09_the_final_nightmare-第8章

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Dana　found　that　Bowie　simply　refused　to　talk　about　his　godfather　being　posted　to　ALUCE。　Bowie　seemed　determined　to　have　the　world　think　he　cared　nothing　about　General　Emerson。

It　was　Emerson　who　had　insisted　Bowie　serve　time　in　the　Southern　Cross　Army；　as　Bowie's　parents　had　wished　it；　Emerson　claiming　that　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　personal　feelings　or　his　affection　for　Bowie。　Now　it　was　Bowie's　chance　to　hide　behind　a　soldier's　code；　and　the　rest　of　it；　to　shield　his　sorrow。　Dana；　with　little　choice；　let　it　be　so。


At　the　Global　Military　Police　headquarters；　a　round…the…clock　screening　program　consumed　everyone's　time；　especially　Nova's。　The　high　mand　was　determined　to　plug　the　leak　in　its　system。　Endless　puter　reviews　and　field　reports　were　the　order　of　the　day。　Anyone　who　had　access　to　classified　information　and　particularly　those　had　access　to　long…range　munications　gear　were　being　scrutinized。

After　all；　how　else　could　an　espionage　agent　get　the　word　across　tens　of　thousands　of　miles　of　empty　space？


Zor　got　off　the　shuttle　bus　across　the　street　from　GMP　headquarters　only　to　find　Angelo　Dante　standing　next　to　a　jeep；　waiting　for　him。

〃I　keep　asking　myself；　‘Now；　why's　ole　Zor…O　so　eager　to　see　Nova？〃'　Angelo　said；　blocking　his　way。　〃And　what　d'you　think　crossed　my　mind？　Why；　Nova's　with　GMP！　Maybe　that's　why　you're　bringing　her　a　present；　hey？〃

Angelo　reached　to　grab　the　object　Zor　had　tucked　under　one　arm。　It　turned　out　to　be　a　classified　looseleaf　binder　whose　title　sent　Angelo's　eyebrows　high。　〃An　Intelligence　Overview　on　the　ALUCE　Base？〃

Angelo　grabbed　Zor's　torso　harness　again；　just　as　he　heard　a　Hovercycle　flare　to　a　stop　at　curbside　behind　him。　He　heard　Dana　yell；　〃Sergeant　Dante！　Let　him　go！〃

Angelo　did；　as　she　stalked　over　to　him。　〃Now　hold　on　a　minute；　Lieutenant…〃

She　yanked　the　binder　out　of　his　hands。　〃You　will　stop　harassing　this　trooper；　Sergeant！　Grow　up　and　quit　playing　GMP　spy！　Now；　get　lost！〃

Angelo's　face　was　a　purple…red。　He　cared　passionately　about　his　world　and　its　people　and　their　survival；　of　course；　and　his　duty。　But　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。

Why　should　I　care　if　this　guy　uses　Dana　and　wrecks　her　life？　It's　her　own　fault　and　she's　just　a　snotty；　pushy　teenage　know…it…all　anyway！　Okay；　so　she's　proved　she's　got　what　it　takes　to　lead　the　15th；　but　why　should　I　care　if　she　gets　what　she's　got　in'　for　getting　this　weird　crush　on　Zor…O？

He　thought　all　that　looking　down　into　the　pug…nosed；　freckled　face　and　regretted　making　such　a　jackass　of　himself　at　the　movie。　Without　warning；　he　found　himself　wondering　what　it　would　feel　like　to　hold　her　tenderly；　the　way　Sean　had　embraced　Marie　Crystal　the　other　day。　Then　Angelo　Dante　violently　suppressed　the　thought。

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　he　said　through　clenched　teeth。　He　saluted；　about…faced　and　marched　to　the　jeep。　Tires　chirped　as　he　accelerated　away　from　the　curb。

Dana　handed　the　binder　back　to　Zor　without　even　looking　at　the　cover。　〃Here。　Sorry　about　that；　but　Angie's　such　a…〃

〃Thank　you。〃　Zor　took　the　classified　book；　turned　and　went　up　the　steps　toward　the　main　entrance；　barely　having　registered　her　presence。

〃Hey！〃　She　started　after　him；　but　just　then　a　hand　closed　around　her　elbow。

If　she　had　been　only　a　little　hotter　under　her　high　military　collar；　she　would　have　turned　around　swinging。　But　she　reconnoitered　first；　and　saw　who　it　was。　〃Captain　Komodo！〃　she　said　in　bewilderment。　〃What's　the　matter；　sir？〃

Komodo　was　a　man　of　about　five…ten；　with　a　powerful　build；　of　Nisei　descent。　Just　now；　he　was　sweating　and　a　little　wild…eyed。　〃Lieutenant；　I　need　a　favor！〃

Most　people　in　the　Southern　Cross　knew　who　Komodo　was。　After　the　Robotech　Masters'　first　attack　on　Moon　Base　One；　Komodo　had　violated　Emerson's　ironclad　wait…and…see　orders　to　launch　missiles　at　them；　ending　Emerson's　hopes　for　negotiations。

Emerson　had　wanted　him　court…martialed　for　firing　the　goading　shot　in　a　war　nobody　wanted；　but　Leonard；　ever　the　alien…hater；　had　had　Komodo　decorated　for　prompt　and　brave　use　of　personal　initiative；　and　transferred　to　fire　control　on　a　battlecruiser。　Still；　the　word　on　the　scuttlebutt　grid　was　that　Komodo　regretted　what　he　had　done　and　he　had　made　mention　of　his　wish　to　redeem　himself。

Now　Dana　let　herself　be　pulled　off　to　one　side　by　the　captain；　not　sure　how　anything　fit　together　with　anything　else　anymore。


In　a　small　park　near　GMP　headquarters；　Komodo　finished；　〃So　I　thought　you　could　help　me；　Lieutenant。〃

Dana　looked　him　over　carefully。　〃And　Nova's　the　one　for　you；　huh？〃　According　to　the　captain's　story；　he　had　only　talked　to　her　a　few　times；　and　always　in　the　line　of　duty。　But　when　did　love　ever　let　reality　stand　in　its　way？　she　sighed　to　herself。

Captain　Komodo　chuckled　self…consciously。　〃I'm　assigned　to　go　with　General　Emerson　to　ALUCE；〃　he　explained。

〃And　you　figure　you　might　not　make　it　back；　so　you　want　her　to　at　least　know　you　exist　before　you　go？〃　Dana　said　with　a　blunt；　uncharacteristic　need　to　hear　his　answer。

She　paced　a　few　steps　up　and　back　while　Komodo　gave　a　sighing　laugh　and　admitted；　〃I　suppose　she　could　never　want　me。　〃

〃Let's　have　no　defeatist　talk；　Captain！〃　Dana　responded。

Maybe　Komodo　could　serve　as　a　distraction　and　pry　Nova　and　Zor　apart…and　maybe　not。　Still；　it　was　the　only　card　she　had　to　play；　short　of　letting　Angelo…who　seemed　to　despise　the　alien　for　reasons　she　couldn't　understand…put　Zor　in　Intensive　Care。

She　took　Komodo's　arm。　〃You　can't　give　up　the　ship　before　you've　fired　your　first　salvo；　Captain。〃　They　both　laughed；　walking　back　toward　the　GMP　HQ。

They　left　the　trees　just　in　time　to　see　Sean　Phillips　go　racing　by　at　the　wheel　of　a　jeep；　at　breakneck　speed。　He　was　roaring　with　laughter；　and　Marie　Crystal；　in　the　ninety…percent　seat；　was　laughing；　too；　one　arm　around　his　shoulders。　He　turned　a　corner　on　two　wheels。

〃There's　living　proof；　Captain；〃　Dana　said；　frowning。　〃If　that　sorry　sack　can　win　a　female　heart；　anybody　can。〃　Her　words　didn't　seem　to　fortify　Komodo。


The　appalling　workload　at　GMP　and　the　presence　of　Colonel　Fredericks；　her　CO；　had　kept　Nova　from　seeing　Zor　when　he　showed　up　to　return　the　ALUCE　documents。　So；　Zor　had　left　the　binder　for　her；　wrapped　in　plain　paper；　and　she　had　claimed　it　when　at　last　she　knocked　off　for　a　few　hours'　sleep。

Somehow；　she　couldn't　see　what　she　was　doing　as　promising　Southern　Cross　secrets。　She　did　not　even　think　of　Zor　as　a　security　risk。　She　could　only　think　of　those　huge；　oblique；　elfin　eyes；　the　face　like　a　classical　sculpture's；　the　tumbling　lavender　locks　of　hair　that　fell　past　his　shoulders；　the　hypnotic　fascination　he　held　for　her。

At　the　door　of　her　billet　in　the　Bachelor　Officers'　Quarters；　she　found　a　lush　bouquet　of　pink；　black；　and　red　roses；　wrapped　in　silver…and…black　striped　metallic　paper。　The　sight　of　them　took　all　her　fatigue　away。

Nova　Satori　pulled　them　close　to　her　body；　inhaled　them；　and　carried　them　into　her　billet。　That　scent…she　drew　it　in　deeply　and　wished　she　could　lose　herself　in　it；　could　live　in　the　Heart　of　the　Rose　forever。　To　be　with　Zor；　somehow；　someday；　seemed　so　hopeless。

I　thought　love　was　supposed　to　make　you　happy？


In　the　dimness　of　a　bend　in　the　hallway；　Dana　patted　the　sweating　Komodo's　shoulder；　as　they　watched　Nova's　door　close　from　their　concealment。

〃That　pletes　the　first　part　of　the　operation；　Captain：　the　softening…up　process！〃


Inside　her　rooms；　Nova　set　down　the　ALUCE　binder　and　the　roses　side　by　side。　There　was　a　note　in　the　flowers；　printed　in　block　letters：　FROM　AN　ADMIRER。

She　held　up　the　other　note　she　had　gotten　that　day；　the　one　Zor　had　tucked　into　the　ALUCE　book。　I　can't　begin　to　thank　you；　Nova。　Every　bit　of　information　you　give　me　restores　more　of　my　memory；　more　of　me。

Then　she　realized　all　at　once　that　she　had　violated　the　regulations　she　was　sworn　to　enforce。　What　have　I　done？


So　the　screwball　contredanse　continued。　Dana　tried　to　convince　Komodo　that　his　flowers　were　the　cause　of　the　lovesickness　he　saw　on　Nova's　glum　face。　Meanwhile；　Nova　determinedly　snubbed　Zor　and　resisted　his　every　effort　to　get　in　touch…yet　she　felt　dangerously　drawn　to　him。

It　had　Nova　so　distracted　that　she　sc