02_battle_cry-第12部分

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。　The　fortress　rocked　and　vibrated　to　the　staccato　beat　of　battle。　The　Martian　landscape　had　bee　an　inferno。

〃The　sixth　and　eighth　Spartan　divisions　have　been　wiped　out；　Captain；〃　Claudia　reported。　〃Veritech　squadrons　are　sustaining　heavy　casualties。〃

Gloval　paced　the　deck；　fingers　of　one　hand　tugging　at　his　thick　mustache。　〃There　must　be　a　way　out　of　this。。。〃　He　turned　to　Vanessa。　〃Put　the　seismic　schematic　on　the　screen　again。〃

Gloval　studied　the　puter　graphic　display　as　it　came　up。　The　source　of　the　induced　gravitation　that　held　the　ship　captive　was　located　some　three　kilometers　beneath　the　surface。　Gloval　now　had　Kim　project　a　schematic　of　the　underground　power　center　that　fueled　Sara　Base。　He　stepped　back　to　take　in　both　screens；　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest；　and　nodded。

〃It's　just　as　I　thought。　There　is　a　reflex　furnace　beneath　Sara。〃　Reflex　power　was　one　of　Robotechnology's　first　by…products…back　in　more　peaceful　times。　〃If　we　were　to　overload　it；　the　explosion　that　would　result　might　take　out　the　enemy's　gravity　mines　as　well。〃

Gloval　instructed　Vanessa　to　run　a　puter　simulation　based　on　the　available　data。　Then　he　turned　to　Claudia：　〃Contact　Lisa；　immediately。〃


Lisa　was　trying　to　figure　a　way　out　of　Sara　Base　when　Gloval's　call　came　through。　With　what　she　recalled　from　her　engineering　courses　and　the　technical　assists　the　SDF…1　onboard　puters　would　provide；　there　was　a　good　chance　that　she'd　be　able　to　shut　down　the　reflex　furnace　as　Gloval　requested。　He　instructed　her　to　keep　her　radio　tuned　in　to　the　bridge　frequency　so　that　they　could　monitor　her　location　and　position。

The　first　step　would　be　to　get　herself　safely　from　the　munications　center　to　the　main　power　station；　which　meant　an　unescorted　trip　through　the　thick　of　the　fighting。　There　was　one　other　option；　though；　and　it　would　require　her　to　be　out　in　the　open　only　for　a　short　time。　The　power　center　was　linked　to　the　barracks　building　through　a　system　of　underground　tunnels　and　access　corridors。　And　the　barracks　was　just　a　short　hop　through　hell。

Lisa　poised　herself　on　the　threshold　of　the　munication　building's　blown　hatch。　Ground…shaking　explosions　were　going　off　all　around　her。　Alien　pods；　hopping　nimbly　through　the　devastation；　were　leveling　everything　in　sight。　Hundreds　of　missiles　Corkscrewed　overhead；　converging　on　what　was　left　of　the　supply　line　and　the　fortress　itself。　Lisa's　dream　was　finished；　and　Sara　Base　was　finished　with　it。　She　pushed　herself　from　the　front　entry　like　a　parachutist　leaving　an　old…style　aircraft　and　flung　herself　into　the　firestorm。　She　ran　a　slalom　course；　jagging　left　and　right　through　fields　of　fire；　and　made　it　to　the　safety　of　the　barracks　just　short　of　a　violent　blast　that　took　out　the　area　she'd　left　behind。　The　concussion　threw　her　off　her　feet；　but　she　was　unhurt。

Inside；　she　accessed　information　from　the　SDF…1　to　locate　the　main　shaft　elevators。　There　was　auxiliary　power　here；　so　she　would　be　able　to　ride　down　to　the　underground　room。

The　descent　was　a　long　one。　It　felt　as　though　she　were　traveling　into　the　very　bowels　of　the　fiery　planet。　Each　level　lessened　the　effects　of　the　overhead　bombardment　until　the　world　seemed　silent　once　again。

Stepping　out　at　Sublevel　Fifteen；　she　made　her　way　to　the　control　room。　There　was　an　unmon；　low…level　vibration　down　here；　and　she　was　forced　to　move　with　more　exertion；　almost　as　though　she'd　been　returned　to　Earth　gravity。　She　reasoned　that　the　enemy　gravity　mines　were　responsible　for　this。

It　took　Lisa　several　minutes　to　locate　the　furnace　controls；　a　confusing　array　of　switches；　dials；　and　meters；　antiquated　and　needlessly　plex。　There　were　redundant　systems　and　far　too　many　mand　switches　and　manually　operated　crossovers。　But　instructions　from　the　onboard　puter　simplified　her　task。　Finally　she　had　the　reflex　puters　programmed　for　overload。　The　control　systems　that　allowed　excess　charge　buildup　to　be　safely　shunted　into　runoffs　were　now　damped　down；　and　all　backup　outlets　were　similarly　closed。　Next　she　instructed　the　CPUs　that　operated　the　furnace　to　bring　the　power　up　to　maximum；　canceling　out　the　safety　programs　with　override　mands。

Warning　lights　were　starting　to　flash　on　the　console；　and　she　thought　she　could　detect　the　sound　of　warning　sirens　and　klaxons　going　off　somewhere。　The　sequence；　however；　had　kicked　in　several　other　built…in　safety　systems　that　were　unanticipated：　Hatchways　were　beginning　to　lower　throughout　the　room。　According　to　an　overhead　digital　clock；　she　had　less　than　fifteen　minutes　to　get　off　the　base。

Lisa　returned　to　the　main　elevator　and　rode　the　car　back　to　ground　level。　The　sounds　of　battle　had　increased。　She　tried　to　retrace　her　path　to　the　entrance；　but　the　barracks　had　taken　several　hits；　and　debris　now　blocked　the　corridor。　There　was　an　unobstructed　second　corridor　that　led　to　the　officers'　quarters；　a　hatchway　there　would　allow　her　to　exit　on　the　other　side　of　the　building。　She　entered　this　and　was　making　for　the　hatch；　when　the　corridor　suddenly　sealed　itself　off。　Iron　doors　dropped　from　overhead　vaults　at　both　ends；　trapping　her　inside。

Hatchways　to　individual　quarters　lined　both　sides　of　the　corridor；　and　while　she　was　opening　each　of　these　looking　for　some　way　out；　a　terrible　thought　occurred　to　her：　What　if　one　of　these　rooms　had　belonged　to　Karl？

In　the　dim　light；　Lisa's　fingers　traced　the　letters　of　raised　name　tags　on　the　doors；　and　it　wasn't　long　before　she　found　RIBER；　KARL。

Slowly　the　will　to　survive　began　to　abandon　her。　All　she　could　feel　now　was　a　terrible　sadness　and　a　pain　from　long　ago；　as　though　her　body　was　recalling　the　hurt　and　bringing　it　up　to　the　surface。

She　hit　the　button　that　opened　the　hatchway　to　Karl's　quarters　and　stood　at　the　threshold；　afraid　to　enter；　supporting　herself　against　the　doorjamb。　〃Oh；　Karl；〃　she　said　to　whatever　ghosts　were　lurking　there。

Lisa　entered；　mindless　of　the　countdown　to　self…destruction。


〃The　destruct　sequence　has　been　initiated；　Captain；〃　Claudia　said。　〃T　minus　ten　minutes　and　counting。〃

Gloval　nodded　his　head　in　approval。　〃Good。　I　knew　Lisa　could　do　it。　Now；　issue　a　recall　order　to　our　remaining　Destroids　and　Valkyries。　But　I　want　them　to　pull　back　slowly：　With　a　little　luck　we'll　catch　the　enemy　in　our　trap　this　time。〃

〃Nine　minutes　and　counting；　Captain。〃

〃Contact　Lisa；　let's　see　how　she's　making　out。〃

Claudia　tried；　but　there　was　no　response。　The　radio　transmitter　was　still　on；　but　Lisa　wasn't　answering　the　call。

〃Lisa；　e　in；　please；〃　Claudia　said。　〃She's　not　responding；　Captain。〃

Gloval　rose　from　his　chair。　〃If　she's　still　on…line；　we　should　be　able　to　get　a　fix　on　her　position。〃

Kim　already　had　it　up　on　the　screen。

〃She's　in　Barracks　C。　But　she's　not　moving。〃

〃She　could　be　hurt；　or　trapped；〃　said　Gloval。　〃Claudia；　quickly；　contact　the　Skull　Leader。〃


Rick　released　two　rockets　and　dove　under　the　Battlepods。　White…hot　shrapnel　impacted　against　his　fighter；　and　the　shock　wave　threw　him　into　an　involuntary　sink。

He　narrowly　missed　buying　it　at　the　hands　of　an　enemy　Officer's　Pod　that　leaped　into　view　out　of　nowhere。　It　was　the　same　one　he　had　seen　on　and　off　throughout　the　battle。　And　whoever　piloted　it　was　someone　to　fear。　Rick　had　seen　the　pod　take　out　three　Veritechs　in　one　pass；　and　later　he　had　seen　that　same　pilot　blow　away　two　of　his　own　men　to　get　to　one　of　the　Robotech　Valkyries。

Roy　pulled　alongside　Rick；　gesturing　to　the　enemy　mecha。　His　face　was　on　twenty…three's　left　screen。

〃You　wanna　watch　that　one；　Rick。　He　means　business。〃

〃Let's　gang　up　on　him；　buddy。〃

〃Negative；　Rick。　We've　got　new　orders。　Seems　that　mander　Hayes　has　gotten　herself　stranded　on　the　base　and　it's　up　to　us　to　rescue　her。〃

〃Hey；　like　we　don't　have　more　pressing　matters　at　hand？〃

〃e　on；　I　thought　that　damsels　in　distress　were　your　stock　'n'　trade；　Little　Brother。〃

〃One　damsel　at　a　time；　Roy。　One　at　a　time。〃

Roy's　face　became　serious。　〃Patch　your　system　into　the　SDF…1　mainboard　and　home　in　on　the　signal　they　transmit。　I'll　be　covering　you。〃

〃Roger；〃　Rick　said。　〃One　rescue　ing　up。〃

He　pushed　the　fighter　into　a　shallow　dive　that　brought　him　into　and　through　a　group　of　alien　pods。　Those　that　didn't　take　each　other　out　in　an　effort　to　bring　him　down；　Rick　dispatched　with　close…in　laser　fire　directed　at　the　pods'　fuel　lines。　Roy　was　running　interference　up　ahead；　diverting　some　of　the　pods　positioned　between　Rick　and　the　base。

Rick　dropped　the　fighter　to　ground　level；　relaxed　back　into　his　seat；　lowering　his　mind　into　transitional　alpha　and　directing　the　Veritech's　transformation　to　Guardian　mode。　The　fighter　was　soon　tearing　along　the　ground　in　a　sort　of　bat　crouch；　gatling　cannon　held　out　front　by　the　huge　grappling　hands　of　the　mecha。　Rick　rode　out　a　cluster　of　explosions　in　this　form；　then　hit　his　thrusters　and　brought　the　mecha　into　full　Battloid　mode　to　deal　with　several　pods　along　his　projected　course。

Upright；　the　Battloid　swung　the　cannon　in　an　arc　and　trap…shot　two　of　the　pods。　A　half　twist　and　Rick　beat　another　to　the　draw。

Rick　let　Roy　deal　out　justice　to　the　rest　and　shifted　his　attention　to　the　homing　signal。　Info　from　the　SDF…1　bridge　told　him　precisely　where　the　mander　was　located：　inside　the　barracks　building；　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　in　front　of　him。

In　four　minutes　the　entire　base　was　going　to　be　a　memory。　And　that　didn't　leave　him　enough　time　to　use　the　doorway。　He　retransformed　to　Guardian　mode　and　readied　the　massive　metalshod　fists　of　the　mecha。


Now　it　was　Lisa's　turn　to　play　the　ghost。

She　had　walked　through　Riber's　quarters；　insulated　from　the　harsh　atmosphere　by　her　suit；　arms　extended；　gloved　fingers　reaching　out　and　touching　everything　in　the　small　room；　expectant；　in　search　of　something　she　couldn't　identify　or　name。　What　was　it　she　hoped　to　find　here？　she　asked　herself。　It　was　as　if　Karl's　clothes；　still　in　the　wardrobe　closet；　his　bed；　reading　light；　and　phone　held　clues　to　some　mystery　she　hoped　to　unravel。

And　now　as　she　sat　at　his　desk；　paging　through　his　notebooks　and　reading　the　titles　of　the　books　stacked　there…The　Martian　Cronicles；　Mankind　Evolving；　Gandhi's　Truth…Lisa　realized　that　she　would　never　get　over　his　loss；　she　would　neve