05_force_of_arms-第24节

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He　looked　at　her　angrily　now。　〃Father　or　no；　I　promise　you　this：　If　you　try　to　leave；　I'll　have　you　thrown　in　the　brig。〃

She　was　only　partly　successful　at　keeping　the　tears　out　of　her　eyes；　but　her　voice　was　steady。　〃Yes；　sir。〃

Admiral　Hayes　despaired　of　ever　winning　the　battle；　he　saw　that　he　had　lost　the　last　of　his　family。


Breetai　looked　up　at　the　projecbeam　image。　〃What　now；　Azonia？〃

She　didn't　mince　words；　he　had　expected　no　less。　〃There　are　no　options；　great　Breetai。　Dolza　will　try　to　exterminate　us　now　that　we　have　been　exposed　to　the　Micronians。　I　will　stay　and　face　the　Grand　Fleet。　It　will　be　an　honor　to　go　into　battle　with　you；　my　lord！〃

Some　part　of　him　knew　what　she　meant。　Wasn't　this　the　battle　any　Zentraedi　dreamed　of；　a　hopeless　fight　against　overwhelming　odds　in　the　clash　of　dreadnoughts　as　numerous　as　the　stars？　Wasn't　this　the　apocalypse　to　which　the　Zentraedi　looked　for　their　version　of　immortality？

〃mendable；〃　he　said。　〃May　you　win　every　fight。〃

She　drew　a　breath　at　the　high　pliment　he　had　paid　her。　〃And　you　too；　Breetai！〃

Her　face　dissolved　as　the　projecbeam　image　did；　and　he　turned　to　another。　〃Khyron？　Your　intentions？〃

Khyron；　languid　and　condescending；　smoothed　his　beautiful　blue　hair。　〃You　know　my　answer。　The　odds　are　too　great。　Why　fight　if　you　can't　win；　Breetai？〃

〃Why　be　Zentraedi　if　you　don't　know　the　answer　to　that；　Khyron？　But　this　is　as　I　expected；　I　wasn't　depending　on　you；　anyway。〃

And　so　it　was　all　out　in　the　light　at　this　eleventh　hour。　Khyron　had　substituted　the　ruthlessness　and　savagery　that　were　all　he　had　for　courage。　The　difference　came　forth　only　in　moments　like　these；　but　it　was　plain。

Now　Khyron's　facade　broke；　and　he　screamed　at　Breetai；　froth　leaping　from　his　lips。　〃You　will　be　destroyed！〃　The　projecbeam　image　vanished。


On　his　own　flagship；　Khyron　sat　slouched　in　his　mand　chair　like　a　wounded　toad。　〃All　right；　let's　go。〃　He　threw　the　mand　over　his　shoulder　to　his　subordinate；　Grel。

〃What　coordinates？〃　Grel　asked　carefully。　In　such　a　rage；　Khyron　was　easily　capable　of　lashing　out　and　killing　any　around　him。

〃Anyplace　else　in　the　universe　but　here；〃　Khyron　brooded；　staring　off　angrily　at　nothing。　There　was　no　response　from　Grel；　and　Khyron　snarled；　〃Didn't　you　hear　me？〃

Grel　calculated　his　next　words　carefully。　〃But　sir；　we　can't　run。〃

Khyron　barked　a　galling　laugh。　〃You　think　not？　Watch；　then！〃　He　signaled；　and　the　engines　of　his　flagship　came　up　to　power；　as　did　those　of　all　the　Botoru　ships　under　his　mand。

Grel　licked　his　lips；　wondering　how　best　to　tell　Khyron　that　he　hadn't　been　speaking　figuratively。　Khyron　cherished　the　practice　of　beheading　the　messenger　who　bore　bad　tidings。


Breetai　paid　little　attention　to　the　maneuvers　of　the　Botorus。　He　considered　the　nearby　fabric　of　space；　where　the　first　perturbations　of　the　Cosmic　String　heralded　the　Grand　Fleet。

Once　he　had　been　Dolza's　most　valued　subordinate…had　saved　Dolza's　life　from　the　very　Invid　attack　that　had　killed　Zor。　Now　he　contemplated　the　stirrings　of　the　universe　in　advance　of　the　attack　and　reflected　on　the　incredible　way　things　had　turned　out　there　in　the　Micronian　star　system。

Hear　my　thoughts；　Lord　Dolza！　To　go　down　in　battle　is　all　we　seek；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest。　Mark　me　well；　for　this　is　the　final　battle　of　Breetai！


In　the　hearing　chamber；　people　were　exhausted；　but　the　marathon　went　on。　puters　and　analysts　were　hooked　in；　G…staff　members　and　evaluation　teams　were　ready。

〃Dolza　will　assume　you're　too　weak　to　fight；〃　Exedore　was　saying；　still　animated　and　prim　in　the　midst　of　the　most　tiring　activity。　〃He　will　divide　his　fleet　and　attack　from　every　side；　sealing　off　any　avenue　of　escape。　But　this　maneuvering　will　give　you　your　only　chance。〃

〃Enough　background；　kindly　be　specific；〃　Gloval　snapped。

Exedore　turned　to　a　luminous　tactical　projection　he　had　constructed　with　the　help　of　the　SDF…1　puters。

〃Their　flagships　will　be　here；　here；　here；　and　here；　and　Dolza's　mobile　base　will　appear　here；　these　are　my　best　projections。

〃If　you　can　destroy　these　vessels；　it　will　throw　the　entire　Grand　Fleet　into　chaos。〃

〃Simple　military　strategy；〃　someone　muttered。

〃No；　simple　military　strategy…of　all…out；　straightforward　attack　and　overwhelming　numbers…is　what　has　allowed　our　tactics　to　remain　the　same　for　so　long；〃　Exedore　countered。　〃That　and　the　fact　that　the　Zentraedi　have　never　lost　a　war。〃

Colonel　Maistroff　rubbed　his　face　with　his　hand；　as　if　he　were　washing。　〃So；　in　short；　we　crush　the　head　of　the　snake！〃

Exedore　nodded。　He　stepped　away　from　the　tactical　display；　pacing　toward　the　place　where　Gloval　sat。

〃With　their　attack　forces　in　disarray；　our　only　chance　for　survival　is　to　utilize　the　bined　forces　of　the　SDF…1　and　our　battlefleet。　We　are　already　aware　of　the　crude　Robotech　cannon　in　your　planet's　northern　hemisphere　but　consider　it　a　minor　element　at　best。〃

Gloval　came　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　glad　that　we're　now　fighting　on　the　same　side。〃　He　clasped　hands　with　the　gnomish　little　man。

〃Yes；　so　am　I。〃　Exedore　turned　to　Minmei；　who　was　watching　it　all　unbelievingly。　〃And　without　your　singing；　this　alliance　between　our　peoples　would　not　have　been　possible。〃

Kyle　had　assumed　a　hard　expression；　eyes　closed；　chin　sunk　on　chest；　lip　curled。　But　Minmei　was　in　a　sort　of　dream　state。　〃Who；　me？　Really？〃

Exedore　nodded　his　head　slowly。　〃While　I　don't　profess　to　understand　Micronians；　I　now　realize　the　importance　of　your　singing。　It　touches　emotional　resources　to　which　we　Zentraedi　did　not　have　access　before…a　courage　that　is　beyond　mere　courage　in　battle。〃

He　seemed　to　blush　a　little；　nothing　could　have　surprised　them　more。　Even　Kyle　was　shocked。

〃Will。。。will　you　sing　for　us？〃　Exedore　got　out；　face　coloring　furiously。　〃So　that　we　may　hope　for　victory？　Please；　Miss　Minmei。〃

〃Of　course。〃

She　stood　up；　in　that　room　where　the　plans　were　ing　together　that　would　spell　the　death　or　life　of　worlds；　the　survival　or　slaughter　of　billions。　She　drew　a　breath　and　sang　in　a　voice　as　clear　as　polished　diamond。

She　sang　〃To　Be　in　Love；〃　one　of　her　first　positions；　still　one　of　her　favorites。　It　was　a　simple　song；　and　there　was　nothing　in　it　of　armies　or　battles。　It　was　about　a　closeness　between　two　lovers。

Exedore　and　the　three　former　spies　were　mesmerized。　Kyle；　eyes　closed；　was　cold　and　indifferent。　Gloval；　Max　and　Miriya；　and　the　rest　watched　and　listened；　immersed。　Her　voice　soared　to　rebound　from　the　domed　ceiling。

Rick　was　transfixed；　too；　at　first。　The　fact　that　he'd　lost　her　didn't　make　her　any　less　desirable；　especially　now。

But　then　a　new　sound　came　to　him；　a　sound　he　recognized　even　through　the　intervening　decks　and　bulkheads。

On　the　hangar　decks；　the　elevators　were　at　work；　lifting　Veritechs　for　cat　launch。　For　the　final　battle。


The　finder　beams　had　done　their　work。　Now　there　was　a　brutal　application　of　force；　and　the　warp　and　woof　of　the　universe　were　ripped　apart。

The　Zentraedi　had　refined　their　targeting。　This　time；　there　was　no　cosmic　bow　wave　of　incandescent　fire。　Instead；　a　green　cloud　of　some　kind　seemed　to　appear…until　it　became　clear　that　every　last　mote　in　the　cloud　was　a　warship。

Another　cloud　appeared　nearby；　and　another。　Then　two　at　once；　then　three。　And　soon　the　stars　were　blotted　out。　It　was　as　if　handfuls　of　sand　had　suddenly　bee　ugly　battlecraft。　More　appeared；　and　more；　in　dense；　well…ordered　formations；　thicker　than　any　hive　swarm。


〃There　are　too　many　for　sensors　to　count；〃　Vanessa　said；　sweating；　blinking　behind　her　glasses。　〃Too　many。。。〃


〃I　have　to　go；〃　Admiral　Hayes　told　his　daughter　gruffly。　〃We'll　talk　about　this　later…〃

The　PA　interrupted。　〃Sensors　register　immeasurable　defold　activity。　Estimated　enemy　strength　one　million；　three　hundred…correction；　two　million；　one　hundred　thousand…stand　by！　Stand　by！　More　enemy　units　arriving！〃

Some　other；　less　hysterical　voice　cut　in。　〃Battle　stations。　Repeat；　battle　stations。〃　Alarms　and　sirens　sounded；　and　nobody　had　to　say　that　it　wasn't　a　drill　this　time。

Admiral　Hayes　swallowed；　going　pale。


Earth　was　engulfed　in　a　net　of　enemy　warships。　They　blotted　out　the　sun's　light；　appearing　in　their　hundreds　of　thousands；　taking　up　position　for　the　ultimate　confrontation。


Claudia's　face　appeared　in　the　hearing　chamber　on　a　display　the　size　of　a　movie　screen。　〃Captain　Gloval；　monitor　three　shows　enemy　positions　over　the　western　hemisphere。〃

The　view　came　up。　Still　the　sinister　warcraft　poured　into　Earth　orbit　from　nothingness。　The　drifting　clouds　of　them　stretched；　established　intervals；　deployed　for　total　coverage。　Great　blotches　of　green；　whole　clustered　space　navies；　were　painted　into　the　picture。

〃Well；　I'm　afraid　this　is　it；〃　Exedore　said。　It　looked；　like　the　planet　was　falling；　in　time…lapse　photography；　under　a　leprous　infection　of　Zentraedi　bat　green。

Minmei　could　only　stare；　her　song　forgotten。　Max　and　Miriya　took　each　other's　hands；　and　he　was　grateful　that　he　had　been　granted　the　time　they　had　had　together。

Even　Kyle　was　aghast。　If　there　was　one　there　who　was　in　the　mood　for　the　scene；　it　was　Rick　Hunter。　He　watched　the　Grand　Fleet　spread　and　grow。　Nothing　left　to　lose。　Okay：　A　figh