11_metamorphosis- 第40节

She　pursed　her　own；　parted　them；　then　suddenly　struck　at　him；　and　struggled　frantically　to　break　free；　sobbing。


Rand　shook　the　water　out　of　his　thick　red　hair。　Marlene；　listening　to　a　shell；　flinched　a　bit　as　the　water　hit　her　but　never　lost　her　smile。　She　laughed　at　the　water　that　was　being　sprayed　at　her；　there　was　light　everywhere　she　looked。

Rand　was　panting；　leaning　on　the　boogyboard　he　had　found　in　the　ruins　of　the　resort。　〃Scott；　you're　missing　a　once…in…a…lifetime　chance。　Quit　pretending　to　be　a　sand　crab。〃

〃Rand；　I　am　not　pretending　to　be　a　sand　crab。　Uh；　what　is　a　sand　crab？〃

〃What're　you　talking　about？　At　least　take　off　that　dumb　flight　suit！〃

Scott　had　no　way　of　refusing　Rand's　demands　short　of　physical　violence。　Flight　suit　and　all；　Rand　dragged　him　into　the　water。　Rook　watched　them；　easing　her　aching　leg　and　arm。　Rand　seemed　so　young　and　limber　and　in　the　water；　especially；　he　seemed　slick　and　carefree　as　a　pink　sea　otter。　What　hope　could　she　have　for　a　life　with　someone　like　that？　He　hadn't　accumulated　the　chronicle　of　sins　that　she　had。　Rook　sighed。

Scott　confessed　that　he　didn't　know　how　to　swim；　virtually　none　of　the　spaceborne　generation　did。　Rand　only　took　that　as　a　challenge　to　teach　him。　About　thirty　seconds　of　Rand's　instruction　had　Scott　spitting　water；　and　heaving；　and　vowing　to　stick　to　solid　ground　from　then　on。


Out　where　the　mecha　were　parked；　Lunk　was　running　repairs　and　listening　to　Annie's　apparently　endless　heartbreak　stories。　〃I'm　beginning　to　think　I'll　die　an　old　maid！　I　might　even　wind　up　as　a　librarian！〃

That　ment　brought　Lunk's　head　up　out　of　the　cockpit　of　Rook's　Alpha；　where　he　had　been　working。　The　only　meaningful　relationship　he　had　had　was　a　romance　with　a　librarian。　She　was　a　fiery　young　woman　who　knew　how　to　handle　a　gun　and　was　determined　that　the　books　would　live　and　that　they　would　be　there　when　Homo　Sapiens　eventually　started　picking　up　the　pieces。

Lunk　had　had　to　run；　but　he　had　often　thought　back　to　the　dark…haired；　dark…eyed　librarian…so　impassioned。。。

He　drew　a　great　breath　and　told　Annie；　〃You're　such　a　heartbreaker；　you'll　probably　get　married　five　or　six　times。　Do　me　a　favor　and　invite　me　to　every　wedding。〃

She　shrieked　with　laughter；　grabbed　the　thick　hair　of　his　sideburns　and　showered　his　face　with　kisses。


Lancer　thought　he　had　spied　his　prey。　He　dodged　into　a　clearing；　but　he　saw　that　he　had　been　fooled　by　a　trick　of　the　light。　He　stopped；　froze；　then　called　out；　〃Wait！　I　only　want　to　talk　to　you！　There　may　be　Invid　nearby！　You　may　be　in　great　danger！〃

He　heard　a　thrashing　behind　him；　turned　to　see　the　pink　along　one　flank　as　she　ran；　and　yelled　after　her　even　as　he　sprinted　to　pursue。　〃Please　stop…〃

Sera　could　have　gotten　away　if　she　had　really　wanted　to。　Why　had　she　lingered？　Why　had　she　watched　him？

〃I　just　want　to　know　who　you　are　and　where　you're　from！　It's　very　important　to　me！　Hey！〃

Lancer　could　hear　her　ahead；　sobbing　and　stumbling。　He　ran　with　an　even　breath；　hopping　some　obstacles　and　ducking　others。　At　last　he　bounded　into　a　clearing　where　hot；　blinding　light　shone　down　on　him。　He　shielded　his　eyes　with　the　flat　of　his　hand　and　gazed　up。

It　was　an　alien　mecha　like　nothing　there　had　ever　been　before；　anywhere。　The　late　morning　sun　glinted　all　around　it；　and　reflected　off　enormously　strong　purple　ponents　and　pink　trim；　making　the　machine…mountain　difficult　to　see。

Lancer　blocked　the　light　with　his　hand；　moving　a　little。

It　must　have　landed　while　I　was　swimming；　but…it　didn't　attack　me！　It　seems　abandoned。　But　how　could　that　be？　According　to　all　reports　the　drones　are　helpless　eggs　outside　their　mecha。

He　heard　a　sound　and　sensed　some　movement。　The　young　woman　stepped　out　from　behind　one　of　the　machine's　colossal　legs。　He　saw　now　that　the　color　pattern　of　her　bodysuit　reiterated　the　colors　of　the　alien　Trooper。

He　stared　at　her　as　she　watched　him　silently。　〃Y…you　can't　be　the　pilot！　You're　Human；　not　an　Invid　drone；　where's　the　pilot；　the　alien？〃

Something　galvanized　her；　she　leapt；　incredibly　high；　as　the　mecha　bent　toward　her；　the　turret　in　its　muzzle　blossoming　open　to　receive　her。　Rather　than　the　egg…nest　described　by　Rand　and　Annie；　the　new　Trooper's　control　nacelle　was　a　padded　cockpit　pletely　encased　in　armor。

Lancer　was　still　yelling　to　her　as　the　cockpit　closed　and　the　Trooper's　back　and　foot　thrusters　fired　up。　He　was　nearly　blown　from　his　feet　and　singed　by　the　backwash；　the　invader　lifted　off；　leaving　the　grass　burned　and　smoldering　where　it　had　stood。

He　blinked；　coughing　from　the　smoke　and　the　sand　she　had　kicked　up。　By　the　time　he　opened　his　eyes　again；　the　Trooper　was　a　diminishing　meteor　racing　to　the　east。

This　is　unbelievable！　She　was　the　pilot　of　that　mecha！　Does　this　mean　Humans　are　fighting　for　the　Invid？


Shaken　by　her　encounter　with　Lancer；　and　unable　to　unravel　the　plex　series　of　feelings　and　impulses　that　had　assailed　her；　Sera　rejoined　Corg　and　the　contingent　of　Shock　Troopers。　But　she　made　no　mention　of　what　had　happened　and　that；　too；　confused　her。

But　Corg　and　the　Troopers'　sensors　had　detected　Lunk's　test　activations；　as　he　checked　his　repair　job。　Sera　had　barely　rejoined　them　when　they　assumed　attack　formation　and　rocketed　toward　the　island　where　Humans　had　been　sensed。


Rand　eased　himself　into　a　frayed　chaise　longue　next　to　Rook。　Scott　threw　himself　down　on　all　fours　in　the　sand；　resolving　never　to　go　swimming　in　a　flight　suit　again。　As　he　hunched　around　to　sit　down；　his　hand　happened　to　touch　Marlene's　shoulder。

She　gasped　as　if　she　had　been　touched　with　a　live　wire；　and　seemed　to　go　into　shock。　〃Must've　pinched　some　kinda　nerve；〃　Rand　diagnosed。

〃I　tell　you；　I　barely　touched　the　woman！〃　Scott　shot　back　angrily；　face　reddening　at　the　thought　of　how　he　longed　to　caress　her。

〃Su…uure；　Scott；〃　Rook　teased。　〃Probably　just　your　sexual　magnetism。〃　She　looked　to　Marlene；　who　was　gazing　into　empty　air。　〃This　might　be　a　good　sign；　though；　if　she's　having　flashbacks　or　something；　maybe　it　means　her　memory's　returning。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　Scott　said；　but　he　wondered　if　he　really　did；　or　if　he　would　be　sorry　on　the　day　that　happened。

Marlene　abruptly　clutched　at　her　hair。　〃I　feel　them　ing　closer！　They're　here！〃

But　the　thunder　of　the　attack　had　already　made　the　Humans　look　up。　Down　through　the　clouds　plunged　Corg　and　Sera；　leading　their　Pincer　Ships　and　Shock　Troopers。　〃Invid　squadron　heading　this　way！〃　Rand　hollered；　bounding　out　of　his　beach　chair。

〃Invid；〃　Marlene　was　moaning。　〃Reflex　Point。。。Regis。。。〃


〃We're　out　of　time；　but　I　think　we　can　still　make　a　break　for　it；〃　Scott　said；　tight…lipped。　〃I'll　run　the　boats。　Rand；　Rook：　suit　up　and　make　sure　you're　ready　for　my　signal。〃

They　snapped　to　it；　fast　as　any　Mars　Division　elite　troops；　sprinting　away；　feet　throwing　up　sand。　Scott　grabbed　for　Marlene's　arm；　but　this　time　she　showed　no　reaction　to　his　touch。

The　Invid　pleted　several　sweeps　of　the　island；　preparing　to　go　in　closer。　Then　they　noticed　the　pair　of　PT　boats　moving　out　to　sea　at　maximum　speed。

Corg　felt　delighted　at　the　chance　to　slay　Humans。　With　voice　and　arm　signals；　he　ordered　the　attack。　Pincer　Ships　followed　him　for　the　first　pass。　Scott；　on　shore；　watched　and　did　his　best　to　evade　the　enemy's　strafing　runs；　but　the　jury…rigged　remote　controls　were　slow　in　responding。


Rand　and　Rook　rushed　to　get　into　their　armor；　dragging　the　camouflage　nets　off　their　VTs　even　while　Lunk　was　working；　with　infuriating　deliberateness；　to　finish　the　last　of　his　repairs　on　Rook's　Alpha。


Two　passes　had　both　PTs　leaking　smoke　and　had　blown　open　the　weather　bridge　on　one。　Receiving　no　counterfire；　the　Invid　dropped　lower　to　recon。　They　saw　the　boat's　wheel　moving　with　no　living　hand　upon　it；　and　noted　the　remote　transmissions　it　was　receiving。

The　Regis's　voice　spoke　from　their　puter/mo　net。　〃Scanners　reveal　no　Human　units　in　target　vessels。　Warning！　Possible　strategic　entrapment　maneuver！〃


Scott　figured　he　had　played　the　possum　hand　for　just　about　all　it　was　worth。　Here　we　go；　firing　all　missiles。

The　team　had　loaded　the　PT　boats'　racks　with　surface…to…air　missiles；　since　surface…to…surface　bat　was　unlikely。　Now