05_force_of_arms-第38部分

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nation；　the　fires　and　smoke　and　radiation。

〃The　Grand　Cannon　was　severely　damaged；〃　he　admitted。　〃I　don't　think　it　will　fire　again；　but　we　have　to　try。〃

〃Oh；　Father。〃

He　smiled　weakly。　〃It　seems　you　were　right　all　the　time。　The　Zentraedi　forces　are　much　too　powerful　for　our　weapons　to　handle。　I　should　have　listened　to　you。〃

Another　shock　wave　shook　the　base。　Admiral　Hayes　said；　〃Lisa；　you　have　to　get　out　of　here　now！〃

Get　out？　What　was　he　talking　about？　The　surface　was　a　radioactive　execution　chamber　carpeted　with　molten　glass　for　miles　all　around。　She　was　about　to　tell　him　so；　to　make　her　way　to　him；　to　die　with　him　because　it　was　a　better　place　than　the　one　she　was　in　now；　and　she　knew　she　would　die　this　day。

Before　she　could　speak；　there　was　some　sort　of　eruption　from　the　Grand　Cannon　base　equipment　behind　him；　and　the　screen　broke　up　into　rainbow　distortion；　then　went　dark。

〃No！〃　She　threw　herself　at　the　console；　then　sank　to　the　floor；　wracked　by　sobs；　as　the　wailing　of　the　base's　power　plant　built　and　built　for　a　final；　terrible　outpouring。

〃Father。。。Father。。。〃

As　the　battle　draws　on；　we　feel　stronger；
How　much　longer　must　we　go　now？


Rick　recognized　the　voice　at　once；　even　in　the　daze　he　was　in　from　the　missiles'　pounding。　He　blinked　and　saw　the　Earth　whirling　before　him。　His　flying　sense　told　him　his　ship　was　spinning　and　sprawling　toward　the　ground；　its　thrusters　only　marginally　effective　in　slowing　it。　He　was　inside　a　big；　loose…limbed　fireball　meteor。

Where　am　I？　What　happened？　Then　it　came　back　to　him　in　a　rush。　As　he　gained　a　little　control　over　himself；　his　VT；　taking　its　impulses　from　the　receptors　in　his　helmet；　did　the　same。

Gotta　go　to　F　mode！　The　bucking　and　spinning　of　the　dive　made　it　difficult　reaching　for　the　one　close　control。　He　knew　that　if　the　ship　hadn't　made　minimal　attempts　to　control　the　crash；　he　would　likely　never　have　woken　up。

It　was　the　hardest　thing　he　had　ever　done　in　his　life；　but　he　got　his　hand　to　the　F　lever　and　yanked　it。　Damage　control　systems　in　his　Robotech　ship　made　decisions　and　blew　off　the　armor　and　pods　with　which　it　had　been　retrofitted。　Somehow；　the　burning　ponents　were　jettisoned　too。

The　Battloid　folded；　elongated　here；　shortened　there…mechamorphosed。　And　in　a　moment；　a　sleek；　conventional　VT　rode　the　thickening　air　down　toward　Earth。

Seems　to　be　handling　all　right；　he　thought。　Maybe　I　wasn't　hit　as　bad　as　I　thought。

The　ship　had　automatically　assumed　a　belly…flop　attitude　for　atmospheric　reentry。　The　speed　of　its　descent　reddened　its　ablative　shielding　a　bit；　torching　the　air　around　it。

Oops！　Better　activate　heat　shields！　In　another　moment　a　protective　blister　of　heat…reflective　armor；　bearing　the　Skulls'　Jolly　Roger　insignia；　slid　into　place　over　the　canopy。　Other　vulnerable　ponents　were　similarly　protected。

The　heat　in　the　cockpit　began　dropping　at　once；　and　Rick　tried　to　assess　his　situation。　I'm　still　alive。　That　covered　just　about　all　the　important　stuff　as　far　as　most　pilots　were　concerned。

Minmei　was　still　singing。　He　recalled　those　last　words　he　had　exchanged　with　her　in　his　quarters　as　the　sirens　shrilled　for　a　VT　hot　scramble。

You　can　do　it；　Minmei。　Just　remember：　Today　you　sing　for　everyone。

But　…I　want　you　to　understand；　Rick。　I'm　really　singing　for　you。

And　then　she　had　given　him　a　kiss　that　he　had　felt　to　his　toes；　a　kiss　that　made　him　feel　he　didn't　need　a　VT　in　order　to　fly。

I　love　you；　he　told　her；　l　love　you；　she　said。

But　it　was　really　good…bye；　and　they　had　both　known　it。

He　shook　off　the　recollection；　that　was　the　sort　of　stroll　down　memory　lane　that　got　pilots　killed。　He　was　deep　in　the　atmosphere　now；　his　VT　trimmed；　seeming　to　respond　well。　He　slowed；　bringing　the　wings　out　to　minimal　sweep；　rolling　back　the　heat　shields；　for　a　look　around。　Night　lay　over　the　wasteland；　and　clouds　closed　in　above。

He　tried　to　figure　out　why　the　VT　was　descending　in　the　first　place；　why　it　seemed　to　be　homing　in　on　something。　Then　he　noticed　that　the　mo　system　had　picked　up　a　signal　and　remembered　that　he　had　given　it　a　certain　task。

He　swept　in　lower　over　the　ravaged　surface；　trying　to　get　a　stronger　signal。　The　utter　horror　of　what　had　been　done　to　his　planet　made　him　lock　his　mind　to　the　job　at　hand　and　that　alone。　His　mo　equipment　had　picked　up　emanations　of　some　kind　on　the　designated　frequency。

He　turned　and　banked；　climbed　through　the　smoky　night。　A　minute　of　maneuvering　went　by；　then　two；　and　as　if　by　magic　he　was　rewarded　with　a　signal　that　came　in　five　by　five…perfectly。

〃I　say　again：　This　is　mander　Hayes；　Alaska　Base。　Anyone　receiving　this　transmission；　please　respond。〃

There　was　a　note　of　fear　in　her　voice　that　he　had　never　heard　before。　Something　in　it　brought　home　to　him　forcefully　how　important　she　had　bee　to　him。

Farewell；　Minmei。

He　was　so　eager　to　reply；　to　tell　her　he　was　there；　that　he　fumbled　in　opening　his　transmitter　and　ignored　all　proper　procedure。

〃Lisa！　Lisa；　it's　me！〃

〃Rick？〃　She　said　it　low；　like　a　prayer。　Then；　wildly；　〃Rick；　is　it　really　you？〃

〃Yes！　Are　you　all　right？〃

She　suddenly　sounded　downcast。　〃Yes；　but　I　think　I'm　the　only　one。〃

〃Lisa；　give　me　your　coordinates。　Send　me　a　homing　signal。〃

She　waited　a　beat　before　answering。　〃No；　Rick；　it's　far　too　dangerous　here。　But　thanks。〃

〃Damn　your　eyes！　I've　got　a　fix　on　your　signal；　and　I'm　ing！　Now；　will　you　help　me　or　not？〃　She　didn't　say　no；　but　she　didn't　say　yes。

〃Besides；〃　he　said　jauntily；　〃what's　a　little　danger　to　us？　I'll　get　you　out　of　there　in　no　time。〃　He　wished　he　had　his　long　white　flying　scarf　so　he　could　fling　it　back　over　his　shoulder　rakishly。

Suddenly；　there　was　a　homing　signal。　〃Rick；　I'm　so　glad　it's　you；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　as　intimate　as　a　quiet　serenade。　〃Be　careful；　all　right？〃

Soon　after；　the　VT　dove　straight　down　the　shaft　of　the　onetime　Grand　Cannon。　It　went　from　Fighter　to　Guardian　mode；　battered　by　rising　heat　waves　and　running　a　gauntlet　of　radiation　that　would　have　broiled　an　unprotected　human　being　instantly。

We　shall　live　the　day　we　dream　of　winning
And　beginning　a　new　life
We　will　win！
We　must　win！


She　had　sung　it　through；　taking　longer　because　of　the　scene　played　with　Lynn…Kyle；　and　yet　it　hadn't　been　very　many　minutes　since　Minmei　had　begun　her　song。　Nevertheless；　Khyron　the　Backstabber　knew；　the　universe　and　war　in　particular　turned　upon　such　minutes。

He　stood　in　his　flagship；　well　out　of　the　battle　but　within　striking　distance；　watching　the　fight。　Lack　of　sufficient　Protoculture　to　make　his　escape　from　the　solar　system　had　forced　him　to　e　up　with　a　new　plan；　and　the　plan　seemed　more　promising　every　moment。

Grel；　his　second　in　mand；　watched　Khyron　worriedly。　Khyron　had　shown　no　aversion　to　the　singing；　the　kissing。　His　handsome　face　shone；　his　eyes　alight　with　the　gleam　Grel　had　seen　there　when　Khyron　used　the　forbidden　leaves　of　the　Flower　of　Life。

〃What　is　your　plan　now；　my　lord？〃　Grel　ventured。

Khyron　was　still　watching　Minmei。　〃Mm。　Pretty　little　thing。〃

Grel　couldn't　help　bursting　out；　〃What？〃

Khyron　looked　at　him　coldly。　〃Get　me　the　position　of　Breetai's　flagship。〃　Then　he　was　smiling　up　dreamily