tz.cobra strike-第65部分

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ck　toward　the　convoy　from　the　tree　trunk　the　Cobras　had　felled　across　the　road。　They'd　been　placing　explosives；　Pyre　had　guessed　。。。　and　even　as　Justin　watched；　the　barrier　erupted　with　yellow　fire。　The　smoke　cleared　to　show　a　section　of　the　trunk　had　disintegrated。
　〃Barrier　down；〃　one　of　the　Cobras　reported　in　Jus…tin's　ear。　〃Convoy　starting　up　again。〃
　The　hail　of　lead　intensified；　almost　covering　the　sound　of　car　engines；　but　little　of　the　fire　was　ing　in　Justin's　direction。　〃I'm　on　it；〃　he　said　into　his　mike。　Twenty　meters　closer　to　him　was　the　next　of　the　trees　along　the　road　they'd　prepared　so　carefully　last　night。　Raising　his　hand　out　of　the　matted　leaves；　he　targeted　carefully　and　fired。
　The　rope　holding　the　precut　tree　snapped；　and　with　a　crack　of　breaking　wood　audible　even　over　the　gun　shots　it　toppled　gracefully　across　the　road。　〃Barrier　replaced；〃　he　reported。
　〃Stand　by　to　pull　back；〃　Pyre　said　tersely。　〃Smoke　。。。　？〃
　In　response；　the　forest　on　both　sides　of　the　road　erupted　with　black　smoke。　〃Lead　team；　pull　back；〃　Pyre　ordered。
　Justin　began　backing　away　from　his　tree；　balancing　the　need　for　speed　with　the　need　to　remain　low。　The　smoke　would　block　visual　and　infrared　targeting；　but　there　were　always　lucky　shots　to　worry　about。　So　far　the　Qasamans〃　lack　of　experience　with　warfare　had　showed　up　clearly　in　their　unimaginative　tactics；　but　they　more　than　made　up　for　that　with　enthusiasm。
　He　was　midway　to　his　new　cover；　smack　in　the　middle　of　nowhere；　when　a　new　stutter　opened　up　from　above。　He　froze；　muffling　a　curse。
　The　helicopters　were　back。
　Or　at　least　one　of　them　was。　It　was　off　to　the　east　a　ways；　he　estimated　from　the　sound；　probably　blowing　up　some　of　the　hundred　or　so　〃warm…body〃　infrared　decoys　they'd　spent　the　morning　setting　up。　But　the　machine　was　drifting　closer。　Making　a　quick　decision；　Justin　leaped　to　his　feet　and　dashed　for　cover。　The　pitch　of　the　helicopter's　drone　shifted　as　he　did　so；　and　a　second　later　he　got　a　glimpse　of　the　craft　through　the　trees　。。。　and　a　rain　of　bullets　abruptly　splattered　at　his　heels。
　He　put　on　a　burst　of　speed；　and　was　behind　his　target　tree　before　the　Qasaman　gunner　could　correct　his　aim。　〃I'm　okay/〃　he　called　into　his　mike　before　anyone　had　to　ask。　〃But　I'm　pinned　down。〃
　〃I'm　on　it；〃　someone　grunted。　〃Someone　give　me　covering　fire？〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Pyre　said。　〃On　three。　One；　two；　three〃
　The　helicopter　had　swung　around；　trying　for　a　clear　shot　at　Justin；　and　was　framed　almost　perfectly　be…　tween　tree　branches　as　Pyre's　antiarmor　laser　flashed　squarely　into　the　cockpit　windows。
　The　craft　jerked；　nearly　destabilizing　enough　to　slide　into　the　treetops　bare　meters　below。　But　the　pilot　was　good；　and　within　seconds　the　craft　was　nearly　steady　again　。。。　and　from　directly　beneath；　a　figure　shot　upward　through　the　leafy　canopy　to　grab　the　helicopter's　side　door　handle。　Twisting　his　legs　upward；　the　Cobra　turned　himself　around　his　precarious　grip　to　what　was　in　effect　a　one…armed　handstand　along　the　helicopter's　side　。。。　and　with　his　feet　barely　a　meter　from　the　main　rotor　hub；　his　antiarmor　laser　blazed　forth。
　The　pilot　did　his　best。　Almost　instantly　the　craft　banked　hard　to　the　side；　throwing　the　Cobra　off　in　an　action　that　should　have　killed　him。　But　with　the　nanoputer's　cat…landing　programming　even　that　small　satisfaction　would　be　denied　the　Qasaman　。　。　。　and　as　he　carefully　righted　the　helicopter　the　stressed　rotor　metal　gave　way。　Two　seconds　later　the　forest　shook　with　the　thunder　of　the　crash。
　〃Report；〃　Pyre　snapped　as　the　explosion　died　into　the　dull　crackle　of　burning　fuel。
　〃No　problem；〃　the　Cobra　assured　them　all。　〃Watch　the　branches　if　any　of　you　have　to　try　that…the　damn　things　scratch　like　hell。〃
　Justin　let　out　a　relieved　sigh　。。　。　and　suddenly　became　aware　of　the　relative　silence。　〃They've　stopped　shooting…〃
　〃Almo；　we've　got　a　Qasaman　on　the　road；〃　one　of　the　others　interrupted。　〃He's　alone…well；　with　a　mojo…and　he's　holding　a　white　flag。〃
　A　white　flag。　Winward　had　gone　out　under　a　white　flag　the　last　trip　here　。　。　。　and　had　been　shot　for　his　trouble。　Justin's　jaw　tightened　as　he　wondered　if　Pyre　remembered　that　。　。　。　wondered　what　the　other's　response　would　be。
　〃Okay；〃　Pyre　said　after　a　moment。　〃Everyone　keep　looking　sharp…they　may　be　using　him　as　a　diversion　while　they　sneak　around　to　encircle　us　on　foot；　I'm　going　to　call　him　over　and　see　what　he　wants。〃
　〃Target　the　mojo　right　away；〃　someone　said　dryly。
　〃No　kidding。　Here　goes。〃
　Pyre's　voice　continued　normally　in　Justin's　ear　as；　bullhorn　amplified；　the　Qasaman　translation　echoed　among　the　trees：　〃Continue　forward。　Keep　your　hands　visible　and　your　mojo　on　your　shoulder。　I'll　tell　you　where　to　leave　the　road。〃
　Quiet　returned　to　the　forest。　Notching　up　his　auditory　enhancers；　Justin　settled　down　beside　his　tree　to　wait。
　Telek　rubbed　her　eyes　with　the　heels　of　both　hands；　〃The　problem；〃　she　told　Pyre　wearily；　〃is　the　same　one　we've　had　ever　since　the　convoy　first　appeared：　namely；　we　simply　don't　have　enough　data　yet　to　pull　out。〃
　〃What　you　mean　is　that　you　haven't　proved　yet　that　the　mojos　are　directly　controlling　the　Qasamans；〃　he　retorted。
　Probably　true；　she　admitted　to　herself。　〃What　I　mean　is　that　the　gleaner…team　hasn't　finished　its　agenda。〃
　〃It　may　not　get　the　chance/〃　Pyre　growled。　〃I　don't　think　they're　bluffing　when　they　say　this　is　our　last　chance　to　pull　out　before　they　turn　up　the　fire。　And　if　they　don't　mind　how　much　it　costs　them　we　really　aren't　going　to　be　able　to　hold　them　very　long。〃
　And　that　short　reprieve　would　cost　them　ten　good　Cobras…and　probably　give　the　Qasamans　reasonably　undamaged　Cobra　equipment　to　study。　〃The　last　thing　I　want　is　a　full　battle　with　you　on　the　losing　end；〃　Telek　told　him。　〃But　I　don't　see　the　hook　yet；　and　past　experience　tells　me　there's　one　somewhere　in　this　offer。〃
　〃Maybe　there　isn't。　Maybe　Moff　just　wants　to　avoid　bloodshed。〃
　Telek's　lip　twitched　at　the　name。　Moff。　Escort　for　off…world　visitors；　sharp…eyed　observer　who'd　pulled　the　whole　thing　down　on　them　last　time；　and　now　one　of　the　leaders　of　this　thrown…together　task　force。　A　man　of　many　talents　。。。　and　a　man　of　luck；　too；　to　have　survived　Justin's　Purma　rampage。　She　wondered　how　Justin　was　feeling　about　Moff's　presence　out　there；　chased　the　thought　irritably　from　her　mind。　Moff。　What　did　she　know　about　him　that　might　give　her　a　clue　as　to　what　he　was　up　to　with　this？　Did　he　want　to　chase　the　invaders　away　from　the　village　into　an　ambush　where　the　Qasamans　wouldn't　be　risking　civilian　lives？　Was　there　something　in　the　village　they　didn't　want　found？　Could　it　really　be　as　simple　as　an　attempt　to　drag　the　two　cultures　back　from　an　otherwise　almost　inevitable　war？
　But　the　gleaner…team　needed　more　time。
　〃Governor？〃
　〃Still　here；　Almo；〃　she　sighed。　〃All　right；　let's　try　an　experiment。　Tell　them　we'll　pull　out　as　soon　as　we've　shown　a　representative　that　we　haven't　hurt　or　killed　anyone　in　the　village。〃
　〃Will　that　give　outrider…three　enough　time　to　bring　their　bololin　herd　by　the　village？〃
　Telek　checked　her　projections。　〃It　might；　if　we　take　things　slow　enough。　But　we　probably　wouldn't　have　time　after　the　hunt…stress　test　to　remove　the　neck　sensors　the　gleaner…team's　got　on　the　subjects。〃
　〃The　Council　was　pretty　firm　on　the　point　of　not　leaving　any　electronics　behind；〃　Pyre　reminded　her。
　〃I　know；　I　know。　Well；　if　we　have　to　scrap　that　test；　we　scrap　it；　that's　all。　Look；　just　see　if　they'll　buy　the　idea　of　a　tour。　I'll　talk　to　Michael　and　McKinley　while　you　do　that；　see　if　they　have　any　ideas。〃
　〃All　right。〃　Pyre　hesitated。　〃If　it'll　really　help　。。。　we　are　prepared　to　die　out　here。〃
　Telek　blinked　away　sudden　moisture。　〃I　appreciate　that；〃　she　managed。　〃But　you　also　qualify　as　electronics　I'd　rather　not　leave　behind。　Talk　to　the　Qasamans　and　call　me　back。〃
　〃Yes；　I　do　have　an　idea；〃　Winward　told　Telek　with　grim　satisfaction。　〃I've　been　thinking　about　it　ever　since　the　psych　people　first　started　plaining　that　we　needed　to　do　long…term　studies。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃And　if　you　can't　do　the　studies　themselves；　the　next　best　thing　is　to　get　the　results；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　think　I　know　just　where　to　find　them。〃
　〃We　want　it　to