05_force_of_arms- 第7节

The　shuttle　pilot　had　kept　her　abreast　of　the　battle　and　she　felt　a　bit　limp　with　relief。　It　was　so　vital　that　she　get　to　Earth；　that　she　speak　for　peace…long　ago　she　had　resigned　herself　to　the　likelihood　that　she　would　die　in　war；　but　to　have　died　at　that　moment　was　a　tragedy　too　vast　to　contemplate。

〃mander　Hayes；〃　the　pilot's　voice　came　over　the　inter。　〃We　have　a　mo　call　for　you　from　Lieutenant　Hunter；　who's　now　flying　escort　for　us。　I've　patched　it　through。〃

So　Rick　was　the　one　who　had　ridden　to　the　rescue　in　the　armored　VT；　she　had　hoped　it　was　and　yet　had　feared　for　his　life　all　through　the　fight。　She　picked　up　the　handset。

Armored　panels　were　sliding　back　from　all　the　viewports。　She　was　looking　out　at　the　humpbacked　new…generation　Veritech。　〃Lisa；　are　you　all　right？〃　she　heard　him　say。

〃Yes。　Because　you　came　to　help。〃　She　saw　him　through　the　VT's　canopy；　looking　at　her　worriedly。

I　was　never　cut　out　for　emotional　drama；　she　thought。　I　should　have　known　I　couldn't　get　away　with　a　rehearsed　exit　speech。

〃No　problem；〃　he　was　saying。　〃Now；　what's　all　this　about　you　not　ing　back？〃

〃There　are　reasons；　Rick。〃

〃Even　though　your　father's　on　the　UEDC？〃

〃Especially　because　of　that。　Besides；　they　aren't　going　to　like　what　I'm　going　to　tell　them。〃

There　was　a　choppy　sensation　as　the　shuttle　entered　the　Earth's　atmosphere。　He　fumbled　for　something　appropriate　to　say；　knowing　he　had　to　turn　back　in　seconds。　〃I　hope　you'll　be　safe〃　was　all　he　could　e　up　with。

〃Thanks。　I'm　sure　I'll　be　fine。〃

〃Um。〃　He　knew　the　call　was　patched　through　the　shuttle's　　system；　accessible　to　the　pilots…presuming　they　weren't　busy　with　their　atmospheric　entry　maneuver。　There's　something　else…sorta　private。　Here；　look。〃

He　had　fallen　back；　out　of　the　pilots'　line　of　vision；　up　close　to　the　shuttle。　She　could　see　him　clearly；　watching　her。　She　was　confused。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Prosigns。〃　He　began　flashing　his　VT's　running　lights　in　prosigns…brief　dot…dash　binations　that　represented　whole　words；　for　quick　manual　Morse　code　munications。　Lisa　was　a　little　rusty　but　found　that　she　could　read　it。

LIKE　YOU　MUCH。　PLAIN　SOMETIMES　BUT　BELIEVE　IN　YOU。　MISS　YOU　MUCH　IF　YOU　DON'T　RETURN。　PLEASE　RETURN　SOONEST。

He　could　read　her　lips；　so　close　were　VT　and　shuttle。

I'll　try。　So　long；　Rick。

He　threw　her　a　salute…a　joke　between　them；　given　his　lack　of　military　discipline　when　they　had　first　met　and　clashed。

The　armored　VT　peeled　off　and　vectored　for　the　SDF…1；　the　blue　vortices　of　its　thrusters　shrinking　to　match　flames；　then　disappearing。　The　shuttle　jostled　more　as　it　hit　the　denser　atmosphere。


CHAPTER　FOUR

I　have　familiarized　myself　with　the　enemy's　culture；　to　better　carry　out　my　espionage　mission。　What　a　repulsive；　contemptible　thing　it　is！
All　seems　to　revolve　around　their　grueseome；　sadistic　method　of　reproduction；　and　it　obsesses　them　constantly。　The　humans…Micronians…even　make　up　false　legends　about　it！　They　immerse　themselves　in　stories　where　males　and　females　poison　one　another　or　stab　themselves　or　simply　expire　from　some　unexplained　thing　called　〃pining　away。〃　Or　else　the　imaginary　couples　go　off　together　and　spend　all　their　time　in　revolting；　pointless　intimacies。
Our　enemies　languish　in　these　falsehoods　the　way　we　might　enjoy　a　hot　soak　at　the　end　of　a　long　campaign。
What　perversion！　Truly；　this　is　a　species　that　must　be　exterminated！
Miriya　Parino；　from　her　interim　notes　for　an　Intel　report　to　the　Zentraedi　High　mand

She　was　striking　enough　to　draw　stares　even　in　the　crowded　Macross　plaza；　where　people　were　usually　in　a　hurry　and　some　of　the　more　attractive　women　in　the　dimensional　fortress　were　to　be　seen。

Boots　clicking　on　the　swirling　mosaics　of　the　plaza；　the　green…dyed　hair　flowing　with　the　speed　of　her　walk　and　the　light　air　currents　of　the　ship's　circulation　blowers；　she　looked　neither　right　nor　left。　People　made　way　for　her；　she　was　barely　aware　of　their　existence；　even　that　of　the　men　who　looked　at　her　so　admiringly。

Miriya；　greatest　bat　pilot　of　her　race；　exulted　a　bit。　I've　finally　discovered　one　of　the　reasons　these　Micronians　have　developed　such　amazing　skill　in　handling　their　mecha！　It　wasn't　the　reason　she　had　e　to　the　SDF…1　as　a　spy；　but　it　was　a　step　in　understanding　her　quarry；　and　that　was　elating。　The　intelligence　data　would　also　be　of　interest　to　the　Zentraedi　High　mand；　another　coup　to　her　credit。

Not　that　Miriya　needed　one。　As　a　demigoddess　of　battle；　she　was　without　equal；　her　kills　and　victories　far　outnumbering　her　nearest　rival's。　She　had　lost　only　once　in　her　life；　and　had　submitted　to　micronization　and　e　to　the　SDF…1　to　make　amends　for　that。

Miriya　left　the　street　and　its　EVE　noonday；　entering　the　dark　and　blinking　world　she　had　only　recently　discovered。　All　through　the　media…game　arcade；　people　stood　or　sat　hunched　toward　the　glowing　screens；　playing　against　the　machines。

The　screen…lit　faces　of　the　players　were　so　intent；　their　movements　so　deft　and　quick…what　could　account　for　it　other　than　military　indoctrination　and　the　hunger　for　bat？　What　other　motive　could　there　be　for　the　Micronians'　relentless　practice？　They　were　so　highly　motivated　that　they　even　subsidized　their　own　training；　feeding　money　into　the　machines。

The　young　ones　were　the　best　and　most　diligent；　of　course。　By　the　time　they　reach　maturity；　they　wild　be　superb　warriors！　she　thought。　This；　even　though　the　very　concept　of　human　reproduction；　the　parents…child…adult　cycle；　made　her　feel　queasy　and　dizzy。　The　discovery　of　that　vileness；　as　she　thought　of　it；　had　rendered　her　inert　and　dazed　when　she　first　stumbled　on　the　truth　of　it。　But　in　time；　bravely；　she　had　shaken　off　the　horror　of　human　reproduction　and　resumed　her　search。

Miriya　came　to　the　most　significant　machine；　though　they　were　all　cunning　and　instructive。　She　vaulted　into　the　little　cockpit；　inserting　a　coin　in　the　slot。　One　hand　went　to　the　stick；　the　other　to　the　throttle；　as　she　watched　the　screen。　Her　feet　settled　on　the　foot　pedals。

Her　finger　hovered　near　the　weapons　trigger　as　she　waited　for　the　game　to　begin。　Miriya　looked　around　quickly　to　see　if　her　nemesis　was　there。

She　couldn't　spy　anyone　who　might　be　that　greatest　of　Micronian　pilots　and　therefore　assumed　he　wasn't　present。　Surely　a　pilot　who　was　good　enough　to　have　defeated　Miriya　Parino；　the　indisputable　champion　of　the　Zentraedi；　would　draw　great　attention　and　recognition。

She　would　know　him　when　he　came　or　when　someone　mentioned　him。　She　would　find　him　eventually。

And　then　she　would　kill　him。


The　face　in　the　family　portrait　was　pale；　thin…but　open　and　kind；　the　mother's　features　very　much　like　the　daughter's。　Admiral　Hayes　glanced　down　at　the　framed　photo；　not　realizing　that　many　minutes　had　gone　by　while　he　sat；　thinking　and　remembering。

He　was　looking　at　himself；　years　ago；　only　a　lieutenant　mander　then。　Next　to　him　in　the　photo　was　his　wife；　and　in　front　of　them　a　shy…looking　little　girl　wearing　a　sun　hat　and　sun　dress　with　a　Band…Aid　on　one　knee。

Whenever　I　look　at　this　picture；　I　wish　Andrea　were　still　here　to　see　how　her　little　girl　turned　out…to　see　what　an　extraordinary　soldier　Lisa's　made　of　herself。

A　tone　from　his　desk　terminal　broke　his　contemplation。　〃Pardon　me　for　interrupting；　sir；〃　an　aide　said。　〃But　you　left　word　that　you　be　informed　when　the　shuttle　made　final　approach。〃

Hayes　shook　himself；　there　had　been　that　last；　terrible　fear　when　the　shuttle　was　attacked　and　not　even　he　could　countermand　UEDC　orders　and　send　help。　More　to　the　point；　there　was　no　help　that　Earth　could　send　that　would　be　of　any　use；　the　SDF…1　and　its　Veritechs；　were　the　only　effective　weapons　against　Zentraedi　pods。　Hayes　could　only　wait　and　hope。

When　the　shuttle　survived　its　gauntlet；　he　had　nearly　collapsed　into　his　chair；　staring　at　the　photograph　of　the　past。　There　was　so　much　to　heal　between　himself　and　his　daughter；　so　much　to　put　behind　them。

Now；　he　looked　to　the　aide's　image　on　his　display　screen。　〃Thank　you。〃

〃The　craft　should　be　landing　very　shortly。　Shall　I　meet　you　at　the　elevators；　sir？〃

Hayes　pressed　against　his　big；　solid　oak　desk　with　both　hands；　pushing　himself　to　his　feet。　〃Yes；　that　would　be　fine。〃

Th