05_force_of_arms-第2部分

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o　make　any　Zentraedi　careless。　The　humans　had　rebuilt　their　city；　they　mingled；　both　sexes；　all　ages。　They　lived　lives　in　which　emotions　were　given　free　expression；　and　there　was　an　astonishing　force　called　〃love。〃

It　was　enough　to　make　any　Zentraedi；　born　into　a　Spartan；　merciless　warrior　culture　with　strict　segregation　of　the　sexes；　forget　himself。　And　so　Karita　had　made　his　error；　he　had　gone　into　the　White　Dragon　in　the　hopes　of　getting　a　glimpse　of　Minmei。　He　didn't　realize　what　he　was　saying　when　he　let　slip　the　fact　that　he　had　adored　her　since　he　had　first　seen　her　image　on　a　Zentraedi　battlecruiser。　Then　he　saw　the　hard　looks　the　trio　gave　him。　He　left　quickly；　but　they　followed。

During　the　course　of　the　war；　everybody　aboard　had　lost　at　least　one　friend　or　loved　one。　The　Zentraedi；　too；　had　suffered　losses…many　more　than　the　SDF…1；　in　fact。　That　didn't　stop　Karita　and　the　other　defectors　from　hoping　for　a　new　life　among　their　former　enemies。　Most　humans　were　at　least　tolerant　of　the　Zentraedi　who'd　deserted　from　their　invading　armada。　Some　humans　even　liked　the　aliens；　three　of　them；　former　spies；　had　human　girlfriends。　But　he　should　have　known　there　would　be　humans　who　wouldn't　see　things　that　way。

The　three　closed　in　on　him。

One　of　the　men　launched　a　kick　Karita　was　too　dazed　to　avoid。　It　was　not　so　much　a　sharp　pain　he　felt　as　a　tremendous；　panic…making　numbness。　He　wondered　woozily　if　his　ribs　were　broken。　Not　that　it　mattered；　it　didn't　look　like　his　attackers　were　going　to　stop　short　of　killing　him。　They　didn't　realize　that　they　had　picked　on　one　of　the　most　unmilitary　of　Zentraedi；　given　a　different　one；　they　would　have　had　more　of　a　fight　on　their　hands。

One　of　them　drew　back　his　heavy　work　boot　to　kick　Karita　again；　Karita　closed　his　eyes；　waiting　for　the　blow。　But　the　sudden　sound　of　shoe　leather　sliding　on　pavement　and　the　thud　of　a　falling　body　made　him　reopen　them。

He　looked　up　to　see　one　of　the　assailants　down　and　the　other　two　turning　to　face　an　interloper。

Max　Sterling　didn't　look　like　the　conventional　image　of　a　Veritech　ace。　The　brilliant　Robotech　Defense　Force　flier　was　slender；　wore　blue…tinted　aviator　glasses…with　corrective　lenses…and　dyed　his　hair　blue　in　keeping　with　the　current　fad　for　wild　colors。

This　young　RDF　legend　looked　mild；　even　vulnerable。　In　a　time　of　crisis；　Max　Sterling　had　risen　from　obscurity　to　dazzle　humanity　and　the　Zentraedi　with　his　matchless　bat　flying。　But　that　hadn't　changed　his　basic　humility　and　self…effacing　good…naturedness。

〃No　more；〃　Max　told　the　assailants　quietly。　The　bully　on　the　ground　shook　his　head　angrily。　Max　stepped　between　the　other　two；　went　to　Karita's　side；　and　knelt；　offering　his　hand。

Minmei's　Aunt　Lena　had　watched　the　ominous　trio　follow　Karita　when　he　left　the　White　Dragon；　it　took　her　a　few　minutes　to　find　Sterling；　so　Max　said；　〃Sorry　I'm　a　little　late。〃

This　bookish…looking　young　man　who　held　the　highest　kill　score　of　any　bat　pilot　in　the　ship　offered　the　Zentraedi　his　hand。　〃D'　you　think　you　can　stand？〃

The　attacker　Max　had　floored　was　back　on　his　feet；　eyeing　Max's　RDF　uniform。　〃You　have　two　seconds　to　butt　out　of　this；　kid。〃

Max　rose　and　turned；　leaving　Karita　sitting　against　the　wall。　He　took　off　his　glasses　and　dropped　them　into　Karita's　limp　hand。

〃I　guess　there's　gonna　be　a　fight　here；　so　let's　get　one　thing　straight：　In　case　you　missed　the　news；　this　man　isn't　our　enemy。　Now；　are　you　going　to　let　us　by　or　what？〃

Of　course　not。　They　had　looked　at　Karita　and　automatically　thought；　We　can　take　him！　And　that　had　decided　the　matter。　Now　here　was　the　pale；　unimposing　Max；　and　their　assessment　was　the　same：　We　can　take　him；　too。　No　sweat。

So　the　one　Max　had　knocked　down　came　at　him　first；　while　the　others　fanned　out　on　either　side。

Max　didn't　wait。　He　ducked　under　a　powerful；　slow　haymaker　and　struck　with　the　heel　of　his　hand；　breaking　the　first　one's　nose。　A　second　attacker；　a　thick…bodied　man　in　coveralls；　hooked　his　fist　around　with　all　his　might；　but　Max　simply　wasn't　there。　Dodging　like　a　ghost；　he　landed　a　solid　jab　to　the　man's　nose；　bloodying　it；　and　stepped　out　of　the　way　as　he　staggered。

There　wasn't　much　fighting　room；　and　Max's　usual　style　involved　plenty　of　movement。　But　it　didn't　matter　very　much　this　time；　he　didn't　want　to　leave　Karita　unprotected。

The　third　vigilante；　younger；　leaner；　and　faster　than　the　other　two；　swung　doubled　fists　at　him　from　behind。　Max　avoided　the　blow；　adding　momentum　with　a　quick；　hard　tug　so　that　the　man　went　toppling　to　his　knees。　Then　Max　spun　precisely　so　that　he　had　his　back　nearly　up　against　the　first　attacker　and　rammed　his　elbow　back。

The　man's　breath　rushed　out　of　him　as　he　clutched　his　midsection。　Max　snapped　a　fist　back　into　his　face；　then　turned　to　plant　a　sidelong　kick　to　the　gut　of　the　one　in　the　coveralls。　The　incredible　reflexes　and　speed　that　served　him　so　well　in　dogfights　were　plain；　he　was　difficult　to　see　much　less　hit　or　avoid。

Karita　had　struggled　to　his　feet。　〃Stop！〃

The　three　attackers　were　battered　up　a　bit；　but　the　fight　had　barely　started。　Max　Sterling　wasn't　even　breathing　hard。

〃No　more　fighting；〃　Karita　labored；　clutching　his　side。　〃Hasn't　there　been　enough？〃

The　first　man　wiped　blood　from　a　swelling　lip；　studying　Max。　Indicating　Karita　with　a　toss　of　his　head；　he　said；　〃Him　and　his　kind　killed　my　son。　I　don't　care　what　you…〃

〃Look　at　this；〃　Max　said　quietly。　He　displayed　the　RDF　patch　on　his　uniform；　a　diamond　with　curved　sides；　like　a　fighting　kite。　〃You　think　I　don't　understand？　But　listen　t'　me：　He's　out　of　the　war。　Just　like　I　want　to　be　and　you　want　to　be。〃

〃But　we're　never　going　to　have　peace　unless　we　put　the　damn　war　behind　us！　So　drop　it；　all　right？　Or　else；　c'mon：　Let's　finish　this　thing。〃

The　first　man　was　going　to　e　at　him　again；　but　the　other　two　grabbed　his　shoulders　from　either　side。　The　young　one　said；　〃All　right…for　now。〃

Max　supported　Karita　with　his　shoulder；　and　the　three　stepped　aside　to　let　them　pass。　There　was　a　tense　moment　as　the　pilot　and　the　injured　alien　walked　between　the　attackers；　one　of　them　shifted　his　weight；　as　if　reconsidering　his　decision。

But　he　thought　better　of　it　and　held　his　place；　saying；　〃What　about　you；　flyboy？　You're　goin'　out　there　again　to　fight　'em；　aren't　ya？　To　kill　'em　if　ya　can？〃

Max　knew　that　Karita　was　staring　at　him；　but　he　answered。　〃Yeah。　Maybe　I'll　wind　up　killing　somebody　a　lot　like　your　son　tonight。　Or　he'll　wind　up　killing　me。　Who　knows？〃

Max　put　Karita　into　a　cab　and　sent　him　to　the　temporary　quarters　where　the　defectors　were　housed。　He　didn't　have　time　to　go　along；　he　was　late　for　duty　as　it　was。

Waiting　for　another　cab；　Max　gazed　around　at　the　rebuilt　city　of　Macross。　Overhead；　the　Enhanced　Video　Emulation　system　had　created　the　illusion　of　a　Terran　night　sky；　blocking　out　the　view　of　a　distant　alloy　ceiling。

It　had　been　a　long　time　since　Max　or　any　of　the　SDF…1's　other　inhabitants　had　seen　the　real　thing。　He　was　already　defying　the　odds；　having　survived　so　many　bats。　The　EVE　illusion　was　nice；　but　he　hoped　he'd　get　to　see　the　true　sky　and　hills　and　oceans　of　Earth　again　before　his　number　came　up。


Elsewhere　o