02_battle_cry-第18章

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asses。　It　was　unusual　to　meet　a　pilot　with　impaired　vision；　and　Rick　reasoned　that　Sterling's　talents　had　to　outweigh　the　disadvantages　presented　by　less…than…perfect　eyesight。

Rick　acknowledged　their　salutes；　and　Roy　made　the　informal　introductions。　But　after　a　few　minutes　of　pleasantries；　Rick　was　beginning　to　feel　unfortable　with　his　two　new　dependents　and　took　advantage　of　a　lapse　in　the　conversation　to　excuse　himself。　Minmei's　party　would　be　kicking　off　soon；　and　he　wanted　to　catch　her　alone　for　at　least　a　few　minutes。　However；　when　Ben　and　Max　suddenly　expressed　an　interest　in　acpanying　him；　Rick　reconsidered　his　options：　Showing　up　at　Minmei's　with　new　lieutenant's　bars　and　two　subordinates　in　tow　would　surely　gain　him　some　points。　At　least　it　would　show　her　that　his　superiors　viewed　him　as　responsible　and　serious；　even　if　she　chose　not　to。

So　the　three　of　them　left　Fokker's　together；　already　exchanging…　stories　and　searching　out　mon　ground。　They　tubed　into　Macross　City；　hitting　a　few　spots　on　the　way；　and　it　wasn't　long　before　they　were　fast　friends。

Macross　was　a　different　experience　each　time　Rick　visited　it。　Resident　old…timers…people　born　back　in　the　'forties　and　'fifties…claimed　that　it　would　have　taken　generations　to　construct　what　Robotech　engineers　and　crews　managed　in　a　week。　All　of　this　was　due　to　technological　advances　brought　about　with　the　arrival　of　the　SDF…1。　Some　of　the　city　had　been　〃created〃　through　the　use　of　Enhanced　Video　Emulation…the　people　were　fed　illusions　as　in　some　turn…of…the　century　film…but　most　of　it　was　a　real；　pulsing　metropolis　now。　Certainly　no　city　on　Earth　could　boast　of　a　park　with　views　to　match　those　from　Macross　Central。　You　were　not　just　staring　up　at　the　stars　from　the　benches　there；　you　were　among　them。

The　three　VT　pilots　were　a　few　blocks　from　the　White　Dragon；　when　several　〃death…beds〃　rumbled　by…huge　flatbed　vehicles　carting　off　the　battle…damaged　remains　of　Veritech　fighters　to　recycling。　Without　raw　material；　the　SDF…1　techs　had　to　reuse　everything。

Rick　looked　over　at　his　new　rades　and　studied　their　reaction　to　the　passing　wrecks。　His　jubilant　mood　had　vanished。　Fighter　pilots　were　similarly　recycled；　he　told　himself。

〃There's　the　whole　truth　about　war；〃　Rick　said；　gesturing　to　the　death…beds。

〃I　don't　want　to　end　up　like　that；〃　said　Max。

Ben　bellowed　his　laugh。　〃While　I'm　around　you've　got　nothing　to　worry　about。〃

Lieutenant　Rick　had　an　impromptu　speech　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　but　he　decided　to　let　Dixon's　remark　slide。　Ben　would　find　out　for　himself　soon　enough。

The　war　machine　would　chew　them　up　and　spit　them　out。　You　could　only　give　it　your　best　shot　and　hope　the　odds　were　in　your　favor。


〃Luck〃　was　a　term　the　Zentraedi　were　unfamiliar　with；　their　language　contained　no　words　for　it；　and　their　psychological　makeup　embraced　no　such　concept。

Khyron　had　suffered　a　setback。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　chance　or　odds。　He　had　failed　because　he　had　listened　to　Breetai　and　disregarded　his　own　instincts。　This　would　not　happen　again。　This　enemy　was　unpredictable。　Where　it　would　be　advantageous　to　press　an　attack；　they　would　retreat；　where　it　would　have　been　wise　to　use　the　massive　firepower　of　Zor's　ship；　they　instead　relied　on　small　fighters。　And　the　worst　of　it　was　that　they　seemed　to　value　life　above　all　else。　Sooner　or　later　Khyron　would　have　to　play　on　that　fear　of　death　they　carried　around。

He　had　appointed　a　new　second…in…mand　to　replace　Gerao；　who　was　now　in　solitary　confinement　for　having　failed　to　detect　the　Micronians'　countermeasures　at　the　abandoned　base。　The　blank　faceplated　visage　of　this　second　was　currently　on　the　monitor　screen　in　Kyron's　quarters。

〃But；　my　lord；〃　the　second　was　saying；　〃what　about　mander　Breetai's　reaction　to　our　continued　attacks？　He　has　made　it　clear…〃

〃Forget　about　him！　Do　you　dare　question　my　authority？〃

〃My　lord！〃　The　second　saluted。

〃We'll　deal　with　that　ship　in　our　own　way。　Now　pay　close　attention：　Breetai　has　prescribed　war　games　for　us。　This　is　his　way　of　humiliating　me　for　our　failures。　But　we're　going　to　turn　this　opportunity　to　our　advantage。　We're　going　to　take　that　ship；　if　it　takes　every　last　piece　of　mecha　in　the　Zentraedi　armada！〃


Things　were　quiet　on　the　bridge　of　the　SDF…1；　a　little　too　quiet　to　suit　Claudia　Grant。　The　ship　had　been　in　a　deep…space　orbit　around　Mars　for　scarcely　a　week；　but　that　week　felt　like　an　eternity。　And　it　had　been　that　long　since　Lisa　had　exchanged　more　than　three　words　with　Claudia　or　any　of　the　others　on　the　bridge。　Something　had　happened　to　Lisa　down　there；　but　even　Claudia　couldn't　pry　any　of　the　details　from　her。　To　be　sure；　it　had　something　to　do　with　Karl　Riber。　Claudia　figured　that　he　must　have　been　quite　a　man　to　keep　Lisa　in　limbo　for　eight　years。　For　most　of　the　ship's　crew　and　the　population　of　Macross　City　the　red　planet　afforded　some　sense　of　stability　and　center；　but　for　Lisa　it　was　a　constant　reminder　of　loss；　an　orbit　of　pain。

The　enemy　had　been　hammering　away　at　them　for　the　past　week；　determined　to　keep　them　from　making　any　progress　toward　Earth。　But　the　launch　window　for　a　return　to　Earth　was　still　two　weeks　away；　so　they　would　have　remained　here　regardless。　Conserving　fuel；　making　repairs；　and　using　Mars's　gravity　to　throw　them　toward　Earth　when　the　right　moment　came。　Nevertheless；　they　had　attempted　to　keep　the　planet　between　themselves　and　the　enemy；　until　yesterday；　when　long…range　recon　units　had　reported　that　a　sizable　contingent　of　enemy　ships　had　dropped　to　an　inner　orbit　near　the　Martian　moon　Phobos。　The　enemy　was　sandwiching　the　fortress　between　their　forces。　Claudia　was　worried；　and　Lisa's　continued　silence　and　sulking　were　not　helping　at　all。

Claudia　held　something　in　her　hand　she　thought　might　break　her　friend's　distracted　mood：　It　was　a　dispatch　from　Maistroff's　office　listing　the　new　field　promotions。　Rick　Hunter's　name　was　on　the　list。　Claudia　tapped　the　dispatch　against　the　palm　of　her　left　hand。　Maybe　anger　was　just　what　the　doctor　ordered。

She　sidled　over　to　Lisa；　suppressing　a　grin　as　she　handed　over　the　dispatch。

Lisa　accepted　it　disinterestedly　and　scanned　the　short　column。　Claudia　watched　her　expression　change　as　the　name　registered。　Lisa　crumpled　up　the　paper　and　slammed　both　her　palms　down　on　the　radar　indicator　board。

〃I　can't　believe　it！　I　just。。。I　can't　believe　this！　It's　unbelievable！〃

〃What　is　it；　Lisa？〃　Claudia　was　still　playing　dumb；　and　not　very　effectively。

〃Don't　be　coy　with　me；　Claudia。　You've　seen　this　list。　How　does　Hunter　rate　a　promotion　to　group　leader？〃

Claudia　stroked　her　chin。　〃Uh；　let's　see；　I　think　he　was　involved　in　some　sort　of　rescue　operation…〃

〃That's　a　matter　of　opinion；　Claudia。　Oh　oh。。。〃

Lisa　was　staring　at　the　radar　screen　and　fiddling　with　the　control　knobs。　Claudia　went　over　to　her。

〃What's　up？〃

She　was　working　the　dials；　trying　to　tune　something　in。　〃I　guess　I　shouldn't　have　slapped　this　thing　so　hard…it's　all　static。〃

〃Try　switching　over　to　the　backup　overrides；〃　Claudia　suggested。

She　did；　but　the　static　remained。

〃I'm　going　to　run　this　through　puter　analysis；〃　said　Lisa。

The　two　women　waited　for　the　system　to　display　its　diagnosis。　They　sucked　in　their　breath　when　it　appeared：　It　was　a　jamming　pattern。

〃Put　us　on　yellow　alert；〃　Lisa　said　with　newfound　enthusiasm。　〃Notify　all　VT　teams　to　report　to　their　fighters　and　stand　by。〃


Things　at　Minmei's　party　had　gone　from　bad　to　worse；　and　for　Rick；　the　yellow　alert　siren　blaring　in　the　streets　of　Macross　City　felt　like　a　reprieve。

By　the　time　he　and　his　new　cohorts　had　arrived　at　the　party；　the　restaurant　was　already　packed。　In　addition　to　scores　of　Veritech　defenders　and　a　few　of　Minmei's　show　business　friends；　the　mayor　and　his　cronies　were　circulating　around；　pressing　the　flesh。　At　times　it　seemed　to　Rick　that　Mayor　Luan　harbored　some　secret　plan　for　Minmei；　as　if　she　was　some　pet　project　or　secret　weapon　he　was　going　to　unleash　on　the　world。　Minmei；　dressed　to　kill　in　her　purple　mandarin　tunic　was　at　her　butterfly　best　flitting　from　table　to　table；　center　stage　no　matter　where　she　was　in　the　room。　She　was　hard　on　Rick　for　arriving　late。　Moreover；　he　had　forgotten