09_the_final_nightmare-第39章

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usion。　It　was　nothing　but　faith；　really；　but　if　she　had　understood　her　Academy　philosophy　courses；　what　cognitive　process　wasn't？

The　guard　runabout　stopped　at　a　bulkhead　hatchway　as　big　as　a　hangar　door；　and　the　tanks　settled　in　behind　it；　idling。

〃From　this　point；　Musica　and　two　others　may　continue；　but　no　more。　The　exchange　will　be　made　at　once。〃

Dana　stood　in　her　cockpit…turret；　taking　up　her　tanker's　carbine　and　slinging　it　over　her　armored　pauldron。　Her　winged　helmet；　with　its　crest　of　bright　metal；　and　her　flashing　armor　seemed　to　daunt　the　guards　a　little。　〃That's　you　and　me；　Bowie。〃　She　couldn't　figure　out　why　the　Masters　weren't　luring　Zor　in；　too。

〃Right。〃　Behind　Bowie；　Musica　rose　to　her　feet；　to　show　that　she　was　ready。

Valkyrie　and　Re…Tread　were　escorted　among　more　of　those　stone…faced　corridors　Dana　remembered　so　well；　and　through　more　technological…looking　passageways　as　well。　At　last　the　runabout　leading　them　stopped；　and　the　tanks　settled　to　a　halt。　At　Dana's　signal；　Bowie　and　Musica　dismounted　to　join　her；　both　ATACs　carrying　their　carbines。　They　were　led　to　a　triskelion　hatch　that　rotated　open。

Emerson　looked　up　with　a　resigned　smile。　〃It's　you。〃　Dana　knew　some　of　it　was　for　her；　but　most　of　the　general's　warmth　was　for　Bowie。

〃Rolf；〃　Bowie　said　simply。

〃General　Emerson！〃　Dana　strode　over　to　him；　carbine　still　at　sling…arms；　as　Dennis　Brown　and　Marie　Crystal　helped　him　to　his　feet。　〃You're　wounded。〃

She　could　see　there　wasn't　much　she　could　do　with　her　bat　med　kit　that　Brown　and　Crystal　hadn't　already　done　with　theirs。　〃It's　nothing　serious；〃　the　general　told　her；　a　lie　and　they　both　knew　it。　〃I'm　glad　you're　here；　Dana。〃

Then　he　turned　to　Bowie；　who　stood　rooted。　〃Good　to　see　you；　soldier。〃

Bowie　inclined　his　head　to　his　guardian。　〃Pleasure　to　be　here；　General。〃　But　his　eyes　danced　behind　his　helmet　visor；　and　Dana　took　an　instant　from　her　scheming　and　calculating　to　be　glad。　Whatever　had　gone　wrong　between　the　two　had　somehow　been　made　right　again。

Dana　was　figuring　the　best　order　of　march；　meaning　to　use　Musica　as　insurance…something　Musica　had　already　agreed　to…when　there　was　a　muffled　cry。　Dana　whipped　around；　the　carbine　slung　down　off　her　shoulder　butt　first　and　the　muzzle　ing　up；　to　see　Musica　being　borne　back；　wrenched　from　Bowie's　grasp；　and　carried　through　two　firing　ranks　of　clone　guards。　The　guards　had　appeared　from　nowhere；　their　backs　to　what　she　had　assumed　was　a　solid　wall…she　had　fallen　for　an　old　trick。　The　ranks　closed；　and　the　guards　assumed　firing　stances。


〃Dana！〃

Sean　had　never　quite　heard　that　tone　in　Angelo's　voice　before。　but　there　wasn't　much　time　to　stop　and　reflect　on　it。　Sean　himself　had　been　preoccupied；　worrying　about　Marie。

But　Dana　had　left　her　mike　open；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　the　sound　of　a　firefight　or　the　lieutenant's　yell　for　reinforcements。

〃I'll　e　with　you！〃　Angelo　roared；　as　the　tanks'　thrusters　blared。　Nova；　riding　with　him；　was　all　for　that；　thinking　of　Dennis　Brown。

Sean　automatically　reverted　to　a　mand　voice；　even　though　the　big　sergeant　now　outranked　him。

〃You　know　your　orders！　Hold　this　position！　And　you；　too；　Louie；　you've　got　to　secure　the　escape　route！〃　Sean　fired　up　Bad　News　and　bashed　through　the　hatch　before　him　while　Angelo　was　still　making　strangled　objections。

It　wasn't　too　hard　to　find　the　way；　Dana　and　Louie　each　had　a　transponder　in　their　armor's　torso…instrumentation　pack。　Then；　Dana's　vanished　from　the　display　screen。

But　Bowie's　still　functioned；　even　though　Sean　couldn't　raise　him　or　the　lieutenant　over　the　radio。　Sean　had　clones　lucking　low　every　which　way；　indifferent　to　their　puny　small　arms　fire；　laying　out　an　occasional　burst　just　to　keep　them　discouraged。

The　race　to　get　there　seemed　to　take　forever。　Dana's　signal　was　dead　and　she　might　be；　too；　and　Marie　was　in　there；　along　with　the　others。。。

He　bashed　through　a　final　hatch　like　an　iron　fist　through　rice　paper；　holding　fire　because　he　didn't　know　where　friend　or　foe　might　be。　Energy　bolts　began　ing　his　way　at　once。

Still　he　held　fire；　trying　to　get　his　bearings。　It　was　a　singular　piece　of　discipline；　as　someone　in　an　earlier　war　had　remarked；　you　would　shoot　your　own　mother　if　she　happened　to　charge　across　your　field　of　fire　in　battle。

Bad　News　settled　in　for　a　low　hover；　as　a　triad　of　guards　concentrated　their　fire　on　it。　Sean　would　wonder　later　if　the　clones　had　any　real　idea　of　warfare；　would　feel　as　though　he　had　simply　executed　them。　But　in　the　heat　of　the　moment；　seeing　there　were　no　friendlies　near；　he　laid　out　a　single　bolt　from　the　cannon　and　was　on　the　move　even　while　the　immolated　bodies　were　turning　to　ash。

He　was　too　zoned…up　for　bat　to　feel　sorry　for　them；　there　was　only　one　thing　he　cared　about；　and　the　voice　Sean　heard　then　sent　waves　of　relief　and　joy　pushing　through　him；　remarkable　in　their　intensity。

〃You　took　your　time　getting　here！〃　Marie　scolded　from　behind　a　fluted　column；　snapping　off　judicious　shots　with　a　fallen　guard's　rifle。

〃But　my　heart　was　with　you　all　the　while。　Believe　me；　my　little　pigeon！〃

The　romance　had　started；　for　him；　as　just　one　more　conquest。　When　did　she　e　to　mean　everything　to　me？　Sean　couldn't　help　wondering；　even　while　trying　to　keep　his　mind　on　business。

Maybe　it　was　because　Marie　Crystal　wasn't　dazzled　by　him；　having　more　than　enough　medals　and　decorations　of　her　own；　or　maybe　it　was　bound　up　in　that　spooky　destiny　stuff　Dana　kept　yammering　about　anal　Sean　refused　to　accept。　Most　likely；　if　he　and　Marie　lived　to　be　together　again　and　spent　their　whole　lives　that　way；　they　would　still　never　figure　it　out；　he　decided。

He　thought　all　that　in　a　tiny　slice　of　time；　pivoting　the　Bad　News　and　laying　out　heavy　suppressive　fire；　blowing　beautiful　friezes　to　cinders　and　fountaining　tiles　from　the　deck　to　keep　the　enemy's　head　down。

The　clones　didn't　seem　to　care　about　their　own　lives。　Some　stood　right　up　into　the　fire　and　shrapnel；　their　small　arms　counterfire　was　radiant　dotted　lines　running　at　every　angle　across　the　partment。


CHAPTER　TWENTY

Emerson！　Shoulderer　of　sorrow！
Champion　of　the　light！　Although　…
It　wasn't　given　him　to　know　that
Until　his　work　was　done
Mingtao；　Protoculture：　Journey　Beyond　Mecha

Rolf　Emerson　looked　up；　clutching　his　wounded　arm　to　him；　to　see　Bowie　and　Musica　sheltering　in　the　lee　of　a　column　not　far　away；　and　a　guard　clone　angling　to　get　a　clear　shot　at　them　from　behind。

Dispassion　and　logic　were　no　part　of　it；　Emerson　was　sprinting　headlong　through　the　gauntlet　of　weapon　blasts　before　rationale　had　any　chance　to　e　to　bear。　The　space　between　his　cover　and　Bowie's　column　was　fairly　safe；　the　shots　were　well　directed　by　then。　Emerson　launched　himself　through　the　air　just　as　the　clone　pressed　his　cheek　against　the　stock　of　his　rifle　for　maximum　accuracy；　down　on　one　knee。

There　was　a　split…second　image　of　Musica's　face；　frightened；　worried　for　him；　Emerson　could　see。

So　beautiful；　it　occurred　to　the　general　as　the　charge　hit　his　back。　Perhaps　she's　the　better　part　of　us　all；　we　must　listen　to　her。

The　bolt　hit　him　squarely　in　the　back；　vaporizing　flesh　and　singeing　bone；　setting　his　tunic　afire。　The　next　thing　he　knew；　he　was　in　Bowie's　arms　and　the　clone　rifleman　had　been　mowed　down　by　Dana's　fire。

Sean　was　walking　his　tank's　secondary…battery　fire　back　and　forth　in　the　partment；　most　of　the　enemy　withdrew　and　the　rest　died。　In　moments；　the　violent　echoes　gave　way　to　silence。

Bowie　threw　his　helmet　aside；　kneeling　to　gather　Emerson　into　his　embrace；　smelling　the　charred　flesh。　〃Rolf。　Father。。。〃

Emerson　found　his　hand；　gripped　the　cold　alloy。　〃I　heard　your　music。　The　night　before　they　sent　me　to　take　over　ALUCE　base；　I　stood　under　the　barracks　window　and　listened　to　you　play。　It　was　beautiful；　Bowie；　you　have　a　gift。〃

〃I　wasn't…I　haven't…〃　Bowie　wanted　to　talk　about　love　and　found　only　apologies　on　his　lips；　and　knew　there　was　no　more　time。

Emerson's　hand　squeezed　the　metal…sheathed　fingers。　〃You　and　Musica。。。it's　such　a　good　thing；　Bowie。　You　must　both　teach　it。　Son。〃

Emerson　was　still　alive　for　another　few　seconds；　though　he　would　never　speak　again。　He　looked　up　over　Bowie's　shoulder　to　see