　There　had　to　be　something　he　could　use；　weapons　or　foodstuffs。

He　began　to　circle　the　ship　on　foot　now；　searching　for　some　way　to　get　inside。　The　nose　was　throwing　off　so　much　heat　there　was　no　getting　near　it；　but　the　rear　hatch　of　one　of　the　cargo　carriers　had　sprung　open　on　impact；　and　the　place　seemed　cool　enough　to　enter。

Rand　threw　himself　atop　the　twisted　wreck　of　the　hatch　and　started　in。　The　interior　was　dark　and　uninviting；　and　it　smelled　like　hell。　He　knew　he　wasn't　going　to　get　very　far；　but　not　fifty　feet　into　the　thing…after　whacking　his　head　on　a　low　threshold　and　falling　flat　on　his　face　in　the　dark…he　found　more　than　enough　to　satisfy　him：　a　bin　of　ten　Robotech　cycles。

He　lifted　one　up　and　out　of　its　rack　and　bent　down　to　look　it　over。　It　was　Robotech；　all　right；　probably　one　of　the　Cyclone　type　the　military　had　used　before　the　development　of　the　Hovercrafts。　Rand　had　heard　about　them　but　never　thought　he　would　live　to　see　one…let　alone　ride　one！

Straddling　the　mecha　now；　he　depressed　the　ignition　switch；　fingers　of　his　left　hand　crossed　for　luck。　The　Cyclone　fired；　purring　like　a　kitten；　after　a　goose　or　two　of　the　throttle。

〃Awwriight！〃　Rand　shouted。

He　flicked　on　the　headlight；　screeched　the　Cyclone　through　a　360；　and　tore　back　toward　the　doorway；　launching　himself　into　the　desert　air　from　the　sprung　hatchway。　He　hit　the　sand　and　twisted　the　cycle　to　a　halt；　exhilarated　from　his　short　flight。

Then　he　noticed　something　else　in　flight：　a　three…unit　Invid　scouting　party　ing　fast　over　a　ridge　of　low　hills　to　the　west。　Rand　cursed　himself　for　not　figuring　them　into　the　picture；　they；　too；　must　have　been　aware　of　the　transport's　crash。　And　as　always；　their　timing　was　impeccable。　Even　so；　Rand　was　thankful　that　they　were　only　Scouts　and　not　Shock　Troopers。　In　fact　there　was　a　good　chance　that　the　Cyclone　would　be　able　to　outrun　them…at　least　as　far　as　the　forest。

The　three　Scouts　put　down　next　to　the　downed　ship；　positioning　themselves　to　prevent　Rand's　escape；　the　cloven　foot　of　one　them　flattening　the　old　cycle　that　had　seen　him　through　so　much。

〃I　sure　hope　your　insurance　is　paid　up；　pal！〃　Rand　yelled　at　the　Scout。

They　were　twenty…foot…tall　bipedal　creatures　with　articulated　armored　legs　and　massive　pincer　arms；　there　was　no　actual　head；　but　raised　egg…shaped　protrusions　atop　their　inverted　triangular　torsos　were　suggestive　of　eyes；　while　what　looked　to　be　a　red…rimmed　lipless　mouth　concealed　a　single　sensor　lens。　Rand　had　seen　brown　ones　and　purple　ones…these　three　were　of　the　latter　category…and　more　than　anything　they　reminded　him　of　two…legged　land　crabs。　The　Scouts　were　just　that　and　were　weaponless；　except　if　one　counted　their　innate　repulsiveness。　However；　they　could　inflict　serious　damage　with　their　claws；　and　just　now　one　of　the　Scouts　wanted　to　demonstrate　that　fact　to　Rand。

Rand　shot　the　Cyclone　forward　at　the　Scout's　first　swipe；　its　claw　striking　the　sand　with　a　loud　crunching　sound。　〃Okay；　but…Um　going　to　be　submitting　a　bill　for　damages！〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder　as　a　second　creature　gave　pursuit。

Rand's　previous　questions　concerning　the　Cyclone's　capabilities　were　soon　to　be　answered。　The　three　Invid　were　gaining　on　him；　and　ready　or　not　he　was　going　to　have　to　put　the　cyc　through　its　paces。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　kicked　in　the　turbochargers。　Instantaneously　the　Cyclone　took　off　like　a　shot；　living　up　to　its　namesake　while　Rand　struggled　to　retain　control。　The　Scouts　meanwhile　gave　up　their　ground…shaking　run　and　took　to　the　air；　thrusters　carrying　them　overhead；　pincer　arms　poised　for　the　embrace　that　killed。

Their　prey；　however；　had　managed　to　overe　his　initial　ineptitude　and　was　now　leaning　the　Cyclone　through　a　series　of　self…imposed　twists　and　turns　along　the　featureless　sands；　a　tactic　that　more　than　once　brought　the　Scouts　close　to　midair　collisions　with　one　another。

〃Just　lemme　know　if　you're　gettin'　tired！〃　Rand　shouted　above　the　roar　of　the　mecha。　He　laughed　over　his　shoulder　and　threw　the　Scouts　a　maniacal　grin；　but　when　he　turned　again　to　face　forward　he　found　trouble　ahead。　Something　was　approaching　him　fast；　kicking　up　one　heck　of　a　dust　storm。　Two　of　the　Invid　were　moving　into　flanking　position；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　Rand　that　he　would　soon　be　surrounded。


Scott　Bernard　felt　two　emotions　vying　for　his　attention　when　he　saw　the　Cyclone　rider　and　the　Invid　Scouts：　elation　that　he　had　found　one　of　his　Mars　Division　rades　and　rage　at　the　sight　of　the　enemy。　He　couldn't　figure　out　why　the　rider　wasn't　reconfiguring　but　knew　that　the　situation　called　for　immediate　action。　Lowering　the　helmet　visor；　he　engaged　the　mecha's　turbos。　For　a　moment　the　Cyclone　was　up　on　its　rear　wheel；　then　it　went　fully　airborne。　At　the　same　time；　Scott'