09_the_final_nightmare-第36部分

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Zor　felt　himself　engulfed　in　a　quicksand　of　time　dilation；　he　began　to　mouth　a　cry　that　echoed　Dana's；　a　cry　that　seemed　to　stretch　to　Forever。　And　still　the　canister　poured　its　full　energies　into　Dana　Sterling；　who　hung　in　a　split…instant's　graceful　pose；　high　in　the　air　with　the　Masters'　last　Protoculture　mass　radiant　between　her　hands。。。


With　no　sense　of　transition；　she　found　herself　awakening　on　a　green　field　lush　with　the　pink　Flowers　of　Life。　She　still　wore　her　armor；　she　looked　around　at　hills　and　vales；　not　sure　that　they　were　of　Earth；　though　she　saw　wind…blasted　crags　and　what　seemed　to　be　rusting　Zentraedi　wrecks　in　the　distance。　She　had　barely　begun　to　wonder　how　she　had　e　to　be　there　when　she　realized　she　wasn't　alone。

〃Huh？〃

There　were　dark；　cloaked　figures　standing　back　at　a　slight　remove…female；　she　thought；　feeling　a　bit　drifty；　though　she　couldn't　quite　be　certain。　Each　of　the　dark　figures　held　one　of　the　three…stemmed　Flowers　of　Life；　the　three…that…were…one。

But　there　was　someone　else；　kneeling　right　before　her；　a　pact；　blond　young　woman　in　gauzy　pink　robes；　clutching　a　bouquet　of　the　Flowers；　wearing　a　necklace　something　like　Musica's。　The　woman　had　a　roundish　hairdo　and　an　upturned；　freckled　nose；　she　was　calm；　and　yet　there　was　a　sense　of　life　and　gusto　to　her　that　made　her　very　winsome。

Dana　gave　her　head　a　slight　shake　and　realized　that　she　was　looking　at　herself。　And　she　realized　that　she；　like　this　image　of　her；　held　a　Flower　of　Life。

She　levered　herself　up　and　saw　that　there　were　more　of　the　dark　figures；　standing　silently…making　no　move　as　yet…clutching　their　Flowers；　forming　a　ring　around　Dana　and　her　doppelg鋘ger。　Dana　realized　that　she　wasn't　armed；　but　somehow　the　fact　didn't　bother　her；　and　she　felt　only　peace　and　a　yearning　to　have　her　questions　answered。

Then　the　kneeling　image　of　herself　suddenly　shifted；　separating　out　to　either　side　so　that　there　were　three；　smiling　their　mysterious　smiles　at　her。

The　triumvirate！　She　sat…bolt　upright；　recalling　what　had　happened…grasping　the　canister…and　looking　at　the　Flower　in　her　hand。

The　discharges　released　the　Zentraedi　side　of　my　mind！　I'm　seeing　those　other　sides　of　me　that　would　have　e　to　life　if　I　were　part　of　a　triad！

She　suddenly　felt　terribly　alone。　She　had　never　known　hen　family；　never　known　much　about　her　mother's　race；　had　grown　up　cut　off　from　most　of　the　knowledge　of　serf　that　people　around　her　so　took　for　granted。

And　here　was　not　just　one　other　Dana；　but　three。　A　chance　for　a　closeness　and　unity；　a　panionship；　beyond　anything　Humans　knew。　No　surprise；　it　occurred　to　her；　that　it　was　the　first　thing　her　expanded　powers　of　mind　had　summoned　up　from　the　vast　reservoir　of　the　Protoculture。

But　even　as　she　was　about　to　embrace　her　sibling…clones；　something　held　her　back。　The　image　came　to　mind　of　Musica；　and　of　the　sad　scenes　in　the　mother　ships　of　the　Masters。　She　remembered　the　antiseptic　cruelty　of　triumvirate　life　and　the　obscene　murder　of　the　clone　Latell。

She　still　couldn't　understand　or　see　clearly　who　those　shrouded　entities　were；　gathered　around　her；　but　perceived　that　they　were　listening　closely；　were　attentive　to　her　response。　Dana　felt　that　some　crucial　judgment　was　hanging　in　the　air。

But　it　didn't　take　a　lot　of　soul…searching。　She　had　seen　all　the　sorrows　of　the　submerged　personalities　of　the　triumvirates。　She　looked　to　her　potential　otherselves　again。　Their　stares　were　somehow　malign　now；　and　hungry…as　if　they　wanted　to　devour　her；　to　subsume　her　in　themselves　and　bury　forever　the　personality　that　had　grown　up；　for　good　or　ill；　as　Dana　Sterling。

Dana　hurled　the　Flower　to　the　ground；　it　shattered　and　disappeared　like　a　de…rezzing　puter　image。　〃I　am　not　a　part　of　your　triumvirate！　I　am　an　individual　Human　being！〃

The　triplicate　visions　moaned　in　concert…hollow　sounds　like　the　faraway　wails　of　tortured　children。　They　seemed　to　turn　to　smoke；　being　vacant…eyed　ghosts　that　were　rent　in　the　wind　like　spindrift；　their　Flowers　dissolving　as　well。

The　dark　listeners　evaporated；　too；　with　thin；　pipe…organ　howls　like　mourning　specters；　resigned　to　their　eternal　fate。　They　faded；　now　part　of　a　reality　that　would　never　e　to　be。

Dana　was　on　her　feet。　The　green　had　vanished；　and　she　ground　herself　in　a　bleak　and　blasted　setting；　lifeless　as　any　lunar　crater　but　still　recognizably　an　Earthscape。

She　threw　the　words　out　angrily。　〃I　reject　the　horrors　of　your　civilization！〃　She　wasn't　sure　if　she　was　talking　to　the　Masters；　or　the　Protoculture；　or　her　own　Zentraedi　heritage。　〃I　reject　your　values　and　your　beliefs！〃

Who　is　there　to　hear？　she　wondered；　and　yet　she　knew　she　wasn't　going　unheard。　〃I'm　an　individual；　a　free　Human　being　of　the　planet　Earth！〃

It　came　to　her　that　she　was　standing　in　a　place　of　scattered　Human　bones；　a　skull　nearly　beneath　her　feet。　There　was　no　stirring　of　air；　no　hint　of　life；　anywhere　across　a　limitless　plain　covered　with　ash　and　roofed　over　by　low　clouds　that　might　have　e　from　some　planetary　cremation。

Is　this　it？　Is　this　the　future　of　both　civilizations？　Suddenly　she　was　running；　calling　for　help　in　a　bleak　landscape　that　even　denied　her　echoes。

Her　foot　turned　on　a　shattered　skeleton；　and　she　fell　headlong。　But　as　she　fell；　the　ash　smothering　her；　clogging　her　throat　and　nostrils；　she　heard　somebody　calling　her　name。

She　shook　her　head　to　clear　it；　but　when　she　looked　up；　she　was　in　some　strange；　kinder　place。　There　was　the　blue　and　green　of　growing　things；　but　not　any　that　she　could　identify。　The　smell　of　life　and　the　clarity　of　the　air　made　her　gasp；　though。

〃Dana；　wait　for　me！　I'm　ing！〃

There　were　low　crystal　domes　of　the　Flowers　of　Life　before　her；　and　a　starlit　sky　with　no　constellation　she　could　recognize。　Somewhere　there　was　ethereal　music　that　reminded　her　of　the　Cosmic　Harp's；　and　a　little　girl　was　dashing　toward　her。

〃I…I'm　not　going　anywhere；〃　Dana　said　dazedly。

She　was　ten　or　so；　Dana　guessed；　a　black…haired；　spritelike　thing　with　huge　dark　eyes；　wearing　a　short；　flowing　garment　of　gold　and　white。　Her　tiny　waist　was　encircled　by　a　broad　belt；　her　wrists　and　throat　banded　by　the　same　redbrown　leathery　stuff。　She　wore　a　garland　of　woven　Flowers　of　Life　in　her　hair；　and　carried　another。

〃Who　are　you？〃　Dana　got　out。

The　child　stopped　before　her。　〃Your　sister；　Dana！　The　other　daughter　of　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling！　I　was　born　a　long；　long　way　from　Earth；　and　I've　e　to　warn　you。　Oh；　Mother　and　Father　will　be　so　glad　to　know　I've　finally　made　contact　with　you！〃

〃I'm　glad；　too；〃　Dana　said　haltingly；　praying　it　wasn't　just　some　hallucination。　〃But　what　are　you　supposed　to　warn　me　about？〃

〃The　spores；　Dana。〃

This；　even　while　the　little　girl　pressed　the　Flower　of　Life　into　Dana's　armor…clad　hands。　〃I've　e　to　bring　you　these　Flowers　and　to　warn　you　about　the　spores。〃

〃Please〃　Dana　couldn't　bear　it；　was　afraid　the　thought　of　the　Flowers　and　the　Protoculture　and　the　rest　of　it　would　shake　her　loose　from　this　Vision　or　contact　or　whatever　it　was。　〃Let's　not　talk　about　that。　Tell　me　about　you！　What's　your　name？〃

The　little　girl　was　giggling。　But　then　she　turned　and　raced　away　in　the　direction　from　which　she　had　e。　Dana　was　left　to　yell；　〃Hey！　Please　e　back！　I　want　to　know　more！〃

Two　more　shadow…figures　had　appeared；　a　man　and　a　woman；　graceful　beings　whose　figures　were　indistinct　in　the　way　of　this　strange　half　world。　A　cape　billowed　around　the　woman；　and　there　was　something　familiar　about　the　way　the　man　had　his　arm　around　her；　two　presences　Dana　had　felt　before。

The　child　went　running　toward　them；　and　they　opened　their　arms　to　her。　As　the　three　apparitions　looked　to　her；　Dana　heard　voices　she　knew；　speaking　without　speech。

The　spores；　Dana！　Beware　the　spores；　and　the　Invid！

〃The…the　what？〃　She　felt　dizzy。　Her　own　memories　and　old　tapes　of　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling　told　her　that　she　was　truly　hearing　her　parents'　voices…or　rather；　their　thoughts。

Beware　the　Invid！　They　will　e　in　search　of　the　spores！

She　had　a　million　things　to　ask　them　and　to　tell　them；　but　the　contact　seemed　to　be　growing　weaker；　for　when　the　mind…message　came　again；　it　was　faint。

Time　grows　short。　So　much　has　happened　since　our　last　contact　with　Earth；　so　many　astounding　things！　Your　powers　are　awake　now；　and　they　are　growing！　Use　them　cautiously；　we　of　the　Sentinels　are　only　beginning　to　understand　the　true　nature　of　Protoculture。

The　Sentinels？　Dana　wondered　at　the　sound　of　the　words。

And　then　she　heard　was　her　sister's　voice。　We　love　you；　Dana！　We　love　you　very　much！

We　love　you　very；　very　much；　daughter；　her　parents　added；　as　the　voices　faded。

〃Oh；　I…I　love　you；　too！　And　I　miss　you　so！〃

Them　the　shadow　figures　were　gone；　and　she　was　left　to　hope　they　had　heard　her；　as　the　pink　petals　of　the　Flower　of　Life　drifted　around　her。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE

I　lie　down　at　night　with　my　children　safely　asleep　and　my　dear　wife　beside　me　and　send　up　a…one　hopes；　modest…prayer　to　the　One。　And　the　prayer　is　thanks。
But；　oh！　Those　days！　How　I　would　love　to　have　lived　them；　even　if　it　were　only　to　be　slain　on　the　first！
Isaac　Mandelbrot；　Movers　and　Shakers：　The　Heritage　of　the　Second　Robotech　War

Zor　crouched　near　Dana's　body；　glaring　up　at　the　images　of　the　two　surviving　Robotech　Masters。

He　still　held　his　weapon；　but　it　would　do　him　little　good；　Shaizan　and　Bowkaz　had　struck　in　the　moment　Zor　turned　aside　to　shoot　down　the　android　shock　troopers　they　had　summoned。　That　had　been　the　work　of　mere　seconds；　but　in　that　time；　as　Zor　stood　straddling　the　unconscious　Dana；　the　Masters　had　recovered　the　last　Protoculture　mass　and　made　their　escape；　protected　by　the　powers　of　the　cap。

But　they　had　sent　back　their　mind…projected　simulacra　to　deliver　their　death　warrant。　Zor　heard　Dana　begin　to　stir；　but　felt　little　relief；　his　hatred　of　the　Masters　was　too　all…consuming　for　him　to　feel　any　gentler　emotion。

Dana　raised　her　head　groggily；　hearing　the　one　called　Shaizan　saying；　〃All　those　who　stand　against　us　shall　perish！　Soon　we　will　have　the　Matrix；　and　be　all…powerful　once　more。　Therefore；　surrender　to　us　and　be　spared；　Zor。〃

She　saw　the　two　Masters；　but　realized　that　she　could　see　through　them；　as　though　they　were　made