02_battle_cry-第18部分

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affic　accidents；　no　corruption。　There　was　no　real　life　sense　to　the　place；　some　fear　and　paranoia；　but　no　real　fun　or　excitement。

Which　is　precisely　why　Mayor　Tommy　Luan　had　jumped　at　the　idea　of　running　a　Miss　Macross　pageant　when　Jan　Morris's　people　had　approached　him。

Jan　Morris's　people…her　agent；　her　manager；　her　publicity　agent；　the　whole　lot　of　them　along　with　the　noted　Hollywood　star…had　bee　overnight　residents　of　Macross　City　since　the　spacefold。　She　had　been　part　of　a　variety　show　organized　in　the　States　and　newly　arrived　on　Macross　Island　to　take　part　in　the　Launching　Day　celebration。　Now　Macross　City　had　the　whole　show　on　a　permanent　basis；　in　addition　to　Jan　Morris；　there　was　an　entire　show　band；　two　rock　groups；　two　stand…up　ics；　and　three　singers。…　The　Morris　group　presented　the　idea　of　the　beauty　pageant　with　real　humanitarian　zeal：　Macross　City　needed　a　little　excitement；　and　what　better　way　to　inaugurate　the　new　television　station　than　with　a　knock…'em…dead　show　with　plenty　of　beautiful　women　and　production　numbers。　Macross　Island　had　been　gearing　up　for　just　such　an　event；　but　what　Morris's　people　were　proposing　was　not　a　beauty　pageant　in　the　traditional　sense　of　the　term…Jan's　people　knew　better　than　to　put　their　star　up　against　seventeen…year…olds　in　a　swimsuit　petition…but　more　of　a　Miss　Popularity　contest　based　on　each　individual's　contributions　to　the　spirit　and　growth　of　the　transplanted　city。　The　way　they　had　it　figured；　Jan　would　be　crowned　with　the　title　at　the　end　of　the　show　and　everyone　would　walk　away　happy。

The　mayor　had　listened　patiently　to　their　plan；　all　the　while　formulating　some　thoughts　of　his　own。　It　was　a　terrific　idea…Macross　City　could　use　the　boost；　any　excuse　to　gather　behind　an　issue　that　wasn't　war…related…but　he　saw　through　their　motives：　It　was　true　that　Jan；　like　so　many　others；　had　done　her　share　to　keep　up　the　morale　in　the　city；　but　as　an　actress　（and　only　a　fair　one　at　that）　in　a　world　without　movies；　what　else　could　she　do　but　play　on　her　past？　But　now　with　the　SDF…1　through　the　launch　window　and　the　actual　final　leg　of　the　ship's　homeward　journey　a　real　possibility；　it　was　time　to　think　about　the　future　of　Jan　Morris　as　a　marketable　property。　After　all；　her　audiences　on　Earth　had　surely　regretted　her　loss；　and　just　as　surely　they　had　moved　on　by　now。　So　unless　Jan　Morris　could　return　to　Earth　singled　out　by　a　title　like　Miss　Macross　from　the　other　50；000　returnees；　her　future　as　a　star　would　be　bleak。　She　would　have　missed　her　personal　launch　window。

With　the　right　publicity；　Jan　Morris　would　certainly　be　a　shoe…in　for　the　title。　But　Mayor　Tommy　Luan　didn't　want　to　see　that　happen。　Jan　Morris　was　deserving　enough；　but　her　image　was　all　wrong；　she　represented　the　past；　and　moreover；　she　was　not　really　a　voluntary　resident　of　the　city。　No；　what　Macross　City　needed　was　someone　whom　they　could　call　their　own；　not　just　a　figurehead　but　some　young　woman　who　would　embody　the　spirit　of　adventure　and　survival；　of　victory　and　hope。

The　Morris　group　continued　to　lay　out　their　plans；　but　unknown　to　them；　the　mayor　had　already　chosen　the　winner。　She　would　be　perfect！　he　told　himself。　Not　only　was　she　of　mixed　background　and　ancestry；　lovely　to　look　at；　personable；　and　talented；　but　she　was　already　a　minor　celebrity　in　her　own　right。　For　two　weeks　she　and　her　young　lieutenant　friend　had　faced　an　ordeal　in　the　bowels　of　the　ship；　it　was　her　family　that　had　reopened　the　first　restaurant　in　the　resurrected　city；　the　White　Dragon；　and　the　flyboys　all　adored　her。　Yes；　she　would　be　perfect；　the　mayor　decided：

Lynn…Minmei；　Miss　Macross！


Rick　was　having　lunch　with　Minmei　at　Variations；　a　popular　eatery　on　the　upper　tier　of　Macross　City；　when　she　told　him　about　her　entry　in　the　Miss　Macross　pageant。　They　had　been　seeing　each　other　frequently　during　the　past　two　months。　The　enemy　had　pulled　back　for　some　reason；　and　the　ship　was　on　a　course　that　would　return　them　to　Earth　in　six　months　or　so。　In　general；　things　had　been　going　well；　but　this　was　the　first　definite　news　Rick　heard　of　the　resuscitated　contest；　and　he　was　speechless；　it　was　hard　enough　sharing　her　with　half　the　Robotech　Defense　Force；　and　now　she　was　on　the　brink　of　being　the　munal　property　of　the　entire　SDF…1！

〃Rick；　please　don't　get　like　that；〃　she　responded　to　his　silence。　〃The　mayor　went　ahead　and　entered　me　without　even　asking。　And　besides；　you　know　how　much　this　means　to　me。〃

〃What　are　you；　his　secret　weapon　or　something？　I　mean；　what　about　us；　Minmei？　I　mean。。。oh；　forget　it；　I　don't　know　what　I　mean。〃

She　reached　across　the　table　for　his　hand。　〃Listen；　Rick；　will　you　be　there　for　me…you　and　Roy　and　the　guys？　I'm　going　to　need　all　the　help　I　can　get。〃

He　looked　into　her　blue　eyes　and　began　to　feel　the　anger　leaving　him。　His　smile　brought　one　to　her　face。

〃Of　course　we'll　be　there。　We're　on　standby　patrol　that　night；　but　Roy　will　able　to　pull　some　strings。　Anyway；　you're　going　to　win　that　contest　hands　down。〃

〃You　really　think　I　have　a　chance？〃

〃You're　a　sure　thing；〃　he　told　her。　〃You　are　our　secret　weapon；　don't　you　know　that？〃

After　Rick　left　the　restaurant；　Minmei　ordered　more　tea　for　herself　and　stared　out　at　Macross　City's　experimental　blue　skies。　A　sure　thing；　she　mused。　If　only　that　were　true；　if　only　she　could　have　the　confidence　that　others　had　in　her。　The　mayor；　for　one；　he　was　treating　her　like　she'd　already　won　the　contest；　building　up　her　chances；　seeing　to　it　that　she　had　enough　money　for　a　new　outfit。　But　what　chance　did　she　stand　against　girls　like　Hilary　Rockwell　and　Shawn　Blackstone？　Let　alone　Jan　Morris！　Hey；　Jan　Morris　was　her　idol！

Minmei's　hands　fell　to　her　lap。　She　looked　down　at　her　plaid　school　skirt；　the　blazer　and　tie。　She　thought　she　saw　herself　as　she　really　was：　just　a　kid　with　big　dreams。　A　kid　who　needed　constant　attention　and　encouragement；　even　when　she　hated　herself　for　bringing　that　about。　At　war　with　herself：　one　half　weak　and　scared　and　full　of　self…doubts；　against　a　constantly　charming；　vivacious；　confident　other　half。　The　former　could　not　for　an　instant　sustain　the　dream　that　she　would　win；　while　the　latter　self　seemed　to　embrace　that　dream　as　if　it　was　something　meant　to　lie…destined。

Well；　wasn't　it　enough；　she　asked　herself；　just　to　be　a　part　of　the　pageant；　among　those　others　she　looked　up　to？

The　answer　was　a　resounding　no！


The　Macross　amphitheater　（the　Star　Bowl；　as　it　was　affectionately　known）　was　located　at　the　extreme　edge　of　the　enormous　hold　that　housed　the　city。　When　planning　the　amphitheater；　Robotech　architects　and　engineers　had　taken　full　advantage　of　a　preexisting　bowl…shaped　depression　in　the　ship's　floor　and　a　large　spacelight　in　the　ceiling　above　the　building　site。　The　result　was　about　as　close　to　an　open…air　theater　as　one　could　hope　for　aboard　a　spaceship。　The　Star　Bowl　could　seat　30；000；　and　there　wasn't　an　empty　place　to　be　found　on　the　night　of　the　pageant。

The　Macross　Broadcasting　System　had　labored　long　and　hard　to　position　their　cameras　for　maximum　coverage　of　the　event。　If　all　went　as　planned；　the　other　20；000　residents　would　be　able　to　view　the　pageant　from　their　shops；　homes；　or　any　of　the　curbside　monitors　that　had　recently　been　installed　throughout　the　city。

The　host　for　the　show　was　Ron　Trance；　a　veteran　of　countless　benefit　and　rear…line　shows　for　the　troops　during　the　Global　Civil　War。　Trance　had　been　slated　to　run　the　SDF…1　launch　celebration　and　had　been　caught　up　in　the　fold。　The　seven　judges　included　Colonel　Maistroff　and　Captain　Gloval；　the　editor　of　the　newspaper；　a　former　advertising　executive；　and　three　officials　from　the　mayor's　office；　but　these　seven　were　a　mere　formality…they　would　handle　the　contestants'　questions　and　choose　the　semifinalists　but　would　cast　no　final　votes。　That　voting　would　be　left　to　the　people　of　Macross　City。　Each　seat　in　the　arena　had　been　equipped　with　a　sensor　that　would　transmit　a　vote　during　balloting；　and　those　in　the　city　could　cast　their　votes　by　phone　or　at　any　of　several　dozen　voting　booths。

Minmei's　cheering　section　was　seated　to　the　left　of　the　central　runway；　along　the　midsection　of　the　amphitheater。　Roy　and　his　Skull　Team　were　there；　along　with　the　members　of　Rick's　newly　formed　Vermilion。　Other　squads　were　scattered　throughout　the　area。　The　young　lieutenant　himself　had　yet　to　arrive。

The　mayor　opened　the　show；　and　after　a　few　technical　glitches　the　pageant　got　under　way。　The　orchestra　performed　a　piece　written　especially　for　the　pageant；　lasers　crisscrossed　overhead　through　colored　smoke；　spotlights　played　across　the　stage；　and　a　series　of　holoprojected　letters　assembled　themselves　above　to　spell　out　〃Miss　Macross！〃　To　thunderous　applause　Ron　Trance　made　his　entry；　hoofing　and　singing。　The　curtains　parted；　and　the　twenty…eight　contestants　strutted　on　stage　in　a　simple　choreographed　parade。　The　grand　prizes　were　announced：　a　recording　contract；　a　screen　test；　and　a　new　fanliner；　〃the　latest　thing　in　sports　mecha。。。featuring　the　powerful　new　VA　hydro…turbine　engine；　designed　by　Ikkii　Takemi　himself。。。〃

Minmei　was　fortable　with　this　part　of　the　show。　She　hadn't　realized　that　the　bright　lights　at　the　front　of　the　stage　would　make　it　impossible　for　her　to　see　the　audience；　but　it　was　probably　just　as　well：　It　was　more　dreamlike　this　way；　and　she　felt　that　she　possessed　more　control　over　fantasy　than　real　life。　But　backstage　later　on；　the　frights　began　to　take　hold　of　her。　All　week　long　she　had　been　coached　by　her　chaperons　and　support　group　on　how　to　act　during　the　next　portions　of　the　event；　but　just　now　she　couldn't　recall　one　bit　of　their　advice。　So　she　relied　instead　on　Uncle　Max's　words：　〃Just　be　yourself。〃

It　was　while　everyone　was　running　around　making　costume　changes　for　the　uping　poise　and　question　portions　of　the　show　that　she　spotted　Jan　Morris。

Minmei　had　been　trying　to　meet　her　all　week　long；　but　Jan's　agents　had　kept　her　inaccessible。　She　was　the　real　star　of　the　show；　Minmei　supposed；　and　here　she　was；　just　one　of　the　contestants；　a　few　seats　away　talking　to　her　manager。　She　certainly　was　pretty；　though…blond　curls　piled　by　a　black　and　white　striped　headband；　long　legs；　gorgeous　blue　dress　with　red　horizontal　bands；　and　that　milli