05_force_of_arms-第18部分

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Exedore；　dressed　in　the　blue　sackcloth　robe　that　was　all　the　Zentraedi　had　to　give　their　micronized　warriors；　stepped　off　the　warrior's　armored　palm。

His　toes　clenched；　and　his　arches　arched　a　bit　higher　against　the　cold　deck。　〃Hmph！　How　do　these　Micronians　survive　with　such　frail　little　bodies？〃

He　turned　to　regard　the　huge　flight　deck；　but　it　made　little　impression　because　its　size　would　have　been　imposing　for　human　or　Zentraedi。

Exedore's　pilot　was　another　matter；　staring　eye　to　eye　with　a　chain…gun…wielding　Battloid。　〃Rather　an　imposing　sight；　aren't　we；　hah？〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　jaw。

Still；　he　was　one　among　the　Zentraedi　to　know　that　size　didn't　count　for　everything…counted　for　nothing；　in　some　cases。

〃Ten…HUT！〃　the　PA　said　as　a　line　of　military　vehicles　came　screeching　up。　The　Battloids　snapped　to　presentarms；　and　to　Exedore's　great　pride；　the　Zentraedi　pilot　stood　at　perfect　attention。　Exedore　abruptly　noticed　that　there　were　Micronian　personnel；　ground　crew　and　whatnot；　scattered　around　the　partment　as　they；　too；　came　to　attention。

Men　leapt　from　the　cars　to　form　ranks　smartly；　and　a　man　in　a　uniform　not　so　different　from　the　Zentraedi's　own　came　toward　Exedore；　hand　extended。

〃Colonel　Maistroff；　Robotech　Defense　Forces；　sir。　I　bring　you　greetings　from　the　super　dimensional　fortress　mander；　Captain　Gloval。〃

Exedore　sighed　a　bit　to　see　that　Maistroff　was　taller　than　he；　to　see　that　all　of　them　were。　Perhaps　there　was　something　in　the　micronization　process　that　dictated　that；　or　perhaps　it　was　just　something　about　destiny。

Anyway；　Maistroff's　open　hand　was　out　to　him。　Exedore　blinked　at　it　in　bewilderment。　〃This　is　how　we　greet　friends；〃　the　human　said。

Ah；　yes！　The　barbarian　custom　of　showing　that　there　was　no　weapon！　Exedore　put　his　dark　mauve　hand　into　the　other's　pale　pink　one；　trading　the　grip　of　friendship。

〃I　am　Exedore；　Minister　of　Affairs。〃

Maistroff；　a　former　martinet　and　xenophobe　who　had　been　salted　and　wisened　up　a　bit　in　the　course　of　the　Robotech　War；　looked　him　over。　〃That　sounds　rather　important；　sir。〃

Exedore　shrugged　blithely。　〃Not　really。〃　He　smiled；　and　Maistroff　found　himself　smiling　back。

The　colonel　indicated　his　staff　car。　〃If　you're　ready；　we'll　get　you　some　more　fortable　clothes　and　then　take　you　to　the　captain。　Have　you　eaten？〃

Exedore　sorted　that　out；　recalling　the　wedding　transmissions　and　dreading　a　lot　of　ceremonies　stalling　the　beginning　of　the　peace　talks。　〃Ah；　yes；　yes。〃

As　they　walked；　ground…shaking　impacts　began　on　the　deck　behind　them；　jostling　them　as　they　moved。　They　turned　to　see　that　the　Zentraedi　pilot　had　naturally　fallen　in　to　follow　his　lord。　The　Battloids　hadn't　quite　brought　their　chain…gun　muzzles　back　up。

Exedore　was　quick　to　see　the　problem　and　also　to　understand　some　of　the　humans'　apprehension。

Maistroff　kept　his　posure。　〃Excuse　me；　Minister　Exedore；　but…could　you　ask　him　to　wait　here　on　the　hangar　deck？〃

〃Oh！〃　It　didn't　take　a　genius　of　Exedore's　caliber　to　see　that　those　little　hatches　wouldn't　allow　for　much　fullsize　Zentraedi　wandering。　Clever！

He　turned　to　look　up　at　his　pilot。　〃Stay　here　and　guard　the　pod。〃　It　did　irritate　him　how　much　higher　and　less　forceful　the　transformation　had　made　his　voice。

The　pilot　pulled　a　brace；　biting　out；　〃Yes；　sir！〃

Maistroff　turned　and　jerked　a　thumb　at　two　aides。　〃You　men　find　him　something　to　eat。〃

They　saluted　as　one；　〃Yes；　sir！〃　under　the　eyes　of　the　Zentraedi　warrior；　just　as　precise　as　he。　Then　they　watched　as　Maistroff　cordially　aided　Exedore　in　boarding　the　staff　car；　just　about　as　unlikely　a　sight　as　anything　yet　in　the　war。　Motorcycle　outriders　led　the　way；　and　the　motorcade　moved　off。

The　two　staff　officers　relaxed；　looked　up　at　the　Zentraedi；　then　looked　back　at　each　other。　〃Something　to　eat？〃　the　first　one　exclaimed。　〃He's　got　to　be　kidding！〃

〃Maistroff　never　kids；〃　his　panion　answered。　They　both　had　rigs　in　their　jeeps；　and　the　second　staff　officer　reached　over　now　to　get　a　handset；　telling　his　friend；　〃You　call　ration　distribution　and　break　the　bad　news。〃

Then　he　turned　to　his　own　mission。　〃Hello；　transportation　control？　Listen；　I'm　gonna　need　a　coupla　flatbeds。。。〃


The　thoroughfares　of　Macross　City　were　as　confusing　to　Exedore　as　they　had　been　to　the　spies。　So　much　undisiplined；　disorganized　activity！　So　much　aimless　milling　about！　There　seemed　to　be　no　point　to　a　lot　of　it…all　this　gaping　through　display　windows　and　strolling　haphazardly。　He　wondered　if　it　was　some　deceptive　show　that　had　been　mounted　for　his　visit。

And；　of　course；　he　averted　his　eyes　from　the　males　and　females　wandering　the　city　holding　hands　or　with　arms　around　each　other's　waists。　Of　the　tiny…model　Micronians；　the　noisy；　poorly　regimented　smallscales　that　the　human　called　〃children；〃　Exedore　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail。　Just　seeing　them　gave　him　a　shuddery　feeling。

But　he　had　to　admit　the　ship　was　in　a　good　state　of　repair；　especially　after　two　years　of　running　battles　with　the　warrior　race。　There　would　have　been　no　hiding　the　damage　in　a　Zentraedi　ship；　no　fixing　it。　Intelligence　reports　had　already　indicated　what　Exedore　saw　evidence　of　all　around　him：　The　Micronians　knew　how　to　rebuild…perhaps　how　to　create。　It　was　an　awesome　advantage；　a　critical　part　of　the　war's　equation。

Very　few　Micronians　were　in　uniform；　none　of　them　appeared　to　be　under　close　supervision。

〃Why；　this　is　our　shopping　district；〃　Maistroff　explained　when　Exedore　asked。

〃Ah；　yes！　I　believe　this　is　where　you　use　something　called　money　to　requisition　goods。〃

Maistroff　scratched　his　neck　a　bit。　〃Um。　That's　not　too　far　off；　Minister。〃

They　cruised　along　a　broad　boulevard；　and　Exedore　suddenly　broke　out　into　a　cold　sweat　and　began　to　shudder。　Maistroff　sat　up　straight；　wondering　if　something　about　the　ship's　life　support　was　inpatible；　but　that　was　impossible。

Then　he　saw　that　Exedore；　teeth　clenched；　was　staring　up　at　a　billboard。　The　billboard　advertised　the　Velvet　Suntan　Clinics；　with　a　photo　of　the　languorous　Miss　Velvet；　a　voluptuous；　browned；　barely　clad；　supremely　athletic　looking　young　woman　whose　poster　popularity　in　Macross　City　was　second　only　to　Minmei's。

〃Ee；　er；　oh；　th…that　picture　on　the　building　over　there；〃　Exedore　got　out　at　last；　looking　like　he　was　having　a　malaria　attack。　〃Would　you　mind　explaining　it？〃　He　forced　his　gaze　to　the　floor　of　the　staff　car。

Maistroff　reached　up　to　the　back　of　his　cap　and　tilted　the　visor　down　over　his　eyes　to　keep　good　form　with　the　minister；　coughing　into　his　other　hand。　〃Well；　actually；　it's　a　little　hard　to　explain。〃

Exedore　crossed　his　skinny　arms　on　his　narrow　chest　and　nodded　wisely。　〃Aha！　A　military　secret；　no　doubt！　Very　clever！　Indeed！〃

Maistroff　didn't　even　want　to　think　about　what　damage　he　might　have　done　to　interspecies　relations…didn't　want　to　plicate　things。

He　tilted　his　visor　farther　down。　〃Right；　that's　it。　Classified。〃

The　motorcade　raced　for　the　conference　room。


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

RUSSO：　What　are　they　doing　up　there；　Alexei？　Don't　those　RDF　pantywaists　of　yours　even　know　how　to　fight？
ZUKAV：　I　believe　that　what　we　should　worry　about；　Senator；　is　that　they　and　the　aliens　are　teaching　each　other　how　not　to。
Exchange　believed　to　have　taken　place　between　Senator　Russo　and　Marshal　Zukav　of　the　UEDC

The　SDF…1　and　the　flagship　faced　each　other；　unmoving　across　a　narrow　gap　of　space；　almost　eyeball　to　eyeball。

Gloval　left　instructions　with　Claudia　that　she　open　fire　with　the　main　gun　if　there　was　any　hostile　action　at　all。　A　few　minutes　later　he　sat　at　a　judicial　bench　in　the　ship's　biggest　hearing　chamber　with　Colonel　Maistroff　on　his　right；　an　intelligence　major　to　the　left；　zing　down　at　Exedore。　Except　for　a　few　functionaries；　the　place　was　empty。

The　misshapen　little　fellow　fell　far　short　of　Gloval's　mental　image　of　a　ravaging　alien　warmonger；　the　captain　had　to　admit　to　himself。　If　anything；　he　seemed　rather。。。prissy。

〃At　last　we　meet　face　to　face；　Captain；〃　the　alien　said　in　a　not…uncordial　voice；　glancing　at　him　from　the　distant　witness　stand。

〃Yes；〃　Gloval　allowed。

An　attractive　young　female　ensign　brought　a　tray　and　put　a　glass　of　orange　juice　where　Exedore　could　reach　it。　Gloval　and　the　others　watched　Exedore's　reaction　to　the　woman　closely；　but　apparently　he　had　gotten　his　responses　under　control　as　he　merely　nodded　his　head　in　gratitude。

Exedore　raised　the　glass　and　took　a　cautious　sip。　The　flavor　was　delightful；　but　the　beverage　had　a　certain　savor；　something　he　couldn't　define。　It　was　something　dizzying；　almost　electric。

〃Mmm。　This　is　very　refreshing。〃　He　looked　up　at　her。　〃What　is　it？〃

She　checked　with　Gloval　by　eye　to　make　sure　that　it　was　all　right　to　answer。　Gloval　gave　the　barest　nod；　which　Exedore　in　turn　caught。　〃It's　orange　juice；　sir。　From　our　own　hydroponics　orchards。〃

Exedore　didn't　quite　understand　for　a　moment。　When　he　spoke；　he　tried　to　keep　the　tremor　from　his　voice。　〃You　mean；　you　grow　it？〃

She　looked　a　little　confused。　〃We　grow　the　fruit　the　juice　es　from。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　just　so。　That　is　what　I　meant。〃　He　downed　the　rest　of　the　orange　juice　to　hide　his　amazement。

These　creatures　consumed　food　that　had　been　alive！　Who　knew；　perhaps　they　consumed　things　that　still　were　alive！　He　shuddered　and　reminded　himself　that　this　was　only　the　juice　of　a　plant；　but　his　self…control　was　tested　thoroughly。

Here　was　something　those　three　imbecile　spies　hadn't　mentioned；　or　had　perhaps　omitted　from　their　reports　on　purpose；　or　had　even　failed　to　realize。　Zentraedi　food；　of　course；　was　synthesized　from　its　chemical　constituents；　that　was　as　it　had　always　been；　by　the　decree　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　To　eat　living　or　once…living　food　was　to　risk　the　consumption　of　rudimentary　energies　somewhat　related　to　Protoculture。

Exedore　finished　the　glass　so　as　to　give　no　hint　of　what　he　was　thinking…fearing。　It　crossed　his　mind　that　perhaps　these　men　were　testing　him。　If　so；　he　would　reveal　nothing。

〃That　was　very　refreshing；〃　he　enthused。

The　ensign　gave　him　a　bright　smile。　〃Here；　have　another。〃　She　picked　up　the　empty　and　gave　him　a　full　one　from　her　tray。

〃If　you　insist；〃　he　said　lightly。

Gloval　was　rubbing　his　dark　mustache。　To　Maistro