05_force_of_arms-第13部分

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The　preparations　for　the　wedding　began　that　same　day。　Gloval　was　strangely　silent；　except　to　give　his　permission　and　authorize　the　sort　of　major　bash　the　ship's　media　moguls　hungered　and　cried　out　for。　Rick　knew　Gloval　well　enough　to　know　that　the　captain　had　good　reasons　for　a　move　like　this；　and　he　wondered　what　those　might　be。

News　of　the　ing　nuptials　had　the　entire　dimensional　fortress　abuzz。　It　galvanized　crewpeople　and　refugees　alike；　a　reason　at　last　to　celebrate　and　forget　the　war　for　a　while。　Mayor　Tommy　Luan　and　the　director　of　the　in…ship　broadcasting　system　and　a　hundred　others　threw　themselves　into　the　arrangements。

Somewhat　to　their　surprise；　they　found　that　Gloval　had　ordered　that　no　effort　be　spared　in　making　the　occasion　a　major　event。　Miriya　could　have　had　ten　thousand　bridesmaids　if　she　wanted；　the　RDF　people　and　the　Veritech　pilots　in　particular　kicked　out　the　chocks　to　mount　a　pageant　worthy　of　a　royal　wedding。

The　preparations　went　quickly；　the　marriage　became　the　center　of　existence　for　quite　a　few　people。　They　were　sewing；　cooking；　decorating；　the　RDF　personnel　rehearsed　their　drills；　and　the　engineers　rigged　the　most　special　of　special　effects。

All　the　activity　didn't　go　unnoticed。　In　the　alien　armada；　cold　and　merciless　eyes　watched　the　peculiar　goings…on。　Fateful；　dire　decisions　were　near。


CHAPTER　NINE

These　letters　pile　up；　Vince　dear；　perhaps　to　be　read　by　you　someday　or　perhaps　not；　but　today　especially　I　have　to　set　down　how　full　my　heart　is…more　so　than　at　any　time　since　Roy　was　killed。
I　heard　Gloval　murmuring　something　astounding　while　he　was　sitting　in　his　mand　chair：　〃Capulets　and　Montagues。〃　I　thought　he　was　going　soft；　heaven　knows　the　rest　of　us　have。　But　when　I　looked　at　the　clipboard　he　had　been　studying；　it　was　an　intel　rundown　on　books　Miriya　had　screened　from　the　Central　Data　Bank　while　she　was　here…when　she　was　hunting　Max。　Shakespeare　was　there；　of　course。
I　don't　know　what　to　think；　except…damn　it！　We've　got　to　change　the　ending　this　time！
Lt。　Claudia　Grant；　in　a　letter　to　her　brother　Vincent

The　spectacular　fireworks　lit　up　the　space　all　around　the　SDF…1。　It　was　only　the　beginning；　but　what　a　beginning。　The　whole　area　was　illuminated　in　bright　colors；　civilians　and　RDF　people　alike　crowded　every　available　viewport；　oohing　and　ahing。

Then　the　fighting　mecha　appeared；　to　execute　their　part　in　things。　From　the　flight　decks　of　the　fortress　and　the　two　immense　supercarriers　that　had　been　joined　to　it　like　stupendous　metal　forearms；　Veritechs　swarmed　out　to　take　up　their　places。

A　broad；　flat　roadway　of　light；　radiant　in　all　the　colors　of　the　spectrum；　sprang　from　the　bow　of　the　flattop　Daedalus；　like　a　shining　runway。　The　Veritechs　zoomed　out；　retros　flaring。

Excitement　hit　fever　pitch　all　through　the　ship。　It　was　more　than　just　the　occasion　of　a　wedding…even　the　first　wedding　that　anyone　could　think　of　that　had　taken　place　in　outer　space。　There　was　something　about　the　joining　of　a　human　and　a　Zentraedi　that　spoke　directly　to　the　humans'　longing　for　peace　and　a　return　home。　It　was　a　ray　of　hope　that　the　terrible　Robotech　War　might　yet　be　ended　short　of　catastrophe。

For　Max　and　Miriya；　it　was　simply　the　happiest　day　of　their　lives。　They　came　swooping　out　of　the　void　in　Max's　VT　fighter　right　on　schedule；　Max　wearing　his　tux　and　sitting　in　the　forward　seat；　piloting。　Miriya　sat　in　the　rear；　making　constant　corrections　to　the　fall　of　her　wedding　veil；　the　arrangement　of　her　bridal　bouquet。　She　had　won　so　many　decorations　for　bravery　and　courage　under　fire；　yet　she　found　herself　unable　to　stop　trembling。

The　VTs　had　gone　into　Battloid　mode；　looking　like　giant　ultratech　knights。　They　positioned　themselves　in　pairs；　facing　one　another　across　the　rainbow　runway　of　light。　They　lifted　weapons；　the　long　gray　autocannon　that　had　been　used　on　other　occasions　to　wage　savage　war　on　the　Zentraedi。

Now；　though；　the　weapons　had　been　fitted　to　throw　forth　brilliant　beams　of　light　into　reflective　aerosols　that　had　been　misted　around　SDF…1　for　just　that　purpose。　They　shone　like　scores　of　crossed　swords　over　the　gleaming　approach　path。　Max　flew　his　ship　under　the　military　salute　at　low　speed　as　Miriya　looked　around　at　it　open…mouthed；　delighted　beyond　words。

The　fighter　set　down　on　Daedalus's　deck；　and　there　were　more　mecha…the　attack　machines　of　the　tactical　corps　ground　units。　Monstrous　Destroid　cannon；　Excaliburs；　Raidar　Xs；　and　the　rest　sent　harmless　beams　to　form　a　canopy　overhead　as　Max　taxied　for　the　elevator　that　would　lower　his　ship　to　the　hangar　deck。

Cameras　were　already　tracking　the　VT；　and　close；　total　coverage　was　planned　for　every　portion　of　the　ceremonies。　Max　and　Miriya　didn't　mind；　they　wanted　everybody　to　share　in　their　total　joy。


But　not　everyone　did。

Breetai；　the　mountainous　mander　of　the　Zentraedi　armada；　gazed　into　the　projecbeam　image　from　intercepted　SDF…1　signals。　〃This　is　the　oddest　Micronian　custom　we've　observed　yet；　is　it　not；　Exedore？　Can　you　explain　to　me　what　Miriya　Parino　is　doing？〃

What　she　was　doing　was　evident：　She　was　walking　slowly　next　to　a　blue…haired　human；　dressed　in　a　rather　elaborate　and　inconvenient…looking　outfit；　clutching　what　appeared　to　be　a　handful　of　plants。

She　was　also　clinging　to　the　Micronian's　arm；　causing　Exedore　to　speculate　that　perhaps　she　had　been　wounded　in　the　leg　or　fallen　ill。　Although　she　didn't　look　ill；　she　looked…Exedore　didn't　know　what　that　expression　on　her　face　could　mean。

Breetai　gazed　at　the　image。　He　was　a　creature　who　would　have　had　no　trouble　passing　for　a　Micronian　himself；　except　that　he　was　some　sixty　feet　tall。　Terrible　wounds　received　in　battle　against　the　Invid　species；　implacable　enemies　of　the　Zentraedi；　had　left　him　with　a　glittering　metal　half　cowl　covering　the　right　side　of　his　skull；　the　eye　replaced　by　a　shining　crystal。

Next　to　him　was　Exedore；　a　hunched　and　fragile…looking　Zentraedi；　far　smaller　than　Exedore…almost　a　dwarf　by　the　standards　of　his　race。　But　within　Exedore's　big；　misshapen　skull　was　most　of　the　accumulated　lore　and　knowledge　of　his　kind　and　a　mind　that　Breetai　relied　upon　heavily。

Exedore's　bulging；　lidless；　pinpoint…pupilled　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　projecbeam　image　of　the　wedding；　too。　〃Your　Excellency；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　she　is　getting　‘married。'〃

They　were　standing　in　Breetai's　mand　station；　overlooking　the　vast　bridge　of　his　colossal　flagship。　The　flagship；　nine　solid　miles　of　weapons；　shields；　and　armor；　was　in　a　state　of　disrepair　after　its　furious　engagements　with　the　SDF…1　and　the　RDF　mecha。　The　transparent　bubble　surrounding　the　mand　station　had　been　shattered；　only　jagged　pieces　of　it　remained　around　the　frame。

Zentraedi　were　warriors；　not　slaves　or　drudges；　they　had　little　taste　for　anything　that　smacked　of　mon　toil；　and　even　less　talent　for　it。　Those　predjudices　were　approved　of　and　reinforced　by　their　Robotech　Masters；　without　the　Masters；　the　Zentraedi　would　sooner　or　later　find　themselves　without　functioning　tools　of　war。

Exedore　explained；　〃According　to　my　research；　it　is　a　condition　in　which　male　and　female　Micronians　live　together。〃

Breetai　was　stunned。　His　harsh；　guttural　bass　voice　filled　the　mand　station。　〃Live　together？　Miriya　Parino　and　this　puny　Micronian　male？〃

〃Correct；　m'lord。〃

But　for　what　reason？　The　towering　Zentraedi　warlord；　master　of　a　cloned　race　that　didn't　know　love；　family；　or　sex；　tried　to　imagine　what　the　purpose　could　be；　why　male　and　female　might　conceivably　desire　such　intimacy。　But　when　he　tried；　he　was　assailed　by　waves　of　distaste　and　confusion；　by　nameless　half…seen　visions　that　made　him　physically　ill。　He　shunted　the　images　aside。

Breetai　lowered　himself　into　his　enormous　mand　chair；　still　considering　the　import　of　the　wedding。　〃It　seems　she's　taking　this　spying　mission　of　hers　very　seriously。　Perhaps　more　seriously　than　she　should。〃

His　first　conclusion　was　that　Miriya　the　dedicated　fighter　was　simply　undergoing　the　tremendous　torment　of　such　behavior　to　infiltrate　the　enemy　and　learn　the　perverse　secrets　of　their　obscene　social　practices。　But　Breetai　saw　something　in　Miriya's　face；　something　that　made　the　towering　mander　doubt　this　analysis。

It　was　like　the　three　spies；　Konda；　Rico；　and　Bron；　all　over　again。　Breetai　felt　a　certain　dread。　〃Unless　my　senses　deceive　me；　it　would　seem　she's　enjoying　herself　in　some　peculiar　fashion。　Could　it　be　that　she　too　has　found　the　Micronian　way　of　life　too　enjoyable　to　resist？〃

Exedore　answered；　〃It　would　appear；　sir；　that　she　cannot　resist　the　charm　of　that　Micronian　pilot。〃

Breetai　had　seen　kissing　demonstrated　when　he　captured　Rick　Hunter　and　Lisa　Hayes。　He　shuddered；　recalling　the　disgusting　display；　and　wondered　how　any　intelligent　creature　could　bring　itself　to　indulge　in　such　baseness。

But　the　lure　of　the　humans　was　undeniable；　scores　of　Zentraedi　soldiers　had　secretly　conspired　to　undergo　micronization　and　had　gone　to　live　among　their　former　foes。　It　was　the　first　such　mutiny　ever　to　have　taken　place　in　the　history　of　the　warrior　race。　Part　of　the　madness　had　to　do　with　the　young　human　female　Minmei　and　the　oddly　hypnotic　power　called　〃singing〃　that　she　exercised。

〃Our　forces　may　be　in　more　jeopardy　than　we　believed；〃　Exedore　said。　〃What　if　the　traitors　who　went　over　to　the　human　side　were　not　merely　mental　defectives；　as　we　thought；　but　rather　the　first　wave　in　a　sea　of　such　deserters？〃

Breetai　rubbed　his　huge　jaw；　the　one　giant　black　eyebrow　lowering。　〃It　appears　this　‘love'　business　is　a　very　powerful　thing。〃

Exedore　replied；　〃I'm　afraid　I　agree　with　you；　sir。　It's　an　emotional　factor　against　which　we　Zentraedi　have　no　defense。　This　‘love'　could　be　used　as　a　powerful　weapon　against　us。〃

Breetai　scowled　at　the　image　of　laughing；　joyous　humans；　of　the　radiantly　happy　Miriya　and　proud；　smiling　Max。　〃Weapon；　eh？〃

〃Yes。　We　must　beware。〃

The　intercepted　coverage　of　the　wedding　showed　them　flashbulbs　popping　and　people　applauding　as　Max　and　Miriya　cut　their　cake。　The　wedding　cake　was　a　tenfoot…high　model　of　the　SDF…1　in　its　knightlike　Attack　mode。

Breetai；　growling　in　his　rumbling　bass；　watched　the　proceedings　angrily。　What　was　there　about　the　blissful　looks　of　Miriya　and　the　Micronian　that