05_force_of_arms-第21章

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She　struggled　hopelessly　to　free　her　arm；　the　black　hair　whipping。　〃Let　go！　I'　have　to　tell　him！　Kyle；　let　me　go　or　I'll　hate　you　forever！〃

Fingers　that　could　have　tightened　like　a　vise　released　instead。　He　knew　a　hundred　ways　to　force　her　to　stay　there　but　not　a　single　one　to　take　away　her　feelings　for　Hunter　or　to　keep　her　from　the　pilot　without　making　her　hate　him。

The　grip；　strong　as　steel；　went　limp；　letting　her　go。　Minmei　wrenched　her　arm　free　and　raced　off　after　Rick。　Kyle　stood　alone　for　a　long　time　in　the　deserted　hearing　chamber；　listening　to　the　emergency　directives；　the　RDF　announcements；　the　preparations　for　battle。

Battle；　death；　oblivion…those　were　so　easy　to　face；　didn't　the　military　war　lovers　understand？　Living　without　the　one　who　meant　everything　in　life　to　you；　that　was　the　fear　that　couldn't　be　overe；　the　abyss　no　courage　could　see　you　across。


In　the　hangars　and　bays　and　ready　rooms　of　the　bat　mecha；　thoughts　of　love　and　grief　had　been　left　behind。　Now　it　was　only　kill　or　be　killed。　Men　and　women　emptied　their　minds　of　everything　else　in　a　way　no　outsider　would　ever　understand。

〃Arm　all　reflex　warheads；〃　the　mand　came　over　the　PA　from　Kim　Young。　The　missiles…Hammerheads；　Decas；　Piledrivers　and　Stilettos…became　alive　in　their　pods　and　racks。

The　attack　mecha　stood　to　readiness：　lumbering　giants　heavy　with　laser…array　and　x…ray　laser　cannon；　missiles；　chain…guns；　and　rapid…fire　tubes　loaded　with　discarding…sabot　armor…piercing　rounds。

The　Destroids　stumped　out　first：　waddling　two…legged　gun　turrets　the　size　of　houses；　running　their　clustered　barrels　back　and　forth　in　test　traverses；　ready　to　bunch　up　shoulder　by　shoulder　and　concentrate　fire。　Forming　up　behind　them　were　the　Gladiators；　Excaliburs；　the　Spartans　and　Raidars；　all　making　the　reinforced　decks　resound　to　their　tread；　weighted　with　every　weapon　Robotechnology　could　give　them。

The　March　of　the　Robotech　Soldiers。

The　SDF…1　gun　turret　and　casemate　barrels　swung　and　readied；　men　and　women　sweating　as　they　settled　into　the　gunners'　and　gunners'　mates'　saddles。　Targeting　reticles　were　checked　for　accuracy；　triggers　were　dryfired。

The　stupendous　warrior　that　was　the　SDF…1　itself　stood　ready；　covers　lifted　from　its　many　weapon　ports。　The　two　suppercarriers　that　were　the　ship's　arms；　Daedalus　and　Prometheus；　set　for　battle　and　for　the　harrowing；　fiercely　dangerous　business　of　bat　launches　and　retrievals。

On　the　hangar　deck；　Skull　Team　warmed　up。　They　would　be　one　of　the　few　teams　flying　the　new　armored　Veritechs。　Max；　running　things　until　Rick　could　get　there；　threw　his　wife　a　quick　smile。　Miriya　blew　him　a　kiss；　as　she　often　did　when　no　one　else　was　looking。　Kissing　was　still　an　amazing　thing　to　her；　lovemaking　left　her　at　a　plete　loss　for　words。　But　then；　it　did　the　same　to　Max。

She　turned　back　to　a　final　check　of　her　VT。　bat　was　something　she　knew　intimately；　too。　Max　got　the　rest　of　Skull　saddled　up；　resisting　the　urge　to　be　bitter　and　preoccupied　with　regret　that　he　had　had　so　little　time　with　her。

Those　were　the　distractions　that　got　fighter　pilots　killed。


On　the　bridge；　Gloval　arrived　with　Exedore　at　his　side；　and　no　one　thought　to　say　it　should　be　otherwise。

The　reports　of　the　ship's　fighting　status　came　to　him　from　the　Terrible　Trio　and　from　Claudia。

Gloval　led　Exedore　to　the　great　bubble　of　the　forward　viewport；　thinking；　Who　would　have　dreamed　we'd　be　fighting　side　by　side？

But　there　was　an　answer　to　that。　It　was　Gloval；　always　Gloval…and　sometimes　only　Gloval…who　had　anticipated　this　day　from　the　moment　he　had　heard　of　the　enemy　defections。


Over　the　UEDC　Alaskan　headquarters；　fighters　looking　a　lot　like　VTs　but　lacking　their　superlative　Robotechnology　screamed　into　the　air　on　alert。　It　was　a　brave　show　that　everyone　knew　to　be　hollow；　Earth's　only　real　hope　lay　with　the　dimensional　fortress。

Admiral　Hayes　and　several　other　senior　officers　stood　on　a　balcony　overlooking　the　vast　situation　room。　They　heard　echoing　updates　on　the　Grand　Cannon's　firing　status；　the　enemy　fleet　that　was　still　pouring　out　of　spacefold；　the　posite　picture　that　made　it　unlikely　that　a　single　member　of　species　Homo　sapiens　would　live　through　the　day。

〃The　projections　turned　out　to　be　in　error；〃　an　intel…analysis　officer　confessed；　zombielike。　〃Against　a　force　that　big；　we　can't　hope　to　win。　We　couldn't　do　it　even　if　the　Grand　Cannon　satellites　were　in　place。〃　He　was　shaking　his　head　slowly。　〃No　way；　sir。〃

Hayes　was　used　to　hiding　his　dismay。　He　called　down　to　a　munication　officer；　〃Lieutenant！　Have　we　been　able　to　establish　contact　with　the　aliens？〃

Hayes　burned　at　the　thought　of　why　his　superiors　were　suddenly　so　eager　to　talk　to　the　Zentraedi。　He　avoided　any　contemplation　of　how　Earth's　rulers　sounded　now　that　reality　had　at　last　been　forced　upon　them。　The　brave　words　and　the　bold　posturing　had　been　blown　away　like　smoke　in　the　wind；　and　UEDC　was　eager；　cringingly　eager；　to　make　any　deal　it　could；　starting　with　an　offer　to　make　itself　an　overseer　government　under　alien　rule。

Except　the　Zentraedi　weren't　making　deals　today；　and　Armageddon　was　apparently　the　only　item　on　the　agenda。

〃We're　trying；　Admiral；　but　so　far　it's　a　no…go；〃　a　　officer　called　up　to　him。

Hayes　himself　felt　betrayed　and　a　fool。　His　daughter　and　Gloval　had　been　correct　all　along；　right　down　the　line。　The　prestige　and　honor　of　his　rank　had　fallen　away　to　nothing；　and　he　saw　that　he　had；　very　simply；　wound　up　an　otherwise　honorable　career　by　being　the　instrument　of　craven　and　greedy　men。

〃Then　there's　nothing　left　to　do　but　fight；〃　Hayes　said。

Under　other　circumstances　it　might　have　been　one　of　those　lines　flag…rank　officers　could　hope　to　have　show　up　in　history　books。　The　fact　was　that　Hayes　knew　he　been　duped　again　and　again　by　the　politicians。　Besides；　it　was　unlikely　that　there　would　ever　be　any　more　history　books。

And　the　only　reason　to　fight　was　that　the　enemy　offered　no　alternative…it　meant　to　wipe　the　human　race　out　of　existence。


The　Grand　Cannon　prepared　to　fire；　and　the　futile　squadrons　of　Earth　fighters　went　out　to　do　their　jobs　as　best　they　could。　Lisa　Hayes　stared　down　at　her　screens　and　instruments　and　fought　off　the　urge　to　weep　for　the　men　and　women　who　were　doing　their　jobs　in　all　good　faith　and　were　kept；　by　the　omnipresent　UEDC　propaganda　and　disinformation；　from　knowing　that　they　were　doomed。

During　a　few　moments　lag　time；　she　paused　to　regard　a　close　pickup　shot　of　the　SDF…1　and　to　think　of　Claudia；　of　Gloval；　and　of　Rick。　She　found；　as　her　father　had　told　her　when　she　was　a　little　girl；　that　there　were　only　a　few　really　important　questions　in　life　and　that　bat　would　make　anybody　ask　them。

Why　are　we　here？　Where　do　we　e　from？　What　happens　to　us　when　we　die？　And　when　I　do；　will　I　be　with　Rick；　at　last；　or　will　I　be　alone　forever？

An　update　on　the　cannon's　targeting　status　came　in　just　then；　and　Lisa　had　to　let　those　thoughts　go。


Rick　Hunter　sealed　up　his　flightsuit　and　made　sure　his　gloves　were　firmly　connected　to　his　instrumented　cuff　rings。　They　fit　smoothly；　allowing　him　maximum　dexterity。

The　hatch　to　his　quarters　signaled；　and　he　thought　it　was　just　another　messenger　with　a　mission　update；　all　　channels　being　overloaded。　Until　the　hatch　slid　back。

〃Rick？〃

He　pivoted　and　saw　her　standing　in　the　hatch；　outlined　against　the　harsh　glare　of　the　passageway　lights。　She　came　a　step　into　his　quarters　demurely　but　looking　him　in　the　eye。

The　hatch　rolled　shut　behind　Minmei。


They　were　there　in　every　size　and　shape；　those　wargreen　vessels　of　the　Zentraedi　Grand　Fleet。　Never　in　their　entire　history　had　they　been　assembled　for　bat　in　such　a　formation。

From　his　mand　station；　Dolza；　supreme　mander　of　the　Zentraedi　race；　considered　his　target；　Earth。

Space　was　filled　with　his　ships；　there　had　never　been　a　marshaling　like　this　in　the　infamous　annals　of　the　Zentraedi。

And　yet　he　felt　misgivings。　Dolza　knew　the　ancient　lore　of　his　race　from　Exedore's　endless　teachings。　Against　the　forces　that　those　records　mentioned；　the　Grand　Fleet　itself　might　not　be　enough。

Perhaps　nothing　would。

Inside　the　boulderlike　base　that　was　Dolza's　headquarters；　a　thousand　miles　through　its　long　axis；　the　supreme　mander　received　word　that　the　fleet　was　at　last　all　present。

He　was　enormous；　the　largest　and；　but　for　Exedore；　the　oldest　of　his　race。　Dolza's　shaven　skull　and　heavy　brow　made　him　look　like　a　granite　sculpture。

〃My　first　attack　shall　be　the　Micronians'　mother　planet；〃　he　said。　〃Let　all　ships　stand　prepared。〃

All　through　the　fleet；　final　preparations　for　battle　were　carried　out。　On　the　colossal　bombardment　vessels；　the　bows　opened　like　giant　crocodile　jaws；　exposing　the　heavy　guns。

Targeting　puters　accepted　their　assignments　from　Dolza's　base；　ranging　their　sights　across　the　surface　of　the　world；　fixing　their　aim。　The　Grand　Fleet's　engines　howled　like　demons；　supercharging　the　weapons　pointed　at　the　helpless　Earth。


〃I　want　to　apologize　to　you；　Rick；〃　she　said。　〃I　mean；　about　Kyle。〃

〃It's　not　really　your　fault；〃　he　told　her。　〃I　should　have　let　you　know　what　my　feelings　were。　I　should　have　tried　harder；　I　guess。〃

〃But；　I…〃

〃Oh；　Minmei；　it's　all　right！〃　he　yelled；　frightening　her　a　little。　He　got　control　of　himself　and　went　to　get　his　flying　helmet。　How　do　I　tell　her？

He　went　to　pick　up　the　helmet　but　saw　her　reflection　in　the　visor。　She　was　standing　silently；　watching　him。

〃I'm　a　pilot；　and　you're　a　superstar　now；〃　he　said　tiredly。　〃You　know　it　wouldn't　have　worked　for　us；　anyway。　Too　much　has　changed；　Minmei。〃

He　went　to　the　viewport；　looking　down　at　Earth。　〃It's　strange　to　think　how　small　our　world　is；〃　he　said；　almost　distractedly。　〃It's　a　pity　how　much　time　we　wasted；　isn't　it？〃

She　flinched　as　if　he　had　hit　her。　She　could　see　that　he　was　being　cruel　on　purpose；　hurting　himself　and　her；　to　make　the　love　stop。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　that　would　make　him　honest　again；　would　clear　the　air　between　them。

But　at　that　exact　moment　the　universe　lit　up。　The　Zentraedi　attack　had　begun。


CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN

Once　I　wrote　here…a　younger　Minmei　did…that　I　needed　to　be　my　own　person；　that　I　had　my　own　shadows　to　cast。
But；　oh。。。I　didn't　realize　how　terrible　that　darkness　would　be。
From　the　diary　of　Lynn…Minmei

Millions　of　blindingly　bright　beams　of　pure　energy　rained　down　on　the　blue…white　world。

First　to　go　were　the　orbital　defenses；　the　surveillance　satellites　and　the　〃armors〃…the　big　conventional…technology　space　cruisers。　They　were　obliterated　instantly；　vanishing　in　clouds　of　expanding　gas。

The　incredible　volley　pierced　the　atmosphere；　boiling　away　clouds　and　moisture；　striking　through　to　the　surface。　Buildings　and　trees　and　people　were　vaporized；　everything　flammable　exploded。　The　hellish　rays　set　off　tremendous　detonations　and　superheated　the　air　like　thermonuclear　weapons。

Everywhere　it　was　the　same。　Soldiers　and　civilians；　adults　and　children；　and　the　unborn　as　well…the　Grand　Fleet　favored　none　and　spared　none。　In　the　middle　of　a　humdrum　day　marked　only　by　some　sort　of　alert　the　UEDC　wasn't　explaining；　nearly　the　entire　population　of　the　planet　was　put　to　the　sword。

For　most；　there　wasn't　even　time　to　scream；　only　a　hi