16_world_killers-第15部分

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The　travel　capsule　began　to　slow。　〃Game　time；〃　Jan　said。

〃Are　you　sure　you've　got　the　terminus　pinpointed？〃　Jack　asked；　taking　up　a　firing　position　just　before　the　doors；　the　submachine　gun　raised。　The　others　were　kneeling　or　standing　behind　him；　readying　Karbarran　pneumatic　rifles　and　Garudan　clawguns　and　dart…throwers；　and　grenades　and　all　the　rest；　in　a　hedgehog　of　conventional　fire…power。

〃Just　as　I　said；〃　Jan　went　on；　reading　signs　none　of　the　others　could　even　perceive。　〃The　Central　Slavepen　mand　post。〃

To　the　astonishment　of　Enforcers　and　Armored　Officers　who　hadn't　even　been　aware　it　was　movable；　the　central　pylon　in　the　middle　of　their　mand　post　swung　open。　They　were　preoccupied　with　the　first　reports　of　a　slave　uprising　and　mystified　by　the　fact　that　they　couldn't　get　any　response　from　the　slave　headbands。

But　every　Invid　there　heard　it　when　the　first　Armored　Officer　to　spot　the　raiders　squealed　an　almost　ultrasonic　peal　of　alarm。

Kneeling　and　standing　in　two　ranks；　Jack　and　his　party　began　hosing　fire　all　around　the　mand　center。


Although　the　weapons　of　the　fallen　Enforcers　were　outsize　by　normal　Human　standards；　they　were　not　too　unwieldy　for　the　robust　amazons。　The　guns　were　appropriated　at　once。　With　piercing　yells；　many　of　the　women　took　great　pleasure　in　ripping　off　the　inert　headbands　and　hurling　them　to　the　ground　and　stomping　them　flat；　or　twisting　them　into　junk；　or；　among　the　brawnier；　simply　snapping　them　in　two。

By　that　time；　a　flying　carpet　was　settling　nearby；　carrying　the　Tiresoids　who　were　robed　as　locals；　but　flown　by　a　real　Haydonite。

Rick　had　intended　to　make　a　quick　announcement　to　get　things　on　track；　but　Lisa　beat　him　to　it。　She　flung　off　her　robe　and　leapt　to　the　shining　pavement　while　the　carpet　was　still　a　yard　above　the　road；　holding　her　pistol　high　and　firing　it　twice　to　get　their　attention。

〃Warriors　of　Praxis！　We　are　Sentinels；　allies　of　your　great　fighter　Bela！　We've　broken　free　of　the　Regent　and　we　mean　to　raise　rebellion！　Are　you　with　us？〃

Some　of　the　liberated　slaves　fired　into　the　air　too；　to　signal　their　intent；　while　the　rest　cheered　Lisa　and　those　whom　the　amazons　naturally　assumed　to　be　Lisa's　followers。　The　rest　of　the　Sentinels　were　also　shedding　their　disguises；　and　though　several　of　them　had　the　obvious　drawback　of　being　male；　the　Praxians　hailed　them。　At　least　the　big　dark…skinned　fellow　with　the　rifle　was　amazon　size…and　more…and　looked　encouragingly　tough。

〃The　power　to　the　slavebands　is　out；　but　we're　not　sure　how　long　that　will　last；〃　Lisa　went　on。　〃We　have　to　strike　at　once！　Your　queen　and　your　sisters　are　right　there　in　the　Central　Slavepen。　Here's　how　we're　going　to　get　them　out。〃

It　was　basically　the　plan　the　Sentinels　had　thrown　together　while　waiting　for　the　slaves　to　pass　by；　but　she　had　inserted　a　few　refinements　of　her　own。　Rick　had　to　admit　he　was　impressed。　The　amazons；　all　drilled　in　the　disciplines　of　warfare；　split　up　into　squads　and　moved　out　with　little　confusion　or　delay。


Inside　the　slavepen　mand　post；　things　had　begun　going　disturbingly　wrong。

A　short　time　before；　the　power…relay　system　that　energized　and　controlled　the　slave　headbands　had　simply　gone　dead。　Almost　immediately；　reports　had　begun　ing　in　from　the　working　parties　at　various　Invid　installations　and　en　route　that　the　Praxians　were　in　revolt。　The　cages　where　the　captives　were　quartered　had　bee　a　bedlam；　too；　and　the　amazons　were　apparently　trying　to　bend　the　bars　apart　with　their　bare　hands。

Word　had　been　sent　to　the　Regent；　and　troops　were　already　being　deployed　to　trouble　spots　from　elsewhere　in　the　city　and　the　countryside。

〃At　least　one　bunch　is　still　under　control；〃　an　Armored　Officer　observed　in　his　single…sideband　voice。　A　remote　screen　showed　a　column　of　returning　prisoners　shuffling　through　the　main　entrance　of　the　plex；　heads　bent　in　dejection　and　exhaustion。

〃Perhaps　the　malfunction　isn't　systemwide；〃　another　suggested；　then　the　two　turned　their　attention　to　deploying　reinforcements。　But　no　one　in　the　mand　center　had　noticed　that　the　instrumentation　on　the　slaves'　headbands　was　dark。　And　they　had　turned　away　before　realizing　there　were　no　Enforcers　or　Officers　driving　them　along。

Nor　were　any　Invid　looking　at　the　screen　as　the　women　turned　not　toward　the　cargo　elevators　that　would　take　them　down　to　their　cages；　but　rather　toward　the　building's　arsenal。

Invid　dashing　around　to　respond　to　the　emergency　took　no　notice　either；　and　the　slaves'　dejected　heads　helped　with　the　deception。　That　is；　until　the　Praxians　reached　the　door　of　the　arsenal　itself。

An　Armored　Officer　barred　their　way。　〃Stop！　Where　are　your　overseers？〃

Zibyl；　the　round…faced；　olive…skinned　one　who　had　shown　defiance　outside　the　plex；　led　the　line。　Now　she　looked　around　in　feigned　surprise；　saying；　〃Why；　I　don't　know；　Great　Master；　they　were　there　not　a　moment　ago。　Perhaps　they　stopped　to　speak　to　another　Master。　Shall　I　go　look　for　them？〃

She　took　a　step　back　the　way　she　had　e。　〃Stand　where　you　are；〃　the　Officer　shouted。　It　automatically　took　a　few　steps　in　that　direction；　too。　〃Slaves　aren't　supposed　to　be　in　this　area　unacpanied！〃

As　it　did　so；　several　of　the　women　slipped　past；　behind　its　back；　silently　entering　the　arsenal。

〃I　see　no　overseers；〃　the　Officer　was　saying。　〃And　I　see　no　function　lights　on　your　headbands。　In　fact；　some　of　those　women　back　there　have　no　headbands　at　all！　All　of　you；　line　up　with　your　hands　against　that　wall　while　I　contact…〃

The　Invid　got　no　farther。　From　the　tattered　remnants　of　her　fighting　costume　Zibyl　pulled　the　pistol　Lisa　had　given　her。　The　Officer　was　just　facing　back　toward　her　when　she　squeezed　the　trigger。　The　beam　was　set　at　minimum　dispersal；　a　star…hot　line　no　wider　than　a　pencil's　lead。

Zibyl　was　wearing　a　fey　smile。

The　Officer　went　windmilling　back　as　green　goo　and　little　meteor　sparks　spurted　from　the　rupture　in　its　helmet。　Zibyl　shot　it　again；　dead　center　in　the　chest；　and　twice　more；　the　Invid　flopped　to　the　floor　with　a　deafening　clang　of　heavy　metal。

Just　then　there　was　a　yell　from　the　rear　of　the　column；　〃Enemy　fire…team　ing！〃

〃Stand　clear！〃　yelled　Zibyl；　planting　her　bare　feet　more　firmly　and　raising　the　heavy　Invid　pistol　with　both　hands。　She　stood　her　ground；　her　jaw　set；　as　her　sisters　dove　or　dropped　or　sprinted　out　of　her　line　of　fire。

Four　Enforcers　lumbered　around　the　corner　like　walking　tanks；　their　steps　resounding　up　and　down　the　corridor　like　lootives　being　hit　with　battering　rams。　They　were　un…limbering　their　rifles。

Zibyl　took　careful　aim　at　the　leader；　determined　to　buy　time　and　ferally　willing　to　die　just　so　long　as　she　could　take　some　of　the　more　hated　slavemasters　with　her。　She　thought　she　might　get　one　or；　with　extraordinary　luck；　two；　before　they　cremated　her　on　the　spot。

Zibyl　got　off　the　first　shot　but　missed　with　the　unfamiliar　handgun。　The　Enforcers　were　bringing　their　heavy　weapons　to　bear；　muzzles　the　circumference　of　stovepipes　zeroing　in　on　her；　when　Zibyl　heard　a　rich　contralto　behind　her　bark；　〃Sister！　Hit　the　deck！〃

Zibyl　did。　The　three　Praxians　who　had　womanhandled　the　Enforcer　assault　weapon　out　of　the　arsenal　and　into　the　corridor　had　set　it　up　on　its　tripod。　The　gunner　had　to　sit　on　another　woman's　shoulders　to　aim；　and　she　fired。

The　shot　got　the　lead　Invid　where　the　creature's　naval　would　have　been　if　it　had　had　one；　and　burned　it　in　half。　The　Praxians　traversed　the　beam　and　cut　the　next　Enforcer　in　two。

More　amazons　poured　into　the　corridor　from　the　armory；　blazing　away　with　pistols　and　rifles。　Zibyl　spun　around　on　her　stomach　and　fired；　too。　In　moments；　the　Enforcers　were　smoking　debris　in　a　spreading　pool　of　green　slime。

Zibyl　rose　to　her　feet；　coughing　at　the　smell　of　it；　and　hollered　to　her　Sisters；　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？　They　know　we're　here　now！　Get　weapons；　quickly；　we　haven't　much　time！〃


〃They've　been　discovered；〃　Veidt　said；　as　he　seemingly　stared　off　into　space。　〃The　alarms　are　going　off　now。〃

Vince　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Okay；　everybody　keep　low。〃

He　pushed　off　from　the　wall　with　his　shoulders　and　stepped　from　concealment　behind　the　flying　buttress　of　the　Central　Slavepen。　The　coast　was　clear。　Vince　loped　toward　the　entrance；　Wolff　right　behind　with　the　other　Invid　rifle。　Lisa；　Rick；　and　Jean　were　next；　along　with　the　still…unsteady　Miriya　Sterling；　who　was　being　helped　along　by　Max。　Cabell　came　just　behind；　looking　dignified　even　in　this　frantic　endeavor；　and　with　him　floated　Veidt。　Karen　Penn　brought　up　the　rear；　covering　with　Rick's　pistol。

Rick　had　dithered　a　little　before　making　the　decision　to　give　Karen　his　pistol；　but　it　came　down　to　a　matter　of　practical　necessity。　Karen　had　the　skill　and　training　for　the　job　he　had　assigned　her；　and　it　was　only　sensible　that　she　be　armed。　Max　wouldn't　leave　Miriya；　and　Rick　himself　wanted　to　be　up　toward　the　front；　where　he　could　see　what　was　going　on　and　help　make　decisions；　even　if　this　had　turned　into　Lisa's　show。　To　his　relief；　Lisa　had　made　no　objection。

The　automated　weapons　installations　guarding　the　main　entrance　were　silent；　just　as　Veidt　had　promised。　The　fugitives　made　it　through　the　door　and　onto　the　big　rotunda　beyond。　They　kept　to　the　shadows　along　the　walls；　working　their　way　in　the　opposite　direction　from　that　taken　by　Zibyl　and　the　others。　They　were　headed　for　the　slave　cages。

Enforcers　and　Armored　Officers；　along　with　a　scattering　of　scientists　and　other　Evolveds；　were　running　back　and　forth；　taking　no　notice　of　the　interlopers　at　first。　Vince；　leading　the　way；　was　thankful　that　the　Invid　had　decided　to　make　their　Glike　slave　operation　an　Enforcer…and　Officer…run　facility；　if　there　had　been　Inorganic　bipeds；　the　Sentinels　and　the　Praxians　would　have　had　little　hope　of　coping　with　them。

The　checkpoint　to　the　slave　cages　was　a　guard　station　one　quarter　of　the　way　around　the　gleaming　green　circle　of　the　rotunda。　They　were　nearly　there　when　a　passing　Officer　noticed　them　and　skidded　to　a　halt；　heels　striking　sparks　from　the　superhard　substance　of　the　floor。

〃Halt！　Identify　yours…〃　was　all　he　got　out　before　Vince　waxed　him　with　a　sustained　burst　from　the　rifle。　Guards　were　just　being　aware　of　the　danger　when　Vince　and　Wolff　went　charging