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ms of discs bickering back and forth。 〃Karno！ Stop this at once！〃
Bowie； pinned down； couldn't reach her； but screamed at her to get to cover。 Karno； crouched to fire from cover； bawled； 〃Musica； the Micronians have cast a spell over you！〃
〃That's not true！ I've freely chosen a new way of life…ahh！〃
There was no telling if the beam that seared her arm was from friend or foe。 She went on through locked teeth； 〃The truth is。。。we are all free beings。 With free will。 And you know that！〃
〃You speak lies！〃 he shrieked。 〃You're bewitched！〃
〃Got any brilliant inspirations？〃 Louie asked Angelo； as they squatted in the lee of a huge packing crate。
〃We could send 'em candy and flowers an' say we won't never do it no more；〃 Angelo allowed； then snapped off another round。 〃Or； pray for a miracle…〃
Just as he was saying that； the bulkhead was punched inward； one of the more curious coincidences of the war。 It was as if one of those ancient beer…car openers was broaching a cold one； only the opener was a stiff…fingered shot by a Battloid。
The Battloid； having following their transponders； peeled back the bulkhead like wrapping paper and stood into the gap。 Smoke curled around it and the guard clones shrank back in hysteria； forgetting their attack。 A voice amplified to Olympian volume rang； 〃So for this you stood me up at our rendezvous？〃
〃Meant to drop ya a note； Phillips；〃 'Dante admitted。 〃But I got real distracted。〃
〃No excuses！〃
Where he might have used the towering mecha's weapons to wipe out every enemy there； Sean instead chose to chastise them。 He had seen enough war； seen enough slaughter and； more to the point； sensed that a few more incidental enemy KIAs wouldn't influence the oute of things。 He had no heightened senses or Protoculture powers； just simple Human intuition that the oute of the war…the very core of it…had nothing to…do with scoring a few more clone body counts。
The colossal Battloid brushed a flock of guards into a wall； most of the others broke and ran； dropping their weapons。 Among those downed was the Guard Triumvirate。
Angelo led the refugees the other way； toward the assault ships。 But Karno reared up and spied Octavia； who had been promised to Sookol so long ago by the Masters。 She looked so like Musica。
Karno dragged himself up and dug out his sidearm； to shoot her as she dashed by。 She screamed and fell； Bowie and Musica turning back to help her。
Sean turned his Battloid and brought up the Cyclopean foot。 Even as Bowie and Musica were carrying Octavia to cover； Karno screamed。 The last thing the clone ever saw was the bottom of the foot of the Battloid…configuration Hovertank Bad News； 15th squad； Alpha Tactical Armored Corps。
Bowie knelt in the lee of the alloy container while Musica sought to fort her sister。
Octavia's hand caressed her cheek。 〃It's all right； Musica…I know my spirit and my songs will live in you！〃
〃We're still。。。as one；〃 Musica struggled。
〃Yes； I know； though greater things are in you now； such greater things！ But to the end of space and time…we three are one。。。always。。。。〃
And she was dead。 Bowie tugged at Musica's arm because a sudden rush by counterattacking guards might put Musica in jeopardy before Sean's Battloid could make them see reason and drive them back。
The counterattack was repulsed； not much of a job for a mecha that had the firepower of an old…time armored troop。 Sean's Bad News burrowed through a bulkhead like a big； glittering badger； and opened the way for the refugees； who went spilling into the assault ship hangar deck。 〃There； that oughta do it； everybody into the troop carriers！〃
As planned； the battle on and just over the planet's surface and the decoys that were the surviving mother ships had led most of the Earth forces away from the flagship。 Those that were left were of no importance。 The Robotech Masters' last functioning mother ship closed in to execute the final portion of its mission。
Three segmented metal appendages； like huge blind worms； extruded themselves from the underside of the flagship and met； their pleted instrumentality throwing out a light as bright as a solar prominence。 A beam sprang down to penetrate one of the mounds below； and the second； and the third； with zigzagging sensor bolts。
Inside the Masters' ship； engines of raw power were brought into play。 The distortions and occlusions of the Protoculture wraiths could not stand before that raw power； and the Masters saw…at last where their target lays。
The three wraiths looked upward。 Their hour was nearly sped； there was no resisting the focused might of the mother ship。
At the touch of the Masters' might； the mound covering the SDF…1 shuddered； then began to split open； as the Flowers of Life stirred； and the spores bobbed upward。 Rock ground against rock； and tremendous volumes of soil were shifted with ease。 The mound itself was split in half and pulled apart by the invaders' awesome instrumentality。 As the gap widened； trees； boulders； and dirt from the mound's flat top rained down onto the wreckage below。 In the place of the relatively small opening that had been above the Matrix garden； there appeared a rift that exposed the entire wreckage of the SDF…1。
The guardian Protoculture wraiths released the hold they had maintained on the spores for so long； the spores began drifting up toward the sunlight and the winds of Earth。
The Masters； studying their operations with satisfaction； watched the mound split open and willed their great ship to speed to it； for the extraction of the Matrix。 There was time to save enough of it to provide them with sufficient new Protoculture to rebuild their galactic empire。
They were no longer on their floating cap； since its systemry had to be merged with that of the ship itself for this crucial function。 Instead they stood on a circular antigrav platform； nearly at floor level。 Without Bowkaz； it was less crowded than they were used to。 Shaizan held the canister with the last mass once more； waiting for the moment when its total power must be brought to bear。
〃Soon even the Invid will not dare stand against us；〃 Shaizan declared。 He turned to issue another order to the Scientist triumvirate； whose members stood nearby； supervising the mission； gathered around a big control module in the middle of the chamber。
But the opening of a hatch behind them made Shaizan and Dag whirl。 Zor Prime entered； with the clone guard they had posted held in an armlock； his rifle aimed at them with his free hand。 Dana followed； holding her carbine。
〃Masters； heed me： the moment of retribution has e。 Now you pay for all the evil you've done！〃 Zor Prime thundered。
Shaizan seemed almost sad。 〃Will you never understand； Zor？ It is much too late。〃 He gestured to the screens； which showed the opened mound； and Monument City in flames。 〃In moments； we will have the Matrix back； at last。 You cannot stop us。〃
Dana snarled； 〃We're not going to let you snakes have that Matrix。 It's too powerful！〃
The Masters were mystified as to how Zor and the female had escaped； it was； perhaps； some effect from the sundering of their Triumvirate； Dag and Shaizan concluded。
Dana brought the car