02_battle_cry-第26章

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o　cheer　and　scream；　the　light　rose　higher　and　higher。。。

Some　of　those　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　have　been　there　recall　that　Jan　Morris　was　rising　from　her　chair　when　Ron　Trance　made　the　final　announcement。　But　it　was　Lynn…Minmei's　chair　that　he　approached；　her　hand　that　he　took；　her　song　he　sang。

Minmei's　recollection　of　the　events　was　poorer　than　most；　try　as　she　might　when　viewing　the　tapes　afterward；　she　could　not　recall　her　thoughts。　All　she　remembered　was　the　cape　that　had　been　draped　over　her　shoulders；　the　crown　placed　upon　her　head；　and　the　fact　that　when　she　looked　up　toward　the　starlight；　it　had　seemed　to　her　that　unseen　eyes　were　upon　her；　as　though　the　stars　themselves　had　ceased　their　motion　to　pay　tribute　to　her　moment。


Rick　was　semiconscious　in　the　cockpit　of　the　drifting　disabled　Battloid。　The　damaged　instrument　panels　were　flashing　out；　filling　the　small　space　with　stroboscopic　light。　Shafts　of　pain　radiated　through　him　as　he　fought　to　reach　the　surface。　Once　there；　a　beatific　creature　appeared　to　him；　and　he　felt　a　glimmer　of　hope。　It　wore　a　beautiful　smile；　a　crown；　and　resplendent　robe　of　many　colors；　it　carried　a　scepter　and　stood　proud　and　tall。。。

Rick　Hunter；　however；　had　strong　survival　instincts。　He　managed　to　reach　forward　through　his　stupor　and　activate　the　mecha's　distress　and　self…guidance　systems。　Performing　that　act　brought　him　around　to　full　consciousness；　and　at　once　he　realized　the　Battloid　was　still　receiving　transmissions　from　the　SDF…1。　The　angel　who　had　visited　his　vision　was　none　other　than　Minmei。

Lynn…Minmei；　now　Queen　of　Macross。

Rick　watched　as　she　surrendered　herself　to　the　audience。　He　reached　toward　the　monitor　as　though　he　might　touch　her　one　last　time　before　she　passed　beyond　him　forever；　a　part　of　something　that　would　always　be　bigger　than　both　of　them。

Rick　let　his　head　loll　forward。

What　good　was　it　to　wake　up　to　a　world　he　could　never　enter？


CHAPTER　ELEVEN

〃You　have　to　look　at　things　from　our　perspective：　An　alien　armada　appears　in　lunar　orbit　and　launches　an　attack　on　Macross　Island；　the　site　of　the　SDF…1　reconstruction　project；　Captain　Gloval；　the　fortress；　and　the　entire　island　disappear。　The　aliens　give　chase　to　the　ship　and　leave　us　alone。　Then　a　year　goes　by　and　Gloval　makes　contact；　informing　us　all　of　a　sudden　that　he's　returning　the　fortress　to　Earth；　along　with　50；000　people　who　were　supposed　to　have　perished　during　a　volcanic　eruption。　What　else　were　we　supposed　to　tell　the　planet…that　giant　aliens　had　attacked　and　might　or　might　not　be　hack？　And　in　addition　to　this；　Gloval　still　had　the　armada　on　his　tail；　and　he's　leading　the　enemy　back　to　Earth！　I　put　it　to　you；　who　in　their　right　mind　would　grant　him　permission　to　land？　You　might　just　as　well　invite　catastrophe。。。〃
Admiral　Hayes；　as　quoted　in　Lapstein's　Interviews

Rico；　Bron；　and　Konda　were　brought　before　Breetai　and　Exedore　for　debriefing。　They　had　escaped　death　at　the　hands　of　the　Micronian　ace　but　had　failed　to　return　to　the　Zentraedi　mother　ship　with　any　substantial　information　regarding　the　unusual　transmissions　from　the　SDF…1。　As　a　consequence；　their　lives　were　once　again　in　jeopardy。

Breetai　regarded　the　three　operatives　from　his　lofty　position　above　the　floor　of　the　interrogation　chamber。　The　debriefing　was　going　nowhere　fast；　and　he　was　tempted　to　put　an　end　to　it；　but　he　decided　to　give　it　one　last　chance。

〃We　will　review　this　again。　What　did　you　see？〃

Once　more　the　three　menced　their　explanations　simultaneously。

〃They　were　wearing　military　costumes…〃

〃It　was　armor…〃

〃Just　looking　at　them　gave　me　the　strangest　feeling…〃

〃Silence！〃　yelled　Breetai。　〃It's　apparent　that　none　of　you　know　what　you　saw。〃

In　response　to　their　salute；　Breetai　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest　and　turned　to　his　adviser。　Exedore　concurred　with　his　plan　to　send　out　a　second　recon　unit　but　went　further　in　suggesting　that　it　might　be　advantageous　at　this　point　to　capture　one　or　two　of　the　Micronians　alive。

〃To　what　end？〃　Breetai　wanted　to　know。

〃To　examine　them；　my　lord。　To　determine　for　ourselves　if　they　possess　any　knowledge　of　Protoculture。〃

Exedore　whispered　the　word。

Breetai　considered　it。　He　was　directing　his　thoughts　toward　mander…in…Chief　Dolza's　possible　reactions；　when　another　argument　broke　out　below　him。　Each　of　the　pilots　was　certain　of　what　he　had　seen。　It　was　most　curious：　armor；　military　costume；　a　secret　weapon　disguised　as　a　partially　clad　Micronian　female。。。

Breetai　allowed　the　bickering　to　escalate　somewhat；　but　put　a　stop　to　it　when　physical　blows　were　exchanged。　Then　he　brought　his　massive　fist　down　on　the　curved　railing　of　the　balcony。

〃Enough　of　this！　You　were　given　an　assignment；　and　you　bungled　it。〃　He　made　a　dismissive　gesture。　〃Return　to　your　quarters　and　await　my　judgment。〃

The　pilots　bowed　and　exited；　leaving　Breetai　and　his　adviser　alone　in　the　chamber。　Exedore　had　adopted　a　pensive　pose。

〃Of　late　I　have　witnessed　this　same　scene　all　too　frequently；　mander。　Continued　contact　with　these　Micronians　has　threatened　the　integrity　of　your　mand。　Our　forces　are　confused　and　demoralized。〃

〃Your　point　is　well　taken；　Exedore。　They　are　accustomed　to　decisive　victories。〃

〃I　fear　that　this　game　of　‘cat…and…mouse'　will　undermine　us；　my　lord。〃

〃Then　perhaps　the　time　has　e　to　talk　to　them。〃

〃I　agree；　mander。〃

〃All　right　then；　consider　it　done。〃　Breetai　grinned。　〃But　we　must　be　persuasive。　I　doubt　they　will　surrender　one　of　their　kind　just　for　our　asking。〃


A　planet　was　centered　in　the　main　extravehicular　monitor　screen　of　the　SDF…1。　Even　under　full　magnification　it　was　impossible　to　discern　any　surface　details；　but　that　made　no　difference　to　the　men　and　women　on　the　bridge；　who　had　long　ago　mitted　to　memory　those　oceans　and　continents　and　distinctive　cloud　patterns。　Earth！　Darker　than　they　knew　it　was　due　to　the　filters　used　on　the　giant　reflector　scopes；　but　their　homeworld　nonetheless。　From　their　vantage；　the　planet　was　scarcely　ten　degrees　from　the　solar　disc　itself；　still　on　the　far　side　of　the　sun；　but　there　it　was：　visible；　almost　palpable。

Save　for　the　ever…present　whirls；　hums；　and　beeps　Robotechnology　contributed　to　life　on　the　bridge；　you　could　have　heard　the　proverbial　pin　drop。　Lisa　Hayes；　Claudia　Grant；　Sammie；　Vanessa；　Kim；　and　Captain　Gloval…all　of　them　were　transfixed　by　the　sight。　But　their　silence　was　purposeful　as　well　as　ceremonious。　They　had　just　directed　a　radio　beam　transmission　to　the　United　Earth　Defense　Council　headquarters　and　were　now　awaiting　the　response。

All　at　once　static　crackled　through　the　overhead　speakers；　all　eyes　fixed　on　these　now；　the　forward　screen　forgotten。

〃Captain　Gloval；〃　the　voice　began；　〃due　to　the　possibility　that　our　security　may　be　breached　and　this　transmission　intercepted　by　the　enemy；　we　cannot　give　you　the　information　you　requested　about　our　present　support　systems。。。Fortunately　for　us；　the　enemy　forces　were　more　interested　in　following　the　SDF…1；　and　consequently；　you　are　requested　to　continue　to　keep　them　at　bay　and　not　return　to　Earth。　Repeat：　Do　not　attempt　a　return　at　this　time。　That　is　all。〃

This　time　the　bridge　crew　was　just　too　stunned　to　speak。

Finally；　Vanessa　deadpanned；　〃Wele　home。〃


〃I　can't　believe　this；〃　said　Claudia。　〃We're　expected　to　stay　out　here　and　be　sitting　ducks　while　they；　they…Oh；　forgive　me；　sir；　I've　spoken　out　of　turn。〃

Captain　Gloval　said　nothing。　Was　it　possible；　he　was　wondering；　that　after　more　than　a　year　in　space　the　SDF…1　could　simply　be　turned　away；　that　the　council　had　decided　to　offer　them　up　as　sacrifices？　Gloval　pressed　the　palms　of　his　hands　to　his　face　as　if　to　wipe　away　what　his　expression　might　betray。　It　was　more　than　possible；　it　was　probable。

Eleven　years　ago；　when　initial　exploration　of　the　recently　arrived　SDF…1　had　revealed　the　remains　of　alien　giants；　the　World　Unification　Alliance　had　decided　to　reconstruct　the　ship　and　to　develop　new　weaponry　designed　for　defense　against　this　potential　enemy。　It　was　a　ruse；　but　it　had　succeeded　to　some　degree　in　reuniting　the　planet。　Confrontations　during　the　past　year　had　made　it　plain　to　Gloval　that　the　enemy　had　traveled　to　Earth　to　reclaim　their　ship。