02_battle_cry-第16部分

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　about。

And　then　they　had　a　visual　on　the　pods：　There　were　only　a　dozen　of　them；　including　an　Officer's　Pod。　They　came　into　the　quadrant；　weapons　blazing；　the　Black　Team　ready　for　them。

〃I'm　gonna　fly　rings　around　these　guys；　Lieutenant。　Just　watch　me　go；〃　Rick　heard　Ben　say。

Dixon　fired　off　a　cluster　of　heat…seekers　and　attempted　to　roll　out。　But　the　enemy　had　outguessed　him；　and　two　of　the　pods　were　following　him　through；　positioning　themselves　on　either　side　of　his　mecha　well　inside　the　lethal　cone。

〃Break　across　that　seven　o'clock　bandit；　Ben；〃　Rick　shouted　into　the　net。　〃Don't　get　cute；　they're　going　to　catch　you　in　their　cross　fire！〃

Dixon　realized　he　was　in　trouble　and　called　for　an　assist。　The　two　pods　were　practically　on　top　of　him；　pouring　particle…beam　energy　at　his　booster　pack。　A　Veritech　could　stand　only　a　few　seconds　of　this；　ultimately；　structural　molecules　would　be　altered　and　the　ship　would　e　apart。　Ben　would　be　fried　alive。

Rick　kicked　in　his　aft　boosters；　found　one　of　the　pods　in　his　reticle；　and　loosed　two　missiles。　They　caught　the　pod　at　its　weakest　spot；　just　where　the　cockpit　cover　was　hinged　to　the　main　body　of　the　sphere。　The　hatch　blew　open；　precious　atmosphere　was　released　and　the　pilot　inside　clawed　frantically　at　his　controls。　Soon　the　lifeless　thing　was　drifting　aimlessly　out　of　the　arena。

The　second　pod　was　still　throwing　heat　into　Dixon's　fighter；　but　the　pilot；　realizing　that　he　was　now　outnumbered；　began　to　drop　away。

〃I'm　going　to　save　your　skin；　Ben。　Just　retro　when　I　give　the　word。〃　Rick　haloed　the　ostrich　and　shouted；　〃Now！〃

His　thumb　came　down　hard　on　the　Hotas　trigger。　Two　missiles　dropped　from　their　pylons　and　connected　with　the　pod；　blowing　it　to　pieces。

While　Ben　was　thanking　him；　Rick　looked　around　for　Max。　There　was　a　lot　of　activity　going　on　off　to　his　right；　as　Rick　was　soon　to　realize；　Max　was　at　the　center　of　it。

The　corporal　had　shifted　to　Battloid　mode　and　was　using　the　gatling　cannon　to　take　out　pod　after　pod；　executing　evasive　maneuvers　the　likes　of　which　Rick　had　never　seen。　Max　was　pushing　the　Veritech　into　reverses　Rick　wouldn't　have　believed　possible。　He　had　heard　about　pilots　who　could　totally　surrender　themselves　to　the　alpha　state；　but　he　had　never　seen　anything　like　this　with　his　own　eyes。

〃Look　at　him　go！〃　Dixon　was　yelling　on　the　tac　net。

Max　had　second　sight；　eyes　behind　his　head；　a　sixth　sense。。。the　enemy　mecha　couldn't　get　near　him。　He　was　polishing　off　the　last　of　the　assault　group；　and　Rick　was　on　the　horn　congratulating　him。

〃I'm　happy　I　was　able　to　help　out；〃　came　the　humble　reply。　〃Now　I'll　show　you　something　I　learned　in　flight　school。〃

Rick　was　amazed：　Max　was　literally　about　to　talk　Ben　and　him　through　a　maneuver；　it　was　difficult　enough　to　control　the　plexities　of　the　Veritech　weapons　system　and　answer　to　the　demands　of　the　mecha；　but　to　have　anything　left　over　for　movement；　let　alone　human　speech！。。。But　here　was　Max；　explaining　every　move　as　he　went　after　two　new　entries。　He　drew　the　enemy　in；　then　suddenly　inverted　himself；　firing　his　thrusters　so　that　he　was　ing　right　down　their　throats　with　his　weapons　blasting。　The　two　pods　were　taken　out；　along　with　a　third　that　had　appeared　at　Rick's　port　side　unannounced。

Rick's　jaw　went　slack。

〃It's　called　Fokker's　Feint；〃　said　Max。　〃You　have　to　confuse　them。　And　while　they're　looking　for　you；　you　e　up　behind　them　and　tap　them　on　the　back！〃

Lisa　Hayes　was　suddenly　on　the　net　at　the　same　time；　berating　Rick　for　his　poor　response　time。　He　offered　as　an　excuse　the　two　inexperienced　pilots　he　had　with　him；　listening　to　himself　while　watching　Max　execute　a　flourish　of　moves。

Maybe　this　was　one　of　the　advantages　to　being　a　superior　officer；　he　thought。　Foul　up　and　you　could　lay　the　blame　on　your　men；　succeed；　and　their　victories　were　your　own。


Khyron　was　observing　the　progress　of　the　battle　from　his　Officer's　Pod。　The　diversionary　strategy　wasn't　working　out　exactly　as　he　had　hoped；　but　it　had　opened　up　a　few　holes　in　the　fortress's　defensive　perimeter。　Most　of　the　Micronian　mecha　had　been　successfully　lured　far　from　Zor's　ship；　and　those　few　remaining　fighters　were　rapidly　being　eliminated。　The　second　assault　team　had　taken　the　sting　out　of　the　main　batteries　of　the　SDF…1；　and　the　mecha　dispatched　to　slow　their　attack　had　been　eliminated。　Now　it　was　time　for　the　coup　de　grace：　Khyron's　special　elite　assault　team　would　storm　the　fortress　and　put　an　end　to　this　game。

It　was　almost　too　easy。。。


Through　his　headset；　Rick　heard　the　voice　of　Lisa　Hayes：

〃Enemy　forces　have　broken　through　our　defenses　in　the　Third　Quadrant。　You're　our　only　hope；　Black　Leader。〃

〃We're　on　our　way；〃　Rick　told　her。

Ben　was　out　front；　making　up　for　lost　time　with　continuous　fire；　little　of　it　effective。　Rick　warned　him　not　to　waste　his　ammo。　Max；　meanwhile；　took　two　pods　off　Rick's　tail　and　asked　Rick　if　it　was　all　right　to　fire　when　it　wasn't　a　waste。　Rick　ignored　the　joke　and　ordered　Max　and　Ben　to　split　up；　hoping　they　could　drive　a　wedge　into　the　attacking　enemy　units。

Only　a　few　of　the　Phalanx　and　close…in　guns　on　the　SDF…1　were　capable　of　giving　them　cover　fire；　and　most　of　those　had　sustained　some　damage。　Destroids　and　Gladiators　floated　above　the　ship；　pieces　of　debris；　sparking　out　as　they　drifted　toward　oblivion。

Rick；　already　reaching　out　for　the　B　mode　lever；　ordered　his　team　to　switch　over　to　Battloid。　He　watched　as　the　tailerons　of　Max's　fighter　folded　down　and　the　wings　swept　fully　back　to　lock　into　place。　Next；　the　entire　undercarriage；　including　the　twin　aft　thrusters；　swung　down　and　forward；　riding　on　massive　pins　located　beneath　the　cockpit　module。　As　rear　thruster　sheaths　chevroned　to　bee　the　Battloid's　feet；　the　ventral　fuselage　halves　split　away　from　each　other　and　spread　outward　to　form　the　arms。　Hands　slid　out　from　armored　partments。　Inside　the　mecha　Max's　seat　would　now　be　riding　upward　along　a　shaft　that　would　reposition　the　pilot　inside　the　head…a　minute　ago　the　undercarriage　laser…gun　bubble。　Rick's　own　fighter　was　going　through　the　same　changes。　He　could　sometimes　feel　his　own　body　react；　as　though　unseen　hands　were　at　work　on　him。

Thus　reconfigured；　the　three　members　of　the　Black　Team　touched　down　on　the　SDF…1's　hull　and　brought　their　gatlings　to　bear　on　ining　enemy　pods。　Ben　stood　his　ground；　screaming　curses　at　the　ostriches　as　they　made　their　approach。　Initially　he　was　positioned　near　one　of　the　damaged　phalanx　guns；　his　cannon　at　high　port；　but　he　stepped　out　into　the　open。　to　trap…shoot　an　ining　bandit　just　as　a　second　flew　in　from　behind　and　dropped　him　with　a　blast　that　caught　the　Battloid　full　in　the　back。　Rick　winced　and　tried　to　raise　him　on　the　net。

〃Ben；　are　you　alive　in　there？〃

Dixon　answered　weakly；　he　was　hurt　but　had　somehow　managed　to　survive　the　hit。

Rick　was　moving　in　to　lend　a　hand；　when　several　pods　appeared　over　the　horizon　of　the　ship。　High…density　transuranic　slugs　from　the　gatling　brought　two　down。　Two　others　loosed　their　rockets　ineffectively　and　streaked　overhead；　but　the　Officer's　Pod　that　led　them　seemed　determined　to　go　one　on　one　with　him。　It　was　the　second　time　that　day　that　Rick　was　to　witness　incredible　maneuvering。

The　Officer's　Pod…not　spherical　like　the　others　but　somewhat　elongated　and　fishlike　above　its　legs；　with　twin　〃hand…gun〃　arms　and　a　top…mounted　long…muzzled　plastron　cannon…toyed　with　him；　dodging　each　of　his　shots　as　though　the　pilot　inside　could　read　Rick's　mind。　The　pod　leaped　over　a　conning　tower　and　came　down　behind　him；　Rick　turned　and　fired；　but　the　enemy　was　already　spaceborne　again　and　swooping　in；　clawed　legs　swinging　back　and　forth；　discharging　rounds　from　its　hand…guns。

Rick's　mecha　took　several　hits　through　the　torso；　then　the　glancing　blow　of　a　projectile　sheared　off　the　Battloid's　left　arm。　Rick　thought　the　damaged　vehicle　down　to　one　knee　as　the　enemy　pod　came　in　to　finish　him。　When　it　was　within　reach；　he　brought　the　Battloid　to　its　feet　and　used　the　useless　cannon　to　bat　at　the　thing。　He　connected；　driving　the　ostrich　into　a　spin　that　brought　it　crashing　down　to　the　surface　of　the　ship；　minus　one　of　its　own　cannon　appendages。

The　two　mecha　faced　each　other　across　a　distance　of　about　200　meters…a　showdown　on　a　western　street。　Rick　worked　frantically　at　the　controls；　trying　to　divert　power　from　the　main　mechamorphosis　systems　into　the　main　gun；　but　all　his　efforts　proved　futile。　He　stared　out　of　the　cockpit　faceplate　of　the　Battloid　as　the　enemy　manning　the　Officer's　Pod　raised　the　muzzle　of　the　one　good　arm　and　prepared　to　fire。。。


Onboard　the　Zentraedi　flagship　Breetai　was　informed　of　the　battle　being　waged　against　the　SDF…1；　in　direct　violation　of　his　orders。　He　rushed　from　his　quarters　to　the　mand　bubble；　where　Exedore　was　waiting　for　him；　watching　images　play　across　the　projecbeam　field　with　growing　disgust。

〃It　is　as　I　feared；　mander。　Khyron　has　taken　matters　into　his　own　hands　once　again。〃

Breetai　stood；　arms　akimbo；　regarding　the　action　as　explosive　flashes　of　light　reflected　in　his　faceplate。

〃So　this　is　Khyron's　idea　of　war　games？〃　Breetai　snorted。　〃Again　he　has　the　temerity　to　disobey　my　orders！〃

〃I　suggest　that　we　recall　him。。。before　he　succeeds　in　destroying　the　ship。〃

〃The　fool；　I　warned　him。〃　Breetai　turned　away。　〃Use　the　nebulizer　to　override　the　astrogational　systems　of　his　attack　force。　We'll　pull　this　offensive　out　from　under　him。〃

Exedore　moved　to　the　nebulizer　controls。　〃Ready　to　initiate　on　your　mand。〃

〃Mark！〃　Breetai　shouted　to　the　screen。


Warning　lights　were　flashing　on　the　bridge　of　the　SDF…1。　Sensors　were　picking　up　energy　readings　of　an　extraordinary　type。　Astrogational　and　engineering　were　reporting　dangerous　fluctuations　in　the　drive　systems；　it　was　as　if　all　control　had　been　lost。

Meanwhile；　on　the　skin　of　the　ship；　Khyron　was　taking　aim　at　Rick's　Battloid。

The　Zentraedi　mander　felt　the　pod　suddenly　surrender　itself　to　a　higher　power　and　knew　at　once　what　had　happened：　Breetai　was　recalling　them。　On　the　very　brink　of　victory；　and　the　fool　was　recalling　them！　He　could　do　nothing；　the　nebulizer　had　even　neutralized　the　weapon　system　of　the　pod。　This　fortunate　Micronian　pilot　would　live　to　fight　another　d