tz.cobra strike-第10节

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　〃I　wondered　why　you　were　taking　it　so　calmly；〃　Jonny　said　when　Corwin　confronted　him　a　few　minutes　later。　〃I　suppose　I　should　have　mentioned　it　to　you。〃
　〃Mentioned；　my　left　eye；〃　Corwin　growled。　〃You　should　have　at　least　discussed　it　with　the　rest　of　us　before　you　went　ahead　and　signed　yourselves　up。〃
　〃Why？〃　Jonny　countered。　〃What　your　mother　and　I　do　with　our　lives　is　our　business…　we　are　old　enough　to　make　these　decisions　for　ourselves。　We　decided　we　wanted　a　change　of　scenery；　and　this　seemed　a　good　way　to　get　it。〃　He　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃Or　are　you　going　to　suggest　neither　of　us　would　know　how　to　handle　an　alien　environment？〃
　Corwin　clamped　his　teeth　together。　〃You're　a　lot　older　than　you　were　when　you　came　to　Aventine。　You　could　die　out　there。〃
　〃Your　brothers　could　die　on　Qasama；〃　Jonny　reminded　him　softly。　〃Should　we　all　sit　here　in　safety　while　they're　out　risking　their　lives？　This　way　we're　at　least　in　a　sense　sharing　their　danger。〃
　A　cold　shiver　rippled　up　Corwin's　back。　〃Only　in　the　most　far…fetched　sense；〃　he　said。　〃Your　danger　won't　diminish　theirs。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Jonny's　smile　was　wry　but　clear；　without　any　trace　of　self…delusion　in　it。　〃That's　one　of　the　most　fascinating　things　about　the　human　psyche…a　deep　subconscious　feeling　can　be　very　strong　without　making　any　logical　sense　whatsoever。〃　He　sobered。　〃I　don't　ask　you　to　approve；　Corwin；　but　grant　that　know　enough　about　myself　and　my　wife　to　know　what　I'm　doing　on　this。〃
　Corwin　sighed　and　waved　a　hand　in　defeat。　〃All　right。　But　you'd　both　darn　well　better　e　back　safely。　I　can't　run　the　Council　all　by　myself；　you　know。〃
　Jonny　chuckled。　〃We'll　do　our　best。〃　Reaching　over　to　his　phone；　he　tapped　up　something　on　the　display。　〃Let's　see　。。。　ah；　good…Council's　discussing　Cobra　contingent　this　afternoon。　That　one　we　can　safely　skip。　How　would　you　like　to　see　some　of　your　father's　practical　politics　in　action？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Corwin　said；　wondering　what　the　other　was　talking　about。
　〃Good。〃　Jonny　tapped　a　few　more　keys。　〃This　is　Jonny　Moreau。　Is　the　special　aircar　I　ordered　ready　yet？　。。。　Good。　Inform　the　pilot　we'll　be　lifting　in　about　twenty　minutes：　myself　and　two　other　passengers。〃
　Signing　off；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　stepped　over　to　the　rack　where　his　heated　suit　was　hanging。　〃Go　get　your　coat；〃　he　told　Corwin。　〃We're　about　to　give　a　customer　the　Aventine　equivalent　of　a　free　sample　。。。　which；　with　any　luck；　won't　turn　out　to　be　exactly　free。〃
　The　third　passenger　turned　out　to　be　Speaker　One。
　Corwin　watched　the　Troft　in　a　sort　of　surreptitious　fascination　as　they　flew　high　above　the　Aventinian　landscape。　He'd　seen　plenty　of　Trofts　in　his　life；　but　never　one　so　close　and　for　so　long　a　time。　The　back…jointed　legs　and　splaytoed　feet；　the　vaguely　insectoid　torso　and　abdomen；　the　arms　with　their　flexible　radiator　membranes；　the　oversized　head　with　its　double　throat　bladder　and　strangely　chicken…like　face…all　the　gross　anatomical　features　were　as　familiar　to　him　as　those　of　human　beings　or　even　spine　leopards。　But　there　were　fine　details　which　Corwin　realized　he'd　never　so　much　as　noticed。　The　faint　sheen　of　the
　alien's　skin；　for　example；　was　a　more　muted　version　of　the　same　shimmer　shown　by　its　leotard…like　outfit。　Even　at　a　meter's　distance　he　could　see　the　tiny　lines　crisscrossing　its　skin　and　the　slender　hairs　growing　out　of　each　intersection。　Seated　on　its　specially　designed　couch；　the　Troft　moved　only　occasionally　during　the　flight；　but　whenever　it　did　Corwin　caught　a　glimpse　of　wiry　muscles　working　beneath　the　skin　and…sometimes…a　hint　of　its　skeletal　structure　as　well。　The　large　main　eyes　were　a　different　color　than　the　three　tiny　pound　eyes　grouped　around　each　one。　The　main　eyes；　he'd　once　read；　were　for　good　binocular　vision；　the　pound　eyes　permitted　both　night　vision　and　the　detection　of　polarized　sunlight　for　cloudy…day　solar　navigation。　The　alien's　short　beak　remained　closed　during　the　trip；　which　Corwin　regretted：　he'd　have　liked　to　have　seen　what　Troft　tri…cuspid　teeth　really　looked　like。
　Jonny　said　virtually　nothing　during　the　20…minute　flight；　beyond　giving　the　pilot　their　destination。　Apparently　he　and　Speaker　One　had　worked　this　out　in　advance　and　neither　felt　the　need　to　discuss　anything　further。　Corwin　considered　pressing　his　father　for　information；　but　decided　reluctantly　that　Jenny's　silence　was　a　cue　to　be　followed。　Splitting　his　attention　between　the　Troft　and　the　view　out　the　window；　he　cultivated　what　patience　he　could　muster。
　They　landed　at　last　near　a　large；　squarish　building　nestled　inexplicably　out　in　the　snowy　forest　far　from　any　village　Corwin　was　familiar　with；　A　two…man　escort　was　waiting　as　Jonny　led　the　way　out　of　the　aircar　。；。　and　it　was　only　then　that　Corwin　began　to　get　an　inkling　of　what　his　father　had　in　mind。
　High　on　each　man's　chest　was　a　patch　with　the　words　〃Training　Center〃；　beneath　it　was　the　stylized　hooded…snake　emblem　of　the　Cobra　Academy。
　〃Governor；〃　one　of　them　nodded　at　Jonny。　〃You　and　your　guests　are　cleared　for　monitor　room　access。　If　you'll　all　follow　me。　。。　。〃
　Together　they　headed　through　an　armored　door　and　down　an　exceptionally　drab　and　anonymous　corridor；　footsteps　echoing　oddly　against　the　metallic　walls。　Their　guide　led　them　into　an　elevator；　thirty　seconds　later　they　exited　into　a　large；　unevenly　lit　room　and　a　scene　of　muted　tension。　In　the　darker　areas　along　the　wall　at　least　thirty　people　sat　before　banks　of　small　display　screens；　working　away　at　keyboards　and　joysticks；　while　in　the　center　a　large　semicircular　console　with　larger　displays　was　the　focus　of　attention　for　a　half…dozen　men　in　the　red　and　black　diamond…patterned　tunics　of　the　Cobras；　One　of　them　headed　over　to　meet　the　newers；　and　as　he　approached　Corwin　recognized　him　as　Cobra　Coordinator　Sun　himself。　The　royal　treatment；　indeed；　he　thought。
　〃Governor；〃　Sun　said；　inclining　his　head　briefly　to　Jonny　as　he　neared　the　group。　〃Speaker　One；　Mr。　Moreau；〃　he　added　with　similar　nods　to　the　Troft　and　Corwin。　〃If　you'll　step　this　way；　the　team　has　just　penetrated　the　outer　perimeter　section。〃
　〃Is　there　an　attack　taking　place？〃　Speaker　One　asked　as　they　followed　Sun　back　toward　the　crescent…shaped　console。
　〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；〃　Sun　told　it。　〃The　Cobra　team　who'll　be　going　to　Qasama　is　practicing　their　building　assault　techniques。　Let's　see　how　they're　doing。〃
　The　displays　showed　various　degrees　of　activity；　and　Corwin　scanned　them　quickly　in　an　effort　to　make　sense　of　it　all。　Despite　the　multiple　camera　angles　shown；　it　was　soon　apparent　that　there　were　actually　only　a　total　of　four　Cobras　involved：　Almo　Pyre；　Jus…tin；　and　two　more　Corwin　knew　only　from　pictures　and　Council　reports；　Michael　Winward　and　Dorjay　Link。　The　latter　two　were　moving　stealthily　down　a　corridor；　while　Pyre　and　Justin　huddled　before　a　formidable…looking　door。
　〃Those　two；〃　Sun　explained；　pointing　at　Pyre　and　Justin；　〃are　blocked　by　a　blast　door　with　an　elec…
　Ironic　lock。　They　could　probably　force　it　open　with　their　antiarmor　lasers；　but　at　this　point　there's　been　no　general　alarm　and　it's　worth　the　time　to　see　if　they　can　get　through　more　quietly。　Looks　like　one　of　the　Qasamans　is　about　to　surprise　them；　though。〃　He　tapped　a　display　whose　rolling　image　showed　the　gait　of　a　mechanical　remote…
　The　camera　turned　a　corner　and　stopped；　the　blast　door　and　Justin　framed　in　its　view。　Justin　alone？　Corwin　thought。　But　Almo　was　there；　too。
　The　screen　flared　abruptly　and　went　black。　Corwin　shifted　his　gaze　to　the　fixed…camera　monitors　just　in　time　to　see　Pyre　drop　from　the　ceiling　to　land　in　a　crouch　beside　the　disabled　remote；　hands　curled　into　fingertip　laser　ready　position。　He　checked　around　the　corner；　then　lifted　the　remote　and　carried　it　back　to　the　door。　〃All　clear；〃　he　whispered　to　Justin。
　〃Just　about　ready　here；〃　Justin　whispered　back。
　〃Inside；〃　Sun　said；　〃is　a　key　missile　control　tracking　station。〃　He　leaned　over　to　touch　a　switch；　and　a　vacant　display　came　to　life　with　an　overhead　schematic　of　the　entire　test　area。　Corwin　quickly　located　the　dots　representing　his　brother　and　Pyre　。。。　and　with　a　stomach…wrenching　shock　saw　that　the　room　they　were　about　to　enter　was　far　from　unoccupied。　〃You'll　note；〃　Sun　continued　in　the　same　emotionless　voice；　〃that　there　are　eight　Qasamans　on　duty　in　there。　All　are　armed；　but　the　Cobras　ought　to　have　the　advantage　of　surprise。　Let's　see。。。。〃
　Justin　stood　up　and　pulled　on　the　door　。。。　and　an　instant　before　it　began　its　swing　the　tense　silence　was　shattered　by　the　blare　of　alarm　bells。
　Corwin　would　later　learn　that　Winward　and　Link　had　accidentally　triggered　the　alarm；　but　for　that　first　instant　it　seemed　horribly　obvious　that　Justin　and　Pyre　had　walked　into　a　trap。　The　two　Cobras　seemed　to　believe　that　as　well　and；　rather　than　charging　through　the　open　door；　they　hit　the　wall　on　either　side。　Beside　him；　Corwin　heard　Jonny　mutter　something　vicious　。。。　but　by　the　time　it　seemed　to　dawn　on　the　Cobras　that　they'd　make　a　mistake　it　was　too　late。　The　remotes　in　the　tracking　room　were　on　guard；　and　when　Pyre　risked　a　glance　around　the　door　jamb　he　nearly　caught　a　laser　blast　for　his　trouble。
　Corwin's　jaw　was　clenched　hard　enough　to　hurt；　but　the　figures　on　the　monitor　wasted　n