02_battle_cry-第10章

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Khyron　tried　to　silence　him；　but　it　was　too　late。

〃You　thought　it　would　be　three　at　best。　I　win　the　bet。〃

〃Be　quiet；　you　fool；〃　ordered　Khyron　finally。　〃Our　conversation　is　being　broadcast。〃

Breetai　fixed　him　with　his　one　eye。　〃Khyron；　don't　trifle　with　me　if　you　value　your　mand。　I'm　willing　to　give　you　a　chance　to　make　up　for　your　past　mistakes；　but　I　have　no　time　for　your　games。　Is　that　understood？〃

Khyron　straightened　his　smile；　but　the　laughter　remained　in　his　eyes。　〃Yes；　mander；　what　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃There's　an　abandoned　base　on　the　fourth　planet　of　this　star　system。　We　intend　to　lure　Zor's　ship　there；　and　I　want　you　to　see　to　it　that　it　doesn't　leave。　Trap　it　with　gravity　mines　if　you　have　to；　but　understand　this：　Your　Seventh　will　blockade　the　ship　without　damaging　it　unduly。　You　will　then　await　my　further　instructions。　Is　that　clear？　You　are　to　await　my　instructions　before　engaging　the　enemy。〃

〃Perfectly　clear；　Breetai。　I　would　naturally　prefer　you　to　have　the　honor　and　glory　of　the　capture。　mander…in…Chief　Dolza　expects　nothing　less　of　you；　I'm　sure。〃

〃That　will　be　enough；　Khyron；〃　said　Exedore。

Breetai　gestured　to　his　adviser。　〃Send　out　a　recall　order　to　our　Battlepods。　Let's　give　the　Micronians　enough　breathing　room　to　take　the　bait　we're　going　to　lay　out　for　them。〃

Khyron　signed　off。　Exedore　continued　to　plead　the　case　against　using　him；　but　Breetai　was　already　looking　forward　to　the　plan。　The　prospect　of　a　trap　excited　him。　Furthermore；　real　sport　required　the　unexpected；　and　in　this　contest　for　Zor's　ship　and　the　precious　cargo　it　held；　Khyron　would　play　the　Zentraedi's　wild　card。


Two　Battlepods　were　right　on　his　tail；　pouring　fire　into　the　mecha。　Rick　didn't　need　gauges　to　feel　the　lock　of　those　lasers；　they　might　as　well　have　been　burning　into　his　skull。　He　opened　up　the　gap　somewhat　by　hitting　his　afterburners；　then　tacked　toward　relative…twelve　and　waited　for　the　pods　to　split　up。　He　knew　they'd　attempt　to　pinch　him；　but　he　had　plans　of　his　own。

Rick　took　his　mind　off　the　pod　below　him。　He　had　number　one　haloed　in　his　rear　sights。　Firing　the　forward　retros　to　cut　his　velocity；　he　loosed　a　cluster　of　heatseekers。　The　missiles　tore　from　beneath　the　right　wing　of　the　mecha　and　accelerated　into　a　vertical　climb；　homing　in　on　the　enemy　ship。　Rick　used　the　port　thrusters　to　angle　himself　free　of　the　debris　and　risked　a　brief　look　up　and　over　his　shoulder。　The　rockets　caught　the　Battlepod　in　the　belly；　blowing　off　both　legs　and　cracking　the　spherical　hull。

Scratch　one。

Number　two　was　still　below　him；　trying　to　roast　the　underside　of　Rick's　mecha　with　continuous　heat。　A　little　more　of　this　and　he'd　be　cooked。　Lateral　swings　were　getting　him　nowhere；　so　he　thought　the　fighter　into　a　rapid　dive；　rolling　over…as　he　fell。　The　enemy　lasers　were　now　tickling　the　back　of　the　Veritech；　and　Rick　had　to　act　fast：　He　returned　fire　with　is　own　top…mounted　guns；　training　them　on　the　hinge　straps　of　the　pod's　chestplate。

The　enemy　pilot　understood　Rick's　move　and　arced　his　guns　toward　the　more　vulnerable　cockpit　of　the　mecha。　But　he　was　too　late；　the　hinges　of　the　chestplate　slagged　out；　and　the　pod　opened　up　like　a　newly　hatched　egg。　Rick　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　giant　flailing　around　in　his　cockpit　before　he　pleted　his　roll　and　engaged　the　boosters。

Scratch　two。

He　was　headed　away　from　the　fortress　now。　The　scene　before　him　had　to　have　been　lifted　from　some　nightmare：　Space　was　alive　with　swarms　of　Battlepods。。。photon　beams　laced　through　the　blackness；　and　silent　explosions　brought　the　colors　of　death　and　destruction　to　an　indifferent　universe。

For　three　days　now　the　pods　had　pressed　their　attack。　There　had　been　little　sleep　for　the　Robotech　forces；　even　less　for　the　SDF…1　flight　crews。　After　the　Daedalus　Maneuver　and　their　success　in　the　rings　of　Saturn；　there　was　some　hope　that　the　enemy　had　for　once　suffered　a　setback。　And　for　almost　a　month；　while　the　fortress　crossed　the　Jovian　orbit　and　the　asteroid　belt；　there　were　no　attacks。　But　that　period　of　calm　was　behind　them。

Captain　Gloval　and　Dr。　Lang　had　reversed　the　modular　transformation　and　disassembled　the　pin…point　barrier　system　in　an　attempt　to　arm　the　main　gun　once　again；　but　their　efforts　had　proved　futile。　For　the　rest；　the　still　slightly　shell…shocked　masses　of　displaced　persons　of　Macross　city；　catapulted　like　himself　from　the　southern　Pacific　to　the　icy　regions　of　deep　space；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　adjust　to　the　reality　of　the　situation；　continue　to　rebuild　lives　and　the　city　itself。　Every　now　and　again；　they　could　marvel　at　the　wonders　of　space　travel；　the　stark　and　silent　beauty　of　it；　and　forget　for　a　moment　that　they　were　not　tourists　out　here　but　unwilling　players　in　a　nonstop　game　of　death；　pursued　by　the　seemingly　limitless　forces　of　a　race　of　giant　warrior　beings　who　had　dropped　out　of　the　skies　and　turned　the　world　upside　down。

Only　a　month　before；　Rick　had　been　face　to　face　with　one　of　those　titans　in　an　air　lock　on　one　of　the　alien　ships。　He　recalled　staring　out　of　the　cockpit　of　the　transformed　Veritech　at　the　giant；　who　at　first　had　openly　feared　him；　then　cursed　and　ridiculed　him　for　not　having　the　will　to　blast　him　away。　The　laughter　of　that　alien　still　rang　in　his　ears；　followed　by　his　guilt　and　confusion。

But　most　of　all　the　memory　of　the　giant's　fiery　death。

How　could　one　ever　forget？

Two　Battlepods　were　suddenly　behind　him；　looking　for　laser　lock。　Rick　executed　a　double　rollover　and　dive　to　lose　them。　Peripherally；　he　saw　the　Blue　Team　leader　swoop　in　and　take　them　out。

〃Way　to　go　Blue　Leader！〃　Rick　shouted　into　the　tac　net。

〃Just　do　the　same　for　me　sometime；　buddy；〃　came　the　reply。

〃You　got　it。〃

Rick　and　the　Blue　Leader；　wing　to　wing；　led　a　frontal　assault　on　yet　another　enemy　wave。　They　launched　themselves　into　the　thick　of　it；　dispatching　several　of　the　enemy。　Lateral　thrusters　took　them　out　of　the　arena　momentarily；　and　the　SDF…1　came　into　view；　her　main　batteries；　Phalanx　guns；　and　Gladiator　mecha　issuing　steady　fire。　The　fortress；　enveloped　by　a　swarm　of　pods；　looked　as　though　it　had　somehow　wandered　into　a　fireworks　display。

mander　Hayes　was　calling　for　an　assist　in　Fifth　Quadrant；　and　Skull　and　Blue　Teams　were　ordered　to　respond。　Rick　and　Blue　Leader　were　initiating　course　corrections　when　five　pods　appeared　on　Rick's　radar　screen。　Three　of　them　were　quickly　dispatched　by　Roy　Fokker　in　Skull　One；　but　the　remaining　two　were　hounding　Blue　Leader's　VT　with　a　vengeance。　The　enemy　unleashed　a　massive　volley　of　rockets　that　caught　the　mecha　broadside。　For　a　moment　Blue　Leader　seemed　to　hang　in　space；　then　the　fighter　exploded　and　disintegrated；　its　parts　scattered；　its　pilot　a　memory。

Rick　turned　his　face　away　from　the　wreckage。　I　could　be　next；　he　thought。

How　could　one　ever　forget？

The　pods　continued　to　press　their　attack。

Death　had　a　free　hand。

Then；　as　suddenly　as　they　had　appeared　they　were　gone。　The　fighting　was　over　and　recall　orders　came　in　from　the　bridge。

Rick　followed　Roy　Fokker's　lead　into　the　docking　bays　of　the　Prometheus。

Roy　caught　up　with　him　in　the　hangar　and　slapped　him　on　the　shoulder。

〃You　looked　good　up　there；　Rick。　Keep　it　up。〃

Rick　grunted；　removed　his　helmet；　and　kept　walking；　increasing　his　pace。

Roy　caught　up　with　him　again。　〃You　can't　let　it　get　you　down；　kid。　We　sent　them　home；　didn't　we？〃

Rick　turned　and　confronted　his　friend。　〃If　you　believe　that；　you're　a　bigger　idiot　than　I　am；　Roy。〃

Roy　draped　his　arm　around　Rick's　shoulders　and　leaned　in。　〃Listen　to　me。　You're　beat。　We　all　are。　Get　yourself　into　town　after　the　debriefing。　I'm　sure　Minmei　would　like　to　see　you。〃

〃That　would　be　a　surprise；〃　Rick　said；　and　stormed　off。


Monorail　lines　now　ran　from　the　Prometheus　and　Daedalus　arms　into　Macross。　A　central　monorail　line　ran　through　the　body　of　the　fortress；　through　enormous　interior　holds　originally　meant　for　creatures　ten　times　human　scale…a　vast　forbidden　zone　only　a　portion　of　which　was　understood　by　Dr。　Lang's　teams　of　scientists…and　through　that　area　where　Rick　and　Minmei　had　passed　two　weeks　together　deep　beneath　the　present　streets　of　the　city。

Each　passing　day　brought　chang