09_the_final_nightmare-第14部分

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le。

〃Press　the　attack；〃　Rolf　Emerson　forced　himself　to　say；　trying　not　to　think　of　the　casualties　but　only　of　what　would　happen　to　Earth　if　he　and　his　fleet　failed。　He　had　seen　excerpts　from　Zor's　debriefing；　and　the　monitoring　of　Zor's　ments　about　life　under　the　Robotech　Masters。

〃Hit　them　harder；〃　Emerson　said；　〃and　get　ready　to　send　in　the　fighters；　then　the　tanks。〃

Going　in　close；　risking　the　furious…bright　particle　beams　of　the　teardrop…shaped　invader　batteries；　the　Earth　ships　poured　down　torrents　of　fire　at　them。　Tube　after　tube　of　the　heavier　missiles；　Skylords　and　such；　gushed　forth　flame　and　death；　racks　of　Swordfish　and　Jackhammers　emptied；　only　to　be　reloaded　for　another　fusilade。

Marie　Crystal；　ready　to　lead　the　TASCs　out；　sent　a　silent　thought　to　Sean；　to　take　care　of　himself。


A　close；　highly　concentrated　missile　barrage　that　cost　the　Terran　forces　a　destroyer　escort　and　the　crippling　of　a　frigate　somehow　opened　a　gap　in　the　alien　flagship's　hull。　It　happened　just　as　the　15th　was　about　to　leave　the　launch　lock；　and　their　mission　changed　in　a　moment。

There　was　little　G3　operations　could　add　to　the　standing　orders。　Get　inside　there　and　disable　them！　Distract；　neutralize！

The　Hovertanks；　pact　as　enormous　crabs　or　turtles　with　all　appendages　pulled　close；　dropped　on　the　inverted　blue　candleflames　of　their　thrusters。

The　rent　in　the　enemy's　upper　hull　was　as　big　around　as　the　15th's　barracks；　a　gaping；　irregular　hole；　sides　fringed　with　twisted；　blackened　armor　seven　yards　thick；　streaming　black　smoke　and　atmosphere　like　a　funnel。　It　was　slightly　forward　and　portside　of　one　of　those　mountainous　spiraled　ziggurats　Louie　insisted　on　calling　〃Robotech　Teats。〃

It　would　still　be　a　tight　squeeze　for　a　whole　Hovertank　squad；　and　Dana　didn't　like　the　idea　of　being　crowded　together　fish…in…a…barrel　style。　But　there　was　no　telling　when　the　gap　would　be　closed　by　some　repair　mechanism；　no　time　to　pause　and　reconsider。　At　her　order；　the　ATACs　dropped　slowly　toward　the　hole；　for　a　close　pass　before　paying　their　housecall。

No　Bioroids　anywhere；　Dana　registered。

I　don't　like　it；　Angelo　told　himself。


〃A　different　tactic　now。　How　strange；〃　Shaizan　said；　sounding　more　puzzled　than　perturbed。

Dag　turned　away　from　the　crystalline　pane；　where　he　had　been　observing　the　Hovertanks。　〃This　is　an　unexpected　opportunity；〃　Dag　said；　as　the　descending　mecha　swung　slowly　past　the　ruptured　hull　behind　him。

〃Yes；　I　believe　it　is　time　to　test　the　new　Invid　Fighter；〃　Shaizan　concurred。

Dag　turned　and　barked；　〃Scientists！　Quickly！〃

That　triumvirate；　having　been　high　among　the　looping　arteries　and　carryways　of　the　ship's　control　systemry；　descended　now　on　their　cap。　〃Yes；　Masters？〃

〃Deploy　our　Triumviroid　Invid　Fighters　against　those　Human　mecha　out　there　at　once。〃

〃At　once！〃　The　Scientists　soared　off　to　obey。

Bowkaz；　watching　the　15th　e　around　for　another　close　pass；　closed　his　thin；　atrophied　hand　into　a　fist；　the　spidery　fingers　unaccustomed　to　such　a　strong　gesture。　〃Amazing！　These　missing　links　actually　think　they　can　triumph　against　us！〃


In　a　large　partment　in　the　flagship；　an　infernal　fantasy　landscape　had　been　created。　The　translucent　pink　room　consisted　of　high…arching　carryways　and　Protoculture　arteries；　with　clusters　of　globes　that　resembled　grapes；　of　all　things；　at　their　intersections。

Far　below　the　energizing　and　monitoring　systemry；　the　Invid　Fighters　reared；　standing　in　threes；　insects　by　parison　but　cyclopean　giants　in　terms　of　the　war　raging　on　the　outside。

The　Bioroids'　chest　plastrons　were　open；　shoulder　pauldrarns　raised；　helmet　beavers　lifted　to　expose　the　ball…turrets　in　which　their　pilots　would　sit；　in　yogi　fashion。

Dovak's　voice　came；　〃Vada　Prime；　triumvirates　of　the　Invid　Fighters；　to　your　mecha！　Haste！　The　Human　prey　is　near！〃

Light　poured　in　from　the　arch　intersections　where　the　grape　clusters　hung；　it　illuminated　triads　of　young　male　clones；　the　Vada　Prime；　red…haired　but　bearing　a　strong　resemblance　to　the　original　Zor。　They　stood；　back　to　back；　where　the　extended　chest　plastrons　of　the　mecha　met　like　lowered　drawbridges。

〃Prepare　for　utilization　against　the　Humans　and　their　blasphemous　concepts；　their　individuality！　Obliterate　them！〃

〃Three　will　always　be　as　one！〃　one　Vada　leader　chanted。　That　was　the　essence　of　the　Invid　Fighter　systems：　the　transference　of　power；　awareness；　thought…Protoculture　energy…back　and　forth　among　the　members　of　each　triune　unit　and　its　mecha；　on　a　millisecond　basis；　This　occurred　so　that　each　machine　and　pilot　would　be　triply　effective　in　the　telling　moments　of　bat；　which　were　themselves　relatively　few。

〃One　for　three　and　three　for　one。　In　thought；　action；　firepower；　and　reaction；〃　Dovak　intoned。　〃Remember　this；　Vada　Prime！〃

The　Vada　Prime　clones　retreated　to　their　globular　control　sanctuaries；　and　prepared　to　hunt　down　the　Hovertanks。


Dana　led　the　15th　in　a　low　approach　vector；　ready　to　go　down　into　the　hole　in　the　enemy　flagship's　hull；　hoping　things　went　better　than　they　had　the　last　time　the　15th　entered　the　Masters'　metal　homeworld。

But　things　became　plicated　even　before　the　tanks　could　enter；　giant　figures　on　Hovercraft　rose　up　out　of　the　smoking　abyss　of　the　hull　breech。　Dana　couldn't　help　but　feel　dismay　when　she　saw　what　was　ahead。　Red　Bioroids！

Three；　four…six　that　she　could　see；　and　perhaps　more　in　the　smoke。　She　tried　not　to　surrender　to　despair。　Six　red　Bioroids！　〃New　targets　ahead；〃　she　said；　trying　to　sound　confident。

The　15th　bore　in　at　the　Triumviroids；　the　downsweep　of　their　front　cowlings　and　the　halogen　lamps　tucked　beneath　them　giving　the　tanks　the　look　of　angry　crabs　about　to　settle　a　grudge。　The　tanks　broke　right　and　left　and　up　and　down；　they　needed　maneuvering　room。

The　enemy　split　up　and　jumped　them；　firing　from　weapons　in　their　control　stems；　and　from　the　disc　handguns；　lashing　streams　of　annihilation　discs　this　way　and　that。　Dana　saw　what　she　feared：　they　were　all　as　fast　and　deadly　as　Zor　was；　operating　in　perfect　coordination。　She　fought　her　recurring　image　of　a　plete　rout。

Three　of　them　went　for　a　tank　that　had　gone　low；　like　cowboys　chasing　a　wandering　heifer；　bringing　their　discus　sidearms　to　bear。　Dana　saw　with　a　start　that　the　Hovertank　was　Zor's　Three…In…One。


CHAPTER　NINE

The　politicians　who　kill　troops
But　leave　no　babe　unkissed！
They'd　none　of　them　be　missed；
They'd　none　of　them　be　missed！
Bowie　Grant；　〃With　Apologies　to　Gilbert　and　Sullivan〃

Dana　yelled；　〃Zor；　get　out　of　there！〃

Zor　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　retro；　rather　than　try　some　fancy　maneuver　or　an　uneven　firelight。　The　reds'　shots　stitched　the　flagship's　hull；　passing　through　the　airless　spot　where　Zor　would　have　been。　He　escaped　with　only　a　spiderwebbing　of　his　canopy；　the　effect　of　a　grazing　shot。

〃That　was　close；　but　I'm　all　right；〃　he　said　calmly。

An　A…JACs　unit　had　found　a　bowside　cargo　lock　blasted　open　by　another　Terran　barrage；　the　mechachoppers　zipped　in　at　it　like　angry　wasps；　under　the　same　romp…and…ruin　orders　as　the　ATACs。

The　mand　came　to　the　Vada　Primes　from　Dovak。　〃A　new　enemy　bat　group　is　attempting　to　enter　the　flagship。　Readjust　battle　plan　and　destroy　them　at　once。〃

It　took　the　A…JACs　a　fatal　few　moments　to　realize　that　they　were　being　attacked　by　mecha　far　superior　to　their　own。

One　A…JAC　was　blasted　as　soon　as　it　came　in；　going　up　like　a　Roman　candle。　A　second；　already　standing　by　the　opened　hull；　was　riddled　and　fell　apart　in　fragments。　The　reds　came　in；　maneuvering　and　firing　in　perfect　cooperation。　The　A…JACs'　counterfire　had　no　effect　on　the　Triumviroids'　battleshiplike　armor。

〃We're　no　match　for　them　in　these　A…JACs！〃　Lieutenant　Brown　yelled　to　the　few　survivors　left　in　his　team。　〃Everybody　pull　back！　Evasive　maneuvers！〃


Dana　had　her　own　plan　of　action。　She　sent　her　Valkyrie　leaping　high；　imaging　a　change；　her　helmet　sensors　picking　up　the　impulses　and　guiding　her　tank　through　mechamorphosis。

ponents　slid；　reconfigured；　rearranged；　the　tank　went　to　Battloid　mode。　It　stood　in　space；　a　Robotech　Galahad；　taking　as　its　rifle　the　altered　cannon　that　had　rested　along　the　tank's　prow　moments　before。　She　landed　on　the　hull　to　make　her　stand；　feet　spread；　rifle/cannon　strobing。　Angelo　and　Bowie　landed　next　to　her　in　the　same　humanoid　mode。

Three　reds　swept　in　in　echelon；　their　fire　well　coordinated；　promising　to　sweep　the　Battloids　before　them。　Angelo　remembered　what　he　had　learned　about　the　blue　Bioroids。　He　stopped　pouring　out　heavy　fire　and　took　deliberate　aim。

He　hit　the　lead　Triumviroid's　faceplate；　it　shattered；　spilling　atmosphere　and　ruin。　The　thing's　Hovercraft　began　to　waver　gently；　and　the　red　itself　went　immobile。

〃I　got　one！　Hey　Lieutenant；　go　for　their　faceplates！〃

But　as　Dana　looked　around　to　see　what　was　going　on；　the　red's　ball　turret　exploded；　the　body　of　its　Vada　Prime　pilot　tumbling　out　into　vacuum；　breath　and　blood　stolen　away　in　a　red　mist。

They're　humanoids；　she　saw。　They　look。。。just　like　Zor。

But　she　said；　〃You　all　heard　Angie！　Faceplates！　And　make　every　shot　count！〃

Bowie　prepared　to　fire；　but　a　vision　of　Musica　called　him；　and　he　froze。　Three　more　reds　came　in　low　over　a　hull　projection；　firing　so　as　to　scatter　the　gathering　Battloids；　and　one　burst　knocked　Bowie's　tank　from　its　feet。

Dana　and　a　trooper　named　Royce　were　almost　shoulder　to　shoulder；　putting　out　a　heavy　volume　of　fire；　to　cover　him。　The　red　broke　off　and　banked　away。

〃You　all　right；　Bowie？〃

His　Battloid　began　to　lumber　to　its　feet。　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Then　start　shooting；　god　damn　you！　Bottom　line：　They're　programmed　to　destroy　you。〃

Sean　was　isolated；　his　fireteam　partner　just　a　conflagration　and　a　memory；　the　enemy　closing　in。　〃Somebody　get　these　'roids　offa　me！〃

The　answer　came　in　the　form　of　an　angel　of　death；　the　Triumviroid　so　close　to　nailing　him　flew　apart　in　a　coruscating　detonation。　He　picked　himself　up　off　the　hull　to　see　an　A…JAC　hovering　loose。　〃Huh？　I'm　dreaming！　I'm　dead！〃

Marie　Crystal　was　on　the　15th's　freq。　〃Neither；　hotshot。〃

〃Marie？〃

〃That's　right；　Phillips；　you　lucky　swine　you。　You're　about　four　hundred　yards　from　your　squad；　at　one　hundred　seventy　degrees　magnetic。　Get　back　to　'em　and　stay