10_invid_invasion-第12部分

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　only　the　slight　howling　of　the　wind　and　the　steady　throb　of　the　Cyclones'　engines。　〃They're　looking　for　lost　members　of　the　assault　group。　I'm　going　to　take　them　over　to　the　other　island。〃

Ken　turned　a　wan　smile　to　Scott　and　Rand。　〃As　you　can　see；　folks　around　here　aren't　used　to　strangers；〃　he　said　by　way　of　apology。　〃They're　always　a　bit　suspicious　at　first；　but　don't　worry　about　it。　They'll　soon　get　used　to　you。〃

Scott；　Rand；　and　Annie　followed　Ken's　lead　to　the　causeway　linking　the　main　island　with　its　twin。

〃There　it　is。〃　Ken　pointed。　〃If　any　of　your　rades　have　e　through　here；　they'll　have　been　taken　over　to　the　other　island。〃

〃Thanks　a　lot　for　your　help；　Ken；〃　Scott　said。

Ken　disengaged　his　hand　from　Annie's　two…fisted　lock　on　it。　〃Why　don't　you　show　them　over　the　causeway　while　I　go　talk　to　the　Elders　about　your　staying　here？〃

Annie　called　out　to　him　as　he　was　walking　away。

〃Yes？〃　he　said　impatiently；　not　bothering　to　turn　around。

〃Bye…bye；　sweet　things〃

〃And　don't　forget　that　food！〃　Rand　thought　to　add。

Annie　made　an　elaborate　gesture；　then　laughed。　〃Now；　if　you　gentlemen　will　just　follow　me。。。〃

Rand　chuckled　and　patted　the　rear　seat　of　the　Cyclone。　〃Hop　on；〃　he　told　her。　〃It'll　be　fun。〃


CHAPTER　FOUR

The　Invid　Regis　ruled　her　empire　from　Reflex　Point　（located　in　what　was　once　the　United　States　of　America；　specifically　the　Indiana…Ohio　frontier）；　but　there　was　scarcely　a　region　without　one　or　two　large　hives　（except　the　poles　and　vast　uninhabited　tracts　in　Asia　and　Africa）。　In　this　way　her　Scouts　were　always　about；　with　Enforcers　（a。k。a。　Shock　Troopers）　not　far　behind。　Brazilas　was　no　different　from　other　northern　regions　in　that　it　was　effectively　an　occupied　zone。　Like　Vichy　France　of　the　Second　World　War；　each　town　had　its　sympathizers　and　resistance　fighters；　but　the　former　far　outnumbered　the　latter；　and　it　was　not　unmon　to　encounter　gruesome　and　ghastly　acts　of　betrayal　and　butchery　undertaken　in　the　name　of　self…survival。
Bloom　Nesterfig；　Social　Organization　of　the　Invid

As　Rand　himself　would　later　write：

〃There　was　something　about　Ken's　telling　Annie　to　lead　us　across　the　causeway　that　hit　me　like　a　cold　wind；　but　for　some　reason　I　just　turned　my　back　to　it。　Scott's　innocent　enthusiasm　had　something　to　do　with　this。　Psyched　about　seeing　some　of　his　friends；　he　was　off　in　a　flash；　the　Cyclone's　rear　end　chirping　a　quick　good…bye　to　me　and　the　kid。　So　I　told　her　to　climb　on　and　followed　Scott's　carefree　course；　Annie　laughing　and　hanging　on　for　dear　life　while　I　goosed　the　mecha　into　a　long　goldcard　wheelie。

〃The　bridge　was　a　simple　affair；　a　flat　span　no　more　than　fifteen　feet　wide　and　a　quarter　mile　long；　its　plastar　surface　every　bit　as　holed　and　bellied　as　the　rest　of　Laako's　streets。　The　causeway　seemed　to　bisect　the　island's　stand　of　colorless　truncated　towers；　which　rose　before　us　like　some　ruined　vision　of　the　future；　an　emerald　without　its　shine。　Beyond　it；　a　ridge　of　green　hills　and　a　soft…looking　autumn　sky。

〃Scott　was　a　block　or　two　ahead　of　me　when　we　hit　the　island；　and　talk　about　your　low…rent　downtown。。。the　place　looked　as　though　it　had　seen　some　intense　fighting　with　conventional　weapons　as　well　as　the　usual　Robo　upgrades。　Scott　had　slowed　his　cycle　to　a　crawl　and　was　using　the　mecha's　externals　to　broadcast　our　arrival。

〃‘This　is　mander　Bernard　of　the　Twenty…first　Armored　Tactical　Assault　Squadron；'　his　voice　rang　out。　‘I'm　looking　for　any　Mars　Division　survivors。　If　you　can　hear　my　voice；　please　respond。。。Is　anybody　there？　I　just　want　to　talk！'〃

〃Annie　and　I　looked　around　but　didn't　see　anyone　moving。　I　would　have　been　happy　to　see　some　more　of　those　sunken…eyed　citizens　we　had　seen　on　the　other　side；　but　suddenly　even　those　shadowy　cliff　dwellers　were　in　short　supply。　Up　ahead；　Scott　was　stopped　near　a　pile　of　trashed　mecha；　a　perverse　war　memorial　plete　with　Veritechs；　Battlepods；　Hovertanks；　and　Bioroids；　arms；　legs；　and　cannon　muzzles　fused　together　in　a　kind　of　death…affirming　sculpture。　I　came　up　behind　him　and　toed　the　Cyclone　into　neutral。　We　were　on　a　small　rise　above　the　causeway；　Scott　off　to　my　left；　staring　at　the　junk　heap　with　a　kind　of　morbid　fascination。

〃Then　we　saw　the　Cyclones。〃

〃And　the　bodies。〃

〃You　couldn't　ride　the　wastes　in　those　days　and　be　a　stranger　to　death；　and　like　everyone　I　had　seen　my　fair　share　of　Human　remains；　but　there　were　fresh　kills　in　the　heap；　and　it　was　obvious　what　had　happened。〃

〃‘This　isn't　any　junk　pile！'　I　heard　Scott　say。　‘It's　a　goddamn　graveyard！'〃

〃Annie　gave　a　start　and　hugged　herself　to　my　back。　‘What's　it　mean？'　she　cried；　panic　already　in　her　voice。〃

〃Scott　glanced　over　at　us；　his　face　all　twisted　up。　‘It　means　I　smell　a　rat　and　it's　got　your　boyfriend's　face！'〃

All　at　once　we　heard　a　deep　whirring　noise　acpanied　by　sounds　of　mechanical　disengagement。　I　looked　back　toward　the　causeway　in　time　to　see　it　give　a　shudder；　then　begin　a　slow　retraction　toward　the　main　island。　But　I　was　more　puzzled　than　alarmed。　I'd　already　seen　Scott　leap　that　mecha　of　his　twice　the　distance　to　the　island；　so　our　being　able　to　get　off　this　one　alive　only　meant　that　I　was　going　to　be　learning　the　secrets　of　Cyclone　reconfiguration　in　spite　of　myself。　Moreover；　I　couldn't　figure　why　Ken　needed　to　resort　to　such　elaborate　plans　to　rid　Laako　of　intruders。

〃I　think　Scott　must　have　been　way　ahead　of　me　on　this　one；　because　he　didn't　seem　at　all　surprised　when　two　Invid　suddenly　surfaced　in　the　lake。　Annie's　pounding　me　on　the　back；　shouting；　‘We　gotta　get　outta　here！'　and　Scott　is　just　sitting　silently　on　the　Cyclone　taking　in　the　situation　like　he's　got　all　the　time　in　the　world。　I'll　always　remember　the　look　on　his　face　at　that　moment…and　I　would　have　reason　to　recall　it　often　during　the　following　months。　I　thought　to　myself：　The　eye　of　the　storm。〃

〃Two　more　Invid　were　now　heading　our　way　from　up　the　street；　looming　over　us；　pincers　gleaming　like　knives　caught　in　the　light；　the　ground　shaking　from　their　footfalls。　These　weren't　Scouts　but　Shock　Troopers；　the　larger；　meaner　version　whose　shoulder…mounted　organiclooking　cannons　gave　them　a　wide…eyed　amphibious　look。　The　lake　creatures　had　submerged；　only　to　reappear　behind　us；　rising　up　through　the　plastar　streets　and　putting　a　radical　end　to　thoughts　of　escape。　In　a　moment　the　four　were　joined　by　a　fifth；　who　had　also　taken　the　subterranean　route。〃

〃I　felt　pelled　to　point　out　that　we　were　surrounded；　and　Scott　said；　‘Take　off！'　Which　I　was　all　for。　I　spun　the　cycle　around　my　left　foot　and　was　gone；　Scott　not　two　lengths　behind　me；　his　Cyclone　launched　from　the　street　by　an　overhead　pincer　slam　that　nearly　flattened　him。　Later；　Annie　apologized　for　the　fingernail　prints　she　left　in　my　upper　arms；　but　at　that　moment　I　was　feeling　no　pain。〃

〃I　had　what　I　thought　was　the　presence　of　mind　to　head　for　the　narrower　streets；　but　the　Troopers　were　determined　to　have　us　for　lunch；　their　leader；　airborne　now；　simply　used　its　shoulders　to　power　a　wider　upper…story　path　between　the　buildings。〃

〃‘How'd　they　find　us！'　Annie　was　yelling　into　my　left　ear。〃

〃‘Your　boyfriend；　Ken；'　I　told　her。　‘He　delivered　us　right　into　their　claws。'　But　s