05_force_of_arms-第17部分

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luded　that　Max　had　gotten　it。

〃Strange；　strange　day；〃　Rick　sighed。

He　caught　snatches　of　their　conversation　without　meaning　to。　What　had　she　done？　Just　used　a　dash　of　that　liquid；　the　cooking　oil。　Nothing　on　the　bottle　said　it　shouldn't　be　used　in　the　coffeepot。

Max　would　be　perfectly　willing　to　do　all　the　cooking　for　a　while；　Miriya　insisted　that　she　wanted　to　do　her　share。　That　was　what　rades　in　arms　and　lifelong　mates　did；　she　insisted。

After　a　bit　longer；　they　were　both　giggling　and　the　hatch　to　the　bedroom　closed。　Rick　slugged　his　pillow　like　he　was　in　a　title　fight；　then　threw　his　head　against　the　mattress　and　pulled　the　pillow　over　it。

I　hope　they'll　be　happy；　he　forced　himself　to　think。　Then　he　found　himself　thinking　about　Minmei；　and　of　Lisa；　and　then　of　Claudia；　grieving　for　Roy　Fokker…so　brave；　stronger　than　Rick　would　be　in　her　place。

Roy　had　tried　to　tell　him　something　once；　something　the　original　Skull　Leader　had　discovered　during　the　course　of　his　tempestuous　love　affair　with　Claudia　Grant。

Before　you　can　love　someone；　you　have　to　like　them。

The　thought　came　into　Rick's　mind　unbidden；　along　with　the　image　of　long；　light　brown　hair　and　a　slender　form…a　quick；　disciplined　mind　and　a　mitment　to　a　set　of　beliefs　that　Rick　found　mare　worthy　every　day。　And…there　was　the　remembrance　of　a　kiss　before　alien　captors；　a　kiss　that　had　been　so　much　more　than　he　had　expected　and　had　haunted　him　since。

I　like　Lisa；　maybe　I　even…

He　tossed　on　his　bunk；　head　on　top　of　his　pillow　now；　staring　out　at　space　through　his　cabin's　viewports。　Next　door　there　was　still　silence。

In　a　few　moments　he　was　blinking　tiredly　before　he　could　sort　out　just　what　it　was　he　felt。

I'm　so　beat。　I　feel　like　just…

He　fell　asleep　with　Lisa's　face　before　him。


CHAPTER　TWELVE

Khyron　was　always　different　from　the　rest　of　us；　and　the　ways　of　the　Micronians　held　some　dark　fascination　for　him；　however　much　he　fought　it。
But　the　Micronians　are　mad！　Is　it　any　wonder　this　drove　him　over　the　brink；　so　that　as　he　perceived　it　his　only　relief　was　to　liquidate　them　all？
Grel

〃Alien　vessel；　battleship　class；　sir。〃　Vanessa　said　tightly　from　her　monitoring　station　on　the　bridge。

This　time　Gloval　was　ready。　〃Prepare　to　fire　main　cannon！　Lock　all　tracking　systems　to　target！〃

In　the　respite　that　had　followed　the　last　attack；　engineers　had　pleted　retrofitting　and　new　installation。　At　long　last；　the　SDF…1　had　been　brought　into　Attack　mode　without　major　damage　to　Macross　City　and　acpanying　loss　of　life。

The　ship　could　use　its　fearsome　main　gun　in　this　configuration；　standing　like　a　monumental　armored　gladiator　in　space　with　the　two　tremendous　supercarriers　held　out　like　menacing　forearms。

〃All　systems　go；　booms　now　moving　into　position；〃　Claudia　said　in　clipped　tones。　The　booms　had　stood　like　hours　above　the　fortress；　now；　brute　servomotors　swung　them　down　so　that　they　pointed　out　straight　from　both　of　the　ship's　huge；　bulky　shoulder　structures。

〃Main　gun　standing　by　to　fire　on　your　mand；　Captain；〃　the　message　was　patched　in　from　engineering。　Claudia　couldn't　help　but　wish　Lisa　were　back　（on　the　bridge。　The　Terrible　Trio　and　the　other　techs　were　good　and　were　doing　the　best　they　could；　but　nobody　except　perhaps　Dr。　Lang　knew　as　much　about　the　ship　as　Lisa。

Sammie　watched　the　preparations；　wide…eyed。　〃I　bet　this　is　a　trick　or　something；〃　she　declared　in　her　young；　breathless　voice。　〃A　Trojan　horse！〃

Kim　spared　a　moment　from　her　own　problems　to　gaze　at　Sammie　dubiously。　〃Trojan　horse？　They　know　we'd　never　fall　for　that！　Where　on　Earth　would　you　get　an　idea　like　that　from？〃

〃The　Trojan　War！　Besides；　that's　the　way　it　always　happens　in　the　movies。〃

For　two　years　now；　they've　been　trying　to　wipe　us　out；　and　she　still　thinks　about　movies！　Kim　groaned　to　herself　and　went　back　to　her　job；　resolving　to　slug　Sammie　later。

Sammie　said　with　high　acrimony；　〃Okay；　if　you've　got　a　better　theory；　let's　hear　it！〃

Vanessa　cut　through　the　squabble。

〃Captain；〃　Vanessa　said；　〃I　have　a　message　ing　in　in　cleartext　from　the　alien　ship。〃

Gloval　came　halfway　out　of　the　mand　chair。　〃What？〃　He　tried　not　to　let　himself　hope　too　much。

〃They're　asking　permission　to　approach　the　SDF…1。　Shall　I　put　it　up　on　the　monitor；　Captain？〃

Gloval　grunted　approval；　and　Vanessa　plied。　Suddenly；　Sammie's　flight　of　fantasy　didn't　sound　so　zany。

〃I　say　again：　We　are　sending　an　unarmed　ship　to　dock　with　your　battle　fortress。　We　request　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　Please　hold　your　fire。〃

The　enemy　flagship　drew　near　at　dead…slow　speed；　straight　into　the　line　of　fire　of　the　main　gun。　The　battleship　might　be　nine　solid　miles　of　supertech　mayhem；　but　surely　by　now　the　Zentraedi　knew　that　it　would　be　as　defenseless　as　a　helium　blimp　before　the　holocaust　blast　those　massive　booms　could　generate。

〃Let　them　e；〃　Gloval　told　Claudia。　〃But　stand　ready　to　fire。〃

Claudia　flipped　up　the　red　safety　cover　with　her　thumb；　exposing　the　trigger　of　the　main　gun。　Sweating；　she　watched　the　battlewagon　close　in；　ready　to　fire　the　instant　Gloval　gave　the　order　but　forcing　herself　to　be　calm。　She　was　unaware　that　everyone　else　there；　captain　and　enlisted　ratings　alike；　was　glad　that　Claudia…whom　they　saw　as　a　tower　of　strength…was　trigger　man　that　day。

Gloval　let　the　flagship　e　at　him；　e　at　him。　Sammie's　Trojan　horse　remark　was　much　in　his　mind。　He　wondered　about　this　Breetai；　whom　Lisa　and　Rick　had　described　to　him。　The　three　Zentraedi　spies　and　the　deserters　who　had　e　after　them　had　contributed　more；　as　had　Miriya。　Gloval　wondered　and　hoped　the　vagaries　of　war　would　let　him　meet　Breetai　face　to　face；　he　suspected　that　the　alien　mander　felt　the　same。

The　flagship　slowed　to　a　stop；　a　sitting　duck　of　a　target；　reassuring　him。　But　abruptly　there　were　dozens　of　streamers　of　light　swirling　from　behind　it；　bearing　in　on　the　fortress　at　high　speed。　Gloval　didn't　have　to　look　at　the　puter　displays；　he　had　seen　these　performance　profiles　before。

Vanessa　yelled；　〃Picking　up　large　strike　force　of　tri…thruster　pursuit　ships；　closing　rapidly！〃

The　tri…thrusters　were　right　in　the　line　of　fire；　Claudia's　forefinger　hovered　by　the　trigger。

What　are　they　up　to　now？　Gloval　thought　with　dismay。　Peace　had　seemed　so　suddenly；　tantalizingly　close。　But　what　could　this　be　except　betrayal？

The　tri's　were　out　in　front　of　the　flagship；　closing　in　on　the　SDF…1；　their　drives　leaving　bright　swirling　ribbons　of　light　behind　them。　The　mand　to　fire　was　on　Gloval's　lips。

But　all　at　once　a　hundred　batteries　in　the　enemy　flagship's　forward　section　opened　up；　and　the　tri…thrusters　were　blown　into　fragments；　dozens　disappearing　per　second　in　ballooning　clouds　of　total　annihilation。　The　bluewhite　lines　of　energy　from　the　enemy　dreadnought；　thread…fine　against　its　enormous　bulk；　redirected　immediately　upon　destruction　of　a　target；　to　the　next。　In　moments；　the　massive　sortie　fell　apart　and　space　was　full　of　briefly　flaming　junk。


Gloval　swallowed。　〃Secure　the　trigger　but　stand　by；〃　he　said。

Claudia　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment；　breathing　a　prayer；　thumbing　the　safety　cover　over　the　trigger。　But　as　he　had　ordered；　her　thumb　rested　on　it　still。


Breetai　stood　at　his　mand　station；　hands　clasped　at　the　small　of　his　back。　As　he　expected；　Khyron　the　Backstabber　didn't　take　long　to　appear　by　projecbeam　image。

〃Breetai；　have　you　gone　mad？〃

Breetai　studied　him　coldly。　〃Your　ships　were　interfering　with　a　diplomatic　mission；　as　you　well　know。　And　so　I　disposed　of　them。　Henceforth　you　will　address　me　by　my　proper　rank。〃

Khyron　fought　a　fierce　internal　battle；　then　managed；　〃mander；　what　happens　now？　I　refuse　to　spare　the　Micronians！　We　all　know　Dolza's　orders！〃

〃You　know　nothing；　Khyron！　And　I　will　hear　no　further　word　from　you　on　the　subject。　Just　consider　yourself　lucky　you　didn't　choose　to　lead　your　troops　this　day！〃

〃Ridiculous！〃

Breetai　swung　his　mand　chair　away　from　the　screen；　cutting　the　munications　circuit；　muttering；　〃Hardly。〃

Like　some　immense　killer　whale；　the　flagship　came　to　a　stop　directly　in　front　of　the　SDF…1's　most　powerful　weapon。


〃They're　just　sitting　out　there；　Captain；　I　guess　they're　waiting　for　us　to　make　a　move。〃　Claudia's　thumbnail　stood　under　the　edge　of　the　trigger's　cover。

If　they　don't　want　peace；　why　would　they　destroy　their　own　fighters？　Why　would　they　not　overwhelm　us；　as　they　so　easily　could？

〃They　wish　to　send　an　emissary。　Very　well；〃　he　decided。　〃So　be　it。〃


The　Veritechs　flew　forth　acpanied　by　other　mecha；　like　the　cat's…eye　intel　ships；　detector…loaded　and　studying　everything　about　the　emissary　pod。

The　pod　was　standard　except　that　it　mounted　only　auxiliary　mo　gear：　no　weapons。　The　cat's…eyes　and　other　emissions…intelligence　detectors　said　that　it　wasn't　the　Trojan　horse　of　Sammie's　nightmares。

Rick　Hunter　quieted　his　Skull　Team；　telling　them　he　knew　it　was　weird　and　getting　weirder　all　the　time　but　reminding　them　the　team　hadn't　suffered　any　casualties　in　a　while。

That　strangest　of　all　convoys　came　to　rest　in　an　SDF…1　bay；　the　VTs　now　in　Battloid　mode　with　their　chain…guns　leveled　at　the　pod。

Things　moved　quickly　to　the　hangar　deck；　while　PA　voices　went　on　about　the　normal　checklist　procedures　and　the　extraordinary　precautions　surrounding　the　emissary's　arrival。　No　one　wanted　to　take　any　chances　on　a　double…cross　or；　perhaps　worse；　on　a　vengeful　human's　violent　act　robbing　the　SDF…1　of　this　chance　for　peace。　Security　was…in　some　ways　literally…airtight。

The　enemy　mecha　knelt；　its　prow　touching　the　deck　as　the　rear…articulated　legs　folded　back。　A　rear　hatch　swung　open；　a　Brobdingnagian　enemy　trooper　stomped　forth　to　glare　around。

〃Aren't　you　forgetting　something？〃　called　a　reedy；　highly　miffed　voice　from　within　the　pod。

The　mountainous　trooper　was　immediately　contrite；　almost　afraid。　〃Oh；　please　forgive　me；　your　Eminence！　My　humblest　apologies！〃

The　trooper　reached　carefully　into　the　pod　and　came　out　with　a　small　figure；　which　he　set　down　with　exaggerated；　painstaking　care。　It　had　been　explained　exactly　what　would　happen　to　him　if　he　allowed　his　micronized　passenger　to　e　to　any　harm。

Exedore；　dressed　in　the　blue　sackcloth　robe　that　was　all　the　Zentraedi　had　to　give　their　microni