05_force_of_arms-第8部分

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For　the　first　time　since　she　left　the　SDF…1；　Lisa　smiled。


Miriya　bent　over　the　VT　machine；　refining　her　game。　Next　to　her；　on　the　floor；　were　two　plastic　pans　filled　with　playing　tokens。　Frankie　Zotz　had　had　to　refill　the　game's　reservoir　twice　to　pay　off　all　her　winnings。　She　ignored　his　sweaty　invitations　to　go　play　some　other　game…or；　better　yet；　take　a　rain　check　and　just　go…with　a　slit…eyed　amusement　and　a　dangerous　air　that　kept　him　from　pressing　her　too　hard　about　it。

Max　came　downstairs　with　Rick；　holding　his　own　tray　of　tokens。　Suddenly；　he　stopped　yammering　his　overcheerful　encouragements　about　how　Rick　would　eventually　get　the　hang　of　the　puter　games。　That　was　fine　with　Rick；　he　had　had　just　about　enough　light　banter。

Max　paused　on　the　stairs。　〃Oh！　That　girl！　Sitting　at　that　game！〃

Rick　looked　at　the　green　hair。　She　wore　a　tight　brown　body　suit　that　showed　off　a　lithe　figure；　and　a　flamboyant　yellow　scarf　knotted　at　her　throat。　〃So？　What　about　her？〃

〃Isn't　she　incredible？〃　Max　said；　more　excitedly　than　Rick　had　ever　heard　Max　talk　about　anything。　〃I've　been　seeing　her　everywhere。〃

〃Well；　she　is　sort　of　attractive；〃　Rick　had　to　admit；　his　mind　too　full　of　Lisa　Hayes　and　Minmei　for　him　to　go　on　at　any　greater　length。

Max；　the　renowned　VT　wizard；　wasn't　much　when　it　came　to　the　pursuit　of　females；　his　few　fumbling　attempts　with　one　or　another　of　the　Terrible　Trio　had　failed；　and　he　retreated　pletely　when　Sammie；　Vanessa；　and　Kim　became　involved　with　the　three　Zentraedi　ex…spies；　Konda；　Bron；　and　Rico。

Max's　modest；　self…effacing　shipside　persona　made　him　a　sort　of　uninteresting　doormat　for　women。　Perhaps　he　wasn't　suave　or　seductively　menacing　enough。　So　when　he　wasn't　out　in　a　Veritech；　he　kept　to　himself　for　the　most　part。

But　this　was　different；　the　Close　Encounters　arcade　was　his　turf。　〃Maybe　I　can　get　her　in　a　game　with　me！〃　Max　said；　as　he　went　racing　down　the　stairs。

There　was　quite　a　crowd　around　Miriya；　she　had　rolled　up　one　of　the　largest　scores　ever　on　the　Veritechs　game。　She　felt　a　little　irritated；　even　a　bit　strange；　with　all　these　Micronians　gathered　around。　Yet　she　endured　their　gaze；　proud　and　pleased　to　show　off　her　prowess。

She　briefly　considered　the　idea　that　her　strange　sensations　had　something　to　do　with　the　damned　Micronian　food。　It　was　nothing　like　the　cold；　processed；　sanitized　rations　of　the　Zentraedi；　human　food　had　strange　textures　and　flavors；　odd　biological　constituents。　It　was　all　animal　tissue　and　plant　substances；　and　she　suspected　it　was　affecting　her　system。

She　shook　off　the　feeling　and　kept　playing；　rolling　her　score　higher　and　higher；　until　she　went　over　the　top；　beating　the　game；　and　more　tokens　poured　into　her　tray。　Getting　enough　money　to　survive　in　Macross　had　been　no　problem　for　Miriya　since　she　had　discovered　the　arcades。

Now　someone　pressed　through　the　crowd：　an　unremarkable…looking　VT　pilot　with　a　tray　of　token　winnings　in　his　hands。　She　was　inclined　to　dismiss　him；　dozens　of　men　had　made　overtures　to　her　since　she　first　came　to　the　SDF…1。

But　there　was　something　different　about　this　one；　she　thought。

Max　worked　up　the　nerve　to　say；　〃'Scuse　me；　would　you　be　interested　in　playing　a　game　with　me？　From　what　I've　seen；　I　think　we'd　be　equally　matched。　Don't　you？〃

He　looked　so　young　and　eager　that　she　almost　laughed　in　his　face　and　ignored　him。　Then　she　considered　the　tray　of　tokens　in　his　hands。　Miriya　knew　enough　about　the　arcades　to　appreciate　how　good　he　must　have　been　to　have　accumulated　so　many　of　the　glittering　pieces。

Of　course　it　was　beyond　the　realm　of　possibility　that　this　slim　youngster　could　be　the　premier　enemy　killer；　but　if　he　provided　some　petition；　it　might　make　for　useful　practice。

She　looked　at　him　languidly　beneath　long　black　lashes。　Max　felt　his　heart　pounding。　〃Are　you　willing　to　bet　all　that？〃　Miriya　asked。

He　gasped　happily。　〃Yes；　I　am！〃　He　set　his　tray　down　next　to　hers；　then　scooted　around　into　the　seat　opposite　her。　He　babbled；　〃This　is　absolutely　terrific！　I　know　we're　gonna　have　a　great　game！〃

Watching　frorn　the　sidelines；　Rick　wondered　if　there　wasn't　something　else　Max　could　do　to　screw　up　his　chances　of　impressing　her。　Trip　over　her；　maybe；　or　throw　up。

But　once　in　his　seat；　Max　took　on　the　air　of　confidence　and　aplomb　that　was　his　in　matters　regarding　the　VTs。　〃How　about　starting　with　level　B？　All　right　with　you？〃

She　shrugged；　somehow　making　it　seem　alluring　and　yet　indifferent。　〃Fine。〃

〃All　right。　Here　we　go。〃

He　deposited　the　tokens；　and　the　screen　lit。　Miriya　had　picked　red　for　the　color　of　her　VT；　Max　selected　blue；　for　the　trim　on　his　own　ship。　He　didn't　notice　that　Miriya's　eyes　suddenly　narrowed　at　that　choice。

Little　animated　Minmei　figures　walked　out　from　either　side　of　the　screen　to　strike　a　gong　in　the　center；　and　the　action　began。　They　guided　their　VTs　through　the　twisting；　changing　puter…modeled　landscape；　using　control　sticks　and　foot　pedals；　maneuvering　at　each　other　and　firing。

It　didn't　take　long　for　Miriya　to　lose　her　nonchalance。　Try　as　she　might；　she　couldn't　gain　the　advantage　on　him；　couldn't　shake　him　once　he'd　gained　on　her。　A　frown　crossed　her　face；　then　a　sudden　flare　of　rage；　when　his　fighter　destroyed　hers。　She　hid　the　expression　in　an　instant；　looking　at　him　more　closely。

The　video　warriors　gathered　around　them　were　aghast。　It　had　been　a　master…level　fight。　Max　grinned　at　her。　〃Whoops！　Looks　like　I　won；　huh？　Wanna　go　on　to　level　A？〃　He　winked　at　her。

Rick　groaned　to　himself。　Somewhere　along　the　line；　Max　had　learned　exactly　how　to　antagonize　beautiful　young　women。

She　regarded　him　coldly。　〃Yes。　Let's　go　on　to　level　A。　That　should　prove　quite　interesting。〃　This　time　she　would　give　the　fight　serious　attention。

Max　fed　in　more　tokens；　this　time　a　blue　hemisphere　sprang　from　the　game；　a　holoprojection。　The　muttering　of　the　growing　crowd　became　louder；　until　the　real　purists　silenced　everybody。

The　miniature　Veritechs　flew　over　the　flat　surface　of　the　gaming　table　now；　going　to　Battloid　mode　and　taking　their　autocannon　in　hand　at　high　port。　There　was　a　moment　in　which　Miriya　gazed　through　Max's　bluetrimmed；　ghostly　mecha；　through　his　blue　aviator　glasses；　into　his　eyes。

Somehow；　she　knew　in　that　moment；　all　the　rest　of　the　game　would　only　be　proof　of　what　her　instincts　were　telling　her。

The　little　Battloid　puter　images　looped　and　fired；　maneuvering　on　each　other；　going　to　Guardian　or　Veritech　as　their　players　decreed。　There　were　outbursts　and　yells　from　the　onlookers　as　the　game　moved。　It　was　the　fastest；　most　canny　maneuvering　anyone　had　ever　seen；　even　though　side　bets　were　strictly　illegal；　everybody　was　making　them。

Frankie　Zotz　projected　it　onto　the　arcade's　main　screen。　Veteran　players　looked　on　in　awe　at　the　amazing　dogfight。　Tiny　missiles　and　tracers　spat；　the　puters　could　barely　keep　up　with　the　instructions　ing　from　the　control　sticks。　The　minuscule　mecha　circled　and　attacked。

Miriya　used　the　same　tactics　she　had　used　that　day　in　her　Quadrono　armor；　his　responses　were　the　same。　For　a　moment；　it　seemed　to　her　that　her　simulacrum　Battloid　had　bee　a　miniature　Quadrono。　Any　doubts　she　had　were　swept　away。

Max　was　thinking；　Boy；　is　she　beautiful！　as　he　played　his　best　at　the　machine。　Another　VT　pilot；　a　lady's　man；　might　have　lost　to　Miriya　on　purpose。　But　then；　another　VT　pilot　probably　couldn't　have　won。

People　were　whooping　and　cheering　on　the　sidelines。　In　her　mind's　eye；　Miriya　saw　the　apocalyptic　bat　in　the　streets　of　Macross；　as　her　own　powered　armor　smashed　through　buildings　and　wreaked　havoc；　backpack　thrusters　blaring。　She　also　saw　that　one…on…one　final　confrontation；　when　she　had　bolted　rather　than　die　in　a　point…blank　shootout。

And　just　as　his　autocannon　rounds　had　defeated　her　that　day；　Max's　VT　image　destroyed　hers。　The　red　VT　fragmented　and　flew　into　modeled；　spinning　bits；　then　de…rezzed　to　nothingness。

The　blue　hemisphere　faded　away；　leaving　her　openmouthed　and　blinking。　I　lost！　This　cannot　be！　I　will　not　be　humiliated　again！

The　victorious　Battloid　image's　head　turret　swung　back；　and　a　little　figure　that　looked　suspiciously　like　Rick　Hunter　appeared；　crying　the　word　〃STRONG！！〃　as　a　tiny　Minmei　raced　up　to　throw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　kissing　him　and　kicking　her　feet。　The　real　Rick　Hunter；　still　standing　on　the　staircase；　edged　back　in　order　to　be　more　inconspicuous　and　thought　dark　thoughts　about　the　sense　of　humor　of　video　game　designers。

An　onlooker　was　saying　to　Max；　〃I　dunno　how　you　pulled　that　off；　buddy。〃

〃Aw；　there　were　a　couple　of　tight　spots　in　the　middle　and　near　the　end；　but　all　in　all；　it　wasn't　too　tough。〃

〃Oh！〃　Miriya　breathed。　The　insult　of　it。　So　she'd　presented　him　with　little　challenge；　eh？　She　rose；　turning　on　one　booted　heel。

Max　forgot　his　warm　victory　feelings　and　plunged　after　her。　He　caught　her　wrist；　not　knowing　how　close　he　was　to　getting　a　fist　in　the　throat。　〃Wait；　I've　been　wanting　to　speak　to　you　for　a　long　time。　I　think　you're　wonderful；　and　I　want　to　get　to　know　you　better。　This　is　my　only　chance　to　get　your　name　and　phone　number。〃

His　grip　was　very　strong　but　not　painful；　his　palm　very　warm。　For　a　moment　Miriya　felt　as　though　her　wrist　were　burning。

〃My　name　is　Miriya；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃And　I　don't　currently　have　a　phone　number。〃　She　turned　to　go；　tugging　at　his　grip。　The　feel　of　his　skin　against　hers　made　her　feel　a　typical　Zentraedi　loathing　of　contact　between　the　sexes　but　stirred　something　else；　something　she　couldn't　put　a　name　to。

Now　that　she　had　met　her　archenemy；　Miriya　was　confused。　Killing　him　on　the　spot　was　out　of　the　question；　she　suddenly　didn't　know　how　to　cope　with　her　mission。　What　he　said　about　her　brought　back　the　strange；　blurry　feelings　that　the　Micronian　food　gave　her。

Max　kept　hold　of　her　wrist。　〃Then；　would　you　meet　me　in　the　park　this　evening？　By　the　Peace　Fountain；　at　nine　o'clock？〃

Fool！　You've　sealed　your　fate！　she　thought。　Somehow　the　thought　of　slaying　him　made　her　angry　rather　than　exultant。　〃Oh；　whatever　you　want！　Just　let　me　go！〃

His　fingers　loosened；　and　she　snatched　her　wrist　away；　saying　an　icy；　〃Thank　you。〃　Then　she　whirled　and　ran；　fleet　as　a　deer；　driven　by　a　storm　of　conflicting　emotion