05_force_of_arms-第26章

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The　SDF…1　plunged　at　its　objective；　Dolza's　technical　operations　people；　prepared　for　an　exchange　of　close　broadsides；　realized　only　in　a　last；　horrified　moment　what　the　dimensional　fortress's　intention　was。　By　then；　it　was　too　late。

The　idea　of　being　rammed　hadn't　occurred　to　them；　no　other　vessel　could　have　done　it。　Even　Breetai's　flagship　could　have　caused　Dolza's　base　little　more　damage　that　way　than　a　child　could　inflict　by　crashing　a　kiddie　car　into　Gibraltar。

But　this　was　Zor's　final　creation；　a　machine　that　incorporated　most　of　what　he　had　learned　about　Protoculture　and　the　secrets　of　Robotechnology。　The　booms　went　through　the　thick　armor　of　the　headquarters　moonlet　as　if　it　were　soft　cheese。　The　SDF…1　was　like　some　enormous　stake　being　driven　into　the　heart　of　the　Grand　Fleet。

Once　the　dimensional　fortress　was　inside　the　outermost　layers　of　the　headquarters'　armor　plating；　Dolza's　stupendous　ship　was　even　more　vulnerable。　Bulkheads　were　smashed　out　of　the　way　like　aluminum　foil；　structural　members　snapped　like　toothpicks。　The　directed　barrier　shields　glowed　brighter　but　held。

An　ocean　of　air　began　leaking　from　the　headquarters；　and　the　dying　started　at　once。　Power　junctions　and　energy　routing；　severed　or　crushed；　sent　serpents　of　writhing　electrical　and　Protoculture　lightning　into　the　thinning　air　and　serpentining　along　the　bulkheads　and　decks。

The　SDF…1　brought　its　mighty　forearms；　the　supercarriers　Daedalus　and　Prometheus；　into　play。　Their　bows；　too；　had　been　reinforced　and　mantled　with　directed　barrier　shields。　Like　a　giant　punching　his　way　through　an　enemy　castle；　the　ship　drove　on；　destroying　all　that　was　in　its　path；　its　thrusters　making　it　an　irresistible　force。

Zentraedi　were　whirled　through　the　air　like　dust　motes　in　the　tremendous　atmospheric　currents　being　sucked　toward　the　opening　the　SDF…1　had　made。　They　died　in　explosions　and　were　torn　apart；　ground　up；　squashed　to　jelly；　or　impaled　by　the　flying；　whirling　wreckage。

Through　it　all；　Minmei　sang。　She　knew　the　song　was　no　longer　a　part　of　any　surprise　attack；　but　she　felt…now　that　if　she　stopped；　it　might　bring　about　some　disastrous　halt　in　the　desperate　attack。　It　was　as　if　her　song　was　what　was　making　it　all　happen；　it　was　a　form　of　magic　that　she　couldn't　stop　in　midspell。

Then　the　dimensional　fortress　was　opening　up　with　conventional　weapons。　X…ray　lasers　and　missile　tubes；　cannon　and　pulsed　beams　hammered　away　at　everything　before　and　around　them。　The　ship's　path　was　often　obscured　by　the　demon's　brew　of　flame　and　explosion　all　around。

Minmei　watched；　transfixed；　at　the　huge　sweep　of　viewport　and　sang；　wondering　if　the　universe　was　about　to　end。　Because　that　was　how　it　looked　from　where　she　stood。

But　moments　later；　as　suddenly　as　the　drawing　aside　of　a　curtain；　the　SDF…1　broke　out　into　a　vast；　open　place。　Behind　it　was　a　tunnel　with　its　mouth　edged　by　jagged；　bent…out　superalloy　plate。　The　Zentraedi　gaped　as　it　drifted　across　the　vast　space　within　the　headquarters　mountain。


Gloval　knew　the　timing　had　to　be　split　second　and　perfect；　and　he　had　no　leisure　for　preparation。

There　were　quite　a　few　enemy　vessels　still　inside　the　gargantuan　base；　something　Gloval　had　been　hoping　against。　But　they　were　all　at　rest；　unable　to　maneuver　or　open　fire　for　seconds　more　at　least；　perhaps　as　much　as　a　half　minute。　In　a　battle　like　this；　that　was　an　eternity。

〃Prepare　to　execute　final　barrage！〃　he　snapped　as　his　bridge　crew　bent　to　their　work。　〃Then　full　power　to　barrier　shield！〃

Missile　ports　opened　to　let　loose　the　last　volley　the　SDF…1　was　capable　of　firing；　the　do…or…die　knockout　punch　Gloval　had　saved　for　this　moment。　The　fortress's　heaviest　projectiles…Deca　missiles　the　size　of　old…fashioned　ICBMs；　Piledrivers　as　big　as　sub…launched　nukes…were　readied　for　firing。

The　bows　of　the　flatdecks　opened　like　sharks'　mouths；　revealing　racks　of　smaller　Hammerhead　and　Bighorn　missiles。

〃Target　acquisition　on　their　main　reflex　furnace；〃　Gloval　ordered。

But　Claudia　was　way　ahead　of　him。　〃Target　locked　in；　all　missiles；　sir；〃　she　said。


In　his　mand　post；　the　looming　Dolza　tried　to　believe　what　he　saw　before　him。　〃What　are　they　doing？　They'll　destroy　us　all！〃

If　the　reflex　furnace　went；　the　resulting　explosion　would　certainly　destroy　the　base　and　everything　in　it；　and　quite　possibly　all　ships　in　both　fleets　and　even　the　planet　nearby。　But　that　didn't　seem　to　be　daunting　the　Micronians。

This　isn't　war！　Dolza　screamed　within　himself。　It's　madness！

So　the　tiny　creatures　were　willing　to　die　in　order　to　avoid　the　disgrace　of　defeat。

They　are　more　like　us　than　I　thought！　Dolza　realized。　They　have　some　source　of　strength　we　must　learn。　What　allies　they　would　snake　in　a　war　against　the　Robotech　Masters！

〃Wait！〃　he　bellowed。


〃Fire！〃　Gloval　roared　on　SDF…1's　bridge。

The　missiles　gushed　from　the　battle　fortress；　the　smaller；　faster　ones　getting　a　quick　lead　and　leaving　corkscrewing　white　trails。　The　heavier　ones　took　a　bit　longer　to　get　up　to　speed；　but　they　quickly　overtook　and　passed　their　little　siblings。　All　angled　in；　on　assorted　vectors；　for　the　base's　reflex　furnaces。

But　Gloval　had　dismissed　them　from　his　mind　as　soon　as　he　had　given　the　order　to　let　them　fly。　There　was　no　time　to　spare。

〃All　power　to　barrier　shields！〃　he　snapped；　but　again　his　bridge　crew　had　anticipated。

The　ship　was　standing　stock　still。　Every　erg　of　power　in　it　was　channeled　to　the　shields；　producing　first　a　cloud　of　scintillating　lights　around　the　ship；　then　a　green…white　sphere　like　some　exotic　Christmas　ornament。

〃Barrier　shield　ing　to　maximum；〃　Kim　said　calmly。　Then；　a　second　later；　just　as　the　first　missiles　began　to　detonate　on　target；　〃Barrier　at　max；　sir。〃

The　enemy　ships　in　the　base　were　opening　fire　now；　but　their　shots　glanced　harmlessly　off　the　barrier　system。　Gloval　barely　paid　attention　to　confirmation　of　that；　he　had　little　doubt　the　Robotech　shield　created　by　Dr。　Lang　could　hold　out　against　an　enemy　bombardment　for　a　few　seconds。　The　real　test　was　ing　up。


Dolza　watched　the　awesome　barrage　hit　home　on　the　reflex　furnace　area　of　the　ship's　interior　and　knew　he　was　going　to　die。

Even　with　the　protection　of　its　shielding；　even　with　the　defenses　of　desperate；　brave　Zentraedi　captains　who　purposely　threw　their　ships　in　the　way　of　the　all…out　salvo；　enough　missiles　got　through　to　ensure　that　the　base　would　be　destroyed。　Many　times　enough。

The　reflex　furnaces　churned；　then　spewed　forth　utter　destruction。　Dolza；　watching　from　his　mand　post；　had　time　only　for　one　thought。

Years　and　years　before；　he　had　watched　Zor　die。　Zor　had　spoken　of　some　overriding　Vision　that　made　the　megagenius　send　the　SDF…1　here；　to　Earth。

Had　Zor　seen　this　moment；　too？　And　things　beyond　it？

Then　a　terrible　light　seared　him。　Dolza　howled　a　fierce　Zentraedi　war　cry　as　he　was　rent　to　particles。


The　interior　bulkhead　of　the　base　began　to　bulge　with　secondary　explosions；　nodes　of　superhard　armor　being　pushed　out　like　putty　by　the　force　of　the　blasts　running　through　the　place。　The　rift　in　the　reflex　furnaces　that　had　destroyed　Dolza's　mand　post　was　expanding；　gushing　forth　blinding…white　obliteration。

Ships　only　beginning　to　maneuver　for　the　run　to　safety　were　caught　in　it；　wiped　out　of　existence　like　so　many　soap　bubbles　in　a　blast　furnace。

The　base　swelled　like　an　overfilled　football；　then　split　apart　along　irregular　seams　that　hadn't　been　there　moments　before。　Ruinous　light　spilled　out　of　it；　then　it　lit　the　sky　over　Earth　like　a　star。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE

Francis　Bacon　said　that　〃In　peace　the　sons　bury　their　fathers　and　in　war　the　fathers　bury　their　sons。〃　My　father　warned　me　when　I　joined　up　that　this　didn't　always　apply　to　our　family；　because　we　were　all　military。　He　might　have　had　some　premonition　that　I　would　outlive　him；　but　what　he　didn't　foresee　was　that　his　daughter　would　hear　taps　played　for　an　entire　world。
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections

The　thick　clouds　had　darkened　the　Alaskan　night　to　pitch…blackness；　but　the　fighter's　night…sight　capabilities　gave　Rick　a　clear　view　of　what　he　was　doing。　The　lurching　Guardian　barely　cleared　the　rim　of　the　Grand　Cannon's　shaft　without　snagging　a　wingtip。

It　might　be　begging　for　a　crash；　but　he　kept　going；　nursing　the　fighter　along　until　he　was　beyond　the　blighted；　red…hot　area　around　what　had　been　Alaska　Base。

He　was　barely　clear　of　the　blast　radius　when　Alaska　Base　went　up　like　a　pyromaniac's　fantasy　of　Judgment　Day。

He　flew　in　Fighter　mode　for　a　long　while；　casting　back　and　forth　across　the　charred　Earth　for　safe　landing；　watching　his　radiation　detectors　and　terrain　sensors。

He　swooped　in　over　what　had　been　a　major　UEDC　base；　according　to　the　maps。　But　there　was　only　a　dry　lake　bed；　its　water　vaporized　by　a　direct　hit；　and　the　remains　of　what　had　been　a　major　city。　The　plane　started　bucking　hard；　and　he　went　back　to　Guardian。　The　place　showed　no　signs　of　radioactivity　or　fallout；　he　decided　to　set　down。

It　was　a　little　before　sunrise　on　a　smoky；　darkened　world　that；　it　seemed；　would　never　see　the　sun　again。

Rick　hit　the　foot　thrusters　and　brought　the　VT　to　an　erratic；　slewing　landing。　The　canopy　servos　had　gotten　fried　in　one　of　those　last　blowups；　so　he　yanked　the　rescue　handgrip　and　blew　the　canopy　off。

Rick　and　Lisa　stood　up　in　the　cockpit　and　looked　out　at　the　mutilated　landscape　of　Earth。　It　was　as　pockmarked　as　the　moon；　with　deep　cracks　and　crevasses。　Smoke　was　rolling　into　the　sky　from　dozens　of　impact　points　and　from　fires　that　stretched　along　the　horizon。　The　air　was　hot；　thick　with　soot　and　dust。　There　seemed　to　be　volcanic　activity　along　a　chain　of　mountains　to　the　west。　A　scorching　wind　was　rising。

The　most　frightening　thing　was　that　there　was　no　water　to　be　seen　anywhere。

There　was　a　patch　of　open　sky；　but　as　they　watched；　the　clouds　rolled　in；　blotting　out　the　stars。　He　wondered　how　the　battle　had　turned　out。　From　the　looks　of　Earth；　it　probably　didn't　matter　very　much。

Lisa　looked　at　him；　pulling　the　windblown　strands　of　long　brown　hair　away　from　her　face。　〃Thank　you　for　getting　me　out　of　there；　Rick。〃　She　could　bear　dying　on　the　surface；　in　whatever　form　that　death　might　take。　But　to　endure　her　last　moments　among　the　charred　and　smoking　remains　of　the　base's　dead…that　would　have　been　more　than　she　could　have　borne。　She　extended　her　hand。

Rick　took　it　with　a　grin。　〃Oh；　c'mon。　It　gave　me　a　chance　to　disobey　your　orders　again；　after　all。〃　They　shook　hands；　and　she　let　herself　laugh　just　a　little。

Lisa　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　cockpit。　〃I'll　always　be　grateful。　I　admire　you　a　great　deal；　Rick。〃

That　wasn't　what　she　really　wanted　to　tell　him；　but　it　was　a　start。　It　was　much　further　along　than　Rick　had　gotten　in　saying　what　he　was　feeling　at　the　moment。　It　occurred　to　him　that　a　world　that　was　a　mass　grave；　very　likely　smoldering　ash　from　pole　to　pole；　was　a　strange　place　to　profess　love　for　somebody。

Or　maybe　not；　he　saw　suddenly。　Maybe　it　was　the　best　epitaph　anybody　could　ever　hope　to　leave　behind。

He　had　already　yielded　to　the　hard　lesson　that　life　wasn't　worth　much　without　it。

He　almost　said　four　or　five　different　things；　then　shrugged；　looking　at　his　feet；　and　managed；　〃It　was。。。it　was　a　pleasure。〃

A　ray　of