tz.cobra strike-第23节
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ut。〃
At least； Cerenkov thought； the streets ought to be pretty empty by now。 I wonder how many people those things kill every year？ 〃I assume they had their reason。 Maybe Moff will loosen up some day and talk about it。〃
First time in a week I'm close enough to make a grab； Pyre groused silently to himself； and the damn herd decides to be nocturnal。
From Pyre's end； of course； it wasn't all that bad。 Locking in the light amplification capability of his optical enhancers gave him as good a view as he would have had on an overcast afternoon； and with magnification also on he'd be able to target any likely tarbines as soon as they emerged from the obscuring buildings。 And once he had targeting lock established he could follow his chosen bird into the woods； where he could shoot it without anyone seeing the flash。
The problem was that with most good Qasamans tucked away in their beds there weren't likely to be many bololins running into bullets out there； and correspondingly few impregnated tarbines for him to hunt。 Muttering under his breath； he mentally crossed his fingers and waited for the herd to appear。
It did； and his pleadings were answered from an entirely unexpected direction。 Across the landing
area…about half a kilometer away and somewhat northeast of his current position…a door suddenly opened in a tall building the Dewdrop's crew had tentatively labeled the control tower； spilling light and people out onto the pavement。 Flickers of fire erupted from outstretched hands； and even as their mojos took to the air the sound of gunfire reached Pyre's ears。 Shifting his attention back to the herd； he waited。 Within seconds the tarbines began to
appear。
The multitarget capability hadn't been a part of Cobra optical enhancers since Jonny Moreau's war； but Pyre's team had trained with them prior to the Qasama mission and he'd developed a healthy respect for both their advantages and their dangers。 Once he target…locked one or more tarbines； his nanoputer and servos would make sure his next laser shots would be in that direction…whether or not he suddenly found a predator he needed to deal with first。 He'd run into at least twenty such creatures since leaving the Dewdrop…dog… or monkey…sized； most of them； but none he'd care to give a free shot at his back regardless。 But it was a chance he'd have to take。 Keeping an ear cocked for suspicious sounds； he activated his multitarget lock and waited。 The wait wasn't long。 As before； the mojos attacked swiftly； swooping in through the tarbines〃 attempts at evasion。 With the larger birds〃 head start； though； most made it into the cover of the nearest trees before their mojos could disengage。 Pyre targeted two of the tarbines just before they entered the forest and； on slightly reckless impulse； locked onto one of the riding mojos as well。 The birds swept through the branches； disengaged 。。。 and； raising his hands； Pyre squeezed off three fingertip laser shots。
The birds dropped with a crunch of dead leaves into the undergrowth。 Pyre sprinted over； scooped them up； and hastily got out of the way as the main herd caught up。 Keeping well to the side； he paced them another hundred meters into the woods。 Then； spinning on his right foot； he swung his left leg up and fired his antiarmor laser。
The trees flashed with reflected light as the targeted bololin crumpled to the ground。 Its tarbine took off for the sky； it got maybe ten meters before Pyre's fingertip laser brought it down。
And as the rest of the herd continued on their way； silence returned。 Retrieving his last tarbine。 Pyre took his prizes to the bush where he'd cached his freeze boxes and stuffed them inside。 Then； crouching with his back to a large tree within sight of the dead bololin； he settled down to wait。
It was an hour before the sounds of the Qasaman collection team faded from the area between forest and city。 During that time Pyre had also heard someone else poking around the edges of the wood； whistling occasionally as he apparently searched for the mojo Pyre had killed。 But he and the others clearly knew better than to go too deep into the forest at night； and no one came anywhere near Pyre's position。
Finally they were gone； and Pyre could address the task of moving the bololin carcass closer to the Dew…drop。 With his servos the creature's weight wasn't a significant problem； but it took him four tries to find a grip that was reasonably balanced。 Finding a wide enough path through the trees and bushes was another problem； and more than once he found himself wondering how in hell the beasts managed it on their own。
Eventually； though； he made it。 Dumping the carcass beside his camouflaged laser m； he activated the latter and slipped on the headphone。 〃Pyre to Dewdrop；〃 he muttered。 〃Anyone home？〃
〃Lieutenant Collins；〃 a voice came back promptly。 〃I believe Governor Telek and her people are still in uthe lounge； sir； let me switch you。〃
〃Fine；〃 Pyre said。 A moment later Telek came on the circuit。
〃Everything all right； Almo？〃 she said。
〃Far as I can tell。 Listen； I've got a bololin carcass for you and two freeze boxes〃 worth of tarbines and mojos。 You want to warm up your equipment or wait until I can deliver them in person？〃
〃You got a tarbine？ Wonderful！ Impregnated or
not？〃
〃Both types…which is why I've got a spare bololin。〃
〃Uh…huh。 I understand。 Well 。。。 I suppose I ought to do the bololin first； before any scavengers get to it。 Can you hook up the field analyzer to the laser m for me？〃
〃Sure。〃
It took only a few minutes to set up the field analyzer and plug its control line into the laser m's telemetry port； and by the time he'd finished Telek had the necessary control/display console hooked up at her end。 〃Okay；〃 she said。 〃Now stand clear。〃
The analyzer remote； looking for all the world like a large double starfish with gripper treads； crawled up the bololin's flank to where the heart would be on most earthstock animals。 A scalpel extended from one arm to slice a neat incision in the dark hide。 Pyre paused long enough to make sure the analyzer's camera units were firmly mounted to nearby trees and then headed out to walk a sentry circle around the area。 They couldn't afford to have either scavengers or Qasamans stumble onto the post…mortem now 。。。 and besides； it wasn't really something he wanted to watch。 It was three hours before the remote's return to the ground signaled the operation was at an end…and the bololin was no longer recognizable as such。 Averting his eyes； Pyre again put on the headset。 〃Pyre。〃
〃Ah； you're back。〃 If Telek was at all tired； it wasn't evident from her voice。 〃You want to open up the freeze boxes and get me one of the tarbines？ Better start with the unimpregnated one。〃
〃You sure you want to do it out here？〃 he asked doubtfully。 〃I've got as much sensitivity with the remote as I do with my hands；〃 Telek assured him； 〃and I'd just as soon start getting some answers before we have to leave。 Or at least have the questions I'll want Yuri to ask。〃
〃You're the boss。〃 Finding the proper box。 Pyre opened it and set the chilly tarbine down on a patch of bare ground。 The remote skittered over to it and Pyre resumed his walk。
He returned twice more； replacing the mess first with an impregnated tarbine and then with the mojo； wondering each time how long Telek could continue to handle delicate surgery without sleep。 But she kept at it； and the eastern sky was starting to glow when the remote's operating light finally flicked out。 〃Well？〃 he asked into the headset as he started collecting the gear together。
〃I'm not sure；〃 Telek said slowly。 〃The data seem clear enough 。。。 but I'm not really sure if I believe it。 Mojos and tarbines appear to be entirely different species 。。。 and the mojos don't seem to impregnate the tarbines as much as they inoculate them。〃
〃They what？〃
〃Well 。。。 the mojo's only external sex organ is designed like an organic hypodermic needle。 What it does is inject a seminal fluid that contains virus…like nuclei instead of more plete sperm cells。 The nuclei 。。。 well； this is still preliminary； but it looks like they invade some of the cells in the tarbine's back and turn them into embryo mojos。〃
Pyre stared down at the mutilated mojo on the ground； already beginning to crawl with insects in the growing light。 〃That's…weird。〃
〃That's what / said；〃 Telek agreed with a sigh。 〃But the more I think about it the more sense it makes。 This way the mojo relegates both the nourishment and protection of its young to another individual…an entirely different species； in fact…and therefore doesn't have to make that sacrifice itself。〃
〃But what incentive does the tarbine have to live until the embryo kills it？〃 Pyre objected。 〃And what about the training most young have to receive from their parents？〃
Christopher's voice came on the circuit。 〃You're thinking of the usual insectean pattern where one species lays eggs in the body of another； which bees the larvae's food when they hatch。 But the young mojo doesn't have to kill its host。 If you look closely at the way the skin and muscle are arranged in the tarbine's back； it looks very much like the critical area could be split open and resealed with a
