10_invid_invasion- 第3部分

She　swiveled　about　in　the　cushioned　seat　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。　〃I　don't　know　how　it　could；〃　she　managed；　suddenly　on　the　verge　of　tears。

〃Don't　let　them　get　to　you；　Marlene；〃　one　of　her　supporters　at　the　forward　stations　called　out　while　Red　laughed。

e　back；　Scott；　she　prayed。　I'd　give　my　life　to　keep　you　safe。


Gardner's　mand　ship　was　actually　one　of　the　fleet's　many　transport　vessels…delicate…looking　ships　that　resembled　swans　in　flight；　with　long；　tapering　necks　and　thin　swept…back　wings　under　each　of　which　was　affixed　a　boxcarlike　Veritech　carrier。

Scott；　his　body　sheathed　in　lime…green　armor；　was　strapping　himself　into　one　of　the　Veritechs　now。　Fifteen　years　had　seen　only　minor　changes　in　armor　and　craft。　Lang's　Robotech　design　team　had　maintained　the　〃thinking　caps〃　and　sensor…studded　mitts　and　boots　that　were　so　characteristic　of　the　first…generation　VT　pilots。　Armor　itself　had　bee　somewhat　bulky　due　to　the　fact　that　these　third…generation　warriors　were　involved　in　ground…assault　missions　as　often　as　they　were　in　space　strikes；　but　there　was　none　of　the　gladiatorial　styling　favored　by　Lang's　counterparts　in　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross。

〃The　main　engine　and　boosters　are　in　top　shape；　sir；〃　a　launch　tech　perched　on　the　rim　of　the　Veritech　bin　told　Scott　before　he　lowered　the　canopy。　〃Good　luck　and　good　hunting。〃

Scott　flashed　him　a　thumbs…up　as　the　canopy　sealed　itself。　〃Thanks；　pal；〃　he　said　over　the　externals。　〃I'll　be　seein'　you　Earthside。〃

Flashes　of　green　and　red　light　from　the　cockpit　displays　played　across　the　tinted　faceshield　of　Scott's　helmet　as　he　activated　and　engaged　one　after　another　of　the　Veritech's　plex　systems。　〃This　is　mander　Bernard　of　the　Twenty…first　Armored　Tactical　Assault　Squadron；　Mars　Division；〃　he　announced　over　the　　net。　〃Condition　is　green；　and　we　are　go　for　launch。〃

〃The　flight　bay　is　open；〃　control　radioed　back　to　him。　〃You　are　cleared　for　launch；　mander。〃

Scott　gave　a　start　as　bay　doors　throughout　the　carrier　retracted。　The　cloud…studded　deep…blue　oceans　of　Earth　filled　his　entire　field　of　vision。　The　sight　elicited　a　sense　of　vertigo　he　had　never　experienced　before；　it　was　difficult　for　him　to　prehend　a　planet　with　so　much　water；　a　liquid　world　that　offered　so　little　surface。。。but　Scott　was　quick　to　catch　himself。

〃Mars　Division　attack　wing；〃　he　said　over　the　net；　〃let's　do　it！〃

The　Veritech　lurched　somewhat　as　the　bin　conveyers　began　to　move　the　fighters　toward　the　forward　bay。　Scott　saw　that　the　grappler　pylons　that　would　convey　the　mecha　from　belt　to　vacuum　had　already　attached　themselves。　He　readied　himself　at　the　controls；　urging　his　body　to　relax；　his　mind　to　meld　with　the　VT　systems。　In　a　moment　he　felt　the　grapplers　release；　the　fighter　drifting　weightlessly；　before　he　engaged　the　thrusters　that　bore　it　away　from　the　transport　carrier。

〃All　right；　look　alive；〃　Scott　said　as　his　wingmen　came　alongside　to　signal　their　readiness。　〃Once　we　join　up　with　the　main　formation；　I　want　eyes　open　and　hands　on　the　trigger。〃　Earthspace　was　filled　with　mecha　now；　some　two　thousand　Veritechs　in　a　slow　descent　over　a　silent　world。　Scott　heard　mander　Gardner's　voice　over　the　　net。

〃All　wing　manders　maintain　loose　battle　formation。。。prepare　to　break　off　for　individual　bat　at　the　first　sign　of　enemy　hostility。　It　shouldn't　be　long　in　ing。。。〃

It　is　unlikely　that　many　of　the　men　and　women　who　made　up　the　Mars　Division　（so　named　by　Dr。　Lang　to　convey　a　sense　of　attachment　to　Earth　and　its　brethren　worlds）　recognized　the　uniqueness　of　their　position：　Their　invasion　represented　humankind's　first　deliberate　offensive　against　an　XT　force。　Up　to　that　point　Earth　had　always　been　on　the　defensive；　counterstriking　first　the　Zentraedi；　then　those　giants'　Tirolian　Masters；　and　lastly　（and　unsuccessfully）　the　Invid　themselves。　In　this　sense　the　day　was　a　red…letter　event；　if　not　the　turning　point　Hunter　and　numerous　others　had　all　hoped　it　would　be。。。

Scott　was　one　of　the　first　to　see　the　enemy　ship；　it　was　below　him　at　nine　o'clock；　surfacing　through　Earth's　atmosphere　at　an　alarming　rate。　An　Invid　troop　carrier；　one　of　the　so…called　Mollusk　Carriers。

〃Here　they　are；〃　Scott　said　to　his　wingmen；　gesturing　with　his　hand　at　the　same　time。　The　clamshell…shaped　fortress　was　yawning　now；　revealing　an　arena　array　of　Invid　Shock　Trooper　mecha。　〃Fall　in　on　my　signal。〃

When　Scott　looked　again　a　split　second　later；　an　Invid　column　launched　itself　and　was　locked　in　on　an　ascent　to　engage；　the　ships'　crablike　hulls　and　pincer　arms　a　gleaming　golden…brown　in　Sol's　intense　light。　〃Yeah；　I　think　we're　gonna　see　signs　of　hostility；〃　Scott　muttered　to　himself　as　his　squadron　dropped　in　to　meet　the　enemy　at　the　edge　of　space。

At　Scott's　mand　the　pilots　of　the　Twenty…first　thumbed　off　flocks　of　heat…seeker　missiles；　which　streaked　into　the　ascending　column。　Short…lived　explosions　of　violent　fight　blossomed　against　Earth's　blue　and　white　backdrop。　The　VTs　continued　their　silent　descents；　loosing　second　and　third　salvos　of　red…tipped　demons　against　that　horde　which　had　overwhelmed　their　world。　And　countless　Invid　mecha　flamed　out　and　fried；　but　not　enough　to　matter。　For　every　one　taken　out　there　were　three　that　survived；　and　those　which　broke　through　the　line　of　fire　began　to　strike　back。　Scott　knew　there　were　creatures　inside　each　of　those　ships…huge　bipedal　mockeries　of　the　Human　form；　with　massive　arms　and　heads　that　resembled　elongated　snouts。

Unlike　the　enemy　forces　of　the　First　and　Second　Robotech　Wars；　the　Invid　relied　on　numbers　rather　than　firepower。　True；　the　Zentraedi　had　a　seemingly　endless　supply　of　Battlepods　and　an　armada　of　ships　four　million　strong；　but　by　and　large　the　war　was　fought　in　conventional　terms。　Up　against　the　Masters　this　was　even　more　the　case；　with　the　number　of　mecha　on　both　sides　substantially　reduced。　With　the　Invid；　however；　humankind　encountered　a　horde　mentality　to　rival　any　that　nature　had　produced。　And　true　to　form；　whether　army　ants　or　swarms　of　killer　bees；　the　Invid　carried　a　sting。

As　Scott　and　the　others　knew　from　their　previous　encounters；　initial　fusillades　were　what　counted　most。　Once　separated　from　its　column；　the　individual　Invid　ship　was　blindingly　maneuverable　and　often　unstoppable。　In　close　it　favored　two　approaches：　ripping　open　mecha　with　its　alloy　pincer　claws　and　embracing　a　ship　and　literally　shocking　it　to　death　with　charges　delivered　by　the　ships'　Protoculture　systems。　Scott　saw　both　variations　of　this　occurring　while　he　did　his　best　to　keep　his　own　fighter　out　of　reach。

Veritech　and　crabship　were　going　at　it　across　the　field；　Mars　Division　troops　and　Invid　mecha　in　deadly　pursuits　and　dogfights；　crisscrossing　in　the　upper　reaches　of　the　stratosphere　amidst　tracer　rounds；　missile　tracks；　and　laser…array　fire　from　the　mand　ships。　Scott　saw　one　of　his　team　taken　out　by　a　claw　swipe　that　opened　the　Veritech　tail　to　nose；　precious　atmosphere　sucked　from　the　fractured　canopy；　the　pilot　flailing　for　life　inside。　In　another　part　of　nearby　space；　several　Veritechs　floated　derelict　after　loveless　Invid　embraces。

Scott　realized　the　hopelessness　of　their　situation　and　ordered　his　squadron　to　reconfigure　to　Battloid　mode。

Mechamorphosis；　or　mode　selection；　was　still　controlled　by　a　three…position　cockpit　lever；　along　with　the　pilot's　mecha　will；　which　interfaced　with　the　fighter's　Protoculture…governed　systems。　But　where　all　parts　of　the　first…generation　Veritechs　participated　in　reconfiguration；　the　augmentation　packs　and　energy　generators　of　the　Armored　Alphas　（essential　for　the　space　and　ground　missions　that　typified　the　Expeditionary　Force）　remained　intact　during　the　process。　The　forward　portion　of　the　craft　telescoped　to　acplish　this；　arms　unfolding　from　behind　the　canopy　while　radome　and　cockpit　rotated　up　through　a　180…degree　arc；　now　allowing　the　underbelly　laser　turret　to　bee　the　Battloid's　head；　and　the　underbelly　rifle/cannon　to　bee　the　weapon　that　was　grasped　in　the　mecha's　right　hand。

Thus　transformed；　Scott's　squadron　fell　in　to　reengage　the　Invid；　blue　thrusters　bright　in　Earth's　dark　side。

Meanwhile；　a　second　wave　of　Veritechs　was　launched　from　the　transports　to　respond　to　another　column　of　Invid　approaching　swiftly　from　Delta　sector。

Scott's　displays　flashed　coordinates　and　signatures　of　the　second　Mollusk　Carrier　even　before　he　had　visual　contact。　He　ordered　his　team　to　form　up　on　his　lead　and　throw　themselves　against　the　column。　Once　again　heatseekers　found　their　marks　and　took　out　scores　of　Invid　ships；　and　once　again　orange　hell…flowers　blossomed。　But　reinforced；　the　Invid　launched　a　frenzied　counterstrike。　Shock　vessels　broke　through　the　front　lines　and　went　for　the　transports　themselves　in　suicide　runs　and　massed　charges。　Particle　beams；　disgorged　from　bow　guns；　swept　like　insecticide　through　their　ranks；　annihilating　ship　after　ship。

Scott's　team　regrouped　and　gave　chase　to　any　that　survived；　blasts　from　the　VTs'　chain…guns　blowing　pincers　to　debris　and　holing　carapaces。　Still；　Scott　could　hear　the　death　screams　of　the　unlucky　ones　piercing　the　tac　net's　cacophony　of　mands　and　reactions。　VTs　and　Invid　ships　drifted　from　the　arena；　locked　in　bizarre　postures；　obscene　embraces。　Here；　an　Invid　pincer　was　apparently　caught　in　the　canopy　of　the　ship　it　had　ensnared；　there；　another　held　a　VT　to　itself；　exchanging　lightning　flashes　of　death。

Scott；　sweat　beading　up　across　his　forehead；　was　in　pursuit　of　two　Invid　ships　that　were　closing　in　on　mander　Gardner's　transport；　he　had　heard　Marlene's　terror…stricken　call　for　help　only　a　moment　before　and　had　one　of　the　enemy　ships　bracketed　in　the　chain…gun's　sights　now。　He　fired　once；　shooting　a　hole　through　its　groin；　and　smiled　devilishly　as　it　disintegrated　in　a　brief　burst　of　crimson　light。　The　second　Invid；　its　pincers　raised　for　action；　was　moving　toward　the　bridge　viewports。　But　fire　from　Scott's　cannon　demissioned　it　before　it　attained　striking　distance。

〃Saw　two；　swatted　same；〃　Scott　told　Marlene　over　the　　net；　a　confident　tone　returned　to　his　voice。　The　Invid　were　falling　back　on　all　sides。

〃Good　job；　mander；〃　Gardner　congratulated　him　before　Marlene　had　a　chance　to　speak。　〃Signal　your　team　to　begin　their　atmospheric　approach。　Our　thermal　energy　shields　are　already　seriously　drained。〃

〃Roger；〃　said　Scott；　at　the　same　time　waving　the　chain…gun　to　signal　his　wingmen。　〃We'll　escort　you　through。〃

Scott　saw　the　transport's　thrusters　fire　a　three…second　burst；　realigning　the　ship　for　its　slow　descent。　He　sat　back　and　punched　up　orbital　entry　calculations　inn　the　data　screen；　fed　these　over　to　the　autopilot；　and　returned　his　attention　to　wide…range　radar。　Suddenly　Marlene　was　on　the　net　again；　alerting　him　to　a　unit　of　bandits　moving　against　him　at　four　o'clock。　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　glimpsed　them　even　as　their　signatures　were　registering　on　the　mecha's　radar　screen。

〃I　see　them；〃　he　answered　her　calmly。

Scott　permitted　the　half　dozen　Invid　to　close　in；　enabling　his　onboard　targeting　puter　to　get　a　fix　on　all　of　them。　It　was　a　calculated　risk　but　one　that　paid　off　a　moment　later　when　the　Battloid's　deltoid　partments　opened　and　each　launched　a　missile　that　homed　in　on　its　target。　Scott　boostered　himself　away　from　the　si