09_the_final_nightmare-第22章

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A　female　nurse…technician　clone　was　there；　and　the　three　were　directed　to　put　their　feet　on　lighted　markers　inside　capsulelike　structures。　The　nurse　manipulated　a　control　ponent　that　resembled　a　small；　halved　Protoculture　cap　set　on　a　pedestal；　its　flat　face　covered　with　alien　instrumentation　that　looked　like　the　detailing　of　a　mecha。

Rays　played　over　them；　and　the　nurse　informed　them　that　although　their　dysfunction　was　far　along；　there　was　hope　for　them。　Their　mental　readouts　gave　the　clone　particular　alarm。

Bowie　and　Louie　looked　like　they　wanted　to　bolt；　but　Dana　had　the　feeling　that　they　were　close　to　something　vitally　important　about　the　Masters'　self…contained　world。　She　followed　as　the　nurse　led　them　into　the　next　and　far　larger　chamber。

The　place　seemed　to　be　filled　with　a　strange　blue　mist；　a　large　partment　with　scores　of　glassy；　coffinlike　containers　in　rows。　Long；　transparent　cylinders　descended　from　apertures　in　the　ceiling　to　cast　pale　light。　There　were　more　of　the　control　modules　set　here　and　there　among　the　scores　of　shimmering　coffins。　The　ATACs　could　see　still　forms　in　the　glassy　caskets。

〃Looks　like　we've　found　the　morgue；〃　Dana　murmured。

〃These　conversion　stabilizer　units　will　remedy　your　malfunctions；〃　the　nurse　explained。　She　was　used　to　clones　being　disoriented　when　they　came　to　her；　but　she　wondered　if　these　particular　three　were　beyond　help。　〃Observe　how　this　unit　is　now　in　plete　harmony　with　his　environment。〃

She　referred　to　a　male　clone　who　was　revealed　as　his　sarcophagus　lid　rose。　He　sat　up；　blinking；　on　his　elbows。

〃His　structure　was　stabilized　by　this　treatment　and　a　simple　bio…energy　supplement；〃　the　nurse　went　on。　〃You　will　now　drink　these。〃

She　was　talking　about　a　sluggish　looking　stuff　in　three　more　drinking　vessels　that　had　e　down　on　a　floating　table。　Something　in　Dana　was　drawn　to　the　idea　of　taking　an　alien　elixir；　of　finding　out　what　the　strange　sleep　brought。　It　triggered　some　deep　memory。　She　yearned　to　ply；　even　while　the　Southern　Cross　lieutenant　in　her　knew　it　would　be　madness。

The　nurse　was　doing　something　at　a　wall　unit。　Louie　suddenly　yelled；　〃Look　out；　Lieutenant！〃

Dana　turned。　The　just…awakened　clone　was　lurching　toward　her；　arms　outstretched。　He　didn't　look　very　stabilized　to　Dana；　he　looked　like　something　out　of　a　horror　movie；　pale　and　hollow…eyed；　the　living　dead。

Their　systems　aren't　functioning　up　to　par；　I　guess；　Louie　thought。

Dana；　filled　with　revulsion；　screamed　for　the　thing　to　stay　back　and　hurled　her　drinking　vessel　at　it；　the　glass　missed　and　smashed　into　a　control　module。　Liquid　splashed；　the　module　began　sparking　and　sputtering；　and　the　lights　started　dimming　and　brightening。

〃More　trouble；〃　Louie　observed；　the　see…through　caskets'　indicators　and　controls　were　going　haywire。　The　lids　were　rising；　the　clones　rose　from　their　resting　places。

〃Oh；　great！　The　whole　graveyard's　ing　to　life！〃　Bowie　yelled。

Dana　showed　her　teeth　to　Louie　with　a　hunting　cat's　ferocious　mien。　〃Here's　your　ideal　society；　Louie！　Here's　your　machine　dream；　your　Empire　of　Unimpeded　Intellect！〃　She　seemed　about　to　pounce　on　him。　〃Well？　How　d'you　like　it？〃

The　nurse　was　shrilling　something　about　third　stage　alerts　and　out…of…control　clones。　The　three　ATACs　didn't　realize　that　she　meant　them；　not　the　late　risers。

She　must　have　put　in　a　call　already；　though；　because　the　troopers　heard　running　footsteps　ing　toward　them。　Three　guards　with　the　submachine　gun…looking　weapons　appeared　in　a　doorway。

〃Use　the　zombies　for　cover　and　head　for　that　other　doorway！〃　Dana　shouted。　Bowie　and　Louie　followed　her；　weaving　among　the　sluggish；　confused　clones。　Dana　was　hoping　the　guards　would　be　busy　rounding　up　the　blitzed…out　sleepwalkers；　but　the　cop/clones　gave　chase　instead。

The　three　ATACs　ended　up　out　on　what　appeared　to　be　a　public　transport　platform；　like　a　subway　station。　Dana；　in　the　lead；　took　a　turn　and　kept　sprinting。　They　wound　through　side　ways　and　almost　tripped　over　a　parked；　unattended　runabout。

Dana　jumped　in；　determined　to　get　it　working；　she　hit　controls　at　random　and　it　tore　away　into　the　air；　leaving　Bowie　and　Louie　behind。

Everything　she　did　seemed　to　make　it　worse；　and　in　moments　she　had　another　guard　runabout　pursuing　her。　Dana　rode　over　the　rotundas　and　through　the　passageways；　ing　close　to　crashing　every　two　or　three　seconds；　somehow　managing　not　to　kill　astonished　clones；　trying　to　get　back　to　her　squadmates。

She　heard　the　pursuing　runabout　careen　out　of　control　and　crash　into　a　wall。　As　she　zoomed　out　of　an　alley；　Dana's　own　vehicle　tried　for　a　wingover；　and　she　went　flying。　Resigned　to　death；　she　had　her　fall　broken　by　some　kind　of　awning；　and　slid　through　as　it　ripped。　She　fell　on　her　rear　end　on　some　kind　of　big　disposal　chute。　It　disposed　of　her；　down　into　a　steeply　pitched　shaft；　just　as　she　heard　her　stolen　runabout　explode　against　a　distant　ceiling。

Her　funhouse　ticket　was　good　for　another　ride；　she　went　screaming　down　into　darkness。　She　came　sliding　down　across　an　arrival　stage；　losing　speed　and　uniform　fabric　and　skin；　and　went　shooting　off；　to　bounce　off　something　soft　and　land　in　a　heap。

〃Where　did　you　e　from？〃　a　calm　male　clone　voice　asked。

Dana；　rubbing　her　butt　and　groaning；　turned　and　said；　〃You　wouldn't　believe　it。〃

She　found　herself　looking　at　a　slender；　graceful　clone　with　long；　straight；　steel…gray　hair　and　a　very　young　face。　〃I　am　Latell；　of　the　Stonecutters；〃　he　said；　rising　from　the　peculiar…looking　pallet　on　which　he　had　been　sitting　and　ing　to　kneel　by　her。　〃Are　you　badly　hurt？　Is　there　anything　I　can　do？〃

She　looked　around　her。　The　room　suggested　a　Roman　bath　converted　to　use　as　a　clone　hospital；　but　here　the　beds　had　no　lids。　Around　the　room；　the　Masters'　slaves　were　lying　down　or　sitting；　looking　very　torpid。　〃Well；　you　could　tell　me　what　this　place　is。〃

〃Why；　this　is　the　district　interim　center　for　purging　and　replacement。〃

So；　she　was　at　yet　another　clone　spa。　〃Purging　of　what？〃

He　tilted　his　head；　studying　her。　〃The　personal　consciousness　of　those　who　must　be　rehabilitated；　naturally。〃

A　male　clone　nurse　appeared；　a　twin　of　the　one　who　had　tried　to　serve　Dana　the　mickey。　〃You　two！　Your　rest　period　is　now　terminated。　Resume　training。〃

Latell　snapped　to　attention；　then　drew　the　truculent　Dana　to　her　feet；　afraid　that　she　was　so　destabilized　as　to　risk　punishment。　Dana　saw　it　wasn't　time　to　start　a　dust…up；　and　let　Latell　lead　her　away。

He　took　her　to　a　chamber　where　dozens　of　people…that　was　how　she　thought　of　them…were　standing　two　or　three　apiece　at　glowing　projection　tanks。　The　clones　studied　abstract　shapes　and　symbols　and　hypnotic　patterns；　which　changed　and　shifted；　the　clones　staring　down　at　them　with　intense　concentration。

〃Why　are　you　here；　Latell？〃

〃I　was　found　guilty　of　individual　thought；〃　he　confessed　to　her。　〃And　you？〃

〃Uh；　the　same。〃

He　looked　infinitely　sad。　〃But　they've　allowed　you　to　keep　your　permanent　body；〃　he　observed；　too　polite　to　point　out　what　a　nonstandard　body　it　was…so　rounded　and　with　such　an　odd　voice。　〃Not　the　normal　procedure　at　all。〃

〃It's；　ah；　part　of　an　experiment；　Latell。〃

They　were　at　one　of　the　pool　tables。　Latell　was　gazing　down　at　the　shapes　there；　brow　furrowed。　The　shapes　began　changing；　multiplying；　going　do…si…do。　〃I'm　afraid　I　must　confess：　my　reprogramming　efforts　haven't　been　entirely　successful…oh！〃

He　was　staring　disappointedly　at　the　lightshapes。　〃The　trainer　is　having　no　effect。　I　still　have　individual　thought　patterns。〃

She　looked　him　up　and　down。　〃What's　so　bad　about　that？〃

〃You　know　as　well　as　I。　Unstable　minds　cannot　be　tolerated…〃

He　was　interrupted　as　a　nearby　female　slumped　against　her　pool　table…trainer　and　fell　to　the　floor。　Dana　rushed　to　her；　trying　to　revive　her　without　success。

She　looked　around。　〃Somebody　give　me　a　hand；　here！〃

A　female　who　was　twin　to　the　one　Dana　cradled　said　frostily；　〃That　is　forbidden。　Her　body　will　have　to　be　replaced。〃

So；　when　one　member　of　the　triumvirate　got　out　of　whack　by　the　Masters'　standards；　he　or　she　was　either　fixed；　or　replaced。　And　the　triumvirate　went　on。

Dana　showed　her　teeth　in　a　snarl。　〃What　are　you；　Human　beings　or　cattle？