tz.cobra strike-第33部分

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　Shifting　his　gaze　to　the　window；　he　studied　the　darkening　sky　and　the　even　darker　forest　flanking　the　road。　Moffs　timed　this　well；　he　thought；　a　touch　of　professional　respect　adding　counterpoint　to　the　pounding　of　his　heart。　Far　from　the　Dewdrop；　in　dangerous　and　unfamiliar　territory　with　night　ing　on；　only　a　lunatic　would　attempt　an　escape。　The　sun　glinted　through　a　gap　in　the　trees；　and　he　realized　suddenly　that　sometime　in　the　past　few　minutes　they'd　turned　to　the　southwest；　off　of　the　direct　east…west　route　between　Huriseem　and　Sollas。　South；　to　the　next　city　in　the　chain？　Probably。　Keep　the　hostages　away　from　the　temptation　of　a　rescue；　while　to　the　potential　rescuers　themselves　you　did　。。。　what？　What　did　the　Qasamans　intend　to　do　to　the　Dewdrop？
　He　looked　at　Joshua；　saw　his　own　fears　and　uncertainties　reflected　in　the　younger　man's　taut　face。　Son　of　a　Cobra；　brother　of　a　Cobra；　he　understood　far　better　than　Rynstadt　the　limits　of　the　Dewdrop's
　defenses。
　A　measure　of　fear　prepares　the　body；　panic　paralyzes　it；　his　old　Marine　instructor's　favorite　aphorism　echoed　through　York's　mind。　Consciously　slowing　his　breathing；　he　blocked　the　panic　and　let　the　fear　remain。　When　the　opportunity　came；　he　would　have　to　be　ready。
　The　announcement　that　briefly　penetrated　the　roar　of　static　in　the　Dewdrop's　lounge　was　short　and　excruciatingly　to　the　point：　〃You　are　suspected　of　spying　on　the　people　of　Qasama。　You　will　make　no　aggressive　move　or　try　to　escape。　If　you　disobey　you　will　be
　destroyed。〃
　The　static　resumed　at　full　intensity；　and　Christopher　spat　something　blasphemous。　〃How　the　hell　did　they　figure　it　out…？〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　Telek　snapped；　her　own　heart　a　painful
　thudding　in　her　ears。　It　had　happened…her　worst　nightmare…and　she'd　failed　to　get　the　team　out　before　the　hammer　fell。　She'd　failed。　Oh；　God。　What　am　I　going　to　do…？
　A　voice　from　the　inter　cut　into　her　thoughts。　〃Governor；　I'm　picking　up　motion　and　hot…spots　on　top　of　the　airfield　tower；〃　Captain　F'ahl　said。　〃No　clear　view　of　any　weapons　or　people　yet；　they　may　have　something　like　mortars　or　lob…rockets　that'll　avoid　line…of…sight　exposure。〃
　With　a　wrench　Telek　shoved　the　rising　panic　out　of　her　way。　〃I　understand；　Captain。　Can　our　lasers　take　down　the　entire　tower？〃
　〃Probably　not…and　I　wouldn't　even　want　to　try　until　we'd　gotten　everyone　we　could　back　on　board。〃
　〃I　wasn't　suggesting　we　start　now；〃　she　said　icily。　So　F'ahl　was　already　preparing　himself　to　accept　team　casualties。　Well；　she　was　damned　if　she　was　going　to　give　up　that　easily。　〃Anything　on　the　puter　screening？　Joshua's　split…frequency　signal　is　supposed　to　be　jam…proof　by　ordinary…〃
　Without　warning；　the　field　of　snow　on　the　displays　abruptly　cleared；　and　they　were　back　in　the　Qasaman　bus。
　Telek　leaned　forward；　hands　tightening　painfully　。。。　but　the　carnage　she'd　half　expected　wasn't　there。　The　scene　was　almost　exactly　as　it　had　been　when　the　signal　had　been　cut　off　a　scant　few　minutes　ago　。。。　except　that　Moff　was　sitting　facing　the　Aventinians　with　his　gun　drawn。
　Telek　groped　for　the　mike。　〃Joshua；　let　me　see　the　rest　of　the　team；〃　she　called。
　The　scene　remained　unchanged。　〃He　can't　hear　you；〃　Christopher　murmured。　〃We　can　clean　up　the　signal　at　this　end；　but　there's　no　puter　equipment　out　there　to　do　the　same。〃
　〃Great；〃　Telek　gritted。　〃Which　means　we　can't　contact　Almo；　either。　Damn　it　all。〃　She　stared　at　the　display　another　moment；　then　turned　to　the　two　men　standing　quietly　just　inside　the　lounge　door。　〃Well；　gentlemen；　it　looks　very　much　like　your　paid　vacation　is　over。　Suggestions？〃
　Michael　Winward　gestured　toward　one　of　the　displays　showing　the　nearby　forest。　〃The　Qasamans　presumably　don't　know　Almo's　out　there；　which　is　theoretically　an　advantage　for　our　side。　But　if　we　can't　tell　him　what's　going　on　the　advantage　is　pretty　useless。　Somehow；　we've　got　to　get　his　attention　so　that　he'll　set　up　the　m　laser。〃
　〃In　other　words；　you　think　you　should　try　and　sneak　out　to　him。〃　Telek　hesitated；　shook　her　head。　〃No。　Too　risky。　Even　if　we　could　e　up　with　a　diversion　for　you　you'd　probably　be　spotted　before　you　could　get　to　cover。　Let's　see　if　we　can　wait　until　the　usual　check…in　time。〃
　The　other　Cobra；　Dorjay　Link；　glanced　at　Winward　and　shook　his　head　minutely。　〃The　Qasamans　may　be　moving。　people　and　weapons　into　the　forest　to　cover　the　Dewdrop　from　that　side；〃　he　told　Telek。　〃Almo　could　e　down　from　his　nest　right　into　the　middle　of　them。〃
　〃He'd　hear　or　see　them；　though；　wouldn't　he？〃　Nnamdi　spoke　up。
　〃Cobras　are　human；　too；〃　Winward　said　tartly。　〃And　if　he　doesn't　even　wake　up　until　they're　in　position　they　won't　be　making　much　noise。〃
　Telek　stared　at　the　forest　display。　I'm　out　of　my　depth；　she　admitted　to　herself。　We've　gone　to　a　military　situation　without　a　scrap　of　warning…
　No。　They　had　had　their　warning；　and　that　was　what　really　hurt。　The　purpose　of　Moff's　mysterious　disappearance　a　few　hours　ago　was　now　clear：　he'd　been　setting　up　this　operation；　coordinating　things　via　the　still　unknown；　triple…damned　long…range　munication　system　of　theirs。　In　which　case…〃The　soldiers　and　guns　are　probably　already　in　place　out　there；〃　she　said　out　loud。　〃The　only　way　to　wake　Almo　up　and　simultaneously　let　him　know　there's　trouble　。。。〃　She　stopped　and　looked　back　at　the　two　Cobras。
　Winward　nodded…understanding　or　agreement；　she　didn't　know　which。　〃A　quick　sortie。　Gunfire　and　all　that。　Let　me　get　into　my　camouflage　suit…be　back　in　a　minute。　Dorjay；　start　looking　for　my　best　approach；　will　you？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Link　said　as　Winward　vanished　out　the　lounge　door。　〃Any　chance。　Governor；　that　we　can　wait　until　full　dark？〃
　〃No；〃　Christopher　spoke　up　before　Telek　could　say　anything。　〃Governor；　we've　got　a　new　problem…the　contact　team's　not　being　brought　back　to　Sollas。〃
　〃Damn。〃　Telek　stepped　to　his　side；　looked　at　the　display　that　was　now　showing　an　aerial　photo　of　the　area　between　Sollas　and　Huriseem。　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃Joshua's　been　looking　around　a　little…I　saw　the　sun　out　of　the　side　window。　Looks　to　me　like　they're　taking　this　road…〃　he　traced　it　with　a　finger…〃down　to　the　next　city　southwest　of　here。〃
　Telek　checked　the　scale。　〃Damn。　Closest　approach　doesn't　get　them　under　twenty　kilometers　from　the　Dewdrop。　Where's　the　next　connecting　road？…oh；　there　it　is。　Three　kilometers　past　that　point。　Any　idea　where　on　the　road　they　are？〃
　Christopher　spread　his　hands　helplessly。　〃The　range　finder　doesn't　seem　to　work　when　the　puter's　mucking　with　the　signal　like　this。　About　all　I　can　do　is　estimate　their　speed　and　extrapolate　from　Huriseem。　Looks　like　they're　about　here；　maybe　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes　from　that　crossroads。〃
　Telek　looked　over　at　Justin；　immobile　on　his　coach。　If　she'd　just　let　him　replace　his　brother　as　they'd　planned　。。。　but；　no；　she'd　wanted　to　have　her　damned　window　to　the　world。　〃We've　got　to　intercept　that　car；〃　she　said　to　the　room　in　general。　〃Either　free　the　team　outright　or　try　to　replace　Joshua。　Somehow。〃
　〃With　Moff　on　the　alert　I　somehow　doubt　the　latter　option's　open；〃　Link　said　from　in　front　of　the　display　he'd　appropriated　from　Nnamdi。
　〃I　know。〃　Telek　gritted　her　teeth；　then　turned　toward　the　inter。　〃Captain；　I　want　a　pulse…laser　message　to　the　Troft　backup　ships　right　away。　Tell　them　to　get　in　here　as　fast　as　they　can。〃
　〃Yes；　Governor。〃
　And　it'll　do　no　good　at　all。　She　knew　it；　and　everyone　aboard　knew　it。　The　Troft　ships　were　too　far　away　even　to　make　orbit　before　dawn。　The　Dewdrop　was　on　her　own。
　Which　meant　that　Winward　would　have　to　make　his　suicide　sortie　in　a　few　minutes　。。。　and　Almo　still　had　an　even　chance　of　getting　caught　before　he　knew　what　was　happening　。。。　and　it　was　all　futility　anyway；　because　there　was　no　way　a　Cobra　or　even　two　could　ambush　that　bus　without　killing　or　injuring　everyone　aboard　in　the　ensuing　firefight　The　inescapable　conclusion　was　that　it　would　be　better　to　lift　off　now；　hoping　the　Dewdrop　would　have　the　necessary　speed　to　escape　the　Qasamans〃　shells　or　rockets。
　To　cut　their　losses。　And　if　that　was　to　be　the　decision；　it　had　to　be　made　before　Winward　went　outside　to　sacrifice　his　life。　Which　meant　within　the　next　ninety　seconds。
　A　no…win　situation　。。。　and　even　as　she　wonde