"J. Robert King - Invasion Cycle 01 - Invasion" - читать интересную книгу автора (King Robert J)

26
 J. Robert King

From among waving heads of wheat, metal things
surged suddenly skyward. There were ten thousand of the
birdsтАФlittle more than wings of steel, gemstone eyes, and
nostrils that craved glistening-oil. In their brave breasts the
falcons bore Thran-metal shredders. When they struck
Phyrexian flesh, the shredders emerged to dig through.
Falcons rocketed skyward. Their pinions shrieked in the
ascent. In moments, they had reached the foe. Falcons
converged on the vanguard of Phyrexian vessels. Many
cracked through jump-ship windscreens and punched into
the chests of Phyrexian pilots. Most hurled themselves
onward to the cruisers that lumbered above. Plasma
batteries answered from the huge ships. The falcons easily
evaded. They reached the cruisers, delved into whatever
hollows presented themselves, and coursed down corridors
into chambers where Phyrexians stood their posts. There,
they shredded.
Once again, there came that impossible grin on Urza's
face.
"You're enjoying this," Barrin observed grimly.
"It's a sort of chess match," Urza replied. "Two foes,
ancient and powerful, battling over little squares of turf."
Barrin's face was bleak. "Two not dissimilar foesтАФ"
"He has led with his knights and bishops. I have led
with my pawns. They are swarming and destroying his
pieces."
"Weatherlight is not a pawn. That ship, and Gerrard,
and my daughterтАФit's your king. You're leading with your
king."
Urza gestured as jump-ships fell in a regular rain from
the skies. "It is beautiful. How can you not smile?"
"In this chess match, Master Urza, you have sixteen
pieces and he sixteen thousand."



27
 Invasion

"I have sixteen billion," Urza said. "I have every
fluttering heart on this planet." He brought his staff down.
From the rocky peaks all around came the whine of
cables snapping suddenly taut. Enormous trebuchet arms
arced up from machines hidden in cut branches. Their
uplifted baskets flung Metathran troop transports high into
the air. The small ships spun skyward. They were simple in
designтАФmere wheels hurled on the air. Within those