09_the_final_nightmare-第10章

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guards　and　surveillance　equipment；　but　Zand　himself　had　hidden　powers　that　should　have　prevented　any　such　unpleasant　surprise。

And　yet；　there　stood　the　Chief　of　Staff　for　Terrestrial　Defense；　in　the　glow　spilling　into　the　darkened　office　from　streetlights　and　moonlight。　〃I　won't　stay　long；〃　Emerson　added。　〃Just　close　the　door；　sit　down；　and　listen。〃

Zand　did；　leaving　his　office　dark。　He　thought　about　sounding　an　alarm；　Emerson　certainly　outranked　him；　but　this　kind　of　unauthorized　visit　was　nothing　that　even　a　general's　stars　would　justify。　However；　there　were　old　animosities　between　the　two；　nothing　Zand　would　like　to　have　brought　to　light。　And　so　he　sat；　waiting。

〃I'm　leaving　in　the　morning；　you　already　know　that；　no　doubt；〃　Emerson　said；　sounding　tired。　〃I　just　wanted　to　say　this…〃

Suddenly　he　was　at　Zand's　side；　his　strong　hand　around　Zand's　throat。　Emerson　shook　him　like　a　rag　doll　as　the　Robotech　scientist　made　strangling　sounds。

〃You　will　leave　Dana　alone　while　I'm　gone；　do　you　hear　me？　If　I　e　back　to　find　that　you've　tried　anything；　anything；　I'll　kill　you　with　this　same　hand　and　let　the　Judge　Advocate　court…martial　me。〃

For　all　his　mild　appearance；　Zand　could　easily　have　shaken　off　the　grip　of　virtually　anyone　else；　the　Protoculture　powers　he　had　given　himself　through　dangerous　experimentation　made　such　physical　tricks　simple。

But　for　some　reason；　Zand's　enhanced　powers　simply　didn't　work　on　Emerson。　It　was　as　if　the　general　was　immune　to　Zand's　abilities。　Emerson　knew　very　little　about　Protoculture；　he　had　no　conscious　access　to　its　vast　gifts。　Emerson　had　no　idea　that　he　was　throttling　a　superman。

He　shook　Zand。　〃Do　you　hear？〃　Zand　managed　to　nod；　breath　rattling。　Emerson　let　him　go。　There　would　be　fearsome　bruises　on　his　throat　by　daylight。

The　last　time　Zand　felt　Emerson's　grip　on　his　throat　was　fourteen　years　ago。　That　was　at　night；　too；　when　Emerson　burst　into　Zand's　lab　upon　discovering　that　Zand　was　running　bizarre　experiments　on　the　baby　daughter　left　behind　by　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling。　He　was　exposing　Dana　to　Protoculture　treatments　and　substances　from　some　strange　alien　plant。　Emerson　had　heard　it　had　something　to　do　with　activating　the　alien　side　of　her　mind　and　genetic　heritage。　The　general　was　Bowie's　guardian；　but　had　been　a　good　friend　to　Dana's　parents。

Zand　had　believed　he　would　die　that　night；　that　moment；　Emerson's　strength　seemed　illimitable。　Or　perhaps　it　was　simply　that　none　of　Zand's　acquired　powers　worked　in　Emerson's　presence？　Zand　avoided　him　from　that　time　to　this　moment；　and　Emerson　had　made　sure；　no　matter　where　he　was　or　what　he　was　doing；　that　Dana　was　beyond　Zand's　reach。

Gasping　and　wheezing；　rubbing　his　throat；　Zand　tried　to　make　some　sense　of　it。　How　could　a　mortal　like　Emerson　block　the　Shapings　of　the　Protoculture　this　way？　And　in　such　plete　ignorance　of　what　it　was　that　he　was　doing？　It　was　as　if　the　overwhelming　frustration　of　it　all　was　some　tithe　Zand　had　to　pay　to　win　that　ultimate　triumph；　that　incredible　prize；　that　he　saw　promised　to　him　by　the　Shaping。

It　was　even　more　humiliating　that　Emerson　didn't　even　realize　with　whom　he　was　dealing。　To　Emerson；　Zand　was　some　half…demented　Protoculture　mystic　from　R&D；　who　had　deviated　from　the　saner　paths　followed　by　Dr。　Lang；　and　ended　up　deranged。

〃I　know　you've　been　keeping　tabs　on　her　through　backchannels　and　informants；〃　Emerson　said　quietly。　〃Don't　ever　do　it　again。　If　I　have　to　e　and　see　you　a　third　time；　Doctor；　it　will　be　to　take　you　off　the　roll　call　for　good！〃

Zand　didn't　even　realize　that　Emerson　had　moved　away　from　him　until　he　heard　the　door　open　and　close。　The　heir　to　Emil　Lang's　Protoculture　secrets；　and　master　of　new；　more　perilous　secrets　of　his　own；　massaged　his　tortured　windpipe　One　thing　was　clear：　Emerson　was　an　obstacle　that　would　have　to　be　dealt　with　first。

Dana　Sterling　was　vital；　because　she　stood　at　the　center　of　all　Zand's　star…spanning　schemes。


Marie　wove　her　jeep　through　the　streets　and　byways　of　Monument　City。

What　a　little　idiot　I've　been！　I　knew　what　Sean　was　like。　I　heard　all　the　stories。　Yet　I　still　believed　he'd　change　just　for　me！

She　ignored　lights；　ignored　speed　limits；　ignored　all　peril　to　herself　and　others；　sideswiping　whoever　didn't　stay　out　of　her　way。　The　night　and　imminent　death　drew　her　on。

Her　jeep　bounced　through　an　alley　and　onto　an　access　road　that　would　take　her　to　the　cliff　overlooking　the　city。　She　wasn't　thinking　clearly　about　what　she　would　find　there；　but　something　told　her　it　would　be　better　than　what　she　was　feeling　now；　and　she　liked　the　feeling　of　the　accelerator　under　her　stockinged　foot。　She　only　wished　she　were　in　her　mecha。

It　took　her　some　time　to　realize　that　a　GMP　Hovercycle　and　a　jeep　were　behind　her。　Over　a　loudspeaker　Nova　Satori's　voice　was　manding　her　to　halt。

Marie　stepped　on　the　accelerator。

As　the　chase　barreled　out　onto　the　cliff　headland；　Nova　tried　to　sideswipe　her　to　a　halt。　Marie's　jeep　jounced　off　a　rock；　and　slewed　at　the　cycle。　Marie　had　an　instant's　view　of　Nova's　terrified　face　as　she　fought　her　handlebars。　Marie　hit　the　brakes　and　over…corrected；　and　her　jeep　went　sliding　toward　the　cliff；　tailgate　foremost。

But　Dennis　Brown　was　there　first；　with　Dana　betted　in　the　rear　and　covering　her　eyes。　The　VT　pilot　brought　Marie　to　a　stop　by　letting　Marie's　jeep　slam　taillights…first　into　his　own；　broadside。　The　two　vehicles　plowed　along　in　a　spume　of　dust；　Brown's　left　front　wheel　went　over　the　edge；　and　the　undercarriage　grated　along。

The　jeep　tottered　there；　but　held。　Dana　and　Brown　sighed　simultaneously。　Marie　hung　against　her　steering　wheel；　crying　like　a　lost　child。

Dana；　Brown；　and　Nova　were　still　trying　to　sort　things　out　when　the　distant　sirens　and　flashing　lights　caught　their　attention。

Brown　tched。　〃It'd　sure　be　bad　for　morale　if　we　let　the　Gimps　find　the　hero　of　the　TASCs　in　this　condition。〃　He　lifted　Marie　out　of　the　jeep　gently　and　set　her　down　on　the　ground。

〃But…Lieutenant　Brown！〃　Nova　objected；　as　he　slipped　behind　the　wheel　of　Marie's　jeep。

〃It's　simple；〃　he　said；　revving　the　engine。　〃Frustrated　pilot　bumped　from　big　mission　gets　hands　on　jeep　and　whiskey；　understand？〃

Nova　did；　she　owed　him　one。　It　would　be　just　as　he　said。　〃It　means　the　brig；　you　know。〃

Brown　shrugged　at　Nova。　〃A　couple　days。　They　need　me　in　my　VT　too　much　to　do　more。　Besides；　I've　got　nothing　better　to　do　with　my　time。〃

He　winked　at　her。　〃e　down　'n'　see　me　once　in　a　while；　huh？〃

Then　he　eased　the　jeep　back　and　headed　off　in　a　spray　of　gravel。　Leaving　a　high　plume　of　dust　and　grit；　slewing　and　running　flat…out；　it　wasn't　hard　for　him　to　catch　the　posse's　attention；　the　strobing　lights　and　wailing　sirens　followed　Dennis　Brown　away　into　the　night。

Dana　tried　to　decide　what　to　do　or　say；　with　the　perplexed　Nova　to　one　side；　the　curled…up；　weeping　Marie　on　the　other。


In　the　invasion　flagship；　the　Robotech　Masters　watched　their　new　production　line　of　Invid　Fighters　being　put　through　its　paces。　The　mecha　resembled　oldtime　naval　mines；　spined　spheres　that　looked　as　much　biological　as　technological。　They　seemed　to　be　grown　of　mismatched　horn；　chitin；　and　sinew。

The　Invid　Fighters　performed　their　maneuvers　flawlessly。　They　evaded　the　fire　of　multitudes　of　gun　turrets；　and　when　the　mand　came；　they　turned　devastating　fire　on　the　turrets　with　pinpoint　accuracy。

〃And　when　they　conjoin；　they　will　be　an　undefeatable　Triumviroid；〃　Bowkaz　said。

Jeddar　of　the　Clonemasters　made　his　abasing　bow。　〃A　Triumviroid；　yes；　Master。　Self…contained　and　capable　of　performing　the　three　basic　functions　of　bat：　data　accumulation；　analysis；　and　response；　all　within　milliseconds。〃

The　very　essence　of　Robotechnology。　Logic　dictates　that　these　mecha　cannot　be　defeated！

A　weapon　as　perfect　as　we　ourselves；　the　Robotech　Masters　shared　the　cold　thought。


Dawn　had　brought　a　break　in　the　clouds；　final　preparations　for　the　launch　of　Emerson's　strikeforce　were　being　made；　last　matters　on　the　checklists　were　ticked　off。

Captain　Komodo　led　his　unit　out　at　a　run。　He　had　indulged　his　grief　and　put　aside　his　humiliation；　now　it　was　time　to　discharge　his　duty；　to　live　up　to　his　oath　of　service。　But　a　vo