tz.cobra strike-第4部分

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；　the　Tlossies　will　undoubtedly　offer　themselves　as　our　agents　to　any　other　interested　demesnes。〃
　〃And　if　we　like　the　deal；　they'll　offer　us　their　services　in　finding　new　jobs；〃　Corwin　nodded。　〃They　pulled　the　same　type　of　inducement　scheme　when　we　were　first　opening　up　trade　with　the　Trofts　generally；　which　is　one　reason　they　now　handle　so　much　of　it。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Joshua　shrugged。　〃Assume　the　offer's　legitimate。　Are　five　planets　of　dubious　value　worth　fighting　a　war　for？　An　unprovoked　war；　yet？〃
　〃Flip　that　over；　though；〃　Corwin　said。　〃Suppose　this　new　alien　is　a　genuine　and　imminent　threat。　Do　we　dare　simply　ignore　it　and　hope　it　won't　find　us？　Maybe　it　would　be　better　to　take　it　out　now　while　it　can　be　done　relatively　easily。〃
　〃And　what　does　〃relatively　easily〃　mean？〃　Joshua　countered。
　Justin　glanced　at　his　mother's　tight…lipped　expression。　The　pattern　was　now　a　familiar　one：　Corwin　usually　took　the　devil's　advocate　position　in　these　round　tables；　which　implied　Jonny　was　leaning　toward　the　nay　side　on　the　issue。　His　reasons　would　be　interesting　to　hear；　but　he　was　unlikely　to　voice　them　until　the　twins　had　had　their　say。　But　Chrys　might　not　be　so　reticent。　〃Mom；　you　haven't　said　anything　yet。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　a　tired　smile　touching　the　corners　of　her　mouth。　〃With　you　about　to　bee　a　Cobra？　Of　course　I　don't　want　to　risk　your　life　for　worlds　we　won't　even　need　for　another　millennium。　But　aside　from　that　emotional　reaction；　my　logic　center　can't　help　but　wonder　why　the　Trofts　want　MS　to　do　this。　They　have　a　war　machine　the　equal　of　the　Dominion's…if　they　can't　handle　this　alien　threat；　what　do　they　expect　〃s　to　do？〃
　Justin　looked　at　Joshua；　saw　his　own　sudden　thoughtfulness　only　hinted　at　in　his　brother's　face。　Understandable；　Justin　knew　much　more　about　both　Cobra　capabilities　and　limitations　than　Joshua　did。　He　turned　to　his　father；　who　seemed　in　turn　to　be　watching　him。　〃Odd；〃　he　said。
　〃Indeed；〃　Jonny　agreed。　〃The　only　advantage　Cobras　have　over　bat…suited　troops　is　the　fact　that　our　weapons　are　concealed。　It's　hard　to　imagine　a　normal；　non…guerrilla　war　where　that's　a　deciding　factor。〃
　〃Of　course；　the　nearest　known　bat　suits　are　way　over　in　the　Dominion…〃　Corwin　began。
　〃But　if　they　can　hire　us　they　can　just　as　easily　hire　them；〃　Justin　finished　for　him。　〃Right？〃
　Corwin　nodded。　〃Which　leads　me；　at　least；　to　only　one　answer　for　Mom's　question。〃
　There　was　a　brief　pause。　〃A　test；〃　Joshua　said　at　last。　〃They　want　another　crack　at　seeing　just　how　powerful　Cobras　really　are。〃
　Jonny　nodded。　〃I　can't　see　any　other　explanation。　Especially　since　the　demesnes　at　this　end　of　the　Assemblage　probably　didn't　have　any　direct　contact　with　human　forces　during　the　war。　All　they've　got　are　the　farside　demesnes〃　reports；　and　they　may　think　those　are　exaggerated。〃
　〃So　。。。　what　do　we　do？〃　Joshua　asked。　〃Play　it　safe　and　say　we're　above　mercenary　work？〃
　〃That　would　be　my　remendation；〃　his　father　sighed。　〃Unfortunately…well；　you　tell　them；　Corwin。〃
　〃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　th