05_force_of_arms-第47部分

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　fresh　as　if　it　had　happened　that　afternoon。

The　secret　that　glowed　in　him　like　a　reflex　furnace；　the　one　Kyle　would　never　be　able　to　bring　himself　to　admit　to　her　or　even　put　into　words　to　himself；　was　that　he　had　exulted　in　that　moment　even　as　he　had　been　repulsed　by　it。

He　had　loved　it！　He　had　been　taken　by　the　drama　pletely；　swept　up　in　the　battle。　He　had　cast　aside　every　conviction　he　ever　had　and　gloried　in　what　was　happening。　He　had　hoped　with　all　his　soul　for　human　victory。

His　father　had　been　a　soldier；　both　family　restaurants　had　catered　to　the　military　trade。　Lynn…Kyle　scorned　all　of　that；　scorned　military　and　government　and　authority　in　every　form。　And　yet　when　it　had　e　down　to　a　question　of　seeing　his　planet　and　people　die；　he　had　been　out　there　rooting　for　the　home　team；　as　red　of　fang　and　claw；　as　contemptible；　as　any　of　them。

He　had　never　lost　a　fight　since　his　father　had　pummeled　and　shamed　him　into　learning　the　martial　arts。　Indeed；　he'd　bee　a　very　genius　of　unarmed　bat。　But　this　contest　with　himself　was　one　he　felt　fated　to　lose。　As　he　hated　himself；　so　he　had　e　to　make　Minmei　hate　him。

He　had　seen　that　the　military；　with　the　SDF…1　and　Macross　as　a　power　base　and　Breetai　and　his　Zentraedi　as　allies；　was　destined　to　be　the　force　that　reunited　the　planet。　Nevertheless；　he　resisted　it　every　inch　of　the　way；　going　deeper　and　deeper　into　despair　as　the　vast　egalitarian　movement　he　had　envisioned　dwindled　away　to　a　few　pitiful　holdouts。

So　if　this　was　going　to　be　the　argument　that　had　been　building　between　Minmei　and　Kyle　for　so　long；　let　it　be　so。　He　turned　his　face　to　an　ugly　mask　with　an　elaborate　sneer。　〃You're　breaking　my　heart。〃　He　swallowed　the　last　of　the　brandy。

You're　breaking　my　heart。


Twenty　yards　away；　behind　a　broken　piece　of　cornice　at　the　top　of　a　rise；　Rick　Hunter　squatted　with　his　back　against　cold　stone　and　listened　to　Minmei　and　Kyle。

He　sat　still　as　a　rock　or　one　of　the　pieces　of　dead　mecha　that　now　littered　the　world。


〃Must　you　keep　drinking？〃　Minmei　said。　〃It's　getting　out　of　hand！〃

Kyle　upended　the　bottle　and　let　the　last　few　droplets　fall　on　soil　that　hadn't　tasted　moisture　in　two　years。　Then　he　tossed　it　high；　launched　himself　through　the　air　in　a　reverse　spin　kick；　a　ki…yi　yell　ing　from　deep　within　him；　turning　twice；　and　popped　the　little　brandy　bottle　out　of　existence　like　a　trap　shooter。

Pieces　of　dark　glass　landed　at　Minmei's　feet。　She　watched　Kyle　steadily。　〃Did　that　make　you　feel　any　better　about　yourself？〃

How　can　she　wound　me　so　easily　with　just　a　word　or　two？　he　wondered　in　confusion。

His　mood　swung　again；　and　there　was　an　endless　affection　in　him　for　her。　She　was；　after　all；　the　sum　of　his　life。　All　he　had　ever　really　acplished；　Lynn…Kyle　saw　now；　was　getting　Minmei　to　love　him。

But　Minmei's　mood　was　riding　a　different　swing。　〃Whatever　you　think　of　the　RDF；　there　are　a　lot　of　fine　men　and　women　in　it；〃　she　said　levelly。　〃Much　better　people　than　you　are　right　now。〃

A　moment　that　might　have　been　a　reconciliation　and　a　new　start　was　gone　forever。　Kyle　ran　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　mouth　again。　Al！　right；　we　might　as　well　have　it　all　out。

〃What's　that　crack　supposed　to　mean？〃

Minmei　was　actually　shaking　a　fist　at　him。　〃It　means　they're　trying　to　rebuild　Earth；　while　all　you　can　do　is　drink　and　feel　sorry　for　yourself！〃

〃Is　that　so？　Well；　I've　done　a　pretty　good　job　of　takin'　care　of　your　career；　little　Miss　Superstar！〃

She　had　been　loud　a　moment　before；　her　voice　was　quiet　now。　〃Maybe　we'd　better　split　up　then；　Kyle。　So　you　can　look　after　your　own　career。〃　She　gathered　her　pink　jacket　around　her。

She　had　been　hurt　until　her　endurance　was　all　gone；　and　now　she　only　wanted　to　hurt　in　retaliation。　〃I　didn't　realize　I　owed　it　all　to　you；　Kyle。〃

He　had　his　hands　out　in　fending…off　gestures。　〃Wait；　wait。　I　didn't　mean…didn't　mean　I　wanted　to　split　up　our　partnership。〃　〃Partnership〃　was　a　weak　word　for　what　they'd　had；　but　somehow　the　vocabulary　of　love　was　steamrollered　by　the　vocabulary　of　argument。　He　felt　something　slipping　away　even　as　he　made　the　choice　of　words。

She　drew　a　long；　deep　breath；　looking　him　in　the　eye。　〃Maybe　not；　but　it's　what　I　meant。〃

The　pass　of　Lynn…Kyle's　emotions　swung　a　last　time；　and　his　mouth　resolved　into　a　straight；　thin　line。　〃Okay；　go！　Who　needs　you？〃　He　kicked　the　empty　carton　high　into　the　air。


Rick　Hunter　didn't　know　exactly　what　to　feel。　The　fact　that　Kyle　had　alienated　Minmei　might　have　been　enjoyable　from　a　distance；　but　it　was　harrowing　to　see　at　close　range。

And　then　there　was　the　whole　question　of　going　out　and　intervening。　Rick　had　no　illusions　about　being　able　to　take　the　tall；　cobra…fast　martial…arts　expert　hand　to　hand；　and　he　had　forgotten　to　bring　along　the　survival　pistol　from　his　VT's　ejection　pack。

Suddenly　the　rover　radio　buzzed　in　its　thigh　pouch。　〃mander　Hunter；　e　in　please！〃　It　was　Vanessa's　voice；　sending　from　the　rusting；　soggy…footed　SDF…1。

He　had　turned　the　volume　down　low　when　he　came　out　to　the　edge　of　the　wastelands；　following　leads　to　find　Minmei。　Now　he　held　the　rover　up　to　his　ear。　Minmei　and　Kyle　didn't　seem　to　have　heard　a　thing。

He　thumbed　the　transmit　switch。　〃I'm　here。〃

〃Sir；　you're　directed　to　lead　your　flight　to　New　Portland。　A　residential　district　is　under　attack　by　several　Zentraedi　malcontents。〃

〃Malcontents。〃　That　was　what　the　new　world　government　was　calling　them　so　far。　But　those　who　had　sworn　the　Zentraedi　warrior　oath　and　turned　their　back　on　human　society　were　a　lot　more　than　malcontents。　They　had　only　to　walk　out　into　the　wasteland　and　keep　going；　find　the　right　wrecked　ship。　If　they　were　lucky；　they　would　find　arms；　mecha；　rations；　water；　and　shelter。

Rick　poised　for　a　moment　in　a　pain　so　precise　that　it　defied　any　random　theory　of　the　universe。　Most　of　what　he　had　e　to　believe　in　impelled　him　to　get　to　New　Portland　with　all　possible　speed。

Everything　else　told　him　to　stay　there；　because　this　was　the　moment　he　could　win　Minmei　back。

But　he　thumbed　the　rover's　transmit　button　again。　〃What　weapons？〃

〃Three　battlesuits　and　four　pods；　a　total　of　seven；〃　Vanessa's　voice　came　back。　That　wasn't　exactly　several；　the　way　Rick　saw　it；　but　he　had　to　admit　that　things　probably　looked　a　little　different　from　a　worldwide　coordinating　nerve　center　like　the　SDF…1。

These　were　Zentraedi　who　had　defected　to　the　human　side　in　the　Robotech　War。　They　were　onetime　allies。　He　held　the　rover's　voice　pickup　close　and　said　softly；　〃It'll　be　taken　care　of。　What's　the　status　on　Skull　flight？　Over。〃

〃They　are　curtailing　their　current　sweep　and　will　rendezvous　with　you　in　New　Portland。　Out。〃

He　shut　off　the　rover　before　the　sound　of　static　could　betray　him。　He　raced　off　toward　his　ship。　It　was　a　kind　of　liberation　to　have　some　crisis　so　pressing　that　he　could　forget　about　Minmei　for　a　while。　He　left　the　two　Lynns　to　their　own　devices；　and　somehow　he　couldn't　help　wishing　them　the　worst。

As　his　VT　took　off　in　Guardian　mode；　Rick　saw　the　tiny；　distant　figure　of　Kyle　go　down　on　both　knees　before　Minmei。　She　turned　and　opened　her　arms；　cradling　his　head　to　her　breast。　Rick　hit　the　throttle；　and　his　VT　left　a　trail　of