09_the_final_nightmare-第5部分

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minated　or　punished　for　what　their　triad…sibling　was　doing。　Off　to　one　side；　Karno　and　the　other　Guard　clones　looked　on。

Musica　sounded　as　if　she　was　ready　to　weep　again；　something　with　which　Allegra　and　Octavia　were　being　unfortably　familiar。　〃I'm　sorry！　I　wish　I　could　explain！　I　don't　mean　to　be　disobedient；　really　I　don't！〃

〃Your　mate　has　been　selected；　Musica；〃　Tinsta　said。　〃And　he　is　Lieutenant　Karno。　You　will　submit　to　this　decision。〃

〃The　survival　of　your　own　people　requires　it。〃　Jeddar　pressured　her。

She　shook　her　head；　her　long；　deep…green　hair　swinging　around　her　face；　moaning；　〃No。。。no。。。〃

〃Yes！〃　Jeddar　shot　back。　〃Disobedience　cannot　be　tolerated！〃

Musica；　moaning；　seemed　to　undergo　some　sort　of　seizure。　Then　she　slumped　to　the　deck。　Her　sisters　rushed　to　kneel　by　her。　The　Clonemaster　triumvirate　gaped；　finally；　Jeddar　found　words。　〃This　is　far　worse　that　I　had　imagined。〃

〃Has　she　ceased　to　live？〃　Lieutenant　Karno　asked　numbly。

Jeddar　replied；　〃She　has　fallen　into　what　the　Humans　call　a　‘faint。〃'　A　cold　current　rippled　through　him。　Until　this　moment；　he　had　been　sure　that　his　Robotech　Masters　ultimately　would　be　victorious。　But　as　Musica　now　knew　emotions；　so　did　Jeddar　begin　to　know　the　meaning　of　doubt。


Everything　was　on　schedule；　and　the　relief　force　was　expecting　rendezvous　with　Marie's　contingent；　when　the　chilling　news　came。

〃Enemy　ships　spotted　at　mark　seven　niner；　closing　on　us　fast！〃

General　quarters　sounded；　armor…shod　feet　pounding　the　deck　as　men　and　women　rushed　to　battle　stations。　Cannon　and　missile　tubes　were　run　forth　from　their　turrets　as　the　rust…red；　whiskbroom…shaped　assault　ships　of　the　Robotech　Masters　plunged　at　the　relief　force。

Fast…moving　and　mounting　formidable　firepower；　the　assault　ships　dodged　the　Terrans'　shot　patterns　and　began　scoring　hits　almost　immediately。　Hulls　were　penetrated　by　fusion…hot　lances　of　energy；　there　were　explosions　and　explosive　depression　in　the　breeched　warcraft。　Southern　Cross　soldiers　died　in　flames；　in　whirlwinds　of　shrapnel；　and　in　vacuum。

Battlecruiser　number　three；　the　Austerlitz；　disappeared　in　a　furious　fireball。　Other　vessels　were　taking　heavy　damage。　The　Terrans　had　been　taken　by　surprise；　and　no　one　could　answer　the　question；　How　could　this　have　happened？　How　could　they　have　been　waiting　for　us；　as　if　they　knew　we　were　ing？

But　the　Humans　struggled　to　throw　up　a　screen　of　AA　fire；　bring　damage　under　control；　and　simultaneously　launch　mecha　of　their　own。　In　moments　the　A…JACs；　rotors　folded　for　space　bat；　howled　forth　from　the　battlecruisers　to　engage　in　battle。

As　soon　as　the　A…JACs　began　their　counterattack；　the　hatches　opened　in　the　sides　of　the　assault　ships；　and　enormous　Bioroids　rode　forth　to　give　battle　on　circular　antigrav　Hovercraft。　The　Bioroids　deployed　for　the　fight；　looking　like　vaguely　human…shaped　walking　battleships。　They　swarmed　angrily；　outnumbering　the　Human　mecha。


〃Air　Cavalry　One　to　Lieutenant　Crystal；〃　the　call　came　over　the　mand　net。　〃I'm　breaking　radio　silence　to　request　immediate　assistance。　We　are　under　heavy　attack　and　request　immediate　assistance。〃

Marie；　on　the　bridge　of　the　destroyer　escort　Mohi　Heath；　saw　the　worried　look　on　the　face　of　Lieutenant　Lucas；　the　Aircav　mander。　She　opened　her　headset　mike　to　transmit。　〃Roger；　Aircav　One；　we're　on　our　way。〃

The　ships　of　the　patchwork　evacuation　force　went　to　maximum　speed。　Marie　threw　the　headset　aside　and　ran　for　her　own　A…JAC；　and　the　rest　of　her　TASC　outfit；　the　Black　Lions；　hot…scrambled。


The　Bioroids　were　enjoying　good　hunting。

The　relief　expedition　was　short　on　mecha；　since　so　many　had　been　mitted　to　the　first　strikeforce　and　many　more　had　to　remain　behind　to　guard　Earth。　So；　the　enemy　assault　ships　stayed　back　and　let　the　clone…operated　Bioroids　ride　their　Hovercraft；　and　slaughter　the　enemy。

The　relief　force　A…JACs　and　others　fought　valiantly；　but　the　sheer　unevenness　in　numbers　became　apparent　at　once。　Bioroids　blazed　away　with　the　weapons　mounted　in　the　control　stems　and　platform　bows　of　their　Hovercraft；　and　with　the　disc…shaped　handguns　that　were　as　big　as　fieldpieces。　A…JACs　blazed　into　explosive　death　one　after　another。

Lieutenant　Lucas；　his　unit　half　gone；　was　calling　to　ask　permission　for　a　hasty　withdrawal；　there　was　no　point　in　throwing　away　Earth's　valuable　mecha。　Then；　suddenly；　there　was　a　blue　Bioroid　on　his　tail；　the　gun　in　its　control　stem　spewing　annihilation　discs。　Lucas　only　had　a　split　second　to　wonder　who　would　take　over　（his　exec　being　dead　already）　and　to　hope　that　the　strikeforce　somehow　would　survive。

But　then　the　Bioroid　disappeared　in　a　flaming　ball　of　gas；　and　a　strange　A…JAC　bearing　a　rampant　black　lion　came　zooming　past。　〃Crystal；　this　is　Lucas！　Crystal；　is　that　you？〃

〃Looks　like　this　time　the　settlers　have　e　to　rescue　the　cavalry；〃　she　said。　She　added　to　her　own　outfit；　〃Okay；　boys；　let's　wrassle　'em　around　some。〃

But　that　was　already　happening。　Marie　Crystal's　Black　Lions　had　e　in　on　the　enemy's　rear　flank；　undetected；　and　hurled　themselves　into　the　furious　dogfight。　They　had　already　changed　the　odds；　within　seconds　they　were　turning　the　kill　ratios　around。　Before　fifteen　seconds　passed；　eight　surprised　Bioroids　had　been　shot　to　fragments　or　utterly　destroyed。

But　the　enemy　seemed　determined　to　stand　its　ground；　as　it　were；　and　fight。　The　Lions；　having　been　mauled　so　badly　on　their　first　assault　only　days　before；　were　more　than　willing　to　oblige。

Dogfight？　Rat　race？　Oh；　yes！　Marie　thought。　Now　you　pay！　And　if　somebody　asks　who　your　accountants　are；　you　just　say；　〃the　Black　Lions〃！

The　engagement　got　even　hotter。　Marie　did　a　classic　〃Fokker　Feint；〃　flamed　a　blue；　then　raised　Aircav　One　again。　〃Lieutenant　Lucas！　Now's　your　chance！　Head　for　ALUCE　base！〃

It　was　too　sensible　a　suggestion　for　Lucas　to　argue　with；　the　units　still　on　the　moon　would　need　the　relief　force；　and　Marie's　pilots　were　keeping　the　enemy　busy。　Lucas　disengaged　his　A…JACs　even　as　the　relief　warcraft　made　their　way　past　the　distracted　Bioroids　to　recover　Aircav　One　and　its　birds　on　the　fly。　He　headed　for　ALUCE　at　top　speed。

Some　of　the　enemy　tried　to　give　chase；　and　Marie　led　several　of　her　A…JACs　to　stop　them。　She　decided　to　change　the　mix　a　bit；　and　went　to　Battloid　mode。　Other　A…JACs　followed　suit；　screaming　after　the　enemy　with　back　and　foot　thrusters　blaring。

The　A…JACs　launched　missiles；　and　three　more　Bioroids　got　waxed。　The　rest　broke　off　their　chase；　to　turn　on　their　tormentors。　Aircav　One　and　the　rest　of　the　relief　force　were　already　disappearing　for　their　rendezvous　with　Luna。

The　Black　Lions　hit　the　Bioroids　with　everything　they　had；　driving　them　back；　until　Marie　judged　that　the　evacuation　force　had　enough　of　a　head　start。　With　the　enemy　ranks　drastically　thinned　out　and　their　attack　broken；　the　A…JACs　got　in　a　final　barrage　that　blew　one　of　the　invader　assault　ships　to　atoms。　As　before；　destruction　of　their　field…mand　nerve　center　confused　and　demoralized　the　Bioroids；　the　A…JACs　took　advantage　of　that　to　break　contact　and　return　to　their　convoy　at　max　thrust。

Soon　Earth　loomed　huge　and　blue…white　before　them。


CHAPTER　FOUR

Very　well；　I　can't　stop　you。　Take　the　Protoculture　from　me！　Seal　my　fate；　and　seal　your　own　as　well！
The　original　Zor　to　the　Lords　of　Tirol

The　Robotech　Masters'　anger　was　not　assuaged　by　their　warriors'　excuse　that　Zor　Prime　had　mentioned　nothing　of　a　second　force　ing　from　Luna　to　catch　the　Bioroids　in　a　pincer。　If　the　Masters　were　not　so　short　of　functioning　servants；　many　clones；　both　in　the　mand　structure　and　in　the　ranks；　would　have　been　deactivated　and　sent　to　reclamation。

The　Clonemasters　cut　short　the　reports　and　turned　to　one　another；　as　they　waited　fearfully。　〃Well　then；〃　Dag　said　to　the　Clonemaster　group　leader；　Jeddar；　〃I　presume　that　is　all　the　evidence　we　need。　We　know　we　can　no　longer　depend　on　Zor　Prime's　transmissions。〃

Jeddar　bowed。　〃That　is　correct；　Master。　He　has　been　overexposed　to　the　emotional　contagions　of　Humanity。　But　there　is　a　matter　of　more　immediate　concern。〃

〃And　that　is？〃　Bowkaz　demanded；　looking　down　at　him。

〃Taking　Musica　as　an　example；〃　Jeddar　responded；　〃we　are　seeing　an　upsurge　in　emotionality　and　counterproductive　behavior　similar　to　what　we　now　know　happened　to　the　Zentraedi　giants　when　they　tried　to　recover　the　Protoculture　Matrix。〃

Shaizan　declared　to　the　other　Masters；　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　time　has　e　to　begin　all…out　production　of　our　Invid　Fighters。〃

The　Masters'　Invid　Fighters　were　different　from　the　mecha　of　the　same　designation　once　used　by　the　Zentraedi　giants。　But　like　the　Zentraedi's；　the　Masters'　Invid　Fighters…more　monly　referred　to　as　the　Triumviroid…were　the　most　powerful　mecha　in　the　Masters'　inventory。　The　clone/fighting　machine　system　had　been　developed　rather　recently　by　their　stagnated　standards…and　incorporated　certain　characteristics　of　the　savage　Invid　with　whom　the　Masters　had　fought　a　long　and　unrelenting　war。

The　reason　there　were　not　more　Triumviroids　in　the　Masters'　forces　was　because　their　production　was　so　costly。　But　the　Masters　now　faced　the　choice　of　either　losing　the　war　or　launching　a　crash　program　to　create　a　fighting　force　of　Invid　Fighters…even　if　it　meant　cannibalizing　their　conventional　blues；　bat　vessels；　and　their　own　instrumentality。

The　Robotech　Masters　were　also　constantly　aware　that　their　own　masters；　the　Triumvirate　of　the　Elders；　waited　far　across　the　dark　lightyears；　expecting　results。　Nearly　all　of　Tirol's　remaining　resources　had　been　thrown　into　this　expedition　to　obtain　the　last　Matrix；　the　Elders；　who　were　left　in　the　shambles　of　their　empire　with　a　mere　handful　of　clones；　expected　results…and　were　impatient。

The　decision　didn't　take　the　Masters　long；　they　lusted　for　the　power　of　the　Protoculture　Matrix　more　than　any　vampire　ever　thirsted　for　lifeblood。　They　desired　immortality　and　feared　death　with　a　terror　greater　than　any　short…lived　Human　or　clone　could　ever　imagine。

The　Robotech　Masters　turned　to　their　slaves　and　nodded　as　one。


Supreme　mander　Leonard　let　Marie　make　her　brief　report。　Leonard　was　more　pleased　with　the　battle　as　a　propaganda　victory　and　a　bolster　to　his　influence　with　the　UEG　council　than　he　was