02_battle_cry-第10部分

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nt　there；　and　all　signs　had　pointed　to　her　being　able　to　join　him　soon。　Until　war　had　reached　out　its　long　arm　and　seized　on　the　one　place　humankind　had　yet　to　spill　blood。　Sara　Base　became　a　graveyard　overnight；　almost　a　symbol　of　humankind's　need　to　take　war　with　it　wherever　it　set　foot　in　the　universe。

The　SDF…1　became　her　future　from　that　moment　on。　She　had　thrown　herself　into　the　project　with　a　fever　born　of　forgetting　that　meant　for　rapid　advancement　but　left　little　time　for　personal　growth。　Vanessa　and　Claudia　chided　her　for　her　attachment　to　the　ship；　and　sometimes　she　knew　that　she　did　e　across　as　cold　and　distant。

The　old　sourpuss！

It　was　left　unfinished　between　her　and　Karl；　as　if　emotional　time　had　been　frozen　on　the　night　she　learned　about　Base　Sara's　destruction。

This　planetary　touchdown　then　was　more　than　a　mere　landing　to　her；　it　was　an　emotional　pilgrimage。　Karl　Riber　was　alive　in　her　heart；　moment　to　moment；　to　her　it　meant　that　he　could　really　be　alive；　one　of　a　group　of　survivors　here。　He　had　said　to　her；　We'll　be　together　again　someday；　when　the　Earth　is　at　peace。　Love　was　simply　not　meant　to　perish　in　angry　flames；　love　couldn't　be　extinguished　by　war！

Gloval　was　shouting　her　name；　she　turned　a　confused　face　toward　him；　caught　between　past　and　future　in　a　present　that　was　of　her　own　making。

〃Lisa；　what's　wrong？　Are　you　sure　you're　feeling　all　right？〃

She　posed　herself　and　awaited　his　mand。

〃Send　out　a　Cat's…Eye　recon　unit。　Order　them　to　report　any　anomalies　in　their　findings…any　at　all。〃

Lisa　turned　to　her　task。　Let　him　be　alive；　she　prayed　to　herself。


The　Cat's…Eye　recon　scanned　the　deserted　base　and　radioed　its　findings　to　the　bridge　of　the　SDF…1：　no　sign　of　the　enemy；　no　sign　of　life　of　any　kind。　And　yet；　inexplicably；　data　continued　to　pour　into　the　onboard　puters。　Somehow　one　of　the　Sara　Base　puters　had　gone　online。　Captain　Gloval　was　convinced　of　this　much。　Still；　wary　of　a　possible　enemy　trap；　he　convened　a　special　meeting　with　colonels　Maistroff　and　Caruthers　and　high…ranking　officials　of　Macross　City　to　discuss　the　prospect　of　setting　the　giant　space　fortress　down　on　the　surface　of　Mars。

There　were　two　reasons　for　attempting　such　a　landing；　as　opposed　to　holding　the　fortress　in　low　orbit　and　using　cargo　ships　and　drones　to　ferry　up　the　much　needed　supplies。　The　primary　reason　was　that　a　setdown　would　enable　ground　crews　to　repair　damage　sustained　during　four　months　of　space　warfare。　Most　of　these　repairs　could　not　be　effected　in　deep　space　or　even　in　low　orbit　without　the　constant　threat　of　enemy　sneak　attacks　and　the　overwhelming　logistical　problems　that　extended　extravehicular　activity　would　entail。　The　second　advantage；　although　less　clear…cut；　was　of　greater　concern　to　Gloval　and　Lang　than　to　the　Macross　City　leaders；　for　whom　replenished　supplies　was　reason　enough。　The　fact　was　that　the　SDF…1　had　never　been　landed；　the　closest　it　had　e　was　more　a　controlled　drop　than　an　actual　landing；　months　ago　when　the　antigravity　devices　had　torn　through　the　hull　of　the　ship　and　it　had　fallen　back　to　its　docking　bay　supports　on　Macross　Island。　The　lower　gravity　on　Mars　would　allow　engineering　to　stage　a　dress　rehearsal　of　the　landing　they　would　have　to　perform　once　the　fortress　reached　Earth。

Recalling　that　first　day　of　attack；　Gloval　resisted　an　urge　to　dwell　on　how　defenseless　he　had　felt　with　the　ship　grounded。　There　was　no　assurance　that　this　wouldn't　be　the　case　again；　but　he　had　to　convince　himself　that　the　advantages　outweighed　the　risks。

It　took　two　days　to　bring　the　SDF…1　down。

Astrogation　held　her　in　stationary　orbit　for　what　seemed　an　eternity；　and　then　the　fortress　was　allowed　to　begin　its　slow　nerve…racking　descent　to　the　surface　of　Mars。　Gloval　sat　at　the　helm　wondering　what　surprise　Lang's　half　grasp　on　Robotechnology　might　result　in　this　time；　but　to　his　relief　and　to　the　delight　of　everyone　onboard；　the　SDF…1　was　set　down　without　incident。　After　months　in　space　it　was　difficult　to　believe　they　were　down　on　solid　ground　once　again。　It　made　no　difference　that　this　wasn't　their　homeworld；　after　all；　humankind　had　once　occupied　this　planet；　and　that　was　reason　enough　to　call　it　home　for　the　moment。

Half　of　Macross　City　jammed　itself　onto　the　observation　deck　after　the　all…clear　was　sounded　and　the　ship　had　docked。　At　least　half　that　number　would　have　gladly　disembarked　then　and　there　to　begin　new　lives　for　themselves；　but　there　would　be　no　liberty　for　civilians　at　this　port。

Gloval　continued　to　have　misgivings…he　felt　as　if　he　was　standing　on　solid　ground　with　nothing　beneath　his　feet。　For　this　reason　he　ordered　the　ship　down　at　a　point　several　kilometers　from　Sara　Base。　Destroids　were　then　deployed　to　secure　a　supply　route；　with　squadrons　of　Veritech　fighters　launched　to　provide　cover。　The　Cat's…Eye　recon　plane　continued　its　sweeps　over　the　area；　and　long…range　radar　watched　the　skies。　When　Gloval　was　convinced　that　there　was　no　threat　to　their　position　or　operation；　he　ordered　that　the　ship　be　moved　closer　to　the　base；　employing　the　auxiliary　lifters　and　gravity　control　system；　something　they　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　do　on　Earth。

Now　the　base　plex；　what　remained　of　it；　lay　spread　out　below　the　ship。　From　the　bridge；　the　crew　could　observe　the　destruction　that　had　been　visited　upon　it；　a　grim　reminder　of　the　days　when　humankind　was　at　war　with　itself。　It　was　a　forlorn…looking　place　covered　with　debris　swept　in　by　the　continuous　Martian　winds。

The　supply　routes　secure；　Battloids　began　their　patrol；　gatling　weapons　ready。　A　long　line　of　wheeled　and　treaded　transport　vehicles　now　stretched　from　the　loading　bays　of　the　Daedalus　and　the　Prometheus　to　the　heart　of　Sara。

Lisa　was　waiting　for　the　right　moment；　if　she　didn't　act　quickly；　though；　there　wouldn't　be　another　chance。　Data　from　the　base　was　still　ing　in；　and　Gloval　had　yet　to　organize　a　recon　team　to　investigate　the　source　of　the　transmissions。　Finally　she　gathered　up　enough　nerve　and　turned　to　the　captain。

〃Requesting　your　permission　to　leave　the　ship；　sir；　and　recon　the　interior　of　the　base。〃

The　captain　regarded　her　with　concern。　〃But　Lisa…〃

She　interrupted　him。　〃I'd　like　to　check　out　the　source　of　those　signals；　sir。　There　could　be　survivors　here！〃　Only　when　she　caught　the　look　of　protective　paternalism　in　his　eyes　did　she　break　down。　〃Please；　sir。　It's　important　to　me。〃　She　had　no　idea　whether　Gloval　knew　anything　about　her　past；　but　he　knew　her　as　a　crewmember；　knew　when　she　needed　his　attention。

Claudia　offered　an　unsolicited　assist。　〃I'll　cover　her　duties　here；〃　she　told　the　captain。

Gloval　thought　it　over。　Anyone　who　was　within　500　kilometers　of　the　base　would　have　already　e　running。　But　there　was　something　so　personal　in　her　insistence　that　he　decided　to　allow　her　to　go。

〃But　I　want　you　to　take　two　security　personnel　with　you！〃　he　called　out　as　she　hurried　from　the　bridge。


Lisa　ignored　the　captain's　mand；　after　all；　it　hadn't　been　issued　as　a　direct　order。　She　outfitted　herself　with　helmet　and　environment　suit；　radio；　and　laser　sidearm　and　took　charge　of　a　small　personnel　carrier　from　supply。

Had　she　been　thinking　about　it；　she　might　have　pared　her　short　ride　across　the　Martian　wastes　to　the　driving　training　she'd　undergone　on　the　moon　years　ago；　but　her　thoughts　were　elsewhere。　She　had　to　find　Karl　and　renew　their　life　together　or　discover　for　herself　that　he　was　dead。

The　base　had　the　familiar　look　and　feel　of　the　countless　war…torn　cities　she'd　experienced　on　Earth…not　voluntarily　abandoned　but　simply　cut　down　in　its　prime。　All　life　had　been　sucked　from　the　place　in　an　instant；　and　that　sort　of　ending　always　left　ghosts　lingering　about。　She　could　sense　their　presence　all　around　her；　almost　as　if　they　were　still　confused　by　what　had　occurred　here　and　were　now　demanding　an　explanation　from　this　stranger　who　was　visiting　their　resting　place。　Yes；　it　was　like　those　ravaged　cities　but　more　so：　The　howling　of　the　winds　was　louder　and　angrier；　the　soil　appeared　more　blood…stained；　and　there　was　never　a　blue　sky　here。

She　used　the　homing　device　to　direct　her　to　the　source　of　the　transmissions　received　by　the　SDF…1。　They　emanated　from　a　large　building；　central　to　the　plex；　that　had　served　as　the　munications　center。　She　entered　this　through　the　blown　front　hatchway　and　made　her　way　through　deserted　halls　to　the　puter　room；　the　sound　of　her　own　breathing　heavy　in　her　ears。　Everywhere　she　looked　there　was　evidence　of　the　disaster。　The　scientists　who　were　stationed　here　must　have　had　some　sort　of　warning；　though；　because　there　were　no　bodies　lying　about…how　she　had　feared　that！…just　general　disarray；　as　if　there　had　been　a　last…minute　effort　to　collect　what　they　could　and　leave　this　place　before　the　sky　fell。

At　last　she　reached　puter　control。　She　stood　motionless　in　the　doorway　and　peered　into　the　deserted　room：　chairs　tipped　over；　papers　strewn　about；　a　carpet　of　glass　shards　from　blown　monitor　screens　wall…to…wall。　But　at　the　far　end　of　the　room　there　were　flashing　console　lights；　greens　and　reds；　and　an　on…line　puter　frantically　emptying　its　memory　banks　across　a　monitor　screen　no　eyes　were　meant　to　read；　like　an　infant　left　crying　in　a　crib。　Lisa　walked　over　to　the　machine　and　shut　it　down。　She　turned　and　took　another　look　around　the　room；　puzzling　over　its　emptiness。

So　there　was　no　half…starved　band　of　survivors　huddled　in　one　sealed　room　using　the　puter　as　shipwrecked　sailors　would　a　signal　fire。　Just　a　machine　that　had　somehow　activated　itself。

The　way　memories　did。


Hidden　in　a　deep　chasm　fifteen　kilometers　from　Sara　Base；　Khyron　and　his　attack　force　of　200　Battlepods　waited。　The　Backstabber　himself　occupied　his　Officer's　Pod；　a　mecha　different　from　the　rest；　with　lasers　protruding　like　whiskers　from　its　elongated　snout　and　two　arms　that　were　deadly　cannons。　He　ingested　the　dried　and　intoxicating　leaves　of　the　Invid　Flower　while　monitoring　reports　from　his　squad　leaders　who　were　holding　at　other　points　along　the　perimeter。

A　Micronian　recon　ship　had　already　overflown　the　canyon　and　failed　to　detect　the　presence　of　his　troops。　The　abandoned　base　was　surrounded；　the　gravity　mines　were　in　place；　and　the　fortress　had　set　down　just　where　he　h