16_world_killers-第13部分

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〃Are　you　saying　that　the　majority　of　the　council　has　lost　possession　of　its　mental　faculties？〃　Exedore　asked　innocently。　Edwards　made　a　wordless　sound　of　rage　and　broke　the　connection；　so　that　the　council's　faces　returned　to　the　screen。　After　a　few　quick　directives　to　the　effect　that　Lang　and　Exedore　should　begin　organizing　the　voyage；　the　meeting　was　adjourned。

〃Edwards　never　seems　to　learn　his　lesson；〃　Exedore　remarked。　〃Even　though　the　bulk　of　his　Ghost　Riders　failed　to　return　from　their　mission　to　apprehend　Breetai；　he　speaks　as　though　he　has　the　military　might　to　enforce　his　will。〃

〃So　I　noticed…and　it　makes　me　wonder。〃　Lang　had　had　his　own　people　circulating　among　REF　personnel；　and　the　overwhelming　majority　were　on　the　side　of　the　council；　but　still　Edwards　carried　on　as　though　he　had　a　hole　card。

Then　there　was　this　strange　business　about　the　pilot　who　had　tried　to　save　Minmei。　Lang　could　discover　nothing　about　the　man…sometimes　he　doubted　if　witnesses　were　right；　and　wondered　if　the　pilot　existed　at　all。　Edwards；　for　his　part；　insisted　that　Minmei　had　escaped　confinement　and　was　probably　being　harbored　by　friends　somewhere　in　Tiresia。

But　that　didn't　jell　with　the　Edwards　that　Lang　knew：　what　he　had；　he　rarely　let　slip　away　from　him。


Edwards　glared　disgustedly　at　the　blank　screen。

Idiots！　The　council　was　asserting　itself　more　and　more；　now　that　the　general's　power　base　of　Ghost　Riders　had　been　cut　so　drastically。　It　was　a　pity　he　couldn't　give　them　a　real　taste　of　the　power　he　wielded；　but　that　would　have　been　showing　his　hand　too　soon。

All　his　efforts　to　infiltrate　people　into　Lang's　organization　had　failed；　too；　so　there　was　little　chance　of　getting　his　own　agents　onto　Carpenter's　roster。　Devil　take　the　luck！　He　wanted　every　spacefold　ship　for　his　own　master　plan；　and　the　idea　of　an　unwarned　Earth；　softened　up　by　the　Robotech　Masters；　was　quite　appealing。

But　he　still　had　his　options。　Perhaps　it　was　time　now　that　he　allowed　himself　a　diversion。　He　opened　a　mo　channel。

〃Medical？　Give　me　an　update　on　the　patient。〃

〃No　appreciable　change；　sir；〃　a　clinician's　voice　answered。

Inpetents！　Not　fit　to　be　called　therapists。　All　they　had　managed　to　do　was　drive　Minmei　into　near　catatonia。　He　felt　a　sudden　hunger　for　her；　a　need　to　reassure　himself　that　she　was　still　in　his　power。

〃Perhaps　a　little　personal　contact　is　what's　needed；〃　he　said。　〃Remain　where　you　are；　I'll　be　right　down。〃


CHAPTER　NINE

To　paraphrase　the　Human　aphorism；　〃I　think；　therefore　I　scram。〃
Cabell；　A　Pedagogue　Abroad：　Notes　on　the　Sentinels　Campaign

The　Invid　Enforcers　of　the　Regent's　hordes　were　nothing　like　that　class　of　mecha　the　Regis　was　developing。　Hers　were　bigger　than　Battloids；　mounting　enormous　cannons；　her　most　powerful　fighting　machines；　while　his　were　scarcely　bigger　than　the　Armored　Officers。

Three　Enforcers　entered　the　Hall　of　Healing　now；　driving　Cabell　and　Veidt　before　them；　as　the　others　looked　up。　Vince；　Max；　and　Wolff　were　waiting　there；　as　well　as　Rick；　Lisa；　and　the　rest。　Vince's　arm　was　around　Jean's　shoulder；　while　Max　held　both　Miriya's　hands。　There　was　still　some　distance　between　Rick　and　Lisa。

Veidt　turned　to　the　lead　Enforcer。　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　these　prisoners　alone。〃

The　media's　voice　sounded　like　a　warped　audio　disk。　〃Those　are　not　the　Regent's　orders！　Count　yourself　lucky　that　you　are　not　confined　as　well！〃　The　Enforcers　stayed　where　they　were；　weapons　ready。

Veidt　made　a　helpless　shrug　as　he　turned　to　his　friends。　〃Those　of　us　who　believe　in　freedom　are　doing　our　best　to　obtain　your　release；〃　he　said。

〃Not　likely　to　help　much；　is　it？〃　Max　asked　bitterly。　〃We've　already　been　measured　for　slave　headbands　and　restraining　devices　and　cages。　And　you're　telling　me　the　people　who　sold　us　out…your　people…are　gonna　find　the　backbone　to　help　us　now？　Dream　on。〃

Miriya　shushed　him。　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　the　Haydonites；　we　four　would　be　dead　right　now。〃

Max　lowered　his　head；　speaking　so　they　could　barely　hear　him。　〃Maybe　that'd　be　preferable。　Maybe　we'd　all　be　better　off　that　way。〃

His　face　went　deathly　pale　as　he　said　it；　everyone　there　was　aware　that　Miriya　was　pregnant。

Veidt　regarded　Max　for　a　moment。　〃I　trust　you'll　change　your　mind　in　time。〃　He　came　about；　the　hem　of　his　robes　swirling；　and　wafted　out　the　door。　One　Enforcer　left；　and　the　other　two　remained　on　guard　by　the　door。

〃Did　you　get　to　see　Rem？〃　Jean　asked　Cabell。

〃No。　A　great　joke　of　the　Regent's；　promising　to　allow　us　to。　What　he　really　meant　is　that　we're　all　to　be　imprisoned　along　with　him。〃

〃What　a　sense　of　humor。〃　Rick　grunted。　〃I　wonder　if　he　does　weddings　and　funerals。〃

He　was　looking　around　at　the　alien　lab　equipment；　speculating　on　what　among　it　would　make　the　best　improvised　weapon…because　he　had　no　intention　of　ending　up　in　a　cage。　And　surely　the　Invid　jailers　would　be　there　to　fit　the　Sentinels　with　slave　headbands　any　minute　now；　there　wasn't　much　time　to　act。

All　of　a　sudden　Cabell　started　using　mon　Terran　English　of　a　sort。　〃We　must　ayk…may　an　eak…bray。　Eidt…Vay　will　be　ailing…way。〃　Cabell　said　it　as　though　he　were　leading　them　in　prayer；　or　giving　them　a　quiet　pep　talk。

One　of　the　Enforcers　shifted；　bringing　its　heavy　rifle　to　bear。　〃Stop！　No　munication　in　offworld　tongues；　or　we'll　bind　and　gag　you　all。　Healer；　make　the　final　checks　that　the　Regent　has　ordered；　then　all　of　you　stand　ready　to　be　transferred　to　the　laboratories　of　the　omnipotent　Regent！〃

The　Humans；　meanwhile；　had　been　absorbing　what　Cabell　told　them。　Lisa　found　a　moment　in　which　to　chuckle　at　the　irony。　Apparently　Cabell　had　learned　more　than　just　science　in　his　dealings　with　Lang；　Dr。　Penn　and　the　rest；　and　with　the　Human　Sentinels。

We've　got　fifty…skillion　bucks　worth　of　taxpayers'　money　in　Robotech　paraphernalia；　it　occurred　to　Rick；　and　now　the　whole　shebang's　riding　on　one　old　alien　coot　talking　in　pig　latin！　Somehow；　it　seemed　appropriate。

It　was　like　sending　vital　battle　signals　with　a　child's　decoder　ring　from　a　cereal　box；　but　it　seemed　to　have　worked。　And　the　remark　about　the　Regent's　laboratories　had　everyone　there　determined　to　escape　or　die　trying；　there　were　fates　worse　than　death。

Even　as　the　Enforcer　guard　was　delivering　his　warning；　Jean　Grant　surreptitiously　adjusted　a　control　on　the　life…signs　monitoring　equipment。　Oscillators　oscillated　and　alarms　buzzed；　lights　flashed　and　electronic　tones　made　urgent　warbles。

The　Enforcer　swung　its　barrel　around。　〃What's　this？〃

Jean　pretended　to　be　studying　the　healing　devices。　〃I　think　their　thalmic　excrescences　have　formed　a　medullary　fistula！〃　To　her　former　patients　she　snapped；　〃Quick；　all　of　you！　Lie　back　down！　Your　refraction's　stuck　in　the　optical　reciprocator！〃

The　Enforcers　were　teetering　a　little；　overwhelmed。　〃Wh…what　are　you　saying；　female？　Explain　yourself！〃

Jean　demonstrated　her　impatience。　〃They're　having　a　relapse；　you　big　worm…in…a…can！　Quick；　you　and　your　partner　go　get　help！　Get　the　healers！　Get　the　Regent！　Can't　you　see　they're　dying？〃

Karen　was　the　first　to　pick　up　her　cue　and　fall　back　on　the　floor　moaning。　Lisa　gaped　at　her　for　an　instant；　then　went　into　her　own　pretended　fit；　staggering　around　and　twitching　exaggeratedly；　making　some　very　strange　faces。　Rick　caught　on　and　flopped　to　the　floor　in　a　gatoring　paroxysm；　Miriya　swooned　onto　a　treatment　couch　and　began　uttering　piercing　sounds　of　pain。

The　two　Enforcers　were　so　nonplussed　that　for　a　moment　they　nearly　did　turn　to　go　get　help。　But　they　caught　themselves　and　covered　the　prisoners　again。　揝tand　fast；　you！　None　of　your　tricks　now！〃

〃Trick？　Does　this　look　like　a　trick？〃　Jean　said；　pointing　to　the　inprehensible　sound　and　light　show　of　the　Haydonite　medical　apparatus。

And　I　hope　you　don't　say　yes！

The　Enforcer　stumped　over　to　the　machine　to　have　a　look　for　itself；　motioning　Jean　aside　with　the　gun　barrel。　She　only　moved　a　step　or　two　away；　but　that　didn't　bother　the　Invid；　she　was　nothing　but　an　unarmed　female　Human。　The　second　Enforcer　moved　up　nearby；　covering　the　oddly　contorting　afflicted　ones　just　in　case　they　were　planning　something。　Unnoticed；　Vince　Grant　slipped　from　sight　between　two　stacks　of　equipment。

The　first　Enforcer　gazed　at　the　baffling　displays　of　the　instruments　while　the　supposedly　relapsed　patients　drooled；　howled　like　dogs；　and　went　into　vigorous　spasms。　Jean　watched　from　a　step　away；　her　hands　behind　her　back。

〃What　does　all　this　mean？　Explain！〃　the　Invid　demanded。

Jean　produced　one　hand　so　that　she　could　point。　〃It's　all　right　there　on　the　middle　scanner！　See？〃

As　the　thing　leaned　in　for　a　closer　look；　she　whipped　around　the　power…delivery　cable　she　had　yanked　loose　and　thrust　it　against　the　armored　torso。　Crackling　wreaths　of　pure　energy　swathed　the　thing；　sending　it　into　convulsions。　Jean　made　a　silent　prayer　of　thanks　that　the　cable's　thick　insulation　kept　her　from　being　fried　as　well。　Nevertheless；　the　field　generated　by　the　furious　current　made　her　short　hair　stand　on　end。

The　radiant　wrath　of　it　drove　her　back　after　only　a　second　or　two；　though；　forcing　her　to　drop　the　cable。　The　Enforcer　was　still　shuddering　and　lurching；　Jean　thought　she　might　have　succeeded　in　mortally　wounding　the　embryolike　Invid　inside；　or　the　systemry　of　its　mecha。

The　second　Enforcer　was　angling　for　a　shot　at　her；　careful　to　keep　the　afflicted　Sentinels　and　Max　and　Wolff　in　its　field　of　fire。　But　as　it　raised　its　massive　rifle；　a　hand　pulled　the　pistol　from　its　belt。　Vince　Grant　took　a　quick　step　back　and　shot　the　thing　straight　in　the　back　of　the　helmet。

Smoke　and　steam　and　green　goop　burst　from　the　gap　in　the　Invid　armor；　along　with　the　smell　of　incinerated　tissue　and　forge…spatterings　of　molten　alloy。　Vince　had　to　dodge　quickly　as　the　second　guard　collapsed　backward；　nearly　pinning　him。

The　other　captives　were　all　on　their　feet　now；　closing　in　on　the　fallen　Enforcers。　〃D'you　think　they　got　off　an　alert？〃　Max　wondered。

〃Probably　not；　but　that　doesn't　mean　we're　in　the　clear；〃　Wolff　surmised。　He　gingerly　touched　the　fallen　rifle　of　the　one　Jean　had　zapped；　it　was　warm；　but　intact　and　apparently　still　functional。　He　hoisted　the　rifle　onto　his　shoulder。

Vince　passed　his　pistol　to　Rick　and　took　up　the　other