09_the_final_nightmare-第19章

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Emerson　was　calling　for　more　diversionary　strikes；　to　keep　the　Masters　busy　and　eliminate　as　many　red　Bioroids　as　possible；　when　his　flagship　was　battered　by　another　massive　volley。

Colonel　Green　picked　himself　up　off　the　deck；　checked　the　ining　reports　and　called　to　his　manding　general；　〃It's　another　alien　mother　ship；　sir！〃　He　checked　damage　readouts。　〃And　we're　in　no　shape　to　take　'em　on；　Rolf！〃

After　the　battle　and　the　ramming；　Emerson　knew　that　was　only　mon　sense。　But　he　said；　〃The　battle　plan　does　not　allow　for　withdrawal　at　this　time…〃

A　second　barrage；　even　stronger　than　the　first；　rattled　them　all　around　like　dice　in　a　cup。　Emerson　saw　that　it　wasn't　just　one　mother　ship　ing　to　the　rescue；　but　at　least　three。　There　was　no　choice；　his　forces　would　be　utterly　obliterated　if　he　didn't　at　least　fall　back　to　regroup。

And　there　was　no　time　for　an　extraction　mission　to　recover　the　15th；　it　was　mitted。　Its　few　young　troopers　were　very　likely　the　last；　best　hope　of　Earth。


Marie；　back　aboard　her　attack　transport　to　rearm　and　refuel；　heard　the　announcements　and　mands　over　the　PA　and　went　cold；　as　the　Earth　fleet　began　to　break　off　contact　and　withdraw。　Oh；　Sean！


The　15th　spotted　the　two　Triumviroids　in　the　corridor　ahead　of　them　before　the　reds　spied　the　15th。　The　ATAC　Battloids　charged　almost　shoulder　to　shoulder；　unavoidably　bunched　up；　putting　out　the　heaviest　volume　of　fire　they　could。

A　strange　thing　happened；　the　enemy　mecha　whirled　and　froze。　ATAC　rifle　shots　spattered　their　torsos　and　faceplates；　blowing　them　out；　and　the　Triumviroids　dropped　like　puppets　whose　strings　had　been　snipped。　The　ATACs　had　had　the　advantage　of　numbers　and　surprise；　but　it　was　still　a　remarkably　easy　win　in　parison　to　the　harrowing　battle　on　the　outer　hull。

The　15th　never　even　broke　stride；　but　charged　on　further　into　the　ship；　weapons　ready。　But　even　as　Dana　leapt　her　Battloid　over　one　red's　body　something　occurred　to　her。　Two…there　were　only　two　this　time。　And　the　reds　had　been　working　in　threes　up　above。　Presumably　there　was　at　least　one　more　around　down　here；　perhaps　damaged　or　crushed　by　Emerson's　ramming　maneuver。

She　had　no　time　to　pursue　the　thought；　though；　as　she　led　her　squad　along　a　curvy　passageway　built　to　mecha　scale。　The　deck　and　bulkheads　seemed　unremarkable　here；　but　the　overhead　looked　like　a　big；　metallic　mural　network。　No　time　to　stop　and　study；　however。

〃Must　be　kinda　familiar；　huh　Zor…O？〃　Angelo　taunted。　〃Which　way　d'we　go？〃

〃I　wish　I　knew；　but　I　don't　remember；　Sergeant。〃　Zor　answered；　unruffled。

〃I'll　just　bet　ya　don't；　alien！〃

Dana　snapped；　〃Knock　it　off；　Dante！　Stay　sharp；　all　of　you！〃

The　warning　was　well　timed。　A　moment　later；　a　diamond…shaped　hatch　slid　open　before　them　and　three　Triumviroids　leapt　into　the　opening。

But　the　15th　was　so　juiced　up　on　adrenaline　and　the　heat　of　battle　that　they　opened　fire　instantly。　For　some　reason　these　enemy　mecha；　too；　were　slow　in　responding；　and　with　their　faceplates　shot　out；　they　went　over　like　bowling　pins。

〃Shoot　for　the　faceplates；　that's　their　weak　spot！〃　Dana　confirmed；　as　the　ATACs　rushed　the　hatch；　covering　one　another。　〃If　y'get　one　or　two　away　from　the　third；　it　slows　them　down；　if　you　get　a　trio；　hit　them　at　exactly　the　same　moment。　Looks　like　that　overloads　'em　somehow。〃


〃They　have　discovered　an　inherent　weakness　of　our　Invid　Fighter；〃　Shaizan　said　tonelessly。　It　seemed　that　the　single…thinking　Human　animals　were　a　match　for　the　Three…Who…Act…as…One。

Dag　said；　〃Then；　we　must　reactivate　Zor　Prime's　programming；　and　resume　full　mand　of　his　mind　and　actions。〃

A　perfect　solution。　There　could　be　no　chancre　of　malfunction；　since　Zor　was　so　close　to　the　Protoculture　cap。

Bowkaz　touched　his　long；　nailless　fingers　and　his　palm　to　a　mottled　patch　of　the　cap；　and　the　patch　shone　with　radiance。　〃It　is　done。〃


〃Lieutenant；　somethin's　wrong　with　Zor！〃

It　was　odd　to　hear　concern　in　Angelo's　voice。

Dana　and　the　others　stopped　and　pounded　back　to　where　Angelo's　Battloid　faced　Zor's；　which　stood　stiff　as　a　manikin。

The　power　of　Protoculture　coursed　through　Zor's　brain；　taking　control　of　every　corner　of　his　mind　in　moments。

Dana　shook　the　paralyzed　Battloid　a　little。　〃Zor；　what's　wrong？　Are　you　hit？　Answer　me！〃

Suddenly　the　Three…In…One　lashed　out；　grabbing　the　enormous　alloy　fist　of　Dana's　Valkyrie　in　its　own；　bending　it　in　a　take…away　hold；　threatening　to　rip　it　off。

Angelo　yelled；　〃Zor；　that's　enough！〃　He　had　his　rifle　up；　but　Dana　was　in　his　line　of　fire。

She　worked　a　quick　hand…to…hand　trick；　rotating　her　mecha's　wrist　out　of　the　grip　and　yanking　herself　free。　〃What's　gotten　into　you？〃

But　Zor's　Battloid　was　already　running　in　the　other　direction；　off　toward　a　side　passageway。

Dana　only　had　a　second　to　decide；　and　no　time　to　sort　through　her　various　motives。　A　part　of　her　simply　could　not　bear　to　see　Zor　go　off；　perhaps　blanked　out　again　or　suffering　some　mental　seizure；　to　be　captured　or　slain。　Furthermore；　he　was　an　important　resource　to　her　mission　and　to　the　Southern　Cross；　perhaps　her　best　hope　of　doing　her　job　in　the　mother　ship　and　getting　her　unit　out　alive。

But　she　couldn't　risk　her　whole　squad　trying　to　tackle　one　berserk　trooper。　〃Angelo；　e　with　me！　The　rest　of　you　set　up　security　here　and　maintain　radio　contact！〃

They　had　barely　started　to　chase　Zor　when　another　threesome　of　the　reds　tried　to　block　their　way。　Dana　felt　sure　the　Triumviroids　were　covering　Zor's　escape；　that　he　had　given　them　the　order　to　do　so。

Dana　managed　a　broken…field　run　through　them；　but　Angelo　took　one　out　with　a　shoulder　block；　slamming　it　against　the　bulkhead；　as　the　disc　guns　opened　up　and　the　rifle/cannon　replied。　The　passageway　was　an　inferno　of　close…range　firing。

Sean　yelled　an　obscenity　as　he；　Louie；　and　Bowie　set　up　the　heaviest　fire　they　could；　distracting　the　enemy　from　Dana　and　Angelo。　The　Triurnviroids　seemed　to　hear　an　unspoken　order；　and　turned　their　attention　on　the　remaining　troopers。　The　mecha　blasted　at　each　other；　blowing　holes　in　deck　and　bulkheads；　brilliant　spears　of　novafire　skewing　across　the　small　distance　separating　them。


CHAPTER　TEN

You　look　at　us　and　ask　why　we　are　slaves。　But　we　look　at　you　and　wonder　why　you　are　not。　What　hideous　mutation　has　given　you　the　curse　of　free　thought；　and　taken　away　your　peace　of　mind　forever？
Remark　of　an　anonymous　clone　to　ATAC　trooper　Corporal　Louie　Nichols

This　place　could　be　Roman！　Dana　thought；　looking　around　the　partment　into　which　Zor　had　disappeared。

It　was　like　same　vast　gathering　hall　or　ballroom；　There　was　invader　systemry　around　the　bulkheads。　But　set　all　around　the　hall/partment　were　what　seemed　to　be　marble　columns　in　the　classic　style；　supporting　entablatures　with　carved　friezes。　The　ceiling　was　a　smooth　dome　of　polished　stone。　It　made　no　sense　to　her；　and　she　had　no　time　to　puzzle　over　it　all。

〃Zor！　Zor；　please　e　out！〃　The　design　of　the　bulkheads　was　so　strange；　she　couldn't　tell　what　might　be　a　hatch　or　place　of　concealment；　the　columns　were　too　small　to　offer　a　Battloid　cover。

〃We're　your　friends；　Zor！〃

Angelo's　Trojan　Horse　came　double…timing　up；　having　hung　back　to　cover　their　rear。　〃Lost　him；　huh？〃

〃I　saw　him　e　in　here。〃

Angelo　raised　his　weapon。　〃He　can't　be　trusted。　He　betrayed　us。〃　The　punishment　for　treason　in　wartime　or　desertion　under　fire　was　obvious。　〃And　I'm　gonna　give　him　what　he's　got　ing。〃

It　was　also　obvious　that　Zor　wasn't　going　to　willingly　show　himself；　but　Angelo　had　his　own　straightforward　solution　for　that。　〃Gladiator　mode！〃

The　sergeant　imaged　the　transformation　through　his　spike…topped　thinking　cap；　and　his　Trojan　Horse　went　through　mechamorphosis。

Angelo　opened　fire；　hitting　one　of　the　columns　dead　center。　It　broke　into　a　shower　of　stone　splinters　and　dust；　collapsing　and　breaking　into　a　thousand　fragments。　He　traversed　the　barrel　and　let　off　another　round；　blowing　chunks　from　the　ceiling。

〃C'mon；　Zor！　Show　yourself。〃

He　was　right；　Dana　saw。　All　her　anger　at　the　Robotech　Masters　welled　up；　what　right　did　they　have　to　live　in　such　beauty；　slave　keepers　that　they　were？　She　went　to　Gladiator　as　well；　and　together　she　and　Angelo　Dante　stomped　about　the