09_the_final_nightmare-第29章

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Angelo　felt　betrayed。　He　had　doubted　Zor　from　the　beginning；　had　seen　him　turn　traitor…then　e　back　to　his　senses　and　fly　right　again。　He　had　carried　Zor　over　his　own　shoulder；　saved　Zor　as　Zor　had　saved　him。

Zor　was　one　of　the　15th；　and　it　wasn't　something　Angelo　granted　lightly。　And　now　Zor　was　spurning　that；　making　a　fool　of　the　sergeant。

But　worse；　infinitely　worse；　Zor　was　saying　that　Angelo　liked　grieving　for　dead　buddies；　got　some　kind　of　sick　charge　out　of　the　most　wrenching　pain　the　sergeant　knew。　It　insulted　Angelo　and；　more；　made　a　sham　of　the　deaths　of　brave　men　and　women。

One　minute　a　red　tide　was　rising　up　Angelos　neck　and　face；　the　next；　Zor　was　flat　on　the　ground　with　a　split　lip。

Dana　knew　words　weren't　going　to　do　much　good；　so　she　got　in　Angelos　way　and　threw　a　straight　right　to　the　sergeant's　sternum。　It　was　like　punching　a　bus　tire；　but　it　halted　him…more　through　shock　than　pain。

〃Get　up。　You　ain't　hurt。　Yet；〃　Angelo　told　Zor。

Zor　rose；　rubbing　his　jaw。　〃So　I'm　to　be　happy　that　I'm　alive　to　go　out　and　kill　or　be　killed　again　tomorrow？〃

Dana　pushed　Angelo　away　when　he　would　have　gone　at　Zor　again。　〃Back　off！　That's　an　order！〃　She　could　hear　Musica　running　off；　sobbing；　and　Bowie　going　after　her；　but　Dana　had　no　time　for　that　lesser　crisis　at　the　moment。

She　turned　to　Zor。　〃You　think　it's　going　to　make　you　feel　better　to　get　us　to　hate　you？　It　won't！　Quit　punishing　yourself　and　quit　trying　to　get　Angie　to　do　it　for　you！　Whatever's　in　your　past　is　over　with！　And　besides；　you　had　no　control　over　what　you　did；　we　all　know　that。　Zor；　it's　time　to　let　all　of　that　go；　and　begin　again。〃

He　looked　down　at　her　as　if　seeing　her　for　the　first　time：　just　an　uncivilized　Micronian；　scarcely　more　than　a　wild　animal　by　the　standards　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　Where　was　she　finding　these　words？　What　were　the　sources　of　this　wisdom？

But　his　inner　torment　gave　him　the　strength　to　resist　her。　〃Begin　what？　Dana；　it　will　always　be　the　same！　This　incarnation；　like　all　the　others。　That　is　my　punishment！　I　can't　even　trust　my　own　mind　and　I'm　tired。　I'm　so　tired　of　it　all！〃

He　didn't　even　know　why　he　had　escaped　the　flagship's　destruction　at　the　last　moment；　some　survival　reflex　had　taken　over。　He　had　begun　regretting　it　at　once。

He　brushed　past　them。　When　Angelo　snarled　some　objection；　he　shot　back；　〃Just　leave　me　alone！　It's　my　problem；　and　I'll　deal　with　it。〃


〃Bowie；　I'm　so　sorry。　I　feel　that　this　is　all　my　fault。〃　Musica　said；　tears　rolling　down　her　face。

〃Sorry　that　we　survived；　Musica？　Sorry　that　you　and　I　are　together？〃

〃Oh；　no！　But…why　am　I　so　unhappy？　Why　is　there　pain　all　around　us？〃

〃Because　our　people　are　at　war。　But　we　can't　let　that　keep　us　from　loving　each　other！〃

He　took　her　in　his　arms。　She　was　slightly　taller；　laying　her　head　on　his　shoulder。　〃You　and　I　will　be　different；〃　he　told　her。　〃We'll　be　an　island　of　peace　in　the　middle　of　all　this　hatred　and　misery。　We'll　have　each　other。〃


〃Her　name　is　Musica。　You'll　find　her　at　the　barracks　of　the　Fifteenth　ATAC　squad。〃

Nova　couldn't　believe　what　she　was　hearing；　she　looked　at　the　phone　handset　as　if　it　were　an　alien　artifact。　Around　her；　the　bustle　and　buzz　of　Global　Military　Police　HQ　seemed　to　fade。　〃You　mean　the　girl　I　saw　at　the　Moon　of　Havana？〃

〃I　suggest　you　apprehend　her　as　soon　as　possible；〃　the　firm　male　voice　said；　〃before　she　manages　to…〃

〃Just　hold　on。　Who　is　this？〃

〃Can't　you　guess；　Nova？〃

〃Zor？　Listen；　what's　this　all　ab…〃

But　he　had　hung　up。


Dana；　deciding　it　was　time　to　make　more　concrete　contingency　plans；　was　about　to　knock　at　the　door　of　her　own　quarters　when　she　stopped；　transfixed。

It　was　a　sound　so　ethereal　that　at　first　she　didn't　recognize　it　as　a　Human　voice。　Then　she　knew　Musica　was　singing；　and　that　the　Muse　herself　was　an　instrument　as　hypnotic　and　magnificent　as　the　Cosmic　Harp。　The　notes　soared；　evoking　emotions　both　familiar　and　unknown。

〃e；　let　me　show　you　our　mon　bond　it's　the　reason　that　we　live　Flower；　let　me　hold　you　we　depend　upon　Power　that　you　give。。。〃


She　sang　of　the　galaxies；　of　the　depths；　of　the　long　story　of　the　eons；　and　Dana　found　herself　seeing　stars　swarm　before　her　eyes。　Musica's　voice　moved　her　with　powerful　tidal　forces　of　feeling；　giving　her　Visions。

She　sensed　a　great　epoch　unfolding；　something　about　Zor　and　a　frightening　but　tragic　alien　race　and…things　just　beyond　the　realm　of　her　perception。

〃we　should　protect　the　seed　or　we　could　all　fade　away　Flower　of　Life　Flower　of　Life　Flower。。。〃

Outside；　Zor　turned　to　hear　the　siren　song。　Then　he　continued　on　his　way　to　await　Nova。


Dana　saw　worlds　from　other　star　systems。　She　saw　wonders　and　horrors。　It　seemed　that　the　voice　ing　from　the　other　side　of　the　door　had　split　into　three；　harmonious　and　almost　identical；　flawlessly　matched　and　perfect。

She　saw　something　from　her　own　dreams　and　visions：　a　triad　of　three…petaled　flowers　of　a　delicate　coral　color；　drifting　through　the　air；　trailing　long　stamens。　The　flowers　themselves　grew　in　a　Triumvirate。　One　drifted　past；　brushing　her　cheek。　She　looked　down　at　it　in　amazement；　where　it　rested　on　the　corridor　floor。

The　song　faded；　the　Flower　disappeared。　Even　as　Dana　blinked　herself　back　to　full　awareness；　many　of　the　things　she　had　envisioned　faded　from　her　memory；　and　she　was　left　with　vague　shadows　of　recollection。

She　lunged　into　her　quarters。　Bowie　was　still　on　the　bed；　Musica　by　the　window。

〃What　was　that？〃　Dana　burst　out。　〃Musica；　you　sang　something　about　the　Flower　of　Life；　was　that　it？〃

〃Yes；　Dana。　That　is　right。〃

Dana　turned　to　Bowie。　〃I'm　sure　that's　the　flower　we　found　in　the　ruins　of　the　SDF…1！　The　day　we　sneaked　in　there；　remember？　Those　plants　that　moved　by　themselves？〃

How　could　he　forget？　It　was　like　some　malign　greenhouse；　something　that　didn't　belong　on　Earth；　that　belonged　on　no　sane　world。　〃And　you　think　there's　a　connection？〃　He　didn't　sound　excited　about　it；　just　alarmed。

〃Could　that　be　it；　Musica？〃　Dana　asked。　〃Could　that　be　what　the　war　is　all　about？〃

〃The　Robotech　Masters　have　not　given　it　to　me　to　know　that；　Dana；　but　for　your　sake；　I　hope　there　are　no　Flowers　of　Life　here。　They　are　often　acpanied　by　great　evil。〃

Louie　Nichols　burst　into　the　room。　〃Read　it　and　weep！　Nova's　downstairs　with　a　bunch　of　GMP　gorillas　and　she　wants　to　see　you；　Dana。〃

〃It'll　be　all　right；〃　Dana　told　the　frightened　Musica　and　the　grim　Bowie。　〃C'mon；　Louie；　let's　go　see　what　the　Gimps　want。〃


〃Unauthorized　person　in　the　barracks？〃　Dana　gave　Nova　her　best　wide…eyed　look。　〃What　makes　you　think　there's　one　around　here？〃

〃Zor　told　me。〃

The　odds　looked　bad。　The　GMP　apes　were　armed；　and　outnumbered　the　unarmed　ATACs。　Maybe　there'll　just　be　time　for　Angie　to　finish　what　he　started　on　Zor。

Zor；　for　his　part；　stood　studying　the　floor；　ready　to　accept　their　loathing…anticipating　it。　Dana　wondered　if　Zor's　treachery　was　mitted　to　make　it　easier　for　him　to　end　his　own　life　or　perhaps；　mit　some　even　worse　betrayal。

Dana　turned　back　to　Nova。　〃She　saved　our　lives。　When　it　es　right　down　to　it；　Musica　saved　the　whole　fleet。〃

〃Tell　it　to　the　brass。〃

〃Sure；　Nova；　while　they're　busy　sticking　electrodes　in　her　ears　and　trying　to　light　her　up　like　an　arcade　game。　Would　it　help　to　tell　you　she　and　Bowie　love　each　other？〃

Dana　knew　it　wouldn't…not　now；　with　all　the　GMP　goons　standing　around　as　witnesses。　But　she　wanted　Nova　to　know　just　how　much　harm　she　was　doing；　every　bit　of　it。

〃I　always　thought；　as　Gimps　went；　you　were　the　exception　to　the　rule；　Nova；　but　I　see　now：　you　fit　in　just　fine！　C'mon；　let's　go。〃

Dana　turned　to　lead　Nova　and　her　squad　upstairs。　She　had　hoped　she　could　hide　Musica　until　Rolf　Emerson　could　get　back　from　ALUCE　and　intercede。　All　that　was　hopeless　now。　Maybe　Dana　could　go　outside　the　chain　of　mand；　appeal　directly　to　the　UEG　council？　Her　career　was　over　either　way。

Zor　was　standing　near　the　stairs。　Dana　gave　him　one　brief；　chilly　glance。　〃You　had　the　chance　to　do　something　good　and　kind　for　a　change。　It　might　have　made　up　for　a　lot　of　the　stuff　that's　torturing　you　so；　did　you　ever　think　of　that？〃

Zor　put　on　a　sardonic　look；　but　what　she　had　said　went　through　him　li