09_the_final_nightmare-第19部分

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ed　us　that　we　might　see　the　enemy　as　Human　beings。
Louie　Nichols；　Tripping　the　Light　Fantastic

〃Musica；　move　away　from　the　alien　at　once；〃　manded　Darsis。　More　guards　with　their　guns　leveled　appeared　from　among　the　massive　vines。

〃He　is　an　enemy　of　our　people；〃　Karno　stated。　But　Musica　defied　him；　moving　to　stand　between　Bowie　and　the　Guards；　arms　spread。

〃You　mustn't　hurt　him；　Karno！　I　forbid　it！　He's　done　you　no　harm！〃

She　forbids？　The　insanity　of　it　boggled　Karno's　brain。

Darsis　frowned。　〃Anyone　shielding　an　enemy　of　the　state　will　be　punished！　Now；　stand　aside；　Musica！〃

The　Guards　were　in　a　quandary；　though；　Musica　was　far　too　vital　to　the　Robotech　Masters　and　their　hold　over　the　population　of　the　ships　to　simply　shoot；　and　she　knew　it。　It　was　a　situation　the　Guards　had　never　encountered　before。

They　were　saved　from　the　inconvenience　of　thinking　by　the　revving　of　a　van　engine。　Louie　came　hot…tailing　at　the　Guards；　yelling　for　Bowie　to　make　a　break。　Karno　and　his　men　got　a　few　rounds　into　the　van；　but　then　had　no　choice　but　to　hit　the　dirt　or　scatter。

They　were　up　again　right　away；　firing　into　the　vehicle's　stern；　and　it　arced　toward　the　ground　leaking　smoke　into　the　distance。　Louie　managed　to　get　out　of　the　van　and　saw　the　Guards　racing　after　him。　He　turned　to　go；　but　realized　there　was　a　beeping　in　his　pocket。

He　pulled　forth　one　of　his　gadgets；　studied　it；　smiled　broadly；　and　raced　off　to　make　his　escape。

Bowie；　going　for　cover　in　the　midst　of　a　tangle　of　the　colossal　vine…roots；　skidded　to　a　stop。　More　guards　emerged　from　it；　hemming　him　in　against　those　pursuing　him。


Louie　shook　off　his　hunters　and　followed　his　gadget；　it　didn't　take　very　long　to　find　what　he　had　detected。　Some　sixth　sense　prehension　of　systemry　and　Robotechnology　led　him　to　a　vaulted　partment　in　what　had　to　be　the　center　of　the　flagship。　To　his　amazement；　it　was　unguarded。　What　he　found　there　left　him　speechless。

In　the　center　of　the　vastness　was　a　device　the　size　of　an　upright　shuttlecraft。　Top　and　bottom　wire　sawtoothed　halves；　as　if　a　cylinder　of　taffy　had　been　sawn　apart　and　stretched。　What　hung　between　them　was…

Whaaa…at？　Louie　asked　himself；　dumbfounded。　It　looked　like　a　single　braided　mass　of　fibrous　tissue；　red；　black；　pink；　and　yellow　like　some　textbook　illustration　of　a　muscle。　But　pieces　hung　from　it；　curled　and　kinked　in　the　way　of　sprung　wires　peeling　from　a　cable；　or　fibers　of　steel　wool。

The　whole　circular　chamber　was　lined　with　instruments　stretching　up　and　up　out　of　sight。　The　central　device　itself　was　orbited　by　slow…moving　amoeboid　shapes　of　pure　bluewhite　light。

What　an　amazing　creation！　The　flagship's　control　nexus。

Louie　still　had　the　alien　energy…burpgun　he　and　Bowie　had　managed　to　steal。　He　worked　it　as　if　he　had　been　using　one　all　his　life；　preparing　to　empty　it　in　one　blast；　without　regard　to　his　own　survival。

Destroy…this；　and　the　Robotech　Masters　are　finished。　And　there　wasn't　even　anybody　around　to　put　him　in　for　a　posthumous　medal；　oh　well。。。

He　decided　to　start　high　and　blast　a　vertical　cut　in　the　thing。　No　sooner　had　he　opened　fire　than　jagged　lightning　broke　from　one　of　the　amoeboid　shapes。　The　weapon　was　sudden　giving　out　heavy　voltage。　He　managed　to　let　go　before　his　heart　was　stopped；　and　it　was　levitated　away　high　into　the　air。

From　the　central　tissue　mass；　a　hundred　ghostly　ribbons　of　force；　or　ectoplasmic　lariats；　were　dropped。　They　wound　around　Louie　and　squeezed　his　breath　from　him；　sending　an　awful　surge　of　energy　through　his　body。　He　was　lit　up　like　a　Christmas　tree　ornament。　One　of　the　less　fortunate　martyred　saints。

Word　went　out　that　the　Living　Protoculture　had　captured　its　assailant。　The　search　for　the　other　raiders　intensified。


Dana　didn't　want　to　hear　or　see　any　more。

Latell　had　taken　her　past　too　many　glassy　spheres　filled　with　bubbling　fluid。　In　them；　naked；　wired…up　clones　wearing　helmets　floated；　dead　to　the　world。　One　of　these　clones　was　supposed　to　be　the　actual　Latell　the　Stonecutter；　or　perhaps　the　embodiment　of　the　triumvirate　of　Stonecutters；　but　then　who　was　this　talking　to　her？

This　time；　the　guards　who　showed　up　didn't　do　much　talking。　The　doors　parted　and　three　charged　in　shooting。　The　first　few　rounds　shattered　the　container　of　Latell's　〃original　body。〃　The　Latell　she　had　been　talking　to　gave　a　grievous　moan　as　she　pulled　him　behind　the　other　containers　and　apparatus　for　cover。

The　clone…fetus；　slick　with　fluids；　looked　at　Dana。　Then　its　eyes　rolled　up　into　its　head　and　it　expired　there　among　the　shards　of　its　container。

Something　in　her　snapped；　and　several　objects　on　which　she　could　vent　her　rage　were　right　close　to　hand。　The　guards　weren't　really　much　as　soldiers；　apparently　all　they　had　ever　had　to　do　was　keep　docile　slaves　in　line　and　now　and　then　round　up　some　extraordinarily　aberrant　one。　Invaders　were　all　but　unknown；　and　the　upshot　was　that　the　guards'　bat　skills　weren't　nearly　so　well…honed　as　Dana's。

She　came　flying　at　them　from　behind　a　pillar　of　support　equipment；　shrieking　a　ki…yi　that　froze　them。　She　took　out　the　first　with　the　sword　edge　of　her　right　foot；　and　that　only　fed　her　hatred。　The　second；　too　close　to　get　clear；　tried　to　swing　the　butt…plate　of　his　weapon　into　her　face。　She　ducked；　and　then　broke　his　neck。

She　bent　down　to　pick　up　the　weapon　he　had　dropped；　but　the　third　had　fallen　back　against　the　hatch　to　spray　energy　bolts　in　her　direction；　forcing　her　to　throw　herself　back。　Latell　managed　to　find　her　among　the　disintegrating　containers　and　sputtering　power　lines；　and　together　they　crawled　off　through　a　side　hatch　as　still　more　guards　appeared　and　converged　on　them。

The　guards　cornered　them　in　the　next　partment；　a　sort　of　nursery　for　infants。　Why　would　the　Masters　need　infants；　it　occurred　to　her；　when　they　can　grow　clones　to　adulthood　in　vitro？

Latell　palmed　a　tiny　device　to　her。　〃This　is　a　maintenance　sensor；　it　will　lead　you　to　the　control　center。　Destroy　the　center！〃

Latell　tried　to　push　her　to　cover；　tried　to　block　the　way。　He　was　a　dysfunctioning　slave　of　no　importance；　the　guards　shot　him　down。

There　was　no　place　to　run　away。　Dana　cradled　his　head　in　her　lap。　He　achieved　a　thin　smile。　〃Please　do　not　feel　badly；　Sister。　You　are　Freedom；　and　my　life　was　not　worth　the　living。〃

And　so　the　clone　Latell　the　Stonecutter　died。


The　firefight　in　the　power…relay　area　was　one　of　the　more　interesting　fights　of　Angelo　Dante's　life；　although　it　did　threaten　to　fix　things　so　he　would　never　collect　any　of　his　retirement　pay。

Still；　he　and　Sean　had　good　cover。　They　had　taken　out　a　lot　of　guards　already；　and　there　was　still　some　chance　they　could　get　free。　Angelo　stood　and　sprayed　shots　at　the　enemy。　If　the　ATACs　were　pinned　down；　so　were　the　guards；　who　had　learned　better　than　to　try　to　rush　the　Human　marksmen　across　the　yards　of　open　space。

Then　the　sergeant　realized　that　Sean　wasn't　firing。　He　was　about　to　holler　something　suitably　crude　and　insulting　when　he　felt　a　tug　at　the　sleeve　of　his　stolen　guard　uniform。

Angelo　whirled　to　see　ten；　eleven；　perhaps　a　dozen　of　the　runabouts　in　an　arc　behind　him；　all　crowded　with　guards　and　officers　who　had　drawn　a　bead　on　him　and　Sean。


〃Don't　think　I'll　forget　your　face；　slimeball；　'cause　I　won't！〃　Angelo　growled　as　the　guard　thrust　him　headlong　onto　the　detention　cell　floor。　Sean；　who　had　been　more　resigned　and　reasonable；　disembarked　from　the　elevator　with　his　hands　behind　his　neck。　The　elevator　doors　closed。

Dana；　sitting　on　a　sleeping　shelf　with　her　knees　drawn　up；　simply　looked　at　the　two　new　arrivals。　Louie　didn't　even　look。　Bowie　knelt　by　Angelo's　side。　〃You　okay；　Sarge？〃

Angelo　nodded；　springing　up　and　shrugging　Bowie　off；　stretching　and　flexing　his　ample　muscles。　〃Yeah。　Gang's　all　here；　huh？〃

Dana　grunted。　They　were　all　there；　stripped　of　weapons　and　disguises；　dressed　in　their　ATAC　uniforms。

〃And　we　failed　our　mission；〃　Angelo　went　on；　as　bitter　at　himself　as　at　any　of　them　or　at　fate。　〃We　lost！〃

Now　Dana　did　look　up；　to　fix　him　with　her　stare。

〃Only　round　one；〃　she　said。


Gazing　down　on　the　captive　specimens　through　their　Protoculture　cap；　the　Robotech　Masters　were　taken　aback；　in　spite　of　the　information　and　insights　they　had　gained　through　Zor　Prime。

〃Most　interesting；〃　Shaizan　said。　〃They　show　no　fear　of　their　captivity；　only　anger　that　they　have　failed；　and　an　illogical　unwillingness　to　face　reality。〃

There　was　an　unspoken　consensus　among　them：　there　were　terrible；　unsuspected　powers　in　the　one…mindedness　and　emotions　of　the　Micronians。

Powers　upon　which　a　universe　could　turn。


It　didn't　take　long；　in　a　little　bowl…shaped；　inescapable　confinement　some　fifteen　feet　across　at　floor　level；　for　the　ATACs　to　get　on　each　other's　nerves。

A　crack　from　Angelo　about　Zor's　spying。　A　hurt　objection　from　Dana　that　she　had　no　way　of　knowing。　A　blithe　ment　from　Sean　that　love　was　blind；　followed　by　Dana　kicking　Sean's　feet　out　from　under　him；　then　both　of　them　ready　to　twist　each　other's　bones　loose；　and　the　others　diving　in　to　break　it　up。

〃Fascinating。　The　Earthlings　have　a　pronounced　tendency　to　turn　upon　one　another　in　confinement；〃　Shaizan　remarked。

Dag　said；　〃They　are　too　primitive　to　prehend　that　what　we　are　doing　will　ensure　their　survival　as　well　as　our　own。〃　It　did　not　need　to　be　added；　of　course；　that　that　survival　would　be　as　a　slave　species。　The　Masters　considered　their　slaves　greatly　honored；　Chosen。

〃If　the　Invid　obtain　the　Protoculture　Matrix　before　we　do；〃　Bowkaz　put　to　words　what　they　all　knew；　〃it　will　in　all　likelihood　mean　the　eradication　of　the　entire　Human　species。〃

〃The　last　part　of　that　statement　is　not　an　entirely　unpleasant　prospect；〃　was　Shaizan's　rejoinder。

〃As　to　the　prisoners；〃　Dag　went　on；　〃my　suggestion　is　that　the　five　of　them　should　be　reprocessed　as　new　biogenetic　material　for　our　cloning　vats　straight　away。〃

〃No…all　but　the　female；〃　Dag　corrected。　〃According　to　our　measurements；　her　intellect　and　biogenetic　traits　are　extremely　contrary　to　Human　norms。　Dissection　and　analysis　are　in　order。〃

〃I　say　it　might　be　more　efficient　and　safe　simply　to　destroy　them　all；〃　Bowkaz　said。

Jeddar；　group　leader　of　the　Clonemasters…whose　triumvirate　f