tz.cobra strike-第25部分

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is　life。　Which　meant　within　the　next　ninety　seconds。
　A　no…win　situation　。。。　and　even　as　she　wondered　what　she　was　going　to　do；　there　was　a　slight　movement　in　the　forest　far　to　the　south　of　them；　and　an　invisible　laser　beam　lanced　out；　catching　the　Dew…drop　squarely　in　the　nose。
　
　
　Chapter　16
　
　For　a　long　moment　Pyre　lay　quietly　in　his　hammock　bag；　wondering　what　had　awakened　him。　The　level　of　sunlight　filtering　through　the　trees　indicated　sundown　was　approaching。　He'd　slept　the　whole　day　away；　he　realized；　guilt　twinging　at　him。　Probably　woke　up　simply　because　his　body　had　had　all　the　rest　it　needed；　he　must　have　been　a　lot　more　tired　than　he'd　thought。
　He　was　just　starting　to　pull　his　arms　out　of　the　bag　when　he　heard　the　muffled　cough。
　He　froze；　notching　his　auditory　enhancers　to　full　power。　The　normal　rustlings　of　the　forest　roared　in　his　ears　。。。　the　normal　rustlings；　and　the　fainter　sound　of　quiet　human　voices。　Ten　or　more　of　them；　at　the　least。
　Hunting　party？　was　his　first；　hopeful　thought。　But　he　heard　no　footsteps　acpanying　the　voices；　just　the　occasional　sounds　of　someone　easing　from　one　position　to　another。　Even　stalking　hunters　moved　around　more　。。。　which　implied　that　his　unexpected　guests　were　less　akin　to　hunters　than　to　fishermen。
　And　there　were　only　two　fish　out　here　worth　such　a　concerted　effort；　at　least　as　far　as　he　knew：　the　Dewdrop　and　himself。
　Damn。
　　　Slowly；　moving　with　infinite　care　and　silence；　he　began　disentangling　himself　from　the　hammock　bag　and　the　defense　cage。　If　they　were　looking　for　him　the　activity　could　well　be　a　mistake；　but　whether　it　brought　them　down　on　him　or　not；　he　had　no　intention　of　getting　caught　wrapped　up　like　yesterday's　leftovers。　The　cage　creaked　like　a　tacnuke　explosion　as　he　opened　it；　but　no　one　seemed　to　notice；　and　a　minute　later　he　was　standing　above　the　hammock　bag　with　his　back　pressed　against　the　tree　trunk。
　And　the　prey　was　now　ready　to　bee　the　hunter。　The　voices　had　e　from　the　strip　of　forest　between　him　and　the　Dewdrop〃；　moving　to　the　far　side　of　the　trunk　he　started　down；　pausing　at　each　branch　to　look　and　listen。
　He　reached　the　ground　without　seeing　any　of　the　hidden　Qasamans；　but　further　noises　had　given　him　a　better　idea　of　their　arrangement　and　he　wasn't　surprised　to　have　avoided　drawing　fire。　They　seemed　to　be　paralleling　the　edge　of　the　forest　nearest　the　Dewdrop；　their　attention　and　weaponry　almost　certainly　focused　on　the　ship。　And　to　have　been　set　up　now；　an　entire　week　after　the　landing；　implied　something　had　gone　wrong。　Whether　the　contact　team　had　gumfricked　up　or　the　exaggerated　Qasaman　paranoia　had　finally　asserted　itself　hardly　mattered　at　this　point。　What　mattered…
　What　mattered　was　that　Joshua　Moreau　was　out　there　in　the　middle　of　it。　And　if　he'd　been　killed　while　Pyre　overslept…
　The　Cobra　bit　down　hard　on　the　inside　of　his　cheek。　Stop　it　he　snarled。　Settle　down　and　think　instead　of　panicking。　The　fact　that　the　Qasamans　had　not　yet　openly　attacked　the　Dewdrop　implied　they　were　still　in　the　planning　stages　here　。。。　and　if　so；　then　chances　were　Joshua　and　the　others　were　still　okay。　Moving　against　the　contact　team　would　tip　off　the　Dewdrop；　and　the　Qasamans　were　surely　smart　enough　to　avoid　doing　that。
　And　with　the　ship　and　Cerenkov　both　unaware　that　anything　was　wrong；　it　was　all　up　to　Pyre　now。
　He　didn't　have　a　lot　of　options。　His　emergency　earphone　was　a　one…way　device；　with　no　provision　for　talking　to　the　ship。　His　m　laser　was　well　hidden　and　probably　undiscovered；　but　if　the　Qasaman　cordon　line　wasn't　sitting　on　top　of　it　they　weren't　for　off。　Take　out　the　whole　bunch　of　them？　Risky；　possibly　suicidal；　and　almost　certain　to　run　the　timer　to　zero　right　there　and　then。
　But　if　the　members　of　the　cordon　weren't　in　actual　visual　contact　with　each　other；　it　might　be　possible　to　quietly　take　out　the　one　or　two　closest　to　his　laser　without　alerting　all　the　others。　Grab　the　laser；　back　off　to　somewhere　safe…the　top　of　a　tree；　if　necessary…　and　call　the　ship。　Together　they　might　be　able　to　figure　out　a　way　to　snatch　the　contact　team　from　under　Moff's　nose。
　Mindful　of　the　crunchy　forest　mat　underfoot；　Pyre　set　off　cautiously　toward　the　laser's　hiding　place；　trying　to　watch　all　directions　at　once。　He　was；　he　estimated；　only　five　meters　from　his　goal　when　a　sudden　roar　erupted　from　beside　him。
　He　was　halfway　through　his　sideways　leap　before　his　brain　caught　up　with　his　reflexes　and　identified　the　sound：　his　emergency　earphone　was　screaming　with　static。　He　twisted　it　out　and　thumbed　it　off　in　a　single　motion；　and　as　the　echo　of　it　bounced　for　another　second　around　his　head　he　realized　with　a　sinking　feeling　that　he　was　too　late。　Static　at　that　intensity　could　mean　only　that　the　Qasamans　were　attempting　to　jam　all　radio　munications　in　the　area。　They　were　making　their　move…
　〃Gift〃　a　voice　hissed。
　Pyre　froze；　his　eyes　shifting　between　the　two　Qasamans　crouched　facing　him　from　half…concealed　positions。　The　pistols　pointed　his　way　seemed　larger　than　those　he'd　seen　others　wearing；　the　mojos　with　their　wings　poised　for　flight　were　certainly　more　alert。
　One　of　the　men　muttered　something　to　his　panion　and　stepped　toward　Pyre；　gun　steady　on　the　Cobra's　chest。
　There　was　no　time　to　consider　the　full　implications　of　his　actions；　no　consideration　beyond　getting　out　of　this　without　bringing　the　rest　of　the　troops　down　on　him。　Clearly；　his　captors　still　hoped　to　keep　their　presence　secret　from　the　Dewdrop；　just　as　clearly；　they'd　lose　that　preference　once　he　made　his　own　move。　His　first　attack　would　have　to　be　fast　and　clean。
　Pyre　had　never　killed　a　human　being　before。　His　closest　brush　with　such　a　thing　had　been　on　that　awful　day　long　ago　when　Jonny　Moreau　and　a　man　apparently　returned　from　the　dead　shot　down　Chal…linor's　fledgling　Cobra　warlords　in　two　or　three　seconds　of　the　most　terrifying　display　of　laser　fire　he'd　ever　seen；　then　or　since。　For　a　teenaged　boy　on　a　struggling　colony　world　such　a　slaughter　had　been　the　stuff　of　nightmares…particularly　as　the　knowledge　of　his　own　early　support　of　Challinor　carried　with　it　a　small　but　leaden　piece　of　the　responsibility　for　the　deaths。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　was　to　add　more　deaths　to　that　weight　between　his　shoulders。
　But　he　had　no　choice。　None　at　all。　His　sonic　weapons　could　stun　men　at　this　range；　but　not　for　long　enough　。。。　and　the　necessary　frequencies　were　unlikely　to　be　effective　on　the　two　mojos。　All　of　them　had　to　be　silenced　before　any　of　them…human　or　mojo…could　screech　out　a　warning。
　The　leading　man　was　barely　two　meters　away　now；　properly　staying　out　of　his　partner's　line　of　fire。　Four　instants　of　eye　contact　to　give　his　nanoputer　its　targets；　the　gentle　pressure　of　tongue　against　the　roof　of　his　mouth　to　key　automatic　fire　control　。。。　and　as　the　Qasaman　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　Pyre　fired。
　His　little　fingers　spat　laser　bursts；　arms　and　wrists　shifting　in　response　to　the　puter…directed　servos　within　them。　Like　all　his　Cobra　reflexes；　this　one　was　incredibly　fast；　and　it　was　all　over　almost　before　he　had　a　chance　to　wince。
　That　wasn't　so　hard；　he　thought；　dropping　to　a　crouch　as　he　waited　to　see　if　the　quiet　crash　of　falling　bodies　would　draw　attention。　Not　too　hard　at　all。　And　his　eyes　strayed　to　the　corpse　which　had　landed　almost　beside　him　and　the　head　where　the　laser　burn　would　be；　though　the　undergrowth　was　hiding　it；　and　the　mojo　who　had　died　so　quickly　its　talons　still　gripped　its　epaulet　perch；　and　he　began　to　tremble　violently　and　tried　hard　not　to　throw　up。
　He　waited　for　nearly　half　a　minute；　until　the　worst
　of　the　muscle　spasms　had　subsided　and　the　taste　of
　bile　had　left　his　mouth；　before　resuming　his　cautious
　move　forward。　With　no　buzzing　earphone　to　startle
　；；　him　this　time；　he　made　it　the　rest　of　the　way　to　his
　…；　laser　without　attracting　attention。　Once；　as　he　was
　％　pulling　the　device　from　concealment；　he　saw　another
　fi　Qasaman；　but　the　other　was　looking　another　way
　。　and　Pyre　was　able　to　plete　his　task　without　being
　f　spotted。
　f^j　Moving　deeper　into　the　forest；　he　headed　south；　f…　hoping　the　Qasamans　hadn't　lined　the　whole　damned　〃。f'：　forest　with　soldiers。　If　they　had；　he　might　have　to　；；：…climb　a　tree　to　contact　the　ship；　after　all。　？J　But　their　exaggerated　caution　hadn't　carried　them　f。〃　to　quite　that　length。　A　hundred　meters　from　his　la…；％ser's　hiding　place　the　silent　cordon　line　ended；　Pyre　js^vent　another　fifty　and　then　pushed　his　way　cau…s^tiously　to　the　edge。　A　convenient　bush　allowed　him　to　get　a　clear　shot　at　the　Dewdrop's　nose　without　exposing　himself　to　direct　view　of　the　airfield　control　tower。　Flat　on　his　stomach；　he　set　up　the　laser　as　ickly　as　he　could　and　aimed　it　toward　where　he　/thought　the　bow　sensor　cluster　was　located。　Crossing
　！his　fingers；　he　flipped　it　on。　〃Pyre　here；〃　he　murmured　into　the　mike。　〃e　in；　anyone。〃　There　was　no　response。　He　waited　a　few　seconds；　then　shifted　his　aim　fractionally　and　tried　again。　Still　nothing。　My　God…have　they　somehow　taken　everyone　out　already？　He　searched　the　hull　for　signs　of　damage。　Gas；　perhaps；　or　sonics　that　could　have　penetrated　without　harming　the　ship　itself？　The　taste　of　fear　starting　to　well　up　into　his　throat；　he　again　adjusted　his　aim…
　〃…in；　Almo；　are　you　there？　A/mo？〃
　Pyre's　body　sagged　with　relief。　〃I'm　here；　Governor。　Phew。　I　thought　something　had　happened　to　all　of　you。〃
　〃Yeah；　well；　it's　about　to；〃　Telek　said　grimly。　〃Somehow　they've　tumbled　to　the　fact　that　we're　a　spy　mission；　and　it's　probably　a　tossup　as　to　whether　they　try　and　board　us　or　take　the　safer　way　out　and　just　blow　us　up。〃
　〃Any　word　from　the　contact　team？〃　Pyre　asked；　forcing　his　voice　to　remain　steady。
　〃Moff　still　has　them　on　the　bus；　and　so　far　they　seem　okay。　They're　being　taken　somewhere　besides　Sol　las；　though；　probably　the　next　city　down。　We　were　hoping　you'd　have　a　chance　of　intercepting　them　before　they　got　too　far　away；　assuming　we　could　contact　you　in　time。〃
　〃And？〃
　Telek　hesitated。　〃Well　。。。　we　estimate　the　bus　will　be　passing　the　main　road　heading　south　from　Sollas　in　ten　or　fifteen　minutes。　But　that's　twenty…plus　kilometers　from　us…〃
　〃How　many　Qasamans　aboard？〃　he　cut　her　off　harshly。
　〃The　usual　six…man　escort；〃　she　told　him。　〃Plus　their　mojos。　But　even　if　you　could　get　there　in　time　I　don't　know　how　you'd　get　them　out　safely。〃
　〃I'll　find　a　way。　Just　don't　lift　until　I　get　back　here　with　them　。。。　or　until　it's　clear　I'm　not　going　to　make　it　back　at　all。〃
　He　broke　the　connection　without　waiting　to　hear　her　reply　and　began　crawling　backwards　from　his　concealing　bush　toward　the　protection　of　the　forest；　leaving　the　m　laser　deployed　for　possible　future　use。　Twenty　kilometers　in　ten　minutes。　Hopeless　even　if　he'd　had　clean　ground　to　run　on　instead　of　a　forest　。。。　but　maybe　the　Qasamans　would　outsmart　themselves　on　this　one。　Six　guards　in　an　ordinary　bus　was　a　fairly　loose　setup；　even　with　the　mojos　and　against　four　unarmed　prisoners。　In　their　place　Pyre　would　transfer　the　Aventinians　to　a　safer　vehicle　at　the　first　opportunity　。。。　and　to　his　way　of　thinking　the　crossroads　to　the　south　would　be　the　ideal　spot　for　such　a　switch。
　And　if　his　guess　proved　correct　the　whole　party　would　be　there　for　a　few　extra