09_the_final_nightmare-第49章

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〃Soon　even　the　Invid　will　not　dare　stand　against　us；〃　Shaizan　declared。　He　turned　to　issue　another　order　to　the　Scientist　triumvirate；　whose　members　stood　nearby；　supervising　the　mission；　gathered　around　a　big　control　module　in　the　middle　of　the　chamber。

But　the　opening　of　a　hatch　behind　them　made　Shaizan　and　Dag　whirl。　Zor　Prime　entered；　with　the　clone　guard　they　had　posted　held　in　an　armlock；　his　rifle　aimed　at　them　with　his　free　hand。　Dana　followed；　holding　her　carbine。

〃Masters；　heed　me：　the　moment　of　retribution　has　e。　Now　you　pay　for　all　the　evil　you've　done！〃　Zor　Prime　thundered。

Shaizan　seemed　almost　sad。　〃Will　you　never　understand；　Zor？　It　is　much　too　late。〃　He　gestured　to　the　screens；　which　showed　the　opened　mound；　and　Monument　City　in　flames。　〃In　moments；　we　will　have　the　Matrix　back；　at　last。　You　cannot　stop　us。〃

Dana　snarled；　〃We're　not　going　to　let　you　snakes　have　that　Matrix。　It's　too　powerful！〃

The　Masters　were　mystified　as　to　how　Zor　and　the　female　had　escaped；　it　was；　perhaps；　some　effect　from　the　sundering　of　their　Triumvirate；　Dag　and　Shaizan　concluded。

Dana　brought　the　carbine　up　and　aimed　it　at　the　Scientist　clones；　clicking　off　the　safety。　〃Stop　the　machines。〃

Dovak；　the　triumvirate　leader　of　the　Scientists；　protested；　〃Impossible！　They　cannot　be　stopped　now；　they've　been　given　final　instructions！〃

Dana　decided　to　find　out；　with　a　few　well…placed　bursts　into　the　controls…perhaps　even　into　the　clones；　if　they　didn't　see　reason。　But　just　then；　Zor　shoved　her　aside。　Energy　bolts　blazed　through　the　spot　where　she　had　stood；　splashing　molten　droplets　and　sparks　from　the　bulkhead。

The　Masters'　antigrav　platform　was　rising；　and　from　an　energy　nozzle　on　its　underside；　a　stream　of　shots　raged　at　the　interlopers。　Zor　had　dived　for　cover；　hurling　the　guard。　against　the　bulkhead　and　the　clone　dropped；　stunned。　Rolling；　Zor　fired　back；　and　Dag　clutched　his　midsection；　slumping；　crying　out　in　pain　and　hysterical　fear　of　death。

Dana　fired；　too；　but　her　shots　at　the　weapon　nozzle　and　the　platform's　underside　didn't　appear　to　be　doing　much　good。　Then　she　hit　a　hornlike　projection；　and　the　platform　rocked；　smoking　and　crackling　with　powerful　discharges；　and　fell　back　to　the　deck。

The　platform　came　straight　at　them；　and　Dana　and　Zor　threw　themselves　to　either　side。　Somehow；　Shaizan；　still　cradling　the　canister　to　him；　gained　control　at　the　last　moment　and　managed　to　leap　free；　before　the　platform　went　on　to　plow　into　the　Scientist　clones　and　their　control　module。　They　screamed；　transfixed　with　horror；　as　the　platform　crashed　down　on　them　and　their　control　module　ruptured；　spilling　out　furious　energy　surges。

By　the　time　Zor　and　Dana　got　back　to　their　feet；　Shaizan　was　already　at　another　hatch；　clinging　to　the　Protoculture　mass。　Zor　screamed；　〃Master；　you　can't　escape　me！〃　but　the　tripartite　hatch　closed　behind　Shaizan。

As　they　were　rushing　to　catch　up；　Dana　heard　some　monitoring　system　shrilling　in　alarm。　A　voice　simulacrum　wailed；　〃Warning！　Warning！　Guidance　systems　off…line！　Power　systems　failing！　Crash　alert！　Impact　in　three　point　five　five　units！〃

Dana　looked　at　the　display　maps；　and　saw　the　projected　point　of　impact：　it　looked　to　her　like　Monument　City。　She　wasn't　aware　that　the　city　had　already　been　shot　to　ruins　by　the　Triumviroids。

〃We've　got　to　stop　it；　or　it'll　kill　everyone　in　the　city！　Zor；　there's　got　to　be　a　manual　control　system！〃

He　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃We　must　get　Dhaizan　to　release　his　hold　over　the　systemry　first。〃

He　started　for　the　hatch　with　Dana　sprinting　along　behind。　〃Then　we　have　to　capture　the　last　one　alive！〃

In　fear　of　his　life；　Shaizan　ran　as　he　hadn't　run　in　an　age。　Fright　gave　him　more　strength　that　he　had　ever　thought　possible；　and　the　pumping　of　adrenaline　in　his　system　felt　savage；　bewilderingly　primitive；　after　a　long　sedentary　life。

But　he　was　the　quarry　of　young　people　in　top　condition；　they　soon　caught　up　with　him；　in　an　ejection　capsule　access　deck　not　far　from　the　bridge。　Zor　saw　Shaizan　ahead　and　stopped　to　take　up　a　firing　stance。　〃Stop；　I　mand　you！〃

〃Zor；　don't！〃　But　before　Dana　could　strike　down　the　rifle　barrel；　Zor　fired。　Shaizan　dropped　in　a　swirl　of　robes；　somehow；　the　canister　remained　intact。

Zor　went　to　look　down　at　the　old　man。　Somehow；　death　had　taken　away　the　constant　anger　of　the　Master's　visage；　and　he　was　nothing　but　a　frail；　infinitely　tired…looking　creature　with　a　smoking　hole　in　him；　head　pillowed　on　a　collar　resembling　the　Flower　of　Life。　How　could　these　creatures　have　lived　so　long　and　thrived　on　the　Protoculture　without　understanding　its　Shapings…without　foreseeing　this　day？

〃It's　over　now；〃　Zor　said；　more　to　himself　than　to　Dana。

〃What　d'you　mean；　‘all　over'？〃　Dana　barked。　〃This　ship's　gonna　demolish　the　city！〃

〃The　Masters　brought　their　own　punishment　down　on　themselves；　by　their　misuse　of　the　Protoculture；〃　he　told　her；　putting　a　hand　on　each　of　her　armored　shoulders。　〃And　I　was　the　instrument　of　that　punishment；　ordained　by　the　Shaping。〃

〃But　what　about　my　people？　It's　not　fair　to　punish　them　for　something　they　didn't　do…mmmmm。。。〃

He　leaned　forward　to　put　his　lips　to　hers。　Their　months　locked；　they　kissed　for　what　might　have　been　seconds　or　centuries。　When　they　parted　a　bit；　he　smiled　at　her　tenderly；　and　she　was　astounded　to　see　from　his　eyes　that

He…he　loves　me！

Zor　had　her　back　in　his　arms；　was　lifting　her　off　the　deck。　〃Do　not　worry　about　your　people；　Dana。　I　will　allow　no　harm　to　e　to　them。〃

She　felt　like　relaxing；　just　letting　him　carry　her　where　he　would；　like　going　limp　and　simply　trusting　him。　But　some　inner；　independent　part　of　her　made　her　start　to　object。　Just　then；　she　realized　that　he　was　setting　her　down　into　the　cocoon　padding　of　an　ejection　capsule。

〃Good…bye；　Dana。〃

At　first　she　had　thought　he　was　going　to　join　her　inside…that　they　would　cast　aside　the　armor　of　war　and　never　wear　it　again。　And　she　had　been　working　up　the　self…discipline　to　make　sure　everything　really　was　all　right　before　she　took　her　own　armor　off；　though　the　temptation　was　great。

But　instead；　he　drew　back；　and　she　was　so　astounded　that　she　sat　frozen　while　the　hatch　of　the　little　superhard　alloy　sphere　closed　and　secured。　All　at　once　she　was　staring　at　him　through　a　viewport。　His　smile　was　wistful；　as　he　made　some　adjustment　to　the　locking　mechanism；　and　it　gave　a　loud　click。　He　smiled　at　her　again；　fondly　but　mournfully。

〃Zor！〃　She　was　pounding　at　the　viewport　and　trying　to　work　the　locking　controls；　but　it　did　no　good。　He　disappeared　from　view。　She　was　still　struggling　to　get　free；　crying；　shouting　his　name；　when　the　capsule　gave　a　lurch；　moved　by　the　transfer　servos；　preparing　for　ejection。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…FIVE

They　give　you　clothes；　they're　free　with　guns；　And　trainin'；　food　and　lodgin'；　But　tell　me：　what　career　moves　can　e　from　bullet　dodgin？
Bowie　Grant；　〃Nervous　in　the　Service〃

〃Sarge；　we're　picking　up　some　kinda　we　ejection　capsule　launch　from　the　mother　ship；〃　Louie　Nichols　reported；　sitting　beside　Angelo　at　the　controls　of　the　liberated　assault　ship。

Behind　them；　refugee　clones　were　crowded　in　tightly；　frightened；　but　used　to　the　discipline　of　the　Masters　and　so　obediently　quiet。　Angelo；　sweating　over　the　controls；　snapped；　〃So　what？　Maybe　it's　somebody　makin'　their　own　getaway。　It　sure　ain't　a　raidin'　party　or　a　Bioroid。〃

That　was　true；　and　it　was　unlikely　that　there　were　many　bat　forces　left　in　the　mother　ship；　or　that　they　would　do　the　Masters　much　good　even　if　they　could　get　to　the　Earth's　surface。　For　some　reason；　the　Bioroid…pilot　clones　and　other　fighters　of　the　Masters'　invasion　force　had；　according　to　the　transmissions　the　escapees　were　monitoring；　suddenly　bee　almost　totally　ineffective。　The　attacking　enemies'　ability　to　fight；　their　very　will　to　fight；　seemed　to　have　simply　vanished；　and　Earth's　ragtag　defenders　were　counterattacking　everywhere；　a　plete　rout。

Something　occurred　to　Angelo。　〃Get　on　the　military　freqs　and　find　somebody　who's　in　charge；〃　he　told　Louie。　〃Tell　'em　we　got　an　airlift　of　refugees　in'　down；　and　to　hold　their　fire。　Tell　'em。。。tell　'em　these　people　here　ain't　the　enemy。〃

Louie　threw　him　a　strange　smile。　〃Hear；　he