05_force_of_arms-第5部分

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h　a　certain　pilot's　superstition　on　what　he　had　said　to　the　men　in　the　alley。　Perhaps　the　taboos　were　right　and　it　was　lethal　bad　luck　to　talk　about　not　ing　back。

〃The　escorts　are　outnumbered；〃　Kim　called　over　her　shoulder　without　taking　her　eyes　from　her　instruments。


〃More　pods　closing　in　on　them！〃　Vanessa　added。　〃Cutting　off　the　shuttle's　escape。〃

Gloval　sat　slumped　in　his　mand　chair　with　his　cap　visor　pulled　down　low　over　his　eyes。　A　Veritech　flight　couldn't　possibly　get　there　in　time；　and　he　didn't　have　them　to　spare。　But。。。

〃How　long　would　it　take　the　armored　Veritech　prototype　to　make　it　there？〃

Sammie　already　had　the　figures。　〃Approximately　four　minutes　from　launch　at　max　boost。〃

Claudia　bit　her　lower　lip；　watching　Gloval。　The　captain's　head　came　up。　〃Prepare　it　for　launch！〃

Claudia　relayed　the　order；　sending　up　a　silent　prayer；　while　Sammie　asked；　〃Who'll　be　flying　it；　sir？〃

〃Get　Lieutenant　Hunter　to　the　hangar　deck　at　once。　Tell　him　we　don't　know　how　much　longer　Sterling　can　hold　out。〃


The　ship's　PA　and　a　few　seconds　on　a　circuit　had　Rick　on　his　way；　anxious　and　very　intense；　in　a　mandeered　jeep　he　flagged　down　in　the　middle　of　a　Macross　boulevard。　The　enlisted　driver　was　a　capable　man　who　liked　having　an　excuse　to　break　all　traffic　laws。

Rick　suited　up　virtually　on　the　run；　and　minutes　later　the　aircraft　elevator　was　lifting　the　humpbacked…looking　armored　VT　to　the　flight　deck。

〃Lieutenant；　your　destination　is　Lambda　thirty…four；〃　Sammie　told　him　over　the　mand　net。

〃Lambda　thirty…four？　What're　you　talking　about？〃

On　the　bridge；　Claudia　turned　to　Sammie。　〃Didn't　you　see　to　it　that　all　pilots　had　the　new　map…reference　codes？〃

Sammie　looked　devastated。　〃I　was　so　swamped…I　didn't　think　he'd　need　one　until　he　went　on　duty　later。〃

Aircraft　status　was　relayed；　the　armored　VT　was　boxed　and　ready　for　launch。　Sammie　gritted　her　teeth；　ignoring　the　silent　stares　of　the　rest　of　the　bridge　watch；　especially　the　ominous　quiet　from　Gloval。　She　couldn't　let　her　mistake　spell　Lisa's　death！

Sammie　opened　the　mike　again；　concentrating；　eyes　shut；　matching　coordinates　and　codes　by　memory。　〃Coordinates　in　superseded　code　are　at　Weasel　twenty…one！〃

Rick　launched　without　taking　time　to　acknowledge。　The　armored　VT　poured　on　speed　like　nothing　any　other　human…produced　mecha　had　ever　demonstrated。　A　single　man　in　an　untested　ship；　flying　out　against　terrible　odds…and　if　he　lost；　the　woman　who　was　humanity's　best　hope　for　peace　would　die　too。


From　the　first；　Max　had　known　that　the　chances　of　help　arriving　from　the　SDF…1　were　slim。　Now　he　was　resigned　to　the　fact　that　there　would　be　no　help；　though　he　didn't　let　on　to　the　dwindling　survivors　of　the　escort　flight。

The　other　VT　pilots　had　flown　well　and　bravely；　their　kill　ratio　was　high；　but　still　they　went　down　to　oblivion；　one　by　one；　in　the　silent　globular　explosions　of　a　space　rat　race…a　mass　dogfight。　Max　Sterling　flew　like　no　pilot　before　him；　a　grim　reaper；　a　deadly　wraith；　an　undefeatable　mecha　demon　in　the　form　of　a　Battloid。

The　Battloid　changed　vectors　and　zoomed　out　of　a　pod's　salvo；　jamming　some　of　its　missiles　with　ECM　equipment　and　dodging　the　rest；　a　masterful　performance。　Max　turned　the　gatling　on　it　and　hosed　it　with　a　tracer…bright　stream　of　heavyweight　rounds；　blowing　it　away。

But　still　the　enemy　came；　and　more　were　arriving。　It　looked　like　a　day　for　dying。

He　turned　to　get　back　with　Elkins；　to　stick　together　and　protect　the　shuttle　to　the　last。　But　Elkins's　ship　vanished　in　an　ugly　blossom　of　fire　and　shrapnel。　The　escort　had　been　whittled　down　to　five。　Four　times　that　number　came　in　at　them　now。


Hanging　back　from　the　action　in　his　Officer's　Pod；　Khyron　watched　gleefully。　He　suspected　that　the　enemy　leader；　the　amazingly　fast　and　deadly　blue…trimmed　Veritech；　was　the　same　one　who　had　sent　so　many　Zentraedi　to　defeat　and　death…had　even　humbled　the　vaunted　Miriya；　female　ace　of　aces　of　the　Quadronos。

Khyron　was　in　no　hurry　to　lead　the　attack　and　tangle　with　the　Micronian　devil　in　person；　it　would　be　enough　to　dispose　of　the　rest　of　his　mand　by　attrition　and　pull　the　Veritech　wizard　to　bits　by　sheer　weight　of　numbers。　Then；　Khyron　would　have　a　boast　to　fling　in　Miriya's　face　and　the　faces　of　all　the　others　who　secretly　laughed　at　him！

More　pods　converged。　But　at　that　moment　a　newer　arrived。

〃Only　one；〃　a　pod　pilot　reported；　and　Khyron　dismissed　the　matter　coldly。　One　more　Veritech　wouldn't　matter　now。

His　opinion　changed　a　moment　later。　The　fighter　accelerated　to　unprecedented　speeds；　maneuvering　more　nimbly　than　any　Micronian　mecha　ever　had。　Its　humpbacked　profile　didn't　match　any　puter　ID。

Then　the　strange　new　machine　let　forth　a　storm　of　fire：　murderously　fast　and　accurate　missiles　of　some　new　type；　autocannon　rounds　with　even　greater　velocity；　delivering　far　more　kinetic　energy　on　impact；　phased…array　laser　blasts　as　powerful；　at　close　range；　as　any　plasma　bolt。

The　new　arrival；　faster　than　the　escort　leader；　was　in　and　out　among　the　pods；　striking　and　vanishing；　blowing　two　Zentraedi　mecha　to　smithereens　and　going　on　to　take　out　another　while　the　first　two　explosions　were　still　ballooning。

Suddenly；　the　pods　were　like　so　many　fat　pigeons　before　the　attack　of　a　rocket…driven　hawk。


Rick's　initial　success　was　so　overwhelming；　so　pronounced　and　irresistible；　that　he　got　careless。

After　seeing　a　dozen　and　more　of　the　ambushers　go　up　in　flames；　he　began　the　switch　to　Guardian　mode。　But　he'd　forgotten　what　a　hot　ride　he　had；　and　the　ship's　sudden　retro　thrust　almost　put　his　head　through　the　instrument　panel　and　split　his　thinking　cap　down　the　middle。

He　barely　recovered；　shaking　his　head；　the　breath　knocked　from　him　by　the　strain　of　the　safety　harness　across　his　torso。　Trembling；　he　got　control　of　himself　and　his　ship　and　pressed　the　fight　again。

And　once　more　the　Zentraedi　pods　were　fat　targets　at　his　mercy。　He　went　swooping　in　at　them；　the　VT　laying　out　a　staggering　volume　of　fire；　skeeting　pods　as　if　they　were　clay　targets。


Khyron　had　seen　enough；　he　had　no　desire　to　go　up　against　this　bewilderingly　fast；　fearsomely　armed　intruder。　He　made　sure　his　own　withdrawal　was　well　under
way　before　he　ordered　his　troops　back。

It　didn't　mean　his　thirst　for　revenge　was　slaked；　of　course；　if　anything；　it　was　worse。　It　was　a　constant　torment　now；　it　would　be　until　he　destroyed　the　enemy　insects　once　and　for　all。


Max's　report　came　over　the　bridge　speakers。　〃The　enemy　has　broken　contact　and　withdrawn。　The　shuttle　has　sustained　minimal　damage　and　is　continuing　on。

〃With　your　permission；　I　am　returning　to　the　SDF…1　with　the　remaining　escort　ships；　due　to　damage　suffered　during　the　attack。　Lieutenant　Hunter　will　escort　the　shuttle　to　Earth。〃


Gloval　granted　permission。　To　Claudia's　doubtful　look；　he　responded；　〃That　armored　Veritech　has　so　much　speed　and　firepower；　it's　the　equal　of　ten　regular　fighters。〃

And　a　thousand　more　like　it　wouldn't　put　us　on　an　equal　footing　with　our　foe；　he　thought　to　himself。　Still；　we　must　have　as　many　as　we　can；　as　fast　as　we　can！

Sammie　stretched　and　yawned。　〃I'm　exhausted！　I　wish　mander　Hayes　was　back。〃

Claudia　glared　at　her。　〃We　almost　lost　her　permanently　with　that　code　snafu　of　yours！〃

Sammie　looked　dismayed；　young　and　tearful；　she　was　even　more　upset　by　the　danger　to　Lisa　than　by　Claudia's　temper；　which　could　lead　to　very　serious　problems　for　anyone　who　angered　the　bridge　officer。

But　Claudia　softened　after　a　moment。　After　all；　Sammie　had　pulled　things　out　of　the　fire。

〃That's　okay；　kiddo；〃　Claudia　said；　turning　back　to　her　console。　〃Everybody　learns　from　mistakes。〃


Gloval　thought　about　that；　silently　gazing　through　the　forward　viewport。　Did　that　apply　to　the　Zentraedi；　too？　And　the　UEDC　rulers？

Could　they　all　be　convinced　the　war　was　a　catastrophic　mistake？


The　protective　shielding　swung　back　to　show　Lisa　a　passenger　partment　that　seemed　unaffected　by　the　battle。　She　was　still　a　little　winded　and　bruised　from　the　tossing　around　she　had　taken　in　the　padded；　armored　cocoon。

The　shuttle　pilot　had　kept　her　abreast　of　the　battle　and　she　felt　a　bit　limp　with　relief。　It　was　so　vital　that　she　get　to　Earth；　that　she　speak　for　peace…long　ago　she　had　resigned　herself　to　the　likelihood　that　she　would　die　in　war；　but　to　have　died　at　that　moment　was　a　tragedy　too　vast　to　contemplate。

〃mander　Hayes；〃　the　pilot's　voice　came　over　the　inter。　〃We　have　a　mo　call　for　you　from　Lieutenant　Hunter；　who's　now　flying　escort　for　us。　I've　patched　it　through。〃

So　Rick　was　the　one　who　had　ridden　to　the　rescue　in　the　armored　VT；　she　had　hoped　it　was　and　yet　had　feared　for　his　life　all　through　the　fight。　She　picked　up　the　handset。

Armored　panels　were　sliding　back　from　all　the　viewports。　She　was　looking　out　at　the　humpbacked　new…generation　Veritech。　〃Lisa；　are　you　all　right？〃　she　heard　him　say。

〃Yes。　Because　you　came　to　help。〃　She　saw　him　through　the　VT's　canopy；　looking　at　her　worriedly。

I　was　never　cut　out　for　emotional　drama；　she　thought。　I　should　have　known　I　couldn't　get　away　with　a　rehearsed　exit　speech。

〃No　problem；〃　he　was　saying。　〃Now；　what's　all　this　about　you　not　ing　back？〃

〃There　are　reasons；　Rick。〃

〃Even　though　your　father's　on　the　UEDC？〃

〃Especially　because　of　that。　Besides；　they　aren't　going　to　like　what　I'm　going　to　tell　them。〃

There　was　a　choppy　sensation　as　the　shuttle　entered　the　Earth's　atmosphere。　He　fumbled　for　something　appropriate　to　say；　knowing　he　had　to　turn　back　in　seconds。　〃I　hope　you'll　be　safe〃　was　all　he　could　e　up　with。

〃Thanks。　I'm　sure　I'll　be　fine。〃

〃Um。〃　He　knew　the　call　was　patched　through　the　shuttle's　　system；　accessible　to　the　pilots…presuming　they　weren't　busy　with　their　atmospheric　entry　maneuver。　There's　something　else…sorta　private。　Here；　look。〃

He　had　fallen　back；　out　of　the　pilots'　line　of　vision；　up　close　to　the　shuttle。　She　could　see　him　clearly；　watching　her。　She　was　confused。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Prosigns。〃　He　began　flashing　his　VT's　running　lights　in　prosigns…brief　dot…dash　binations　that　represented　whole　words；　for　quick　manual　Morse　code　munications。　Lisa　was　a　little　rusty　but　found　that　she　could　read　it。

LIKE　YOU　MUCH。　PLAIN　SOMETIMES　BUT　BELIEVE　I