05_force_of_arms-第3部分

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ating　duties　Claudia　and　Lisa　would　have　ordinarily　handled。

〃Yellow　squad；　please　go　to　preassigned　coordinates　before　requesting　puter　readout；〃　she　ordered　a　unit　of　attack　mecha　over　the　circuit。　The　mammoth　Robotech　war　machines　were　part　of　the　ship's　defensive　force。　Excaliburs　and　Spartans　and　Raidar　Xs；　they　were　like　some　hybrid　of　armored　knight　and　walking　battleship。　They　were　among　the　units　that　guarded　the　ship　itself；　while　the　Veritechs　sortied　out　into　space。

Gloval　bent　close　to　check　on　what　she　was　doing。　〃Everything　all　right？　No　trouble；　I　hope。〃

Sammie　whirled　and　snapped；　〃Captain；　please！　I　have　to　concentrate　on　these　transmissions　before　they　pile　up！〃　Then　she　went　back　to　ordering　the　lumbering　mecha　around；　making　sure　that　the　gun　turrets　and　missile　batteries　were　alert　and　that　all　intel　data　and　situation　reports　were　up　to　date。

Gloval　straightened；　clamping　his　pipe　in　his　teeth　again。　〃Sorry。　I　didn't　mean　to　interrupt。〃　Kim　and　Vanessa　gave　him　subtle　looks；　barely　perceptible　nods；　to　let　him　know　that　Sammie　was　on　top　of　things。

Gloval　had　e　to　accept　Sammie's　occasional　lack　of　diplomacy　as　a　ponent　of　her　fierce　dedication　to　duty。　Sometimes　she　reminded　him　of　a　small；　not…to…be…trifled…with　sheep　dog。

Gloval　considered　the　Terrible　Trio　for　a　moment。　Through　some　joke　of　the　gods；　it　had　been　these　three　whom　the　original　Zentraedi　spies…Bron；　Konda；　and　Rico…had　met　and；　not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it；　begun　dating　and　formed　attachments　to。

The　normally　clear　lines　between　personal　life　and　matters　of　concern　to　the　service　were　being　quite　muddied。　The　Zentraedi　seemed　decent　enough；　but　there　were　already　reports　of　ugly　incidents　between　the　defectors　and　some　of　the　SDF…1's　inhabitants。　Gloval　worried　about　the　Terrible　Trio；　worried　about　the　Zentraedi…was　apprehensive　that；　after　all；　the　two　races　could　never　coexist。

On　top　of　that；　he　couldn't　shake　the　feeling　that　he　ought　to　be　setting　curfews；　or　providing　chaperones；　or　doing　something　paternal。　These　things　troubled　him　in　the　brief　moments　when　he　wasn't　doing　his　best　to　see　that　his　entire　mand　wasn't　obliterated。

〃Shuttle　escort　flight；　prepare　for　launch；　five　minutes；〃　Sammie　said；　bent　over　her　console。　She　turned　to　Gloval。

〃Shuttle's　ready；　sir。　Lisa　will　be　leaving　in　four　minutes；　fifty　seconds。〃


CHAPTER　TWO

Of　course；　idle　hands　are　not　the　devil's　workshop；　that　is　a　base　canard。
Rather；　it　is　the　sort　of　hand　that　is　always　driven　to　be　busy；　turning　itself　to　new　machinations；　keeping　the　brew　boiling；　that　causes　the　most　trouble。　Those　who　wish　to　dispute　this　might　do　well　to　consider　what　happened　whenever　Khyron　grew　restive。
Rawlins；　Zentraedi　Triumvirate：　Dolza；　Breetai；　Khyron

Max　Sterling；　flight　helmet　cradled　in　his　left　arm；　strode　through　the　frenetic　activity　of　the　hangar　deck　and　heard　Sammie's　voice　echo　over　the　PA。　〃Sammie's　substituting　for　the　mander；〃　he　said。

At　his　side　was　a　Skull　Team　replacement；　Corporal　Elkins；　who　had　been　transferred　in　from　Wolf　Team　to　help　fill　the　gaps　in　Skull's　ranks　after　the　last　pitched　battle　with　the　Zentraedi。　Elkins　remarked；　〃I　hope　she　stays　calm。　Last　time　she　had　me　flying　figure　eights　around　a　radar　mast。〃

Max　chuckled；　then　forgot　the　joke；　distracted。　〃Hey。〃

Elkins　saw　what　Max　meant。　The　techs　had　rolled　out　a　prototype　ship；　something　everybody　in　the　Veritech　squadrons　had　heard　about。　It　was　like　the　conventional　VT；　a　sleek　ultra…fighter；　but　two　augmentation　pods　were　mounted　above　its　wing　pivots。。

The　conventional　VTs　were　a　kind　of　miracle　in　themselves；　the　most　advanced　use　of　the　Robotechnology　that　humans　had　learned　from　the　wreckage　of　the　SDF…1　when　the　alien…built　battle　fortress　had　originally　crashed　on　Earth　twelve　years　before。　The　SDF…1　had　murderous　teeth　in　the　form　of　its　mecha；　its　primary　and　secondary　batteries；　and　its　astoundingly　powerful　main　gun；　but　the　VTs　were　the　ship's　claws。　And　this　new；　retrofitted　model　was　the　first　of　a　more　powerful　generation；　a　major　advance　in　firepower　and　performance。

〃Wouldn't　that　be　something　to　fly？〃　Max　murmured。　He　hoped　it　checked　out　all　right　in　test　flights；　the　humans　needed　every　edge　they　could　get。

〃Whenever　they're　ready　to　give　me　one；　I'll　take　it；〃　Elkins　said。　〃Anyway；　watch　yourself　up　there；　Max。〃


At　the　top　of　the　shuttle　boarding　steps；　Lisa　said；　〃I've　made　notes　on　everything　that　might　be　a　problem。〃

〃Don't　worry　about　a　thing；〃　Claudia　told　her。　Then　she　put　her　hands　on　Lisa's　shoulders。　〃I'll　see　you　back　here　in　a　few　days；　okay？〃

Lisa　tried　to　smile。　What　do　you　say　to　someone　dearer　than　a　sister？　〃I　hope　so。　You　look　after　things。〃　One　of　the　ground　crew　whistled；　and　Lisa　stepped　back　into　the　shuttle's　entry　hatch。

The　mobile　steps　moved　away　from　the　tubby　shuttle。　Claudia　threw　Lisa　a　salute　for　the　first　time　in　so　long　that　neither　of　them　could　remember　the　last。　Lisa　returned　it　smartly。　The　round　hatch　swung　to；　emblazoned　with　the　Robotech　Defense　Force　insignia。

There　were　no　other　passengers；　of　course；　contact　with　Earth　had　been　all　but　nonexistent　since　the　UEDC　rulers　decided　that　the　dimensional　fortress　was　to　be　a　decoy；　luring　the　enemy　away　from　the　planet。　Other　than　a　few　canisters　of　classified　dispatches　and　so　forth；　she　had　the　passenger　partment　to　herself。

Lisa　found　a　seat　at　the　front　of　the　partment；　near　a　　console；　and　asked　a　passing　crewman；　〃Is　this　a　secure　line？〃

〃Aye　aye；　ma'am。　It's　best　to　make　any　calls　now；　never　can　tell　what　glitches　we'll　run　into　outside。〃

〃I　will。〃


He　was　wandering　a　quiet　side　street　of　Macross　when　the　paging　voice　said；　〃Repeating：　Lieutenant　Rick　Hunter；　you　have　a　call。〃

For　a　moment　he　wasn't　even　sure　where　he　was；　shuffling　along　in　civvies　that　felt　rather　strange…the　first　time　he'd　worn　anything　but　a　uniform　or　a　flightsuit　in　weeks。　He'd　been　brooding　a　lot　longer；　trying　to　sort　things　out；　to　understand　his　own　feelings　and　face　up　to　certain　truths。

He　went　to　one　of　the　ubiquitous　yellow　　phones　and　identified　himself。　The　ining　call　carried　a　secure…line　encryption　signal；　keying　the　public　phone　with　it。　While　the　machines　went　through　their　coding；　Rick　looked　around　to　make　sure　no　one　was　close　enough　to　eavesdrop。

People　were　just　passing　by；　not　even　sparing　a　glance　for　the　pact　black…haired　young　man　at　the　phone。　He　didn't　mind　that；　he　needed　a　few　hours　respite　from　being　the　Skull　Team's　leader…some　time　away　from；　the　burden　of　mand。

He　had　been　a　cocky　civilian　when　he　first　came　aboard　the　dimensional　fortress　two　years　before。　He　had　been　drawn　into　military　service　only　grudgingly　by　Roy　Fokker；　his　unofficial　Big　Brother…Claudia　Grant's　lover。　Rick　Hunter　had　survived　more　dogfights　than　he　could　remember；　had　written　so　many　condolence　letters　to　the　families　of　dead　VT　pilots　that　he　forced　himself　not　to　think　of　them；　had　stood　by　at　the　funeral　of　Roy　Fokker　and　others　beyond　counting。　He　only　wanted　to　shut　them　out　of　his　mind。

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　ke