09_the_final_nightmare-第47章

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He　seemed　bigger　than　life　to　the　people　around　him；　but　the　damage　done　him…to　his　body　and　thus　to　his　spirit；　his　mind…that　day　of　Dolza's　holocaust　attack；　almost　eighteen　years　before；　was　beyond　any　healing。

From　the　moment　when　Leonard　had　overridden　Emerson's　wait…and…see　policy；　when　the　Masters　first　showed　up；　things　had　gone　from　bad　to　worse。　Leonard　had　long　since　admitted　to　himself　that　Rolf　Emerson　was　the　better　strategist　and　tactician　by　far；　the　better　general　even　in　terms　of　manding　his　troops'　loyalty。　But…dammit！　The　man　had　no　true　appreciation　of　the　danger　of　these　aliens；　of　all　aliens！

Seward　saw　further　argument　was　useless；　and　started　for　the　door。　His　rationalization　was　that　he　was　carrying　Leonard's　last　dispatch；　but　in　fact　he　was　deserting　his　doomed　post。　The　Southern　Cross　was　finished。

Leonard　let　him　go；　waiting　to　die。　Better　that　way；　rather　than　to　live；　being　known　as　the　man　who　had　lost　Earth　to　obscene　monsters　from　another　star。

Leonard　didn't　have　long　to　wait；　the　first　salvoes　hit　while　Seward　was　still　in　the　doorway；　a　massive　strike　that　lit　the　sky　and　shook　the　ground。　The　proud　white　towers　of　the　Southern　Cross　were　blackened；　as　concrete　went　to　powder　and　structural　alloys　melted　at　the　peripheries。　At　the　centers　of　the　hits；　there　was　plete　destruction。　For　Leonard；　it　was　the　end　of　an　inner　agony　that　had　lasted　some　seventeen　years；　for　the　Human　race；　his　death　came　too　late。


The　15th　had　picked　up　more　of　the　refugee　clones；　hundreds　of　them；　until　Angelo　Dante　began　wishing　somebody　a　little　more　suited　to　the　mass　escape　was　in　charge…say；　somebody　who　could　part　the　Red　Sea；　for　instance。

But　there　wasn't；　even　Lieutenant　Satori　was　less　qualified　than　he　to　lead　a　bat　operation　like　this。　Just　a　big；　dumb　career　sergeant　waiting　around　for　his　pension；　he　thought；　who　happened　to　get　his　turn　in　the　barrel　at　the　wrong　time。　Just　bad　luck；　drive　on；　ATACs！

Going　back　for　the　tanks　was　out　of　the　question。　The　15th　had　to　move　onward；　as　fast　as　possible；　and　give　their　trust　to　luck。

〃This　hatch　leads　to　an　assault　ship　docking　area；〃　the　clone　who　was　guiding　him　said；　crouched　on　the　ladderway　under　an　oblong　metal　slab。　〃I　think　it　is　the　one　you　wanted。〃

Dante　was　hunkered　own　next　to　him；　studying　the　hatch。　Spread　out　behind　him　on　the　ladderway　and　the　drawbridgelike　catwalks　leading　to　it　were　the　murmuring；　frightened　clones　marked　by　the　Masters　for　mass　extermination。　Nova　and　the　rest　of　the　15th　were　spread　out　through　the　crowd；　trying　desperately　to　keep　the　people　from　panicking。

People；　Dante　sighed　to　himself。　Hell；　no　denying　it：　that　was　the　way　the　ATACs　had　e　to　think　of　them。　And　ATAC…15's　line　of　work　was　not　letting　innocent　people　be　slaughtered。

Angelo　gripped　his　idle　and　awkwardly　changed　places　with　the　clone；　then　eased　the　hatch　up　for　a　look。　The　place　was　empty；　as　far　as　he　could　see；　more　to　the　point；　there　were　three　or　four　of　the　whiskbroom…shaped　assault　ships　waiting　there；　parked　in　a　row。　The　hatchway　was　in　a　passageway　leading　to　the　hangar　deck；　which　was　at　a　slightly　lower　level。

He　couldn't　believe　the　ships　hadn't　been　mitted　to　the　battle；　but　he　didn't　have　time　to　question　the　gift　from　above。　What　he　didn't　realize　was　that　the　bat　craft　ferried　in　from　the　other；　abandoned　mother　ships　were　so　many　that　the　Masters　couldn't　man　them　all　with　the　functioning　clones　and　mecha　left　to　them。　Not　much　choice；　this's　the　only　chance　we're　gonna　get。

He　couldn't　see　Sean　Phillips　around　anywhere；　though。　Maybe　this　wasn't　the　right　hangar。　Nevertheless；　it　would　have　to　do。

Angelo　knelt　in　firing　position　by　the　open　hatch；　waiting　for　the　snipers　to　smoke　him。　But　when　that　didn't　happen；　he　turned　to　face　the　anxious　clone　looking　up　at　him。

〃Get　'em　all　up　here　now；　and　start　boarding　'em。　Tell　'em　to　hurry；　but　keep　the　noise　down。〃

The　word　was　passed。　The　first　of　the　refugees　began　pouring　up　out　of　the　hatch　and　making　their　way；　at　Angelo's　direction；　down　the　passageway；　gathering　in　it　and　awaiting　the　run　for　the　ships。


He　looked　this　way　and　that　constantly；　swinging　his　rifle's　muzzle；　even　though　he　knew　an　ambush　at　this　point　would　probably　be　the　end　of　it。　And　it　would　save　the　army　at　least　one　pension；　goddammit　all！

But　as　he　tried　to　help　people　up　through　the　hatch　with　one　hand　and　guard　at　all　points　at　the　same　time；　help　arrived。　Louie　Nichols　came　up；　dark…goggled　and　very　matter…of…fact；　taking　up　a　kneeling　firing　stance　at　the　other　side　of　the　hatch。　Bowie；　having　sealed　the　lower　hatches　behind　them；　was　next；　covering　another　field　of　fire；　with　Musica　and　her　sister　Muses　flocking　after。　Angelo　began　to　feel　better。

Still　the　clones　poured　in；　filling　the　area　between　the　deck…level　hatch　and　the　much　bigger　one　through　which　they　would　have　to　race　for　the　assault　ships。　Nova　Satori　emerged；　still　clutching　the　baby；　but　with　her　pistol　in　the　hand　that　held　it；　the　other　hand　free　to　grip　the　ladder…well　railing。　Dennis　was　right　behind；　with　one　of　the　short　two…hand　weapons。

Hundreds　came　up；　Angelo　was　sweating　not　just　for　the　time　when　he　could　kick　the　hatch　shut　and　seal　it　with　a　few　shots；　and　get　the　hell　out　of　the　mother　ship；　but　for　the　moment　when　he　could　turn　his　problems　over　to　some　brass　hat。　Anybody　who　wanted　responsibility　for　this　many　lives　had　to　be　some　sorta　egomaniacal　helmet　case。

He　was　just　thinking　that　when　he　heard　the　mewing　of　alien　small　arms；　in　the　direction　of　the　large　hatch　at　the　end　of　the　passageway。

There　wasn't　much　room　for　a　stealthy　approach　in　the　bleating　press　of　the　frightened　mob；　but　Angelo　went　bulling　through　them；　holding　his　weapon　high　in　the　hope　that　it　wouldn't　be　jostled　and　torn　from　his　grip。　Forging　his　way　to　the　front　of　the　crowd；　he　noticed　that　Louie　and　the　others　were　doing　their　best　to　follow；　but　lacked　his　size　and　sheer　strength。

The　bodies　of　three　clone　refugees；　two　males　and　a　female；　lay　dead　on　the　deck。

There　were　huge　containers　and　crates　at　that　end；　and　ledges　near　the　hatch。　Now　clone　guard　riflemen　stood　all　along　those；　as　the　lights　came　up。　〃Stay　where　you　are！〃　a　clone　voice　was　saying；　in　that　trembling　single…sideband　quaver　of　the　true　Masters'　slave。

Angelo　heard　somebody　say；　〃Huh？〃　beside　him；　and　realized　that　Louie　Nichols　was　there；　somehow；　swinging　the　sights　of　his　rifle　to　cover　the　left；　leaving　the　right　to　Angelo；　just　like　a　drill。

〃Make　no　move；　or　you　will　be　shot。〃　The　lights　brightened。　A　triad　of　clones　marched　in　lockstep　from　behind　one　pile　of　cottage…sized　crates；　and　Angelo　couldn't　even　tell　which　one　was　talking…or　maybe　they　all　were…when　they　right…faced　and　glared　at　the　escapees。　〃Everyone　in　this　room；　go　back　or　be　exterminated。〃

〃Karno；〃　Bowie　heard　Musica　say。　And　Allegra　added；　〃We're　trapped　here。〃

The　Muses　looked　at　their　selected　mates：　Karno；　Darsis；　and　Sookol；　as　alike　as　they　could　be　without　being　one　person。　Musica　said；　〃Karno；　how　can　you　do　this？　We　all　have　a　right　to　live！〃

Darsis　spat；　〃How　dare　you　speak　of　rights；　you　who　have　betrayed　the　triumvirate？　Traitors　to　our　society　and　our　way　of　life！　All　of　you　will　return　to　your　appointed　places　immediately；　or　be　shot　down　where　you　stand！〃

The　crowd　let　out　a　concerted　moan　at　that；　but　they　didn't　withdraw。　They　were　creatures　who　knew　logic…at　least…thoroughly；　and　they　saw　that　there　was　no　survival　in　that　direction；　either。　The　ATACs　and　Nova　were　moved　by　something　less　subject　to　rational　analysis；　but　they　all　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…FOUR

Alpha！　Tact'l　Armored！　Corps！
Yo'　ain't　goin'　home　no　more！
Yo'　want　forts；　yo'　want　millions？
Shoulda　stayed　wit'　the　civilians！
ATAC　marching　cadence

〃No　one　will　be　leaving　here；〃　Nova　pronounced　the　words　slowly　and　carefully。　Bowie　noticed　how　open　the　words　were　to　several　different　interpretations。

Nova　patted　the　small　bundle　of　the　clone　infant。　She　had　tucked　her　sidearm　in　its　holster；　turning　her　hip　away　from　the　clones'　sight；　but　was　ready　to　grab　it　out　if　things　came　to　that。　Dennis　was