09_the_final_nightmare-第31章

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n。　The　kingpin　of　prewar　politics　was　a　henchman　devoutly　to　be　grateful　for。

〃How　wouldja　like　the　opposition　party　to　force　a　confidence　vote？〃　Russo　hinted　darkly。　Zand　was　pleased　with　the　look　on　Moran's　face。

〃Not　now。　We　could　have　peace；　I　think…〃

Russo　almost　pounced　at　Moran。　〃You　still　can；　Pat！　We're　not　saying　you　can't！　We're　just　saying：　Give　us　until　tomorrow。　is　that　so　much　to　ask？　The　peace　you　make　could　be　better　than　anything　you　ever　imagined！　My　friend；　if　you　want　your　place　in　the　hist'ry　books；　this　is　the　time　to　be　brave！〃　Russo　subsided　just　the　right　amount。　〃But　you　gotta　play　along。〃

Moran　was　lost　in　thought　for　a　second；　his　opposition　would　certainly　be　able　to　call　for　a　vote　of　confidence　if　Russo's　secrets　were　made　known。　Now；　of　all　times！　How　did　I　get　involved　in　such　terrible　things；　Moran　wondered　a　little　dazedly；　trying　to　do　good？　〃Very　well；　but　only　twenty…four　hours。〃　

He　touched　a　timer　function　on　his　watch；　the　twenty…four　hours　began。

〃You'll　never　regret　it；　Paddy；〃　Russo　said。　Moran　made　a　nonmittal　sound　and　moved　for　the　door。

With　his　hand　on　the　knob；　he　swung　around　to　Zand；　indicating　Russo。　〃Keep　that　thing　away…　from　me；　is　that　understood？〃

Zand　snapped　his　fingers；　but　more　importantly；　sent　out　a　mental　signal。　The　thing　that　had　been　Senator　Russo　went　blank…faced　again　and　sat　down　in　the　nearest　chair。

Moran　gave　a　fatigued；　grudging　nod；　and　went　off　to　stick　his　finger；　his　head；　his　body　into　the　hole　in　the　dike。


CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

Little　Protoculture　Leaf；
Waiting　for　our　palates；
Where　will　you　take　us？
Flower　of　Life！
Treat　us　well！
Ancient　song　of　the　autotones　of　Optera

Hovertanks　were　not　the　sort　of　transportation　appropriate　to　stalking　fugitives　in　the　wilds；　so　the　15th　took　out　two　jeeps　and　got　ready　to　go　afield。

There　was　something　like　a　picnic　air　to　it；　any　break　from　bat　and　bat　alert　was　to　be　enjoyed；　and　nobody　really　thought　Dana　was　going　to　hand　Bowie　and　Musica　over　to　the　GMP；　although　no　one　was　sure　what　she　would　do。　So　they　loaded　up　the　jeeps　with　weapons；　field　gear；　rations；　detection　equipment；　mo　apparatus；　and　the　rest。

At　Louie　Nichols's　tentative　inquiry　as　to　whether　or　not　she　had　any　idea　where　Bowie　might　go；　Dana　hedged。　But　she　declared；　〃We　play　this　one　by　the　book。　Isn't　that　what　we've　always　done？〃

Well；　no；　it　wasn't…her　words　didn't　reassure　them；　but　her　sly　wink　did。　The　ATACs　were　a　lot　happier…except　for　Angelo…as　they　set　off；　just　as　the　sun　came　above　the　horizon。

Above　them；　Zor　watched　their　departure　from　the　ready…room。　At　the　mand　of　the　SCA　brass；　he　was　ordered　not　to　acpany　the　hunters。　He　thought　about　the　wording　of　the　order；　as　the　jeeps　disappeared。

From　her　vantage　point　nearby；　Nova　Satori　studied　the　route　the　15th　was　taking；　and　revved　her　Hovercycle。


Protoculture　was　accessible　to　the　Masters　only　through　the　Matrices　and　the　power…supplying　masses　the　Matrices　produced。　The　germinal　stage　of　the　Flower　of　Life　was　contained　in　a　balance　something　like　that　between　fusion　and　gravity　in　the　core　of　a　star。

But　eventually；　the　urge　of　the　Flower　of　Life　to　bloom　overcame　any　means　of　prevention　ever　devised；　and　that　was　happening　now。　Making　matters　far　worse　was　the　disaster　of　the　loss　of　the　flagship　and　its　Protoculture　mass。

The　Robotech　Masters'　options　had　all　been　used　up；　they　would　have　to　strike；　all…out；　at　once；　or　lose　the　means　to　strike　at　all。


〃And　that　is　my　decision；　approved　by　the　council；〃　Supreme　mander　Leonard　was　saying。　〃We'll　launch　a　final；　no…quarter　offensive　against　the　alien　fleet　mencing　at　thirteen　hundred　hours　today。〃

All　preparations　had　been　made　in　secret。　No　one　pointed　out　any　of　the　hundred　strategic　inadequacies　in　the　plan；　at　Moon　Base　ALUCE；　Emerson　heard　the　news　through　a　direct　mo　link　to　the　mand　center；　but　made　no　ment。

〃We　will　drive　them　from　our　skies　forever　or　die　trying；〃　Leonard　finished。


Long；　slanting　rays　of　sunlight　wakened　Musica。　She　shivered　a　bit；　lying　on　Bowie's　jacket　with　her　own　dew…covered　one　over　her；　but　the　day　was　already　being　warm。

She　heard　a　melodious　sound　and　opened　her　eyes。　On　a　large　open　area　of　water　nearby…a　smallish　lake；　but　much　bigger　than　anything　she　had　ever　seen　before…an　egret　swept　in　low　for　a　landing。　Smaller　birds　trilled　to　one　another　in　a　natural　symphony　that　delighted　and　amazed　her。

Bowie　wasn't　next　to　her。　Rubbing　her　eyes　drowsily；　she　looked　around　for　him　and　saw　the　tree　under　which　they　had　taken　shelter　the　night　before。　A　thrill　ran　through　her　as　she　remembered　what　had　happened　between　them　then；　the　most　beautiful　music　of　all。

The　clouds　were　all　gone；　making　way　for　a　clear　blue　sky；　moisture　dripped　from　the　leaves　and　the　air　was　filled　with　the　scent　of　renewal。　How　could　I　have　thought　this　planet　so　awful？　It's　beautiful；　it's　magic…oh；　I　have　so　much　to　learn！

Then　she　spied　him　and　heard　him。　Bowie　was　working　on　the　Hovercycle　with　tools　from　its　small　kit。　〃Just　about　ready　to　go；〃　he　said　when　she　called　out　to　him；　then　he　stopped；　taking　a　longer　look　at　her。　〃You're　even　more　wonderful　to　look　at　in　the　morning　than　you　are　at　night。〃

〃So　are　you；　Bowie。〃

In　another　few　minutes　they　were　on　the　cycle　and　racing　down　the　road。　Musica　had　never　felt　so　free；　so　deliriously　happy。


Bowie　got　his　bearings；　and　turned　his　course　for　his　objective。　Soon；　the　mound　that　was　the　burial　cairn　of　SDF…1　came　into　sight。


Veritechs　were　launched　from　Fokker　Base　while　A…JACs　were　trundled　into　the　transports　for　the　assault。　Hatches　were　run　back　from　missile　silos　as　ground　armored　and　artillery　units　deployed　to　defensive　positions　against　enemy　counterattack。

〃General　Emerson；　you　are　aware　that　the　enemy　is　on　the　move　with　his　entire　fleet；　preparing　to　attack　Earth？〃

Emerson　looked　at　Leonard's　sweating　face　on　the　screen。　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Was　aware　of　it；　had　expected　it；　and　had　marshaled　all　the　moon's　forces　to　try　to　help　cope　with　it。

〃You　will　move　at　once　with　all　units　under　your　mand　and　engage　the　enemy；　blunting　his　attack　and　otherwise　bringing　your　total　force　to　bear　against　him；〃　Leonard　ordered。　〃You　will　under　no　circumstances　break　off　contact　or　withdraw；　you　and　your　contingent　are　totally　mitted；　do　I　make　myself　clear？〃

A　death　warrant　wasn't　too　hard　to　read。　〃Yes；　sir。〃

When　Leonard　signed　off；　Emerson　turned　to　Colonel　Green。　〃Find　Rochelle；　please…oh；　and　Lieutenants　Crystal　and　Brown…and　meet　me　in　my　office。　Pass　the　word　to　stand　ready；　we'll　be　launching　in　ten　minutes。〃


Sean　was　at　the　wheel；　Dana　in　the　90％　seat；　lost　in　thought。

Louie　pulled　up　even　with　them　so　that　Angelo　could　yell；　〃You　can　stop　worrying　about　what　you　wanna　do　with　them　when　you　find　'em！〃

He　was　holding　a　pair　of　pu…binoculars　and　he　jerked　a　thumb　toward　the　road　behind。　〃We　got　a　little　tail　with　GMP　plates　on　it。　Hovercycle。〃

〃Nova！〃

Sean　didn't　seem　disturbed。　〃Want　to　lose　her？　Fasten　your　seatbelt；　ma'am。〃　He　tromped　the　accelerator；　and　Louie　did　the　same。


At　the　base　of　the　mound；　Musica　said；　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　the　right　one？　The　one　where　you　saw　the　Flowers　of　Life？〃

There　were　two　others。　Under　one　rested　the　SDF…2；　and　under　the　other　the　remains　of　the　battlecruiser　of　Khyron　the　Backstabber。

〃This　is　the　one；　I'm　certain；〃　Bowie　said。　Somewhere　deep　within　were　the　remains　of　Admiral　Henry　Gloval；　enlisted…rating　techs　Kim　Young；　Sammie　Porter；　and　Vanessa　Leeds；　and　Bowie's　aunt；　mander　Claudia　Grant…five　names　that　rang　in　Earth　and　Southern　Cross　history。

〃Bowie；　this　place　frightens　me。〃　The　mound　was　a　high；　Human…made　butte　scraped　together　from　the　surrounding　countryside　to　cover　the　radioactive　remains　of　Earth's　one…time　defender。　The　short　half…life　radiation　was　safer　than　it　had　been　fifteen　years　before；　but　it　still　wasn't　a　place　in　which　to　linger　long。　Still；　they　had　to　do　what　must　be　done。

〃Trust　me；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand　again。　They　entered　the　cave…tunnel　he　and　Dana　had　found　some　weeks　before。

A　few　yards　in；　they　made　their　way　over　a　rock　and　into　an　u