09_the_final_nightmare-第2部分

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orce　at　an　outpost　on　the　moon　will　enable　us　to　hit　those　alien　bastards　from　two　different　directions　at　once！〃

A　G3　staff　light　colonel　named　Rudolph　readjusted　his　glasses　and　said　eagerly；　〃I　see！　In　that　way；　we're　outflanking　those　six　big　mother　ships　they've　got　in　orbit　around　Earth！〃

Leonard　looked　pleased。　〃Yes。　Precisely。〃

Emerson　took　a　deep　breath　and　pushed　his　chair　away　from　the　oak　table　a　little；　as　though　he　was　about　to　face　a　firing　squad。　But　when　he　came　to　his　feet；　there　was　silence。　All　eyes　turned　to　him。　The　general　feeling　was　that　no　one　on　Earth　was　more　trusted；　more　mitted　to　standing　by　his　word；　than　Rolf　Emerson。

No　one　could　be　relied　upon　more　to　speak　the　truth　into　the　teeth　of　deceit。

And　this　was　certainly　that　moment。　〃ALUCE　is　a　peaceful；　unreinforced　cluster　of　pressurized　huts；　mander　Leonard。　I　don't　think　that　anything　the　strikeforce　survivors　can　do　will　make　it　a　viable　military　base。　And　it's　my　opinion　that　by　provoking　the　enemy　into　attacking　it　you'll　be　throwing　away　lives。〃

So　many　staffers　inhaled　at　the　same　time　that　Rudolph　wondered　if　the　air　pressure　would　drop。　Leonard's　faced　flushed　with　rage。　〃They've　already　mauled　our　first　assault　wave；　it's　not　a　question　of　provocation　anymore。　Damn　it；　man！　This　is　war；　not　an　exercise　in　interstellar　diplomacy！〃

〃But　we　haven't　even　tried　negotiating；〃　Emerson　began；　a　little　hopelessly。　An　over…eager　missile　battery　mander　named　Komodo　had　fired　on　the　Robotech　Masters　before　any　real　attempt　could　be　made　to　contact　them　and　learn　what　it　was　they　wanted。　From　that　moment　on；　it　had　been　war。

〃I'll　have　no　insubordination！〃　Leonard　bellowed。　To　the　rest　of　the　staff　he　added；　〃Mobilize　the　second　strikeforce　and　prepare　them　to　relieve　our　troops　at　Moon　Base　ALUCE！〃


Outside　the　classified…conference　room；　a　figure　clad　in　the　uniform　of　the　Southern　Cross's　Alpha　Tactical　Armored　Corps…the　ATACs…moved　furtively。

Zor　still　didn't　quite　understand　the　half…perceived　urges　that　had　brought　him　there。　It　was　a　familiar　feeling；　this　utter　mystification　about　who　he　was；　and　what　forces　drove　him。　It　was　as　though　he　moved　in　a　fog；　but　he　knew　that　somewhere　ahead　was　the　room　where　all　Earth's　military　plans　were　being　formulated。　He　must　go　there；　he　must　listen　and　watch…but　he　didn't　understand　why。

Suddenly　there　was　a　bigger　figure　blocking　his　way。　〃Okay；　Zor。　Suppose　you　tell　me　just　what　the　hell　you　think　you're　doing　here？〃

It　was　Sergeant　Angelo　Dante；　senior　NCO　of　the　15th；　fists　balled　and　feet　set　at　about　shoulder　width；　ready　for　a　fight。　His　size　and　strength　dwarfed　Zor's；　and　Zor　was　not　small。　Dante　was　a　career　soldier；　a　man　of　dark；　curling　hair　and　dark　brows；　not　quick　to　trust　anyone；　incapable　of　believing　anything　good　of　Zor。

The　sergeant　grabbed　Zor's　leather　torso　harness　and　gave　it　a　yank；　nearly　lifting　him　off　his　feet。　〃What　about　it？〃

Zor　shook　his　head　slowly；　as　if　ing　out　of　a　trance。　〃Angle！　Wh…how　did　I　get　here？〃　He　blinked；　looking　around　him。

〃That's　my　line。　You're　sneakin'　around　a　restricted　area　and　you're　away　from　your　duty　station　without　permission。　If　you　don't　have　a　pretty　good　explanation；　I'm　gonna　see　to　it　your　butt　goes　into　Barbwire　City　for　a　long　time！〃　He　shook　Zor　again。

〃Oh；　Zor！　There　you　are！〃　First　Lieutenant　Dana　Sterling；　manding　officer　of　the　15th；　practically　squealed　it　as　she　rounded　a　corner　and　hurried　toward　them。　Angelo　shook　his　head　a　little；　watching　how　her　smile　beamed　and　her　eyes　crinkled　as　she　caught　sight　of　Zor。

Like　her　two　subordinates；　she　was　dressed　in　the　white　Southern　Cross　uniform；　with　the　black　piping　and　black　boots　that　suggested　a　riding　outfit。　She　barely　reached　the　middle　of　Angelo's　chest；　but　she　was；　he　had　to　admit；　a　gutsy　and　capable　officer。　Except　where　this　Zor　guy　was　concerned。

She　rushed　up　to　them　and　grabbed　Zor's　hand；　Angelo　found　himself　automatically　releasing　his　captive。　Dana　seemed　pletely　unaware　that　she　had　blundered　into　the　middle　of　what　would　otherwise　have　been　a　fight。　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere；　Zor！〃

Zor；　still　dazed；　seemed　to　be　groping　for　words。　〃Just　a　second；　Lieutenant；〃　Angelo　interrupted。

But　she　was　tugging　Zor　away。　〃e　along；　I　want　to　ask　you　something！〃

〃Hold　it；　ma'am！〃　Angelo　burst　out。　〃Why　don'tcha　ask　pretty　boy　here　what　he's　doing　hanging　around　a　restricted　area？〃

Dana's　expression　turned　to　anger。　Like　the　sergeant；　she　had　tracked　down　Zor　with　difficulty；　but　she　wouldn't　let　herself　think　badly　of　her　strange；　alien　trooper。　She　shot　back；　〃What　are　you；　Angie；　a　spy　for　the　Global　Military　Police？〃

Angelo's　black　brows　went　up。　〃Huh？　You　know　better　than　that！　But　somebody　has　to　keep　an　eye　on　this　guy。　Or　don't　you　think　what　he's　doing　is　a　little　suspicious？〃

Dana　rasped；　〃Zor's　suffering　from　severe　memory　loss。　If　he's　a　little　disoriented　at　times；　that　just　means　we　should　show　him　a　bit　of　passion　and　understanding！〃

She　slipped　an　arm　through　Zor's；　clasping　his　elbow。　Angelo　wondered　if　he　were　going　crazy；　wasn't　this　the　same　alien　who　had　led　the　enemy　forces　in　his　red　Bioroid？　Didn't　he　try　to　kill　Dana；　as　she　had　tried　to　kill　him；　in　a　half　dozen　or　so　of　the　most　vicious　single　bats　of　the　war；　her　Hovertank　mecha　against　his　Bioroid？

〃I'll　speak　to　you　later；　Sergeant；〃　Dana　said；　dragging　Zor　off。

Angelo　watched　them　go。　He　had　gained　a　lot　of　respect　for　Dana　Sterling　since　she　had　taken　mand　of　the　15th；　but　she　was　only　eighteen　and；　in　the　sergeant's　opinion；　still　too　impulsive　and　too　inclined　to　make　rash　moves。　He　tried　to　suppress　his　sneaking　suspicion　as　to　why　she　was　so　protective　of　Zor…so　possessive；　really。

But　one　indisputable　fact　remained。　No　matter　how　loyally　Angelo　tried　to　discount　it；　Dana　herself　was　half　alien。


CHAPTER　TWO

I　could　never　figure　out　why　Leonard；　who　hated　anything　alien；　would　tolerate　that　wacky　experiment　where　Zor　was　thrown　in　with　the　15th　ATAC…especially　since　a　female　halfbreed　was　CO。　One　day；　I　remember；　Leonard　had　been　grumbling　about　putting　Zor　back　into　lab　isolation　and　dissecting　him。
Ten　minutes　later　the　phone　rang。　Leonard　didn't　say　much　in　that　conversation…it　was　real　brief。　And　whatever　he　heard　through　the　earpiece　had　him　sweating。　Right　after　that　he　dropped　the　topic　for　good。
I　happened　to　see　the　phone　logs　for　the　afternoon　over　at　the　mo　desk　a　little　later。　The　call　had　e　from　Dr。　Lazio　Zand；　who　ran　Special　Protoculture　Observations　and　Operations　Kommandatura。　I　did　my　best　to　forget　I'd　ever　seen　that　log。
Captain　Jed　Streiber；　as　quoted　in　〃Conjuration；〃　History　of　the　Robotech　Wars；　Vol。　CXXXIII

〃The　Revenge　of　the　Martian　Mystery　Women？〃　Zor　echoed　Dana。

〃Right！〃　she　said　excitedly。　〃Everybody　says　it's　a　dynamite　movie。　You'll　love　it！　And　it　won't　cost　you　anything　'cause　I've　already　got　the　tickets！〃　She　showed　him　the　pair　of　ducats。

They　were　sitting　in　a　little　park　outside　the　big；　imperial…looking　building　that　housed　Alpha　Tactical　Armored　Corps　HQ。　Birds　were　singing；　and　a　fountain　splashed　nearby。　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　they're　hard　to　e　by；　and　the　scalper　charged　me　plenty　for　these！〃　She　frowned　a　bit；　wondering　if　she　was　making　a　fool　of　herself。

Zor　gave　a　thin　smile。　〃Well　then；　how　can　I　refuse；　Lieutenant？〃

An　officer　in　the　10th　squad　who　had　seen　the　movie　last　night　had　said　that　it　was　romantic　as　well　as　exciting。　Dana　liked　the　idea　of　seeing　a　movie　about　alluring；　captivating　alien　women　with　Zor。

She　rushed　on；　〃I　don't　know　what　I　would　have　done　if　you　hadn't　said　yes！〃　Then　she　stopped；　looking　perplexed。　〃Only…now　I'm　not　sure　what　I　ought　to　wear。。。〃

Zor　watched　her　as　she　deliberated；　certain　that　no　matter　what　she　decided　to　wear　she　would　look　beautiful。　He　tried　to　sort　out　the　conflicting　emotions　and　veiled　impulses　that　kept　him　in　a　state　of　confusion　much　of　the　time。　Zor　wondered　if　these　feelings　for　his　lieutenant　were　what　the　Human　beings　called　love。


In　a　geostationary　orbit　some　23；000　miles　above　the　Earth　hung　six　stupendous　mother　ships…the　invasion　fleet　of　the　Robotech　Masters。

In　the　huge　flagship；　which　still　bore　the　scars　of　battles　with　the　Human　race　both　in　space　and　on　the　surface　of　the　planet；　stood　the　Triumvirate　of　Masters。　They　looked　down　from　the　vantage　point　of　their　floating　Protoculture　cap…the　enormous；　humplike　instrument　that　gave　them　total　control　of　superhuman　mind　powers　and　abilities。

Like　virtually　all　members　of　their　race；　the　Triumvirate　of　Masters　functioned　as　a　triad；　each　standing　upon　a　small　platform　attached　to　the　hovering　cap。　They　were　males；　with　hawklike　faces　that　wore　perpetual　scowls。　The　severity　of　their　faces　was　emphasized　by　scarlike　V's　of　tissue　under　each　cheek。　All　of　them　were　bald…or　shave…pated；　their　long；　fine　hair　fell　below　their　shoulders。　They　wore　monkish　robes；　their　wide；　floppy　collars　suggesting　the　tripartite　blossom　of　the　Invid　Flower　of　Life。

The　Masters　usually　mindspoke　through　direct　tactile　contact　with　their　Protoculture　cap；　but　they　chose　now　to　say　their　words　out　loud。　Shaizan；　who　was　often　the　spokesman　for　the　Triumvirate；　said；　〃So；　you're　saying　our　Bioroid　clones　are　limited　in　their　effectiveness？〃

Looking　up　at　him　was　a　triad　of　Clonemasters；　two　males　and　a　female；　standing　under　their　own；　smaller　Protoculture　cap。　All　were　tall；　pale；　and　slender。　They　wore　tight…fitting　clothes　vaguely　suggestive　of　the　early　Renaissance。

Both　males　wore　full　blond…brown　mustaches　and　mutton　chops；　and　one　of　them　had　a　beard；　the　androgynouslooking　female　wore　her　long　blond　hair　in　a　simple　style。　The　minor　differences　between　them　only　served　to　emphasize　their　sameness　of　body　and　features。

The　leader　of　the　Clonemaster　triumvirate　nodded。　〃Precisely。　Their　current　cerebral　position　makes　them　undependable。　They　perform　adequately　as　shock　troops；　but　in　order　to　deal　with　an　Invid　attack；　we'll　need　clones　much　more　tightly　mindlinked　to　our　triumvirate。〃

And　they　all　knew　that　the　need　to　deal　with　the　savage；　relentless　Invid　might　e　soon。　The　Flower　of　Life　had　bloomed　on　Eart