09_the_final_nightmare-第32章

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〃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　underground　corridor。　It　was　a　prefab　walkway　that　had　been　dropped　in　along　with　so　many　tons　of　rubble　and　building　materials　in　the　frantic　effort　to　seal　up　the　radiation。

It　took　several　reassurances　from　Bowie　to　make　her　believe　the　bats；　spiders；　and　other　creatures　rustling　around　her　or　scuttling　overhead　wouldn't　hurt　her。

The　burial　material　that　had　been　piled　here　so　long　ago　had　been　originally　slated　for　installation　in　a　new　government　building。　Ageless；　round　Buddha…like　faces　gazed　out　at　the　explorers　from　each　pour…formed　block。　Mushrooms；　moss；　and　fungus　were　in　abundance。　Water　seeped　from　the　ceiling　and　walls；　to　form　brackish；　vile…smelling　pools。

Bowie　felt　his　way　along　one　wall；　fingertips　brushing　through　the　slime；　as　Musica　clung　to　his　elbow。　In　time；　they　spied　a　light　ahead　and　quickly　went　toward　it。

It　was　an　exit　to　the　space　in　the　center　of　the　mound。　Just　as　they　were　about　to　go　through；　a　gust　of　golden　dust；　fine　as　fog；　hit　them。

〃Wha？〃　Bowie's　head　reeled　and　he　went　to　one　knee。

〃Bowie！　What's　wrong？〃　She　knelt　next　to　him。

He　shook　his　head；　clearing　it。　〃Just　dizzy　for　a　second。〃

〃The　Flowers！　It　must　be　the　Flowers　of　Life！〃　She　looked　out　at　the　open　space　in　the　center　of　the　mound。　〃Bowie；　we've　e　too　late！〃

Something　was　strobing　and　gleaming　up　ahead；　she　ran　toward　it；　leaving　it　for　him　to　catch　up。　He　tottered　through　the　doorway　and　stood　reeling　as　if　he　had　taken　a　punch。

Above　them　glowed　something　that　reminded　him　of　a　kid's　diagram　of　an　atom…a　plex　assemblage　of　ring　orbits　that　glistened　in　rainbow　colors。　It　was　two　hundred　feet　across；　hanging　unsupported　near　the　ceiling　of　the　place；　it　seemed　to　be　playing　notes　like　a　delicate　carillon。

But　he　only　had　a　moment　to　gape；　Musica　gave　a　woeful　cry。　〃It's　just　as　I　feared！　We're　too　late！〃

They　were　looking　down　into　a　vast　circular　pit　like　a　transplanted　rain　forest；　in　a　shallow　soup　of　nutrient　fluids。　There　the　Flowers　of　Life　flourished　in　their　triads；　some　open　to　show　their　triple　structure。　Most　of　the　buds　were　still　closed　in　shape　like　a　twisted；　elongated　teardrop；　a　shape　that　made　Bowie　think　at　once　of　the　shape　of　the　mother　ships'　cannon。　Among　them；　too；　blew　the　golden　pollen。

As　they　watched；　more　of　the　buds　burst　open；　spewing　forth　the　golden　smoke。　But　sporangial　structures　in　the　Flowers　also　cast　forth　seeds　like　miniature　parasols；　which　drifted　toward　the　ceiling；　defying　gravity　and　air　currents。　It　was　like　a　gentle　rain　of　glowing　dandelion　seeds　in　reverse。

Bowie　tried　to　remember　his　botany　classes　and　make　some　sense　of　it。　The　Flowers　looked　like　some　kind　of　angiosperm；　producing　the　golden　pollen；　and　yet　they　cast　forth　spores；　like　gametophytes。　He　couldn't　guess　what　their　alien　life　cycle　might　be　like；　or　how　it　fit　in　with　this　Protoculture　business。

She　pointed　to　the　tiny；　drifting　parasols；　which　looked　like　seeds　to　Bowie；　but　which　she　insisted　on　calling　spores。　〃The　Invid　will　sense　this；　no　matter　where　they　are。　They're　probably　on　their　way　here　even　now。〃

〃The　Invid？　Who're　they？〃

〃The　enemies　of　your　people　and　mine！〃　That　was　true　enough；　though　it　didn't　tell　the　truth；　but　it　was　all　that　she　had　been　taught。

There　was　a　rustling　and　a　series　of　shallow　little　sounds；　as　if　something　alive　was　moving　around　somewhere　in　the　mass　of　Flowers。　Bowie　strained　to　see　what　it　was；　or　hear　it　again；　but　could　detect　nothing。

Musica　went　down　closer　to　the　vast　growing　place；　sandal　heels　slapping。　He　followed；　calling　for　her　to　be　careful。

He　had　never　been　sure　of　exactly　which　part　of　the　SDF…1　this　open　space　corresponded　to…hangar　deck；　or　Macross　City　partment？…but　he　was　beginning　to　suspect　he　knew。

The　plants　were　growing　so　thickly　that　their　stems　were　pressed　into　a　mass　that　seemed　to　move　and　twist　of　its　own　volition。　He　looked　up　and　saw　that；　while　the　quickened　spores　drifted　up　seeking　release　through　a　chimneylike　opening　at　the　top　of　the　mound；　something　seemed　to　be　confining　them　to　the　cavern。　Perhaps　there　was　still　hope。

He　looked　again　to　the　shining；　chiming　energy　rings；　listening　to　their　song。　There　was　something；　something　he　seemed　to　remember。。。

He　tried　to　get　his　bearings　again；　having　been　told　since　the　time　he　was　a　kid　just　how　the　SDF…1s　last　battle　had　been　fought；　how　it　had　crashed；　and　in　what　mechamorphosis　configuration。　And　then　it　hit　him。

〃I；　I　know　where　we　are；　Musica。　This　is　the　power　section；　where　the　sealed　Robotech　engines　were；　the　engines　that　not　even　Doctor　Lang　dared　to　open。〃

He　gripped　her　excitedly；　pointed　to　the　shining　orbits。　〃This　is　the　Protoculture　Matrix！　The　one　that　the　Zentraedi　came　and　attacked　Earth　to　get　in　the　first　place！〃

The　one　that　Lang　and　Exedore　and　Gloval　and　the　others　thought　had　disappeared　along　with　the　spacefold　equipment；　after　the　catastrophic　jump　to　Pluto's　orbit；　the　last　Protoculture　Matrix　created　by　Zor。　The　only　one　in　existence。

He　knew　the　history　of　that　war　better　than　almost　anyone；　because　he　had　seen　copies　of　excerpts　from　his　aunt's　diary　that　were　still　circulated　in　the　family；　even　though　the　originals　were　classified。　He　knew　that　once；　a　truce　had　been　declared　between　SDF…1　inhabitants　and　Zentraedi；　the　ship　had　been　scoured　for　any　sign　of　the　Matrix；　and　none　was　found。

But　he　had　already　learned　from　Musica　that　the　Protoculture　had　its　own　Shapings；　its　own　destinies　to　weave。　Surely；　hiding　in　the　enormous　sealed　engines　and　turning　aside　sensor　emissions　or　fooling　passive　sensor　equipment　would　be　a　small　marvel　pared　to　the　other　things　it　had　done。　And　there；　hanging　above　Bowie；　singing　to　itself；　was　the　collection　of　interlocked　rings　that　was　the　manifestation；　on　this　plane　of　existence；　of　the　Protoculture　Matrix。

And　though　he　didn't　realize　it；　he　and　Musica　were　being　watched。　The　triumvirate　of　wraiths　that　guarded　the　mounds　was　attentive　to　what　was　transpiring；　though　the　trooper　and　the　Muse　had　no　idea　they　were　there。　The　hour　of　the　wraiths'　long…awaited　liberation　was　close　at　hand。

Bowie　gripped　Musica's　shoulders。　〃This　is　the　Protoculture　Matrix！　We've　found　what　they've　been　looking　for；　what　they've　been　fighting　over　for　twenty　years！〃

She　moved　to　put　her　arms　around　him；　to　lay　her　head　against　his　shoulder。　〃Yes；　but　we　found　it　too　late。〃

〃It　can't　be！　We've　got　to　think　of　something！〃

〃Oh；　Bowie。。。if　you　had　any　idea　what　the　Invid　are　like；　how　horrid　they　are…〃

Pebbles　knocked　loose　from　a　ledge　higher　up　in　the　cavern。　Bowie　looked　up　to　find　that　the　15th　had　followed　him　and；　after　getting　lost；　somehow　ended　up　there。　〃Dana；　I'm　warning　you。　We're　not　going　back。〃

〃We're　not　here　to　bring　you　back；　numb…nub！〃　she　grinned。

When　his　squadmates　made　their　way　down　to　him　and　he　explained　what　he　had　found　out；　Bowie　had　the　dubious　fun　of　watching　them　all　fish…mouth　in　shock。　He　was　more　than　passingly　interested　in　Dana's　response；　though；　this　wasn't　just　some　new　kink　in　the　war；　to　her…it　was　a　part　of　her　heritage；　a　part　of　herself。

She　breathed　the　golden　clouds；　looking　out　on　the　coral　triads　of　the　Flowers　of　Life。　She　felt　a　strangeness…not　a　dizziness　or　faintness；　but　something　closer　to　the　opposite：　as　if　she　were　being　galvanized　on　some　subcellular　level。


Nova　stole　forward　through　the　gloom；　on　the　path　the　ATACs　had　taken。　She　had　her　sidearm　out　and　was　alert　to　every　sound；　something　behind　her　made　her　turn。

Zor　pushed　the　pistol　barrel　aside　gently　but　firmly；　as　if　he　were　dealing　with　a　child　and　a　child's　toy。　His　eyes　glowed　in　the　darkness。　〃You　won't　be　needing　that。　e。〃

He　set　off　for　the　light　of　the　cavern。　〃You；　you　followed　me？〃　she　said。

〃Yes。　Now　it　is　you　who　must　follow　me。〃


Musica　and　the　15th　heard　a　groan　and　looked　up　to　see　Zor；　muscles　tensed　in　agony；　hands　clenched　in　the　long　lavender　hair；　gazing　madly　at　the　drifting　spores。　Next　to　him　stood　Nova　Sa