11_metamorphosis- 第31部分

Sera's　indecision　gave　way　to　conviction。　She　couldn't　harm　the　man。

All　the　rest　was　murky：　whys　and　wherefores　and　what　might　happen　next。　She　had　failed　her　Regis；　and　yet　something　had　been　born　in　her　that　was　herself；　that　was　Sera；　and　not　something　that　had　been　put　there。　It　was　frightening；　and　it　was　at　the　same　time　wonderful。

Her　mecha　was　jolted　by　an　Alpha　energy　volley。　She　looked　and　saw　Rook　diving　at　her　like　an　angry　hawk；　going　to　Battloid。　Sera　whirled　her　mecha　away；　leaking　fire　and　smoke；　dodging　further　damage。

Rook　hovered　close；　confronting　her；　whamming　away　with　the　Battloid's　fearsome　rifle/cannon。　Sera　gathered　herself　and　sprang　away　into　the　air　faster　than　any　rocket；　unable　to　tell　if　she　had　won　some　personal　victory　or　suffered　a　disastrous　defeat…or　both。

Lancer　watched　her　go；　his　heart　beating　hard；　pulse　throbbing　against　the　collar　ring　of　his　Robotech　armor。

Scott's　voice　crackled。　〃Lancer；　we're　almost　to　you！　ing　into　range　now！　Get　set！〃　Lancer　glanced　aside；　target…acquisition　displays　had　them。

〃Ready　Scott。〃　He　could　see　the　VTs　and　their　Invid　pursuers。

〃Breaking　on　three！　One；　two〃　Lancer　clutched　the　remote　firing　grip；　his　finger　curled　just　off　the　trigger。　〃Three！〃　Scott　finished。　〃Fire！〃

But　Lancer　had　seen　his　three　friends　break　away；　and　was　already　triggering。　The　cutter's　fore　and　aft　launchers　belched；　racks　of　Tarpons　emptied；　and　thick　flights　of　Copperheads　went　up　as　well。　〃Firing！〃

Two　Copperheads　broke　in　burning　wrack　across　Corg's　mecha　but　were　otherwise　insignificant。　But　other　missiles　savaged　the　Pincers　that　had　made　it　that　far；　and　not　a　single　personal…armor　machine　survived。　Corg's　mecha　closed　its　bulky；　armored　forearms　around　its　cranium；　protecting　its　pilot；　while　an　inferno　washed　past　it。　Sera；　soaring　in　to　join　her　brother…unsure　of　what　she　would　do…pulled　clear；　as　the　missiles　drew　instant　lines　of　contrail　across　the　sky。

Rand；　Rook；　and　Scott　stayed　out　of　the　demon's　brew　of　detonating　warheads　until　there　was　quiet　again。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　enemy　anywhere。　They　banked　and　headed　for　the　cutter；　which　sailed　along　on　an　impossibly　placid　ocean；　a　Pacific　unaware　of　the　carnage　that　had　ended　seconds　before。


Sera　landed　on　a　beach　from　which　she　could　watch　the　cutter　and　its　acpanying　VTs　dwindle　from　sight　toward　the　horizon。　Soon　Corg　landed；　and　the　two　skyscraper　mecha　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder。

〃Patrol　escorts　destroyed；〃　their　puters　told　them　in　the　Queen…Mother's　voice。　〃Abandon　further　pursuit。　Do　not　risk　loss　of　royal　mecha　at　this　time。〃

Corg　emerged　from　his　upholstered　nacelle。　He　was　a　sharp…featured；　handsome　young　man　with　lean　good　looks　and　mysterious；　oblique　blue　eyes。　His　shoulderlength　hair　was　blue　as　well；　lying　flat　and　fine　against　his　skull　and　lending　itself　to　his　cruel；　ascetic　look。　He　snarled　at　the　escaping　enemy；　then　looked　to　his　twin's　mecha。

/Sister；　what　possessed　you？/

/Brother；　I…I　do　not　know。。。/


Lancer　stood　looking　out　over　the　fantail；　as　he　had　for　so　much　of　the　voyage。　Annie　showed　up　in　her　usual　ebullient　mood；　rejoicing　that　land　had　e　into　view。　He　said　he　would　be　along　to　the　bridge　in　a　moment。　Annie　gave　him　a　dubious　look；　but　then　frolicked　off；　ecstatic　with　the　idea　of　getting　away　from　shipboard　confinement。

He　brushed　the　long　lavender　stands　from　his　face；　but　the　wind　only　fluttered　them　back　there　again。

Who　is　she？　How　did　I　lose　a　piece　of　myself　so　quickly？


〃Hard　to　believe　we've　e　such　a　long　way　in　such　a　short　time；〃　Rand　said；　breaking　the　long　silence　of　the　net。　He　looked　over　to　where　Rook　cruised　close；　but　she　didn't　even　glance　aside　at　him　or　otherwise　show　that　she　had　caught　the　implication。

Rand　trimmed　his　Alpha。　Where　Rook　was　concerned；　silence　was　a　kind　of　a　start。


Baja　California　gleamed　ahead。　The　imperatives　of　history　and　the　Vision　that　had　moved　Zor　across　the　years　and　light…years　were　pulling　together；　their　warp　and　woof　were　almost　plete。　What　was　to　be；　would　be。

But　that　wasn't　how　it　felt　to　anyone　on　the　team。　If　Corg　and　Sera　were　confused　by　Human　emotions；　the　freedom　fighters　were　at　least　dazed　by　them；　each　in　his　or　her　own　way…arguably；　they　were　disabled　in　some　measure。　But　if　emotions　had　been　taken　from　them　they　would　have　fallen　like　scythed　wheat；　and　the　Third　Robotech　War　would　have　ended　right　there　and　then。

As　it　had　been　ordained　from　the　beginning；　the　deciding　force　in　the　Robotech　Wars　was　something　neither　side　would　ever　see　or　understand；　but　everyone　involved　had　felt　it。

And　just　over　the　horizon；　a　Phoenix　waited　to　spread　its　wings。