09_the_final_nightmare-第41章

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He　burned　again　with　his　loathing　of　the　aliens。　Leonard　tucked　the　gun　into　his　tunic　and　closed　the　drawer。　He　had　no　intention　of　letting　those　monsters　take　him　alive。


It　smashed　its　way　through　a　stone　partition　and　came　face　to　face　with　three　red　Bioroids。　Perhaps　they　recognized　Zor's　mecha　as　that　of　their　onetime　battle　lord；　or　perhaps　not；　it　made　no　difference。　

Even　if　they　had　been　operating　at　peak　efficiency；　the　Triumviroids　would　have　found　Zor　a　formidable　opponent。　But　they　were　depleted…scarcely　any　kind　of　match　for　him　at　all。

He　dropped　them　with　fast；　accurate　shots　from　the　thick；　discus…shaped　handgun　his　Bioroid　carried；　its　muzzle　bigger　than　a　howitzer's。　But　as　he　stepped　into　the　partment；　three　more　reds　dropped　from　above；　springing　their　ambush。

Zor　proved　how　experience　counted；　his　Bioroid　held　up　a　great　slab　of　stone　to　shield　itself　from　the　ambushers'　fire；　then　blazed　away　in　response；　leaping　high。　He　dropped　one；　two；　three；　holed　through　at　the　point　where　their　operating　clones　sat　curled　in　the　control　spheres。

Zor　broke　into　yet　another　partment　only　to　see　a　high　ledge　lined　with　Triumviroids；　dozens　of　them；　waiting　for　him。　Here　and　there　were　armed　guardsmen；　looking　like　insects　among　the　mecha。

〃Take　me　to　the　Masters！〃　he　manded。　〃I　mean　you　no　harm；　my　business　is　only　with　them。〃

He　saw　Karno；　standing　to　one　side；　drop　his　arm　in　signal。　Zor's　Bioroid's　external　sound　pickup　caught　the　shouted　order；　〃Fire！〃

Zor's　red　ducked　aside；　as　the　blasts　volleyed　in　all　directions；　ricocheted　from　bulkheads　or　penetrated　them；　lanced　through　the　deck　and　overhead。　A　secondary　explosion　from　a　weakened　power　routing　system　knocked　the　mecha　sideways。

He　was　momentarily　in　the　cover　of　the　hatchway　frame；　rolling　and　about　to　surge　to　his　feet　again；　his　red's　armor　striking　rooster　tails　of　sparks　from　the　deckplates。

Karno　reached　out　to　pull　a　long　lever　nearby。　〃We　knew　you　would　e。〃

There　were　carefully　planned　explosions；　and　the　overhead　gave　way；　tons　of　metal　and　conduits　and　organic…looking　Protoculture　systemry　landed　on　him　like　a　cave…in；　pinning　him。　At　the　same　time；　the　bulkhead　collapsed；　tearing　aside；　leaving　him　exposed　to　his　enemies'　fire。

Karno　looked　down　on　Zor；　not　with　the　dispassion　of　a　cloned　slave；　but　rather　with　the　cold　hatred　he　had　felt　since　losing　Musica。　Emotions　were　seeping　throughout　the　servants　of　the　Masters；　unstoppable　and　often　unrecognized。

〃You're　a　fool；　Zor；〃　Karno　snarled；　〃if　you　believe　you　have　the　power　to　stand　against　us！　Now　that　this　lunatic　quest　of　yours　has　failed；　I　am　instructed　to　offer　you　one　final　chance　to　repent；　and　rejoin　us。〃　The　tone　of　his　voice　made　it　clear　that　Karno　offered　reconciliation　unwillingly。　He　would　much　rather　give　the　order　to　fire　again。

Zor's　red　managed　to　lever　itself　up。　But　despite　all　its　immense　strength；　it　still　couldn't　fight　its　way　clear　of　the　pinning　wreckage。

Zor　looked　into　the　muzzles　that　had　been　brought　to　bear　on　him；　his　red's　gleaming　black　visor　panning　slowly；　and　said；　putting　weight　behind　each　word；　〃Never。　I　won't　stop　until　I　end　the　Masters'　tyranny　or　they　end　me。〃

Karno　nodded；　not　unhappy　with　that　pronouncement。　〃It　shall　be　as　you　wish　it。〃　He　raised　his　hand　again　to　give　the　signal　to　resume　firing；　and　the　fetal　clones　curled　in　each　Triumviroid's　control　sphere　sent　out　mands　of　readiness；　preparing　to　shoot　Zor's　mecha　to　incandescent　bits。

〃And　so　passes　the　very　last　of　Zor。〃　Karno　hissed　out　the　words；　looking　like　a　handsome　young　demigod　turned　angel　of　death；　signal　arm　ready　to　fall。

But　like　a　wash　of　pure　light；　an　enormous　bolt　from　a　Gladiator's　main　battery　came　through　another　gap　in　the　bulkheads；　sending　one　Triumviroid　leaping　off　the　firing　ledge　in　a　volcanic　blast。　The　Gladiator；　standing　in　the　smoking　breach；　traversed　its　great　gun　to　blast　another　enemy；　and　then　another；　like　clay　pipes　in　a　shooting　gallery。

The　lack　of　Musica's　harmonics　and　the　decline　in　Protoculture　energy　had　the　clone　operators　at　a　level　of　functioning　that　was　near　failure。　Instead　of　firing　back；　they　awaited　orders；　or　turned　and　collided　with　each　other；　or　merely　stood　waiting　to　die…except　for　the　one　or　two　who　shot；　inaccurately。　Karno　was　enough　of　a　realist　to　flee　through　a　side　hatchway；　seething　with　the　need　to　slay；　to　avenge　himself…reverting　to　a　level　as　primitive　as　that　of　any　primate；　without　realizing　it；　because　his　intellect　fed　him　justifications。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE

When　I　was　a　little　kid；　after　my　parents　left　in　SDF…3；　I　had　three　godfathers　for　a　while。　Maybe　you　heard　about　them；　the　ex…Zentraedi　spies…Konda　and　Bron　and　Rico。
They　knew　I　was　half　Zentraedi　and　that　I　had　no　close　family　after　my　folks　went；　so…they　appointed　themselves。
What　I'm　getting　at　is；　they　were　kinder　to　me　than　anyone　ever　was。　They　had　loved　three　female　techs　who　were　killed　in　the　SDF…1；　and　I　suppose　to　some　extent　I　was　the　Zentraedi…Human　kid　they　never　had。
And　when　I　was…I　don't　know；　six　or　so；　I　guess…they　got　very　ill。　I　found　out　later　that　the　doctors　said　it　was　something　that　came　from　being　reduced　to　our　size　in　the　Protoculture　chambers。　What　I　didn't　know　was　that　there　was　a　possible　cure；　but　it　would　only　work　on　a　full…size　Zentraedi。　But　they　stayed　Human…size；　so　they　could　look　after　me。
They　died　within　weeks　of　each　other。　So　what　I'm　saying　is；　don't　ever　ask　me　if　I'm　ashamed　of　being　half　alien；　or　ask　why　I'm　willing　to　grant　Zor　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　A　lot　of　people　think　courage　is　something　you　can　only　prove　on　the　battlefield；　and　love　is　something　noisy　and…what's　the　word　I'm　looking　for？　Demonstrative。
But　aliens　taught　me　differently。
Dana　Sterling；　in　a　remark　recorded　by　Nova　Satori

Dana　fired　again；　then　saw　that　the　Triumviroids　were　making　no　meaningful　resistance；　and　ceased　fire；　her　war　wasn't　with　mind…enthralled；　blameless　clones　anymore。

She　operated　controls　and　imaged　with　her　winged；　crested　helmet。　Valkyrie　pivoted　end　for　end；　changing；　rearing　up；　and　in　an　instant　she　was　an　armored　Goliath；　holding　a　rifle　the　size　of　a　field　piece。

Something　about　the　mechamorphosis　made　some　of　the　reds　react；　it　seemed；　they　were　in　motion　again。　She　laid　not　a　few　rounds　to　keep　their　heads　down；　but　suddenly　they　moved　with　more　purpose。　Dana　leapt　to　crouch　by　Zor's　red　Bioroid；　partly　shielding　it　with　her　own　Battloid；　pouring　out　covering　fire。

〃Zor；　stay　down！〃　She　shot　from　the　hip；　and　a　red　that　had　been　about　to　nail　Zor　went　down　in　a　subsidence　of　ripped　armor　and　glowing　ponents。　But　others　stirred；　raising　their　discus　pistols　shakily。

More　reds　were　being　brought　back　under　control；　getting　ready　to　take　up　the　attack　once　more。　Valkyrie　swung　its　weapon　back　and　forth；　Dana　was　well　aware　that　so　many　Triumviroids；　even　hindered　as　they　were；　would　shortly　prevail　unless　she　did　something。　She　fired　with　one　hand；　trying　to　drag　Zor　free　with　the　other。　A　red　tromped　over　to　a　point　on　the　ledge　behind　her；　ready　to　shoot　directly　down。

Zor's　red's　arm　pulled　free　and　swung　its　weapon；　fierce　artificial　lightning　crashed；　and　the　red　above　toppled　from　the　ledge；　even　while　others　staggered　to　move　into　positions　of　advantage。

〃Thank　you　for　saving　my　life；　Dana；〃　Zor　said；　a　little　numbly。　〃But　I　must　go　on　alone。〃

Dana　dismissed　the　matter　of　who　had　saved　whom　from　what　in　the　time　since　she　had　first　seen　him。　Each　had　spared　the　other　in　bat；　did　that　count　as　a　higher　form　of　rescue？

Anyway；　there　would　be　better　times　to　sort　all　that　out；　the　problem　was　living　to　see　them。　〃No　way；　trooper！'　She　was　helping　his　mecha　to　its　feet；　pulling　wreckage　off　it；　supporting　it。　〃It's　my　fight；　too。〃

It　is；　to　some　ways　I　can　explain；　and　others　that　I　just　can't；　yet。

Then　he　was　up；　and　the　red　Bioroid　and　the　blue…and…white　Battloid　were　pounding　along　the　passageway　shoulder　to　shoulder；　so　that　the　deck　alloy　gonged　〃Be　warned：　I　mean　to　confront　the　Robotech　Masters　and　destroy　them；〃　he　said。

〃Long　as　you　don't　destroy　yourself　at　the　same　time。　Or　me；〃　she　cautioned。