05_force_of_arms-第31节

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ontrol　over　the　Zentraedi　is　due；　in　part；　to　the　giants'　own　ignorance。
This　means　that　the　Zentraedi　are　vulnerable　in　ways　of　which　they　are　unaware。
Dr。　Emil　Lang；　Technical　Recordings　and　Notes

More　disturbances　shook　the　underground　corridors　of　Alaska　Base　as　a　terrier　might　shake　a　rat　in　its　teeth。　The　titanic　supports　plained；　and　the　ceilings　showered　rock　dust。

Through　it　flew　the　Skull　Guardian；　maneuvering　in　very　confining　space　to　avoid　exploding　power　ducts　and　ruptured　energy　mains。　Rick　brought　the　ship　to　an　abrupt　halt；　hitting　the　foot　thrusters　hard　so　as　not　to　collide　with　a　thick　shield　door　that　dead…ended　the　cyclopean　corridor。

But　he　was　in　no　mood　to　be　stopped。　He　lowered　a　phased…array　laser　turret　and　aimed　with　his　gunsight　reticle。　The　fearsome　power　of　the　quad…mount　sent　armor　flowing　in　rivulets；　but　not　as　quickly　as　he　hoped。　He　cut　back　his　ambitions　and　tried　for　a　man…size　opening　instead　of　a　VT…size　one。

In　a　few　moments　a　circular　plug　of　armor　two　feet　thick　fell　back　from　the　shield　door；　leaving　a　makeshift　hatch。　Rick　gave　mands　with　his　controls　and　with　mental　images；　the　Guardian　bowed；　its　nose　touching　the　corridor　floor　so　that　he　could　disembark。

He　was　barely　at　the　smoking；　red…hot　opening　when　he　heard　her。　〃Rick！〃　Lisa　was　waiting　for　him　patiently　at　the　far　end　of　the　short；　small　connecting　passageway。

He　felt　like　sinking　to　his　knees　with　relief　and…something　else。　But　there　was　no　time　for　it；　and　so　he　tossed　his　thick；　unruly　black　hair　out　of　his　eyes　and　flickered　his　eyebrows　at　her。

〃You　the　lady　who　called　for　the　cab？　I'm　your　man。〃

She　laughed　fondly；　nodding。　〃It's　about　time。〃　She　ran　to　him；　laughing；　and　he　caught　her　up　in　his　arms；　whirling　her。

In　another　few　seconds　they　were　in　the　Guardian's　cockpit；　Lisa　seated　across　his　lap；　Rick　trying　to　concentrate　on　his　flying。　Strange　energy　phenomena　coruscated　and　spat　all　around；　a　poltergeist　zoo　of　deadly　short…term　exotica。　Purple　lightning　grasped　for　them；　and　green　rays　ricocheted　from　surface　to　surface。　Walls　blew　out　into　the　corridor；　sending　pieces　of　shredded　armor　plate　whirling　like　leaf　fragments。

〃The　reactor's　overloading！〃　she　yelled　over　the　din。

Rick　somehow　ran　the　dimly　lit　obstacle　course；　Lisa's　head　buried　against　his　chest　in　case　the　canopy　shattered。　After　several　centuries'　time　juking　and　sideslipping　through　the　maze　of　Alaska　Base；　the　Guardian　was　back　into　the　vertical　shaft　of　what　had　been　Earth's　greatest　weapon　less　than　an　hour　before。


The　last　layer　of　defensive　ships　was　riven　apart　by　the　irresistible　wedge　of　the　allied　force。　Before　them　hung　Dolza's　headquarters　like　some　lumpy；　dangling　overripe　fruit。

But　Dolza　didn't　run；　that　wasn't　the　way　of　the　true　Zentraedi　warrior；　and　Dolza　embodied　the　Zentraedi　warrior　code。　It　was　as　Breetai　had　known　it　would　be。　Instead；　the　moonlet…size　headquarters　came　straight　at　its　enemies；　surrounded　by　such　escort　vessels　as　it　could　gather　around　it。

〃Objective　now　approaching；〃　Vanessa　reported。

〃All　units　in　position；〃　Kim　sang　out。

〃Target　within　range。　Stand　by；　all　batteries；〃　Sammie　said　into　her　mike。

〃All　escort　fighters；　break　contact　and　attack　objective　immediately；〃　Claudia　ordered。　She　paused　for　a　quick　glance　at　the　headquarters。　Its　shape　and　lines　and　apparent　texture　reminded　her　so　much　of　a　mountain　in　space；　falling　straight　at　the　SDF…1。　Ready　to　crush　them　and　the　Zentraedi　who　had　bee　humanity's　friends；　ready　to　crush　everything　in　its　path；　as　had　always　been　the　Zentraedi　way。

Claudia's　face　hardened　along　grim；　angry　lines。　Not　this　time。　She　thought　of　her　slain　lover；　Roy　Fokker；　and　of　all　the　others　who　had　died　in　the　pointless　war。　But　not　this　time！

Exedore；　still　at　Gloval's　shoulder；　said　softly；　〃Now；　Captain。〃

It　was　as　if　someone　had　run　a　high　current　through　Gloval。　〃Open　fire！〃　he　barked。

The　SDF…1　fired　again；　in　every　direction；　her　carefully　hoarded　power　being　used　at　a　fearsome　rate　now；　at　a　moment　that　was　late　in　the　battle　even　though　only　minutes　had　elapsed。

The　armada　ships　of　Breetai　fell　away　to　all　sides　to　engage　the　enemy　or　lend　support　as　they　could。　The　final　mission　was　the　dimensional　fortress's　alone；　and　no　other　vessel　in　existence　could　perform　it　or　acpany　the　ship。

The　giant　warrior　shape's　thrusters　blared；　adjusting　attitude；　and　now　the　SDF…1　came　at　Dolza's　stronghold　headfirst。

〃Brace　for　ramming！〃　Gloval　bellowed；　and　the　orders　went　forth。　The　engines　shook　the　great　ship　and　drove　it　in　a　death　dive。

The　two　great　booms　that　reared　above　the　ship's　head　like　wings　were　now　aligned　directly　at　the　space　mountain　that　was　Dolza's　headquarters；　the　nerve　center　of　the　Grand　Fleet。　The　booms　were　separate　parts　of　the　main　gun；　reinforced　structures　that　were；　with　the　exception　of　the　mammoth　engines；　the　strongest　parts　of　the　ship。　And　around　their　tips　glowed　the　green…white　fields　of　a　limited　barrier　defense；　making　them　all　but　indestructible。

The　SDF…1　plunged　at　its　objective；　Dolza's　technical　operations　people；　prepared　for　an　exchange　of　close　broadsides；　realized　only　in　a　last；　horrified　moment　what　the　dimensional　fortress's　intention　was。　By　then；　it　was　too　late。

The　idea　of　being　rammed　hadn't　occurred　to　them；　no　other　vessel　could　have　done　it。　Even　Breetai's　flagship　could　have　caused　Dolza's　base　little　more　damage　that　way　than　a　child　could　inflict　by　crashing　a　kiddie　car　into　Gibraltar。

But　this　was　Zor's　final　creation；　a　machine　that　incorporated　most　of　what　he　had　learned　about　Protoculture　and　the　secrets　of　Robotechnology。　The　booms　went　through　the　thick　armor　of　the　headquarters　moonlet　as　if　it　were　soft　cheese。　The　SDF…1　was　like　some　enormous　stake　being　driven　into　the　heart　of　the　Grand　Fleet。

Once　the　dimensional　fortress　was　inside　the　outermost　layers　of　the　headquarters'　armor　plating；　Dolza's　stupendous　ship　was　even　more　vulnerable。　Bulkheads　were　smashed　out　of　the　way　like　aluminum　foil；　structural　members　snapped　like　toothpicks。　The　directed　barrier　shields　glowed　brighter　but　held。

An　ocean　of　air　began　leaking　from　the　headquarters；　and　the　dying　started　at　once。　Power　junctions　and　energy　routing；　severed　or　crushed；　sent　serpents　of　writhing　electrical　and　Protoculture　lightning　into　the　thinning　air　and　serpentining　along　the　bulkheads　and　decks。

The　SDF…1　brought　its　mighty　forearms；　the　supercarriers　Daedalus　and　Prometheus；　into　play。　Their　bows；　too；　had　been　reinforced　and　mantled　with　directed　barrier　shields。　Like　a　giant　punching　his　way　through　an　enemy　castle；　the　ship　drove　on；　destroying　all　that　was　in　its　path；　its　thrusters　making　it　an　irresistible　force。

Zentraedi　were　whirled　through　the　air　like　dust　motes　in　the　tremendous　atmospheric　currents　being　sucked　toward　the　opening　the　SDF…1　had　made。　They　died　in　explosions　and　were　torn　apart；　ground　up；　squashed　to　jelly；　or　impaled　by　the　flying；　whirling　wreckage。

Through　it　all；　Minmei　sang。　She　knew　the　song　was　no　longer　a　part　of　any　surprise　attack；　but　she　felt…now　that　if　she　stopped；　it　might　bring　about　some　disastrous　halt　in　the　desperate　attack。　It　was　as　if　her　song　was　what　was　making　it　all　happen；　it　was　a　form　of　magic　that　she　couldn't　stop　in　midspell。

Then　the　dimensional　fortress　was　opening　up　with　conventional　weapons。　X…ray　lasers　and　missile　tubes；　cannon　and　pulsed　beams　hammered　away　at　everything　before　and　around　them。　The　ship's　path　was　often　obscured　by　the　demon's　brew　of　flame　and　explosion　all　around。

Minmei　watched；　transfixed；　at　the　huge　sweep　of　viewport　and　sang；　wondering　if　the　universe　was　about　to　end。　Because　that　was　how　it　looked　from　where　she　stood。

But　moments　later；　as　suddenly　as　the　drawing　aside　of　a　curtain；　the　SDF…1　broke　out　into　a　vast；　open　place。　Behind　it　was　a　tunnel　with　its　mouth　edged　by　jagged；　bent…out　superalloy　plate。　The　Zentraedi　gaped　as　it　drifted　across　the　vast　space　within　the　headquarters　mountain。


Gloval　knew　the　timing　had　to　be　split　second　and　perfect；　and　he　had　no　leisure　for　preparation。

There　were　quite　a　few　enemy　vessels　still　inside　the　gargantuan　base；　something　Gloval　had　been　hoping　against。　But　they　were　all　at　rest；　unable　to　maneuver　or　open　fire　for　seconds　more　at　least；　perhaps　as　much　as　a　half　minute。　In　a　battle　like　this；　that　was　an　eternity。

〃Prepare　to　execute　final　barrage！〃　he　snapped　as　his　bridge　crew　bent　to　their　work。　〃Then　full　power　to　barrier　shield！〃

Missile　ports　opened　to　let　loose　the　last　volley　the　SDF…1　was　capable　of　firing；　the　do…or…die　knockout　punch　Gloval　had　saved　for　this　moment。　The　fortress's　heaviest　projectiles…Deca　missiles　the　size　of　old…fashioned　ICBMs；　Piledrivers　as　big　as　sub…launched　nukes…were　readied　for　firing。

The　bows　of　the　flatdecks　opened　like　sharks'　mouths；　revealing　racks　of　smaller　Hammerhead　and　Bighorn　missiles。

〃Target　acquisition　on　their　main　reflex　furnace；〃　Gloval　ordered。

But　Claudia　was　way　ahead　of　him。　〃Target　locked　in；　all　missiles；　sir；〃　she　said。


In　his　mand　post；　the　looming　Dolza　tried　to　believe　what　he　saw　before　him。　〃Wh