16_world_killers-第34部分

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　set…piece　battle；　but　rather　in　striking　the　head　from　the　monster…literally。　By　killing　Edwards。

But　Wolff's　timetable　was　changed　as　Exedore's　voice　came　up　over　the　tactical　munications　net。　〃Colonel！　We　have　Invid　Terror　Weapons　rising　from　the　Royal　Hall！　Some　are　heading　for　immediate　rendezvous　with　the　SDF…7；　but　others　are　ing　your　way！〃

So；　that　was　Edwards's　other　ace　in　the　hole。　The　Regent　had　left　more　than　just　troops　and　the　Living　puter　behind　in　his　haste　to　abandon　Tirol。　The　Invid　Brain　was　no　doubt　on　its　way　to　safety　already。

Even　as　Wolff　was　getting　the　bad　news；　the　Inorganics　began　disengaging；　pulling　back　to　defensive　positions；　awaiting　evacuation。　Soon；　the　way　to　the　HQ　was　clear；　but　the　building　itself　was　alive　with　alien　biped　mecha　putting　out　murderous；　concentrated　fire。

Within　a　minute；　two　of　the　bizarre…looking　Invid　drop…ships　were　descending　toward　the　roof；　acpanied　by　skirmish　fliers。　With　their　increased　fire　superiority；　the　enemy　craft　drove　back　the　few　VTs　the　Humans　still　had　in　the　air。　Inorganics　were　soon　embarking　for　their　escape。

Wolff　saw　that　there　was　no　way　his　force　could　stop　them。　He　switched　to　Edwards's　mand　frequency　and　broadcast　in　cleartext。　〃This　doesn't　end　it；　General！　I'm　ing　after　you！　D'you　hear　me？〃

Unexpectedly；　the　static　of　on…line　encrypted　traffic　broke；　and　Edwards's　face　appeared　on　a　display　screen　on　the　tank's　instrument　panel。　He　looked　like　he　had　been　in　a　fistfight；　but　had　apparently　e　out　the　winner；　because　he　still　radiated　that　cynical；　superior　air　of　his。　Wolff　could　see　from　the　background　that　Edwards　was　already　aboard　a　Terror　ship。

〃That's　fine　with　me；　Colonel。　You　were　lucky　I　was　too　rushed　to　finish　you　back　there　in　the　Royal　Hall。　I　still　have　a　score　to　settle　with　you。？

〃But　until　we　meet　again；　here's　someone　else　you　might　want　to　say　good…bye　to。〃　The　camera　pulled　back；　and　Wolff　swore　helplessly。

Minmei　stood　there；　eyes　glazed…looking　catatonic。　Wolff　breathed　her　name。

〃Why；　Minmei！〃　Edwards　smiled　at　her。　〃Aren't　you　going　to　tell　the　big；　bad　Wolff　how　much　you　love　him？　He's　e　home　at　long　last　to　rescue　you；　after　all。〃

She　looked　up　at　the　screen　in　the　dropship　that　displayed　Wolff's　face。　〃Love？　The　man　I　love　is　dead。〃

〃Minmei；　don't　say　that！　Just　hang　on；　I'll　save　you；　I　swear　it…〃

〃I　don't　want　anything　you　have　to　offer；　Jonathan。　The　man　I'll　love　forever　is　dead。〃

She　wanted　to　be　with　Edwards　so　she　could　kill　him　as　soon　as　she　got　the　chance；　not　thrown　back　into　the　pany　of　the　colonel　who　had　abandoned　her…as　she　regarded　his　going　off　with　the　Sentinels　now…after　she　had　begged　him　not　to　leave。　There　was　nothing　Jonathan　Wolff　could　do　for　her　ever　again。

But　there　was　one　thing　she　could　do；　to　take　some　of　the　weight　off　her　conscience　and　vent　the　bitterness　she　felt　toward　the　whole　world　in　the　wake　of　Lynn…Kyle's　death。　She　could　make　the　break　clear　and　final。

〃Why　don't　you　go　back　to　your　Sentinels　buddies；　Colonel？〃　she　said；　narrowing　her　eyes　at　him。　〃Or　better　yet；　why　don't　you　go　home　to　your　wife　and　kids？　Remember　them；　you　two…timing　pig！？She　reached　out　and　broke　the　connection　herself。

Edwards　exulted　at　this　sudden　turn　of　luck。　He　had　hoped　that　Minmei's　grief　and　mental　turmoil　would　make　her　rebuff　Wolff…he　had　had　nothing　to　lose　by　letting　her　and　the　colonel　speak　to　each　other　once　more。　But　this　was　simply　marvelous！　He　vowed　that　he　would　make　Minmei　love　him；　as　he　had　once　before。　She　would　e　around　in　time。

The　dropships　were　rising　over　Tiresia；　laying　down　suppressing　fire　to　keep　the　REF's　heads　down。　The　hijacked　starship　was　swinging　low　for　pickup；　its　bays　opening。

Of　course；　it　was　a　tragedy　that　Lang　hadn't　installed　the　new　spacefold　drive　in　the　stolen　starship　yet；　otherwise；　Edwards　could　have　had　his　ticket　back　to　Earth；　and　a　loyal　army　at　his　back。

No　point　mourning　that　now。　The　Ghost　officers　aboard　the　ship　were　asking　nervously　what　course　they　should　set；　to　be　ready　for　immediate　departure。

〃Optera；〃　the　general　answered　curtly；　and　broke　the　connection。　The　Regent　had　already　been　of　service；　but　that　was　nothing　pared　to　how　useful　he　was　about　to　bee　to　Edwards's　dream　of　conquest。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE

In　summation；　it　is　important　to　bear　in　mind　how　the　〃social　insect〃　organization　of　the　Invid　renders　them　immune　to　certain　politico…military　strategems。　Among　the　things　we　CANNOT　do　to　the　Invid　are：
1）　Wreck　their　（nonexistent）　monetary　system
2）　Establish　an　underground　or　resistance
3）　Cause　racial　or　religious　friction
4）　Employ　propaganda　techniques
5）　Insert　double　agents
6）　Subvert　them　with　things　like　material　wealth；　freedom；　erotic　literature；　or　baseball。
7）　Appeal　to　their　better　nature
from　Limited　Options：　Warfare　and　the　Invid　Infrastructure；　submitted　to　the　REF　Strategic　Studies　Group　by　Dr。　Boscoe　Highwater

Lron；　Rick　Hunter；　and　others　pointed　out　that　in　the　wake　of　the　ruse　Tesla　had　used　against　the　Invid　garrison　on　Karbarra　in　the　Sentinels'　attack　on　that　world；　the　enemy　on　Spheris　wasn't　very　likely　to　roll　out　the　red　carpet　for　him。

〃That　incident　will　be　of　no　consequence　here；　because　I　am　Evolved；〃　Tesla　said　grandly。　〃Nothing　you　Mortals　can　understand；　but　take　my　word　for　it：　my　people　will　recognize　my　divine　right　to　mand。〃

One　thing　in　his　favor　was　the　fact　that　Gnea　and　Jack　Baker　believed　so　strongly　that　Tesla　could　deliver　what　he　was　promising。　But　Rick　had　his　own　suspicions　about　the　two；　they　were　too　eager　in　their　attitudes；　too　ready　to　back　the　Invid。

Another　troubling　factor　was　Burak。　The　Perytonian　had　conceived　a　sort　of　jealousy　toward　Jack　and　Gnea…a　proprietary　air　concerning　Tesla。　He　was　also　acting　more　and　more　messianic；　as　if　Tesla　was　contagious。

But　there　was　no　derailing　Tesla's　plan　now。　The　leadership　had　agreed　on　it　and　the　Spherisians　were　demanding　that　it　at　least　be　tried；　in　the　hope　that　it　would　prevent　needless　carnage　and　damage　on　their　world。

Much　disagreement　had　arisen　as　to　how　Tesla　should　actually　make　his　appearance　on　Spheris。　bat　drops　and　mando　insertions　would　produce　the　wrong　effect；　he　insisted。　In　the　end；　Veidt　took　him　down　in　one　of　the　cone…shape　Haydonite　fliers；　with　Burak；　Jack；　and　Gnea　acting　as　retinue　and　security。

At　Lisa's　insistence；　Tesla's　jeweled　bib　had　been　wired　up　with　explosives　again；　to　prevent　any　double…crosses。　Jack　Baker　carried　one　firing　switch；　and　there　was　another　on　the　bridge　of　the　Ark　Angel；　which　still　lay　hidden　from　enemy　detection。

On　the　approach；　Tesla　considered　putting　Veidt　under　his　mental　control；　too。　But　the　Haydonite's　mind　powers　were　strong；　and　Tesla　would　need　all　available　power　to　take　over　the　garrison　below。　He　therefore　settled　for　masking　his　dominance　over　Baker　and　the　others。

As　the　flier　descended；　the　thin　atmosphere　began　to　buffet　it　slightly。　Spheris　lay　like　an　imperial　orb；　heavy　with　gems　and　wrapped　in　the　cotton　of　clouds；　below。　The　dazzle　of　it　was　intense；　Human；　Praxian；　and　Perytonian　were　wearing　wraparound　sun　visors；　as　most　of　the　Sentinels　would　have　to　do　on　Spheris　during　daylight　hours。

The　passengers　shifted　their　feet　on　the　thick；　resilient　padding　that　carpeted　the　passenger　partment。　〃What　if　they　fire？〃　Veidt　wondered　calmly。

〃They　will　not　fire；〃　Tesla　parried。　〃I　have　willed　it　so。〃　Jack　and　Gnea　smiled　at　one　another　conspiratorially。　Burak　glowered　at　them。

The　surface　drew　near。　A　shining　city　appeared　below；　like　a　masterpiece　of　Venetian　glass。　Tesla；　looming　over　the　others；　manded　that　munications　links　be　established；　and　Veidt's　apparatus　did　it　instantly。

〃Loyal　hordes　of　the　Invid　race！　Hear　my　voice；　a　voice　you　know！〃　Many　figures　in　the　city　seemed　to　freeze；　looking　up。　Jack　could　spy　Inorganics；　Enforcers；　and　Hellcats。

As　Tesla　ordered；　Veidt　brought　the　flier　down　by　a　landing　platform　near　the　garrison's　main　hive；　a　megastructure　out　of　place　amid　the　delicate　beauty　of　the　city。　Tesla　emerged　radiating　a　rainbow　aura；　and　the　Invid　there　stood　transfixed。

〃I　e　to　save　you　from　the　aimless　strife　and　the　privation　of　your　long　exile。　Too　long　have　the　Invid　fought　wars　for　no　reason；　too　long　have　you　wandered　in　search　of　a　new　Garden　of　the　Flower　of　Life。　I　e　to　lead　you…〃

He　spread　his　arms　wide；　as　tall　as　a　tree；　gorgeous　in　his　robes　and　glimmering　collar。　〃…to　Paradise！〃

The　city　seemed　to　ring　with　a　wordless；　reverent　sound　the　Invid　made　in　unison。　Mecha　bowed　their　heads　or　dropped　to　one　knee；　holding　fists　and　weapons　aloft　to　salute　him。　Hellcats　roared　their　worship；　touching　foreheads　to　the　high…gloss　pavement。

It　was　as　Tesla　had　foreseen。　The　brain　that　controlled　the　planet's　garrison　was　of　lesser　power　and　he　had　managed　to　subvert　its　authority　through　his　evolved　mental　force。　He　broadcast　a　thought…impulse；　voicing　it　aloud　as　well。

〃e　to　me；　my　children！　Gather　and　do　homage；　that　I　may　see　you　and　you　may　heed　my　mands；　to　prepare　for　your　joyous　new　life　on　a　new　Optera！〃

The　things　began　making　their　way　toward　him　from　the　hive　and　from　all　over　the　city。　〃As　soon　as　we　have　secured　the　city；〃　Tesla　said；　〃we　will　proceed　to　the　Protoculture　orchid　in　the　hive　and　secure　the　local　Fruit　of　the　Flower。〃

The　Invid　were　already　gathering　below　the　landing　platform；　a　swelling　lake　of　them　promising　to　bee　an　ocean。　They　looked　unusual　in　that　they　were　armed　not　with　the　usual　Protoculture　weapons；　but　rather　with　projectile　and　chemical　devices。　The　Invid；　too；　valued　Spheris…primarily　for　its　production　of　unequaled　nutrient　fluid…and　had　no　wish　to　inflict　unnecessary　damage　to　it。

Veidt　objected。　〃There　was　nothing　in　the　plan　about　you　ingesting　Fruit　of　the　Flower。　Keep　to　the　agreed…upon　timetable；　or　I　notify　the　Sentinels！〃

Tesla　didn't　respond；　busy　basking　in　the　glory　as　the　Invid　mob　began　hailing　him　with　un…Human　sounds。　Veidt　turned　to　Gnea。　〃Stop　him！　He's　betraying　us；　I　can　sense　it　now！〃

But　she　spared　him　only　a　sinister　smile。　Veidt　turned　to　the　control　panels　of　his　flier；　sending　out　mental　signals。　A　munication　device　lit　up；　prepari