09_the_final_nightmare-第22部分

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　edges　pushed　outward　as　the　Main　Control　section　detonated。

〃You　stupid　alien；〃　Dana　said　in　a　small　voice；　looking　back　at　it。　〃You　said　you'd　catch　up。〃

〃I'm　truly　sorry；　Dana；〃　Angelo　fumbled；　not　used　to　soft　words。　〃I…I　know　you　were　fond　of　him。　And　he　liked　you　a　lot；　I　could　tell。〃

Sean　was　already　in　contact　with　Emerson's　fleet。　The　15th　hadn't　beaten　the　clock　by　much；　they　just　about　had　enough　time　and　fuel　to　catch　the　withdrawing　strikeforce。

Louie　also　watched　the　explosion。　He　adjusted　his　tech　goggles；　trying　to　see　what　information　they　might　offer。　He　did　a　slight　double　take；　changed　magnification　and　spectrum　bands；　and　looked　again。　〃Lieutenant？　I　think　you　better　check　this　out。〃

It　was　beginning　to　be　visible　to　the　naked　eye　against　the　glare　of　the　explosion　so　close　behind　it…a　form　resolving　itself　into　a　red　Bioroid　on　a　Hovercraft。

〃It's　him！〃　Dana's　heart　had　never　been　so　full。　At　first　it　looked　as　if　Zor　was　helping　along　a　wounded　red；　but　then　they　saw　that　he　had　his　Battloid　clasped　to　him。

〃Whaddaya　know；〃　Angelo　drawled。　〃He　even　brought　along　a　change　of　clothes。〃

Zor；　racing　to　overtake　them；　wondered　about　the　ways　of　fate；　and　the　Shapings　of　the　Protoculture。　The　last　effort　of　the　living　mass　that　served　the　Masters　had　only　contained　the　inevitable　explosion　for　scant　seconds…enough　time　for　him　to　retrieve　his　tank　and　find　a　Hovercraft　and　flee。

But　he　was　still　an　alien　in　a　strange　land。　He　wondered　if　what　waited　ahead　would　be　any　better　than　what　he　left　behind。


The　Masters　knew　their　flagship　was　doomed。

Invader　assault　ships；　forward　mand　ships；　and　the　other　smaller　craft　that　were　berthed　in　the　Masters'　flagship　took　aboard　as　many　clones　as　they　could　in　the　little　time　they　had　left。　But　because　the　Masters　were　impatient　to　get　to　safety　and　unwilling　to　risk　themselves　or　their　possessions　for　the　sake　of　unstable　clones；　many　were　left　behind。　And　so　they　abandoned　their　faithful　slaves。

In　one　evacuation　ship；　Allegra　and　Octavia　clung　to　each　other；　Karno　staring　out　the　viewport　furiously　as　explosion　after　explosion　rocked　the　flagship。

Musica！　the　two　sisters　sent　out　the　silent；　plaintive　cry。


In　the　cockpit　of　the　Re…Tread；　Musica　gasped。　But　when　Bowie　asked　what　was　wrong；　she　just　shook　her　head　and　said　it　was　nothing。

〃The　whole　thing's　gonna　blow！〃　he　yelled　excitedly。

She　turned　in　time　to　see　blue；　concentric　rings　leap　out　from　the　flapship。　Then　a　star　grew　from　it；　hurling　forth　a　gaseous　cloud。

Farewell；　my　sisters；　she　thought；　as　the　15th　got　ready　to　link　up　with　Emerson's　fleet。


While　Emerson　elected　to　withdraw　to　the　ALUCE　base　with　the　main　body　of　his　mand；　damaged　vessels　and　as　many　of　the　casualties　as　possible　made　a　run　for　Earth。　One　such　vessel　was　the　one　that　happened　to　have　picked　up　Dana　and　her　panions。

In　the　tremendous　confusion；　it　wasn't　hard　to　smuggle　Musica　to　a　place　of　temporary　safety；　but　that　left　the　problem　of　Fokker　Base；　and　debarkation。　Fortunately；　the　rest　of　the　15th；　having　been　separated　from　them；　were　on　another　ship；　bound　for　ALUCE　base　with　Emerson's　main　force；　leaving　fewer　to　keep　the　secret。　Surprisingly；　Angelo　was　loudest　among　those　voices　raised　to　protect　the　Mistress　of　the　Cosmic　Harp。

〃We　can't　let　the　GMP　get　her！　Remember　what　they　did　to　Zor；　all　that　testing　and　probing　and　scanning；　like　he　was　some　kinda　animal？〃　It　was　already　a　matter　of　barely　spoken　agreement　that　there　would　be　no　mention　to　Southern　Cross　mand　of　Zor's　temporary　defection；　at　least　for　the　time　being。

Dana　was　calmer。　〃Don't　worry；　anybody　who　messes　with　Musica　is　going　to　have　to　mess　with　us　first。〃


〃Blast　him！〃　Leonard　bellowed　in　Southern　Cross　Army　HQ。　〃I　question　Emerson's　mitment！　I　question　his　sanity！〃

It　was　all　for　the　benefit　of　UEG　observers　who　were　on　the　scene；　Leonard　knew　his　words　would　reach　Moran　and　the　rest　of　the　council　promptly。　〃The　enemy　fleet　still　has　five　fully　operational　mother　ships；　and　yet　he　withdraws！〃

But　Leonard　was　upset　for　another　reason。　Now　he　could　no　longer　fall　back　on　Emerson's　genius　and　leadership。　There　was　no　one　to　whom　he　could　delegate　authority；　the　defense　of　Earth；　the　responsibility　and　the　culpability；　fell　squarely　on　him。　He　was　unsure　now；　his　attitude　toward　Emerson's　absence　in　the　field　was　very　different。


Zor　had　passed　out　just　after　being　brought　aboard　the　transport　and　had　suffered　the　injuries　to　justify　it。　Dana　had　no　choice　but　to　turn　him　over　to　a　med　team　and　hope　he　would　keep　the　secret　of　what　had　happened　in　the　flagship；　as　the　15th　would　keep　it。

The　ambulance　with　Zor　in　it　had　barely　pulled　away　when　Nova　Satori　showed　up。　〃Wele　back；　Dana。　What　what　did　they　say　about　Zor？〃

They　hadn't　spoken　to　one　another　since　Komodo's　death。　They　felt　uneasy　in　each　other's　pany。

〃He'll　recover。　Listen；　Nova；　I'm　really　busy　right　now；　so　if　you　don't　mind。。。〃

That　kind　of　evasiveness　from　the　15th's　CO　set　off　alarm　bells　in　Nova's　head。　Now　what　were　these　eight　balls　up　to？


Musica　held　back　panic；　enclosed　by　armor　that　seemed　ready　to　crush　her；　fearful　of　what　life　among　Humans　might　hold。　Oddly　enough；　it　wasn't　any　of　those；　or　the　danger　of　exposure；　that　beset　her　the　worst　just　then。　Instead；　it　was　a　paratively　little　thing；　the　sickly…sweet；　rubbery　smell　of　the　ATAC　helmet's　breather　mask；　she　was　nauseous；　not　sure　how　long　she　could　control　herself。　The　15th；　long　since　oblivious　to　the　smell；　had　forgotten　how　it　sometimes　affected　boot　trainees。

She　did　her　best　to　be　brave；　but　wasn't　sure　she　was　up　to　it。


〃Looks　like　somebody　else　took　a　hit；　too。〃　Louie　and　Angelo；　suit　helmets　doffed；　were　carrying　the　stretcher　themselves。　As　they　passed　Nova；　they　both　suddenly　put　on　expressions　more　appropriate　to　a　poker　game　than　a　homeing。

Nothing　they　could　say　could　keep　Nova　from　getting　to　the　stretcher；　throwing　back　the　blanket。　Dana　sighed；　and　took　off　the　reclining　trooper's　helmet　when　Nova　threatened　to　do　it　herself。

Sean　Phillips　smiled　up　at　her。　〃Shrapnel；　right　in　the　big　toe；　can　ya　believe　it？　But　I　still　qualify　for　a　medal　and　recuperative　leave；　and　it　does　smart；　and…〃

Nova　upended　the　stretcher　and　walked　away。　Dana　was　yelling　at　the　few　15th　troopers　around　her…her　core　group　to　get　busy　and　off…load　the　Hovertanks；　and　she　even　gave　Sean　a　swift　kick。　Then　she　barked　at　another；　〃You；　too！　Hurry　along　there；　Private　Doppler！　Double　time！〃

Then　they　had　disappeared　back　into　the　transport。　Nova　stalked　away　angrily；　but　stopped　suddenly。　〃‘Doppler'？〃

Minutes　later；　GI　personnel　staff　was　confirming　that　the　only　Private　Doppler　was　a　15th　trooper　who　had　died　during　the　assault　that　had　temporarily　brought　down　the　mother　ship；　weeks　before。

Who　could　Dana　be　hiding；　if　that's　what　she's　doing？　The　only　possibility　seemed　too　farfetched。　Even　Dana　wouldn't　be　that　crazy。


〃Here：　Lemme　take　a　look　at　you。〃　Dana　felt　only　mild　jealousy　that　Musica　looked　better　in　one　of　her　outfits　than　Dana　herself。

Musica　turned　180　degrees　self…consciously。　Her　green　hair　would　fit　in　with　current　Earth　fads；　caught　back　as　it　was　in　a　heavy　clip；　nearly　reaching　her　waist；　it　was　gorgeous。　〃But…these　garments　expose　my　legs。〃

〃With　legs　like　yours；　Musica；　I　wouldn't　let　it　bother　you。　See　for　yourself；　in　the　mirror。〃

Musica　did；　pulling　at　the　puffy　sleeves　of　the　pink　blouse；　the　hem　of　the　full　skirt。　〃Why　is　it　whenever　I　wear　something　like　that　it　makes　me　look　about　ten　years　old？〃　Dana　wondered　aloud。

They　decided　to　let　Bowie　enter　at　last　and　cast　his　vote。　It　took　him　a　while　to　find　words；　and　when　he　did　all　he　could　say　was；　〃I'll　write　a　song　about　it。〃　Musica's　face　shone。

Angelo　called　from　the　hospital　to　tell　them　Zor　was　being　released。　The　rest　of　the　15th　was　in　one　of　the　ships　that　had　gone　to　ALUCE　with　Emerson；　and　had　been　seconded　to　the　10th　ATAC　squad；　another　Hovertank　unit。

Since　the　15th　was　badly　under　strength；　it　wasn't　on　alert　or　standby；　Dana　decided　that　a　party　was　in　order。

〃Get　Zor　over　to　the　Moon　of　Havana　by　eight；　okay；　Angie？　We'll　meet　you　there。〃

It　was　good　to　be　alive。


In　the　mother　ship　to　which　the　Masters　had　withdrawn　when　their　own　flagship　was　atomized；　Allegra　and　Octavia　were　thrust　into　a　detention　area。

They　were　still　in　shock。　Muse　clones　simply　weren't　treated　this　way！

But　they　saw　that　much　had　changed；　and　this　wrath　of　the　Masters　was　only　part　of　it。

Deprived　of　their　instruments　and；　in　Musica's　absence；　a　vital　part　of　themselves；　they　trudged　into　the　cheerless　and　impersonal　holding　area。　The　clones　confined　there　were　dispirited　and　lethargic。

The　two　Muses　huddled　together　in　a　corner；　fearful　of　what　might　e　next。　〃It's　all　because　of　Musica；〃　Allegra　said　bitterly。　〃She　abandoned　us　and　betrayed　her　own　people！　They　can't　understand　that　her　sins　aren't　ours；　so　they've　cast　us　away　in　here！〃

〃Allegra…〃

But　she　cut　Octavia　off。　〃I　feel…〃　Allegra　made　a　vague；　angry　gesture；　to　express　the　rage　for　which　she　had　no　word。

〃Musica　is　our　sister；　we　three　are　one；〃　Octavia　said　soothingly。　But　she　was　troubled。　Didn't　Allegra　see　that　she　was　falling　victim　to　the　same　malady　that　had　claimed　Musica！　Apparently；　the　sickness　called　〃emotion〃　had　more　than　one　symptom。


The　party　started　with　a　toast　to　the　ATACs　who　had　been　killed　or　wounded　in　the　battle。　Then；　one　to　the　members　of　the　15th　who　had　been　redeployed　to　ALUCE。　After　that；　life；　love；　and　happiness　were　the　subjects。　The　ATAC　troopers　had　no　urge　to　toast　victory　or　rehash　the　battle…it　was　time　to　forget　the　war　for　a　while。

The　manager　gave　the　15th　a　great　table；　a　circular　banquette。　Soon　Bowie　was　at　the　Moon　of　Havana's　piano。　Musica　sat；　absorbed　in　his　playing。　And　the　songs　he　played　were　new；　like　nothing　she　had　ever　heard　or　thought　of　before！　And　he　was　making　some　of　it　up　as　he　went　along！　These　Humans　were　truly　astonishing。

Things　were　going　fine　until　they　realize　Nova　Satori　was　standing　in　front　of　their　table。　Dana　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do　but　invite　her　to　sit　down。