09_the_final_nightmare-第16章

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e　thousand　other　soldiers　looked　to　their　weapons　and　waited　and　wondered　whether　this　would　be　the　day　they　died。


At　Fokker　Base；　Marie　Crystal；　who　had　e　with　Emerson　on　his　harrowing　broken…field　run　back　from　the　moon；　prayed　for　her　own　soul　and　those　of　all　the　men　in　her　unit。　Then　she　rose；　armored　like　Joan　of　Arc；　and　got　ready　to　lead　them　forth　to　slay　and　be　slain。


In　a　mess　hall　near　a　launch　pad　at　Fokker　Base；　there　was　little　for　the　15th　to　do　except　sit　and　wait。　Their　tanks　were　already　loaded；　nobody　seemed　to　feel　much　like　talking；　and　the　squeaking　and　scraping　of　body　armor　was　the　only　sound。　Serenity　seemed　to　be　inversely　proportionate　to　rank。　Dana　felt　the　weight　of　the　world　on　her　shoulders；　while　the　latest　transferees　were　trying　to　bag　a　few　z's　on　the　floor。

They　had　been　listening　to　the　Bitch　Box…the　PA　speaker…drone　on　for　hours。　Who　was　supposed　to　go　where；　cautionary　notes　about　final　maintenance…and　more　ominously；　chaplain's　call　and　final　offers　from　the　Judge　Advocate　General's　office　to　make　sure　wills　and　deeds　were　in　order。

Dana　looked　out　the　mess　hall　window；　at　the　scarred；　alloy…plowed　spot　on　a　distant　hillside　where　the　Robotech　Masters'　flagship　had　crashed　a　lifetime…a　month？…before。

〃C'mon；〃　she　murmured　to　the　PA。　I　don't　mind　dying；　but　I　hate　to　wait！　〃Let's　get　this　turkey　in　the　oven！〃

Sean；　wandering　past　seemingly　by　accident；　patted　her　glittering　steel　rump。　〃Easy；　skipper。〃

She　spun　on　him　and　would　have　taken　a　swing　at　him　if　he　had　been　closer。　Did　he　think　she　was　so　incapable　that　she　needed　his　imprimatur　to　run　her　squad？　Dana　didn't　have　time　to　think　of　anything　more　subtle　or　telling；　so　she　barked；　〃Squelch　it；　dipstick！〃

They　were　both　sweating；　teeth　locked；　ready　to　punch　each　other　for　no　good　reason…except　that　they　were　about　to　go　into　battle；　to　shoot　or　perhaps　be　shot　by　total　strangers。

Bowie　bounded　to　his　feet；　despite　the　weight　of　his　armor。　〃Stop　it。　We　only　have　one　enemy；　and　that's　the　Robotech　Masters。　We　should　be　thinking　about　that。〃　He　said　it　with　the　unfortable　knowledge　that　he　couldn't　even　take　his　own　advice；　he；　too；　was　preoccupied；　but　in　a　very　different　way。

Angelo　was　checking　over　the　mechanism　on　his　pistol。　〃Think；　schmink！　Why　don'tcha　all　quiet　down　and　think　mission？〃

〃Angelo　is　right；〃　Zor　said　quietly。

Louie　snorted；　〃That's　easy　for　you　to　say；　Zor。　But　us　Humans　get　emotional；　especially　when　it　es　to　gettin'　killed。〃

Zor　didn't　rise　to　the　taunt。　〃You're　right：　I'm　not　Human。　I　wish　I　could　remember　more　than　I　do；　but　I　recall　one　thing　clearly。　I　was　far　less　than　I　am　now；　when　my　mind　was　ruled　by　the　Robotech　Masters。〃

〃I　want　to　destroy　them　to　make　sure　that　never　happens　to　me　or　anyone　else。　I'd　gladly　give　my　life　to　ensure　that。　If　you　knew　what　I　was　talking　about；　you　all　would；　too。〃

Nobody　said　anything　for　a　few　seconds。　They　had　all　been　in　bat　too　many　times　to　have　much　tolerance　for　gung…ho　speeches；　but　something　quiet　and　sure　in　Zor's　voice　kept　them　from　mocking　him。

〃I'm　impressed；〃　Angelo　said；　to　break　the　silence。　There　were　a　few　grunts　and　nods　of　the　head；　about　as　close　as　the　15th　could　e　to　wild　applause　at　a　time　like　this。


In　their　flagship；　the　Masters　gazed　down　at　the　Scientist　triumvirate。　〃We　observe　the　Humans'　preparations；〃　Shaizan　said。　〃And　their　apparent　intention　to　use　such　crude　tactics　is　difficult　to　rationalize。　Do　you　detect　any　indication　that　they　are　preparing　to　fight　the　Invid　Sensor　Nebula　should　it　attack　them？〃

The　Scientists　floated　close　on　their　satellite　Protoculture　cap。　Elsewhere　in　the　cavernous　partment；　the　Clonemasters；　Politicians；　and　other　triumvirates　stood　on　their　drifting　caps　and　watched　silently。

Dovak；　leader　of　the　Scientists；　answered；　〃According　to　our　monitorings　and　intercepts；　they　plan　nothing　against　the　Nebula；　but　they　are　mounting　an　all…out　offensive　against　us。〃

The　Masters　pondered　that。　Perhaps　the　primitives　below　were　ignorant　of　the　danger　of　the　Invid。　But　that　hardly　seemed　likely；　especially　since　the　Zentraedi　who　had　defected　to　the　Human　side　in　the　First　Robotech　War　would　have　been　well　aware　of　it；　and　of　the　Nebulae。　Perhaps　the　Humans　were　hoping　for　aid　from　the　Invid。

If　so；　they　hoped　in　vain；　the　Invid　had　a　mindless　hatred　of　any　species　but　their　own。

In　any　case；　the　Humans　plainly　would　not　constitute　a　buffer　or　third　force　should　the　Invid　arrive；　their　civilization　and　perhaps　all　life　on　their　planet…except　the　Matrix　would　in　all　likelihood　simply　be　swept　away。

And　if　they　weren't　ready　for　the　Invid　and　in　control　of　a　replenished　Matrix　by　then；　the　Robotech　Masters　would　be　destroyed　as　well。


Finally　the　orders　came。　Dana　grabbed　up　her　winged　helmet　with　its　long　alloy　vane　like　a　Grecian　crest。

〃All　right；　Fifteenth！　Saddle　up！　C'mon；　move　out！〃


Out　on　the　launch　pad；　Nova　managed　to　steal　a　few　moments　from　the　frantic　activity　of　ensuring　a　trouble…free　embarkation；　to　meet　with　Lieutenant　Brown。

〃I　was　sorry　to　hear　about　poor　Komodo；〃　he　told　her。　〃I　know　it　was　awkward　for　you　but…you　made　him　happy；　Nova。　Don't　ever　regret　that；　no　matter　what。〃

She　had　almost　decided　not　to　meet　Dennis；　fearing　that　her　farewell　might　be　a　jinx。　She　struggled　to　say　something。

〃Just　take　care　of　yourself　until　I　see　you　again；〃　he　smiled。

〃Isn't　that　my　line；　Dennis？〃　She　felt　as　if　she　might　start　shivering。

He　shrugged　his　armored　shoulders。　〃Nothing　to　worry　about。　‘Just　another　day　in　the　SCA。'〃　The　stock　Southern　Cross　Army　crack　didn't　sound　so　light；　though。

She　had　a　hard　time　understanding　just　how　she　had　e　to　care　so　much　for　him；　especially　in　the　midst　of　all　the　craziness　about　Zor　and　the　sadness　over　Captain　Komodo。　At　first　it　had　to　do　with　her　guilt　over　messing　up　his　clearance。　Later　she　admired　him　for　the　way　he　took　the　fall　for　Marie　Crystal's　stunt…driving　exhibition；　and　for　his　role　as　getaway　driver　in　Dana's　demented　matchmaking　scheme。

But　there　was　something　more　to　it　than　that；　something　that　had　to　do　with　the　indestructible　good　humor　with　which　he　faced　every　misfortune。　She　just　felt　that　in　some　ways　he　was　a　kinder；　a　better　person…more　passionate…than　she　could　ever　pretend　to　be。

The　warning　hooters　were　nagging。　〃Gotta　go；〃　he　said。

He　turned　to　leave；　but　she　caught　his　wrist。　〃Dennis；　be　careful。　Do　that　for　me？〃

He　nodded　with　a　handsome　grin。　〃Count　on　it。　See　you　soon。〃

She　nodded；　watching　him　as　if　he　were　some　apparition。　She　couldn't　quite　work　up　the　nerve　to　tell　him；　e　back　safe　to　me；　because　I　seem　to　have　fallen　in　love　with　you。

He　was　trotting　toward　his　transport；　and　she　had　to　hurry　to　reach　a　bunker。　Drives　boomed　again；　and　the　next　phase　of　the　Second　Robotech　War　began　in　earnest。


The　forces　from　ALUCE　came　on；　unopposed。　The　Masters　refused　to　react　to　Humanity's　drawing　gambit；　and　played　a　waiting　game。　Earth's　strikeforce　positioned　for　attack。

Dana　found　Bowie　down　in　the　cargo　hold　where　the　15th's　Hovertanks　were　secured　for　flight。　It　took　some　prompting　to　get　him　to　open　up；　but　when　he　did　the　words　came　out　in　a　flood　


〃Since　I　met　Musica　and　Zor；　I　don't　feel　the　same　about　fighting　those　Bioroids！　The　people　in　them　just　aren't　to　blame！　It's　like　one　of　those　ancient　armies　where　they　drove　innocent　captives　in　first；　to　be　slaughtered；　to　gain　a　tactical　advantage！〃

〃Bowie；　I　understand。　There's　nothing　wrong　with　what　you're　feeling…〃

She　had　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　but　he　shook　free；　batting　it　aside。　〃I'm　right　on　the　edge；　Dana；　and　I　haven't　got　my　mind　right；　don't　you　understand？　I　can't　handle　it　anymore！　I'll　let　you　all　down！〃

That　was　serious　talk；　because　everyone　in　the　15th　knew…as　all　soldiers　know…that　you　don't　take　that　hill　for　the　UEG　council；　the　Promise　of　a　Brighter　World；　or　Mom's　fruitcake。　No；　you　do　it　for　your　buddies；　and　they　do　it　for　you。

〃Bowie；　we've　always　been　straight　with　each　other；　and　I'm　telling　you：　I　get　those　same　feelings；　too。〃

〃But　Dana；　that　doesn't　tell　me　how　to　deal　with　it！　Ahhh！　So；　there　it　is。　Nothing　yo