09_the_final_nightmare-第25章

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I　know　what　I　must　do　now；　Musica　realized。


Zor　Prime　wandered　aimlessly　through　the　various　districts　of　the　flagship's　residential　sector。　He　hadn't　evaded　the　search　by　any　conscious　effort；　he　was　too　disoriented　for　that。

The　ancient　stone　buildings　seemed　to　fade　in　and　out；　to　be　replaced　by　scenes　of　Monument　City；　so　that　part　of　the　time　he　thought　dazedly　that　he　was　back　on　Earth。　The　sun　seemed　too　bright　and　hot；　too　intense；　overhead。　Often　he　saw　Dana　ing　toward　him；　beckoning；　laughing；　so　desirable。。。

A　patrolling　guard　runabout　failed　to　spot　him　because　a　veiled　figure　pulled　him　back　into　the　darkness　of　an　alley。　Zor　shook　off　his　trance　and　saw　Musica　lower　her　veil　and　look　up　at　him　hopefully。

So　many　half　images　and　confused　memories　assailed　him　that　he　lost　balance　and　fell　to　his　hands　and　knees　on　the　gleaming　terrazzo　flooring。　〃Why　is　my　mind　so　full　of　nightmares？〃

〃You　are　the　clone　of　the　original　Zor；〃　she　said。　〃In　a　way；　it　might　be　said　that　you　are　the　only　true　Robotech　Master。〃

With　her　help；　he　found　the　strength　to　rise　again。　But　just　then　a　bright　ray　struck　him　from　behind；　and　he　fell　once　more。　Standing　behind　him　were　guards；　and　the　Clonemasters；　on　an　antigrav　platform。

〃It　was　only　a　low…gain　destabilizer；〃　Jeddar　told　Musica。　〃We　need　the　clone　for　a　little　while　longer。〃


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

Dear　Mom　&　Dad；
Everything　here　remains　quiet；　as　always；　and　I　don't　know　why　you　two　keep　insisting　there's　bad　war　news。　Take　it　from　me。　As　I　wrote　you　before；　I'm　in　a　rear…echelon　unit　that　hardly　ever　sees　any　action　at　all。　So　I　hope　you'll　excuse　me　for　asking　you　both　to　kindly　quit　worrying。　Especially　with　Pop　in　the　condition　he　is　in。
I'm　sorry　I　missed　Christmas。　There's　always　next　year；　after　all。　I　think　I　might　be　able　to　pull　a　furlough　soon；　with　things　being　so　dull　around　here　and　all。
Thanks　for　the　fruitcake；　it　was　great。
Love；　Your　son；
Angelo　Dante

The　order　of　the　day　was　execution；　and　the　clones　with　the　rifles　weren't　listening　to　any　ATAC　objections　about　the　Geneva　Convention。　Dana　and　her　squadmates　had　no　room　to　try　anything　in　the　cell；　they　marched　out　with　hands　behind　their　heads；　as　per　instructions。

Surrounded　by　guards；　the　troopers　were　marched　through　the　detention　center　and　into　a　side　corridor。　Without　warning；　the　clones'　exacting　schedule　was　interrupted。

A　driverless　runabout　with　its　engine　shrilling　came　zooming　at　the　lead　guards。　The　triad　was　knocked　high　in　the　air　with　bone…breaking　force；　Dana　just　barely　managing　to　pull　back　out　of　the　way。　In　a　shower　of　sparks　and　metal　fragments；　the　runabout　overturned　and　shrieked　to　a　stop　upside　down。　The　first　guards　were　crunched　to　the　floor　as　the　troopers　jumped　the　other　three；　who　seemed　paralyzed　by　what　had　happened。

It　was　a　short　fight；　Sean　ramming　an　elbow　back　into　one　rear　guard's　throat；　Angelo　crashing　the　heads　of　the　other　two　together　like　cymbals。　Even　as　the　15th　was　rearming　itself　from　the　selection　of　weapons　lying　around；　Musica　came　running　toward　them。　〃Bowie！〃

Louie　was　delighted　to　find　that　one　of　the　guards　was　carrying　the　pulse…grenade　that　he　himself　had　been　carrying　when　he'd　been　captured。　Okay；　Living　Protoculture；　let's　just　go　another　round；　what　d'ya　say？


In　the　Memory　Management　plex；　Zor　rested；　strapped　to　a　padded　slab；　at　an　acute　angle；　nearly　standing　upright。　He　was　still　unconscious；　his　head　encased　in　a　helmet　like　a　metal　medusa。

Technician　clones　were　moving　precisely；　ensuring　that　no　mistake　would　be　made。　Zor's　original　memories；　as　servant　to　the　Masters；　Bioroid　warrior；　battle　lord　of　the　fleet；　must　be　restored　to　him　and　integrated　with　the　memories　of　his　time　among　the　Humans。　Then　the　totality　of　his　memory　would　be　prehensible；　and　would　be　shifted　to　storage　banks　for　further　study。　The　lump　of　tissue　that　was　the　last　Zor　clone　could　be　disposed　of。

Jeddar　watched　the　preparations　with　satisfaction。　He　would　have　been　less　happy　had　he　seen　what　was　transpiring　on　an　upper　tier　of　the　chamber。

On　a　glass…walled　observation　deck；　a　big　forearm　locked　around　a　guard　clone's　throat；　and　the　guard　was　silently　removed　from　active　duty。　Angelo　resisted　the　temptation　to　dust　off　his　palms。

Dana　and　the　15th　looked　down　on　the　demons'　workshop　below。　She　saw　what　they　were　doing　to　Zor　and　almost　gave　out　a　yelp；　but　Louie　shushed　her；　as　he　studied　the　instruments　and　machinery。　He　adjusted　his　tech　goggles　to　detect　energies　on　very　subtle　levels　and　looked　the　lab　over　like　a　sniper　studying　the　landscape　through　a　nightvision　device。

〃Screwy　operation；〃　Sean　said　wryly。

〃But　convenient；〃　Louie　countered。　〃See　those　gauges　over　there？　When　they　hit　the　top；　Zor's　memories　will　all　be　back　in　his　brain。〃

Louie　indicated　a　bank　of　three　stacked　rectangles。　The　first　was　filled；　all　glowing　blue；　the　second　was　filling；　as　if　it　were　a　resplendent　blue　thermostat　marking　a　sudden；　incredible　heat　wave。


The　techs　had　to　pry　Zor's　jaws　apart　and　wedge　a　mouthpiece　between　them　as　the　indicators　rose。　As　the　third　stack　filled；　he　began　to　convulse。　Louie　had　to　hold　Dana　back　from　hurling　herself　through　the　glassy　pane　of　the　observation　deck　to　intervene。

At　last　a　tech　clone　pronounced；　〃Full　reinstatement　of　memory　is　now　plete。　Reintegration　of　memory　will　begin　at　once…〃　He　was　cut　off　by　an　intense　barrage　from　above。　The　tier　window　and　much　of　the　plex's　apparatus　was　shot　to　bits。　Before　anybody　there　could　react；　the　ATACs　had　dropped　to　the　main　floor　and　had　the　clones　covered。

〃Don't　anybody　move；〃　Dana　warned。　They　could　see　from　her　eyes　what　would　happen　if　they　did。

Jeddar　and　his　Clonemasters　were　more　astonished　than　afraid。　This　was；　after　all；　their　first　close　encounter　with　Humans。　Behind　the　raiders　came　Musica；　and　Karno　was　visibly　shaken　to　see　her；　breathing　her　name。

In　another　second；　Louie　and　Angelo　freed　Zor　from　his　restraints　and　cranial　wiring。　The　big　sergeant　got　the　unconscious　clone　over　his　shoulder　with　ease。　As　much　as　Angelo　might　have　berated　Zor；　Dana　noticed　that　now　he　glared　around　furiously　at　the　creatures　who　had　tortured　him。

The　troopers　were　so　busy　making　sure　that　no　one　on　the　scene　made　any　hostile　moves　that　they　missed　the　slight　motion　it　took　Jeddar　to　press　a　button　on　his　wristband。　A　moment　later；　a　door　snapped　open　and　three　more　guards　leapt　into　the　opening。

Everyone　opened　fire　simultaneously；　and　those　guards　who　were　already　in　the　lab　took　the　opportunity　to　spring　for　cover；　as　did　the　Clonemasters；　the　ATACs；　and　Musica。　The　energy　bolts　crashed　and　flashed；　the　air　began　heating　up　at　once。　Shots　set　off　eruptions　of　power　from　the　plex's　systemry。

〃I　believe　you've　gone　mad；　Musica！〃　Karno　called　to　her　over　the　din　of　the　firefight。　〃What　have　these　monsters　done　to　you　to　make　you　a　traitor　to　your　own　kind？〃

Musica；　flustered；　didn't　know　how　to　explain　except　to　say；　〃Zor　is　their　friend；　they're　saving　him！〃

Then　Bowie　was　towing　her　along。　〃We're　getting　out　of　here！〃

Intense　fire　from　the　15th　had　cleared　the　doorway；　three　guards　lay　dead　or　dying　there。　With　practiced　calm　and　precision；　the　five　troopers　fired　as　they　moved。　The　remaining　enemy　had　no　choice　but　to　keep　their　heads　down；　only　able　to　risk　the　occasional　shot。

There　was　another　runabout　outside　the　plex；　in　a　moment；　the　escapees　were　roaring　away；　with　Dana　and　Sean　keeping　up　a　high　volume　of　fire　to　make　sure　no　one　followed　or　tried　for　a　parting　shot。

Released　from　the　grip　of　the　mind　apparatus；　Zor　began　to　stir；　then　came　around。　Dana　was　overjoyed　and　stopped　shooting　long　enough　to　gush　about　how　happy　she　was；　but　Angelo；　at　the　controls；　growled；　〃Secure　that　hearts…and…flowers　crap！　We've　still　gotta　find　ourselves　a　way　outta　this　joint；　remember？〃

At　that　moment　three　red　Bioroids　appeared；　skimming　along　close　to　the　ceiling　of　the　high　central　passageway　in　which　the　runabout　was　traveling。　Angelo　managed　to　dodge　their　first　bolts；　nearly　smearing　the　vehicle　along　the　nearby　wall；　then　made　a　desperate　turn　into　a　side　way；　losing　the　enemy　mec