05_force_of_arms-第2节

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Max　Sterling　didn't　look　like　the　conventional　image　of　a　Veritech　ace。　The　brilliant　Robotech　Defense　Force　flier　was　slender；　wore　blue…tinted　aviator　glasses…with　corrective　lenses…and　dyed　his　hair　blue　in　keeping　with　the　current　fad　for　wild　colors。

This　young　RDF　legend　looked　mild；　even　vulnerable。　In　a　time　of　crisis；　Max　Sterling　had　risen　from　obscurity　to　dazzle　humanity　and　the　Zentraedi　with　his　matchless　bat　flying。　But　that　hadn't　changed　his　basic　humility　and　self…effacing　good…naturedness。

〃No　more；〃　Max　told　the　assailants　quietly。　The　bully　on　the　ground　shook　his　head　angrily。　Max　stepped　between　the　other　two；　went　to　Karita's　side；　and　knelt；　offering　his　hand。

Minmei's　Aunt　Lena　had　watched　the　ominous　trio　follow　Karita　when　he　left　the　White　Dragon；　it　took　her　a　few　minutes　to　find　Sterling；　so　Max　said；　〃Sorry　I'm　a　little　late。〃

This　bookish…looking　young　man　who　held　the　highest　kill　score　of　any　bat　pilot　in　the　ship　offered　the　Zentraedi　his　hand。　〃D'　you　think　you　can　stand？〃

The　attacker　Max　had　floored　was　back　on　his　feet；　eyeing　Max's　RDF　uniform。　〃You　have　two　seconds　to　butt　out　of　this；　kid。〃

Max　rose　and　turned；　leaving　Karita　sitting　against　the　wall。　He　took　off　his　glasses　and　dropped　them　into　Karita's　limp　hand。

〃I　guess　there's　gonna　be　a　fight　here；　so　let's　get　one　thing　straight：　In　case　you　missed　the　news；　this　man　isn't　our　enemy。　Now；　are　you　going　to　let　us　by　or　what？〃

Of　course　not。　They　had　looked　at　Karita　and　automatically　thought；　We　can　take　him！　And　that　had　decided　the　matter。　Now　here　was　the　pale；　unimposing　Max；　and　their　assessment　was　the　same：　We　can　take　him；　too。　No　sweat。

So　the　one　Max　had　knocked　down　came　at　him　first；　while　the　others　fanned　out　on　either　side。

Max　didn't　wait。　He　ducked　under　a　powerful；　slow　haymaker　and　struck　with　the　heel　of　his　hand；　breaking　the　first　one's　nose。　A　second　attacker；　a　thick…bodied　man　in　coveralls；　hooked　his　fist　around　with　all　his　might；　but　Max　simply　wasn't　there。　Dodging　like　a　ghost；　he　landed　a　solid　jab　to　the　man's　nose；　bloodying　it；　and　stepped　out　of　the　way　as　he　staggered。

There　wasn't　much　fighting　room；　and　Max's　usual　style　involved　plenty　of　movement。　But　it　didn't　matter　very　much　this　time；　he　didn't　want　to　leave　Karita　unprotected。

The　third　vigilante；　younger；　leaner；　and　faster　than　the　other　two；　swung　doubled　fists　at　him　from　behind。　Max　avoided　the　blow；　adding　momentum　with　a　quick；　hard　tug　so　that　the　man　went　toppling　to　his　knees。　Then　Max　spun　precisely　so　that　he　had　his　back　nearly　up　against　the　first　attacker　and　rammed　his　elbow　back。

The　man's　breath　rushed　out　of　him　as　he　clutched　his　midsection。　Max　snapped　a　fist　back　into　his　face；　then　turned　to　plant　a　sidelong　kick　to　the　gut　of　the　one　in　the　coveralls。　The　incredible　reflexes　and　speed　that　served　him　so　well　in　dogfights　were　plain；　he　was　difficult　to　see　much　less　hit　or　avoid。

Karita　had　struggled　to　his　feet。　〃Stop！〃

The　three　attackers　were　battered　up　a　bit；　but　the　fight　had　barely　started。　Max　Sterling　wasn't　even　breathing　hard。

〃No　more　fighting；〃　Karita　labored；　clutching　his　side。　〃Hasn't　there　been　enough？〃

The　first　man　wiped　blood　from　a　swelling　lip；　studying　Max。　Indicating　Karita　with　a　toss　of　his　head；　he　said；　〃Him　and　his　kind　killed　my　son。　I　don't　care　what　you…〃

〃Look　at　this；〃　Max　said　quietly。　He　displayed　the　RDF　patch　on　his　uniform；　a　diamond　with　curved　sides；　like　a　fighting　kite。　〃You　think　I　don't　understand？　But　listen　t'　me：　He's　out　of　the　war。　Just　like　I　want　to　be　and　you　want　to　be。〃

〃But　we're　never　going　to　have　peace　unless　we　put　the　damn　war　behind　us！　So　drop　it；　all　right？　Or　else；　c'mon：　Let's　finish　this　thing。〃

The　first　man　was　going　to　e　at　him　again；　but　the　other　two　grabbed　his　shoulders　from　either　side。　The　young　one　said；　〃All　right…for　now。〃

Max　supported　Karita　with　his　shoulder；　and　the　three　stepped　aside　to　let　them　pass。　There　was　a　tense　moment　as　the　pilot　and　the　injured　alien　walked　between　the　attackers；　one　of　them　shifted　his　weight；　as　if　reconsidering　his　decision。

But　he　thought　better　of　it　and　held　his　place；　saying；　〃What　about　you；　flyboy？　You're　goin'　out　there　again　to　fight　'em；　aren't　ya？　To　kill　'em　if　ya　can？〃

Max　knew　that　Karita　was　staring　at　him；　but　he　answered。　〃Yeah。　Maybe　I'll　wind　up　killing　somebody　a　lot　like　your　son　tonight。　Or　he'll　wind　up　killing　me。　Who　knows？〃

Max　put　Karita　into　a　cab　and　sent　him　to　the　temporary　quarters　where　the　defectors　were　housed。　He　didn't　have　time　to　go　along；　he　was　late　for　duty　as　it　was。

Waiting　for　another　cab；　Max　gazed　around　at　the　rebuilt　city　of　Macross。　Overhead；　the　Enhanced　Video　Emulation　system　had　created　the　illusion　of　a　Terran　night　sky；　blocking　out　the　view　of　a　distant　alloy　ceiling。

It　had　been　a　long　time　since　Max　or　any　of　the　SDF…1's　other　inhabitants　had　seen　the　real　thing。　He　was　already　defying　the　odds；　having　survived　so　many　bats。　The　EVE　illusion　was　nice；　but　he　hoped　he'd　get　to　see　the　true　sky　and　hills　and　oceans　of　Earth　again　before　his　number　came　up。


Elsewhere　on　the　SDF…1；　two　women　rode　in　an　unfortable　silence　on　an　elevator　descending　to　a　hangar　deck；　watching　the　level　indicators　flash。

mander　Lisa　Hayes；　the　ship's　First　Officer；　wasn't　at　ease　with　many　people。　But　Lieutenant　Claudia　Grant；　standing　now　with　arms　folded　and　avoiding　Lisa's　gaze　as　Lisa　avoided　hers；　had　been　a　close　friend…perhaps　Lisa's　only　true　friend…for　years。

Lisa　tried　to　lighten　the　gloom。　〃Well；　here　I　go　again。　Off　for　another　skirmish　with　the　brass。〃

That　was　certainly　putting　the　best　face　on　it。　No　previous　effort　had　convinced　the　United　Earth　Defense　Council　to　either　begin　peace　negotiations　with　the　Zentraedi　invaders　or　allow　the　SDF…1　and　its　civilian　refugees　to　return　home。　Lisa　had　volunteered　to　try　again；　to　present　shocking　new　evidence　that　had　just　emerged　and　exert　all　the　pressure　she　could　on　her　father；　Admiral　Hayes；　to　get　him　to　see　reason　and　then　persuade　the　rest　of　the　UEDC。

Claudia　looked　up。　They　were　an　odd　pair：　Claudia；　tall　and　exotic…looking；　several　years　older　than　Lisa；　with　skin　the　color　of　dark　honey；　and　Lisa；　pallid　and　slender；　rather　plain…looking　until　one　looked　a　little　closer。

Claudia　tried　to　smile；　running　a　hand　through　her　tight　brown　curls。　〃I　don't　know　whether　it'll　help　or　not　to　say　this；　but　stop　looking　so　grim。　Girl；　you　remind　me　of　the　captain　of　a　sinking　ship　when　he　finds　out　they　substituted　deck　chairs　for　the　lifeboats。　It's　gonna　be　hard　to　change　people's　minds　like　that。　Besides；　all　they　can　do　is　say　no　again。〃

There　was　a　lot　more　to　it　than　that；　of　course。　Admiral　Hayes　was　not　likely　to　let　his　only　child　leave　Earth…to　return　to　the　SDF…1　and　the　endless　Zentraedi　attacks…once　she　was　in　the　vast　UEDC　headquarters。　Neither　Claudia　nor　Lisa　had　mentioned　that　they　would　probably　never　see　each　another　again。

〃Yeah；　I　guess；〃　Lisa　said；　as　the　doors　opened　and　the　noise　and　heat　of　the　hangar　deck　flooded　in。

The　two　women　stepped　out　into　a　world　of　harsh　worklights。　bat　and　other　craft　were　parked　everywhere；　crammed　in　tightly　with　wings　and　ailerons　folded　for　more　efficient　storage。

Maintenance　crews　were　swarming　over　Veritechs　damaged　in　the　most　recent　fighting；　while　ordnance　people　readied　ships　slated　for　the　next　round　of　patrols　and　surveillance　flights。　The　SDF…1's　survival　depended　in　large　part　on　the　Veritechs；　but　they　would　have　been　useless　if　not　for　the　unflagging；　often　round…the…clock　work　of　the　men　and　women　who　repaired　and　serviced　and　rearmed　them　and　the　others　who　risked　their　lives　as　part　of　the　flight　deck　catapult　crews。

Welding　sparks　flew；　ordnance　loader　servos　whined；　lifting　missiles　and　ammunition　into　place。　Claudia　had　to　raise　her　voice　to　be　heard。　〃Have　you　told　Rick　about　the　trip；　or　have　you　been　too　busy　to　see　him？〃

Busy　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　and　they　both　knew　that。　Lisa　had　concluded　that　her　love　for　Rick　Hunter；　leader　of　the　Veritech　Skull　Team；　was　one…sided。　By　leaving　the　SDF…1　on　a　vital　mission；　she　was　also　almost　certainly　giving　up　any　chance　of　ever　changing　that。

〃I　thought　I'd　call　him　from　the　shuttle；〃　she　said。

Claudia　exercised　admirable　restraint　and　did　not　blurt　out；　Lisa；　stop　being　such　a　coward！　Because　Lisa　wasn't…she　had　the　bat　decorations　to　prove　it；　medals　and　fruit　cocktail　that　any　line　officer　would　respect。　But　where　emotions　were　concerned；　the　SDF…1's　petent　and　capable　First　always　seemed　to　prefer　hiding　under　a　rock　someplace。

The　shuttle　was　near　the　aircraft　elevator…air　lock　that　would　lift　it　to　the　flight　deck。　Lisa's　gear　and　the　evidence　she　hoped　would　sway　Admiral　Hayes　and　the　others　at　the　UEDC　were　already　aboard。　The　crew　chief　was　running　a　final　prelaunch　check。


〃The　shuttle　is　nearly　ready　for　launch；　Captain；〃　a　female　enlisted…rating　tech　reported。　〃Launch　in　ten　minutes。〃

Captain　Henry　Gloval　crossed　the　bridge　to　glance　at　several　other　displays；　stroking　his　thick　mustache。　〃Any　signs　of　Zentraedi　activity　in　our　area？〃　His　voice　still　carr