按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Shorty started bouncing up and down in his seat。 〃Frank； y' ole coot； ya gonna play or not？〃
〃Hang on； I'm jus' tryin' to decide how much to raise you。〃
〃Yer bluffin'！〃
Gabby served a cup of steaming tea to Marlene； who smiled and thanked him。 Lancer watched the man shuffle off into an adjoining partment separated from the hold by cinched curtains。 Gabby sat down at a munications console and began to throw switches。
〃Is that transceiver in working condition？〃 Lancer asked loudly enough to cut through the card…table conversations。
Frank answered him。 〃Like everything else around here； it's wore out。〃 Dismissively； he threw his cards to the table。 〃We still receive transmissions from the Expeditionary Force； but we can't respond to 'em。〃
Jesse grunted and laughed。 〃Gabby keeps turnin' it on like maybe he's expectin' a message from somebody。〃
Gabby seemed to hear the men ridiculing him； forlornly； he got up from the console and left the hold。
〃What do the transmissions say？〃 Lancer asked after Gabby had gone。
〃Who knows？〃 Shorty cackled。 〃We don't pay no attention to 'em。〃
Lancer leaned back in his chair。 What a sad bunch； he thought。 Soldiers who have lost the will to fight。。。He was about to launch into the speech he hoped would rekindle their spirits； when Marlene suddenly shot to her feet and let out a low groan of pain。 Lancer stood up and took hold of her quaking shoulders； she had her eyes closed； her fingertips pressed to her temples。
〃What is it； Marlene？ Are you hearing the Invid broadcasting towers again？〃
The four veterans voiced a shocked 〃Whaaatt？！〃
〃The tower must be broadcasting again；〃 Lancer explained without thinking。
Alarmed all at once； Frank stood up。 〃You mean she can hear 'em？〃 He gestured to the others。 〃Git 'em； boys！ I reckon these two to be Invid spies！〃
〃You're wrong；〃 Lancer told them； shielding Marlene。
〃Well； I think Frank's right；〃 Jesse said menacingly。
〃I knew there was sumthin' funny 'bout 'em；〃 snarled Shorty。
Frank leveled a hand blaster that resembled an antique short…barreled staple gun。 〃Don't make a move；〃 he warned Lancer。 〃If she ain't an Invid； how e she hears their signals？〃
Lancer took Marlene into his arms while she sobbed。 〃She's been traumatized by them。 It affected her hearing somehow…it's more sensitive than ours。〃
Jesse scoffed。 〃That's 'cause we're Human and she's an Invid！〃
〃That's not true；〃 Lancer shouted； leading Marlene slowly away from the couch and closer to the external hatch。 〃She's suffered more from the Invid attacks than any of you！ You can see for yourselves the agonizing pain their broadcast signals put her through。〃
Shorty took a step forward。 〃You're whistlin' in the wind； pretty boy。 We ain't buyin' it！〃
Roy uttered a kind of growl and began to move in bearlike； his huge mitts raised。 Lancer backed Marlene against the bulkhead and turned her in his arms。 〃Think she's an Invid； huh？〃 He pulled her to him and kissed her full on the mouth。 Startled at first； Marlene began to relax and return his tenderness。 The veterans went wide…eyed。
〃Whoa！〃 said Jesse。 〃Don't reckon he'd kiss an Invid like that； do you； Frank？〃
〃They might be aliens； but they sure ain't strangers；〃 laughed Shorty。
〃Hol' up； kids； 'fore ya short out our pacemakers。〃
Lancer broke off his embrace。 〃That was the most pleasant way to prove a point I could ever imagine；〃 he whispered； looking into Marlene's eyes。
Frank tucked away his blaster and sat down on the edge of the table。 〃No hard feelings； kids。 Consider yourselves among friends。〃
Lancer saw his chance to enlist their aid。 〃Does that mean you'd be willing to help us？〃
Frank looked at him questioningly。 〃What possible help could we be？ We're just a bunch of old…huh？！〃
An explosion rocked the ship。
〃The telltale sound of trouble；〃 said Roy； reaching for a weapon。
From the hatchway they saw two Troopers plete a pass over the arena。 Gabby； some sort of tote bag clutched in his right hand； was running a jagged course toward the ship。 A single charge from one of the Invid ships tore into the already ruined street； throwing him off his feet。 Roy had a rocket launcher on his shoulder； he fired and caught the Invid with a glancing shot to its underbelly。
〃Lay down some more cover fire！〃 Frank yelled。 〃I'll go try to fetch 'im！〃
〃No； wait；〃 Lancer said； pulling the launcher from Roy's grip。 〃I can move faster。 I'll get him。〃
Lancer raised the weapon and darted out into the arena。 The second Trooper was swinging around and preparing for another pass。 〃Make a run for it！〃 he told Gabby； helping him to his feet。 〃I'll keep you covered。〃
Wordlessly； Gabby struggled to his knees； but instead of heading for the escort； he doubled back to retrieve the tote bag he had dropped。 The Trooper； meanwhile； was ing in low overhead。 Lancer seated the launcher on his right shoulder； centered the ship in the weapon's laser sight； and triggered the missile。 His shot was sure； straight to the Invid's optic core； a brief fireball and the enemy disintegrated。
Gabby was still on his hands and knees but now had the bag tight in his arms。
〃Leave it！〃 Lancer barked； hearing the sound of the first Trooper's thrusters。 〃Whatever it is； it isn't worth risking your life！〃 But he had begun to wonder。 Gabby looked up at him； words of explanation in his eyes； and fumbled with the bag's latch。 Puzzled； Lancer went down on one knee to gaze at the contents： it was Gabby's battle armor。
All at once the ground rumbled。 Lancer reshouldered the launcher and twisted。 The first Trooper had put down behind them； its right pincer raised for a crushing blow。 Lancer squeezed off a second projectile； which tore into the Invid's scanner； dropping it instantly。 He was on his feet watching the thing bleed green when he heard Rand's voice in the distance。
〃We've been looking all over for you！〃
Rand was waving at him from atop a heap of slacked steel that had once been part of the arena's superstructure。 Scott and Annie were with him； along with the horses they had ridden in on。
Not exactly the cavalry arriving in the nick of time； Lancer said to himself while returning the wave； but it was good to see them just the same。
Lancer led his teammates to the Robotech ship； Scott filled him in on their brief incarceration and the theft of the Cyclones； and Lancer primed Scott for the surprises in store。 Everyone remembered the incident with Jonathan Wolff； and Rand especially was concerned about Scott's reaction to all this。 It was certainly good news that the Cycs were safe； but Rand knew that Scott wouldn't let it go at that…not when the rustlers were soldiers who had once served with the illustrious Expeditionary Force。
The veterans claimed never to have heard of Scott Bernard。 This didn't surprise Rand； given the fact that some of them apparently couldn't even recall their own names。 Besides； from what Scott had told him； the Pioneer Mission had had an enormous crew； and Major Carpenter's contingent had separated from the main body of the force early on in the mission。 They had been lost in space for approximately ten years； but Scott wasn't about to cut them any slack。