02_battle_cry-第37章

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Rick　held　in　his　anger　and　slid　down　into　the　pocket　alongside　Lisa。　The　Battloid　parted　the　double　hatches　of　the　holding　cell　and　began　to　take　long；　stiff　strides　down　the　corridor。

It　wasn't　long　before　they　heard　Max　utter　a　sound　of　alert。　A　Zentraedi　soldier；　armored　and　armed　with　a　hip　blaster；　was　approaching　them。　Soldier　and　disguised　Battloid　passed　each　other　seemingly　without　incident；　and　inside　the　pocket　Rick　and　Lisa　breathed　a　premature　sigh　of　relief。

But　the　soldier　had　stopped　and　was　calling　for　Max　to　halt。

Max　was　in　no　position　to　defend　himself　or　his　passengers；　launching　his　few　remaining　rockets　would　have　fried　Rick　and　Lisa。　So　he　took　the　only　course　available：　He　ran…straight　into　two　more　shock　troopers　who　were　ing　down　the　corridor。　Max　tackled　one　of　them；　lifting　him　and　swinging　him　into　the　other　as　he　continued　on　his　way；　but　by　now　the　first　soldier　was　chasing　him　and　opening　fire。　He　was　quickly　joined　by　his　rades。

The　Battloid　sustained　blasterbolt　after　blasterbolt　to　the　back　as　it　flew　through　the　ship；　pieces　of　burned　and　tattered　cloth　flying　in　its　wake。　At　Rick's　urging；　Max　reconfigured　the　VT　to　Guardian　mode；　ripping　open　the　uniform　jacket　as　he　hit　the　aft　thrusters。　In　that　hail　of　lethal　fire；　the　Guardian　looked　like　some　sort　of　caped　bird　of　prey　fighting　its　way　to　freedom。

Corridor　length；　however；　was　suddenly　in　short　supply；　and　Max　knew　the　VT　wouldn't　be　able　to　pull　off　a　ninety…degree　turn　in　such　limited　space。　Set　in　the　bulkhead　at　the　top　of　the　corridor　T；　however；　was　a　control　panel　which　could　probably　be　pierced　without　undue　damage　to　the　fighter。　Max　opted　for　it　and　pulled　the　thruster　lever　home。

The　bulkhead　surrendered　too　easily；　and　by　the　time　Max　realized　that　the　VT　had　broken　through　a　large　circular　viewing　screen　in　a　control　room；　the　Guardian　was　way　beyond　it；　tearing　through　a　series　of　projecbeam　astrogational　charts　free…floating　in　an　immense　central　chamber　of　the　ship。　An　open　rectangular　port　at　the　far　end　of　the　room　delivered　them　into　another　serviceway；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a　sealed　elevator。　They　were　still　taking　rear　fire　when　the　elevator　doors　parted。　A　surprised　Zentraedi　soldier　saw　them　ing　and　leaped　out　into　the　corridor；　narrowly　escaping　impalement　on　the　radome　of　the　VT。

Once　inside　the　cubicle；　Max　blew　the　canopy　and　clambered　out　onto　the　arm　of　the　craft；　clutching　his　laser　rifle。

〃The　circuits　are　fried！　This　thing's　gonna　blow！〃

Rick　left　the　pocket　and　catwalked　the　extended　arm　of　the　Guardian　to　the　elevator　closure　lever。　He　jumped　up　and　grabbed　hold　of　it；　riding　it　down　as　the　doors　closed。　The　fighter　was　temporarily　sealed　off　from　enemy　fire；　and　the　elevator　began　to　descend。

One；　two；　three；　four；　five　levels　and　they　were　still　going　down；　the　Guardian　giving　off　predestruct　noises　and　smoke　now；　Max　and　the　others　offering　up　silent　prayers　for　the　doors　to　open。

At　level　six　the　elevator　stopped。　The　doors　parted；　and　the　four　defenders　were　off　and　running。　But　out　of　nowhere　a　Zentraedi　shock　trooper　made　an　airborne　grab　for　them；　landing　facedown　and　miraculously　empty…handed　in　front　of　the　elevator。　The　soldier　got　to　his　feet；　his　quarry　long　gone；　and　stared　at　the　smoldering　uniformed　thing　inside。

He　had　perhaps　a　second　to　contemplate　its　crouched　birdlike　form　before　the　ensuing　explosion　blew　him　away。


If　the　soldier's　last　grasp　failed　to　capture　the　four；　it　had　at　least　succeeded　in　dividing　them。

Rick　and　Lisa　ran　for　quite　a　while　before　realizing　that　Ben　and　Max　were　no　longer　with　them。　They　searched　for　a　while；　but　the　explosion　of　the　VT　had　drawn　more　Zentraedi　to　the　scene；　and　it　seemed　a　wiser　move　to　push　on。

They　entered　an　area　where　several　corridors　converged。　It　was　a　vast；　domed　chamber　crowded　with　generators；　puter　terminals；　conduits；　and　ductwork。　There　was　an　overpowering　smell　to　the　place；　as　alien　as　anything　their　senses　had　yet　encountered；　and　a　sonic　roar　that　reminded　them　of　pressure…cooker　sounds；　amplified　and　low…frequency…enhanced。　They　secreted　themselves　behind　a　long　console　covered　with　switches　and　control　knobs。　Then；　cautiously；　they　peered　over　the　top。

What　they　saw　was　a　cluster　of　thirty…meter…high　vessels；　like　medicinal　capsules　stood　on　end；　transparent　and　filled　with　a　purple　viscous；　churning　fluid。　In　at　least　six　of　these　vessels　were　half…formed；　featureless　Zentraedi。　Rick　was　totally　bewildered　and　vaguely　upset　by　the　sight；　but　Lisa's　sharp　intake　of　breath　told　him　that　she　recognized　something　here。

〃So　that's　why　so　many　of　the　Zentraedi　soldiers　look　alike…they're　all　clones！〃

Lisa　risked　a　better　view：　Now　she　could　see　a　second　cluster　of　human…size　capsules　positioned　in　front　of　the　larger　ones；　also　churning；　also　containing　some　half…formed　shape。　It　took　her　a　moment　to　make　sense　of　this；　and　when　she　turned　to　Rick　with　an　explanation；　she　scarcely　believed　her　own　words：　The　Zentraedi　were　reducing　their　soldiers　to　human　size。

Rick　looked　at　her　like　she　was　crazy；　and　she　didn't　blame　him。　But　there　it　was；　happening　right　before　their　eyes；　and　no　other　explanation　was　forthing。

They　pulled　back　as　more　soldiers　entered　the　chamber　searching　for　them　and　resumed　their　conversation　some　distance　away　in　a　dimly　lit　weapons　room。

〃You　remember　how　Dolza　kept　asking　us　how　we　became　Micronians？〃

〃Yeah；　so？〃

〃They're　wondering　if　we　have　similar　clone　chambers　and　reduction　devices。　That's　why　they　can't　understand　any　closeness　between　the　sexes；　because；　well；　love　and　sex　wouldn't　be　necessary　in　a　society　of　clones。〃

〃Incredible。〃

〃You're　not　kidding；　incredible。　And　it　wouldn't　surprise　me　to　learn　that　Zentraedi　and　humans　are　genetically　related。　In　the　beginning　they　were　probably　the　same　size　as　us！〃

〃So　what　are　they；　human　giants　or　giant　humans？〃

She　looked　at　him　blankly。　〃I　guess　it's　too　early　to　say。　Maybe　after　we　analyze　the　videos　we'll　know。　But　right　now；　I'd　say　they　can　go　either　way。　They've　found　some　way　of　rearranging　their　molecular　structure…big　for　hostile　environments；　small　for。。。〃　Lisa　shrugged。

〃Yeah；〃　said　Rick。　〃Small　for　what？　Why　are　they　reducing　some　of　their　troops？　And　how　are　they　doing　it？〃

〃Protoculture；〃　Lisa　said　evenly。

The　word　had　scarcely　left　her　lips　when　Rick　heard　the　growl。　Suddenly　a　giant　hand　reached　into　the　room　and　took　hold　of　Lisa。　She　screamed。　Rick　yelled　and　gave　chase；　mindless　of　the　consequences。

The　giant　had　straightened　from　his　crouch　by　the　time　Rick　hit　the　corridor；　he　was　holding　Lisa　near　his　face；　growling　at　her。　As　Rick　ran　into　view；　the　Zentraedi　soldier　simply　extended　his　foot…not　a　kick；　really；　but　more　than　enough　to　lift　Rick　off　the　floor　and　send　him　careening　into　a　rack　of　upright　laser　rifles。　Why　every　bone　in　his　body　wasn't　broken；　he　had　no　idea　（adrenaline；　he'd　tell　himself　later）；　but　at　the　moment　all　he　knew　was　that　he　was　buried　under　the　weapons；　stunned　and　crushed　but　alive　and　angrier　than　ever。

Rick　allowed　the　fear　and　anger　to　get　hold　of　him；　he　positioned　himself　on　one　knee　and　heaved　one　of　the　rifles　over　his　shoulder　like　a　bazooka…a　five…meter…long　bazooka。　Putting　all　his　meager　weight　to　the　trigger；　he　managed　to　yank　off　three　rapid　blasts。　The　Zentraedi　caught　all　of　them…one　through　the　fish　eye　faceshield　and　two　through　the　pectoral　armor…and　went　down　like　an　oak。　Rick　dropped　the　weapon　and　rushed　in　to　find　Lisa　still　in　the　soldier's　hand；　crying。

He　stopped　in　his　tracks；　then　moved　in　slowly；　afraid　to　touch　or　move　her。

〃Jeez；　Lisa。。。how　bad　are　you　hurt？〃

〃I　dropped　the　camera；　I…I。。。it　shattered。〃

〃Forget　the　camera！　You　mean　you're　not　hurt？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　But　the　mission。。。〃

〃Unbelievable；〃　Rick　muttered　as　he　helped　her　from　the　slack　hand。　〃Sometimes　women　just　don't　make　any　sense；　even　when　they're　officers。〃

It　wasn't　in　any　way　meant　to　bring　her　around；　but　it　surely　did：　She　threw　him　off　and　ran　a　hand　over　her　wet　eyes。　〃Don't　start　with　me；　Hunter。〃

Rick　felt　the　footsteps　ing。　He　grabbed　her　hand；　and　the　chase　was　o