09_the_final_nightmare-第27部分

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for　Zor；　and　then　the　sudden　absence　of　it；　the　slow　warming　to　Dennis　Brown；　the　pity　she　held　for　Captain　Komodo；　because　she　knew　how　it　felt　to　be　rebuffed…those　were　things　she　didn't　dare　inspect　too　closely。

She　drew　her　sidearm；　holding　it　close　to　her　hip　and　leveling　it　at　them。

〃It's　my　duty；　that's　why；〃　she　told　Dana。　〃And　for　me；　Earth　es　first。　And　the　Human　race。　I'm　taking　Musica　back；　whether　some　of　you　get　hurt　or　not。〃

It　was　all　too　melodramatic；　Dana　thought；　even　as　she　got　set　to　play　out　her　role。　Bowie　had　stepped　into　the　line　of　fire；　shielding　Musica；　and　Musica　was　already　making　timid　but　determined　insistence　that　he　move　aside；　to　avoid　bloodshed。

The　rest　of　the　15th　reacted　to　the　appearance　of　the　pistol　with　predators'　reflexes；　shifting　weight；　edging　this　way　and　that　slightly；　barely　seeming　to　move　their　feet。　They　turned　their　bodies　side…on　to　Nova　to　minimize　their　target　silhouettes；　bracing　to　take　her。

〃What　happened　to　all　that　talk　back　at　GMP　headquarters；　Nova？〃　Bowie　challenged；　holding　Musica　back。　〃Honor。　Freedom。　Defending　Human　ideals　and　our　way　of　life。　You　said　you　could　be　a　friend　to　anyone　who　valued　those　things。〃

〃Well；　this　is　my　life。〃　He　put　his　arm　around　Musica's　waist。　〃D'you　really　have　it　in　you　to　be　a　friend？〃

〃I…〃　Nova　had　forgotten　those　talks；　an　attempt　to　win　over　a　friend　in　the　enemy　camp　of　the　15th。　It　had　started　out　as　a　turning　operation；　at　Colonel　Fredericks's　direction。　But　it　ended　up　with　her　actually　feeling　something　for　the　maverick　trooper　private；　if　only　an　unspoken　sympathy　for　his　confusion；　his　alienation。　And　then　he　was　also　Claudia　Grant's　nephew。

Nova　had　the　flash　of　memory　again；　not　clear　but　strong。


It　was　Christmas　in　rebuilt　Macross　City；　the　Christmas　that　would　see　Khyron's　sneak　attack。　Little　Nova　Satori　was　out　with　her　older　sister　and　her　sister's　friends；　caroling；　as　the　snow　drifted　down。　They　happened　upon　a　tall；　regal　black　lady；　beautiful　as　a　Snow　Queen；　who　looked　very　sad。

But　when　she　spoke　to　them；　Nova's　sister　recognized　the　lady's　voice；　as　all　the　older　girls　did。　Back　on　the　SDF…1；　hers　had　been　the　PA　voice　that　so　often　restored　hope　in　the　midst　of　war；　told　the　people　where　to　go　and　what　to　do；　gave　the　world　calm；　transmitted　courage。

She　was　mander　Claudia　Grant。　The　chorus　of　little　girls　gathered　close　in　a　ring　around　her　and　sang；　the　best　they　ever　sang。　There　was　no　question　about　what　carol　it　would　be。

〃An…gels　we　have　heard　on　high！　Sweetly　singing　o'er　the　plain！〃


They　all　wanted　to　be　mander　Grant；　mander　Grant　wanted　them　to　be　more。　She'd　hugged　them　all　to　her　and　wept。


〃…I'm　a　friend。。。。〃　Nova　managed；　not　sure　what　she　was　saying。　Her　training　and　the　pistol　gave　her　mand　of　the　situation。　She　knew　what　moves　to　make　and　procedures　to　follow；　even　what　tone　of　voice　she　ought　to　be　using　at　this　point　to　ensure　that　Phillips　and　the　others　didn't　try　any　of　their　absurd　heroics。

She　had　singlehandedly　managed　situations　against　even　greater　odds；　against　truly　ruthless　and　evil　people；　and　that　last　part　was　the　glaring　incongruity。　She　was　disarmed　of　her　greatest　weapon：　the　conviction　that　she　was　totally　in　the　right。　And　all　her　other　resources；　powerful　though　they　were；　began　to　fail　her。

When　Zor's　big　hand　closed　over　the　weapon　and　took　it　from　her；　Nova　barely　registered　it　through　the　sudden　numbness　she　felt。　〃You　won't　need　this；〃　he　said　in　an　almost　conversational　tone。　She　could　have　had　the　pistol　back　at　once；　by　using　an　infighting　trick；　she　didn't。

Nova　shook　herself　loose　of　the　paralysis；　the　realization　that　she　couldn't　fire　at　these　people；　that　her　oath　conflicted　with　the　ideals　it　was　supposed　to　uphold。

She　looked　to　Zor。　〃But…isn't　she　one　of　the　clones？　Zor；　they　did　such　terrible　things　to　you…〃

Zor　was　shaking　his　head；　the　lavender　curls　swaying。　〃She　is　a　Muse；　the　very　soul　of　harmony。　She　is　vital　to　the　Robotech　Masters；　however。　Look！〃

Nova　and　the　others　followed　Zor's　pointing　finger。　They　were　watching　the　great　mass　of　the　Flowers　of　Life；　hearing　the　tonalities　from　the　Matrix　that　were　so　like　the　Muse's　songs。　〃From　the　Protoculture　all　life　flows。　Once　the　clones　have　been　quickened；　it　is　the　playing　of　Musica　and　her　sisters　that　keeps　them　docile　and　obedient。　That　tells　them；　in　effect；　who　they　are。〃

〃And　now；　she's　learning　to　play　the　songs　of　Humankind；〃　Louie　Nichols　said　quietly；　the　words　forming　a　core　of　argument　there　at　the　very　center　of　Nova's　decision。　There　was　too　much　happening　for　her　to　consider　the　fact　that　it　was　an　amazingly　profound　thing　for　such　a　mechie…as　she　had　always　thought　of　him　and　his　ilk…to　put　forth。

And　if　Fredericks　and　Leonard　and　the　UEG　got　their　hands　on　Musica？　They　would　pull　her　every　which　way　like　a　wishbone…cruelty　was　one　of　their　first　resorts。　Musica　embodied　the　hope　of　peace；　but　Nova　dreaded　to　think　what　her　songs　would　sound　like　once　she　had　been　put　into　the　United　Earth　Government's　mill。

〃We　have　to　move　quickly；〃　Nova　said。　〃I　mo'ed　for　a　flying　squad　of　GMP　officers；　it'll　be　here　any　time　now。〃

〃We've　gotta　get　out　of　here！〃　Dana　snapped。　Emerson　was　in　battle；　and　there　were　few　others　she　could　trust。　But　the　world　was　wide；　much　of　it　unpopulated；　and　a　Hovertank　squad　mounted　plenty　of　firepower。　They　would　have　to　lay　low；　try　to　get　to　someone　sane。　Perhaps　they　would　have　to　contact　the　Robotech　Masters　as　well；　and　force　some　kind　of　ceasefire。　Then　a　truce；　then　peace。

She　threw　aside　her　oath　in　that　moment；　the　other　party…the　UEG　and；　by　extension；　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross…hadn't　kept　its　end　of　the　bargain。　She　sensed　that　her　ATACs　stood　with　her；　as　did　Nova　and　Musica。

Peace　renegades！　It　sounds　so　weird；　she　thought。

〃Your　officers　won't　make　any　moves　without　instructions　from　you；〃　Zor；　who　knew　from　experience；　reminded　Nova。　〃We　must　move　calculatedly；　but　very　quickly　now。〃

He　showed　no　emotion　as　Dana　clapped　her　hands　and　began　organizing　the　escape；　somehow　drawing　Nova　into　her　little　band　as　if　the　GMP　lieutenant　had　always　been　an　ally。　That　instinctive　talent　for　manding　loyalty　and　cooperation　must　be　something　Dana　had　inherited　from　both　her　warrior…woman　Zentraedi　mother　and　her　ace…of…aces　Human　father；　Zor　reflected　in　passing。

Suddenly　there　was　that　sound　again；　the　one　Bowie　had　heard　before；　as　if　something　was　moving　among　the　mass　of　Flowers。　They　all　heard　it；　as　they　heard　a　sudden；　high；　playful　sound；　like　a　cross　between　a　small　dog's　yip　and　the　tones　that　came　from　the　Matrix。

〃Polly！〃

Dana　was　on　one　knee；　beckoning　to　him；　and　Bowie　groaned。　〃I　should've　known。〃　Nova　and　the　others　stood　trying　to　fathom　their　latest　marvel。

The　little　creature　looked　a　low…slung　white　dog　or　mophead；　some　kind　of　crypto…Lhasa　apso　with　a　sheepdog　forelock；　until　one　noticed　the　knob…ended　horns　and　feet　something　like　untoasted　muffins。　He　showed　a　miniature　red　swatch　of　tongue　and　yipped　again；　running　to　her。

〃You　know　this　thing？〃　Angelo　demanded；　scratching　his　head。

Bowie　answered　for　Dana。　〃All　her　life。　Her　godfathers　introduced　her　to　him。　Only　I　never　believed　in　Polly　till　now；　never　saw　him。　I；　uh；　always　thought　he　was　imaginary。〃

Dana　was　nuzzling　and　laughing；　hugging　the　little　beast。　A　Pollinator；　her　three　unlikely；　self…appointed　godfathers；　the　former　Zentraedi　spies　Konda；　Bron；　and　Rico　had　called　him。　Three…year…old　Dana　had　given　him　his　shortened　name　right　then　and　there。

She　had　quickly　learned　that　Polly　was　a　magical　beast　who　came　and　went　as　he　willed；　no　walls　or　locks　could　hold　him。　He　showed　up　very　rarely　and　went　his　way　when　he　wished；　simply　vanishing　while　she　was　looking　the　other　way。　In　her　whole　life；　she　had　seen　him　perhaps　seven　or　eight　times。　He　never　changed；　or　seemed　to　grow　older。

〃A　Pollinator；　yes；〃　Zor　said；　looking　down。　〃And　now　you　know　what　he　pollinates。〃　She's　been　tied　to　all　this　since　she　was　a　child…perhaps　before　her　birth。　Dana；　Dana：　who　are　you？

Dana　couldn't　picture　Polly　buzzing　around　like　a　bee　there　in　the　Flower　mass；　but　obviously　something　had　been　at　work。　She　let　the　little　creature　lick　her　cheek　again；　then　stood　up　with　him　in　her　arms；　petting　him。

〃What're　you　all　staring　at？　Let's　go！〃

Zor　looked　to　the　Flowers　of　Life　that　would　no　doubt　be　detected　by　the　Invid。　He　still　couldn't　recall　everything；　but　one　thing；　he　knew。

The　Masters'　power　must　be　broken。　The　original　Zor　was　not　altogether　responsible　for　what　had　happened　once　he　beguiled　the　Invid　Regis。　Perhaps　I　am　not　either；　though　I　am　him　and　he　is　me。

But　it　lies　within　my　power　to　do　what　must　be　done。　Let　this　be　the　lifetime　when　at　last　I　acplish　it！


The　fighting　raged　around　the　five　great　surviving　mother　ships　of　the　Masters'　fleet。　The　Humans　were　proving　to　be　enemies　even　more　terrible　than　the　teeming　Invid。

But　that　was　not　the　worst　news。　Optical　relays　showed　an　invader　in　the　realm　of　their　Protoculture　masses；　a　thing　to　be　feared　more　than　any　Invid　or　Battloid。

It　was　small　and　white；　yipping　and　chasing　its　own　bedraggled　tail　among　the　storage　canisters。　A　Pollinator。

The　Masters　knew　better　than　to　waste　time　attacking　it。　Try　to　stab　the　wind；　shoot　a　bullet　at　the　sun。

The　Masters　accepted　the　devastating　news　with　the　same　emotionless　reserve　they　had　always　displayed。　To　say　it　was　stoicism　would　have　been　inaccurate。　It　would　have　implied　they　had　some　other　mode　of　behavior。

The　dissipation　of　Protoculture　made　itself　felt　not　only　in　the　declining　performance　of　the　Masters'　Robotechnology；　but　in　the　failure　of　judgment；　dispiritedness；　and　lack　of　coordination　of　the　clones　themselves。　Never　had　the　Masters'　own…the　primary…Protoculture　cap　been　so　weakened。

Even　now；　whole　masses　of　Protoculture　were　transforming；　all　through　the　fleet；　into　the　Flowers　of　Life；　just　as　was　happening　below。

Their　unspoken　conference　was　short。　Shaizan　gave　the　order。　〃Transfer　all　functioning　clones　and　all　Protoculture　reserves　to　Our　flagship。　Set　automatic　controls　on　an　appropriate　number　of　bat　vessels　to　land　t