02_battle_cry-第11章

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p　beneath　the　present　streets　of　the　city。

Each　passing　day　brought　changes　here。　There　was　even　talk　of　using　EVE；　enhanced　video　emulation；　to　bring　sunrise　and　sunset；　blue　skies　and　clouds；　to　the　place。　Already　there　was　a　grid　of　streets；　carefully　arranged　according　to　the　dictates　of　the　modular　transformation　schematic；　multiple…storied　dwellings；　shops　and　restaurants；　a　central　marketplace；　even　a　few　banks　and　a　post　office。

The　city　went　on　living　through　the　war；　almost　oblivious　to　it　except　when　energy　drains　through　diversion　led　to　power　shortages　or　when　the　enemy　fighters　and　Battlepods　scored　direct　hits。　Even　the　ubiquitous　uniforms　didn't　signal　war…uniforms　were　worn　by　everyone　to　denote　job　and　detail；　a　carryover　from　the　island　where　most　of　these　same　people　had　been　connected　in　one　way　or　another　to　the　reconstruction　of　the　SDF…1。　A　public　address　system　kept　the　residents　of　the　city　informed　about　the　ship's　course　through　the　solar　system　but　was　seldom　used　to　report　accurate　battle　results。　In　fact；　it　was　speaking　to　the　population　now；　as　Rick　meandered　in　vague　fashion　toward　the　Chinese　restaurant；　hoping　for　an　accidental　encounter　with　Minmei。　Passersby　paid　the　message　little　mind；　but　it　caught　him　off　guard。

〃News　from　the　bridge：　We　have　been　attacked　by　one　hundred　twenty　enemy　pods；　but　our　first；　fourth；　and　seventh　fighter　squadrons　have　succeeded　in　pletely　destroying　them。　Our　casualties　have　been　light；　and　our　astrogational　system　has　not　been　affected。　That　is　all。〃

Incredible！　Rick　thought。　He　was　looking　around　for　someone　to　talk　to；　someone　he　could　grab　by　the　lapels　and　awaken　with　the　truth；　when　an　arm　caught　hold　of　his。　He　turned　and　found　himself　looking　into　Minmei's　blue　eyes。

〃Hello；　stranger；〃　she　said。　〃I've　been　worried　about　you。〃

She　embraced　him　like　a　brother。

He　had　rehearsed　how　he　was　going　to　play　this；　but　standing　here　with　her　now；　the　half…truths　from　the　bridge　echoing　inside　him；　he　just　wanted　to　hold　and　protect　her。　But　he　managed　to　keep　some　distance；　and　she　caught　his　mood。

He　explained　about　the　announcement。　〃It　wasn't　true；　Minmei。　They're　misleading　everyone。　We　didn't　hit　half　of　them；　and　our　losses　were…〃

She　put　a　finger　to　his　lips　and　looked　around。　〃I　don't　think　it's　a　good　idea　to　talk　about　this　here；　Rick。〃

He　broke　from　her　hold。　〃Listen；　Minmei…〃

〃Besides；　everyone's　doing　all　they　can　for　the　war　effort；　and　I　don't　think　you'll　acplish　anything　by　getting　them…or　me…depressed。　Especially　with　my　birthday　right　around　the　corner。〃

He　could　only　stare　at　her　and　wonder　where　her　mind　was；　but　she　was　way　ahead　of　him　already。　She　smiled　and　took　hold　of　his　arm。

〃e　on；　Rick。　Let's　get　something　to　eat。　Please？〃

He　gave　in。　How　could　he　make　her　understand　how　it　was　out　there？　In　here　she　was　doing　what　they　all　were：　going　on　with　life　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　as　if　this　were　home；　as　if　there　were　a　wonderfully　blue　ocean　just　over　that　rise。　As　if　there　were　no　war　out　there。


On　the　bridge　of　the　SDF…1　there　was　little　else　but　war　to　talk　or　think　about。

Captain　Gloval　removed　his　cap　and　ran　a　hand　through　his　salt…and…pepper　hair。　What　were　the　aliens　planning　now？　Obviously　their　constant　attacks　were　not　meant　to　turn　the　tide　but　to　wear　him　down；　perhaps　in　the　hope　that　the　SDF…1　would　be　surrendered。　The　attacks　were　like　sparring　matches；　it　was　as　if　the　enemy　was　feeling　him　out；　trying　to　gain　some　insight　into　his　tactics。　Psychological　warfare　conducted　with　an　inexhaustible　supply　of　ships　and　no　regard　for　the　pilots　who　flew　them。　Gloval　wondered　what　his　counterpart　might　look　like；　what　kind　of　being　he　was。　He　recalled　the　video　warning　the　fortress　had　broadcast　to　his　small　band　of　explorers　some　ten　years　ago。。。One　thing　was　being　clear：　The　aliens　did　not　want　to　damage　the　SDF…1。　They　hoped　to　recapture　it　intact。

The　attacks　had　thrown　them　drastically　off　course；　and　although　closing　in　on　Earth's　orbit；　they　had　months　of　travel　ahead　of　them。

Gloval　asked　for　information　about　the　aliens'　retreat。　The　only　thing　Claudia　and　Lisa　could　be　certain　of　was　that　there　were　no　longer　any　traces　of　enemy　pods　on　the　radar　screens。　Gloval　was　pondering　this　when　Kim　Young　announced　that　ining　data　was　being　received　on　one　of　the　open　frequencies。

Gloval　stepped　down　from　his　chair　and　walked　over　to　take　a　look　at　the　transmissions。

〃。。。‘If　mice　could　swim；〃'　he　read；　〃　‘they　would　float　with　the　tide　and　play　with　the　fish。　Down　by　the　seaside；　the　cats　on　the　shore　would　quickly　agree。。。'　What　is　this　nonsense？　Where　is　it　ing　from？〃

Vanessa　Leeds　tapped　in　a　set　of　requests　and　swiveled　in　her　seat　to　study　a　secondary　monitor。　In　a　moment　she　had　the　answer。　〃A　transmitter　located　sixteen　degrees　off　our　current　course。〃

〃That　would　put　it　at　Sara　Base　on　Mars！〃　said　Claudia。

Lisa　Hayes　turned　from　her　post　in　a　start。　〃What？！　That's　impossible！　Are　you　certain　of　those　readings？〃

〃Sara　Base　is　deserted；〃　said　Gloval。　〃All　life　there　was　wiped　out　during　the　war。　It　just　can't　be。〃

Lisa　and　Claudia　exchanged　a　conspiratorial　look。

〃No；　Lisa；〃　said　Claudia。　〃Don't　get　your　hopes　up。〃

〃Why　couldn't　there　be　survivors？〃　Lisa　said　excitedly。　She　turned　to　Gloval。　〃Isn't　it　possible；　sir？〃

Gloval　crossed　his　arms；　〃I　don't　see　how；　but　it　was　a　pretty　big　base；　and　I　suppose　anything　is　possible。　We've　all　seen　enough　lately　to　convince　me　of　that。〃

〃We　have　secondary　confirmation　on　the　origin　of　the　transmissions；　sir。　The　origin　is　definitely　Sara。〃

Claudia　said；　〃Perhaps　we　should　check　it　out；　Captain。　It　would　only　mean　a　minor　deviation　in　our　course。〃　Again　she　and　Lisa　exchanged　looks。

Gloval　returned　to　his　chair。　He　thought　it　unlikely　that　there　were　survivors　on　the　base。　And　the　possibility　of　an　enemy　trap　had　to　be　considered。　But　there　were　no　radar　indications　of　activity　in　the　area；　and　the　risk　presented　by　a　landing　would　certainly　be　justified　if　they　could　manage　to　replenish　their　rapidly　diminishing　supplies。　It　would　be　the　last　chance　until　Earthspace；　and　who　knew　when　that　might　be。　If　that　would　be。。。

Gloval　turned　to　his　crew。

〃How　badly　hurt　are　we？〃

Vanessa　responded；　〃Astrogation　and　engineering　sections　report　limited　damage　only；　sir。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Gloval。　〃Change　course　and　head　for　Mars。〃


CHAPTER　FIVE

The　destruction　of　Sara　Base　on　Mars　was　in　some　ways　typical　of　the　setbacks　experienced　by　the　newly　formed　World　Unification　Alliance；　the　unfortunate　result　of　suspicion；　misinformation；　and　manipulation　by　an　unnamed　collective　of　separatist　factions。　That　the　Northeast　Asian　Co…Prosperity　Sphere　could　be　so　easily　duped　into　believing　the　base　a　military　installation　was　all　the　more　cause　for　concern。　But　more　than　that；　the　attack　upon　the　base　marked　the　first　instance　that　humankind　had　taken　warfare　off　the　planet　and　brought　it　to　the　stars。
Malachi　Cain；　Prelude　to　Doomsday：　A　History　of　the　Global　Civil　War

Mars！

Lisa　stared　at　the　barren　world　as　it　came　into　view　through　the　forward　bays。　Arid；　lifeless；　named　for　the　ancient　god　of　war；　it　was　like　an　angry　red　wound　in　her　heart。　Eight　years　earlier　her　love　had　died　here；　on　this　world　that　she　was　destined　to　visit；　one　that　had　visited　her　so　often　in　tear…filled　dreams。　But　even　so　she　couldn't　suppress　the　belief；　the　hope；　that　one　of　the　many　survival　scenarios　she　had　played　endlessly　through　these　lost　years　would　run　to　pletion。　The　last　time　she　had　seen　and　held　Karl　Riber　was　the　evening　he　had　told　her　of　his　assignment　to　Mars　Base　Sara。

〃The　Visitor〃　had　crash…landed　on　Macross　Island　three　years　earlier；　and　the　Internationalists…men　like　her　father；　Admiral　Hayes；　Senator　Russo；　Gloval；　and　the　rest…were　doing　their　best　to　bring　about　world　unity；　centered　on　the　restoration　of　the　SDF…1　and　the　potential　threat　to　Earth　posed　by　the　arrival　of　that　ship　built　by　an　advanced　race　of　intellectual　and　physical　giants。　But　peace　and　unity　were　not　so　easily　secured。　Factionalism　was　rampant　and　borders　changed　overnight；　sides　were　drawn　and　redrawn；　b