05_force_of_arms-第4节

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He　was　not　yet　twenty…one　years　old。

The　circuit　was　established。　〃Rick？　It's　Lisa。〃

He　felt　as　though　he　had　been　under　observation　as　he　walked　the　streets　aimlessly。　Lisa　and　Minmei；　Minmei　and　Lisa。　His　brain　failed　him　in　that　emotional　cyclone　where　his　feelings　for　the　two　women　swirled　and　defied　all　analysis；　all　decision。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　Ouch。　Wrong。　He　knew　that　as　soon　as　he　said　it；　but　it　was　too　late。

〃I　wanted　to　let　you　know；　Rick。　I'm　leaving　the　SDF…1。　I'm　on　my　way　to　Earth　to　try　to　get　them　to　stop　the　fighting。〃

He　looked　around　again　quickly　to　make　sure　no　civilians　had　any　chance　of　hearing。　There　was　enough　unrest　in　the　dimensional　fortress　without　spreading　new　rumors　and　raising　expectations　that　would　in　all　probability　be　dashed。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　an　emptiness。　She's　leaving！

〃Why　wasn't　I　told　ab…〃

〃It's　all　top　secret。　Rick；　I　might　not　be　allowed　to　e　back。〃　Lisa　cupped　the　handset　to　her；　staring　at　it　sadly；　as　the　shuttle　was　moved　onto　the　aircraft　elevator　for　the　trip　to　the　flight　deck。　Max　Sterling's　VT　was　next　to　it。

〃So。。。I　want　to　tell　you　something；〃　she　struggled。　Oh；　say　it！　Claudia's　voice　seemed　to　holler　at　her。　But　she　couldn't。

〃I　appreciate　all　you've　done；　and　it's　been　an　honor　serving　with　you；〃　Lisa　said　instead。　〃Your　observations　about　our　captivity　in　the　alien　headquarters　will　be　an　important　part　of　my　report　when…〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Lisa？〃　Something　that　had　been　murky　to　him　moments　ago　was　crystal　clear　now。　〃I　don't　care　about　reports　or　anything　else　if　you　can't　e　back　here！〃

Tell　him！　Say　it！　But　she　ignored　the　voice；　couldn't　face　the　rejection。　He　loved　the　luminous　superstar；　Minmei；　and　Minmei　cared　for　him。　Who　could　pete　with　that？

She　found　herself　saying；　〃Please　watch　over　the　Zentraedi　defectors；　Rick。　A　lot　of　our　people　haven't　had　time　to　reason　things　out　yet；　and　the　aliens　are　in　danger。〃

The　stubby　shuttle　was　on　the　flight　deck；　boxed　up　for　launch　by　the　cat　crew；　the　hookup　people　clear；　the　blast　deflector　raised　up　from　the　deck　behind　the　spacecraft。　Off　to　one　side；　Max's　VT　swept　its　wings　out　and　raised　its　vertical　stabilizers。

Lisa　held　the　handset　tenderly。　〃We're　launching。　Good…bye。　And　thanks　again。〃

〃What？　Wait！〃　But　the　circuit　was　dead。

He　got　up　to　an　observation　deck　just　in　time　to　watch　a　tiny　cluster　of　distant　lights；　the　drives　of　the　formed…up　flight；　dwindle　into　the　darkness。


〃Shuttle　craft　and　escorts　proceeding　according　to　flight　plan；〃　Vanessa　told　Gloval　quietly。　Nobody　had　actually　said　that　Lisa's　flight　was　to　be　monitored　so　closely；　but　no　one　had　objected　to　the　idea；　either；　and　the　Terrible　Trio　were　keeping　close　tabs。

Back　at　her　duty　station；　Claudia　was　alert　to　every　nuance　of　voice；　like　everyone　else　there。　When　Vanessa　said；　〃Captain！〃　in　a　clipped；　alarmed　tone；　Claudia's　heart　skipped　a　beat。

〃Elements　of　the　Zentraedi　fleet　are　redeploying。　They're　on　intercept　course；　closing　in　on　the　shuttle。〃

Gloval　looked　over　his　situation　displays；　threat　boards；　puter　projections。　Claudia　kept　one　eye　on　the　board；　one　on　Gloval。

He　sounded　very　calm。　Now　that　battle　had　e；　he　was　a　well　of　tranquility。　〃Order　them　to　take　evasive　action　as　necessary　or　return　to　the　SDF…1　if　possible。〃

Claudia　almost　blurted　out　a　plea　to　send　reinforcements；　but　she　could　read　the　displays　as　well　as　anyone。　More　Zentraedi　forces　were　moving　into　place；　apparently　to　cut　the　shuttle　off　from　the　dimensional　fortress。　Pummeled　and　undermanned；　the　SDF…1　could　ill　afford　to　risk　an　entire　VT　team　to　save　one　shuttle　and　its　escorts。

No　matter　who　might　die。


Alarms　and　emergency　Hashers　brought　Lisa　out　of　a　dim　gray　despair。　The　shuttle　pilot　was　announcing；　〃Enemy　craft　approaching。　All　hands；　general　quarters。　Secure　for　general　quarters。〃

There　was　a　heavy　grinding　sound　as　sections　of　padded　armor　shielding　slid　up　into　place　around　Lisa's　seat。　She　calmly　pulled　her　briefcase　into　the　questionable　safety　of　the　metal　cocoon　with　her；　securing　her　acceleration　harness；　and　the　ship's　drive　pressed　her　back　into　the　seat's　cushioning。


Max　Sterling　accepted　the　news　almost　amicably。　The　heritage　that　was　the　fighter　pilot's　proud　tradition　remained　strong。　Dying　was　sometimes　unavoidable；　but　losing　one's　cool　was　inexcusable。

〃Enemy　approaching　on　our　six；〃　he　said；　with　less　emotion　than　most　people　used　talking　about　the　weather。　〃Form　up　in　gamma　deployment　and　stick　with　your　wingmen。〃

The　other　VTs　rogered　and　moved　to　ply。　Max　was　going　to　give　Lisa　an　encouraging　wave；　but　the　armored　cocoon　had　already　swallowed　her　up。

He　peeled　off　to　take　up　his　own　position。　The　aerodynamic　maneuvers　of　the　VTs　looked　strange　in　the　airlessness　and　zero　g　of　space；　but　the　pilots　came　from　a　naval　aviation　tradition。　They　thought　a　certain　way　about　flying；　and　thinking　was　half　the　key　to　Robotechnology。　The　aerodynamic　maneuvers　wasted　power；　but　Robotechnology　had　plenty　of　that。

Max　hoped　this　was　another　feint。　Like　Gloval　and　many　others；　he　had　noticed　that　there　seemed　to　be　two　distinct　factions…almost　a　schizophrenia…among　the　enemy。　One　side　was　playing　a　waiting　game；　determined　to　capture　the　SDF…1　intact　for　reasons　that　the　humans　still　couldn't　guess　and　that　the　low…ranking　defectors；　not　privy　to　strategic　information；　couldn't　clarify。

The　other　element…rash；　unpredictable；　almost　irrational…mounted　sudden；　vicious　attacks　on　the　dimensional　fortress；　apparently　intent　on　destroying　it　with　no　thought　to　the　consequences。　It　was　being　clear　that　the　enemy　mander　responsible　for　this　had　a　name　known　to；　and　even　feared　by；　all　Zentraedi。

Khryon　the　Backstabber。


〃mander；　the　target　has　changed　course；〃　a　Zentraedi　pod　pilot　said；　the　facebowl　of　his　bat　armor　lit　by　his　instruments。　〃And　the　Micronian　fighters　are　redeploying　for　intercept。〃

The　alien　mecha；　two　dozen　and　more；　were　in　attack　formation…huge　ovoid　bodies　quilled　with　cannon　muzzles；　mounted　on　long　reverse…articulated　legs　so　that　they　resembled　headless　ostriches。　Most　would　have　been　considered　〃armless；〃　but　the　Officers'　Pods　mounted　heavy　guns　that　suggested　gargantuan　derringers。

In　the　lead　pod　was　Khyron　the　Backstabber。

He　didn't　fit　most　stereotypes　of　the　brutal　warlord。　Quite　contrary　to　the　Zentraedi　conventionalities…their　Spartan　simplicity；　their　distaste　for　mannerisms…Khyron　would　have　been　called　a　fop　if　such　a　word　or　concept　had　existed　among　his　race。

Youthful…looking　and　sinisterly　handsome；　he　gazed　into　the　screens　of　his　pod's　cockpit；　contemplating　the　kill。　He　had　been　forbidden　to　attack　the　SDF…1　again　on　pain　of　immediate　execution；　but　no　one　had　issued　any　orders　with　regard　to　a　juicy　little　convoy。

Four　times　now；　the　Micronian　vermin　had　humiliated　him。　With　each　defeat；　his　hatred　had　grown　geometrically。　It　went　incandescent　when　he　saw　the　sorts　of　perversions　the　humans　practiced：　males　mingling　with　females；　the　sexes　somehow　ing　into　contact　and　expressing　weak…willed　affection　for　each　other。　They　behaved　seductively；　something　unknown　to　the　Zentraedi。　The　Micronians　paired　off；　sometimes　forming　lifelong　bonds；　driven　by　impulses　and　stimuli　Khyron　was　only　beginning　to　perceive。

It　repelled　and　fascinated　him；　it　obsessed　and　possessed　him。　So　he　knew　he　had　no　other　choice　but　to　destroy　the　Micronians　utterly　or　go　pletely　insane。

〃Nothing　can　save　them；〃　he　gloated。　〃All　units：　Attack　immediately！〃

The　pods　closed　in；　riding　the　bright　flames　of　their　drives；　guns　angling；　answering　their　targetting　servos。　The　VTs　swept　out　to　meet　them。


〃Captain；　the　shuttle　has　reached　coordinates　Lambda　thirty…four；〃　Sammie　called　out。　〃Should　we　send　reinforcements？〃

The　bridge　crew　watched　Gloval；　hoping　he　would　say　yes　as　much　as　he　himself　wanted　to。　But　that　would　have　left　the　SDF…1　underprotected；　the　Zentraedi　had　already　tried　similar　diversionary　maneuvers　to　set　up　a　major　attack。

With　the　number　of　spaceworthy　VTs　critically　low　until　the　Robotech　fabrication　machinery　could　produce　replacements；　he　simply　couldn't　risk　sending　out　another　team　of　fighters　or　risk　the　pilots　who　were　so　crucial　to　the　ship's　survival。

〃Not　unless　we　absolutely　have　to；〃　he　said　stonily。　The　women　turned　back　to　their　jobs　in　silence。　Gloval　did　not　elaborate　on　the　question　of　reinforcements；　but　he　had　already　decided：　He　couldn't　risk　a　flight　of　VTs；　but　there　was　one　desperate　gamble　he　could　take　if　the　shuttle's　situation　got　worse。

In　the　volume　of　empty　space　designated　Lambda　thirty…four；　Max　Sterling's　Veritech　went　through　a　lightning　change。　It　was　what　Dr。　Lang；　the　eerie　Robotech　genius；　termed　〃mechamorphosis；〃　the　alteration　of　the　fighter's　very　structure。

Max　had　pulled　the　lever　that　sent　the　ship　into　Battloid　mode；　thinking　the　mecha　through　its　change。　The　VT　shifted　to　Battloid；　looking　like　a　futuristic　gladiator　in　bulky；　ultratech　armor；　bristling　with　weapons。　Two　pods　drove　in　at　him；　cannon　blazing。


CHAPTER　THREE

That　undisciplined　showoff？　That　wet…nosed　civilian　joystick　pilot？　What　a　waste　o