11_metamorphosis-第1部分

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Robotech：　Metamorphosis
Book　11　in　the　Robotech　Series
Copyright　1987　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



CHAPTER　ONE

How　could　so　many　of　the　principals　in　this　vast　struggle　be　so　blind　to　the　reason　that　one　planet　was　at　the　center　of　it　all？　That　is　a　secret　we　shall　never　know。
On　blighted　Earth；　arguably　the　most　warlike　planet　in　the　Universe；　the　Flower　of　Life　had　taken　root　like　nowhere　else　before…except　for　Optera　（which　may　or　may　not　have　been　its　world　of　origin）。　And　in　so　doing；　it　set　the　stage　for　Act　Ill　of　the　Robotech　Wars。
And　yet；　inventively　oblivious；　Invid　and　Human　alike　attributed　that　to　the　vagaries　of　a　plant。
Zeus　Bellow；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

Never　has　the　Flower　of　Life　wrought　more　strangely！　it　occurred　yet　again　to　the　Regis；　empress/　mother　of　the　Invid　species。　Earth；　your　fate　is　wedded　to　ours　now！

How　strange　it　was　that　Zor　had　chosen　Earth；　she　thought；　as　she　poised　there　in　the　center　of　the　stupendous　mega…hive　know　as　Reflex　Point。　Or；　more　aptly；　how　well　he　had　chosen　by　sending　his　dimensional　fortress　to　the　planet　so　long　ago。　Of　all　the　worlds　that　circled　stars；　what　had　made　him　pick　this　one？　The　thought　of　Zor　made　her　seethe　with　a　passion　that　had　long　since　turned　to　austere　hatred。

Did　he　know　that　Earth　would　prove　so　fantastically　fertile　for　the　Flowers　of　Life；　a　garden　second　only　to　the　Invid　race's　native　Optera　in　its　receptivity　to　the　Flowers？　It　was　true　that　Protoculture　could　bestow　powers　of　the　mind；　but　even　so；　what　had　drawn　Zor's　attention　across　the　endless…light　years　to　the　insignificant　blue…white　globe？

But　Zor's　decision　didn't　matter　now。　All　that　was　important　was　that　the　Invid　had　finally　found　a　world　where　the　all…important　Flower　thrived。　At　long　last；　they　had　conquered　their　New　Optera。

Of　course；　there　was　an　indigenous　species…the　Human　race…but　they　did　not　present　any　problem。　The　first　onslaught　of　the　Invid　had　left　Human　civilization　in　ruins；　the　aliens　used　many　of　the　survivors　to　farm　the　Flower　of　Life。

A　few　Humans　cowered　in　and　around　the　shattered　remains　of　their　cities　or　prowled　the　wastelands；　preying　on　one　another　and　dreading　the　moment　when　the　Invid　would　finish　the　job。　The　only　use　in　letting　the　Homo　sapiens　survive　a　little　while　longer　was　to　use　them　to　further　the　Invid　master　plan。

Then　the　Humans　would　be　sent　into　oblivion　forever。　There　was　no　room　for　them　on　Earth　anymore。　And　from　what　the　Regis　knew　of　the　Human　race's　history；　their　absence　would　improve　the　universe　as　a　whole。

And　it　would　be　done。　After　all；　the　last　of　the　Regis's　real　enemies　were　dead。　There　was　no　one　to　oppose　the　might　of　the　undefeated　and　remorseless　Invid。


The　Alpha　Fighter　bucked　but　cut　a　clean　line　through　the　air；　its　drives　flaring　blue。　Wickedly　fast；　heavily　armed；　and　hugging　the　ground；　it　arrowed　toward　the　snowcapped　mountains。

Lieutenant　Scott　Bernard　eased　back　on　his　HOTAS…the　Hands…on…Throttle…and…Stick　controls。　With　so　much　power　at　his　disposal；　it　was　tempting　to　go　for　speed；　to　exercise　the　mand　of　the　sky　that　seemed　like　the　Robotech　fighter's　birthright；　and　his　own。

One　reason　not　to　speed　on　ahead　was　that　there　were　others　below；　following　along　in　surface　vehicles…his　team　members。　It　would　take　them　days；　perhaps　weeks；　to　cover　mountain　terrain　he　could　cross　in　a　few　minutes。　And　he　didn't　dare　leave　them　too　far　behind；　his　Alpha　was　the　team's　main　edge　against　Invid　hunter/killer　patrols。　The　Alpha　slowed　until　it　was　at　near…stalling　speed；　its　thrusters　holding　it　aloft。

Another　reason　not　to　give　in　to　the　impulse　to　roar　triumphantly　across　heaven　was　the　fact　that　Humans　didn't　own　the　sky　anymore。

He　opened　his　helmet　mike。　〃This　is　Alpha　One　to　Scout　Reconnaissance。〃

A　young　male　voice　came　back　over　the　tac　net；　wry　and　a　bit　impatient。　〃I　hear　you；　Scott。　What's　on　your　mind？〃

Scott　controlled　his　temper。　No　point　in　another　argument　with　Rand　about　proper　mo　procedure；　at　least　not　now。

〃I'm　about　ten　miles　ahead　of　you；〃　Scott　answered。　〃We'll　never　be　able　to　make　those　mountains　before　nightfall。　I'm　turning　back；　we'll　rendezvous　and　set　up　camp。　〃

He　looked　wistfully　toward　the　mountains。　There　was　so　far　to　go；　such　a　long；　perilous　journey；　between　here　and　Reflex　Point。　And　what　would　be　waiting　there？　The　battle　for　Earth　itself；　the　showdown　of　the　Robotech　Wars。　The　destruction　of　the　greatest　stronghold　of　the　Invid　realm。

But　this　group　of　oddly　met　guerrillas　and　a　stranded　Mars　Division　fighter　pilot　were　not　the　Earth's　sole　saviors。　Scott　hadn't　let　his　new　panions　in　on　it；　but　Humanity　had　a　much　more　formidable　ace…in…the…hole　than　them。　And　soon；　soon。。。the　demonic　Invid　would　be　swept　away　before　a　purging　storm　of　Robotechnology。

He　increased　speed　and　took　the　Alpha　through　a　bank；　watchful　for　any　sign　of　Invid　war　mecha　that　might　have　detected　the　fighter's　Protoculture　emissions。　The　fighter　plained　a　bit；　he　would　have　to　give　its　systems　a　thorough　going…over　with　Lunk；　the　band's　tech　straw　boss。

Scott　was　less　proficient　at　flying　in　atmosphere　than　he　would　have　liked。　He　had　grown　up　on　the　SDF…3　expedition；　and　most　of　his　piloting　had　been　done　in　vacuum。　There　was　an　ineffable　beauty；　a　rightness；　to　flying　in　Earth's　atmosphere；　but　there　were　also　hidden　dangers；　especially　for　a　bat　flier。

Still；　he　didn't　plain。　Things　were　going　better　than　he　had　expected。　At　least　the　supplies　of　ordnance　and　Protoculture　Scott's　team　had　lifted　from　the　supply　depot　of　the　turncoat　Colonel　Wolff　would　last　them　for　a　while。

Now　all　they　needed　was　some　luck。　Somewhere；　Scott's　Mars　Division　rades　were　getting　ready　for　the　assault。　Telemetry　had　told　him　that　a　good　part　of　the　Mars　Division　had　survived　the　orbital　bat　action　and　planetary　approach　in　which　his　squadron　had　been　shot　to　pieces；　leaving　him　the　only　survivor。　Scott　still　lived　with　the　sights　and　sounds　of　those　few　horrible　minutes；　as　he　lived　with　memories　even　more　difficult　to　endure。

Reflex　Point　waited。　There　the　Invid　would　be　repaid　a　millionfold…an　eye　for　an　eye。


From　high　overhead；　Reflex　Point　resembled　a　monstrous　spiderweb　pattern。　The　joining　lines；　glowing　yellow…red　as　though　they　were　canals　of　lava；　were　formed　by　Protoculture　conduits　and　systemry。　The　accessways　were　traveled　by　mecha　and　by　the　Regis's　other　servants。

At　the　center　was　the　enormous　Hive　Nucleus　that　was　Reflex　Point　proper。　It　was　a　glowing　hemisphere　with　a　biological　look　to　it；　and　a　strange　foam　of　bubblelike　objects　around　its　base　like　a　concentric　wave　ing　in　from　all　sides。　The　Nucleus　was　more　than　twelve　miles　in　diameter。　To　Human　eyes　it　might　have　resembled　a　super…high…speed　photograph　of　the　first　instant　of　an　exploding　hydrogen　bomb。

At　the　various　junctures　were　the　lesser　domes　and　instrumentality　nodes；　though　some　of　those　were　two　miles　across。

Deep　within　Reflex　Point；　at　its　center；　was　a　globe　of　pure　Protoculture　instrumentality。　This　veined　bronze　sphere；　with　darker　shadows　moving　and　Shaping　within　it；　responded　to　the　will　of　the　Regis。　A　bolt　of　blazing　light　broke　from　the　dark　vastness　overhead；　to　create　an　enormous　Protoculture　bonfire。

The　Regis　spoke　and　her　〃children〃；　half　the　Invid　race；　listened；　there　was　so　much　to　tell　them。　With　the　incredible　profusion　of　Flowers　of　Life　that　the　Earth　had　provided；　the　Regis's　children　had　increased　in　number；　and　the　newly　quickened　drone　zygotes　must　be　instructed　in　their　destiny。　From　within　the　huge　globe；　her　will　reached　forth　to　manipulate　the　leaping　Protoculture　flames。　〃The　living　creatures　of　this　world　have　evolved　into　a　truly　amazing　variety　of　types　and　subtypes。〃

Images　formed　in　the　flames：　spider；　platypus；　swan；　rat；　Human　female。　〃Many　of　these　are　highly　specialized；　but　extremely　successful。　Others　are　generalized　and　adaptable　and　many　of　those；　too；　are　successful。

〃Earth　is　the　place　the　Flower　of　Life　has　chosen；　and　that　is　a　fact　that　brooks　no　argument。　And　so　it　is　the　place　where　the　Invid；　too；　shall　live　forevermore。　For　this；　we　must　find　the　ultimate　life…form　suitable　to　our　existence　here　and　assume　that　form。〃

All　across　her　planetary　domain；　the　Invid　stopped　to　listen。　A　few　could　remember　the　days　long　ago　on　Optera；　before　Zor；　when　the　Invid　lived　contented　and　joyous　lives。　Other；　younger　Invid　had　access　to　those　days；　too；　through　the　racial　memory　that　was　a　part　of　the　Regis's　power。

On　Optera；　by　ingesting　the　Flowers　of　Life；　the　Invid　had　experimented　with　self…transformation；　and　with　explorations　in　auto…evolution　that　were　part　experiment；　part　religious　rite。　And；　with　the　power　of　the　Protoculture　and　its　Shapings；　they　strove　to　peer　beyond　the　present　and　the　visible；　into　the　secrets　of　the　universe…into　transcendent　planes　of　existence。

Those　days　were　gone；　though　they　would　e　again　when　the　Flowers　covered　the　New　Optera…Earth。　For　the　moment　though；　evolution　would　be　determined　and　enacted　by　the　Regis。

〃In　order　to　select　the　ultimate　form；　the　form　we　will　assume　for　our　life　here；　we　are　utilizing　Genesis　Pits　for　our　experiments　in　bioengineering；　as　we　did　on　Praxis。〃

More　shadows　formed　in　the　otherworldly　bonfire。

〃We　have　cloned　creatures　from　all　significant　eras　of　this　planet's　history　and　are　studying　them　for　useful　traits　at　locations　all　across　the　globe。　We　will　also　study　their　interaction　with　the　once…dominant　species；　Homo　sapiens。〃

Her　disembodied　voice　rose；　ringing　like　an　anthem；　stirring　Invid　on　every　rung　of　her　species'　developmental　ladder；　from　the　crudest　amoeboid　drone　gamete　to　her　most　evolved　Enforcer。

〃Long　ago；　the　Invid　made　the　great　mistake　of　believing　alien　lies；　of　believing　in　trust；　of　taking　part　in…〃　Her　voice　faltered　a　little；　this　final　sin　had　been　the　Regis's　alone。

〃In　love。〃

And　the　love　Zor　had　drawn　from　her　had　been　mirrored　by　her　male　mate；　the　Regent；　as　psychotic　hatred　and　loathing。　This　had　caused　the　Regent　to　fling　himself…purposely　and　perversely…down　and　down　a　de…evolutionary　path　to　monstrousness　and　mindlessness；　to　utter　amorphous　primeval　wrath。　But　the　other　half　of　the　Invid　species；　his　children；　worshipped　him　nonetheless。

The　Regis　steeled　herself。　Her　mind…voice　rang　out　again。

〃But　we　have　paid　for　those　failures　for　an　age！　For　an　age　of　wandering；　warfare；　death；　and　privation！　And　once　we　have　discovered　the　Ultimate　Form　appropriate　to　this　planet；　we　shall　assume　that　form；　and　we　will　secure　our　endless　new　supply　of　the　Flower　of　Life。　Our　race　will　bee　the　supreme　power　it　was　meant　to　be！〃

But　she　shielded　from　her　universe　of　children　the　misgiving　that　was　never　far　from　her　thoughts。　Here　on　Earth…the　planet　the　Flower　itself　had　chosen…the　once…dominant　life　form　was　cast　in　the　image　of　Zor。

And　again　the　Regis　felt　herself　fractured　in　a　thousand　ways；　yet　drawn　in　one　direction。　What　affliction　is　more　accursed　than　love？


Rand　bent　over　the　handlebars　of　his　Cylone　bat　cycle　as　Annie　yelled；　her　face　pressed　close　so　he　could　hear　her　over　the　mecha's　roar；　the　passage　of　the　wind；　and　the　dampening　effect　of　his　Robotech　armor。

〃Look；　there's　Scott；　at　ten　o'clock！〃

Rand　had　already　seen　the　hovering　blue…and…white　Alpha　settling　for　a　VTOL　setdown。　There　weren't　many　useful…size　clearings　in　the　thick　forest　in　this　region。　Certainly；　there　was　nothing　like　a　suitable　airstrip　for　a　conventional　fighter　craft　within　a　hundred　miles　or　more。

The　designers　who　had　given　the　fighter　Vertical　Takeoff　and　Landing　capability　of　course　knew　how　important　that　would　be　in　a　tactical　situation　in　a　conventional　war。　But　Rand　sometimes　wondered　if　they　had　foreseen　how　helpful　the　VTOL　would　be　to　a　pack　of　exhausted　guerrillas　who　were　Earth's　last　mitted　fighting　unit。

〃I　see　'im；〃　Rand　yelled　back　to　Annie；　rather　than　pointing　out　that　he　had　been　tracking　Scott　both　by　eye　and　on　the　Cyc's　display　screen。　Rand　didn't　like　to　admit　it；　but　he　had　developed　a　soft　spot　in　his　heart　for　the　winsome；　infuriating　bundle　of　adolescent　energy　who　had　insisted　on　being　a　part　of　the　team。

Annie　had　insisted　on　ing　along　with　him　on　point；　too。　She　was　determined　to　do　her　share；　take　her　risks；　be　considered　an　adult　part　of　the　team。　Rand　saw　that　a　lot　of　her　self…esteem　was　riding　on　the　oute　and　grumblingly　admitted　that　he　wouldn't　mind　some　pany。　Scott　and　the　rest　had　given　in；　perhaps　for　the　same　reason　that　they　never　questioned　the　pint…size　redhead's　outrageous　claim　that　she　was　all　of　sixteen。

You　could　either　accept　Annie　for　her　feisty　self　or　risk　shattering　the　brave　persona　she　had　forged；　with　little　help　or　support；　to　make　her　way　in　a　dangerous；　despair…making　world。

Now　she　banged　Rand's　armor。　〃Turn　there；　turn　there！〃

〃Pillion…seat　driver；〃　Rand　growled；　but　he　turned　down　the　game　path；　the　cycle　rolling　slowly；　homing　in　on　Scott's　signal。　〃We're　about　ten　minutes　ahead　of　the　others；　Scott。〃

Scott's　voice　came　back　over　the　tactical　net。　〃Good。　Still　no　sign　of　the　Invid；　but　we　can　run　a　sweep　of　the　area　before　the　others　get　here。〃

None　of　them　saw　it　or　registered　it　on　their　instruments；　but　in　the　dim　forest　darkness；　massive　ultratech　shapes　moved…two…legged；　insectlike　walking　battleships。

Just　like　armored　monsters　from　a　madman's　nightmare。


CHAPTER　TWO

Oh；　great！　We　been　shanghaied　aboard　Charon's　Ark！
Remark　attributed　to　Annie　LaBelle　by　Scott　Bernard

Following　the　path　their　scout　team　had　taken；　Lancer；　Rook；　and　Lunk　rode　down　the　long；　dangerous　road　toward　Reflex　Point。　Lancer　was　riding　his　Cyclone　in　the　lead；　wearing　full　techno…armor；　the　masculine；　warlike　side　of　his　divided　personality　clearly　present。　He　was　sure　and　confident；　Rook　Bartley　thought　to　herself；　a　practiced　mecha　rider　and　a　deadly　warrior。

Rook；　also　in　full　Robotech　panoply；　had　just　caught　up　on　her　red…and…white　Cyc；　having　made　sure　that　the　team　wasn't　being　followed　and　it　was　safe　to　leave　the　rear　guard。　She　let　Lancer　hold　the　lead；　glancing　over　to　make　sure　all　was　well　with　Lunk。

Things　always　seemed　to　be　well　with　the　big；　burly　ex…soldier　when　he　was　on　the　road；　riding　in　his　beloved　all…terrain　truck。　Taking　one　look　at　Lunk；　it　was　easy　to　jump　to　the　conclusion　that　there　wasn't　much　going　on　upstairs。　His　low　forehead　and　the　thick　sideburns　that　curled　around　and　up　under　his　eyes　made　him　look　like　a　ic…strip　caveman。

But　anyone　who　had　talked　to　him；　or　looked　closely　into　those　soulful　eyes；　or　seen　him　do　the　things　Rook　had　seen　him　do；　understood　why　conventional　wisdom　counsels　against　drawing　quick　conclusions。

As　for　Rook；　she　still　found　it　strange　to　be　riding　with　a　gang　again；　even　though　Scott　insisted　on　calling　it　a　team；　and　everybody　else　kept　insisting　that　they　had　their　own　agenda　and　that　the　alliance　was　temporary。　She　still　wasn't　sure　how　she　had　teamed　up　with　them。　It　was　too　easy　to　say　that　she　had　shared　danger；　hardship；　triumph；　and　defeat　with　them；　she　had　done　that　with　others　before。　She　kept　looking　toward　the　time　when　she　could　ride　as　a　loner　once　again。

Of　course；　there　was　Rand