tz.cobra strike-第68部分

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　came　an　explosion　as　the　Qasamans　destroyed　the　tree　that　blocked　their　path。　Slowing　as　he　passed　the　last　of　their　prepared　trees；　Pyre　sent　it　crashing　down　behind　him；　a　move　that　should　put　the　ground　troops　out　of　the　game　for　good。　Pushing　his　pace　to　the　limit；　he　watched　the　sky　for　both　the　descending　Dewdrop　and　the　Qasamans〃　inevitable　aerial　response。
　From　his　vantage　point　the　events　occurred　simultaneously。　Far　ahead　the　glittering　shape　of　the　small　starship　dropped　rapidly　against　the　blue　sky　as；　overhead；　three　small　helicopters　screamed　southward　to　the　attack。　A　hard　lump　rose　into　Pyre's　throat　as　He　watched　them　disappear　behind　the　tree…tops。　They　were；　as　York　had　predicted；　modified　civilian　craft　。。。　but　the　Cobras〃　brief　tangle　with　them　had　showed　them　well　worth　taking　seriously。
　He　kept　running。　Far　ahead　the　roar　of　the　helicopters〃　engines　changed　pitch　as　they　reached　the　village。　Small　explosions　came　faintly　over　the　wind　in　his　ears　and；　once；　the　sort　of　blast　he　remembered　from　the　helicopter　they'd　shot　down　over　the　barricade。　He　wondered　who　had　pulled　it　off　this　time；　and　whether　the　Cobra　had　lived　through　it。　Blinking　the　tears　from　his　eyes；　he　squinted　against　the　wind　and　kept　going。
　And　suddenly　it　was　all　over。　A　great　roiling　pillar　of　black　smoke　rose　above　the　trees；　and　seconds　later　the　Dewdrop　shot　out　of　it　like　a　missile　from　its　launcher。　The　two　remaining　helicopters　climbed　after　it；　but　their　weapons　weren't　designed　to　fire　straight　up　and　the　Dewdrop's　gravity　lifts　were　more　than　adequate　to　maintain　the　starship's　lead。　The　three　craft　became　points　of　reflected　light　in　the　sky　。。。　and　then　were　just　two　spots。
　The　Dewdrop；　gleaner…team's　scientists　aboard；　had　escaped。　Leaving　the　Cobras　behind。
　Ahead；　someone　stepped　from　the　trees　along　the　road　and　gave　Pyre　a　quick　wave　before　retreating　to　cover　again。　Pyre　slowed　and　joined　him。　〃Any　trouble？〃　the　other　Cobra　asked。
　Pyre　shook　his　head。　〃They're　at　least　ten　minutes　behind　me。　Any　sign　of　our　escort　yet？〃
　The　other　grinned。　〃Sure。　Just　listen。〃
　Pyre　notched　up　his　enhancers。　In　the　distance　he　could　hear　a　low　rumble；　acpanied　by　a　well…remembered　snuffling。　〃Right　on　schedule。　Everyone　ready？〃
　〃This　end　is；　anyway。　I　presume　gleaner…team's　Cobras　made　it　out　while　everyone　was　blinded　by　the　smokescreen。〃
　〃And　were　all　busy　assuming　the　Cobras　were　going　inward　instead　of　owfward；〃　Pyre　nodded。　This　would　be　a　whole　lot　easier　if　the　Qasamans　thought　everyone　had　escaped　in　the　Dewdrop。
　The　rumbling　was　getting　closer。。。。
　And　then；　across　the　road；　they　burst　out　of　the　woods：　a　bololin　herd；　running　for　all　it　was　worth。　A　big　herd；　Pyre　saw；　the　far　end　of　its　leading　edge　lost　beyond　a　curve　in　the　road　and　the　dust　of　its　own　passage。　Maybe　a　thousand　animals　in　all　。。。　and　among　all　those　warm　bodies；　hidden　from　sight　by　all　that　dust；　forty　Cobras　would　hardly　be　noticeable。　Even　if　someone　thought　to　look。
　The　leading　edge　had　passed；　the　herd's　flanks　perhaps　twenty　meters　away。　Turning；　Pyre　and　the　other　Cobra　began　to　pace　them；　drifting　closer　to　the　herd　as　they　ran　until　they　were　perhaps　four　meters　away。　Glances　ahead　and　behind　showed　the　rest　of　outrider…one　joining　the　flow。　At　the　herd's　opposite　flank；　if　all　had　gone　well；　the　gleaner…team　Cobras　were　doing　likewise。
　And　for　the　next　few　hours；　they　should　all　be　reasonably　safe。　After　that…
　After　that；　the　Menssana　lay　three　hundred　kilometers　almost　dead　ahead；　presumably　still　unnoticed　by　the　planetary　authorities。　If　it　could　stay　that　way　for　the　next　six　hours；　the　Cobras　would　be　aboard　and　the　ship　in　orbit　long　before　any　aircraft　could　be　scrambled　to　intercept　it。
　Theoretically；　anyway。　Pyre　settled　his　legs　into　a　rhythmic　pace；　letting　his　servos　take　as　much　of　the　load　as　possible。　Personally；　he　would　be　happy　if　things　even　came　close。
　And　in　this　case；　they　did。
　
　
　Chapter　30
　
　They　listened　in　silence　as　McKinley　went　through　his　presentation；　and　when　he　was　finished　Stiggur　sighed。　〃No　chance　of　an　error；　I　don't　suppose。〃
　McKinley　shook　his　head。　〃Nothing　significant；　certainly。　We　had　enough　test　subjects　to　get　good　statistics。〃
　Across　the　table　from　him；　Jonny　pursed　his　lips；　the　bittersweet　taste　of　Pyrrhic　victory　in　his　mouth。　He'd　been　vindicated；　his　〃crazy〃　theory　about　the　mojos　more　or　less　confirmed。
　But　the　price　of　that　victory　was　going　to　be　war。
　He　could　see　that　in　the　faces　around　the　table。　The　other　governors　were　scared…more　than　they'd　ever　been　after　the　Dewdrop's　first　mission。　And　even　though　some　of　them　might　not　know　how　they'd　respond　to　that　fear；　he　understood　human　nature　enough　to　know　which　way　most　would　eventually　go。　Fight　and　flight　were　the　only　basic　options　。。。　and　the　Cobra　Worlds　had　no　place　to　run。
　Fairleigh　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　still　don't　understand　how　the　mojos　can　be　doing　all　this。　I　mean；　you've　established　their　brain　capacity　is　too　small　for　intelligence；　haven't　you？〃
　〃There's　no　particular　need　for　intelligence　in　this；〃　McKinley　said。　〃It's　the　mojo's　symbiont…either　hu…
　　　man　or　krisjaw…who　actually　assess　the　situation。　The　mojo　simply　picks　up　that　evaluation　and　pushes　for　the　response　that　is　in　the　mojo's　best　interests。〃
　〃But　that　takes　judgment；　and　that　implies　intelligence；〃　Fairleigh　persisted。
　〃Not　necessarily；〃　Telek　shook　her　head。　〃Straight　extrapolative　logic　could　simply　be　part　of　the　mojo's　instinct　package。　I've　seen　instincts　in　other　animals　that　appear　to　take　as　much　or　more　intelligence　than　that　would　require。　You'll　notice　that　the　Chata　spookie　seems　to　manage　the　same　trick　with　only　a　slightly　larger　cranial　capacity。〃
　〃It　could　be　even　easier；　at　least　for　the　mojo；〃　McKinley　added。　〃Presumably　the　human　conies　up　with　his　own　list　of　possible　responses；　including…on　some　level…how　each　response　would　affect　the　mojo。　Choosing　among　those　takes　no　more　intelligence　than　any　animal　needs　to　survive　in　the　wild。〃
　〃Could　you　be　reading　the　data　wrong；　somehow；　then？〃　Stiggur　asked。　〃We　need　to　be　absolutely　sure　of　what's　going　on。〃
　〃I　don't　think　we　are；　sir；〃　McKinley　shook　his　head。　〃We　didn't　get　as　many　details　out　of　Moff　as　Winward　was　hoping　we　would；　but　I　think　what　he　did　say　pretty　well　confirms　this　interpretation。〃
　〃Not　to　mention　the　krisjaw　incident；〃　Roi　murmured。　〃There's　no　rational　explanation　for　their　behavior　if　the　mojos　weren't　in　at　least　partial　control。〃
　The　room　fell　silent。　Stiggur　glanced　around　the　table；　then　nodded　at　McKinley。　〃Thank　you。　Doctor；　for　your　time。　We'll　get　in　touch　if　we　have　any　more　questions。　You'll　be　able　to　give　this　presentation　to　the　full　Council　tomorrow？〃
　McKinley　nodded。　〃Two　o'clock；　right？〃
　〃Right。　We'll　see　you　then。〃
　McKinley　went　out；　and　Stiggur　turned　back　to　the　table。　〃Any　discussion　before　we　vote　on　our　remendation？〃
　〃How　could　something　like　this　have　happened？〃　Vartanson　asked；　his　tone　almost　petulant。　〃Symbi…onts　don't　just　swap　partners　whenever　they　feel　like　it。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Roi　shrugged。　〃I'm　sure　Lizabet　could　e　up　with　dozens　of　other　examples。〃
　〃Nothing　like　that　many；　but　there　are　some；〃　Telek　nodded。　〃In　this　case；　I　think；　you　just　have　to　look　at　the　krisjaw's　characteristics　to　see　why　humans　look　so　attractive　as　partners。　First　off；　the　mojos　need　good　hunters　to　kill　bololins　for　them；　but　the　vi…ciousness　that　makes　krisjaws　good　hunters　also　means　a　returning　mojo　probably　has　half　a　chance　of　being　eaten　itself　until　it　reestablishes　control。　You　saw　the　films　of　the　attack…the　mojos　were　barely　off　their　krisjaws〃　backs　before　the　animals　went　berserk。〃
　〃And　their　range　is　longer　with　humans？〃　Hemner　asked。
　〃It　seems　to　be；　yes；　but　that　may　be　only　incidental；〃　Telek　said。　〃The　real　point　is　that　humans　with　guns　are　simultaneously　safer　hunters　and　better　hunters。　That　also　means　the　humans　seldom　if　ever　lose　the　fight　and　get　killed；　by　the　way；　which　saves　the　mojo　the　trouble　of　finding　and　getting　used　to　someone　new。〃
　〃The　training　period　being　especially　dangerous　if　it's　breaking　in　a　new　kr