05_force_of_arms-第5章

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Khyron　was　in　no　hurry　to　lead　the　attack　and　tangle　with　the　Micronian　devil　in　person；　it　would　be　enough　to　dispose　of　the　rest　of　his　mand　by　attrition　and　pull　the　Veritech　wizard　to　bits　by　sheer　weight　of　numbers。　Then；　Khyron　would　have　a　boast　to　fling　in　Miriya's　face　and　the　faces　of　all　the　others　who　secretly　laughed　at　him！

More　pods　converged。　But　at　that　moment　a　newer　arrived。

〃Only　one；〃　a　pod　pilot　reported；　and　Khyron　dismissed　the　matter　coldly。　One　more　Veritech　wouldn't　matter　now。

His　opinion　changed　a　moment　later。　The　fighter　accelerated　to　unprecedented　speeds；　maneuvering　more　nimbly　than　any　Micronian　mecha　ever　had。　Its　humpbacked　profile　didn't　match　any　puter　ID。

Then　the　strange　new　machine　let　forth　a　storm　of　fire：　murderously　fast　and　accurate　missiles　of　some　new　type；　autocannon　rounds　with　even　greater　velocity；　delivering　far　more　kinetic　energy　on　impact；　phased…array　laser　blasts　as　powerful；　at　close　range；　as　any　plasma　bolt。

The　new　arrival；　faster　than　the　escort　leader；　was　in　and　out　among　the　pods；　striking　and　vanishing；　blowing　two　Zentraedi　mecha　to　smithereens　and　going　on　to　take　out　another　while　the　first　two　explosions　were　still　ballooning。

Suddenly；　the　pods　were　like　so　many　fat　pigeons　before　the　attack　of　a　rocket…driven　hawk。


Rick's　initial　success　was　so　overwhelming；　so　pronounced　and　irresistible；　that　he　got　careless。

After　seeing　a　dozen　and　more　of　the　ambushers　go　up　in　flames；　he　began　the　switch　to　Guardian　mode。　But　he'd　forgotten　what　a　hot　ride　he　had；　and　the　ship's　sudden　retro　thrust　almost　put　his　head　through　the　instrument　panel　and　split　his　thinking　cap　down　the　middle。

He　barely　recovered；　shaking　his　head；　the　breath　knocked　from　him　by　the　strain　of　the　safety　harness　across　his　torso。　Trembling；　he　got　control　of　himself　and　his　ship　and　pressed　the　fight　again。

And　once　more　the　Zentraedi　pods　were　fat　targets　at　his　mercy。　He　went　swooping　in　at　them；　the　VT　laying　out　a　staggering　volume　of　fire；　skeeting　pods　as　if　they　were　clay　targets。


Khyron　had　seen　enough；　he　had　no　desire　to　go　up　against　this　bewilderingly　fast；　fearsomely　armed　intruder。　He　made　sure　his　own　withdrawal　was　well　under
way　before　he　ordered　his　troops　back。

It　didn't　mean　his　thirst　for　revenge　was　slaked；　of　course；　if　anything；　it　was　worse。　It　was　a　constant　torment　now；　it　would　be　until　he　destroyed　the　enemy　insects　once　and　for　all。


Max's　report　came　over　the　bridge　speakers。　〃The　enemy　has　broken　contact　and　withdrawn。　The　shuttle　has　sustained　minimal　damage　and　is　continuing　on。

〃With　your　permission；　I　am　returning　to　the　SDF…1　with　the　remaining　escort　ships；　due　to　damage　suffered　during　the　attack。　Lieutenant　Hunter　will　escort　the　shuttle　to　Earth。〃


Gloval　granted　permission。　To　Claudia's　doubtful　look；　he　responded；　〃That　armored　Veritech　has　so　much　speed　and　firepower；　it's　the　equal　of　ten　regular　fighters。〃

And　a　thousand　more　like　it　wouldn't　put　us　on　an　equal　footing　with　our　foe；　he　thought　to　himself。　Still；　we　must　have　as　many　as　we　can；　as　fast　as　we　can！

Sammie　stretched　and　yawned。　〃I'm　exhausted！　I　wish　mander　Hayes　was　back。〃

Claudia　glared　at　her。　〃We　almost　lost　her　permanently　with　that　code　snafu　of　yours！〃

Sammie　looked　dismayed；　young　and　tearful；　she　was　even　more　upset　by　the　danger　to　Lisa　than　by　Claudia's　temper；　which　could　lead　to　very　serious　problems　for　anyone　who　angered　the　bridge　officer。

But　Claudia　softened　after　a　moment。　After　all；　Sammie　had　pulled　things　out　of　the　fire。

〃That's　okay；　kiddo；〃　Claudia　said；　turning　back　to　her　console。　〃Everybody　learns　from　mistakes。〃


Gloval　thought　about　that；　silently　gazing　through　the　forward　viewport。　Did　that　apply　to　the　Zentraedi；　too？　And　the　UEDC　rulers？

Could　they　all　be　convinced　the　war　was　a　catastrophic　mistake？


The　protective　shielding　swung　back　to　show　Lisa　a　passenger　partment　that　seemed　unaffected　by　the　battle。　She　was　still　a　little　winded　and　bruised　from　the　tossing　around　she　had　taken　in　the　padded；　armored　cocoon。

The　shuttle　pilot　had　kept　her　abreast　of　the　battle　and　she　felt　a　bit　limp　with　relief。　It　was　so　vital　that　she　get　to　Earth；　that　she　speak　for　peace…long　ago　she　had　resigned　herself　to　the　likelihood　that　she　would　die　in　war；　but　to　have　died　at　that　moment　was　a　tragedy　too　vast　to　contemplate。

〃mander　Hayes；〃　the　pilot's　voice　came　over　the　inter。　〃We　have　a　mo　call　for　you　from　Lieutenant　Hunter；　who's　now　flying　escort　for　us。　I've　patched　it　through。〃

So　Rick　was　the　one　who　had　ridden　to　the　rescue　in　the　armored　VT；　she　had　hoped　it　was　and　yet　had　feared　for　his　life　all　through　the　fight。　She　picked　up　the　handset。

Armored　panels　were　sliding　back　from　all　the　viewports。　She　was　looking　out　at　the　humpbacked　new…generation　Veritech。　〃Lisa；　are　you　all　right？〃　she　heard　him　say。

〃Yes。　Because　you　came　to　help。〃　She　saw　him　through　the　VT's　canopy；　looking　at　her　worriedly。

I　was　never　cut　out　for　emotional　drama；　she　thought。　I　should　have　known　I　couldn't　get　away　with　a　rehearsed　exit　speech。

〃No　problem；〃　he　was　saying。　〃Now；　what's　all　this　about　you　not　ing　back？〃

〃There　are　reasons；　Rick。〃

〃Even　though　your　father's　on　the　UEDC？〃

〃Especially　because　of　that。　Besides；　they　aren't　going　to　like　what　I'm　going　to　tell　them。〃

There　was　a　choppy　sensation　as　the　shuttle　entered　the　Earth's　atmosphere。　He　fumbled　for　something　appropriate　to　say；　knowing　he　had　to　turn　back　in　seconds。　〃I　hope　you'll　be　safe〃　was　all　he　could　e　up　with。

〃Thanks。　I'm　sure　I'll　be　fine。〃

〃Um。〃　He　knew　the　call　was　patched　through　the　shuttle's　　system；　accessible　to　the　pilots…presuming　they　weren't　busy　with　their　atmospheric　entry　maneuver。　There's　something　else…sorta　private。　Here；　look。〃

He　had　fallen　back；　out　of　the　pilots'　line　of　vision；　up　close　to　the　shuttle。　She　could　see　him　clearly；　watching　her。　She　was　confused。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Prosigns。〃　He　began　flashing　his　VT's　running　lights　in　prosigns…brief　dot…dash　binations　that　represented　whole　words；　for　quick　manual　Morse　code　munications。　Lisa　was　a　little　rusty　but　found　that　she　could　read　it。

LIKE　YOU　MUCH。　PLAIN　SOMETIMES　BUT　BELIEVE　IN　YOU。　MISS　YOU　MUCH　IF　YOU　DON'T　RETURN。　PLEASE　RETURN　SOONEST。

He　could　read　her　lips；　so　close　were　VT　and　shuttle。

I'll　try。　So　long；　Rick。

He　threw　her　a　salute…a　joke　between　them；　given　his　lack　of　military　discipline　when　they　had　first　met　and　clashed。

The　armored　VT　peeled　off　and　vectored　for　the　SDF…1；　the　blue　vortices　of　its　thrusters　shrinking　to　match　flames；　then　disappearing。　The　shuttle　jostled　more　as　it　hit　the　denser　atmosphere。


CHAPTER　FOUR

I　have　familiarized　myself　with　the　enemy's　culture；　to　better　carry　out　my　espionage　mission。　What　a　repulsive；　contemptible　thing　it　is！
All　seems　to　revolve　around　their　grueseome；　sadistic　method　of　reproduction；　and　it　obsesses　them　constantly。　The　humans…Micronians…even　make　up　false　legends　about　it！　They　immerse　themselves　in　stories　where　males　and　females　poison　one　another　or　stab　themselves　or　simply　expire　from　some　unexplained　thing　called　〃pining　away。〃　Or　else　the　imaginary　couples　go　off　together　and　spend　all　their　time　in　revolting；　pointless　intimacies。
Our　enemies　languish　in　these　falsehoods　the　way　we　might　enjoy　a　hot　soak　at　the　end　of　a　long　campaign。
What　perversion！　Truly；　this　is　a　species　that　must　be　exterminated！
Miriya　Parino；　from　her　interim　notes　for　an　Intel　report　to　the　Zentraedi　High　mand

She　was　striking　enough　to　draw　stares　even　in　the　crowded　Macross　plaza；　where　people　were　usually　in　a　hurry　and　some　of　the　more　attractive　women　in　the　dimensional　fortress　were　to　be　seen。

Boots　clicking　on　the　swirling　mosaics　of　the　plaza；　the　green…dyed　hair　flowing　with　the　speed　of　her　walk　and　the　light　air　currents　of　the　ship's　circulation　blowers；　she　looked　neither　right　nor　left。　People　made　way　for　her；　she　was　barely　aware　of　their　existence；　even　that　of　the　men　who　looked　at　her　so　admiringly。

Miriya；　greatest　bat　pilot　of　her　race；　exulted　a　bit。　I've　finally　discovered　one　of　the　reasons　these　Micronians　have　developed　such　amazing　skill　in　handling　their　mecha！　It　wasn't　the　reason　she　had　e　to　the　SDF…1　as　a　spy；　but　it　was　a　step　in　understanding　her　quarry；　and　that　was　elating。　The　intelligence　data　would　also　be　of　interest　to　the　Zentraedi　High　mand；　another　coup　to　her　credit。

Not　that　Miriya　needed　one。　As　a　demigoddess　of　battle；　she　was　without　equal；　her　kills　and　victories　far　outnumbering　her　nearest　rival's。　She　had　lost　only　once　in　her　life；　and　had　submitted　to　micronization　and　e　to　the　SDF…1　to　make　amends　for　that。

Miriya　left　the　street　and　its　EVE　noonday；　entering　the　dark　and　blinking　world　she　had　only　recently　discovered。　All　through　the　media…game　arcade；　people　stood　or　sat　hunched　toward　the　glowing　screens；　playing　against　the　machines。

The　screen…lit　faces　of　the　players　were　so　intent；　their　movements　so　deft　and　quick…what　could　account　for　it　other　than　military　indoctrination　and　the　hunger　for　bat？　What　other　motive　could　there　be　for　the　Micronians'　relentless　practice？　They　were　so　highly　motivated　that　they　even　subsidized　their　own　training；　feeding　money　into　the　machines。

The　young　ones　were　the　best　and　most　diligent；　of　course。　By　the　time　they　reach　maturity；　they　wild　be　superb　warriors！　she　thought。　This；　even　though　the　very　concept　of　human　reproduction；　the　parents…child…adult　cycle；　made　her　feel　queasy　and　dizzy。　The　discovery　of　that　vileness；　as　she　thought　of　it；　had　rendered　her　inert　and　dazed　when　she　first　stumbled　on　the　truth　of　it。　But　in　time；　bravely；　she　had　shaken　off　the　horror　of　human　reproduction　and　resumed　her　search。

Miriya　came　to　the　most　significant　machine；　though　they　were　all　cunning　and　instructive。　She　vaulted　into　the　little　cockpit；　inserting　a　coin　in　the　slot。　One　hand　went　to　the　stick；　the　other　to　the　throttle；　as　she　watched　the　screen。　Her　feet　settled　on　the　foot　pedals。

Her　finger　hovered　near　the　weapons　trigger　as　she　waited　for　the　game　to　begin。　Miriya　looked　around　quickly　to　see　if　her　nemesis　was　there。

She　couldn't　spy　anyone　who　might　be　that　greatest　of　Micronian　pilots　and　therefore　assumed　he　wasn't　present。　Surely　a　pilot　who　was　good　enough　to　have　defeated　Miriya　Parino；　the　indisputable　champion　of　the　Zentraedi；　would　draw　great　attention　and　recognition。

She　would　know　him　when　he　came　or　when　someone　mentioned　him。　She　would　find　him　eventually。

And　then　she　would　kill　him。


The　face　in　the　family　portrait　was　pale；　thin…but　open　and　kind；　the　mother's　features　very　much　like　the　daughter's。　Admiral　Hayes　glanced　down　at　the　framed　photo；　not　realizing　that　many　minutes　had　gone　by　while　he　sat；　thinking　and　remembering。

He　was　looking　at　himself；　years　ago；　only　a　lieutenant　mander　then。　Next　to　him　in　the　photo　was　his　wife；　and　in　front　of　them　a　shy…looking　little　girl　wearing　a　sun　hat　and　sun　dress　with　a　Band…Aid　on　one　knee。

Whenever　I　look　at　this　picture；　I　wish　Andrea　were　still　here　to　see　how　her　little　girl　turned　out…to　see　what　an　ex