02_battle_cry-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ankind　Evolving；　Gandhi's　Truth…Lisa　realized　that　she　would　never　get　over　his　loss；　she　would　never　be　able　to　leave　this　place。　Her　life；　along　with　Riber's；　had　ended　here　six　years　ago。

She　fell　forward　onto　the　open　notebooks　and　began　to　weep。　Claudia　was　desperately　calling　to　her　through　the　headset；　but　Lisa　already　felt　disconnected　from　that　present。　She　switched　off　the　radio　transmitter。　She　was　about　to　raise　the　faceshield　of　her　helmet　when　she　heard　her　name　called　out　through　a　speaker　phone　of　some　sort。

On　the　other　side　of　the　room's　thick　translucent　window。　she　could　discern　the　shape　of　a　Veritech　fighter…a　veiled　Guardian　behind　a　Permaglass　gate。

〃mander　Hayes；〃　the　voice　called　out。　〃Please　stand　back。　I'm　going　to　crash　my　way　in。〃

Quickly；　she　switched　her　radio　back　on。

〃Whoever　you　are；　stay　away　from　here。　Return　to　the　ship。　That's　an　order。〃

The　fighter　pilot　paid　her　no　mind。

〃Stand　back。　My　orders　are　to　get　you　out　of　here。〃

Before　she　could　speak　again；　the　Guardian's　huge　hand　had　smashed　through　the　window　and　the　pilot…Rick　Hunter！…was　staring　at　her　from　the　cockpit。

〃Climb　aboard…quickly！　We　don't　have　much　time　left！〃

〃I'm　not　leaving　this　room！〃

〃One　minute　and　counting；　mander。〃

〃I　don't　care！　Go　on；　do　you　hear　me；　save　yourself！〃

She　saw　him　shake　his　head。

〃I　don't　know　what's　going　on　here；　but　you're　ing　with　me。〃

And　in　an　instant　Lisa　was　held　fast　in　the　grip　of　the　Guardian's　hand。　It　was　useless　to　struggle；　the　Veritech　was　already　backing　away　from　the　barracks　building　and　preparing　for　takeoff。

She　found　herself　reaching　out　toward　Riber's　room　nevertheless；　clinging　to　it　with　all　the　strength　she　could　summon；　screaming　out　his　name　as　the　fighter　launched　itself　and　sped　from　the　burning　base。


Khyron　pressed　the　attack；　urging　his　forces　onward　with　calls　to　glory　and　promises　of　promotion；　when　those　failed；　he　resorted　to　simple　threats　and　imprecations。　Several　times　during　the　exercise　he　had　decided　to　deal　out　punishments　on　the　spot；　and　occasionally　he　had　been　forced　to　sacrifice　the　innocent。　But　this　was　all　part　of　the　warrior's　life；　not　regrettable　but　expected　behavior。

It　had　been　a　glorious　battle…up　until　now。

The　Micronians　had　begun　to　retreat　toward　Zor's　ship；　a　retreat　with　at　least　three…quarters　of　their　original　forces　still　occupying　the　arena。　He　was　confused　and　angered。　Were　the　Micronians　such　spineless　creatures　that　they　would　choose　surrender　over　death　in　battle？　Zor's　ship；　held　fast　by　the　gravity　mines；　wasn't　going　anywhere；　so　what　did　these　fools　expect　to　gain　by　a　retreat？　It　would　only　mean　a　nastier　mop…up　operation　for　Khyron's　troops。　The　space　fortress　would　have　to　be　stormed；　or　perhaps　he　would　decide　to　starve　them　out；　but　in　either　case　the　end　result　would　be　death；　so　why　not　go　out　fighting？

Gerao　was　reporting　certain　anomalies　in　the　gravity　mine　field…some　sort　of　pressure　buildup　the　sensors　had　yet　to　identify…but　with　the　Micronians　on　the　run；　this　was　hardly　the　moment　for　caution　or　indecisiveness。　Khyron　would　have　the　enemy　captain's　head　before　nightfall！

The　Zentraedi　forces　had　routed　the　enemy　from　the　base；　and　their　mander　was　about　to　join　them　there；　when　the　surface　of　the　planet　began　to　quake　with　unnatural　force。　Some　massive　explosion　deep　below　ground　level　was　working　its　way　upward。　And　when　it　broke　the　planet's　skin；　it　was　greater　than　anyone…Zentraedi　or　Earthling…might　have　expected。

In　an　instant；　the　base　and　most　of　Khyron's　occupying　army　were　obliterated　as　a　tower　of　raw　unleashed　energy　shot　from　within　the　planet。　Through　the　blinding　glow　of　the　initial　explosion；　Khyron　could　see　Zor's　ship　lifting　off；　just　moments　before　a　second　explosion　of　equivalent　force　atomized　what　was　left　of　the　area。

Khyron's　Officer's　Pod　was　far　enough　away　to　withstand　the　blast；　heat；　and　follow…up　shock　waves　and　firestorms。

Madness；　Khyron　thought。　Madness！

He　raised　the　cockpit　shield　of　the　Battlepod　and　sat　for　a　moment　in　stunned　silence。　Thick　clouds　of　rust…colored　dust　were　being　sucked　into　the　area。　Zor's　ship　was　just　a　preternatural　shimmer　in　the　Martian　sky。　The　Micronians　had　surprised　him。

Unpredictability　was　something　to　fear　and　respect　in　an　opponent。　But　failure　in　battle　was　something　that　could　not　be　tolerated。

He　vented　his　anger　by　smashing　his　fists　into　the　console　of　the　Battlepod；　then　collapsed　back　into　the　seat；　spent。　He　reached　out　for　the　dried　leaves　of　the　Flower　of　Life；　ingesting　several　of　these　and　urging　their　narcotic　effect　to　wash　over　him。　Ultimately　Khyron　smiled　maliciously。　He　gazed　up　at　the　dwindling　space　fortress　and　said　aloud：

〃We'll　meet　again；　Micronians。　And　next　time　I　will　give　you　no　quarter。〃


CHAPTER　SEVEN

I　admit　it：　In　those　early　days　I　had　trouble　playing　by　the　rules。　Of　course；　ultimately　I　learned　to　return　salutes；　use　the　proper　phrases；　demonstrate　respect　for　my　superior　officers；　and　generally　behave　like　a　model　Robotech　soldier。　But　I　continued　to　have　real　problems　with　the　system　of　promotion。　If　it　had　been　up　to　me；　medals　would　have　been　handed　out　to　everyone　who　went　out　there。　There　wasn't　one　among　us　who　wasn't　deserving；　not　one　among　us　who　wasn't　qualified　to　lead。
The　Collected　Journals　of　Admiral　Rick　Hunter

There　was　a　special　data　chamber　in　Breetai's　flagship　that　was　off　limits　to　all　but　the　highest…ranking　officers　of　the　Zentraedi　elite。　In　here　were　stored　the　historical　records　of　the　Zentraedi　race：　documentation　of　past　victories；　military　campaigns；　great　moments　in　the　lives　of　great　warrior　leaders。　In　addition　to　these　were　banks　of　information　relating　to　the　Invid　and　several　dozen　other　sentient　life　forms　that　inhabited　the　Fourth　Quadrant　of　the　galactic　local　group。　As　chief　science　officer　and　transcultural　adviser　on　all　issues　dealing　with　interracial　contact　（more　frequently；　conquest）；　it　was　Exedore's　duty　to　mit　to　memory　a　vast　amount　of　this　accumulated　lore　and　knowledge。　Indeed；　this　room　belonged　more　to　the　misshapen　Zentraedi　than　to　any　other。　And　the　more　he　delved　into　data　pertaining　to　the　Micronians；　the　more　apprehensive　he　became。　The　pursuit　of　Zor's　ship；　and　this　continued　contact　with　the　ship's　Micronian　warriors；　was　destined　to　end　in　unprecedented　failure…an　undoing　of　all　that　had　been　carefully　laid　down　and　preserved　for　millennia。　Try　as　he　might；　Exedore　could　not　put　this　thought　from　his　mind。　If　the　Zentraedi　were　defeated；　what　then　could　stand　in　the　way　of　the　dreaded　Invid？

He　had　mentioned　these　misgivings　to　Breetai；　careful　to　couch　his　phrases　in　such　a　way　that　no　fear　or　cowardice　could　be　inferred；　he　had　even　gone　so　far　as　to　quote　some　of　the　documents　to　the　mander；　pointing　out　the　specific　warnings　about　contact　with　the　Micronians。　Legends　which　spoke　of　a　Micronian　secret　weapon　that　would　be　used　against　any　invading　race。　But　his　words　fell　on　deaf　ears。　Breetai　was；　after　all；　a　military　tactician；　like　most　of　his　race　he　lived　and　breathed　for　battle　and　warfare…the　Zentraedi　were　born　to　this。　Moreover　there　was　some　unspoken　fascination　at　work　here；　as　if　in　some　half…understood　way　Breetai　too　was　aware　of　Exedore's　thoughts　about　destiny　and　undoing。

Just　now　the　two　Zentraedi　were　standing　together　in　the　observation　bubble　of　the　bridge。　The　SDF…1；　in　high　relief　against　a　starlit　crescent　of　this　system's　fourth　planet；　filled　the　forward　screen。　Khyron's　forces；　though　unsuccessful　in　capturing　the　ship　when　it　had　been　lured　into　Breetai's　trap；　had　nonetheless　prevented　the　Micronians　from　gaining　any　distance　to　their　homeworld。

〃It　amazes　me　that　they　have　managed　to　e　this　far；〃　said　Breetai。

〃Yes；　mander；　and　they　will　fight　more　fiercely　as　they　near　their　planet。　I　fear　that　the　ship　itself　may　be　destroyed　long　before　we　can　enforce　a　surrender。〃

Breetai　became　agitated。　〃That　must　not　be　allowed　to　happen；　Exedore。　My　orders　have　been　most　specific：　I　want　the　fortress　captured　intact　and　undamaged。　The　ship　is　our　primary　concern；　not　the　people　in　it。〃

〃Sir；　I　fear　that　Khyron　understands　destruction　only。　‘Capture'　is　too　subtle　a　strategy　for　him　to　prehend。〃

Breetai　shot　his　adviser　a　look。　〃Khyron　is　a　Zentraedi。　He'll　do　as　he's　ordered　or　face　the　consequences。〃

Exedore　bowed　slightly。　〃Certainly；　my　lord。〃

Would　that　it　were　so；　he　thought。　And　did　the　Micronian　mander　in　charge　of　Zor's　ship　have　similar　issues　to　deal　with；　or　were　orders　carried　out　without　question　at　all　times？　Like　the　Zentraedi；　the　Micronians　were　a　warlike　race；　but　had　they　too　arrived　at　that　evolutionary　point　where　individual　initiative　was　willingly　relinquished　for　the　greater　glory　of　the　whole？　The　data　documents　were　not　clear　on　this　point。

Exedore　stared　at　the　fortress；　as　if　attempting　to　project　himself　onboard。　What　were　the　Micronians　planning？　he　wondered。　What　would　any　one　member　of　that　race　be　thinking　at　this　very　moment？


She　loves　clothes。　Her　favorite　colors　are　shades　of　pink　and　purple。　She　lacquers　each　fingernail　with　a　different　color　polish。　She　likes　to　wear　dangling；　outrageous　earrings；　shoes　that　give　her　more　height　and　match　her　mood；　bright　belts　with　large　buckles。。。〃It's　no　use！〃　Rick　said　out　loud。　He　got　up　off　the　bed　and　began　to　pace　the　scant　distance　it　took　to　cover　his　new　quarters　wall　to　wall。

The　invitation　to　Minmei's　birthday　party　lay　unopened　on　his　bed；　the　envelope　sealed　with　a　paste…on　red　velvet　heart。　Cute。　There　was　no　need　to　read　it…half　of　his　division　had　received　invitations；　and　everyone　was　flashing　them　in　front　of　his　face　with　knowing　smiles。　He　wasn't　sure　that　he　was　even　interested　in　going　to　the　party　under　the　circumstances。　When　it　was　just　the　two　of　them；　everything　was　fine。　But　in　a　large　group；　Minmei　wanted　center　stage　and　Rick　often　felt　like　just　another　nobody　in　the　audience。　Just　another　faceless　member　of　Minmei's　adoring　public。　Neglected。　Yeah；　that　was　how　he　felt。　And　jealous；　he　had　to　admit　it。　Angry；　confused；　depressed。。。the　list　went　on　and　on。　It　was　almost　as　long　as　the　list　of　possible　g