09_the_final_nightmare-第28章

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　to　do　it　herself。

Sean　Phillips　smiled　up　at　her。　〃Shrapnel；　right　in　the　big　toe；　can　ya　believe　it？　But　I　still　qualify　for　a　medal　and　recuperative　leave；　and　it　does　smart；　and…〃

Nova　upended　the　stretcher　and　walked　away。　Dana　was　yelling　at　the　few　15th　troopers　around　her…her　core　group　to　get　busy　and　off…load　the　Hovertanks；　and　she　even　gave　Sean　a　swift　kick。　Then　she　barked　at　another；　〃You；　too！　Hurry　along　there；　Private　Doppler！　Double　time！〃

Then　they　had　disappeared　back　into　the　transport。　Nova　stalked　away　angrily；　but　stopped　suddenly。　〃‘Doppler'？〃

Minutes　later；　GI　personnel　staff　was　confirming　that　the　only　Private　Doppler　was　a　15th　trooper　who　had　died　during　the　assault　that　had　temporarily　brought　down　the　mother　ship；　weeks　before。

Who　could　Dana　be　hiding；　if　that's　what　she's　doing？　The　only　possibility　seemed　too　farfetched。　Even　Dana　wouldn't　be　that　crazy。


〃Here：　Lemme　take　a　look　at　you。〃　Dana　felt　only　mild　jealousy　that　Musica　looked　better　in　one　of　her　outfits　than　Dana　herself。

Musica　turned　180　degrees　self…consciously。　Her　green　hair　would　fit　in　with　current　Earth　fads；　caught　back　as　it　was　in　a　heavy　clip；　nearly　reaching　her　waist；　it　was　gorgeous。　〃But…these　garments　expose　my　legs。〃

〃With　legs　like　yours；　Musica；　I　wouldn't　let　it　bother　you。　See　for　yourself；　in　the　mirror。〃

Musica　did；　pulling　at　the　puffy　sleeves　of　the　pink　blouse；　the　hem　of　the　full　skirt。　〃Why　is　it　whenever　I　wear　something　like　that　it　makes　me　look　about　ten　years　old？〃　Dana　wondered　aloud。

They　decided　to　let　Bowie　enter　at　last　and　cast　his　vote。　It　took　him　a　while　to　find　words；　and　when　he　did　all　he　could　say　was；　〃I'll　write　a　song　about　it。〃　Musica's　face　shone。

Angelo　called　from　the　hospital　to　tell　them　Zor　was　being　released。　The　rest　of　the　15th　was　in　one　of　the　ships　that　had　gone　to　ALUCE　with　Emerson；　and　had　been　seconded　to　the　10th　ATAC　squad；　another　Hovertank　unit。

Since　the　15th　was　badly　under　strength；　it　wasn't　on　alert　or　standby；　Dana　decided　that　a　party　was　in　order。

〃Get　Zor　over　to　the　Moon　of　Havana　by　eight；　okay；　Angie？　We'll　meet　you　there。〃

It　was　good　to　be　alive。


In　the　mother　ship　to　which　the　Masters　had　withdrawn　when　their　own　flagship　was　atomized；　Allegra　and　Octavia　were　thrust　into　a　detention　area。

They　were　still　in　shock。　Muse　clones　simply　weren't　treated　this　way！

But　they　saw　that　much　had　changed；　and　this　wrath　of　the　Masters　was　only　part　of　it。

Deprived　of　their　instruments　and；　in　Musica's　absence；　a　vital　part　of　themselves；　they　trudged　into　the　cheerless　and　impersonal　holding　area。　The　clones　confined　there　were　dispirited　and　lethargic。

The　two　Muses　huddled　together　in　a　corner；　fearful　of　what　might　e　next。　〃It's　all　because　of　Musica；〃　Allegra　said　bitterly。　〃She　abandoned　us　and　betrayed　her　own　people！　They　can't　understand　that　her　sins　aren't　ours；　so　they've　cast　us　away　in　here！〃

〃Allegra…〃

But　she　cut　Octavia　off。　〃I　feel…〃　Allegra　made　a　vague；　angry　gesture；　to　express　the　rage　for　which　she　had　no　word。

〃Musica　is　our　sister；　we　three　are　one；〃　Octavia　said　soothingly。　But　she　was　troubled。　Didn't　Allegra　see　that　she　was　falling　victim　to　the　same　malady　that　had　claimed　Musica！　Apparently；　the　sickness　called　〃emotion〃　had　more　than　one　symptom。


The　party　started　with　a　toast　to　the　ATACs　who　had　been　killed　or　wounded　in　the　battle。　Then；　one　to　the　members　of　the　15th　who　had　been　redeployed　to　ALUCE。　After　that；　life；　love；　and　happiness　were　the　subjects。　The　ATAC　troopers　had　no　urge　to　toast　victory　or　rehash　the　battle…it　was　time　to　forget　the　war　for　a　while。

The　manager　gave　the　15th　a　great　table；　a　circular　banquette。　Soon　Bowie　was　at　the　Moon　of　Havana's　piano。　Musica　sat；　absorbed　in　his　playing。　And　the　songs　he　played　were　new；　like　nothing　she　had　ever　heard　or　thought　of　before！　And　he　was　making　some　of　it　up　as　he　went　along！　These　Humans　were　truly　astonishing。

Things　were　going　fine　until　they　realize　Nova　Satori　was　standing　in　front　of　their　table。　Dana　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do　but　invite　her　to　sit　down。

Nova　sat；　and　turned　to　Musica。　〃I　don't　believe　we've　met。　I'm　Lieutenant　Nova　Satori　of　the　GMP。　You　are。。。？〃

Musica　looked　nervously　to　Dana　for　rescue。　〃Friend　of　Bowie's；〃　Dana　replied。　〃We　haven't　been　able　to　get　her　to　say　‘boo'　all　night。　Another　musician…plays　the　ukulele　or　something　like　that；　I　think　he　said。〃

Nova　was　about　to　press　Musica　some　more；　when　Dana　interjected；　〃What　d'you　hear　from　Dennis；　Nova？〃

That　shook　Nova　off　the　track。　〃I…he's　part　of　the　force　that　went　to　ALUCE　with　General　Emerson。　He；　he　got　in　touch　on　a　back…channel　and　said　he's　all　right。〃

Before　Nova　could　go　back　to　her　interrogation；　Bowie　finished　a　number　and　the　crowd's　uproar　drowned　her　out。　Bowie　was　forced　to　do　an　encore。　Musica　floated　on　the　sounds　he　made；　but　she　couldn't　help　thinking；　If　my　sisters　were　here；　we　would　play　them　music　of　great　beauty；　too！

She　was　suddenly　filled　with　emptiness。　She　hung　her　head；　shaking　it　so　that　the　green　hair　swayed。　〃Oh；　sisters；　forgive　me！〃　She　said　it　low；　so　the　policewoman　wouldn't　hear。

〃No；　Musica；〃　Zor；　next　to　her；　countered　quietly。　〃Betrayal　cannot　be　forgiven。　I　am　beyond　forgiveness　and　so　are　you。〃

His　memories　were　merging；　surfacing；　being　available　to　his　conscious　mind。　He　was　being　the　original　Zor；　with　all　the　regrets　and　despair。　He　was　thinking；　too；　of　that　awful　final　moment；　when　he　destroyed　the　flagship；　and　the　deaths　of　uncounted　defenseless　clones…no；　people！

Angelo　didn't　interfere；　for　the　moment。　He　saw　how　living　among　Humans　was　both　a　joy　and　a　torment　to　Musica；　a　lot　like　a　kid's　story　he　remembered；　The　Little　Mermaid。　Funny　how　that　just　popped　up；　he　hadn't　thought　of　it　for　decades。

Sean　grabbed　the　shoulder　of　Zor's　torso　harness。　〃Hey；　modulate；　there；　trooper！〃　But　Zor　wrenched　himself　loose　and　strode　from　the　nightclub。

Musica；　watching　him　go；　began　to　slump　into　a　faint。　Sean　and　Louie　were　quick　to　catch　her。　As　tactical　withdrawals　went；　dropping　off　Musica　at　her　nonexistent　apartment　was　a　little　thin；　but　it　was　all　Dana　could　e　up　with。

Nova　watched　the　15th　leave；　just　barely　having　kept　them　from　sticking　her　with　the　check。　Go　ahead　and　play　out　your　hand；　Dana。　You　haven't　got　much　left。


CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

Hey　Billy！
You　said　you　owed　me　one；　and　if　I　needed　a　favor；　just　ask。
Okay。
Things　are　a　little　tight　right　now；　and　living　on　deuce　private's　pay　is　tougher　than　I　remembered。　You　and　I　know　each　other；　so　you'll　forgive　me　if　I　call　the　debt　in。
Things've　gotten　strange　here；　but　when　was　it　otherwise？　By　the　way：　that　kid　they　gave　my　15th　squad　to？　She　could've　been　worse。
Anyway；　I'm　gonna　need　some　money　and　I'm　gonna　need　some　favors。　We've　got　the　Plague　of　Love　around　here。
Your　old　pal；
Sean　Phillips

Sneaking　Musica　back　onto　the　base　and　the　barracks　pound　wasn't　too　hard。　The　ATACs　were　a　little　worried　about　Nova；　but　they　forgot　about　that　when　they　saw　Bowie　and　Musica　embrace。

It's　a　good　thing　we've　got　some　vacant　quarters　available；

Dana　thought。　She　was　thinking　more　and　more　these　days　of　how　well　Sean　adjusted　to　losing　his　mission　and　hoped　she　could　be　as　upbeat　once　they　busted　her。　Bowie　and　Musica's　being　together　seemed；　against　all　expectation；　like　something　that　justified　that　risk。

Then　a　motion　off　to　one　side　had　the　rest　realizing　that　Zor　had　wandered　off　and　Angelo　had　followed。　〃What　d'ya　mean；　you　shoulda　stayed　on　the　mother　ship？〃

Zor　was　leaning　against　a　tree；　eyes　to　the　grass；　arms　folded。　He　answered　in　a　low　voice；　〃It　was　where　I　belonged。〃

〃And　you'd've　been　killed。〃　Angelo's　fists　were　on　his　hips。　He　didn't　look　aside　as　the　other　ATACs　and　Musica　came　up。

〃That's　exactly　my　point。　Besides；　then　I'd　merit　a　hero's　funeral；　isn't　that　right？　A　golden　opportunity　for　you　to　display　those　precious　emotions　of　yours…weeping　for　the　fallen　rade；　and　all　that。〃

Angelo　felt　betrayed。　He　had　doubted　Zor　from　the　beginning；　had　seen　him　turn　traitor…then　e　back　to　his　senses　and　fly　right　again。　He　h