05_force_of_arms-第15部分

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esy　of　the　EVE　system。　There　was　even　the　sound　of　crickets…descendants　of　good…luck　pets　who　had　somehow　survived　the　war。

Max　Sterling　paced　fitfully　under　a　streetlamp　near　the　Peace　Fountain　that　trickled　and　gurgled　a　few　yards　away。　He　checked　his　watch　for　the　seventh　time　in　two　minutes。

〃Jeez；　it's　almost　nine。　I　hope　she's　all　right。〃

He　was　worried　that　Miriya　wouldn't　show　up…worried　even　more；　really；　that　she　would。　Just　an　average…looking　young　man　straightening　his　necktie　and　hoping　his　only　sports　jacket　didn't　look　too　shabby；　and　recalling　with　a　sudden　sinking　feeling　that　he　had　forgotten　to　pick　up　the　flowers　he　had　ordered。

He　didn't　know　that　death　hunted　afoot　and　that　the　pounce　was　near；　he　wouldn't　know　for　several　seconds　yet　that　cruel　eyes　were　watching　him　from　the　shadows。

〃I　can't　believe　I　asked　her　to　meet　me　in　the　park…a　girl；　at　night！〃　he　muttered。　〃She　could　get　mugged　or　something。〃

In　fact；　street　crime　in　Macross　was　all　but　nonexistent。　And　punishments　were　such　that　recidivism　was　just　about　nil；　but　that　sort　of　reasoning　meant　nothing　to　a　young　man　waiting　for　a　woman　who　had　him　mesmerized；　entranced；　enraptured。　A　woman　he　had　met　only　a　few　hours　before。

A　woman　who　stood　in　the　dark　poised；　to　kill　him。

Then　he　heard　running　footsteps　behind　him；　and　her　voice。　〃Maximillian；　prepare　for　your　doom！〃　It　was　a　literal　translation　of　a　Quadrono　war　cry。

Miriya　had　gotten　to　the　spot　well　in　advance；　seen　him　arrive；　watched　him。　She　had　been　set　to　kill　him　precisely　at　their　appointed　meeting　time；　a　quarter　hour　before。　But　she　had　only　watched　him；　hating　him　all　the　more　but　feeling　strange…feeling　drawn　to　him　in　some　mysterious　way　she　couldn't　fathom。

She　told　herself　she　was　merely　studying　her　enemy's　movements　and　possible　vulnerabilities　and　fought　down　the　liking　she　had　for　seeing　him　in　motion。　She　told　herself　that　she　was　merely　waiting　for　the　most　opportune　moment；　yet　though　that　part　of　the　park　was　absolutely　deserted；　she　let　the　minutes　slide　by。

Miriya　observed　his　eyes；　his　lips；　the　way　he　moved。　She　felt　a　trembling　in　herself　that　no　military　mind　/body　discipline　known　to　her　could　quiet。　But　at　last；　by　a　tremendous　application　of　will；　she　hurled　herself　into　battle。

Max　was　unaware　of　all　of　that；　of　course。　At　first　he　thought　it　was　some　kind　of　joke。

He　saw　her　charging　at　him　with　the　quick　grace　of　a　panther；　a　gleaming　knife　held　high。　Miriya's　heavy　waves　of　green…dyed　hair　snapped　and　flew　behind　her　like　a　flag。　She　still　wore　the　brown　body　suit；　the　kneehigh　boots　of　blue…dyed　leather；　and　the　yellow　scarf　at　her　throat。

Her　eyes　started　madly。　She　was　Quadrono；　a　Zentraedi　warrior；　and　yet　this　miserable　human　had　somehow　made　her　vacillate…made　her　feel　weakness　where　once　there　had　been　only　strength！　But　that　would　end；　Sterling　would　die；　to　expiate　his　sin　of　defeating　her；　and　she　would　once　more　be　Miriya　the　unconquerable。

Max　was　fumbling　through　a　little　greeting　he　had　been　rehearsing；　his　habitual　whimsical　half　smile　appearing　on　his　face。　〃Miriya；　it's　nice　to　see　you。。。glad　you　could。。。uh。。。〃

This；　while　she　bore　down　on　him；　the　blade　gleaming。　The　knife　was　a　kind　of　hybrid　cross　between　a　Japanese…style　tanto　and　one　of　the　midlength　Randall　hunting　models；　with　a　circular　guard。　She　saw　that　she　had　a　lot　of　ground　yet　to　cover　and；　afraid　that　he　might　elude　her；　hurled　it　at　him；　clawing　in　the　meantime　for　her　second　blade。

The　knives　weren't　quite　like　the　Zentraedi　weapons　she　was　used　to；　but　the　balance　and　heft　weren't　too　different。　Although　a　firearm　would　have　been　faster；　her　incandescent　need　for　revenge　had　made　Miriya　choose　a　more　traditional　weapon。　It　had　to　be　reflexes；　muscle；　eye…to…eye　confrontation；　and　cold　steel　that　settled　her　score　with　the　hated　human。

And　in　that　moment　Max　Sterling　proved　that　all　those　dogfight　kills　weren't　some　kind　of　fluke。　His　psychomotor　responses　were　the　fastest　the　SDF…1　meds　had　ever　measured…his　coordination　and　reflexes　were　unprecedented。

Max　was　still　trying　to　figure　out　what　she　was　talking　about　when　his　body　saw　the　flash　of　steel；　understood；　and　ducked；　he　was　doing　his　best　to　recall　the　awkward；　rather　romantic　little　speech　he　had　meant　to　make　to　her　when　those　supreme　and　somehow　strangely　given　bat　reflexes　cut　in。

His　evasion　was　barely　a　flicker　of　movement；　the　knife　flashed　past　him　to　land　solidly　in　a　tree　trunk。

This　was　the　first　time　she　had　ever　missed。　But　she　kept　ing　at　him。

Stunned；　Max　watched　her　charge　headlong　toward　him。　She　threw　the　sheath　of　the　first　knife　far　from　her；　it　made　no　sound；　landing　in　the　grass。

〃Hey；　are　you　crazy？〃　Everything　had　suddenly　slid　into　place　within　him；　he　already　loved　her　so；　but　the　physical　Sterling；　the　part　that　made　him　unbeatable；　was　broadcasting　warnings　and　threat　updates；　putting　his　body　in　motion。

She　drew　a　second；　sheathed　blade　from　the　open　front　seam　of　her　body　suit。　〃I　am　Quadrono　Leader　Miriya　Parino：　Zentraedi　warrior！〃

Max　gulped。　〃There　goes　our　first　date。〃

But　something　in　him　had　already　changed；　his　balance　was　forward；　on　the　balls　of　his　feet…he　felt　nearly　weightless…and　his　hands　were　curled　into　the　fastest　fists　on　the　SDF…1。

However；　he　was　still　infatuated　with　her；　he　held　himself　in　check　when　all　his　impulses　were　to　counterattack。　A　little　thing　like　attempted　murder　couldn't　alter　the　fact　that　he　was　hopelessly　in　love　with　her。

She　had　seen　him　pacing；　heard　his　concern　for　her。　The　weakling　human　fears…for　the　safety　of　an　imagined　loved　one；　of　all　things！…were　so　contemptible　and　misplaced；　and　yet。。。

Somewhere　deep　inside　of　her　she　knew；　with　a　clear　and　pure　knowledge；　that　Max's　worry　was　a　reflection　of　his　regard　for　her。　Who　else；　in　the　course　of　her　matchless　military　career；　had　ever　shown　such　simple；　loving　concern　for　Miriya　Parino's　well…being？

No　one。　Not　ever。　The　very　thought　galvanized　her；　launched　her　forward　to　murder。

The　sheath　hissed　briefly　with　a　metallic　rasp　as　the　blade　glimmered　wickedly　under　the　soft　park　streetlights。　〃You're　such　a　fool！　Fight　for　your　life！〃

There　was　something　nauseatingly　vulnerable　and　adoring　in　his　eyes；　the　expression　with　which　he　regarded　her　was　unworthy　of　any　true　warrior…but　it　sapped　her　determination　so。

Yet　inside　her；　a　furnace　as　hot　and　powerful　as　any　Protoculture　engine　burned。　Kill　him！　Kill　him　now；　at　once！　Before。。。before　he　can。。。

〃My　life？　But　why　attack　me？〃　Max　asked　bewildered；　but　his　body　was　already　set…they　were　both　so　locked　into　the　physical　language　of　hand…to…hand　that　a　fight　was　inevitable。

She　brought　the　glitter　of　the　blade　up　into　their　line　of　sight　like　a　fencer　so　that　they　could　both　consider　its　cold　blaze。　〃I　will　have　my　revenge！〃

His　hand　went　to　the　hilt　of　the　knife　embedded　in　the　tree　trunk；　and　she　made　new　calculations　based　on　his　being　armed。　Sterling's　having　a　knife　was　so　much　the　better　as　far　as　Miriya　was　concerned；　she　wanted　to　kill　him　in　a　fight　on　equal　terms；　wanted　to　humble　him　as　he　had　humbled　her…before。。。before　he