tz.cobra strike-第23部分

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ut。〃
　At　least；　Cerenkov　thought；　the　streets　ought　to　be　pretty　empty　by　now。　I　wonder　how　many　people　those　things　kill　every　year？　〃I　assume　they　had　their　reason。　Maybe　Moff　will　loosen　up　some　day　and　talk　about　it。〃
　First　time　in　a　week　I'm　close　enough　to　make　a　grab；　Pyre　groused　silently　to　himself；　and　the　damn　herd　decides　to　be　nocturnal。
　From　Pyre's　end；　of　course；　it　wasn't　all　that　bad。　Locking　in　the　light　amplification　capability　of　his　optical　enhancers　gave　him　as　good　a　view　as　he　would　have　had　on　an　overcast　afternoon；　and　with　magnification　also　on　he'd　be　able　to　target　any　likely　tarbines　as　soon　as　they　emerged　from　the　obscuring　buildings。　And　once　he　had　targeting　lock　established　he　could　follow　his　chosen　bird　into　the　woods；　where　he　could　shoot　it　without　anyone　seeing　the　flash。
　The　problem　was　that　with　most　good　Qasamans　tucked　away　in　their　beds　there　weren't　likely　to　be　many　bololins　running　into　bullets　out　there；　and　correspondingly　few　impregnated　tarbines　for　him　to　hunt。　Muttering　under　his　breath；　he　mentally　crossed　his　fingers　and　waited　for　the　herd　to　appear。
　It　did；　and　his　pleadings　were　answered　from　an　entirely　unexpected　direction。　Across　the　landing
　area…about　half　a　kilometer　away　and　somewhat　northeast　of　his　current　position…a　door　suddenly　opened　in　a　tall　building　the　Dewdrop's　crew　had　tentatively　labeled　the　control　tower；　spilling　light　and　people　out　onto　the　pavement。　Flickers　of　fire　erupted　from　outstretched　hands；　and　even　as　their　mojos　took　to　the　air　the　sound　of　gunfire　reached　Pyre's　ears。　Shifting　his　attention　back　to　the　herd；　he　waited。　Within　seconds　the　tarbines　began　to
　appear。
　The　multitarget　capability　hadn't　been　a　part　of　Cobra　optical　enhancers　since　Jonny　Moreau's　war；　but　Pyre's　team　had　trained　with　them　prior　to　the　Qasama　mission　and　he'd　developed　a　healthy　respect　for　both　their　advantages　and　their　dangers。　Once　he　target…locked　one　or　more　tarbines；　his　nanoputer　and　servos　would　make　sure　his　next　laser　shots　would　be　in　that　direction…whether　or　not　he　suddenly　found　a　predator　he　needed　to　deal　with　first。　He'd　run　into　at　least　twenty　such　creatures　since　leaving　the　Dewdrop…dog…　or　monkey…sized；　most　of　them；　but　none　he'd　care　to　give　a　free　shot　at　his　back　regardless。　But　it　was　a　chance　he'd　have　to　take。　Keeping　an　ear　cocked　for　suspicious　sounds；　he　activated　his　multitarget　lock　and　waited。　The　wait　wasn't　long。　As　before；　the　mojos　attacked　swiftly；　swooping　in　through　the　tarbines〃　attempts　at　evasion。　With　the　larger　birds〃　head　start；　though；　most　made　it　into　the　cover　of　the　nearest　trees　before　their　mojos　could　disengage。　Pyre　targeted　two　of　the　tarbines　just　before　they　entered　the　forest　and；　on　slightly　reckless　impulse；　locked　onto　one　of　the　riding　mojos　as　well。　The　birds　swept　through　the　branches；　disengaged　。。。　and；　raising　his　hands；　Pyre　squeezed　off　three　fingertip　laser　shots。
　The　birds　dropped　with　a　crunch　of　dead　leaves　into　the　undergrowth。　Pyre　sprinted　over；　scooped　them　up；　and　hastily　got　out　of　the　way　as　the　main　herd　caught　up。　Keeping　well　to　the　side；　he　paced　them　another　hundred　meters　into　the　woods。　Then；　spinning　on　his　right　foot；　he　swung　his　left　leg　up　and　fired　his　antiarmor　laser。
　The　trees　flashed　with　reflected　light　as　the　targeted　bololin　crumpled　to　the　ground。　Its　tarbine　took　off　for　the　sky；　it　got　maybe　ten　meters　before　Pyre's　fingertip　laser　brought　it　down。
　And　as　the　rest　of　the　herd　continued　on　their　way；　silence　returned。　Retrieving　his　last　tarbine。　Pyre　took　his　prizes　to　the　bush　where　he'd　cached　his　freeze　boxes　and　stuffed　them　inside。　Then；　crouching　with　his　back　to　a　large　tree　within　sight　of　the　dead　bololin；　he　settled　down　to　wait。
　It　was　an　hour　before　the　sounds　of　the　Qasaman　collection　team　faded　from　the　area　between　forest　and　city。　During　that　time　Pyre　had　also　heard　someone　else　poking　around　the　edges　of　the　wood；　whistling　occasionally　as　he　apparently　searched　for　the　mojo　Pyre　had　killed。　But　he　and　the　others　clearly　knew　better　than　to　go　too　deep　into　the　forest　at　night；　and　no　one　came　anywhere　near　Pyre's　position。
　Finally　they　were　gone；　and　Pyre　could　address　the　task　of　moving　the　bololin　carcass　closer　to　the　Dew…drop。　With　his　servos　the　creature's　weight　wasn't　a　significant　problem；　but　it　took　him　four　tries　to　find　a　grip　that　was　reasonably　balanced。　Finding　a　wide　enough　path　through　the　trees　and　bushes　was　another　problem；　and　more　than　once　he　found　himself　wondering　how　in　hell　the　beasts　managed　it　on　their　own。
　Eventually；　though；　he　made　it。　Dumping　the　carcass　beside　his　camouflaged　laser　m；　he　activated　the　latter　and　slipped　on　the　headphone。　〃Pyre　to　Dewdrop；〃　he　muttered。　〃Anyone　home？〃
　〃Lieutenant　Collins；〃　a　voice　came　back　promptly。　〃I　believe　Governor　Telek　and　her　people　are　still　in　uthe　lounge；　sir；　let　me　switch　you。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Pyre　said。　A　moment　later　Telek　came　on　the　circuit。
　〃Everything　all　right；　Almo？〃　she　said。
　〃Far　as　I　can　tell。　Listen；　I've　got　a　bololin　carcass　for　you　and　two　freeze　boxes〃　worth　of　tarbines　and　mojos。　You　want　to　warm　up　your　equipment　or　wait　until　I　can　deliver　them　in　person？〃
　〃You　got　a　tarbine？　Wonderful！　Impregnated　or
　not？〃
　〃Both　types…which　is　why　I've　got　a　spare　bololin。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　I　understand。　Well　。。。　I　suppose　I　ought　to　do　the　bololin　first；　before　any　scavengers　get　to　it。　Can　you　hook　up　the　field　analyzer　to　the　laser　m　for　me？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　It　took　only　a　few　minutes　to　set　up　the　field　analyzer　and　plug　its　control　line　into　the　laser　m's　telemetry　port；　and　by　the　time　he'd　finished　Telek　had　the　necessary　control/display　console　hooked　up　at　her　end。　〃Okay；〃　she　said。　〃Now　stand　clear。〃
　The　analyzer　remote；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　a　large　double　starfish　with　gripper　treads；　crawled　up　the　bololin's　flank　to　where　the　heart　would　be　on　most　earthstock　animals。　A　scalpel　extended　from　one　arm　to　slice　a　neat　incision　in　the　dark　hide。　Pyre　paused　long　enough　to　make　sure　the　analyzer's　camera　units　were　firmly　mounted　to　nearby　trees　and　then　headed　out　to　walk　a　sentry　circle　around　the　area。　They　couldn't　afford　to　have　either　scavengers　or　Qasamans　stumble　onto　the　post…mortem　now　。。。　and　besides；　it　wasn't　really　something　he　wanted　to　watch。　It　was　three　hours　before　the　remote's　return　to　the　ground　signaled　the　operation　was　at　an　end…and　the　bololin　was　no　longer　recognizable　as　such。　Averting　his　eyes；　Pyre　again　put　on　the　headset。　〃Pyre。〃
　〃Ah；　you're　back。〃　If　Telek　was　at　all　tired；　it　wasn't　evident　from　her　voice。　〃You　want　to　open　up　the　freeze　boxes　and　get　me　one　of　the　tarbines？　Better　start　with　the　unimpregnated　one。〃
　〃You　sure　you　want　to　do　it　out　here？〃　he　asked　doubtfully。　〃I've　got　as　much　sensitivity　with　the　remote　as　I　do　with　my　hands；〃　Telek　assured　him；　〃and　I'd　just　as　soon　start　getting　some　answers　before　we　have　to　leave。　Or　at　least　have　the　questions　I'll　want　Yuri　to　ask。〃
　〃You're　the　boss。〃　Finding　the　proper　box。　Pyre　opened　it　and　set　the　chilly　tarbine　down　on　a　patch　of　bare　ground。　The　remote　skittered　over　to　it　and　Pyre　resumed　his　walk。
　He　returned　twice　more；　replacing　the　mess　first　with　an　impregnated　tarbine　and　then　with　the　mojo；　wondering　each　time　how　long　Telek　could　continue　to　handle　delicate　surgery　without　sleep。　But　she　kept　at　it；　and　the　eastern　sky　was　starting　to　glow　when　the　remote's　operating　light　finally　flicked　out。　〃Well？〃　he　asked　into　the　headset　as　he　started　collecting　the　gear　together。
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Telek　said　slowly。　〃The　data　seem　clear　enough　。。。　but　I'm　not　really　sure　if　I　believe　it。　Mojos　and　tarbines　appear　to　be　entirely　different　species　。。。　and　the　mojos　don't　seem　to　impregnate　the　tarbines　as　much　as　they　inoculate　them。〃
　〃They　what？〃
　〃Well　。。。　the　mojo's　only　external　sex　organ　is　designed　like　an　organic　hypodermic　needle。　What　it　does　is　inject　a　seminal　fluid　that　contains　virus…like　nuclei　instead　of　more　plete　sperm　cells。　The　nuclei　。。。　well；　this　is　still　preliminary；　but　it　looks　like　they　invade　some　of　the　cells　in　the　tarbine's　back　and　turn　them　into　embryo　mojos。〃
　Pyre　stared　down　at　the　mutilated　mojo　on　the　ground；　already　beginning　to　crawl　with　insects　in　the　growing　light。　〃That's…weird。〃
　〃That's　what　/　said；〃　Telek　agreed　with　a　sigh。　〃But　the　more　I　think　about　it　the　more　sense　it　makes。　This　way　the　mojo　relegates　both　the　nourishment　and　protection　of　its　young　to　another　individual…an　entirely　different　species；　in　fact…and　therefore　doesn't　have　to　make　that　sacrifice　itself。〃
　〃But　what　incentive　does　the　tarbine　have　to　live　until　the　embryo　kills　it？〃　Pyre　objected。　〃And　what　about　the　training　most　young　have　to　receive　from　their　parents？〃
　Christopher's　voice　came　on　the　circuit。　〃You're　thinking　of　the　usual　insectean　pattern　where　one　species　lays　eggs　in　the　body　of　another；　which　bees　the　larvae's　food　when　they　hatch。　But　the　young　mojo　doesn't　have　to　kill　its　host。　If　you　look　closely　at　the　way　the　skin　and　muscle　are　arranged　in　the　tarbine's　back；　it　looks　very　much　like　the　critical　area　could　be　split　open　and　resealed　with　a