05_force_of_arms-第29部分

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l　angled　in；　on　assorted　vectors；　for　the　base's　reflex　furnaces。

But　Gloval　had　dismissed　them　from　his　mind　as　soon　as　he　had　given　the　order　to　let　them　fly。　There　was　no　time　to　spare。

〃All　power　to　barrier　shields！〃　he　snapped；　but　again　his　bridge　crew　had　anticipated。

The　ship　was　standing　stock　still。　Every　erg　of　power　in　it　was　channeled　to　the　shields；　producing　first　a　cloud　of　scintillating　lights　around　the　ship；　then　a　green…white　sphere　like　some　exotic　Christmas　ornament。

〃Barrier　shield　ing　to　maximum；〃　Kim　said　calmly。　Then；　a　second　later；　just　as　the　first　missiles　began　to　detonate　on　target；　〃Barrier　at　max；　sir。〃

The　enemy　ships　in　the　base　were　opening　fire　now；　but　their　shots　glanced　harmlessly　off　the　barrier　system。　Gloval　barely　paid　attention　to　confirmation　of　that；　he　had　little　doubt　the　Robotech　shield　created　by　Dr。　Lang　could　hold　out　against　an　enemy　bombardment　for　a　few　seconds。　The　real　test　was　ing　up。


Dolza　watched　the　awesome　barrage　hit　home　on　the　reflex　furnace　area　of　the　ship's　interior　and　knew　he　was　going　to　die。

Even　with　the　protection　of　its　shielding；　even　with　the　defenses　of　desperate；　brave　Zentraedi　captains　who　purposely　threw　their　ships　in　the　way　of　the　all…out　salvo；　enough　missiles　got　through　to　ensure　that　the　base　would　be　destroyed。　Many　times　enough。

The　reflex　furnaces　churned；　then　spewed　forth　utter　destruction。　Dolza；　watching　from　his　mand　post；　had　time　only　for　one　thought。

Years　and　years　before；　he　had　watched　Zor　die。　Zor　had　spoken　of　some　overriding　Vision　that　made　the　megagenius　send　the　SDF…1　here；　to　Earth。

Had　Zor　seen　this　moment；　too？　And　things　beyond　it？

Then　a　terrible　light　seared　him。　Dolza　howled　a　fierce　Zentraedi　war　cry　as　he　was　rent　to　particles。


The　interior　bulkhead　of　the　base　began　to　bulge　with　secondary　explosions；　nodes　of　superhard　armor　being　pushed　out　like　putty　by　the　force　of　the　blasts　running　through　the　place。　The　rift　in　the　reflex　furnaces　that　had　destroyed　Dolza's　mand　post　was　expanding；　gushing　forth　blinding…white　obliteration。

Ships　only　beginning　to　maneuver　for　the　run　to　safety　were　caught　in　it；　wiped　out　of　existence　like　so　many　soap　bubbles　in　a　blast　furnace。

The　base　swelled　like　an　overfilled　football；　then　split　apart　along　irregular　seams　that　hadn't　been　there　moments　before。　Ruinous　light　spilled　out　of　it；　then　it　lit　the　sky　over　Earth　like　a　star。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE

Francis　Bacon　said　that　〃In　peace　the　sons　bury　their　fathers　and　in　war　the　fathers　bury　their　sons。〃　My　father　warned　me　when　I　joined　up　that　this　didn't　always　apply　to　our　family；　because　we　were　all　military。　He　might　have　had　some　premonition　that　I　would　outlive　him；　but　what　he　didn't　foresee　was　that　his　daughter　would　hear　taps　played　for　an　entire　world。
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections

The　thick　clouds　had　darkened　the　Alaskan　night　to　pitch…blackness；　but　the　fighter's　night…sight　capabilities　gave　Rick　a　clear　view　of　what　he　was　doing。　The　lurching　Guardian　barely　cleared　the　rim　of　the　Grand　Cannon's　shaft　without　snagging　a　wingtip。

It　might　be　begging　for　a　crash；　but　he　kept　going；　nursing　the　fighter　along　until　he　was　beyond　the　blighted；　red…hot　area　around　what　had　been　Alaska　Base。

He　was　barely　clear　of　the　blast　radius　when　Alaska　Base　went　up　like　a　pyromaniac's　fantasy　of　Judgment　Day。

He　flew　in　Fighter　mode　for　a　long　while；　casting　back　and　forth　across　the　charred　Earth　for　safe　landing；　watching　his　radiation　detectors　and　terrain　sensors。

He　swooped　in　over　what　had　been　a　major　UEDC　base；　according　to　the　maps。　But　there　was　only　a　dry　lake　bed；　its　water　vaporized　by　a　direct　hit；　and　the　remains　of　what　had　been　a　major　city。　The　plane　started　bucking　hard；　and　he　went　back　to　Guardian。　The　place　showed　no　signs　of　radioactivity　or　fallout；　he　decided　to　set　down。

It　was　a　little　before　sunrise　on　a　smoky；　darkened　world　that；　it　seemed；　would　never　see　the　sun　again。

Rick　hit　the　foot　thrusters　and　brought　the　VT　to　an　erratic；　slewing　landing。　The　canopy　servos　had　gotten　fried　in　one　of　those　last　blowups；　so　he　yanked　the　rescue　handgrip　and　blew　the　canopy　off。

Rick　and　Lisa　stood　up　in　the　cockpit　and　looked　out　at　the　mutilated　landscape　of　Earth。　It　was　as　pockmarked　as　the　moon；　with　deep　cracks　and　crevasses。　Smoke　was　rolling　into　the　sky　from　dozens　of　impact　points　and　from　fires　that　stretched　along　the　horizon。　The　air　was　hot；　thick　with　soot　and　dust。　There　seemed　to　be　volcanic　activity　along　a　chain　of　mountains　to　the　west。　A　scorching　wind　was　rising。

The　most　frightening　thing　was　that　there　was　no　water　to　be　seen　anywhere。

There　was　a　patch　of　open　sky；　but　as　they　watched；　the　clouds　rolled　in；　blotting　out　the　stars。　He　wondered　how　the　battle　had　turned　out。　From　the　looks　of　Earth；　it　probably　didn't　matter　very　much。

Lisa　looked　at　him；　pulling　the　windblown　strands　of　long　brown　hair　away　from　her　face。　〃Thank　you　for　getting　me　out　of　there；　Rick。〃　She　could　bear　dying　on　the　surface；　in　whatever　form　that　death　might　take。　But　to　endure　her　last　moments　among　the　charred　and　smoking　remains　of　the　base's　dead…that　would　have　been　more　than　she　could　have　borne。　She　extended　her　hand。

Rick　took　it　with　a　grin。　〃Oh；　c'mon。　It　gave　me　a　chance　to　disobey　your　orders　again；　after　all。〃　They　shook　hands；　and　she　let　herself　laugh　just　a　little。

Lisa　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　cockpit。　〃I'll　always　be　grateful。　I　admire　you　a　great　deal；　Rick。〃

That　wasn't　what　she　really　wanted　to　tell　him；　but　it　was　a　start。　It　was　much　further　along　than　Rick　had　gotten　in　saying　what　he　was　feeling　at　the　moment。　It　occurred　to　him　that　a　world　that　was　a　mass　grave；　very　likely　smoldering　ash　from　pole　to　pole；　was　a　strange　place　to　profess　love　for　somebody。

Or　maybe　not；　he　saw　suddenly。　Maybe　it　was　the　best　epitaph　anybody　could　ever　hope　to　leave　behind。

He　had　already　yielded　to　the　hard　lesson　that　life　wasn't　worth　much　without　it。

He　almost　said　four　or　five　different　things；　then　shrugged；　looking　at　his　feet；　and　managed；　〃It　was。。。it　was　a　pleasure。〃

A　ray　of　light　made　them　turn。　The　rising　sun　had　found　a　slit　between　clouds；　to　send　long；　slanting　rays　on　the　two　people　and　their　grounded　machine。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　stupendous　battle。

〃It　looks　like　the　fighting's　stopped。〃　She　felt　so　peaceful；　so　tired　of　war；　that　she　didn't　even　want　to　know　the　oute。

〃Um；　yeah。〃

〃I　wonder　if　there's　anyone　else　around？〃

〃Huh？〃

She　looked　around　to　him。　〃What　if　we're　the　last？　The　only　ones　left？〃

He　looked　at　her　for　long　seconds。　〃That　wouldn't　be　that　bad；　would　it？〃　he　said　softly。　〃At　least　neither　of　us　will　ever　be　alone。〃

〃Rick。。。〃

He　had　his　mouth　open　to　say　something　more；　but　there　was　a　blast　of　static　from　the　mo　equipment　as　the　automatic　search　gear　brought　up　the　sound　on　a　signal　it　had　located。　There　was　a　familiar　voice　singing　a　lilting；　haunting　hymn　to　Earth。

We　shall　live　the　day　we　dream　of　winning；
And　beginning　a　new　life！


〃Minmei！〃　Lisa　cried。　She　didn't　know　whether　she　could　ever　change　her　feelings　toward　the　singer；　but　right　now　that　voice　was　as　wele　as…well；　almost　as　wele　as　the　pany　Lisa　was　keeping。

〃Up　there！〃　Rick　shouted；　pointing。　Something　was　descending　on　blue　thruster　flames　hundreds　of　yards　long；　trailing　sparkling　particles　behind　it；　weird　energy　anomalies　from　the　interaction　of　barrier　shield　and　reflex　furnace　obliteration。

Rick　held　Lisa　to　him。　The　dimensional　fortress　settled　in　toward　the　lake　bed；　the　two　flattops　held　level；　elbows　against　its　own　midsection　like　Jimmy　Cagney　doing　his　patented　move。

All　it　needs　to　do　is　throw　a　hitch　in　its　shoulders　and　sing　〃Yankee　Doodle　Dandy〃！　Rick　thought。

The　enormous　blasts　of　its　engines　kicked　up　dust；　but　the　SDF…1　was　landing　with　the　rising　sun　directly　at　its　back。　They　watched　it　sink　down；　silhouetted　against　the　wavering　fireball　of　the　sun；　until　the　land　was　waist　high　all　around　it。

Sunrise　was　throwing　brighter　light　across　the　flattened　terrain。　〃What　a　sight　for　sore　eyes。〃　Rick　smiled；　flicking　switches　on　his　instrument　panel。

Lisa　laughed　outright；　surprising　herself。　Was　it　right　to　be　happy　again　so　soon　after　so　much　carnage？　But　she　couldn't　help　feeling　joy；　and　she　laughed　again。　〃Oh；　yes；　yes！〃

〃This　thing's　still　got　a　few　miles　left　in　it；〃　Rick　decided；　studying　the　instruments。　〃Let's　go。〃

〃Okay！〃

She　settled　back　into　his　lap；　and　when　he　put　his　hand　over　the　throttle；　she　covered　it　gently　with　her　own；　averting　her　eyes　but　leaving　her　hand　there。　He　moved　the　throttle　forward。　Lisa's　heart　soared；　feeling　his　hand　beneath　hers。

The　Guardian　jetted　across　the　devastated　landscape；　into　the　sunrise；　straight　for　the　SDF…1　and　the　long　shadow　it　threw。　Lisa；　her　arms　around　Rick's　neck；　laid　her　head　on　his　chest　and　watched　a　new　future　loom　up　before　her。


PART　II：　RECONSTRUCTION　BLUES


CHAPTER　TWENTY　TWO

Why　were　the　higher…ups　so　surprised　that　we　rebuilt　right　away；　and　so　quickly？　Human　feet　can　wear　down　a　stone；　human　hands　can　grind　down　iron；　human　perseverance　can　overe　any　adversity。
Mayor　Tommy　Luan；　The　High　Ofce

Upon　its　initial　arrival；　Gloval　had　thought　of　the　SDF…1　as　a　kind　of　malign　miracle；　since　it　had　kept　humanity　from　destroying　itself　utterly　in　the　Global　Civil　War。

There　was　another　miraculous　purpose　it　was　to　serve；　to　divert　war　away　from　Earth；　fight　off　the　Zentraedi；　and　ultimately　break　the　invaders'　power。

But　there　was　a　third　role　in　this　sequence　of　events　that　even　Gloval　hadn't　guessed；　indeed；　he　had　unwittingly　worked　in　opposition　to　it。

The　SDF…1　was　an　ark；　as　well。

Even　after　the　bombardments；　the　scorched…Earth　attack　that　had　very　nearly　e　to　a　no…Earth　situation；　the　boiling　away　of　much　of　the　planet's　water…temporarily　at　least…into　the　atmosphere；　pockets　of　humanity　had　survived。　But　what　chance　would　they　have　to　resume　an　advanced　culture　and　technological　base？

Very　simply；　none。

Take　mining　as　an　example。　Most　of　the　useful　minerals　that　could　be　mined　by　primitive　means　were　long　since　exhausted。　Th