05_force_of_arms-第10章

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In　fact；　street　crime　in　Macross　was　all　but　nonexistent。　And　punishments　were　such　that　recidivism　was　just　about　nil；　but　that　sort　of　reasoning　meant　nothing　to　a　young　man　waiting　for　a　woman　who　had　him　mesmerized；　entranced；　enraptured。　A　woman　he　had　met　only　a　few　hours　before。

A　woman　who　stood　in　the　dark　poised；　to　kill　him。

Then　he　heard　running　footsteps　behind　him；　and　her　voice。　〃Maximillian；　prepare　for　your　doom！〃　It　was　a　literal　translation　of　a　Quadrono　war　cry。

Miriya　had　gotten　to　the　spot　well　in　advance；　seen　him　arrive；　watched　him。　She　had　been　set　to　kill　him　precisely　at　their　appointed　meeting　time；　a　quarter　hour　before。　But　she　had　only　watched　him；　hating　him　all　the　more　but　feeling　strange…feeling　drawn　to　him　in　some　mysterious　way　she　couldn't　fathom。

She　told　herself　she　was　merely　studying　her　enemy's　movements　and　possible　vulnerabilities　and　fought　down　the　liking　she　had　for　seeing　him　in　motion。　She　told　herself　that　she　was　merely　waiting　for　the　most　opportune　moment；　yet　though　that　part　of　the　park　was　absolutely　deserted；　she　let　the　minutes　slide　by。

Miriya　observed　his　eyes；　his　lips；　the　way　he　moved。　She　felt　a　trembling　in　herself　that　no　military　mind　/body　discipline　known　to　her　could　quiet。　But　at　last；　by　a　tremendous　application　of　will；　she　hurled　herself　into　battle。

Max　was　unaware　of　all　of　that；　of　course。　At　first　he　thought　it　was　some　kind　of　joke。

He　saw　her　charging　at　him　with　the　quick　grace　of　a　panther；　a　gleaming　knife　held　high。　Miriya's　heavy　waves　of　green…dyed　hair　snapped　and　flew　behind　her　like　a　flag。　She　still　wore　the　brown　body　suit；　the　kneehigh　boots　of　blue…dyed　leather；　and　the　yellow　scarf　at　her　throat。

Her　eyes　started　madly。　She　was　Quadrono；　a　Zentraedi　warrior；　and　yet　this　miserable　human　had　somehow　made　her　vacillate…made　her　feel　weakness　where　once　there　had　been　only　strength！　But　that　would　end；　Sterling　would　die；　to　expiate　his　sin　of　defeating　her；　and　she　would　once　more　be　Miriya　the　unconquerable。

Max　was　fumbling　through　a　little　greeting　he　had　been　rehearsing；　his　habitual　whimsical　half　smile　appearing　on　his　face。　〃Miriya；　it's　nice　to　see　you。。。glad　you　could。。。uh。。。〃

This；　while　she　bore　down　on　him；　the　blade　gleaming。　The　knife　was　a　kind　of　hybrid　cross　between　a　Japanese…style　tanto　and　one　of　the　midlength　Randall　hunting　models；　with　a　circular　guard。　She　saw　that　she　had　a　lot　of　ground　yet　to　cover　and；　afraid　that　he　might　elude　her；　hurled　it　at　him；　clawing　in　the　meantime　for　her　second　blade。

The　knives　weren't　quite　like　the　Zentraedi　weapons　she　was　used　to；　but　the　balance　and　heft　weren't　too　different。　Although　a　firearm　would　have　been　faster；　her　incandescent　need　for　revenge　had　made　Miriya　choose　a　more　traditional　weapon。　It　had　to　be　reflexes；　muscle；　eye…to…eye　confrontation；　and　cold　steel　that　settled　her　score　with　the　hated　human。

And　in　that　moment　Max　Sterling　proved　that　all　those　dogfight　kills　weren't　some　kind　of　fluke。　His　psychomotor　responses　were　the　fastest　the　SDF…1　meds　had　ever　measured…his　coordination　and　reflexes　were　unprecedented。

Max　was　still　trying　to　figure　out　what　she　was　talking　about　when　his　body　saw　the　flash　of　steel；　understood；　and　ducked；　he　was　doing　his　best　to　recall　the　awkward；　rather　romantic　little　speech　he　had　meant　to　make　to　her　when　those　supreme　and　somehow　strangely　given　bat　reflexes　cut　in。

His　evasion　was　barely　a　flicker　of　movement；　the　knife　flashed　past　him　to　land　solidly　in　a　tree　trunk。

This　was　the　first　time　she　had　ever　missed。　But　she　kept　ing　at　him。

Stunned；　Max　watched　her　charge　headlong　toward　him。　She　threw　the　sheath　of　the　first　knife　far　from　her；　it　made　no　sound；　landing　in　the　grass。

〃Hey；　are　you　crazy？〃　Everything　had　suddenly　slid　into　place　within　him；　he　already　loved　her　so；　but　the　physical　Sterling；　the　part　that　made　him　unbeatable；　was　broadcasting　warnings　and　threat　updates；　putting　his　body　in　motion。

She　drew　a　second；　sheathed　blade　from　the　open　front　seam　of　her　body　suit。　〃I　am　Quadrono　Leader　Miriya　Parino：　Zentraedi　warrior！〃

Max　gulped。　〃There　goes　our　first　date。〃

But　something　in　him　had　already　changed；　his　balance　was　forward；　on　the　balls　of　his　feet…he　felt　nearly　weightless…and　his　hands　were　curled　into　the　fastest　fists　on　the　SDF…1。

However；　he　was　still　infatuated　with　her；　he　held　himself　in　check　when　all　his　impulses　were　to　counterattack。　A　little　thing　like　attempted　murder　couldn't　alter　the　fact　that　he　was　hopelessly　in　love　with　her。

She　had　seen　him　pacing；　heard　his　concern　for　her。　The　weakling　human　fears…for　the　safety　of　an　imagined　loved　one；　of　all　things！…were　so　contemptible　and　misplaced；　and　yet。。。

Somewhere　deep　inside　of　her　she　knew；　with　a　clear　and　pure　knowledge；　that　Max's　worry　was　a　reflection　of　his　regard　for　her。　Who　else；　in　the　course　of　her　matchless　military　career；　had　ever　shown　such　simple；　loving　concern　for　Miriya　Parino's　well…being？

No　one。　Not　ever。　The　very　thought　galvanized　her；　launched　her　forward　to　murder。

The　sheath　hissed　briefly　with　a　metallic　rasp　as　the　blade　glimmered　wickedly　under　the　soft　park　streetlights。　〃You're　such　a　fool！　Fight　for　your　life！〃

There　was　something　nauseatingly　vulnerable　and　adoring　in　his　eyes；　the　expression　with　which　he　regarded　her　was　unworthy　of　any　true　warrior…but　it　sapped　her　determination　so。

Yet　inside　her；　a　furnace　as　hot　and　powerful　as　any　Protoculture　engine　burned。　Kill　him！　Kill　him　now；　at　once！　Before。。。before　he　can。。。

〃My　life？　But　why　attack　me？〃　Max　asked　bewildered；　but　his　body　was　already　set…they　were　both　so　locked　into　the　physical　language　of　hand…to…hand　that　a　fight　was　inevitable。

She　brought　the　glitter　of　the　blade　up　into　their　line　of　sight　like　a　fencer　so　that　they　could　both　consider　its　cold　blaze。　〃I　will　have　my　revenge！〃

His　hand　went　to　the　hilt　of　the　knife　embedded　in　the　tree　trunk；　and　she　made　new　calculations　based　on　his　being　armed。　Sterling's　having　a　knife　was　so　much　the　better　as　far　as　Miriya　was　concerned；　she　wanted　to　kill　him　in　a　fight　on　equal　terms；　wanted　to　humble　him　as　he　had　humbled　her…before。。。before　he　could。。。

His　hand　came　away　from　the　haft　of　the　knife…very　reluctantly；　very　slowly；　very　deliberately。　He　turned　back　to　her。　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　know　what　this　is　all　about。〃

He　left　the　weapon　aside　when　he　might　have　taken　it。　His　life　was　in　danger；　but　in　another　way　his　life　was　there；　staring　at　him；　a　knife　in　her　hand…the　person；　he　was　sure；　he　couldn't　live　without。

I　wonder　what　the　court…martial　punishment　is　for　falling　in　love　with　the　enemy？

〃What　d'　you　mean；　revenge？　If　you're　a　Zentraedi；　I　understand　why　we　have　to…to　fight。〃　He　barely　got　the　word　out。　〃But　why　d'　you　want　revenge？〃

She　held　the　short；　tanto…style　knife　high；　a　miniature　samurai　blade；　burnished　and　keen；　that　threw　the　light　back　like　a　mirror。　〃I。。。have。。。reasons！〃

With　that　she　sprang　at　him；　fast　as　any　jungle　cat。

But　Max　Sterling's　emotions　and　misgivings　were　subject　to　a　sudden　override；　body　and　reflexes　took　over。

An　edge　so　fine　that　it　would　have　cut　a　hair　floating　in　the　air　sliced　through　the　spot　where　he　had　been　standing；　with　a　curt；　sinister　sibilance。　Max　was　already　aloft。

She　spat　a　Zentraedi　oath　in　frustration；　watching　him　dive　and　flip　to　momentary　safety。　He　whirled　on　her　when　he　might　as　easily…and　more　sanely…have　run　for　it。　〃Miriya；　what'd　I　ever　do　to　you？〃

She　wasn't　blind　to　his　decision　to　stand　when　it　would　be　more　advisable　to　run。　Like　a　Valkyrie；　she　lifted　the　knife　blade　again；　so　that　it　threw　back　shards　of　light。

〃You　defeated　me。　And　you　don't　even　know　who　I　am；　do　you？〃

She　swirled　the　blade　around；　en　garde；　so　that　there　was　a　contoured　trail　of　light　between　them。　〃I　am　the　Zentraedi's　greatest　pilot！　And　I　will　not　be　humiliated　by　a　human　insect！〃

She　plunged　at　him；　the　razor…sharp　edge　slitting　the　air。　In　less　than　a　second　she　executed　two　masterful　infighting　moves　that　would　have　disembowled　a　lesser　opponent。

But　Max　Sterling　simply　wasn't　there。　He　made　no　countermoves；　but　he　avoided　the　cuts　and　thrusts　like　a　shadow。　Miriya　was　even　more　enraged　to　see　that　he　wasn't　terrified；　but　rather　mystified。　That　he　still　felt　weakling　human　emotions　for　her。

She　fought　down　the　chaotic　impulses　that　flared　up　within　her。　She　slashed　again；　but　the　knife　hissed　through　empty　space　once　more。

And　she　began　to　know　a　certain　fear。　By　the　Protoculture！　He's　so　fast！　Her　fear　had　nothing　to　do　with　dying；　she　was　Zentraedi。　In　this　strangest　battle　of　her　life；　she　wasn't　quite　sure　what　that　ultimate　and　most　dire　of　terrors　was；　the　dread　that　was　somehow　bound　up　in　Max　Sterling。　She　had　had　many　mental　images；　wondering　about　what　this　utter　demon　of　war　would　be　like；　none　of　them　were　anything　like　the　truth。

〃The　first　time　you　were　lucky！　The　second　time　was　your　final　victory！〃

She　cut　at　him；　barely　missing；　Max　dodging　with　that　same　uncanny　speed。　〃Nothing　can　save　you　now！〃　Miriya　hissed。　〃I　will　defeat　you！〃

She　hurled　herself　at　him；　the　blood　thirsty　edge　ing　around　in　an　eviscerating　arc。


CHAPTER　EIGHT

There　are　old　soreheads　and　young　soreheads　in　our　ranks　who　still　denounce　the　events　that　occurred　near　the　Peace　Fountain　that　night。　Chances　are；　they　won't　get　the　point　of　this　book；　either。
To　paraphrase　Robert　Heilbroner；　〃These　people　bring　lots　of　rigor　to　our　cause；　but　alas；　also　mortis。〃
Betty　Greer；　Post…Feminism　and　the　Robotech　War

Miriya　was　quick；　too；　nearly　as　quick　as　Max；　and　a　clever　knife　fighter。　She　maneuvered　the　next　sequence　of　cuts　so　that　his　route　of　evasion　would　be　past　the　tree's　great　roots；　and　sure　enough；　he　stumbled　and　went　down。

She　dove　at　him　gleefully；　the　white　throat　open　for　her　death　cut。　By　all　rights　the　duel　was　hers；　it　needed　only　the　flick　of　a　wrist　to　end　Sterling's　life　and　expunge　her　shame。　Nothing　could　explain　her　slight　hesitation；　she　who　had　never　hesitated　before　and　had　lost　to　no　other　foe。　Nothing　could　explain　it　except　the　sudden；　vivid　image　of　what　he　would　look　like　when　she　killed　him。

Flat　on　his　back；　Max　looked　up　at　her。　This　was　the　powered…armor　pilot　he　had　fought　to　a　standstill　days　before；　first　in　a　furious　dogfight　over　the　SDF…1；　then　in　a　toe…to…toe　confrontation　in　the　streets　of　Macross　itself。

He　should　have　been　afraid　for　his　life。　But　all　he　could　think　of　was　the　fact　that；　squaring　off　with　Miriya's　mecha；　he'd　kept　hearing　Tex　Ritter's　old　song　from　High　Noon；　〃Do　Not　Forsake　Me；　O　My　Darlin'；〃　echoing　through　his　head。　And　now　he　just　couldn't　help　hearing　that　haunting　line

on　this；　our　weddin'　day…ayy。。。

Miriya　sprang　at　him；　the　blade　cleaved　the　air；　aimed　at　his　heart。　His　body　responded　before　he　had　time　for　coherent　thought；　he　held　up　a　flat　disk　of　rock；　and　the　knife　point　skidded　from　it；　striking　sparks；　nearly　taking　two　of　his　fingers　off　but　missing　but　a　hair's　breadth。

The　miss　put　her　off　balance；　he　worked　a　leg　trip。　As　she　rolled　to　get　free　and　try　for　his　life　again；　he　catapulted　toward　the　fir