02_battle_cry-第19章

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atter　where　she　was　in　the　room。　She　was　hard　on　Rick　for　arriving　late。　Moreover；　he　had　forgotten　to　pick　up　a　present。　She　was　duly　impressed　with　the　new　lieutenant's　bars　but　an　instant　later　had　taken　an　immediate　shine　to　shy　Max　and　was　at　that　very　moment　singing　harmony　with　him　to　guitar　acpaniment。　And　the　mayor　hadn't　helped　matters　any　when　he　came　over　to　Rick　and　in　a　conspiratorial　whisper　warned　him　about　letting　Minmei　get　too　far　out　of　sight…〃She　seems　quite　taken　with　your　new　corporal；　Rick〃…as　if　Rick　could　influence　what　she　did　and　where　she　went。

Rick　had　quickly　bee　withdrawn　and　moody；　non…municative　even　when　Minmei's　orbit　took　her　past　his　table　or　her　wink　from　across　the　room　was　meant　to　single　him　out　as　some　sort　of　acplice　in　her　performance。　Rick　stayed　close　to　the　mildly　intoxicating　punch　and　kept　his　eyes　down　for　most　of　the　afternoon。

But　then　the　alert　had　been　sounded。

And　now　all　the　flyboys　were　gulping　down　their　drinks　and　racing　for　the　door；　leaving　Minmei　standing　alone；　her　song　left　unfinished；　center　stage　stolen　from　her　by　the　war。　And　even　though　Rick　couldn't　approve　of　her　petulance　and　spoiled　behavior；　he　couldn't　help　being　moved　by　her　innocence　and　naivet？　He　wanted　to　run　to　her　and　promise　her　that　this　war　would　go　away　soon　and　that　all　her　dreams　would　e　true。　But　the　best　he　could　promise　was　his　return　later　with　the　gift　he　had　for　her。　He　gave　her　his　kerchief　to　wipe　the　tears　from　her　face；　and　she　put　her　arms　around　his　neck　and　thanked　him　with　a　hug。

〃What　would　I　do　without　you；　Rick？〃

He　pulled　away　from　her　embrace；　Max　and　Ben　were　calling　to　him　from　the　hexagonal　doorway；　motioning　for　him　to　get　himself　in　gear…after　all；　there　was　a　battle　to　be　fought；　a　war　to　be　waged！

〃e　on；　Lieutenant；　we　don't　want　to　keep　the　enemy　waiting；　do　we？〃

Rick　looked　at　Ben　and　felt　a　sudden　urge　to　strangle　him。　No；　he　thought；　we　mustn't　keep　them　waiting。


CHAPTER　EIGHT

One　must　now　address　the　reasons　for　Khyron's　failures。　Was　he　defeated　on　each　occasion　by　the　Earth　forces；　or　was　he　in　fact　defeated　by　his　own　manders？　So　often　recalled　from　the　very　brink　of　success；　so　often　within　reach　of　victory。　Why　wasn't　he　allowed　full　rein？　Again；　there　is　wide　disagreement　among　the　mentators　we　have　been　discussing　throughout。　Gordon　（along　with　several　of　his　psychohistorian　disciples）　wants　to　convince　us　that　Dolza　and　Breetai　had　so　misread　Gloval's　tactics　as　to　believe　that　he　would　have　destroyed　the　ship　rather　than　allow　it　to　fall　into　Zentraedi　hands。　And　yet；　Exedore　himself　has　stated　that：　〃。。。rivalry　had　pletely　splintered　the　Zentraedi　high　mand。　Continued　contact　with　Human　self…initiative　had　by　this　time　fostered　unrecognized　and　certainly　inprehensible　petitive　drives　in　the　manders　themselves。　Dolza；　Breetai；　and　even　Azonia　（who　had　reasons　of　her　own　to　behave　otherwise）　were　unconsciously　mimicking　an　emotion　they　had　never　experienced。　‘For　the　greater　glory　of　the　Zentraedi'　had　already　bee　an　archaic　phrase。〃
Rawlins；　Zentraedi　Triumvirate：　Dolza；　Breetai；　Khyron

Rick；　Ben；　and　Max…the　newly　formed　Black　Team…were　ordered　to　defensive　positions　in　the　Fourth　Quadrant；　close　to　the　fortress　and　too　far　from　the　main　fighting　to　suit　Dixon。　He　was　anxious　to　get　into　the　thick　of　it。

Below　them；　between　the　SDF…1　and　Mars；　Skull；　Red；　and　the　other　squadrons　were　engaging　enemy　pods。　From　his　vantage　point；　Rick　could　make　out　a　cat's　cradle　of　interlacing　laser　light　punctuated　by　brief　spherical　flashes　of　death；　but　most　of　the　battle　information　came　to　him　via　the　air　net。　It　was　beginning　to　sound　like　the　boys　had　the　enemy　on　the　run；　indeed；　the　explosive　bursts　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　pods　had　fallen　back　to　positions　closer　to　the　planetary　rim。

As　the　exchanges　continued　to　diminish　in　size　and　frequency；　Rick　began　to　worry　that　Gloval　was　permitting　the　VTs　to　fly　right　into　a　trap；　or　worse；　that　he　had　ordered　offensive　action　against　one　of　the　mother　ships。　Dixon　was　ready　to　join　them　nevertheless。

〃Can't　we　get　into　some　of　that？〃　he　wanted　to　know。

〃We　have　our　orders；〃　Rick　told　him　sharply。　〃Now；　stick　close　to　me　and　stay　alert。〃

On　the　bridge　of　the　SDF…1；　Gloval　was　studying　the　deployment　of　pods　and　Veritechs　on　the　threat　board。　The　enemy　was　trying　something　new。　Instead　of　assaulting　the　fortress；　as　was　their　usual　routine；　they　were　keeping　their　distance；　perhaps　fearful　that　the　main　gun　had　been　repaired。　Would　that　that　were　the　case；　thought　Gloval。　But　the　more　he　studied　the　screen；　the　more　suspicious　he　grew。　The　enemy　wasn't　turning　tail　to　avoid　battle。　Gloval　shook　his　head　in　amusement。　Did　they　really　think　him　such　a　fool？　It　was　obvious　that　they　were　hoping　to　lure　the　VTs　away　from　the　fortress　in　order　to　open　up　a　second　front。

He　was　ready　to　issue　a　recall　order　when　new　data　verified　his　hunch。

Vanessa　announced；　〃We　have　an　attack　force　of　enemy　pods　at　our　stern。〃

Gloval　ordered　that　the　Gladiator　force　be　called　up；　and　Dr。　Lang　was　requested　to　shunt　sufficient　energy　from　the　shields　to　arm　the　main　batteries　aft。　The　second　enemy　wave　was　ing　in　from　the　relatively　unguarded　Fourth　Quadrant；　where　Hunter's　Black　Team　was　on　defensive　patrol。　As　this　sector　was　put　up　on　the　screen；　the　bridge　crew　readied　themselves　to　render　assistance。

Rick　received　the　muniqu？from　the　bridge　and　moments　later　had　the　enemy　assault　team　on　his　cockpit　radar　display。

〃pany's　ing；〃　he　told　Max　and　Ben。　〃Let's　show　them　how　we　treat　party　crashers。〃

Locked　into　the　bridge　mand　center；　the　three　Veritech　pilots　swung　their　fighters　toward　the　advancing　pods。　They　were　still　too　distant　for　visuals；　but　Rick　was　soon　facing　those　characteristic　pinpoints　of　explosive　light　that　signaled　laser　bombardment。

A　nanosecond　later　the　bolts　reached　them。　Rick　ordered　his　men　to　begin　evasive　maneuvers　to　lessen　the　staying　power　of　the　charge。　Some　of　his　own　circuits　were　already　fried；　but　it　was　nothing　he　needed　to　worry　about。

And　then　they　had　a　visual　on　the　pods：　There　were　only　a　dozen　of　them；　including　an　Officer's　Pod。　They　came　into　the　quadrant；　weapons　blazing；　the　Black　Team　ready　for　them。

〃I'm　gonna　fly　rings　around　these　guys；　Lieutenant。　Just　watch　me　go；〃　Rick　heard　Ben　say。

Dixon　fired　off　a　cluster　of　heat…seekers　and　attempted　to　roll　out。　But　the　enemy　had　outguessed　him；　and　two　of　the　pods　were　following　him　through；　positioning　themselves　on　either　side　of　his　mecha　well　inside　the　lethal　cone。

〃Break　across　that　seven　o'clock　bandit；　Ben；〃　Rick　shouted　into　the　net。　〃Don't　get　cute；　they're　going　to　catch　you　in　their　cross　fire！〃

Dixon　realized　he　was　in　trouble　and　called　for　an　assist。　The　two　pods　were　practically　on　top　of　him；　pouring　particle…beam　energy　at　his　booster　pack。　A　Veritech　could　stand　only　a　few　seconds　of　this；　ultimately；　structural　molecules　would　be　altered　and　the　ship　would　e　apart。　Ben　would　be　fried　alive。

Rick　kicked　in　his　aft　boosters；　found　one　of　the　pods　in　his　reticle；　and　loosed　two　missiles。　They　caught　the　pod　at　its　weakest　spot；　just　where　the　cockpit　cover　was　hinged　to　the　main　body　of　the　sphere。　The　hatch　blew　open；　precious　atmosphere　was　released　and　the　pilot　inside　clawed　frantically　at　his　controls。　Soon　the　lifeless　thing　was　drifting　aimlessly　out　of　the　arena。

The　second　pod　was　still　throwing　heat　into　Dixon's　fighter；　but　the　pilot；　realizing　that　he　was　now　outnumbered；　began　to　drop　away。

〃I'm　going　to　save　your　skin；　Ben。　Just　retro　when　I　give　the　word。〃　Rick　haloed　the　ostrich　and　shouted；　〃Now！〃

His　thumb　came　down　hard　on　the　Hotas　trigger。　Two　missiles　dropped　from　their　pylons　and　connected　with　the　pod；　blowing　it　to　pieces。

While　Ben　was　thanking　him；　Rick　looked　around　for　Max。　There　was　a　lot　of　activity　going　on　off　to　his　right；　as　Rick　was　soon　to　realize；　Max　was　at　the　center　of　it。

The　corporal　had　shifted　to　Battloid　mode　and　was　using　the　gatling　cannon　to　take　out　pod　after　pod；　executing　evasive　maneuvers　the　likes　of　which　Rick　had　never　seen。　Max　was　pushing　the　Veritech　into　reverses　Rick　wo