tz.cobra strike-第50节
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face。 〃And 。。。 there may。 be one other thing。〃
The others sensed it as well； and a silence rich in sympathy descended on the room。 It took Justin a couple of tries to get started； but when he finally spoke his voice was steady and flat with suppressed emotion。 〃You've all read my report； I expect。 You know I…well； I panicked while I was being taken underground in Purma。 I killed all the mojos and some of the Qasamans in the elevator； and a few minutes later I killed another group in the hallway upstairs。 What 。。。 what some of you don't know is that I didn't just panic。 I literally lost my head when each set of mojos attacked。 I don't even remember fighting them off； just sort of ing to with them dead around me。〃
He stopped； fighting for control 。。。 and it was Joshua who spotted the key first。 〃It was only when the mojos were attacking you？〃 he asked。 〃The Qasamans themselves didn't bother you？〃
Justin shook his head。 〃Not to the same extent。 At least not those in the elevator。 The others 。。。 well； I don't remember killing them； either； I guess。 I don't know…maybe I'm just rationalizing for my failure。〃
〃Or maybe you're not；〃 Jonny said grimly。 〃Almo； did you experience anything like that when you were fighting the mojos？〃
Pyre hesitated； thinking back。 He wished he could admit to such a thing； for the sake of Justin's self…esteem。 If the mojos actually had been fueling the younger man's reaction。。。。
But he had to shake his head。 〃Sorry； but I'm afraid not；〃 he told Jonny。 〃On the other hand； I never faced mojos who'd already seen I was dangerous； either。 I was always in a position to target and eliminate them in the first salvo。 Perhaps we could talk to Michael Winward； see what he went through。〃
Joshua was gazing into space。 〃The cities。 They're designed for the mojos〃 benefit。 You suppose there's more significance to that than we thought？〃
Gwen stirred。 〃I have to admit I don't understand this 〃designed city〃 bit； especially the lunacy of letting herds of bololins charge up your streets。 Wouldn't it have been simpler to just go out on hunting trips when you wanted to let your mojo breed？〃
〃Or else set up tarbine aviaries in the cities；〃 Chrys suggested。 〃I would think it harder to go out and trap wild mojos than to breed tame ones； anyway。〃
〃That would certainly make the most sense；〃 Pyre said。
〃Assuming；〃 Convin said quietly； 〃that the Qasa…mans were the ones making those decisions。〃
And there it is； Pyre thought。 What all the rest of us are skating around； out in the open at last。 He looked around the circle； but superimposed on the view was an unsettling image： a Qasaman as marionette； its strings in the beak of its mojo。。。。
It was Justin who eventually broke the silence。 〃It's not as simple as the mojos being able to take control of people；〃 he said。 〃We had mojos all around us that last night and still were able to escape。〃
Pyre thought back。 〃Yes；〃 he agreed slowly。 〃Both outside of Purma and in Kimmeron's office in Sollas the mojos should have been able to influence me。 If they could。〃
〃Maybe they need a longer association with a person；〃 Corwin said。 〃Or there's a distance or stress factor that inhibits them。〃
〃You're talking degrees now；〃 Chrys spoke up； her voice low。 〃Does that mean we're all agreed that somehow； on some level； the mojos are influencing events on Qasama？〃
There was a brief silence； and； one by one； they nodded。 〃The cities；〃 Joshua said。 〃That's the key indicator。 They've gone to enormous trouble to duplicate the mojos〃 natural breeding patterns； even when simpler ways exist。 Funny none of us picked up on that before。〃
〃Maybe not；〃 Pyre told him grimly。 〃Maybe the mojos were able to dampen our curiosity that much； at least。〃
〃Or maybe not；〃 Joshua retorted。 〃Let's not start giving these birds too many superhuman abilities； all right？ They're not even intelligent； remember。 I think we humans are all perfectly capable of missing the obvious without any outside help。〃
The discussion went back and forth for a while before turning to others matters 。。。 and so engrossed did they all bee that Pyre alone noticed Justin's quiet departure。
The desk in his temporary Cobra Academy room was small and several centimeters shorter than he liked； but it was equipped with a puter terminal； and that was all Justin really cared about。 He'd just punched in a new search mand and was waiting for the results when there was a tap at the door。 〃e in；〃 he said absently。 Probably someone here to plain about his late hours again…
〃No one ever tell you it was impolite to leave without saying good…bye？〃
Justin spun his chair around； surprise and chagrin flooding his face with heat。 〃Oh 。。。 hi； Aunt Gwen；〃 he managed to say without stuttering。 〃Uh…well； you were all busy discussing the mojos； and I had work to do here。。。。〃
He trailed off under her steady； no…nonsense gaze； the look that since childhood had been more effective on him than any amount of brimstone or lecture。 〃Vh…huh；〃 she said。 〃Well； it's too bad you took off when you did。 You missed my report。〃
〃The one on the Qasaman strategic material situation？〃
〃That's the one。 And the surprise bonus： the Qasa…mans〃 long…range munication method。〃
Justin blinked； his heartbeat speeding up。 〃You've figured it out？ Well； e on…how do they do it？〃
〃I'll trade you；〃 she said； waving at the desk and its scattering of papers and maps。 〃You tell me your secret first。〃
He felt his mouth twist into a grimace 。。。 but he'd have to tell someone soon； anyway。 Aunt Gwen he could at least hope to be sympathetic。 〃All right；〃 he sighed。 〃I'm trying to work up a tactical plan for the next intelligence raid on Qasama。〃
Gwen's eyes remained steady on his。 〃What makes you think there'll be another mission？〃
〃There has to be；〃 he said。 〃The first mission ended with too many critical facts still unknown。 Those underground manufacturing centers； at the very least； and if Dad's right the mojos as well。〃
〃Uh…huh。 I presume you plan on leading this expedition？〃
Justin's lip quirked。 〃Of course not。。。 but I wilt be one of the team。〃
〃Um。〃 Gwen glanced around the room； snared a chair from beside the door and pulled it over to face her nephew's。 〃You know； Justin；〃 she said； sitting down； 〃if I didn't know better； I'd think you were running away from something。〃
He snorted。 〃Heading to Qasama hardly qualifies as running away； in my opinion。〃
〃Depends on what you have here to face。 Staying put when you feel real or imagined public animosity isn't easy。 But sometimes any other option is the coward's way out。〃
Justin took a deep breath。 〃Aunt Gwen 。。。 you can't possibly know what this situation is like。 I failed on Qasama…pure and simple…and it's my job now to make up for it if I can。〃
〃You're not listening。 Failure or not isn't the issue。 Rushing ahead with a premature course of action qualifies as running away； period。 And yes； I do know what you're facing。 When your father came back from the war he…〃 She stopped； lips pressed； then quietly continued。 〃There was an accident in town one night； and he 。。。 killed a couple of teen…agers。〃
Justin felt his mouth go dry。 〃I've never heard this；〃 he said carefully。
〃It's nothing we're anxious to talk about；〃 she sighed。 〃Basically； the kids pretended they were going to run him over with their car and his Cobra reflexes countered in a way that wound up indirectly killing them。 But the details don't matter。 He wanted to run away afterwards…had a whole bunch of off…world university applications filled out and ready to go。 But he stayed。 He stayed； and along with helping the rest of us cope with the ostracism； he just happened incidentally to save a few men from a fire。〃
〃So he stayed 。。。 until he left for good and came here to Aventine？〃
Gwen blinked。 〃Well 。。。 yes； but that's not the same。 The Dominion government wanted the Cobras to e help open up the colony…〃
〃Could he have refused？〃
〃I…can't say。 But he wouldn't have； because his skills and abilities were needed out here。〃
Justin spread his hands。 〃But don't you see？…you're giving my own argument back at me。 Dad's Cobra abilities were needed； so he came； my Cobra abilities are needed on Qasama； so I'm going。 It's the exact same thing。〃
〃But it's not〃 Gwen said； her voice and eyes almost pleading。 〃You don't have the training and experience to be a warrior。 You're just trying to cleanse your conscience through an act of revenge。〃
Justin sighed and shook his head。 〃I'm not out for revenge； really I'm not。 Between the ride back and my time here I've had two weeks to work through my emotions on the matter； and 。。。 I think I understand myself and my motives。 Qasama has to be stopped； we need more information to do that…〃 he took a deep breath… 〃and if I'm not a real warrior； I'm probably the closest thing to one left on Aventine。〃
〃Jonny has worked hard to make the Cobras a force for peace and development in the Worlds。〃
〃But he had to go through his war first；〃 Justin told her quietly。 〃And I have to go through mine。〃
For a long minute the room was silent。 Then Justin gave his aunt a passable attempt at a smile。 〃Your turn now。 What's your secret？〃
Gwen sighed； a long hissing s
