tz.cobra strike-第50部分

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　put　togetherssomething　powerful　enough　to　roll　over　us。〃
　〃Ouch。　Yes；　I　concede　the　difference。　Well　。。。　if　they　move　faster；　I　guess　we'll　just　have　to　speed　things　up。　And　you　Cobras　will　have　to　start　earning　your　room　and　board　here　the　hard　way。〃
　Winward　grimaced。　Heavily　armed　Qasamans　。　。　。　and　clouds　of　mojos。　〃Yes。　I　guess　we　will。〃
　
　
　Chapter　28
　
　York　had　put　in　a　long　day　aboard　ship　and　had　looked　forward　to　at　least　one　good　night's　sleep　before　things　heated　up　below。　But　he'd　been　asleep　barely　four　hours　when　the　inter's　pinging　dragged　him　awake。　〃Yes…York/〃　he　mumbled。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Something　happening　on　Qasama；〃　the　duty　officer's　voice　said。　〃I　think　you'll　want　to　see　this。〃
　〃On　my　way。〃
　Robed　and　barefoot；　he　was　seated　before　one　of　the　big　displays　in　two　minutes　flat　。。。　and　the　image　there　was　indeed　worth　waking　him　for。
　〃Helicopters；〃　he　identified　them　to　the　two　spotters　on　duty。　〃Possibly　with　auxiliary　thrusters…　they're　making　pretty　good　speed。　Where'd　they　e　from？〃
　〃We　first　picked　them　up　a　few　kilometers　east　of　Sollas；〃　the　duty　officer　told　him。　〃Could　have　e　a　fair　distance；　though；　if　they'd　been　going　slower；　it　was　the　movement　we　noticed　first。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　York　tapped　keys；　watched　the　results　appear　at　the　bottom　of　the　screen。　Six　units；　flying　just　a　bit　subsonic…which　didn't　prove　anything　about　their　actual　capabilities…heading　southeast　toward　the　Menssana's　village。　ETA；　roughly　two　hours。　〃Get　me　Governor　Telek；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder。
　　　Telek　had　also　been　asleep；　and　by　the　time　the　Menssana's　duty　officer　rousted　her　out　of　bed　York　had　a　bit　more　information。　〃Two　oNhem　are　fairly　big；　possibly　implying　troop　carriers；〃　he　told　her。　〃The　other　four　are　smaller；　I'd　guess　reconnaissance　or　attack。　Odds　are　probably　good　that　they're　converted　civilian　craft；　instead　of　specifically　military　ones；　which　should　be　to　our　advantage。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　they　don't　have　gravity　lifts；〃　Telek　mused。　〃That's　one　technological　edge　we　know　we've　got。〃
　〃Not　necessarily。〃　York　shook　his　head。　〃No　one　puts　grav　lifts　on　attack　helicopters；　whether　they've　got　〃em　or　not…the　things　are　wildly　inefficient　for　tight；　high…speed　maneuvering。　Besides；　for　nighttime　applications　a　grav　lift's　glow　makes　you　a　flying　bull's…eye。〃
　〃So　these　are　something　we　should　worry　about？〃
　York　snorted。　〃Worry　and　a　half。　We　used　a　lot　of　helicopters　back　in　the　Marines；　and　I've　seen　them　chew　up　areas　twice　the　size　of　your　village。〃
　Telek's　inter　image　went　tight…lipped。　〃Except　that　they'd　kill　three　thousand　of　their　own　people　if　they　try　that。〃
　〃Right；　and　I　doubt　they're　quite　that　desperate　yet；〃　York　agreed。　〃And　they're　unlikely　to　hang　around　overhead　sniping　at　the　Cobras　until　they　have　an　idea　of　what　we've　got　to　shoot　back　with。〃
　〃So　the　gleaner…team　stays　put；〃　Telek　said。　〃But　the　outrider　teams　go　to　ground？〃
　〃They　certainly　make　themselves　inconspicuous。　And　the　Menssana　gets　the　hell　out　of　there。〃
　〃Damn。〃　Telek　bit　at　her　lip。　〃Yeah；　you're　right。　You　think　going　to　ground　a　hundred　kilometers　away　will　be　safe　enough？〃
　〃The　farther　the　better。　But　you've　got　to　move　fast；　before　they're　close　enough　to　spot　your　grav　lifts。　I　don't　want　to　find　out　the　hard　way　what　sort　of　air…to…air　capability　they　have。〃
　〃Good　point。　Captain　Shepherd？〃
　〃Three　minutes　to　lift；〃　the　other's　voice　came　into　the　circuit。　〃We've　picked　a　tentative　hiding　place　three　hundred　kilometers　northwest　of　here；　subject　to　your　approval。〃
　〃What；　right　in　the　path　of　the　helicopters？〃　York　frowned。
　〃No；　several　kilometers　off　their　approach。　There's　a　large　section　of　good　rock　cover　under　a　crevasse　overhang　there…and　it's　certainly　the　last　direction　the　Qasamans　would　expect　us　to　run。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Telek　put　in　impatiently。　〃Just　get　us　moving；　I'll　look　the　maps　over　when　I　have　time。　Decker；　keep　an　eye　on　those　helicopters　and　let　us　know　if　anything　else　shows　up。〃
　〃Will　do；〃　York　said。　〃And　you　people　sit　on　your　screens；　too…they　could　have　sneaked　antiaircraft　or　spotters　out　there　under　the　trees　earlier　today。〃
　〃You're　a　fort　in　my　old　age；〃　Telek　returned　dryly。　〃I've　got　to　go　now；　get　Michael　on　the　line。　Talk　to　you　later。〃
　Telek's　image　vanished　from　the　screen。　〃At　least　they　can't　block　or　trace　our　munications　this　time　around；〃　the　duty　officer　said。
　〃Unless　they've　learned　about　split…frequency　radio　in　the　past　six　weeks；〃　York　told　him　heavily。　〃And　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　them。〃　Taking　a　deep　breath；　he　chased　the　last　of　the　sleep　from　his　mind。　〃All　right；　gentlemen；　let's　get　busy。　plete　sweep　of　the　village　and　everything　for　a　thousand　kilometers　around　it。　If　anything's　moving　out　there；　I　want　to　know　about　it。〃
　The　helicopter　formation　broke　up　about　fifty　kilometers　west　of　the　village；　two　of　the　smaller　ones　heading　straight　in　while　the　others　circled　to　the　north　and　south。　Winward's　Cobras　braced　for　an　attack　。。。　but　the　craft　made　only　a　single　pass　overhead　before　regrouping　to　the　east　and　swinging　around　to　head　north。　For　awhile　they　tracked　along　the　road；　and　Pyre　and　his　outrider…one　team　braced　in　turn。　But　if　they　were　spotted　there　was　no　sign。　Continuing　north；　the　helicopters　faded　into　the　background　somewhere　near　the　next　village；　disappearing　from　the　Dewdrop's　screens。
　〃You　think　they　picked　us　up？〃　Justin　asked　Pyre　as　the　ten　Cobras　of　outrider…one　returned　cautiously　to　their　roadside　positions。
　〃Hard　to　tell；〃　the　other　sighed；　checking　his　watch。　About　an　hour　and　a　half　to　local　sunrise…plenty　of　time　for　the　craft　to　refuel；　rearm；　even　sit　around　for　awhile　and　discuss　strategy；　and　still　get　back　in　time　for　a　predawn　attack　if　they　wanted　to。　〃Depends　really　on　how　good　their　infrareds　are。　Radar　and　motion　sensors　would　have　been　pretty　useless　with　the　tree　canopy　this　thick。〃
　〃I　would　have　thought　they'd　have　attacked　if　they'd　spotted　us；〃　one　of　the　others　mented。
　〃Unless　they　still　think　we　didn't　notice　them　in　the　darkness；〃　Pyre　pointed　out。　〃In　that　case　they　might　prefer　not　to　tip　off　the　gleaner…team　by　incinerating　a　section　of　forest　twenty　kilometers　north。〃
　〃They'll　leave　that　for　the　ground　troops　in　the　morning；　I　suppose；〃　someone　else　put　in　dryly。
　Pyre　grimaced；　the　news　of　the　convoy　moving　south　along　the　roads　had　e　from　the　Dewdrop　only　fifteen　minutes　earlier。　〃Probably；〃　he　admitted。　〃Though　if　I　were　them　I'd　bring　the　helicopters　back　for　the　party；　too。　Not　much　point　in　subtlety　by　that　time。〃
　〃What　fun；〃　Justin　said。　〃Any　other　good　news？〃
　Pyre　shrugged。　〃Only　that　the　convoy's　not　due　for　a　few　more　hours　at　the　least…which　means　some　of　us　should　get　reasonably　caught　up　on　our　sleep　before　then。〃
　〃Only　some　of　us？〃
　〃We've　got　to　have　sentries；〃　Pyre　pointed　out。　〃Can't　count　on　the　Qasamans　not　to　sneak　something　past　the　Dewdrop…and　the　helicopters　might　e　back。　Hey；　get　used　to　it；　friends…this　is　what　warfare　is　all　about：　worry　and　lack　of　sleep。〃
　Plus；　of　course；　a　lot　of　dying。　Pyre　hoped　they　wouldn't　have　to　find　out　too　much　about　that　part。
　The　helicopters〃　early　morning　flyby　hadn't　gone　unnoticed　by　the　gleaner…team；　of　course。　But　it　wasn't　until　the　day's　testing　began　that　they　discovered　the　villagers；　too；　had　heard　the　overhead　activity。
　〃You　can　see　it　in　their　faces　and　body　language　as　clearly　as　if　they　were　wearing　wraparound　displays/〃　McKinley　told　Winward　tightly　an　hour　into　the　interviews。　〃They　know　the　government's　on　to　us　and　they're　fully　expecting　some　kind　of　move　soon；　probably　within　a　day。〃
　Winward　nodded；　York　and　the　others　aboard　the　Dewdrop　had　e　to　the　same　conclusion。　〃Well；　we　certainly　can't　sit　put　for　a　hall…scale　military　operation　here。　What's　the　earliest　time　you　can　be　finished？〃
　〃Depends　on　how　much　data　you　want　to　take　back；〃　the　other　shrugged。　〃We're　already　bining　the　original　day　two　and　day　three　schedules；　taking　half　the　data　points　we'd　originally　planned　for　each…〃
　From　one　of　the　rooms　down　the　hall　came　a　muffled　shriek　and　the　crash　of　a　falling　object。　〃What…？〃　McKinley　snapped；　spinning　around。
　Winward　was　already　moving　at　a　dead　run；　auditory　enhancers　keyed　for　follow…up　noises。　The　sounds　of　a　struggle　。。。　muffled　curses　。。。　that　door…
　He　slammed　it　open　to　see　one　of　the　Cobras　pulling　a　struggling　Qasaman　from　the　desk　he'd　apparently　thrown　himself　across。　The　experimenter；　picking　himself　up　shakily　from　the　floor　behind　his　overturned　chair；　was　white…faced　with　shock；　the　pale　skin　in　sharp　contrast　to　the　oozing　blood　on　his　cheek。　Beside　him　on　the　floor　lay　a　dead　mojo。　The　Cobra　looked　up　as　Winward　strode　in。　〃The　mojo　tried　to　attack；　and　I　had　to　kill　it。　I　was　a　little　too　slow　to　stop　this　one。〃
　Winward　nodded　as　McKinley　skidded　into　the　room　behind　him。　〃Get　him　out　of　here；〃　he　told　the　Cobra。
　〃Killers；〃　the　Qasaman　spat　toward　Winward　as　theotherCobrahauledhim　toward　the　door。　〃Foulspring　excrement　vermin…〃
　The　door　slammed　on　his　tirade。　〃Loses　a　lot　in　translation；　I'll　bet。〃　Winward　and　McKinley　moved　to　the　tester's　side。　〃You　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　the　other　nodded；　dabbing　with　a　handkerchief　at　his　cheek。　〃Took　me　pletely　by　surprise…his　control　just　seemed　to　snap；　and　there　he　was　on　top　of　me。〃
　Winward　exchanged　glances　with　McKinley。　〃When　was　that？　When　his　mojo　was　killed？〃
　〃Oddly　enough；　no。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　think　they　both　jumped　me　at　the　same　time。　Though　I　couldn't　swear　to　that。〃
　〃Um；〃　McKinley　nodded。　〃Well；　the　tapes　will　show　the　details。　You'd　better　go　to　HQ；　get　those　scratches　looked　at。　No　point　taking　any　chances。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Sorry。〃
　〃Not　your　fault。　And　don't　e　back　until　you're　sure　you　feel　ready　to　continue。　We're　not　in　that　much　of　a　hurry。〃
　The　tester　nodded　and　left。　〃If　he's　too　obviously　nervous　it　could　skew　his　results；〃　McKinley　explained。
　Winward　nodded。　He　had　the　recorder　box　back　on　the　table　now　and　popped　the　rear　panel。　〃Let's　see　what　really　happened。〃
　The　tester；　it　turned　out；　had　been　correct。　Bird　and　man　had　attacked　at　precisely　the　same　moment。
　〃You　can　see　signs　of　agitation　in　both　of　the