05_force_of_arms-第28章

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No　answer；　after　five　minutes'　trying。　Ransom　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Bobby？〃

Sergeant　Bobby　Bell；　youngest　of　the　remanned　Skull　Team；　appeared　on　Ransom's　display　screen。　〃Yo？〃

〃I　can't　raise　the　boss；　kid。〃

Bobby's　round　face　looked　pained。　〃What　d'　you　think？　Renegades？〃

That　was　one　of　the　big　reasons　for　the　patrols。　Of　the　many　Zentraedi　who　had　gone　forth　among　the　humans　to　try　a　more　peaceful　way　of　life　and　a　chance　to　open　up　the　more　feeling　and　passionate　side　of　their　nature；　some　had　found　that　it　simply　wouldn't　work。

The　renegades　had　begun　slipping　away　into　the　wastelands　more　than　a　year　before。　There　was　an　entire　world　of　salvage　for　them　out　there：　mecha；　weapons；　rations；　and　anything　else　they　might　need；　provided　they　could　find　the　right　wreck。　More　importantly；　there　was　the　freedom　to　act　as　Zentraedi　warriors　once　again；　to　follow　their　own　brutal；　merciless　code。

〃I　think　his　last　transmission　came　from　his　search　quadrant；〃　Bobby　said　worriedly。

〃I　know；〃　Ransom　said。　〃I　got　a　DF　fix　on　it。　Let's　go。

The　VTs　formed　up；　and　their　engines　made　the　ground　tremble。　They　shot　away　to　the　northwest。


The　SDF…1　stood　like　a　knight　in　a　bath　up　to　his　waist。　The　two　supercarriers　floated　at　anchor；　giving　the　corroding　derelict　added　buoyancy。

Refilling　the　lake　had　been　a　major　priority；　since　not　even　the　fortress's　colossal　strength　could　support　itself　and　the　two　giant　warships　for　long。　At　the　same　time　that　RDF　fliers　were　seeding　clouds　and　Dr。　Lang's　mysterious　machines　were　working　day　and　night　to　head　off　the　nuclear　winter；　bat　engineers　and　anybody　else　who　could　be　found　to　lend　a　hand　worked　feverishly　to　make　sure　the　drainage　would　be　ready。

And　just　over　forty…eight　hours　after　the　ship's　landing；　the　rains　had　begun。　They　gave　back　some　of　the　moisture　boiled　away　by　the　Zentraedi　attack；　but　Lang's　calculations；　supported　by　subsequent　data；　showed　that　much　of　it　was　gone　forever。　Short　of　importing　many　cubic　miles　of　water　across　space　from　some　as　yet　unknown　source；　the　Earth　would　never　again　be　the　three…quarters…ocean　world　she　had　been　when　she　brought　forth　life。

In　time；　the　rains　stopped；　and　the　generations…long　job　of　replanting　and　refoliating　the　planet　began。

Around　the　lake　the　new　Macross　rose；　the　stubborn　refugees　rebuilding　their　lives　yet　again。　It　was　the　only　new　population　center　on　the　planet　so　far；　the　only　place　where　the　concrete　was　uncracked　and　the　buildings　tall　and　straight。　There　was　fresh　paint；　and　there　were　trees　transplanted　from　the　starship。　There　were　lawns　and　flower　beds　seeded　from　plants　that　had　survived　the　billions　of　miles　of　the　SDF…1's　odyssey。

It　was　a　city　where　energy　and　resources　were　used　with　utmost　efficiency；　a　town　of　solar　heaters　and　photovoltaic　panels；　with　a　recycling　system　tied　to　every　phase　of　life。　The　Macross　residents　and　SDF…1　personnel　had　learned　the　tough　lessons　of　ecological　necessity　during　years　in　space；　and　nothing　at　all　was　wasted。　That　was　the　sort　of　world　it　was　going　to　have　to　be　from　now　on。


In　a　neat；　quiet　suburb　of　the　city　served　by　an　overhead　rapid…transit　system　sat　a　modest　little　prefab　cottage；　its　solar　panels；　guided　by　microprocessors；　swinging　slowly　to　follow　the　sun。　As　a　senior　flight　officer；　Rick　Hunter　rated　off　base　housing　even　though　he　was　single；　and　liked　the　idea　of　getting　away　from　the　military　when　he　could；　even　if　his　home　looked　like　modular　luggage。　As　Skull　Leader；　he　seldom　got　a　chance　to　be　there。

So　Lisa　Hayes　took　it　upon　herself　to　tidy　up　the　place　when　he　was　away。　Her　own　rather　more　spacious　quarters　were　nearby。

Neither　of　them　was　quite　sure　what　the　bond　between　them　meant　or　where　their　panionship　was　going；　but　she　had　a　key　to　his　place；　and　he　to　hers。

Now　she　hummed　happily　to　herself　as　she　put　away　the　last　of　the　just…washed　dishes。　Maybe　I　ought　to　bill　him　for　maid　services；　she　thought　wryly。

But　she　knew　better；　she　enjoyed　being　in　his　place；　touching　the　things　he　touched；　seeing　reminders　of　him　all　around。　She　hoped　that　the　extended　patrol　up　north　didn't　last　too　much　longer…that　he　would　be　home　soon　so　that　they　could　be　together　again。

Lisa　considered　the　sunlight　streaming　through　the　kitchen　window。　Polarizing　glass　was　all　well　and　good；　but　curtains　were　what　that　window　needed。

Will　you　listen　to　me？　Curtains！　Miss　Suzy　Homemaker！　She　smirked　at　the　apron　she　was　wearing。　It　was　doubly　funny　because　she　was　due　back　at　the　base　soon　for　more　meetings　and　briefings　on　the　final　construction　details　of　the　SDF…2；　the　new　successor　to　the　battle　fortress。

And　she　meant　to　have　a　berth　on　that　ship；　to　be　the　First　Officer　if　she　could；　and　go　to　the　stars。　Ol'　Suzy　Homemaker　herself。

She　snorted　a　laugh　as　she　moved　into　the　bedroom。　Seeing　it；　she　sighed。　Why　does　this　place　always　look　like　a　bear's　been　wintering　here？

She　raised　all　the　blinds；　opened　all　the　windows；　and　moved　around　the　room　slowly；　fondly。　When　she　smoothed　the　sheets　to　make　up　the　bed；　her　hands　lingered　upon　them；　and　she　touched　the　pillows　tenderly；　remembering　his　head　on　them；　and　her　own。

Her　wrist　chrono　toned；　reminding　her　she　had　to　go　soon。　When　she　straightened；　her　eye　fell　on　something　she　hadn't　seen　before。

It　lay　on　his　desk；　next　to　his　spare　flight　helmet：　a　photo　album　bound　in　creamy　imitation　leather。　Lisa　moved　toward　it　unwillingly；　knowing　she　shouldn't　do　what　she　was　about　to　do　but　unable　to　stop　herself。

The　album　was　well　worn；　had　obviously　been　leafed　through　many　times。　The　first　page　made　her　heart　sink；　There　was　a　snapshot　of　Minmei　seated　on　a　park　swing　back　in　the　Macross　within　the　SDF…1；　Rick　standing　behind　her。　The　other　picture　was　a　close…up　taken　of　Minmei　back　at　the　start　of　her　career；　a　wide…eyed　gamine　with　flowing　black　locks　framing　her　face。

Lisa　sighed　again。　What　does　he　see　in　her？　What's　she　got　except　great　looks；　the　singing　voice　that　won　the　war；　and　superstardom？

It　was　Minmei　on　every　page；　glamour　poses　and　home　snapshots；　portfolio　glossies　and　PR　photos。　Lisa　got　angrier　and　angrier　as　she　thumbed　through　them。

Why　do　I　have　the　impulse　to　strangle　this　girl？

Along　with　the　anger　came　a　pain　so　sharp　and　cold；　it　took　her　off　guard。　Lisa　had　assumed　she　and　Rick　were　solidifying　something；　strengthening　the　ties　between　them。　But　the　thought　of　his　keeping　this　album；　taking　it　out　when　Lisa　wasn't　there　and　fantasizing　over　it…that　was　too　much　to　bear。

Having　his　panionship　and　friendship　without　his　declared　love　was　something　she　had　accepted；　albeit　always　with　a　secret　hope。　But　the　photo　album　made　her　feel　she　had　been　taken　for　granted；　a　kind　of　emotional　consolation　prize。　Her　self…respect　simply　wouldn't　allow　that。

Lisa　slammed　the　album　shut；　tore　off　the　apron；　and　strode　for　the　front　door。　As　the　door　rolled　shut　to　lock；　she　tossed　Rick's　spare　house　key　onto　the　living…room　rug；　leaving　it　behind。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…THREE

We　won？　When　you　hear　some　military　moron　say　that　to　you；　spit　on　him！　Point　out　the　graveyard　that　is　Earth！　When　he　tells　you　how　the　military's　going　to　make　all　that　well　again　too；　hold　up　the　ash　that　used　to　be　your　home。
They　won；　all　right；　and　they'd　just　love　to　win　again。　And　every　time；　it's　you　and　I　who　lose。
From　Lynn…Kyle's　tract；　Mark　of　Cain

Rick　Hunter　sat　in　the　cockpit　of　the　grounded　Guardian　and　watched　white　spores　take　to　the　wind　like　miniature　parasols。　Meanwhile；　he　wrestled　with　his　thoughts。

The　truth　was　that　Earth　was　a　dead　end　for　a　pilot。　Oh；　there　was　the　problem　of　the　rebellious　Zentraedi；　to　be　sure；　and　the　various　fractious　human　munities。　But　the　war　was　over；　and　there　were　no　flying　circuses。　Maybe　it　would　be　easier　to　put　up　with　the　growing　boredom　of　peacetime　life　if　bigger　things　weren't　brewing　out　beyond　Earth's　atmosphere。

Breetai　and　Exedore　seemed　to　be　at　the　source　of　it；　and　Gloval；　Dr。　Lang；　and　Dr。　Zand。　Only　everything　was　so　secret　that　a　mere　squadron　mander　couldn't　find　out　a　thing。　Even　Lisa　professed　not　to　know　anything。　But　scuttlebutt　and　the　few　hints　Rick　could　get　from　his　intel　debriefings　made　him　believe　that　the　SDF…2　was　slated　for　a　big；　big　mission。

He　was　pretty　sure　that　the　SDF…2；　and　such　Zentraedi　warships　as　Breetai　could　get　fully　functional　again；　were　going　to　carry　the　war　to　the　Robotech　Masters。　Humans　and　Zentraedi　would　go　out　and　end　the　threat　forever　or　die　trying。

How　could　he　not　go？　Only。。。that　was　a　voyage　and　a　military　operation　that　might　make　their　previous　campaign　look　like　a　weekend　vacation　by　parison。　It　would　probably　mean　he　would　never　see　Earth　and　Minmei　again。

Not　that　he'd　seen　much　of　Minmei　in　the　last　two　years；　but　signing　on　for　a　trip　to　far…off　star　systems　would　strip　away　any　hope。

But　what　else　was　there　for　him　except　flying？　He　wished　and　prayed　that　there　could　be　Minmei；　but　Minmei　was　so　bound　up　in　her　glittering　career　that　he　rarely　saw　or　heard　from　her。　On　the　SDF…2　mission；　at　least　he　would　be　with　Lisa；　and　he　was　being　more　and　more　convinced　that　that　was　where　he　belonged。

Of　course；　the　odds　against　surviving　would　be　very　high；　but　that　was　a　bat　pilot's　lot。　And　what　better　cause　was　there　to　serve；　and　die　for；　if　it　came　to　that？　He　had　a　sudden　vivid　recollection　of　something　Roy　Fokker　had　told　him。

An　American　president　once　said　that　the　price　of　liberty　is　eternal　vigilance；　Rick。

It　was　on　a　〃day〃　in　SDF…1；　out　someplace　by　Pluto's　orbit；　when　Rick　joined　the　RDF　There's　no　more　flying　for　fun；　Roy　told　him；　stern　and　grave。　From　now　on　you　fly　for　the　sake　of　your　home　and　loved　ones；　Rick。

〃My　home　and　loved　ones；　huh？〃　Rick　muttered　to　himself。　He　flicked　a　switch；　and　the　canopy　descended　on　whining　servos。

〃All　right；　time　to　go　flying；　then。〃　He　eased　the　throttle　forward。　The　Guardian's　foot　thrusters　blew　soil　away　and　lifted　it。　Rick　was　careful　to　skirt　the　patch　of　dandelions　as　he　rose。　But　the　backwash　sent　hundreds　of　thousands　of　spores　wafting　into　the　air　in　hopes　of　finding　some　other　kind　plot　of　ground。

Rick　tucked　a　single　dandelion　blossom　into　a　seam　of　his　instrument　panel；　mechamorphosed　his　ship　to　Fighter　mode；　and　went　ballistic；　climbing　toward　the　sun。　He　set　the　mo　rig　to　search　for　local　traffic；　part　of　the　recon　mission。　The　equipment　scanned　the　band　and　stopped　at　a　transmission　that　carried　a　female　human　voice。

…here　by　my　side；
Here　by　my　side。


He　jolted　against　his　safety　harness；　reaching　to　get　a　stronger　signal。　〃Minmei！〃

There　was　applause　in　the　background。　Another　voice　he　knew　well　came　up。　〃You're　listening　to　the　beautiful　Lynn…Minmei；　broadcasting　live　and　direct　from　Granite　City！　This　area　is　slowly　rebuilding　through　the　bined　efforts　of　many　wonderful　people　who　are　ceaselessly　devoting　their　time　and　labor　to　a　project　that　many　considered　hopeless。〃

Lynn…Kyle。　He　sounded　more　like　a　pitchman　than　a　costar　now；　but　he　still　had　that　same　hostility　in　his　tone。

Granite！　Rick　realized。　Not　far　away！　He　was　already　checking　his　nav　puters。

〃People　Helping　People　is　the　theme　of　our　tour；〃　Ky