18_the_end_of_the_circle-第71章

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ated　systemry。　Because　of　damage　suffered　in　Louie　Nichols's　cyberburn　or　the　battle　near　Ranaath's　Star；　or　perhaps　even　as　a　result　of　this　final　mechamorphosis；　Haydon　IV's　guiding　AI　seemed　no　longer　capable　of　that　sort　of　hostile　action。

The　courier　was　preceded　by　probes　that　had　been　mounted　with　additional　booster　thrusters　for　the　suicide　mission。　The　long…range　flaring　of　the　plasma　batteries　hosed　annihilation　discs　across　the　night　of　space；　their　accuracy　not　very　impressive　at　that　range。

The　probes　and　drones　bore　in；　their　onboard　puters　and　sensors　augmenting　the　guidance　from　their　shipboard　operators。

〃Clumsy；〃　Hodel　said　in　a　low　guttural　voice；　meaning　Haydon　IV's　defensive　fire。　〃Slow。〃

He　looked　over　to　Ntor。　〃It's　been　weakened。　We've　got　them　now。〃

She　growled　loyally。　〃Aye；　sir。　But？　Her　sense　of　duty　made　her　add；　〃I　still　detect　subsurface　activity。　There　appear　to　be　immense　servos；　energized　and　functional。〃

〃Do　they　have　mechamorphosis　capability？〃

Ntor　wuffed　to　herself；　studying　her　instruments。　〃Negative；　from　what　I　can　see。〃

Hodel　flipped　a　fearsome　paw。　〃Then　servos　will　do　them　no　good。　I'm　more　concerned　about　those　sphere　ships；　keep　a　careful　watch。〃

But　the　remotes　plunged　down　toward　the　immense　torso　of　Haydon　IV　without　meeting　opposing　vessels。　〃They　couldn't　get　'em　powered　up；〃　Hodel　concluded。

Prah；　Spherisian　captain　of　the　Quartzstar；　came　up　on　the　mand　net。　〃Captain；　may　I　suggest　that　we　preserve　some　of　our　lead　element　drones　for　recon。〃

〃Agreed；〃　Hodel　said。　He　had　not　really　expected　the　decoys　to　survive　the　approach；　but　things　were　going　better　than　he　had　hoped。

A　half　score　of　the　decoys；　most　of　them　bulkier　mining　probes；　had　been　lost　to　the　close…in　plasma　guns。　As　many　more　swooped　in　to　take　up　strafing　attacks　on　the　defensive　batteries　in　twisting；　dodging　flak…supression　runs。

The　artifact　planet's　guns　now　divided　between　the　attacking　drones　and　the　oning　remote…controlled　vessels；　along　with　the　additional　drones　escorting　them。　The　courier　ship　began　its　dive　into　the　guns'　close　range。　The　target　zone　was　crisscrossed　by　geysers　of　annihilation　discs；　one　right　on　top　of　the　next；　at　such　a　high　rate　of　fire　that　they　were　practically　touching。

The　probes'　firepower　was　not　sufficient　to　penetrate　the　armor　of　the　massive　gun　turrets；　but　their　attacks　helped　spoil　the　plasma　cannons'　aim　and　did　do　at　least　some　damage　to　the　targeting　sensors。　Nevertheless；　one　by　one　the　drones　and　probes　were　potted　out　of　the　air　by　the　sheer　volume　of　firepower　down　near　the　planet's　surface。
But　by　then　the　courier　was　juking　its　way　down　through　the　AA　fire；　homing　in　on　a　large　fire…control　plex　in　the　general　vicinity　of　the　megacosm…mecha's　solar　plexus。

On　the　bridge；　Ntor　reported；　〃Sir；　we're　detecting　a　power　influx　to　those　servos　again。〃

Hodel　tore　himself　away　from　the　main　action　long　enough　to　snap；　〃Any　movement？〃

〃Not　yet；　sir。〃

〃Keep　me　informed。〃

Then　he　was　back　watching　the　main　screen　as　the　courier　swooped　like　a　hawk　at　Haydon　IV。　There　was　a　moment　of　utter　disappointment　as　a　glancing　hit　by　a　disc　damaged　one　of　the　steering　thrusters；　but　the　operator　had　sufficient　auxiliaries　to　pensate。

Spread　out　back　in　the　courier's　wake；　more　kamikazes　took　up　their　approaches。

Ntor　spoke　up　again。　〃Sir？　Servos　activated。　The　arm　booms　are　moving。〃

Hodel　checked　the　readouts。　The　arms　were　moving　so　slowly　that　they　presented　no　credible　threat。　Still；　moving　like　that梩hey　reminded　him　of　something；　some　Robotech　legend　。。。

〃Missile　one：　thirty　seconds　to　impact；〃　someone　remarked；　and　Hodel　broke　off　his　musings。

〃Make　sure　surviving　drones　are　clear　of　ground　zero；〃　Hodel　ordered。　〃Get…uurrrr！…numbers　five；　seven；　eight；　and　ten　on　recon　sweeps　of　the　far　side。〃

〃Fifteen　seconds。〃

The　courier　craft　had　slipped　down　under　the　AA　guns'　lowermost　angle　of　fire；　too　low　for　most　defenses　to　target。　Streaming　smoke　and　flame；　it　wobbled　and　rattled　across　the　last　miles；　the　fire…control　plex　looming　up　like　a　Robotech　scarp。

〃What　was　that？〃　Difficult　to　make　out　either　on　visuals　or；　thanks　to　the　alchemist's　mix　of　energies　down　below；　by　sensor；　something　seemed　to　go　flashing　across　the　corpus　terrain　of　Haydon　IV。　Like　a　skimming　blue　shadow；　it　flickered　straight　for　the　target　area。

The　courier's　visual　pickup　cut　out　at　impact；　of　course；　but　other　instruments　showed　the　abrupt　outwelling　of　the　explosion：　the　nearly　magical　appearance　of　a　superfireball　that　put　many　watching　it　in　mind　of　the　big　bang。

〃Damage　report！〃　Hodel　was　grunting　excitedly　even　while　the　fireball　expanded。　If　there　was　anything　left　of　the　plex；　he　would　target　a　second　mop…up　missile　ship　at　it；　if　not；　he　would　accelerate　the　other　kamikazes　to　their　assigned　targets。　The　proof　that　the　attack　weapons　could　strike　home　on　Haydon　IV　had　him　exulting。

But　then　came　Prah's　voice　from　Quartzstar。　〃Attention；　Tracialle！　Our　instruments　show　failure　to　impact。　Something　shielded　the　target　area　from　the　blast。〃

〃Impossible！〃　Hodel　bellowed　so　loudly　that　even　his　fellow　Karbarrans　winced。

Ntor　spoke　up。　〃Negative；　sir。　Look。〃　She　had　split　the　main　screen。　Next　to　the　real…time　image　of　the　expanding　nuke　strike；　she　was　projecting　the　flicker　that　had　raced　across　the　surface　of　the　megacosm…mecha。

It　was　a　large　blue　circle；　like　the　image　of　a　spotlight　on　the　surface　of　Haydon　IV。　It　streaked　straight　for　the　impact　point；　a　dot　of　light　some　hundred　miles　across　and　yet　small　in　parison　to　the　gargantuan　torso。

The　Tracialle's　techs　were　confirming　what　Quartzstar's　had　found：　The　nuke　hit　had　been　deflected。　〃And　see；　two　more　of　those　strange　energy　loci；〃　Ntor　added。　Hodel　yowled　angrily　at　the　three　blue　circles；　drifting　here　and　there　across　the　modules　of　the　reconfigured　planet　like　buzzing　insects。

Without　warning；　Exedore　appeared　on　the　main　screen。　〃Captain　Hodel；　I　have　seen　this　phenomenon　before。　It's　a　pinpoint　barrier　system；　though　how　Haydon　learned　of　it；　I　don't　know。　There's　no　time　to　explain；　you　must　withdraw　your　fleet。　〃

Hodel's　paw　smashed　his　mand　chair's　arm。　〃There　are　only　three　of　those　miserable　little　dots。　We'll　hit　them　with　everything　we　have；　all　at　once…and　wipe　them　out！〃

Waysee；　manding　the　two…ship　Garudan　contingent；　came　up　on　the　net。　〃There's　no　guarantee　we'll　be　able　to　concentrate　our　strike　precisely　enough。〃

Hodel　shot　back；　〃There　is　if　you　all　listen　to　orders！　Now；　link　your　operators　to　my　controllers；　who　will　coordinate　all　strikes。　We'll　soften　them　up　with　the　suicide　ships；　then　blow　them　away！〃

〃More　readings　from　the　forearm　booms；〃　Ntor　said　to　him。

Hodel　whirled。　〃Any　sign　of　offensive　capability？〃

〃No；　Captain；　just　power　buildup。〃

Hodel　barked　a　laugh。　〃Much　good　it　will　do　them　when　ten　ships　punch　in　at　once。　Controllers！　Prepare　for　a　unified　strike　operation…simultaneous　hits　all　across　that　empty　suit　of　tin　out　there。〃

As　the　fleet　re…formed　and　moved　in　again；　all　decoys　and　kamikaze　ships　leaping　ahead　for　the　coordinated　attack；　Exedore　checked　and　collated　data