tz.cobra strike-第4部分

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　〃I　took　a　quick　sample　of　Council　opinion　right　after　the　meeting；〃　Corwin　said。　〃The　eight　syndics　and　two　governors　I　talked　to　who'd　followed　this　same　line　of　reasoning　were　split　straight　down　the　middle　on　whether　backing　down　would　be　a　dangerous　signal　of　weakness。〃
　〃If　we　try　it　and　fail；　what　kind　of　a　signal　is　that？〃　Joshua　snorted。
　Justin　looked　at　Corwin。　〃What　about　the　other　Cobras　on　the　Council？〃　he　asked。　〃Did　you　talk　to　them？〃
　〃One　of　them；　yes。　He　was　more　interested　in　dis…
　cussing　the　various　modifications　that　would　be　needed　to　bring　the　Cobras　back　to　full　war　footing。〃
　〃Actually；　it　wouldn't　take　much　more　than　a　replacement　of　the　optical　enhancement　system；〃　Jonny　said。　〃The　ones　we've　got　now　don't　have　the　multiple　targeting　lock　we'd　need　in　bat。　We'd　have　to　change　the　academic　and　some　of　the　practical　content　of　the　training；　too；　but　aside　from　that　a　changeover　would　be　easy。　The　nanoputers　still　carry　all　the　bat　reflex　programming；　certainly。〃
　Justin's　tongue　swiped　briefly　at　his　lips。　bat　reflexes。　The　Cobra　information　packets　were　never　quite　that　blunt；　but　that　was；　after　all；　what　the　Instant　Defense　Capabilities　really　were。　bat　reflexes。　What　had　sounded　perfectly　reasonable　for　a　one…on…one　confrontation　with　a　spine　leopard　didn't　seem　nearly　as　reliable　for　the　confusion　of　full　warfare。
　Still　。。。　one　of　those　same　little　puters　had　helped　keep　his　father　alive　through　three　years　of　guerrilla　war　against　the　Trofts；　his　father　and　Cally　Halloran　and　hundreds　of　others。　The　puter；　and　the　bone…strengthening　laminae；　and　the　servo　motor　network；　and　the　lasers；　and　the　sonics。。。。　He　found　his　eyes　ranging　over　his　father's　form　as　he　catalogued　the　weaponry　and　equipment　implanted　there　。。。　the　equipment　that　the　surgeons　at　the　Cobra　Academy　would　start　putting　into　his　own　body　tomorrow　。。。
　Someone　was　calling　his　name。　Snapping　out　of　his　reverie；　Justin　focused　on　his　older　brother。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　〃Thoughts　were　elsewhere。　What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　was　asking　what　you　thought　of　the　idea　of　being　a　mercenary；　if　that's　what　it　ultimately　boils　down　to；〃　Corwin　said。　〃Ethically；　I　mean。〃
　Justin　shrugged　unfortably；　avoiding　his　mother's　eyes。　〃Actually；　it　doesn't　look　to　me　like　we　can　be　pure　mercenaries　on　this　one。　We　may　be　defend…ing　the　Worlds　against　an　alien　threat；　we　will　be　making　a　statement　to　the　whole　Troft　Assemblage　as　to　what　kind　of　defensive　capabilities　we　have　here。　Either　way；　we're　ultimately　serving　our　own　people　。。。　which　is　what　Cobras　are　supposed　to　do。〃
　〃In　other　words；　you　wouldn't　mind　going　off　to　fight？〃　Chrys　asked　quietly。
　Justin　winced　at　her　tone；　but　kept　his　voice　steady。　〃I　don't　mind　fighting　if　it's　necessary。　But　I　don't　think　we　should　hand　that　decision　to　the　Trofts；　either。　The　Council　should　get　all　the　data　on　these　aliens　that　we　can　and　then　make　their　decision　without　regard　to　these　five　planets　being　dangled　in　front　of　us。〃
　In　the　kitchen　a　soft　tone　sounded。　〃Dinner　time；〃　Jonny　announced；　levering　himself　carefully　out　of　the　couch。　〃And　with　the　food　es　an　end　to　political　talk。　Thank　you　for　your　feedback…it's　nice　to　know　we　have　a　family　consensus　on　this。　Now　hop　to　the　kitchen　and　give　your　mother　a　hand。　Table　needs　setting；　vegetables　a　final　rinse；　and　I　believe　it's　your　turn；　Corwin；　to　carve　the　roast。〃
　Corwin　nodded　and　headed　for　the　kitchen；　Joshua　hard　on　his　heels。　Chrys　stayed　at　Jonny's　side；　and　Justin　lingered　long　enough　to　see　his　father　fumble　out　his　vials　of　pain　pills。　The　political　talk　is　indeed　over；　he　told　himself。
　Leaving　his　parents　to　themselves；　he　hurried　toward　the　kitchen　to　assist　his　brothers。
　
　
　Chapter　3
　
　Sometime　in　the　past　year　or　two　one　of　Aventine's　violent　springtime　thunderstorms　had　swept　this　part　of　the　Trappers　Forest；　and　the　region's　highest　hill　had　taken　a　real　beating。　At　least　one　tree　had　been　blown　to　kindling　by　the　lightning；　six　others　had　been　knocked　flat　by　either　lightning　or　wind。　The　result　was　a　hilltop　which；　despite　its　lousy　footing；　provided　a　clear　line　of　sight　for　thirty　meters　in　every　direction。　An　unnecessary　luxury　for　the　average　Cobra　mand　post　。。。　but　then；　the　average　Cobra　mission　didn't　have　civilian　observers　to　watch　out　for；　either。
　Audio　enhancers　at　full　power；　Almo　Pyre　sent　his　k　gaze　slowly　around　the　edges　of　the　informal　clear…
　*　ing；　acutely　conscious　of　the　middle…aged　woman
　？　standing　at　his　side。　A　civilian　was　bad　enough；　but　to　have　one　of　Aventine's　three　governors　out　here　was　the　sort　of　unnecessary…not　to　say　damnfool…　risk　no　Cobra　leader　in　his　right　mind　would　take。　/　should　have　left　her　behind；　Pyre　though　irritably。　The　official　mayhem　woutd've　been　nothing　to　what'll　happen　if　she　gets　killed。
　A　soft　hum…three　brief　notes…sounded　from　the　receiver　in　his　right　ear：　Winward　had　spotted　one　of　their　target　spine　leopards。　Pyre　hummed　an　acknowledgement　into　the　wire…mike　curving　along　his　cheek；　adding　an　alert　to　the　others。　Limited　and　sometimes　awkward　to　use；　the　humming　code　had　the　advantage　that　it　wasn't　loud　enough　to　kick　in　the　cutoffs　in　the　listener's　audio　enhancers。
　〃Hmm？〃　Governor　Lizabet　Telek　hummed。　The　sound　was　louder　than　another　Cobra　would've　used；　but　at　least　she　knew　enough　not　to　ask　her　questions
　out　loud。
　Pyre　notched　back　the　audio；　automatically　shifting　more　attention　to　his　visual　scan　as　he　did　so。　〃Michael's　found　one；〃　he　explained　quietly。　〃The　others　will　be　sweeping　in　with　a　net　pattern；　watching　for　cubs　and　other　adults。〃
　〃Cubs。〃　Telek's　voice　was　even；　but　there　was　more　than　a　touch　of　dissatisfaction　beneath　it。
　Pyre　shrugged　fractionally。　Had　he　seen　a　flicker　of　movement　in　the　shadow　between　two　trees？　〃This　year's　cubs　will　be　next　year's　breeders；〃　he　reminded　her。　〃If　you　biology　people　can　e　up　with　a　way…〃　A　swoosh　of　branches　came　from　his　right；　and　he　spun　to　see　a　large　feline　body　shooting　down　at　them　from　the　trees。
　The　leap　would　be　short…that　much　was　instantly　obvious…but　Pyre　knew　the　predator　would　hit　the　ground　running。　His　hands　were　already　in　firing　position…little　fingers　pointed　toward　the　spine　leopard；　thumbs　resting　against　ring　fingers〃　nails…and　as　the　animal　stretched　its　hind　legs　downward　for　a　landing　he　squeezed。
　The　lasers　in　his　little　fingers　spat　needles　of　light　into　the　spine　leopard's　face；　burning　fur　and　bone　and　brain　tissue。　But　Pyre's　intended　target；　its　eyes；　escaped　destruction；　and　the　creature's　more　decentralized　nervous　system　shrugged　off　the　brain　damage　as　if　not　noticing　it。　The　spine　leopard　landed；　feet　stumbling　slightly　on　the　branch…littered　surface…　Pyre　had　twisted　and　was　swinging　his　left　leg　to　bear　when　Telek　gasped。　〃Behind　you！〃　she　snapped。
　A　glimpse　over　his　shoulder　was　all　Pyre　could　get　from　his　angle；　but　it　was　enough。　The　flicker　he'd　seen　in　the　forest　had　bee　a　second　spine　leopard；　charging　them　like　a　furry　missile。
　And　spinning　the　direction　he　was；　Pyre　was　out　of　position　to　do　anything　about　it。　〃Down！〃　he　barked　at　Telek；　hoping　desperately　he　could　attract　the　spine　leopard's　attack　to　himself。　His　programmed　reflexes　gave　him　a　fighting　chance；　but　they　had　no　provision　for　defending　bystanders；　as　well。。。。　An　instant　later　his　left　leg　reached　firing　position；　and　from　the　heel　of　his　boot　the　brilliant　spear　of　his　antiarmor　laser　lanced　out。
　There　was　no　time　to　assess　the　damage…he　would　just　have　to　assume　the　first　spine　leopard　was　at　least　temporarily　stopped。　Continuing　his　spin；　he　dropped　his　left　leg　back　to　the　ground　and　brought　up　his　right…
　In　time　to　catch　the　second　spine　leopard　full　in　the　face　with　his　foot。
　There　was　no　way　Pyre's　precarious　balance　could　absorb　the　full　impact　of　the　predator's　charge…and　even　as　the　animal's　teeth　scrambled　for　a　grip　on　his　boot　he　felt　himself　falling　sideways。　Letting　his　left　leg　buckle　beneath　him；　he　drew　his　right　back　from　the　fangs　。。。　and　as　spine　leopard　sailed　over　him　he　straightened　the　leg　sharply　to　send　a　servo…augmented　kick　hard　into　the　creature's　belly。
　It　shrieked；　and　even　through　the　blur　of　motion　Pyre　saw　its　foreleg　spines　snap　outward　into　defense　position。　It　knew　it　was　hurt　。。。　though　perhaps　not　that　it　was　doomed。　For　whatever　incidental　damage　Pyre's　kick　had　caused；　it　had　also　pushed　the　creature　higher　into　the　air…and　the　extra　half　second　it　took　the　spine　leopard　to　reach　the　ground　was　all　the　time　Pyre　needed　to　again　bring　his　left　leg　to　bear。　The　antiarmor　laser　flashed　twice；　and　the　predator　landed　in　a　smoking　heap。
　Pyre　scrambled　to　his　feet；　eyes　automatically
　searching　out　the　unmoving　figure　of　the　first　spine　leopard。　Only　then　did　he　turn　back　to　see　what　had　happened　to　Telek。
　The　governor　was　on　hands　and　knees　in　the　small　hollow　between　two　fallen　tree　limbs；　the　small　pellet　pistol　she'd　been　carrying　clutched　in　one　hand。　〃Is　it　safe　to　e　out　yet？〃　she　asked；　only　a　slight　quaver　in　her　voice。
　Pyre　gave　the　edge　of　the　forest　a　careful　scan。　〃I　think　so；〃　he　said；　stepping　forward　to　help　her　up。　〃Thanks　for　the　warning。〃
　〃No　problem。〃　She