09_the_final_nightmare-第40章

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Emerson　was　still　alive　for　another　few　seconds；　though　he　would　never　speak　again。　He　looked　up　over　Bowie's　shoulder　to　see　Dana　with　her　helmet　faceplate　open。　Her　armor　was　seared　where　an　enemy　bolt　had　burned　out　her　transponder；　but　failed　to　wound　her。

She　might　have　even　more　to　teach　than　Bowie　or　Musica；　it　occurred　to　him。　Dana　gave　him　a　nod；　knowing　words　wouldn't　serve。　Then　she　slipped　away　out　of　sight；　rifle　held　at　high　port。

Emerson　saw　with　some　surprise　that　the　world　wasn't　going　dark；　the　way　traditional　lore　said　it　would。　Instead；　the　range　of　his　vision　and　perception　went　out　and　out；　enpassing　things　wonderful　and　terrible；　things　defying　all　description…a　terrible　beauty　beside　which　mortal　life　seemed　a　lesser　matter。

There　was　a　celebration　of　light　around　him；　and　he　threw　himself　forth　willingly。　The　Universe　embraced　him；　opening　all　secrets；　answering　every　question。


In　his　protected　sanctum；　Dr。　Zand；　monitoring　the　battle　through　technical　relays　and　paths　of　information　of　his　own；　suddenly　straightened　as　if　he　were　about　to　suffer　a　stroke。　But　he　relaxed　again　in　a　moment；　breathing　raggedly。

He　grasped　the　front　of　Russo's　tunic。　〃Emerson　is　dead！　The　Moment　es！　Gather　my　special　equipment！〃　He　sent　the　smaller　man　on　his　way　with　a　shove。

As　Russo　slunk　away；　Zand　began　unbuttoning　his　uniform　jacket。　Nevermore　would　he　wear　false　colors！　It　was　time　to　garb　himself　in　more　fitting　vestments。

Today　a　new　Universe　begins！


Nova　was　wearing　a　spare　suit　of　ATAC　armor；　a　thing　with　long　horns　that　had　originally　belonged　to　Cutter；　who　had　died　in　that　first　assault　on　the　mother　ship。　She　looked　a　little　like　a　metallic　steer；　gazing　back　in　the　direction　from　which　the　two　tanks…formerly　three…had　e　on　their　rescue　mission。

〃I　don't　see　Zor　anywhere；〃　she　leaned　down　to　tell　Angelo　Dante。　〃He's　sneaked　off　somewhere。〃


In　another　part　of　the　mother　ship；　Zor　stepped　his　red　Bioroid　forth；　stalking　the　passageways；　willing　to　die　so　long　as　he　could　work　his　revenge。　For　a　moment　the　image　of　Dana's　face　was　before　him；　for　no　reason　he　could　name；　but　he　thrust　it　aside　and　went　on　again；　the　ultimate　intellect；　bereft　of　any　thought　but　revenge。


〃Sarge；　these　passageways　all　look　the　same　to　me！〃　Louie　called　over　the　tae　net。　〃How'll　we　ever　find　them？〃　Some　new　interference　was　jamming　all　long…range　mo　and　even　blotting　out　Bowie's　transponder。

〃We　keep　lookin'；〃　Angelo　said。　Damn　Phillips　anyway；　for　not　marking　his　trail！

Just　then　figures　came　dashing　and　dodging　from　a　side　passageway　up　ahead；　fire　ranging　all　around　them　from　behind。　〃It's　Lieutenant　Crystal　and　Lieutenant　Brown！〃　Louie　yelled。

Bowie　and　Musica　came　close　after；　ducking　for　cover　at　either　side　of　the　passageway；　as　the　two　TASC　pilots　did。　Intense　fire　from　the　guards　splashed　from　the　bulkheads。　The　guards'　counterattack　was　so　sudden　and　determined　that　the　Humans　had　been　forced　to　leave　Emerson's　body　behind。

Sean's　holding　action　back　in　the　〃senate〃　chamber　wasn't　keeping　all　the　guards　pinned　down。　More　showed　up；　from　the　other　direction；　with　a　clear　line　of　fire。　But　before　they　could　cut　down　their　prey；　a　sustained　burst　from　a　Hovertank's　secondary　batteries　felled　them　all　in　a　squall　of　blazing　rapid…fire　bolts。

Bowie　and　the　others　turned　and；　stunned；　saw　Dana　drift　her　Valkyrie　to　a　stop；　its　quad…barrels　sending　up　shimmering　heat　waves。

Bowie　was　momentarily　confused。　Hadn't　Re…Tread　and　Dana's　tank　been　parked　in　the　other　direction？　He　hadn't　seen　her　slip　away　while　Emerson　lay　dying；　to　make　an　almost　suicidal　dash　for　her　mecha。

Now　she　jumped　up　in　her　cockpit　and　fired　with　her　carbine；　afraid　that　the　heavy　guns　might　hit　friend　as　well　as　foe。　A　last　guard　pitched　from　a　ledge　just　above　her　friends'　heads。　Then　she　whirled　and　fired　into　a　guard　runabout　that　was　bearing　down　on　her　from　the　opposite　side；　the　runabout's　windshield　melted　and　the　little　vehicle　rolled；　throwing　guards　every　which　way；　and　plowed　to　a　stop。

Sean　fought　his　way　free　and　caught　up；　as　Angelo；　Nova；　and　Louie　came　to　a　stop　with　blaring　retros。　While　Dennis　Brown　and　Bowie　supported　Sean　in　holding　back　the　guards　who　had　chased　them　from　the　〃senate；〃　Marie　Crystal　jumped　into　the　runabout　and　got　it　started　up。

Musica；　Bowie；　and　Brown　piled　in。　Marie　gunned　away；　convoyed　by　the　four　Hovertanks。　It　was　only　then　that　Dana　realized　Zor　was　missing。


The　decision　had　been　made　to　strike；　the　Humans'　determination　to　fight　notwithstanding。

〃We　must　consolidate　our　strength；〃　Dag　declared。　〃Eliminate　all　clones　functioning　beneath　an　efficiency　factor　of　eighty　percent。〃　The　other　four　mother　ships　and　most　of　the　bat　vessels　were　almost　useless　for　bat　now；　depleted　as　they　were；　the　flagship　was　the　only　remaining　hope。

Jeddar　started　to　object。　He　knew　that　the　Master　didn't　mean　simply　denying　the　clones　Protoculture；　but　also　to　eject　them　from　the　flagship。

〃They　may　not　submit　to　elimination；　m'lord；〃　Jeddar　pointed　out。

〃Then　confine　them　for　the　moment！〃　Shaizan　lashed　out。　〃And　get　ready　to　dispose　of　them。　Begin　the　assault　on　the　buried　Matrix　below！〃


Even　the　fanatic　loyalty　of　the　guard　clones　failed　before　the　massed　firepower　of　the　tanks；　in　time　the　running　firefight　became　an　unchallenged　withdrawal。　Dana　couldn't　believe　the　Masters　didn't　have　more　of　their　Triumviroids　around…but　why　weren't　they　using　them？

The　ATACs　had　lost　their　bearings；　and　even　Musica　couldn't　tell　where　they　were。　They　burned　through　hatches；　and　came　at　last　to　a　hangar　deck　where　whiskbroom…shaped　assault　ships　were　ranked　side　by　side。

There　was　only　time　for　brief　kissing　and　hugging…passionate　between　Sean　and　Marie；　more　reserved　but　plainly　heartfelt　between　Nova　and　Dennis…before　the　question　of　how　to　get　out　alive　took　center　stage。

Marie　and　Dennis　weren't　sure　if　they　could　fly　an　assault　ship；　planetary　approaches　in　an　unfamiliar　spacecraft　were　a　lot　different　from　joyrides　in　a　guard　runabout。

〃See　what　you　can　do；〃　Dana　said；　revving　Valkyrie。　〃I'm　going　back　for　Zor。〃

Angelo　felt　like　tearing　out　his　hair。　〃Lieutenant；　this　just　ain't　fair！　It　ain't　army！〃

〃I'm　not　working　for　the　army　anymore；　Angie；〃　she　threw　back　the　tank　pivoting　on　its　thrusters。　〃If　I'm　not　back　in　twenty　minutes；　go　on　without　me。〃

She　was　scarcely　gone　When　Bowie　and　Musica　went　to　stand　before　the　sergeant　hand　in　hand。　〃I'm　going　back；　too；〃　Bowie　announced。　〃Musica　says　her　people　are　in　terrible　danger。〃

〃I　can　sense　it；〃　she　explained。　〃My　sisters　and　I　are　linked…are　one。〃

Bowie　touched　her　shoulder　gently。　〃It's　all　right；　we'll　find　them。〃　Perhaps　this　was　part　of　the　teaching　that　Rolf　Emerson　had　said　he　and　Musica　must　do；　in　any　case；　Bowie　knew　he　couldn't　abandon　Musica's　people。

Suddenly；　Nova　stepped　forward；　letting　go　of　Dennis's　hand。　〃I'll　go　with　you。　Dana's　right：　we're　not　working　for　the　army　anymore；　and　it's　time　for　the　dying　to　stop。〃

Then　Brown　joined　her；　and　Marie；　Angelo　Dante　surrendered　to　the　inevitable。　The　flying　officers　outranked　him；　but　that　meant　nothing　since　this　was　a　Hovertank　operation。　〃Sean；　you　'n'　Lieutenant　Crystal　stand　pat　here　with　Bad　News　and　hold　this　position！　See　if　you　can　figure　out　how　to　fly　these　things。　Rest　of　ya；　do　me　a　favor　and　try　not　to　screw　up。〃


The　Southern　Cross　had　rallied　everything　it　had；　mobilizing　reserves　and　arming　any　willing　civilian；　no　questions　asked。　Cops；　students；　robots；　convicts；　bureaucrats；　homemakers；　kid　gangs…the　Human　race　readied　its　remaining　resources　for　a　last…ditch　stand。

What　regular　forces　there　were　would　go　out　and　meet　the　approaching　flagship　head…on；　the　rest　would　wait；　to　fight　it　out　on　home　soil　if　that　was　what　it　came　to。

Supreme　mander　Leonard　heard　details　of　the　hasty　preparations；　then　dismissed　his　staff　for　a　moment　to　see　to　a　matter　of　personal　readiness。　Opening　his　desk　drawer；　he　checked　to　make　sure　that　the　charge　in　his　pistol　was　full。

He　burned　again　with　his　loathing　of　the　aliens。　Leonard　tucked　the　gun　into　his　tunic　and　closed　the　drawer。　He　had　n