tz.cobra strike-第55节
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rd didn't envy him the job of standing there with mojo talons less than half a meter from his face。
The Qasaman was still protesting； but it was clear from his voice that he knew it was futile。 Kreel meanwhile had wrapped the cloth around his left forearm and stooped to present it to the mojo。 With obvious hesitation the bird climbed aboard。 Kreel left； clos… ing the door behind them； and McKinley resumed his questioning。
It was all over； as he'd promised； in less than five minutes； but well before it ended Winward came to the conclusion that he was seeing just how angry a Qasaman could bee without physically attacking something。 The man's earlier grudging cooperation became an almost palpable bitterness as he spat his answers at the recorder。 Twice he refused to answer at all。 Winward found his own muscles tensing in anticipation of the moment when the Qasaman's control broke pletely and sent him diving across the desk in a strangulation attempt。
That moment； fortunately； never came。 McKinley finished his list； and thirty seconds later the man and mojo were reunited across the hall。 〃One more thing and you can go；〃 McKinley told him as he stroked the bird's throat soothingly。 〃Kreel's going to put a numbered ribbon around your neck so we'll know we've already talked to you。 I presume you won't want to go through this again。〃
The Qasaman snorted； but otherwise ignored everyone except his mojo as Kreel wrapped the red ribbon snugly around his neck and sealed the ends together。 Then； still wordlessly； he stalked down the hall toward the exit； Kreel a step behind him。
McKinley took a deep breath； let it out in a long sigh。 〃And if you thought that was rough；〃 he told Winward wryly； 〃wait'll you see what's on…line for tomorrow。〃
〃I can hardly wait；〃 Winward said as they walked back to the testing room。 〃You really getting anything worthwhile from all of this？〃
〃Oh； sure。〃 Swiveling the recorder box around； McKinley opened a panel to reveal a pact display and keyboard。 He busied himself with the latter and a set of curves appeared on the screen。 〃posite of the three hundred sixty Qasamans we tested today；〃 he told Winward。 〃pared to a data base line we took on Aventine the week before we left。 The Qasamans maintain a much lower stress level； despite the obnoxious content of the questions； as long as their mojos are on their shoulders。 It rises some when we put the birds across the room； but it doesn't really shoot up until the birds are out of sight。 Then it actually goes above our baseline levels…right here… and it drops off much faster when they get the mojos back。〃
Winward pursed his lips。 〃Some of that could be irritation from having to go over the same questions twice；〃 he suggested。
〃And some of it could be differences between our cultures； though we've tried to minimize both effects；〃 McKinley nodded。 〃Sure。 We haven't got any proof yet； but the indications are certainly there。〃
〃Yeah。〃 Subliminal control 。。。 〃So what are you doing tomorrow that'll be worse？〃
〃We're going to let them keep their mojos throughout the questioning； but we're going to irritate the birds with ultrasonics and see how much if any of the tension transfers。〃
〃Sounds like great fun。 You know enough about mojo senses to know what'll do the trick？〃
〃We think so。 I guess we'll find out。〃
〃Um。 Then day three is when you try mixing the mojos and owners up？〃
〃Right。 And we'll also do the hunt…stress test some time in there； whenever outrider…three is able to get their bololin herd here。 I only hope we'll have enough people with sensor…ribbons on by then to get us some good numbers…it's for sure we won't be able to repeat that experiment。〃 McKinley cocked an eyebrow。 〃You look pensive。 Trouble？〃
Winward pursed his lips。 〃You really think it'll take the rest of the planet two more days to…figure out something's wrong and make some major response？〃
〃I thought we wanted them to react。〃
〃We want them to react sufficiently for us to see their heavy weaponry； if any；〃 Winward said。 〃We don't want them to put togetherssomething powerful enough to roll over us。〃
〃Ouch。 Yes； I concede the difference。 Well 。。。 if they move faster； I guess we'll just have to speed things up。 And you Cobras will have to start earning your room and board here the hard way。〃
Winward grimaced。 Heavily armed Qasamans 。 。 。 and clouds of mojos。 〃Yes。 I guess we will。〃
Chapter 28
York had put in a long day aboard ship and had looked forward to at least one good night's sleep before things heated up below。 But he'd been asleep barely four hours when the inter's pinging dragged him awake。 〃Yes…York/〃 he mumbled。 〃What is it？〃
〃Something happening on Qasama；〃 the duty officer's voice said。 〃I think you'll want to see this。〃
〃On my way。〃
Robed and barefoot； he was seated before one of the big displays in two minutes flat 。。。 and the image there was indeed worth waking him for。
〃Helicopters；〃 he identified them to the two spotters on duty。 〃Possibly with auxiliary thrusters… they're making pretty good speed。 Where'd they e from？〃
〃We first picked them up a few kilometers east of Sollas；〃 the duty officer told him。 〃Could have e a fair distance； though； if they'd been going slower； it was the movement we noticed first。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃 York tapped keys； watched the results appear at the bottom of the screen。 Six units； flying just a bit subsonic…which didn't prove anything about their actual capabilities…heading southeast toward the Menssana's village。 ETA； roughly two hours。 〃Get me Governor Telek；〃 he said over his shoulder。
Telek had also been asleep； and by the time the Menssana's duty officer rousted her out of bed York had a bit more information。 〃Two oNhem are fairly big； possibly implying troop carriers；〃 he told her。 〃The other four are smaller； I'd guess reconnaissance or attack。 Odds are probably good that they're converted civilian craft； instead of specifically military ones； which should be to our advantage。〃
〃Well； at least they don't have gravity lifts；〃 Telek mused。 〃That's one technological edge we know we've got。〃
〃Not necessarily。〃 York shook his head。 〃No one puts grav lifts on attack helicopters； whether they've got 〃em or not…the things are wildly inefficient for tight； high…speed maneuvering。 Besides； for nighttime applications a grav lift's glow makes you a flying bull's…eye。〃
〃So these are something we should worry about？〃
York snorted。 〃Worry and a half。 We used a lot of helicopters back in the Marines； and I've seen them chew up areas twice the size of your village。〃
Telek's inter image went tight…lipped。 〃Except that they'd kill three thousand of their own people if they try that。〃
〃Right； and I doubt they're quite that desperate yet；〃 York agreed。 〃And they're unlikely to hang around overhead sniping at the Cobras until they have an idea of what we've got to shoot back with。〃
〃So the gleaner…team stays put；〃 Telek said。 〃But the outrider teams go to ground？〃
〃They certainly make themselves inconspicuous。 And the Menssana gets the hell out of there。〃
〃Damn。〃 Telek bit at her lip。 〃Yeah； you're right。 You think going to ground a hundred kilometers away will be safe enough？〃
〃The farther the better。 But you've got to move fast； before they're close enough to spot your grav lifts。 I don't want to find out the hard way what sort of air…to…air capability they have。〃
〃Good point。 Captain Shepherd？〃
〃Three minutes to lift；〃 the other's voice came into the circuit。 〃We've picked a tentative hiding place three hundred kilometers northwest of here； subject to your approval。〃
〃What； right in the path of the helicopters？〃 York frowned。
〃No； several kilometers off their approach。 There's a large section of good rock cover under a crevasse overhang there…and it's certainly the last direction the Qasamans would expect us to run。〃
〃Fine；〃 Telek put in impatiently。 〃Just get us moving； I'll look the maps over when I have time。 Decker； keep an eye on those helicopters and let us know if anything else shows up。〃
〃Will do；〃 York said。 〃And you people sit on your screens； too…they could have sneaked antiaircraft or spotters out there under the trees earlier today。〃
〃You're a fort in my old age；〃 Telek returned dryly。 〃I've got to go now； get Michael on the line。 Talk to you later。〃
Telek's image vanished from the screen。 〃At least they can't block or trace our munications this time around；〃 the duty officer said。
〃Unless they've learned about split…frequency radio in the past six weeks；〃 York told him heavily。 〃And I wouldn't put it past them。〃 Taking a deep breath； he chased the last of the sleep from his mind。 〃All right； gentlemen； let's get busy。 plete sweep of the village and everything for a thousand kilometers around it。 If anything's moving out there； I want to know about it。〃
The helicopter formation broke up about fifty kilometers west of the village； two of the smaller ones heading straight in while the others circled to the north and south。 Winward's Cobras braced for an attack 。。。 but the craft made only a single pass overhead before regrouping to the east and swinging around to head north。 For awhile they tracked along the road； and Py
