09_the_final_nightmare-第2章

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the　fight。　Leonard　was　huge；　but　a　lot　of　it　was　pointless　bulk；　there　was　some　question　about　how　much　real　muscle　was　there。　Emerson；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　ramrod…straight　middleweight　with　a　boxer's　physique；　and　few　of　the　men　and　women　on　his　staff　could　keep　up　with　him　when　it　came　time　for　calisthenics　or　road　drill。

Not　a　plete　failure？　Emerson　was　asking　himself。　God；　what　would　this　man　call　〃failure〃？

But　he　was　a　man　bound　by　his　oath。　A　generation　before；　military　officers　had　violated　their　oaths。　They　had　served　grasping　politicians…most　tellingly　in　the　now…defunct　USA…and　that　had　led　to　a　global　civil　war。　Every　woman　and　man　who　had　sworn　to　serve　the　Southern　Cross　Army　knew　those　stories；　and　knew　that　it　was　their　obligation　to　obey　that　oath　to　the　letter。

Emerson　stared　down　at　his　fingers；　which　were　curled　around　an　ancient　fountain　pen　that　had　been　a　gift　from　his　ward；　Private　First　Class　Bowie　Grant。　He　worried　about　Bowie　only　slightly　more　than　he　worried　about　each　of　the　hundreds　and　thousands　of　other　Southern　Cross　Army　personnel　under　his　mand。　He　worried　about　the　survival　of　the　Human　race　and　that　of　Earth　more　than　he　worried　about　any　individual　Human　life…even　his　own。

Emerson　gathered　up　all　of　his　patience；　and　the　perseverance　for　which　he　was　so　famous。　〃mander　Leonard；　the　ALUCE　base　is　a　mere　research　outpost；　with　civilians　present。　Aside　from　the　fact　that　by　the　standards　of　the　Robotech　war　we're　fighting；　ALUCE　is　tinfoil　and　cardboard！　I　therefore　presume　you're　not　seriously　thinking　of　fortifying　it　as　a　military　base。〃

It　was　as　close　to　insubordination　as　Emerson　had　ever　permitted　himself　to　go。　The　silence　in　the　mand　Briefing　Room　was　so　profound　that　the　roiling　of　various　stomachs　could　be　heard。　Through　it　all；　Emerson　was　locked　with　Leonard's　gaze。

The　Supreme　mander　spoke　deliberately。　〃Yes；　that　is　my　plan。　And　I　see　nothing　wrong　with　it！〃　He　seemed　to　be　making　it　up　as　he　went　along。　〃Mmm。　As　I　see　it；　a　military　strikeforce　at　an　outpost　on　the　moon　will　enable　us　to　hit　those　alien　bastards　from　two　different　directions　at　once！〃

A　G3　staff　light　colonel　named　Rudolph　readjusted　his　glasses　and　said　eagerly；　〃I　see！　In　that　way；　we're　outflanking　those　six　big　mother　ships　they've　got　in　orbit　around　Earth！〃

Leonard　looked　pleased。　〃Yes。　Precisely。〃

Emerson　took　a　deep　breath　and　pushed　his　chair　away　from　the　oak　table　a　little；　as　though　he　was　about　to　face　a　firing　squad。　But　when　he　came　to　his　feet；　there　was　silence。　All　eyes　turned　to　him。　The　general　feeling　was　that　no　one　on　Earth　was　more　trusted；　more　mitted　to　standing　by　his　word；　than　Rolf　Emerson。

No　one　could　be　relied　upon　more　to　speak　the　truth　into　the　teeth　of　deceit。

And　this　was　certainly　that　moment。　〃ALUCE　is　a　peaceful；　unreinforced　cluster　of　pressurized　huts；　mander　Leonard。　I　don't　think　that　anything　the　strikeforce　survivors　can　do　will　make　it　a　viable　military　base。　And　it's　my　opinion　that　by　provoking　the　enemy　into　attacking　it　you'll　be　throwing　away　lives。〃

So　many　staffers　inhaled　at　the　same　time　that　Rudolph　wondered　if　the　air　pressure　would　drop。　Leonard's　faced　flushed　with　rage。　〃They've　already　mauled　our　first　assault　wave；　it's　not　a　question　of　provocation　anymore。　Damn　it；　man！　This　is　war；　not　an　exercise　in　interstellar　diplomacy！〃

〃But　we　haven't　even　tried　negotiating；〃　Emerson　began；　a　little　hopelessly。　An　over…eager　missile　battery　mander　named　Komodo　had　fired　on　the　Robotech　Masters　before　any　real　attempt　could　be　made　to　contact　them　and　learn　what　it　was　they　wanted。　From　that　moment　on；　it　had　been　war。

〃I'll　have　no　insubordination！〃　Leonard　bellowed。　To　the　rest　of　the　staff　he　added；　〃Mobilize　the　second　strikeforce　and　prepare　them　to　relieve　our　troops　at　Moon　Base　ALUCE！〃


Outside　the　classified…conference　room；　a　figure　clad　in　the　uniform　of　the　Southern　Cross's　Alpha　Tactical　Armored　Corps…the　ATACs…moved　furtively。

Zor　still　didn't　quite　understand　the　half…perceived　urges　that　had　brought　him　there。　It　was　a　familiar　feeling；　this　utter　mystification　about　who　he　was；　and　what　forces　drove　him。　It　was　as　though　he　moved　in　a　fog；　but　he　knew　that　somewhere　ahead　was　the　room　where　all　Earth's　military　plans　were　being　formulated。　He　must　go　there；　he　must　listen　and　watch…but　he　didn't　understand　why。

Suddenly　there　was　a　bigger　figure　blocking　his　way。　〃Okay；　Zor。　Suppose　you　tell　me　just　what　the　hell　you　think　you're　doing　here？〃

It　was　Sergeant　Angelo　Dante；　senior　NCO　of　the　15th；　fists　balled　and　feet　set　at　about　shoulder　width；　ready　for　a　fight。　His　size　and　strength　dwarfed　Zor's；　and　Zor　was　not　small。　Dante　was　a　career　soldier；　a　man　of　dark；　curling　hair　and　dark　brows；　not　quick　to　trust　anyone；　incapable　of　believing　anything　good　of　Zor。

The　sergeant　grabbed　Zor's　leather　torso　harness　and　gave　it　a　yank；　nearly　lifting　him　off　his　feet。　〃What　about　it？〃

Zor　shook　his　head　slowly；　as　if　ing　out　of　a　trance。　〃Angle！　Wh…how　did　I　get　here？〃　He　blinked；　looking　around　him。

〃That's　my　line。　You're　sneakin'　around　a　restricted　area　and　you're　away　from　your　duty　station　without　permission。　If　you　don't　have　a　pretty　good　explanation；　I'm　gonna　see　to　it　your　butt　goes　into　Barbwire　City　for　a　long　time！〃　He　shook　Zor　again。

〃Oh；　Zor！　There　you　are！〃　First　Lieutenant　Dana　Sterling；　manding　officer　of　the　15th；　practically　squealed　it　as　she　rounded　a　corner　and　hurried　toward　them。　Angelo　shook　his　head　a　little；　watching　how　her　smile　beamed　and　her　eyes　crinkled　as　she　caught　sight　of　Zor。

Like　her　two　subordinates；　she　was　dressed　in　the　white　Southern　Cross　uniform；　with　the　black　piping　and　black　boots　that　suggested　a　riding　outfit。　She　barely　reached　the　middle　of　Angelo's　chest；　but　she　was；　he　had　to　admit；　a　gutsy　and　capable　officer。　Except　where　this　Zor　guy　was　concerned。

She　rushed　up　to　them　and　grabbed　Zor's　hand；　Angelo　found　himself　automatically　releasing　his　captive。　Dana　seemed　pletely　unaware　that　she　had　blundered　into　the　middle　of　what　would　otherwise　have　been　a　fight。　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere；　Zor！〃

Zor；　still　dazed；　seemed　to　be　groping　for　words。　〃Just　a　second；　Lieutenant；〃　Angelo　interrupted。

But　she　was　tugging　Zor　away。　〃e　along；　I　want　to　ask　you　something！〃

〃Hold　it；　ma'am！〃　Angelo　burst　out。　〃Why　don'tcha　ask　pretty　boy　here　what　he's　doing　hanging　around　a　restricted　area？〃

Dana's　expression　turned　to　anger。　Like　the　sergeant；　she　had　tracked　down　Zor　with　difficulty；　but　she　wouldn't　let　herself　think　badly　of　her　strange；　alien　trooper。　She　shot　back；　〃What　are　you；　Angie；　a　spy　for　the　Global　Military　Police？〃

Angelo's　black　brows　went　up。　〃Huh？　You　know　better　than　that！　But　somebody　has　to　keep　an　eye　on　this　guy。　Or　don't　you　think　what　he's　doing　is　a　little　suspicious？〃

Dana　rasped；　〃Zor's　suffering　from　severe　memory　loss。　If　he's　a　little　disoriented　at　times；　that　just　means　we　should　show　him　a　bit　of　passion　and　understanding！〃

She　slipped　an　arm　through　Zor's；　clasping　his　elbow。　Angelo　wondered　if　he　were　going　crazy；　wasn't　this　the　same　alien　who　had　led　the　enemy　forces　in　his　red　Bioroid？　Didn't　he　try　to　kill　Dana；　as　she　had　tried　to　kill　him；　in　a　half　dozen　or　so　of　the　most　vicious　single　bats　of　the　war；　her　Hovertank　mecha　against　his　Bioroid？

〃I'll　speak　to　you　later；　Sergeant；〃　Dana　said；　dragging　Zor　off。

Angelo　watched　them　go。　He　had　gained　a　lot　of　respect　for　Dana　Sterling　since　she　had　taken　mand　of　the　15th；　but　she　was　only　eighteen　and；　in　the　sergeant's　opinion；　still　too　impulsive　and　too　inclined　to　make　rash　moves。　He　tried　to　suppress　his　sneaking　suspicion　as　to　why　she　was　so　protective　of　Zor…so　possessive；　really。

But　one　indisputable　fact　remained。　No　matter　how　loyally　Angelo　tried　to　discount　it；　Dana　herself　was　half　alien。


CHAPTER　TWO

I　could　never　figure　out　why　Leonard；　who　hated　anything　alien；　would　tolerate　that　wacky　experiment　where　Zor　was　thrown　in　with　the　15th　ATAC…especially　since　a　female　halfbreed　was　CO。　One　day；　I　remember；　Leonard　had　been　grumbling　about　putting　Zor　back　into　lab　isolation　and　dis