11_metamorphosis- 第4部分

She　was　still　trying　to　get　them　to　join　her　when　the　surface　of　the　water　broke　behind　her；　and　something　huge　began　to　rise。　〃Annie！　Behind　you！〃　Scott　shouted；　his　voice　sounding　a　bit　strange　and　processed　over　his　suit's　external　speaker。

Both　men　were　off　their　cycles；　groping　for　their　sidearms。　Annie　stood　rooted　as　a　plated　head　the　size　of　a　small　fishing　coracle　reared；　shedding　water　in　all　directions。　It　opened　its　mouth　and　revealed　rows　of　teeth　like　thick　pegs。　Rand's　mind　threw　up　a　strange　word；　Eogyrinus？

Pieces　of　torn　flesh　still　clung　to　the　teeth；　and　it　reeked　of　death　and　the　marshes　it　hunted。　Annie　knew　that　through　their　helmets　Scott　and　Rand　couldn't　even　smell　it。

Scott　and　Rand　were　jockeying　for　a　clear　line　of　fire。　It　was　seemingly　hopeless　with　Annie　standing　frozen　right　in　front　of　the　thing；　hypnotized　like　a　mouse　before　a　rattlesnake。　They　were　both　armed　with　MARS…Gallant　Type…H90s…the　latest　word　in　hip…howitzers；　but　that　firepower　was　of　little　use　with　Annie　in　the　crosshairs。

The　thing　had　gotten　very　close。　Rand　saw　that　it　was　wide　and　flat；　like　a　big　croc　with　a　bobbed；　broad　snout…no　doubt　an　experienced　shore　hunter；　just　like　the　books　said。

Scott　hollered　at　Annie　to　get　out　of　the　way。　She　backpedaled　and　fell　on　her　rump　in　the　wet　sandy　shore。　She　stared　into　hungry；　merciless　eyes　that；　she　could　see；　saw　her　as　nothing　more　than　another　morsel　of　food。　She　threw　herself　flat　on　the　ground　just　as　the　creature　reared　up　to　lunge　for　her。　Then　the　neon…blue　blasterbolts　flew；　making　a　mewing　sound。

As　the　H90s　spat；　the　torrid　air　got　even　hotter。　Rand　fired　with　the　modified　two…hand　stance　that　Scott　had　taught　him。　The　thing　heaved　up　as　the　dazzling　hyphens　of　energy　hit　it。　Pieces　exploded　from　it　as　the　furious　heat　of　the　shots　turned　the　moisture　in　its　cells　into　superheated　steam；　blowing　it　apart。　There　was　no　blood　from　those　wounds；　instead；　the　gaping　holes　in　the　thing　had　the　look　of　broiled　meat。　The　stench　of　it　made　the　atmosphere　that　much　more　repugnant。

The　monster　thrashed　and　twisted。　Roaring　and　bellowing；　it　swiped　at　the　air　with　thick　claws；　snapping　its　jaws　at　the　radiant　bolts。　Unable　to　understand　what　was　happening；　it　nevertheless　knew　that　it　was　dying。　Its　rage　shook　the　air；　the　primeval　plant…forest；　and　the　sluggish　lake　waters。　It　fell　back　with　a　mighty　splash；　still　quivering　and　contorting。

Annie　kept　screaming　as　Scott　and　Rand　dragged　her　back　to　shore　by　her　jacket。　〃Mint；　he　didn't　bite　you；　did　he？〃　Scott　asked　anxiously。

That　seemed　to　bring　her　around　a　little。　〃N…no；　but　almost。　And　don't　call　me　Mint；　okay　Scott？〃

He　held　out　his　hand　to　her。　〃Sure　thing。　e　on；　up　you　go。〃　But　even　as　she　was　scrambling　to　her　feet；　Rand　yelled　and　pointed；　sounding　thoroughly　rattled。

〃Here　es　more　pany！〃

Three　more　of　the　things　had　surfaced　and　began　ripping　away　at　the　first；　while　it　spasmed。　They　tore　out　huge　gobbets　of　flesh；　snarling　and　whistling。　Scott　remembered　hearing　somewhere　that　real　Earthly　gators　usually　left　their　prey　to　rot；　if　it　was　too　small　to　swallow　in　one　gulp。　That　wasn't　the　case　with　this　lunch　crowd。　In　seconds；　flesh；　bones；　blood；　and　viscera　surged　and　rolled　in　the　oily　waters。

Rand　gulped。　〃They　passed　on　the　salad　course；　I　guess。〃

〃Just　look　at　them；〃　Annie　breathed。

Just　then　one　of　the　three　paused　in　its　gorging　to　hiss　a　piercing　whistle　at　them；　giving　them　that　same　hungry；　pitiless　stare。

〃They're　looking　at　us！〃　she　cried。

If　we　shoot；　these　three；　do　nine　more　show　up？　he　wondered。　Even　Robotech　weapons　had　their　limits。　He　grabbed　Annie's　arm。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here！　Move；　move！〃

In　another　moment　the　armor　had　mechamorphosed；　and　the　two　Cyclones　leapt　away；　Annie　clinging　to　Rand　once　more；　the　tires　automatically　adjusting　to　travel　over　the　soft　soil。　The　Eogyrinuses　came　swarming　up　at　them　moments　too　late。

〃Guess　we　lost　'em；〃　Annie　reported；　glancing　back　over　her　shoulder　to　be　sure。　〃I　don't　think　they're　built　for　long…distance　events。〃

〃But　where　did　they　e　from？〃　Scott　murmured。

Rand　gazed　upward。　The　sky　held　no　sign　of　the　energy　field；　instead　there　was　a　low　gray　haze。　They　sped　up　another　dry　watercourse；　past　tall；　odd…looking　conifers　and　cycads　and　some　bennettitaleans。

〃The　Lost　World；　〃　he　said　softly。


Lancer　looked　at　Rook　hopefully　as　he　hopped　down　from　the　cockpit　of　Scott's　abandoned　Alpha　fighter。　Let　it　be　good　news！　Let　her　have　found　something！

But　as　Rook　slid　her　cycle　to　a　stop；　Lancer　was　already　listening　to　negative　results　over　the　armored　suits'　tac　net。　〃I　followed　the　path　north　and　cut　a　circle　for　a　mile　around。　There　wasn't　a　trace　of　them。〃

As　she　finished　her　report；　Lunk　showed　up　in　his　olive…drab　APC　truck。　〃If　they　circled　back；　they　weren't　leaving　tracks；〃　he　reported。

That　left　another　question。　Scott's　Cyclone　was　gone；　and　there　were　no　tire　marks　anywhere。　But　why　would　they　have　gone　straight　to　full　armor　and　flown　away；　without　leaving　a　message　or　trying　to　make　mo　contact　with　their　teammates？

Maybe　the　tire　tracks　had　been　obliterated　by　someone？　That　would　be　easy　enough　to　do　in　this　kind　of　soil。

Lancer　yelled　out；　〃They　know　better　than　to　do　this　to　us。　〃　Rand　might　be　a　bit　impetuous；　and　Annie　was　flighty　to　say　the　least；　but　Scott；　a　trained　officer　and　team　leader；　would　never　simply　ignore　his　responsibilities。

There　was　only　one　explanation　that　might　make　some　sense　of　the　situation；　and　that　was　the　appearance　of　Invid。


〃Shouldn't　one　of　us　scout　ahead？〃　Rand　asked　as　the　two　Cyclones　sped　through　the　eerie　landscape　of　the　subterranean　world。　〃I've　had　enough　surprises　for　one　day。〃

〃We'll　stick　together　for　now；〃　Scott　ordered。

〃Well；　do　you　have　any　idea　where　we're　headed？〃　The　instruments　were　all　useless。

〃No；　Rand。　But　anywhere　away　from　those　reptiles　will　be　fine　with　me…hey；　power　down！　There's　something　up　ahead…the　end　of　the　trail；　maybe。

They　stopped　in　an　open　part　of　the　water　course。　What　they　saw　ahead　of　them　was　a　rampart　of　stone　some　hundreds　of　yards　high；　running　away　to　the　left　and　right　with　no　breaks。

〃A　dead　end！〃　Annie　wailed。　〃And　the　cliffs　and　ceiling　e　together。〃

It　was　true。　The　overhead　haze　was　broken　by　the　downward　sweep　of　the　gigantic　cavern's　stone　ceiling；　which　met　the　walls　of　the　place　in　a　tight　seal。　〃No　exit　here；〃　Scott　observed。

〃Maybe；　maybe　not；〃　Rand　corrected。　〃See　up　there？〃

It　was　an　opening　of　some　kind；　the　mouth　of　a　tunnel　or　cave；　set　high　above　the　floor　of　the　cavern。　〃That　could　be　our　rabbit…hole；〃　Rand　declared。　〃It's　worth　a　look。〃

Scott　couldn't　argue　with　that。　Their　engines　howled。


Elsewhere；　the　Regis　noticed　that　something　was　amiss　in　one　of　her　Genesis　Pits。　From　Reflex　Point；　her　consciousness　reached　out　to　join　with　the　evolved　mind　of　a　Shock　Trooper　who　was　following　the　movements　of　the　three　Humans。

The　Trooper's　single；　cyclopean　optic　sensor　flashed　red　as　she　mindspoke。　/Contaminants　in　the　pit！/　her　angry　thought　reverberated　through　that　trooper　and　the　others　assigned　to　the　place。　/Unless　these　intruders　are　contained　ant　neutralized；　the　experiment　will　be　ruined！/

But　she　paused；　seeing　the　reasoning　of　her　guards。　Certainly　these　were　Earthly　biota；　and　under　the　Regis's　broad　guidelines　they　were　valid　candidates　for　inclusion　in　the　pits。　But　these　were　Human；　and　they　were　armed　with　weapons　and　mounted　on　vehicles。　A　counterproductive　anachronism　here　in　the　cavern　of　monsters！

Still；　the　introduction　of　machines　and　weapons　might　provide　some　instructive　insights　about　the　capabilities　of　the　creatures　she　had　bred　here　beneath　the　Earth。　Their　worth　as　contributors　to　the　Invid's　final；　Evolved　Form　would　be　tested。

Yes；　let　it　continue　for　now；　at　least　until　more　observations　had　been　made。　The　creatures　of　the　cavern　would　probably　cleanse　the　place　of　outsiders　by　themselves；　and　that　would　be　most　informative；　too。　Or　if　not。。。

There　were　other　ways。


CHAPTER　FOUR

Fay　Wray　can　have　it！
Remark　attributed　to　Annie　LaBelle

There　are　important　insights　to　the　story　in　Rand's　recounting　of　it　in　his　voluminous　Notes　on　the　Run：

〃I　got　even　more　worried　when　I　saw　that　that　tunnel　through　the　bedrock　was　artificial。　It　had　a　low　arc　of　roof；　but　the　flat；　level　floor　made　it　easy　for　us　to　go　to　cycle　mode　and　race　along。〃

〃The　obvious　fact　that　someone　had　drilled　the　tunnel　made　me　nervous；　but　let's　face　it：　everything　about　that　underground　Lizard　Lounge　had　me　nervous　by　then。　Scott　had　noticed　it；　too；　I　assumed；　but　we　didn't　mention　it　because　we　didn't　want　Annie　hysterical。〃

〃So　we　barreled　down　the　tunnel。　The　Cycs'　headlights　cut　the　darkness；　but　only　showed　us　the　rock　walls；　the　rock　ceiling；　and　the　rock　floor。　I　would　even　have　weled　some　motel　art　by　that　time。　I　had　long　since　outgrown　my　graffiti　stage；　but　I　was　tempted。〃

〃I　fibbed　to　Annie。　‘Hang　on　tight！　I've　got　a　real　strong　feeling　about　this　tunnel；　in　fact　I'm　sure　it's　gonna　be　our　way　out　of　this　place！'　If　she　knew　I　was　bulling　her；　she　was　kind　enough　not　to　say　so。〃

〃But　she　did　point　to　a　bright　light　that　was　ing　up　before　us。　‘Hey；　look　at　that！'〃

〃Scott's　voice　sounded　real　relieved　over　the　tat　net；　‘We　made　it！'　That　sort　of　surprised　me；　I　figured　a　guy　raised　in　starships　most　of　his　life　wouldn't　feel　the　claustrophobia　as　badly　as　I　was　feeling　it；　but　I　guess　the　weight　of　all　those　strata　above　us　had　been　working　at　him。〃

〃So　I　said；　tempting　fate　a　little；　‘I　knew　it！　Our　troubles　are　over　now！'〃

〃All　of　a　sudden　the　floor　of　the　tunnel　seemed　to　slope　down。　The　next　thing　we　knew；　the　Cycs　were　out　in　the　open　air　and　falling　toward　the　lush　vegetation　down　below。〃

〃But　we　were　pretty　used　to　our　mecha　by　then；　although　it　had　taken　me　some　time　to　learn　the　ropes　on　a　Cyc　and　Scott　hadn't　had　much　practice　operating　in　an　environment　like　Earth　until　he　had　crash…landed；　a　coupla　weeks　before。　Mox　nix；　we　hit　our　burners。　I　did　my　best　to　see　that　I　didn't　lose　Mint；　and　somehow　I　made　that　landing　on　sky…blue；　umbrella…shaped　thruster　flames。〃

〃The