05_force_of_arms-第26部分

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edi　ship；　no　fixing　it。　Intelligence　reports　had　already　indicated　what　Exedore　saw　evidence　of　all　around　him：　The　Micronians　knew　how　to　rebuild…perhaps　how　to　create。　It　was　an　awesome　advantage；　a　critical　part　of　the　war's　equation。

Very　few　Micronians　were　in　uniform；　none　of　them　appeared　to　be　under　close　supervision。

〃Why；　this　is　our　shopping　district；〃　Maistroff　explained　when　Exedore　asked。

〃Ah；　yes！　I　believe　this　is　where　you　use　something　called　money　to　requisition　goods。〃

Maistroff　scratched　his　neck　a　bit。　〃Um。　That's　not　too　far　off；　Minister。〃

They　cruised　along　a　broad　boulevard；　and　Exedore　suddenly　broke　out　into　a　cold　sweat　and　began　to　shudder。　Maistroff　sat　up　straight；　wondering　if　something　about　the　ship's　life　support　was　inpatible；　but　that　was　impossible。

Then　he　saw　that　Exedore；　teeth　clenched；　was　staring　up　at　a　billboard。　The　billboard　advertised　the　Velvet　Suntan　Clinics；　with　a　photo　of　the　languorous　Miss　Velvet；　a　voluptuous；　browned；　barely　clad；　supremely　athletic　looking　young　woman　whose　poster　popularity　in　Macross　City　was　second　only　to　Minmei's。

〃Ee；　er；　oh；　th…that　picture　on　the　building　over　there；〃　Exedore　got　out　at　last；　looking　like　he　was　having　a　malaria　attack。　〃Would　you　mind　explaining　it？〃　He　forced　his　gaze　to　the　floor　of　the　staff　car。

Maistroff　reached　up　to　the　back　of　his　cap　and　tilted　the　visor　down　over　his　eyes　to　keep　good　form　with　the　minister；　coughing　into　his　other　hand。　〃Well；　actually；　it's　a　little　hard　to　explain。〃

Exedore　crossed　his　skinny　arms　on　his　narrow　chest　and　nodded　wisely。　〃Aha！　A　military　secret；　no　doubt！　Very　clever！　Indeed！〃

Maistroff　didn't　even　want　to　think　about　what　damage　he　might　have　done　to　interspecies　relations…didn't　want　to　plicate　things。

He　tilted　his　visor　farther　down。　〃Right；　that's　it。　Classified。〃

The　motorcade　raced　for　the　conference　room。


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

RUSSO：　What　are　they　doing　up　there；　Alexei？　Don't　those　RDF　pantywaists　of　yours　even　know　how　to　fight？
ZUKAV：　I　believe　that　what　we　should　worry　about；　Senator；　is　that　they　and　the　aliens　are　teaching　each　other　how　not　to。
Exchange　believed　to　have　taken　place　between　Senator　Russo　and　Marshal　Zukav　of　the　UEDC

The　SDF…1　and　the　flagship　faced　each　other；　unmoving　across　a　narrow　gap　of　space；　almost　eyeball　to　eyeball。

Gloval　left　instructions　with　Claudia　that　she　open　fire　with　the　main　gun　if　there　was　any　hostile　action　at　all。　A　few　minutes　later　he　sat　at　a　judicial　bench　in　the　ship's　biggest　hearing　chamber　with　Colonel　Maistroff　on　his　right；　an　intelligence　major　to　the　left；　zing　down　at　Exedore。　Except　for　a　few　functionaries；　the　place　was　empty。

The　misshapen　little　fellow　fell　far　short　of　Gloval's　mental　image　of　a　ravaging　alien　warmonger；　the　captain　had　to　admit　to　himself。　If　anything；　he　seemed　rather。。。prissy。

〃At　last　we　meet　face　to　face；　Captain；〃　the　alien　said　in　a　not…uncordial　voice；　glancing　at　him　from　the　distant　witness　stand。

〃Yes；〃　Gloval　allowed。

An　attractive　young　female　ensign　brought　a　tray　and　put　a　glass　of　orange　juice　where　Exedore　could　reach　it。　Gloval　and　the　others　watched　Exedore's　reaction　to　the　woman　closely；　but　apparently　he　had　gotten　his　responses　under　control　as　he　merely　nodded　his　head　in　gratitude。

Exedore　raised　the　glass　and　took　a　cautious　sip。　The　flavor　was　delightful；　but　the　beverage　had　a　certain　savor；　something　he　couldn't　define。　It　was　something　dizzying；　almost　electric。

〃Mmm。　This　is　very　refreshing。〃　He　looked　up　at　her。　〃What　is　it？〃

She　checked　with　Gloval　by　eye　to　make　sure　that　it　was　all　right　to　answer。　Gloval　gave　the　barest　nod；　which　Exedore　in　turn　caught。　〃It's　orange　juice；　sir。　From　our　own　hydroponics　orchards。〃

Exedore　didn't　quite　understand　for　a　moment。　When　he　spoke；　he　tried　to　keep　the　tremor　from　his　voice。　〃You　mean；　you　grow　it？〃

She　looked　a　little　confused。　〃We　grow　the　fruit　the　juice　es　from。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　just　so。　That　is　what　I　meant。〃　He　downed　the　rest　of　the　orange　juice　to　hide　his　amazement。

These　creatures　consumed　food　that　had　been　alive！　Who　knew；　perhaps　they　consumed　things　that　still　were　alive！　He　shuddered　and　reminded　himself　that　this　was　only　the　juice　of　a　plant；　but　his　self…control　was　tested　thoroughly。

Here　was　something　those　three　imbecile　spies　hadn't　mentioned；　or　had　perhaps　omitted　from　their　reports　on　purpose；　or　had　even　failed　to　realize。　Zentraedi　food；　of　course；　was　synthesized　from　its　chemical　constituents；　that　was　as　it　had　always　been；　by　the　decree　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　To　eat　living　or　once…living　food　was　to　risk　the　consumption　of　rudimentary　energies　somewhat　related　to　Protoculture。

Exedore　finished　the　glass　so　as　to　give　no　hint　of　what　he　was　thinking…fearing。　It　crossed　his　mind　that　perhaps　these　men　were　testing　him。　If　so；　he　would　reveal　nothing。

〃That　was　very　refreshing；〃　he　enthused。

The　ensign　gave　him　a　bright　smile。　〃Here；　have　another。〃　She　picked　up　the　empty　and　gave　him　a　full　one　from　her　tray。

〃If　you　insist；〃　he　said　lightly。

Gloval　was　rubbing　his　dark　mustache。　To　Maistroff；　he　said；　〃I　think　we're　missing　some　people；　aren't　we？〃

〃Some。〃　The　colonel　nodded。　〃But　they　should　be　arriving　any　minute　now。　In　fact；　this　may　be　them。〃

He　was　indicating　the　door　signal。　Max　and　Miriya　entered；　both　in　RDF　uniform。　Max　snapped　off　a　sharp　salute。　〃Sir。　Reporting　as　ordered。〃

Exedore　was　on　his　feet；　the　drink　put　aside。　〃Ah！　Hello；　Quadrono　Leader！〃

She　gasped　as　she　turned　to　him　and　saluted　by　reflex。　〃I'm　sorry；　sir；　I　didn't　realize　you　were　the　emissary。〃

He　shrugged　to　say　it　was　unimportant。　〃I　found　your　pairing　ritual…marriage？…quite。。。provocative。〃

She　didn't　know　what　to　say。　〃You　are　probably　wondering　why　we　did　it。〃

〃Yes；　just　as　you're　no　doubt　wondering　what　1　am　doing　here。　And　this　must　be　the　male　half　of　your　pair。〃

Suddenly　Miriya　looked　young　and　a　little　forlorn；　standing　before　the　great　genius　of　her　race；　the　Eldest；　the　repository　of　all　Zentraedi　lore。　〃Ah；　that's　right；　sir。〃

〃Gee；　y'　don't　sound　too　thrilled　about　it；〃　Max　murmured。　He　almost　gave　in　to　his　impulse　to　take　her　in　his　arms　and　kiss　her；　top　brass　or　no；　and　remind　her　emphatically　of　what　their　pairing　really　meant。

But　just　then　Rick　Hunter　reported　as　ordered；　saluting。　Then　he　spied　Max；　who　was　in　a　bit　of　a　snit。　〃Hey；　you　don't　look　so　good；〃　Rick　confided。

Exedore　was　still　on　his　feet。　Now；　he　pointed　at　Rick　and　Max；　yelling；　〃That's　it！〃　He　clucked　to　himself。　〃The　micronization　process　must　have　affected　my　memory！　You're　two　of　the　hostages　from　Dolza's　flagship；　aren't　you？〃

〃Does　somebody　want　to　tell　me　what's　going　on　here？〃　Rick　asked　slowly。

〃This　time　the　circumstances　are　a　bit　different；〃　Exedore　rattled　on　excitedly。　〃But　tell　me：　How　did　you　and　the　others　manage　to　escape？　Was　it　some　hidden　Micronian　power？〃

What　had　really　happened　was　that　Max　had　e　aboard　in　a　Battloid　disguised　in　a　Zentraedi　uniform；　but　Rick　wasn't　sure　he　should　let　that　particular　cat　out　of　the　bag。　He　didn't　see　Gloval　or　the　others　giving　him　any　h