09_the_final_nightmare-第39部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ir　weapons。　Among　those　downed　was　the　Guard　Triumvirate。

Angelo　led　the　refugees　the　other　way；　toward　the　assault　ships。　But　Karno　reared　up　and　spied　Octavia；　who　had　been　promised　to　Sookol　so　long　ago　by　the　Masters。　She　looked　so　like　Musica。

Karno　dragged　himself　up　and　dug　out　his　sidearm；　to　shoot　her　as　she　dashed　by。　She　screamed　and　fell；　Bowie　and　Musica　turning　back　to　help　her。

Sean　turned　his　Battloid　and　brought　up　the　Cyclopean　foot。　Even　as　Bowie　and　Musica　were　carrying　Octavia　to　cover；　Karno　screamed。　The　last　thing　the　clone　ever　saw　was　the　bottom　of　the　foot　of　the　Battloid…configuration　Hovertank　Bad　News；　15th　squad；　Alpha　Tactical　Armored　Corps。

Bowie　knelt　in　the　lee　of　the　alloy　container　while　Musica　sought　to　fort　her　sister。

Octavia's　hand　caressed　her　cheek。　〃It's　all　right；　Musica…I　know　my　spirit　and　my　songs　will　live　in　you！〃

〃We're　still。。。as　one；〃　Musica　struggled。

〃Yes；　I　know；　though　greater　things　are　in　you　now；　such　greater　things！　But　to　the　end　of　space　and　time…we　three　are　one。。。always。。。。〃

And　she　was　dead。　Bowie　tugged　at　Musica's　arm　because　a　sudden　rush　by　counterattacking　guards　might　put　Musica　in　jeopardy　before　Sean's　Battloid　could　make　them　see　reason　and　drive　them　back。

The　counterattack　was　repulsed；　not　much　of　a　job　for　a　mecha　that　had　the　firepower　of　an　old…time　armored　troop。　Sean's　Bad　News　burrowed　through　a　bulkhead　like　a　big；　glittering　badger；　and　opened　the　way　for　the　refugees；　who　went　spilling　into　the　assault　ship　hangar　deck。　〃There；　that　oughta　do　it；　everybody　into　the　troop　carriers！〃


As　planned；　the　battle　on　and　just　over　the　planet's　surface　and　the　decoys　that　were　the　surviving　mother　ships　had　led　most　of　the　Earth　forces　away　from　the　flagship。　Those　that　were　left　were　of　no　importance。　The　Robotech　Masters'　last　functioning　mother　ship　closed　in　to　execute　the　final　portion　of　its　mission。

Three　segmented　metal　appendages；　like　huge　blind　worms；　extruded　themselves　from　the　underside　of　the　flagship　and　met；　their　pleted　instrumentality　throwing　out　a　light　as　bright　as　a　solar　prominence。　A　beam　sprang　down　to　penetrate　one　of　the　mounds　below；　and　the　second；　and　the　third；　with　zigzagging　sensor　bolts。

Inside　the　Masters'　ship；　engines　of　raw　power　were　brought　into　play。　The　distortions　and　occlusions　of　the　Protoculture　wraiths　could　not　stand　before　that　raw　power；　and　the　Masters　saw…at　last　where　their　target　lays。


The　three　wraiths　looked　upward。　Their　hour　was　nearly　sped；　there　was　no　resisting　the　focused　might　of　the　mother　ship。


At　the　touch　of　the　Masters'　might；　the　mound　covering　the　SDF…1　shuddered；　then　began　to　split　open；　as　the　Flowers　of　Life　stirred；　and　the　spores　bobbed　upward。　Rock　ground　against　rock；　and　tremendous　volumes　of　soil　were　shifted　with　ease。　The　mound　itself　was　split　in　half　and　pulled　apart　by　the　invaders'　awesome　instrumentality。　As　the　gap　widened；　trees；　boulders；　and　dirt　from　the　mound's　flat　top　rained　down　onto　the　wreckage　below。　In　the　place　of　the　relatively　small　opening　that　had　been　above　the　Matrix　garden；　there　appeared　a　rift　that　exposed　the　entire　wreckage　of　the　SDF…1。

The　guardian　Protoculture　wraiths　released　the　hold　they　had　maintained　on　the　spores　for　so　long；　the　spores　began　drifting　up　toward　the　sunlight　and　the　winds　of　Earth。

The　Masters；　studying　their　operations　with　satisfaction；　watched　the　mound　split　open　and　willed　their　great　ship　to　speed　to　it；　for　the　extraction　of　the　Matrix。　There　was　time　to　save　enough　of　it　to　provide　them　with　sufficient　new　Protoculture　to　rebuild　their　galactic　empire。

They　were　no　longer　on　their　floating　cap；　since　its　systemry　had　to　be　merged　with　that　of　the　ship　itself　for　this　crucial　function。　Instead　they　stood　on　a　circular　antigrav　platform；　nearly　at　floor　level。　Without　Bowkaz；　it　was　less　crowded　than　they　were　used　to。　Shaizan　held　the　canister　with　the　last　mass　once　more；　waiting　for　the　moment　when　its　total　power　must　be　brought　to　bear。

〃Soon　even　the　Invid　will　not　dare　stand　against　us；〃　Shaizan　declared。　He　turned　to　issue　another　order　to　the　Scientist　triumvirate；　whose　members　stood　nearby；　supervising　the　mission；　gathered　around　a　big　control　module　in　the　middle　of　the　chamber。

But　the　opening　of　a　hatch　behind　them　made　Shaizan　and　Dag　whirl。　Zor　Prime　entered；　with　the　clone　guard　they　had　posted　held　in　an　armlock；　his　rifle　aimed　at　them　with　his　free　hand。　Dana　followed；　holding　her　carbine。

〃Masters；　heed　me：　the　moment　of　retribution　has　e。　Now　you　pay　for　all　the　evil　you've　done！〃　Zor　Prime　thundered。

Shaizan　seemed　almost　sad。　〃Will　you　never　understand；　Zor？　It　is　much　too　late。〃　He　gestured　to　the　screens；　which　showed　the　opened　mound；　and　Monument　City　in　flames。　〃In　moments；　we　will　have　the　Matrix　back；　at　last。　You　cannot　stop　us。〃

Dana　snarled；　〃We're　not　going　to　let　you　snakes　have　that　Matrix。　It's　too　powerful！〃

The　Masters　were　mystified　as　to　how　Zor　and　the　female　had　escaped；　it　was；　perhaps；　some　effect　from　the　sundering　of　their　Triumvirate；　Dag　and　Shaizan　concluded。

Dana　brought　the　carbine　up　and　aimed　it　at　the　Scientist　clones；　clicking　off　the　safety。　〃Stop　the　machines。〃

Dovak；　the　triumvirate　leader　of　the　Scientists；　protested；　〃Impossible！　They　cannot　be　stopped　now；　they've　been　given　final　instructions！〃

Dana　decided　to　find　out；　with　a　few　well…placed　bursts　into　the　controls…perhaps　even　into　the　clones；　if　they　didn't　see　reason。　But　just　then；　Zor　shoved　her　aside。　Energy　bolts　blazed　through　the　spot　where　she　had　stood；　splashing　molten　droplets　and　sparks　from　the　bulkhead。

The　Masters'　antigrav　platform　was　rising；　and　from　an　energy　nozzle　on　its　underside；　a　stream　of　shots　raged　at　the　interlopers。　Zor　had　dived　for　cover；　hurling　the　guard。　against　the　bulkhead　and　the　clone　dropped；　stunned。　Rolling；　Zor　fired　back；　and　Dag　clutched　his　midsection；　slumping；　crying　out　in　pain　and　hysterical　fear　of　death。

Dana　fired；　too；　but　her　shots　at　the　weapon　nozzle　and　the　platform's　underside　didn't　appear　to　be　doing　much　good。　Then　she　hit　a　hornlike　projection；　and　the　platform　rocked；　smoking　and　crackling　with　powerful　discharges；　and　fell　back　to　the　deck。

The　platform　came　straight　at　them；　and　Dana　and　Zor　threw　themselves　to　either　side。　Somehow；　Shaizan；　still　cradling　the　canister　to　him；　gained　control　at　the　last　moment　and　managed　to　leap　free；　before　the　platform　went　on　to　plow　into　the　Scientist　clones　and　their　control　module。　They　screamed；　transfixed　with　horror；　as　the　platform　crashed　down　on　them　and　their　control　module　ruptured；　spilling　out　furious　energy　surges。

By　the　time　Zor　and　Dana　got　back　to　their　feet；　Shaizan　was　already　at　another　hatch；　clinging　to　the　Protoculture　mass。　Zor　screamed；　〃Master；　you　can't　escape　me！〃　but　the　tripartite　hatch　closed　behind　Shaizan。

As　they　were　rushing　to　catch　up；　Dana　heard　some　monitoring　system　shrilling　in　alarm。　A　voice　simulacrum　wailed；　〃Warning！　Warning！　Guidance　systems　off…line！　Power　systems　failing！　Crash　alert！　Impact　in　three　point　five　five　units！〃

Dana　looked　at　the　display　maps；　and　saw　the　projected　point　of　impact：　it　looked　to　her　like　Monument　City。　She　wasn't　aware　that　the　city　had　already　been　shot　to　ruins　by　the　Triumviroids。

〃We've　got　to　stop　it；　or　it'll　kill　everyone　in　the　city！　Zor；　there's　got　to　be　a　manual　control　system！〃

He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃We　must　get　Dhaizan　to　release　his　hold　over　the　systemry　first。〃

He　started　for　the　hatch　with　Dana　sprinting　along　behind。　〃Then　we　have　to　capture　the　last　one　alive！〃

In　fear　of　his　life；　Shaizan　ran　as　he　hadn't　run　in　an　age。　Fright　gave　him　more　strength　that　he　had　ever　thought　possible；　and　the　pumping　of　adrenaline　in　his　system　felt　savage；　bewilderingly　primitive；　after　a　long　sedentary　life。

But　he　was　the　quarry　of　young　people　in　top　condition；　they　soon　caught　up　with　him；　in　an　ejection　capsule　access　deck　not　far　from　the　bridge。　Zor　saw　Shaizan　ahead　and　stopped　to　take　up　a　firing　stance。　〃Stop；　I　mand　you！〃

〃Zor；　don't！〃　But　before　Dana　could　strike　down　the　rifle　barrel；　Zor　fired。　Shaizan　dropped　in　a　swirl　of　robes；　somehow；　the　canister　remained　intact。

Zor　went　to　look　down　at　the　old　man。　Somehow；　death　had　taken　away　the　constant　anger　of　the　Master's　visage；　and　he　was　nothing　but　a　frail；　infinitely　tired…looking　creature　with　a　smoking　hole　in　him；　head　pillowed　on　a　collar　resembling　the　Flower　of　Life。　How　could　these　creatures　have　lived　so　long　and　thrived　on　the　Protoculture　without　understanding　its　Shapings…without　foreseeing　this　day？

〃It's　over　now；〃　Zor　said；　more　to　himself　than　to　Dana。

〃What　d'you　mean；　‘all　over'？〃　Dana　barked。　〃This　ship's　gonna　demolish　the　city！〃

〃The　Masters　brought　their　own　punishment　down　on　themselves；　by　their　misuse　of　the　Protoculture；〃　he　told　her；　putting　a　hand　on　each　of　her　armored　shoulders。　〃And　I　was　the　instrument　of　that　punishment；　ordained　by　the　Shaping。〃

〃But　what　about　my　people？　It's　not　fair　to　punish　them　for　something　they　didn't　do…mmmmm。。。〃

He　leaned　forward　to　put　his　lips　to　hers。　Their　months　locked；　they　kissed　for　what　might　have　been　seconds　or　centuries。　When　they　parted　a　bit；　he　smiled　at　her　tenderly；　and　she　was　astounded　to　see　from　his　eyes　that

He…he　loves　me！

Zor　had　her　back　in　his　arms；　was　lifting　her　off　the　deck。　〃Do　not　worry　about　your　people；　Dana。　I　will　allow　no　harm　to　e　to　them。〃

She　felt　like　relaxing；　just　letting　him　carry　her　where　he　would；　like　going　limp　and　simply　trusting　him。　But　some　inner；　independent　part　of　her　made　her　start　to　object。　Just　then；　she　realized　that　he　was　setting　her　down　into　the　cocoon　padding　of　an　ejection　capsule。

〃Good…bye；　Dana。〃

At　first　she　had　thought　he　was　going　to　join　her　inside…that　they　would　cast　aside　the　armor　of　war　and　never　wear　it　again。　And　she　had　been　working　up　the　self…discipline　to　make　sure　everything　really　was　all　right　before　she　took　her　own　armor　off；　though　the　temptation　was　great。

But　instead；　he　drew　back；　and　she　was　so　astounded　that　she　sat　frozen　while　the　hatch　of　the　littl