05_force_of_arms-第26节

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Except　the　Zentraedi　weren't　making　deals　today；　and　Armageddon　was　apparently　the　only　item　on　the　agenda。

〃We're　trying；　Admiral；　but　so　far　it's　a　no…go；〃　a　　officer　called　up　to　him。

Hayes　himself　felt　betrayed　and　a　fool。　His　daughter　and　Gloval　had　been　correct　all　along；　right　down　the　line。　The　prestige　and　honor　of　his　rank　had　fallen　away　to　nothing；　and　he　saw　that　he　had；　very　simply；　wound　up　an　otherwise　honorable　career　by　being　the　instrument　of　craven　and　greedy　men。

〃Then　there's　nothing　left　to　do　but　fight；〃　Hayes　said。

Under　other　circumstances　it　might　have　been　one　of　those　lines　flag…rank　officers　could　hope　to　have　show　up　in　history　books。　The　fact　was　that　Hayes　knew　he　been　duped　again　and　again　by　the　politicians。　Besides；　it　was　unlikely　that　there　would　ever　be　any　more　history　books。

And　the　only　reason　to　fight　was　that　the　enemy　offered　no　alternative…it　meant　to　wipe　the　human　race　out　of　existence。


The　Grand　Cannon　prepared　to　fire；　and　the　futile　squadrons　of　Earth　fighters　went　out　to　do　their　jobs　as　best　they　could。　Lisa　Hayes　stared　down　at　her　screens　and　instruments　and　fought　off　the　urge　to　weep　for　the　men　and　women　who　were　doing　their　jobs　in　all　good　faith　and　were　kept；　by　the　omnipresent　UEDC　propaganda　and　disinformation；　from　knowing　that　they　were　doomed。

During　a　few　moments　lag　time；　she　paused　to　regard　a　close　pickup　shot　of　the　SDF…1　and　to　think　of　Claudia；　of　Gloval；　and　of　Rick。　She　found；　as　her　father　had　told　her　when　she　was　a　little　girl；　that　there　were　only　a　few　really　important　questions　in　life　and　that　bat　would　make　anybody　ask　them。

Why　are　we　here？　Where　do　we　e　from？　What　happens　to　us　when　we　die？　And　when　I　do；　will　I　be　with　Rick；　at　last；　or　will　I　be　alone　forever？

An　update　on　the　cannon's　targeting　status　came　in　just　then；　and　Lisa　had　to　let　those　thoughts　go。


Rick　Hunter　sealed　up　his　flightsuit　and　made　sure　his　gloves　were　firmly　connected　to　his　instrumented　cuff　rings。　They　fit　smoothly；　allowing　him　maximum　dexterity。

The　hatch　to　his　quarters　signaled；　and　he　thought　it　was　just　another　messenger　with　a　mission　update；　all　　channels　being　overloaded。　Until　the　hatch　slid　back。

〃Rick？〃

He　pivoted　and　saw　her　standing　in　the　hatch；　outlined　against　the　harsh　glare　of　the　passageway　lights。　She　came　a　step　into　his　quarters　demurely　but　looking　him　in　the　eye。

The　hatch　rolled　shut　behind　Minmei。


They　were　there　in　every　size　and　shape；　those　wargreen　vessels　of　the　Zentraedi　Grand　Fleet。　Never　in　their　entire　history　had　they　been　assembled　for　bat　in　such　a　formation。

From　his　mand　station；　Dolza；　supreme　mander　of　the　Zentraedi　race；　considered　his　target；　Earth。

Space　was　filled　with　his　ships；　there　had　never　been　a　marshaling　like　this　in　the　infamous　annals　of　the　Zentraedi。

And　yet　he　felt　misgivings。　Dolza　knew　the　ancient　lore　of　his　race　from　Exedore's　endless　teachings。　Against　the　forces　that　those　records　mentioned；　the　Grand　Fleet　itself　might　not　be　enough。

Perhaps　nothing　would。

Inside　the　boulderlike　base　that　was　Dolza's　headquarters；　a　thousand　miles　through　its　long　axis；　the　supreme　mander　received　word　that　the　fleet　was　at　last　all　present。

He　was　enormous；　the　largest　and；　but　for　Exedore；　the　oldest　of　his　race。　Dolza's　shaven　skull　and　heavy　brow　made　him　look　like　a　granite　sculpture。

〃My　first　attack　shall　be　the　Micronians'　mother　planet；〃　he　said。　〃Let　all　ships　stand　prepared。〃

All　through　the　fleet；　final　preparations　for　battle　were　carried　out。　On　the　colossal　bombardment　vessels；　the　bows　opened　like　giant　crocodile　jaws；　exposing　the　heavy　guns。

Targeting　puters　accepted　their　assignments　from　Dolza's　base；　ranging　their　sights　across　the　surface　of　the　world；　fixing　their　aim。　The　Grand　Fleet's　engines　howled　like　demons；　supercharging　the　weapons　pointed　at　the　helpless　Earth。


〃I　want　to　apologize　to　you；　Rick；〃　she　said。　〃I　mean；　about　Kyle。〃

〃It's　not　really　your　fault；〃　he　told　her。　〃I　should　have　let　you　know　what　my　feelings　were。　I　should　have　tried　harder；　I　guess。〃

〃But；　I…〃

〃Oh；　Minmei；　it's　all　right！〃　he　yelled；　frightening　her　a　little。　He　got　control　of　himself　and　went　to　get　his　flying　helmet。　How　do　I　tell　her？

He　went　to　pick　up　the　helmet　but　saw　her　reflection　in　the　visor。　She　was　standing　silently；　watching　him。

〃I'm　a　pilot；　and　you're　a　superstar　now；〃　he　said　tiredly。　〃You　know　it　wouldn't　have　worked　for　us；　anyway。　Too　much　has　changed；　Minmei。〃

He　went　to　the　viewport；　looking　down　at　Earth。　〃It's　strange　to　think　how　small　our　world　is；〃　he　said；　almost　distractedly。　〃It's　a　pity　how　much　time　we　wasted；　isn't　it？〃

She　flinched　as　if　he　had　hit　her。　She　could　see　that　he　was　being　cruel　on　purpose；　hurting　himself　and　her；　to　make　the　love　stop。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　say　something　that　would　make　him　honest　again；　would　clear　the　air　between　them。

But　at　that　exact　moment　the　universe　lit　up。　The　Zentraedi　attack　had　begun。


CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN

Once　I　wrote　here…a　younger　Minmei　did…that　I　needed　to　be　my　own　person；　that　I　had　my　own　shadows　to　cast。
But；　oh。。。I　didn't　realize　how　terrible　that　darkness　would　be。
From　the　diary　of　Lynn…Minmei

Millions　of　blindingly　bright　beams　of　pure　energy　rained　down　on　the　blue…white　world。

First　to　go　were　the　orbital　defenses；　the　surveillance　satellites　and　the　〃armors〃…the　big　conventional…technology　space　cruisers。　They　were　obliterated　instantly；　vanishing　in　clouds　of　expanding　gas。

The　incredible　volley　pierced　the　atmosphere；　boiling　away　clouds　and　moisture；　striking　through　to　the　surface。　Buildings　and　trees　and　people　were　vaporized；　everything　flammable　exploded。　The　hellish　rays　set　off　tremendous　detonations　and　superheated　the　air　like　thermonuclear　weapons。

Everywhere　it　was　the　same。　Soldiers　and　civilians；　adults　and　children；　and　the　unborn　as　well…the　Grand　Fleet　favored　none　and　spared　none。　In　the　middle　of　a　humdrum　day　marked　only　by　some　sort　of　alert　the　UEDC　wasn't　explaining；　nearly　the　entire　population　of　the　planet　was　put　to　the　sword。

For　most；　there　wasn't　even　time　to　scream；　only　a　hideous　moment　when　light　and　heat　beyond　any　description　engulfed　them；　making　their　bodies　as　transparent　as　x…ray　images；　then　consuming　them。

Cities　toppled；　and　blowtorch　winds　scoured　the　world。　Seas　were　given　no　mercy；　either；　Dolza　had　decreed　a　carpet…volley　pattern　to　get　ships　and　aquafarming　and　aquamining　installations　and　the　like。　Untold　cubic　miles　of　water　turned　into　steam。

The　beams　came　like　a　fusion…hot　monsoon　all　across　the　defenseless　world。


In　UEDC　headquarters；　the　ground　rumbled　but　miles　of　earth　and　rock　saved　the　occupants　from　immediate　death。

Lisa　gaped　at　an　illuminated　situation　map。　The　strikes　were　so　numerous　that　the　display　puters　couldn't　discriminate　anymore。　The　face　of　the　world　glowed。

〃They　can't　be　doing　this！〃　she　screamed。　〃They　can't！〃

But　she　knew　she　was　wrong。　They　were。

〃Annihilation。〃


Gloval　stood　helplessly；　shoulders　bowed；　looking　out　the　forward　viewport。　Exedore　stood　mute　at　his　shoulder。　The　alien　decided　that　he　must；　in　fact；　have　fallen　victim　to　the　contagious　human　emotions；　because　he　felt　them　very　strongly　at　that　moment：　rage　that　this　should　happen；　a　soul…wrenching　sorrow；　and　an　utter；　utter　shame。

Reading　her　instruments；　a　female　enlisted…rating　tech　said　in　monotone；　〃They're　gone。　They're　all　gone。〃


In　his　headquarters　base；　the　immense　Dolza　looked　upon　his　handiwork　and　found　it　good。　His　guttural　laugh　echoed　in　the　deep；　eerily　resonant　tones　of　the　Zentraedi。

The　Micronian　interlude　would　be　expunged　from　history；　he　had　decided。　And　any　similar　race　encountered　by　the　Zentraedi　would　be　subject　to　instant　and　total　termination。

Then；　events　could　be　put　back　on　their　proper　track。

Dolza　had　to　admit　that　even　he；　the　supreme　mander；　hadn't　had　a　true　idea　of　Zentraedi　power　until　the　moment　the　Grand　Fleet　opened　fire。　The　irresistible　might　of　it！　It　filled　him　with　new　aspirations；　new　resolve。

When　the　humans　were　finished　and　the　rebellious　Breetai　and　his　followers　destroyed　pletely；　it　would　be　time　to　deal　with　the　Robotech　Masters。

For　too　long　now；　the　Masters　had　treated　their　warrior　servants；　the　Zentraedi；　with　the　contempt　one　showed　a　slave。　For　too　long；　that　had　seared　the　Zentraedi　pride。　Moreover；　it　had　e　to　light　that　the　Masters　had　told　the　Zentraedi　a　colossal　lie　all　along…they　had　deceived　them　about　the　giants'　very　origins。

The　Protoculture　secrets　hidden　in　Zor's　ship　had　been　an　important　part　of　Dolza's　master　plan　to　overthrow　the　Robotech　Masters　and　let　the　Zentraedi　take　their　rightful　place　at　the　pinnacle　of　the　universe。

The　accursed　Zor　had　been　aware　of　that　and　had　dispatched　his　ship　to　keep　it　from　Masters　and　Zentraedi　alike。　The　plan　had　ultimately　worked；　but　in　so　doing　it　had　brought　this　day。　As　Dolza　looked　out　at　nearly　five　million　warships；　all　raining　down　destruction　on　Earth；　he　realized　that　he　didn't　need　Zor's　secrets；　didn't　need　the　SDF…1。　All　he　needed　was　the　might　of　the　Zentraedi　hordes。

He　laug