11_metamorphosis- 第30部分

Lancer　set　the　last　of　his　charges　and　delicately　threaded　a　lilylike　flower　in　one　of　its　adhesion　legs；　for　an　artistic　touch。　He　patted　it；　then　turned　and　dashed　for　high　ground。


The　trooper　caught　up　faster　than　Annie　had　calculated；　jostling　the　Cyc　with　near　misses　in　the　long　feeder　tunnel　that　led　to　the　dam。　Magruder　lost　control　just　as　they　shot　out　of　the　tunnel　and　mecha　and　riders　all　ended　up　plunging　through　a　screen　of　fronds　and　leaves　and　spilling　in　separate　directions　over　lush　grass。

The　Invid　appeared　a　moment　later　to　land　and　stalk　closer；　spreading　to　either　side。　This　Protoculture　motorcycle　was　similar　to　the　freedom　fighters'；　but　its　riders　seemed　to　have　no　armor；　no　weapons。　There　would　have　to　be　a　little　more　examination　before　irrevocable　disposition　of　the　Humans　was　made。

That　was　the　moment　when　Lunk　blew　the　flares；　all　Invid　heads　turned　automatically。　A　dozen　Protoculture　mini…suns　burned　on　the　dam's　concrete　face。


CHAPTER　NINETEEN

They　were　such　disparate　personalities…it's　amazing　that　anyone　could　have　believed　they　would　e　together　as　a　result　of　random　forces。
Crowell；　Remember　Our　Names！　（The　Road　to　Reflex　Point）

〃Protoculture　activity　on　the　dam！〃　The　Regis's　voice　came　to　her　children。　〃Investigate！〃

The　gleaming　purple　Shock　Troopers　boosted　away；　forgetting　Annie　and　Magruder　for　the　moment。　Lunk　came　dashing　off　the　dam　crest　roadway；　getting　clear　of　Ground　Zero。

Scott　watched　with　satisfaction　as　the　Troopers；　joined　by　the　others　who　had　been　bing　the　valley；　plummeted　down　to　the　blinding…bright　Protoculture　flares　set　along　the　dam　face。　He　pushed　the　button。

Concrete　blew　out　in　a　storm　of　conventional　and　Protoculture　shaped　charges；　as　the　dam　fractured　and　broke。　The　Invid　mecha　were　stunned　by　what　was　happening　and　then　they　were　thrown　backward　and　down　by　the　falling　concrete　cliff　and　the　freshwater　sea　behind　it。　In　a　moment；　a　squadron　of　Invid　were　wiped　away；　smashed　and　flattened　by　forces　that　not　even　Robotech　armor　could　withstand。

〃And　so　the　river　god　legend　es　true；〃　Scott　mused；　looking　down　on　the　devastation　from　the　heights。　Just　lying　on　top　of　some　Flowers　of　Life　had　given　Rand　weird　visions；　perhaps　living　in　the　midst　of　a　preserve　of　them　had　given　the　tribe　some　kind　of　altered　perception；　or　prescience

The　water　quickly　pushed　up　dirt　and　trees；　hunks　of　mecha　and　vegetation。　It　was　less　a　tidal　wave　than　a　moving　wall　of　mud　and　solid　debris　that　would　plow　down　anything　before　it。　A　lot　of　Flowers　were　doomed。　Maybe　the　Invid　would　even　lose　interest　in　the　valley。

Lunk；　Rook；　and　Lancer　had　e　up　behind　him。　Lancer　spoke　softly。　〃Did　the　tribe's　Visions　serve　us；　or。。。〃


Annie　pushed　herself　up；　realizing　that　she　had　been　lying　on　top　of　Magruder。　Nearby；　the　Cyc　rested　on　its　side；　smoking；　but　still　intact。　〃Macky！　My　little　Greystoke！　Are　you　hurt？〃

Magruder　moved；　then　sat　up；　rubbing　a　bump　on　his　head　and　knowing　that　by　all　rights　he　and　Annie　should　have　been　torn　limb　from　bough。　Then　he　heard　the　din　of　the　flood。　They　had　barely　made　it　high　enough；　a　few　yards　away　and　several　down；　the　broached　reservoir　had　left　its　high…water　mark。

Annie　was　offering　him　a　handful　of　white　silk；　her　gage　for　her　jungle　knight。　〃Need　a　hankie？〃

His　hands　closed　around　hers。　〃Hey；　we　did　it；　Annie！　Thank　you；　oh；　thank　you！〃　His　face　was　alight；　not　even　Silverhair　could　say　no　to　him　now！

Annie　sat　listening　to　the　world…shaking　noise　of　the　flood　recede。　Sunlight　came　directly　down　on　them　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　Invid…built　roof。　It　seemed　a　perfect　moment；　the　kind　she　had　always　wanted　to　live；　the　kind　she　had　always　wanted　to　trap　in　amber。

〃Believe　me；　Macky；　it　was　my　pleasure。〃


Rand　was　beginning　to　get　a　grip　on　the　knots　that　held　him。　〃If　they've　damaged　my　Cyclone　I'll　twist　the　skin　off　their　heads　and　strangle　'em　with　it！〃

He　was　blinded　by　salt　sweat；　but　he　was　working　mostly　by　feel。　He　had　an　enormous　headache　from　the　shot　he　had　taken。　〃What　is　it　with　kids　these　days；　anyway？〃


It　was　a　holy　night　in　the　treetop　town；　both　because　the　Invid　had　been　driven　out　by　the　river　god's　righteous　wrath；　and　because　Magruder　had　at　last　proved　himself　a　man　of　the　tribe。　（The　team　noticed　that　a　number　of　people　were　breathing　a　sigh　of　relief　about　that；　since　they　wouldn't　have　put　up　with　any　more　of　Magruder's　pecadillos。）

Magruder　and　Annie；　in　the　best　raiment　of　the　village；　got　to　sit　side　by　side　in　the　high…backed　chairs　of　honor　in　the　tribe's　council　hall。　Annie　looked　a　little　punchy　but　very　happy。　In　addition　to　greeting　Magruder　as　a　man　and　a　brother；　Silverhair　offered　him　his　choice　of　any　woman　as　his　wife。

〃All　hail；　Magruder！〃


The　river　receded　quickly；　and　for　some　reason　the　tribe　didn't　seem　bothered　by　the　loss　of　the　dam；　or　the　likelihood　that　the　Invid　would　e　again。　Prophesies　had　been　served；　had　been　borne　out；　and　thus　other　prophesies　and　Visions…which　the　tribemembers　wouldn't　discuss…would　be；　too。　Therefore；　all　was　well。

With　the　tribe's　help；　the　building　of　a　string　of　rafts　went　with　surprising　ease　and　speed。　There　were　hidden　warehouses；　with　empty　oil　drums；　cordage；　and　tools。　Several　nights　later；　the　team　floated　off　downstream；　on　a　string　of　rafts　that　supported　them　and　their　mecha。

Lunk　had　gotten　a　few　powerful　heat…turbine　outboard　engines　going；　and　these　were　used　for　steering　and　minimal　propulsion…enough　to　give　the　rafts　headway。　Even　Marlene　had　to　man　a　sweep；　since　the　team　was　now　one　member　short。

The　shoreline　still　reeked　of　the　stuff　that　had　been　washed　up　onto　it　during　the　flood。　Watching　the　luminous　fairy…grove　of　the　tribe；　each　team　member　thought　about　what　Annie　had　meant　to　him　or　her。　All；　that　is；　except　for　Rand；　who　stood　by　his　outboard　and　looked　downstream　only；　refusing　to　acknowledge　that　anything　had　happened。

The　others　silently　manned　steering　engines　or　sweeps。　At　last　he　whirled　on　them。　〃Why　the　long　faces？　You　all　look　like　your　gerbil　just　died。　Try　pulling　yourselves　together；　okay？　We're　better　off！　You　didn't　have　to　look　after　her　as　much　as　I　did；　so　trust　me　on　this　one。　Now　us　big　kids　are　free　to　get　on　with　some　down　'n'　dirty　freedom　fighting！〃

Rook；　sitting　with　her　back　to　a　crate；　hiked　herself　up　a　little；　studying　him。　〃Y'know；　you're　as　transparent　as　glass。〃

Rand　made　a　blustering　objection；　then　turned　away；　his　cheeks　hot。　Then　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Hey；　I　think　we've　arrived。〃

It　was　just　ing　into　view　around　a　bend。　The　Invid　Hive　looked　a　little　like　a　spider　straddling　the　river。　Its　nodules　were　all　alight　now；　like　blister　windows。　Its　curved　underside　glowed　like　a　belly…furnace。　As　they　watched；　a　flight　of　mecha　left　it；　ungainly　bats　making　their　way　out　into　the　night。

〃There　are　no　Hives　like　that；〃　Scott　breathed。　〃That's　the　weirdest　looking…〃　He　drew　breath。　〃All　right；　everybody；　you　know　what　to　do。〃

They　had　tarped　the　mecha　and　Lunk's　truck　with　camouflage　covers；　but　that　didn't　hold　much　promise　for　the　time　when　the　string　of　rafts　came　in　under　the　bright　undergut　of　the　Hive。　It　was　like　being　a　bug　under　a　lamp　beam；　Rand　reflected；　as　he　huddled　under　a　tarp；　staring　up　at　the　fiery　glare　of　the　thing。

But　somehow　they　weren't　noticed。　They　couldn't　decide　whether　it　was　because　the　Invid　were　in　a　turmoil　after　suffering　losses；　or　simply　that　the　aliens　were　looking　for　Protoculture　spoor　and　ignoring　everything　else。

The　stilted　Hive　made　a　bizarre　sight；　set　against　the　delicate　pink…lighted　inner　surface　of　the　tremendous　roof　shell。　At　some　point；　the　team　realized　that　the　light　had　grown　less　harsh；　that　they　had　passed　out　of　the　fortress's　immediate　area。　They　emerged　from　cover　as　the　rafts　drifted　into　darkness。

Something　crossed　the　night　sky。　It　was　the　patrol　they　had　seen　leave　the　fortress；　exiting　the　valley　through　one　of　the　giant　holes。　There　were　five　Shock　Troopers　flying　as　the　rear　two　echelons　of　a　triangle；　two　followed　by　three。　But　what　was　at　the　apex　made　the　team　gasp。

〃Hey；　look　at…〃　Rand　began。

〃I　don't　think　I've　ever　heard　of　a　Trooper　like　that　before；〃　Lancer　said；　the　last　of　the　Hive's　light　catching　his　pale　skin。

Scott　was　shaking　his　head　slowly。　He　had　memorized　every　mecha…identification　profile　there　was；　arid　he　had　never　seen　this　one。　It　was　twice　the　size　of　the　others。　〃What　could　it　be？〃

But　there　were　no　answers。


Once　again；　Rand's　Notes　on　the　Run　offers　an　enlightening　mentary　on　the　subtler　forces　affecting　the　team：

〃Another　two　days'　rafting　brought　us　to　a　deserted　city　where；　wonder　of　wonders；　we　found　a　pinch　of　Protoculture　in　an　old　Southern　Cross　underground　shelter…just　enough　to　keep　us　going。　It　should　have　made　us　rubber…kneed　with　relief；　really；　it　was　a　lucky　find。　But　we　were　all　still　a　little　depressed　about　Annie。　I　kept　expecting　her　to　start　yapping　and　pestering　me。〃

〃Unloading　the　mecha　from　the　rafts　was　a　lot　easier　once　they　were　under　power；　and　the　Beta　lifted　Lunk's　APC　off　like　it　was　a　toy。　We　decided　to　hole　up　in　the　downtown　hub　of　that　empty　burg　for　a　fe