11_metamorphosis- 第9部分

〃Hey！〃　Annie　blurted。　〃Y'hear　that？〃

It　was　the　sound　of　large　engines。　In　a　few　moments　mecha　came　into　sight；　seeking　the　source　of　the　vast　disturbances　their　instruments　had　detected。　In　another　moment；　the　survivors　spotted　an　aircraft。

〃It's　the　Alpha　Fighter！〃　Scott　said。　〃And　there's　the　rest　of　the　team！　It's　about　time。〃

Annie　was　dancing　from　foot　to　foot。　〃Wait'll　I　tell　Rook　what　happened　to　me！　Oboyoboy！'

〃Y'better　make　sure　she's　sitting　down；〃　Rand　said　dryly。　He　wondered　if　Rook　would　care　to　hear　his　story。　There　was　just　no　telling　how　the　young　lady　would　react　sometimes。　Still；　maybe　it　would　be　worth　the　risk。


CHAPTER　SIX

The　grand　themes　of　the　Robotech　Wars　are　so　dominant　that　the　lesser　ones　are　sometimes　ignored。　But　those　lesser　themes；　I　insist；　are　more　instructive。
The　matter　of　Marlene　Foley's　ultimate　destiny　is　a　primary　case　in　point。　Surely　Protoculture　is　a　force　to　be　reckoned　with　in　our　every　thought。
Jan　Morris；　Solar　Seeds；　Galactic　Guardians

The　five　Invid　mecha　cruised　slowly　across　the　night　sky；　navigating　with　care；　surveying　the　terrain　below。　They　brought　with　them　a　sixth　Robotech　construct。　Within　it　was　a　cargo　of　critical　importance。

Two　Shock　Troopers　brought　up　the　rear；　and　a　partially　evolved　Invid　in　personal　battle　armor…the　so…called　〃Pincer　Ship〃…led　the　way。　In　the　center　of　the　flying　convoy　were　two　more　Pincer　Ships。　Between　them　they　carried　a　hexagonal　canister。　The　canister　was　like　a　Robotech　setting　for　a　cosmic　gemstone；　inside　its　crystal　cocoon　there　throbbed　and　shone　a　fantastic；　translucent　egg。　The　thing　was　luminous　in　deep　corals；　gentle　reds；　and　flesh　tones。

〃We　must　know　more　about　these　new　enemies；〃　the　Regis　had　decreed；　in　the　wake　of　the　Genesis　Pit　catastrophe。　Her　servants　had　been　quick　to　act。　Soon；　a　Simulagent；　a　triumph　of　Invid　biogenetic　engineering；　would　be　in　the　enemy's　midst。　And　before　obliterating　them；　the　Regis　would　know　whether　the　Humans　posed　any　possible　danger　to　her　grand　scheme　for　her　race。

The　Simulagent　was　code…named　〃Ariel。〃　Ariel　had　been　replicated；　with　certain　alterations；　from　a　Human　tissue　sample　that　had　been　recovered　while　the　Invid　were　examining　the　debris　of　the　Human　strikeforce　they　had　destroyed　weeks　before。　It　was　inconceivable　that　anyone　on　Earth　would　recognize　Ariel　as　a　clone；　since　the　source　of　most　of　her　genetic　design　was　a　dead　woman　from　the　long…gone　SDF…3　expedition。。。

The　Invid　flight　leader's　optical　sensor　scanned　the　area　for　any　sign　of　Human　presence；　but　there　was　none。　The　timing　of　the　drop　was　important。　The　Simulagent's　placement　must　be　unseen；　so　that　its　origin　would　remain　secret；　and　yet　Ariel　must　not　be　left　unprotected　for　long。

But　the　Invid　had　a　recent　fix　on　the　Humans'　route；　which　made　things　easier。

As　the　Invid　formation　neared　its　dropoff　point；　the　crystal　cocoon　began　to　crack　like　an　eggshell　being　pushed　open　from　within。　The　strobing　light　from　its　center　shone　brighter。

Just　as　the　formation　flew　low　over　a　deserted；　devastated　village；　the　crystal　shattered。　The　egg　fell；　lighting　the　night　and　the　landscape　below。　It　bounced　from　a　tree　branch　to　a　half…demolished　roof　to　the　ground。　Light　and　resilient　and　yet　astonishingly　strong；　it　suffered　no　injury。　The　flight　of　alien　mecha　turned　around　and　started　back　toward　Reflex　Point。

The　egg　rested　under　a　tree；　casting　its　flesh…tone　light　all　around。　Soon　it　sensed　the　approach　of　its　targets。　Its　glare　grew；　and　it　pulsed　with　the　rhythm　and　sound　of　a　quickened　heartbeat。　Darker　colors　swirled　among　the　lighter　ones　now；　and　the　egg　stretched　against　the　confines　of　its　own　skin　with　each　beat。


This　time　Scott　was　flying　directly　over　the　rest　of　his　team；　keeping　close　in　case　of　trouble；　easing　along　in　Guardian　mode。　The　Veritech　fighter　looked　like　a　cross　between　an　armored　knight　and　a　robotic　eagle。

The　subsidence　of　the　mountains　into　the　Genesis　Pit　and　the　aftershocks　had　made　the　terrain　dangerous　and　their　maps　useless。　It　had　taken　days　to　blaze　a　new　trail　through。　They　traveled　at　night；　both　to　make　up　for　lost　time　and　because；　at　last；　they　had　found　a　major　highway。

Rand；　Rook；　and　Lancer　were　all　riding　close　to　Lunk's　APC。　Like　Scott；　the　Cyc　riders　had　shed　their　armor；　they　all　needed　a　chance　to　get　out　of　its　confinement　after　days　of　travel；　and　the　scans　and　scouts　indicated　no　Invid　presence　anywhere　nearby。　Scott　flew　his　Alpha　without　his　control　helmet…the　〃thinking　cap；〃　in　Robotech　jargon…controlling　it　with　the　manuals　alone。

Furthermore；　it　took　Protoculture　to　power　the　armor；　and　they　had　used　up　a　lot　of　their　reserves　in　traveling　the　difficult　mountain　terrain。　Several　times；　Scott　had　been　forced　to　ferry　the　APC　across　unavoidable　gaps；　which　was　something　he　hated　to　do。　By　acting　as　a　transport；　the　fighter　was　left　highly　vulnerable　to　sudden　Invid　attack。　Also；　since　this　task　demanded　very　slow；　deliberate；　painstaking　maneuvering；　it　ate　up　a　lot　of　Protoculture。　It　was　a　workhorse　role　the　fighter　wasn't　built　for；　and　one　that　strained　its　autosystems。

At　times　like　those　Scott　cursed　the　truck；　but　when　he　had　to　land　and　replenish　his　Protoculture　and　ordnance　and　service　the　Alpha；　he　blessed　Lunk　and　the　battered　old　APC。

Rand　keyed　his　headset　by　chinning　a　button　on　the　mike　mouthpiece；　both　hands　being　occupied　steering　his　Cyc。　〃Hey；　Scott！　Don'tcha　think　it's　time　for　a　rest？　It's　almost　dawn；　y'know。〃

Scott　was　well　aware　of　it。　The　first　rays　of　the　sun　were　already　lighting　the　surrounding　mountain　peaks；　gleaming　off　granite　and　snow。　They　would　shine　through　his　cockpit　well　before　they　warmed　his　teammates　below。　〃Quit　griping！　Point　K　is　just　a　few　more　miles　ahead。〃

〃Say　again？〃　Rook　broke　in　sharply。

〃Point　K…as…in…king；　Rook；〃　Scott　came　back。　〃That's　where　all　units　from　the　invasion　force　I　was　in　are　supposed　to　rendezvous。　They've　probably　already　prepared　an　offensive　aimed　at　wiping　out　Reflex　Point。〃

Rook's　voice　sounded　unsure。　〃You　mean　this　Admiral　Hunter　of　yours　knew　the　Invid　were　here？〃

〃Negative。　He　didn't　know　who　the　enemy　was；　exactly；　but　he　was　aware　that　something　was　wrong　back　on　Earth。　Don't　ask　me　how；　it　was　all　hush…hush　stuff。〃

Even　Annie；　standing　up　in　the　truck's　shotgun　seat　and　resting　her　chin　on　her　forearms；　on　the　windshield　frame；　didn't　have　to　ask　Scott　why　he　hadn't　told　them　all　that　before。　With　the　risk　of　capture　or　even　desertion…‘going　my　own　way；〃　as　Rand　or　Rook　would　have　called　it…ever　present；　Scott　simply　couldn't　take　the　chance。

Still；　she　kicked　the　glove　partment　a　little　and　pulled　her　E。T。　hat　down　lower　on　her　head；　sticking　out　her　lower　lip。　Lunk　gave　her　a　quick　look；　then　went　back　to　his　driving。

Scott　continued；　〃The　way　I　figure　it；　there　ought　to　be　hundreds　of　Veritechs　there；　maybe　a　thousand　or　more。　And　ground　units；　assault　mecha；　supplies；　and　ammo…the　works！〃

Annie　whooped　into　the　dawn　air。　〃Awright！　Now　that's　the　way　to　show　'em　how　it's　done！〃

〃Wait；　Scott。〃　Rand　sounded　edgy。　〃How　can　you　hide　an　army　that　size？〃

Scott　was　all　confidence　and　can…do。　〃No　more　hiding。　There's　a　secure　base　of　operations　there　by　now。　From　there　we　go　island…hopping；　cutting　the　links　between　Invid　bases；　until　Reflex　Point's　isolated；　and　we　can　smash　it。〃

Just　then；　Scott's　displays　began　flashing　and　beeping　for　his　attention。　puters　sorted　through　the　sensor　information　and　flashed　order…of…battle　information；　indicating　that　there　was　a　large；　friendly　force　just　over　the　next　ridge。

He　caught　a　flash　of　bright　metal　off　fighter　tailerons；　and　in　the　valley　below　he　saw　ranked　mecha　in　the　predawn　mist。　〃All　right；　boys　and　girls！　There　it　is；　just　ahead！〃　

He　increased　power　to　the　Guardian's　foot…thrusters。　〃I'm　going　to　go　on　ahead　and　report　in。〃　The　Guardian　flashed　away；　over　the　rise。

〃Can't　wait　to　see　his　playmates；　huh？〃　Rand　grumbled。　This　business　about　reporting　in　had　reminded　him　that　he　wasn't　on　any　army　roster。　Like　Rook　and　Annie；　he　was　just　an　irregular　who　had　joined　up　with　Scott　to　try　to　do　his　bit　for　the　Human　race。　But　he　obviously　had　no　place　in　a　regulation　strikeforce。

So；　what　happens　to　the　rest　of　us　now？　〃Thanks；　and　don't　let　the　door　hit　you　in　the　butt　as　you　leave？〃

The　mists　still　swirled　around　the　many　hectares　of　grounded　mecha。　Scott　figured　the　base　was　operating　under　blackout　conditions；　because　he　could　see　no　lights　or　movement。　He　didn't　receive　any　warn…offs　or　challenges；　and　he　didn't　get　any　indications　that　radar　or　sensors　were　checking　him　out；　but　he　decided　to　land　on　the　hillside　and　go　in　on　foot　anyway。　The　base　might　be　using　new　mo　procedures；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　be　shot　down　as　a　bogie。

The　Guardian　bowed　its　radome；　and　Scott　hopped　down。　He　stood　breathing　Earth's　air　for　a　few　deep　breaths；　feeling　the　moment。　From　this　beachhead；　we　take　our　homeworld　back！

Rand　and　Rook　had　raced　ahead　of　the　others；　their　Cycs　came　leaping　over　the　hill　with　a　winding　of　Robotech　engines。　The　sun　was　about　to　top　a　ridge　to　the　east；　Scott　decided　he　might　as　well　wait　and　ride　down　with　h