02_battle_cry-第20部分

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Rick　spent　a　few　moments　familiarizing　himself　with　the　new　controls。　Fewer　foot　pedals；　that　was　a　plus。　A　new　Hotas　design…the　hands　on　throttle　and　stick…improved　ADF　and　ADI；　totally　useless　before　in　deep　space；　a　horizontal　situation　indicator…ha！；　and　a　triple…screened　TED；　stocked　with　an　up…to…date　library　of　alien　craft　signatures。　Rick　donned　the　〃thinking　cap〃　and　thought　the　mecha　through　some　simple　maneuvers。　He　then　walked　it　cautiously　to　the　Prometheus　bay　and　launched　himself　from　the　fortress。

This　was　deep…space　patrol　once　again；　Mars　just　a　memory。　But　there　was　some　security　to　be　gained　from　the　sight　of　Sol；　blazing　bright　in　the　heavens。　It　was　almost　beginning　to　feel　like　home　turf　out　here。

Rick　engaged　the　power　pack　boosters　and　relaxed　back　into　the　padded　seat；　locking　onto　the　coordinates　furnished　him　by　the　bridge。　The　enemy　ship　was　thought　to　be　a　recon　ship　patrolling　the　outer　limits　of　the　SDF…1's　sensor　range。

The　tone　sounded　through　his　headset；　and　the　face　of　Lisa　Hayes　appeared　on　the　left　mo　screen。　By　the　look　of　her；　she　was　disturbed　about　something。　In　fact；　she　was　livid。

〃Lieutenant　Hunter；　who　issued　you　permission　to　take　out　the　armored　Battloid？　You　are　supposed　to　be　flying　ghost　support；　not　confrontational。〃

Rick　winced　as　the　mander's　words　rushed　out。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　but　I'm　out　here　on　my　lonesome；　up　against　some…〃

〃We'll　discuss　this　later；　Lieutenant！　Prepare　to　receive　new　coordinates。〃

Rick　switched　the　ADF　from　lock　to　standby；　but　the　data　transfer　was　inplete。　The　displays　shut　down；　and　the　monitor　was　suddenly　nothing　but　static　lines　and　snow。　Even　audio　was　getting　shaky。　Rick　heard　something　about　〃Zenny's　fast　food。〃　He　flipped　the　toggle　to　automatic　fine…tuning。

〃Some　sort。。。…ust　interference；〃　Lisa　was　saying。　〃I'm。。。…witch。。。laser　induction。　Stand　by。〃

Lisa's　face　faded　and　disappeared；　replaced　by　the　curvaceous　form　of　Sally　Forester　walking　the　Star　Bowl　runway　in　a　yellow　two…piece。

Well；　well；　thought　Rick；　relaxing　again；　the　latest　in　diversion　technique　for　the　battle…weary　fighter　pilot。　Then　Lisa　was　back　on…line　for　an　instant；　instructing　him　to　switch　over　to　channel　D…3。　He　tried　that；　but　video　reception　seemed　to　be　locked　on　the　MBS　transmissions。　Tough　luck；　Rick　said　to　himself；　rubbing　his　hands　together　and　grinning。　It　was　Hilary　Rockwell　now；　looking　choice　in　her　blue　suit。　Rough　decision　ahead；　almost　easier　to　be　up　here；　Rick　thought。

And　then　Minmei　was　on　stage。

It　was　certainly　one　of　the　oddest　feelings　Rick　had　experienced　in　a　while：　Here　he　was　in　deep　space；　and　there　was　Minmei　in　her　teal　bathing　suit。　As　his　spirits　began　to　improve；　the　mecha　responded；　the　Battloid　was　practically　doing　pirouettes　in　space！　But　the　mood　was　to　be　short…lived：　The　console　displays　were　flashing　wildly；　not　out　of　contagious　joy　but　because　heat…seeking　missiles　had　locked　onto　his　tail！

Quickly；　Rick　menced　evasive　action　and　instructed　the　stealth　systems　to　launch　ghosts。　The　rear　cameras　gave　him　a　glimpse　of　his　deadly　pursuers…a　flock　of　A/As…and　sure　enough；　the　scanners　had　picked　up；　registered；　and　catalogued　the　enemy　vessel。　A　schematic　formed　on　the　port　mo　screen；　profiles；　front　and　rear　views；　weapons　systems；　vulnerable　spots；　suggested　response。　RECON　VESSEL：　CYCLOPS　TYPE。

Rick　fired　the　boosters　and　put　the　Battloid　through　its　paces；　pushing　it　for　all　it　was　worth　while　the　heatseekers　continued　to　narrow　the　gap。　So　much　for　the　ghosts。　Concerned　about　their　own　survival；　the　warning　systems　were　shouting　out　instructions；　breaking　his　concentration。　He　shut　down　the　interior　audio　supply　and　looked　inside　himself　for　the　tone。　A　cold　sweat　broke　out　all　over　him。　He　thought　the　mecha　left；　right；　up；　down；　and　every　which　way　but　loose。　The　missiles　were　still　with　him。

And　all　the　while；　Minmei　was　parading　across　his　three　screens。　They　were　flashing　her　measurements；　for。　Pete's　sake！

Rick　was　leading　the　missiles　on　a　merry　chase；　but　one　that　was　going　to　have　a　most　unfortunate　ending　unless　he　pulled　something　out　of　the　hat…fast！　Fratricide　was　his　only　hope。　Desperately；　he　willed　the　Battloid　to　turn　itself　face　to　face　with　the　heat…seekers　and　raised　the　gatling　cannon；　locking　the　targeting　coordinator　onto　the　leader　of　the　pack；　he　fired！


Minmei　stood　in　the　wings；　trembling。　But　when　her　name　and　contestant　number　were　announced；　all　the　anxiety　seemed　to　leave　her；　she　threw　her　shoulders　back；　stood　straight　and　tall；　and　strutted　on　stage。　She　knew　she　looked　good…the　teal…colored　stretch　suit　fit　her　perfectly…and　given　the　audience　reaction　to　her　previous　appearances；　she　figured　she　at　least　had　a　shot　at　one　of　the　runner…up　positions。　If　she　could　only　keep　it　together　for　the　next　few　minutes。。。

Her　legs　were　shaking。　She　felt　very　unsteady　on　the　high　heels；　she　understood　the　need　for　them…added　height　and　their　pleasing　effect　on　body　posture…but　she　was　unaccustomed　to　them。　Nevertheless；　she　made　it　down　to　the　end　of　the　runway　without　incident。　She　had　made　her　turn　and　was　starting　back；　when　it　happened。

In　thinking　about　it　later；　she　would　recall　that　the　heel　of　her　left　shoe　didn't　so　much　let　go　as　pletely　disappear　as　if　it　had　been　blown　out　from　under　her。　But　at　the　moment　all　she　could　think　about　was　the　embarrassment　and　the　agony　of　defeat。　Two　pageant　officials　came　to　her　aid　and　helped　her　up。　There　was　some　laughter　from　the　audience；　but　mostly　concern。　And　she　did　her　best　to　alleviate　that　by　demonstrating　she　was　a　trooper：　She　put　on　her　best　smile　and　hobbled　her　way　back　to　center　stage。　The　applause　didn't　end　until　long　after　she　reached　the　wings。

Shawn　Blackstone；　who　had　bee　her　close　friend　during　the　pageant；　was　at　her　side　in　a　flash。　She　made　light　of　the　incident　and　said　that　it　would　have　no　effect　on　the　judging。

〃It　shows　them　you're　human；　Minmei。　Not　like　you…know…who。〃

You…know…who　was　Jan　Morris；　now　making　her　walk　down　the　runway　to　cheers　and　applause　as　Minmei　watched　from　the　wings。　Jan　was　pletely　self…possessed；　she'd　been　there　a　hundred　times　already。　She　wore　a　bold；　striped　suit　with　a　halter　top；　more　daring　and　revealing　than　the　suits　worn　by　the　rest　of　the　contestants…revealing　enough　to　show　some　stretch　marks；　Minmei　noticed。

Jan　stood　at　the　end　of　the　runway　taking　it　in；　she　had　them　eating　out　of　her　hand。　Minmei　couldn't　watch。　She　turned　aside；　the　contest　over。

Time　to　wake　up。


〃You　haven't　beaten　me　yet；　chumps！〃　Rick　shouted　to　the　stars。

The　detonation　of　the　heat…seekers　had　shaken　him　up　and　fried　some　of　the　Battloid's　circuitry；　but　he　was　intact。　Fortunately　（and　puzzlingly）；　the　enemy　had　not　followed　up　their　initial　attack。　And　now　it　was　Rick's　turn。　He　had　a　fix　on　the　ship　and　launched　enough　missiles　to　wipe　out　a　fleet。

Inside　the　Cyclops　recon　ship；　the　three　Zentraedi　operatives　were　so　transfixed　by　the　swimsuit　petition　that　they　almost　failed　to　react　to　the　counterattack。　On　the　monitors　were　all　those　Micronian　females；　scantily　clad　（in　armor　or　uniform；　depending　on　whom　you　listened　to）；　parading　themselves　in　front　of　an　enormous　audience。　It　just　had　to　be　a　weapons　demonstration；　why　else　would　so　many　people　gather　in　one　place？

And　one　of　the　females　had　fallen。　Uncertain　if　this　was　part　of　the　ceremony　or　not；　the　three　began　to　focus　on　the　fallen　one　to　the　exclusion　of　all　else。　Something　was　stirring　in　each　of　them…a　novel　feeling；　confused　as　though　half　remembered　from　a　previous　life；　disturbing　but　strangely　appealing。

In　fact；　it　took　Rick's　missiles　to　bring　them　to　their　senses。　The　Cyclops　took　the　full　force　of　the　explosions　and　sustained　heavy　damage；　but　the　weapons　system　had　not　been　affected。　Rico　ordered　visuals　on　the　source　of　the　missiles　and　returned　fire。　He　watched　the　Micronian　pilot　throw　the　Battloid　into　a　series　of　successful　evasive　maneuvers。　Then；　without　warning；　the　pilot　blew　the　armor　from　the　ship　and　swung　the　Battloid　toward　them；　gatling　cannon　blasting　away。

Rico　recognized　a　no…win　situation　when　he　saw　one；　sacrificing　the　ship　for　the　crew　was　not　something　normally　allowed　by　the　Zentraedi　mand；　but　this　was　an　important　mission；　and　Rico　thought　it　prudent　to　do　so。　With　the　Battloid　still　on　the　approach；　he　initiated　the　self…destruct　sequence；　then　ordered　his　men　to　the　escape　pod。

Inside　the　Battloid　cockpit；　Rick　engaged　the　foot　thrusters　and　willed　the　mecha's　legs　forward；　he　was　hurtling　toward　the　enemy　ship　now；　bent　at　the　waist；　feet　stretched　out　in　front　of　him。

Upon　contact　with　the　recon　ship；　he　grappled　on　and　used　the　feet　to　batter　his　way　through　the　forward　bays　and　into　the　ship's　control　station。　He　was　actually　seated　on　the　instrument　console　when　he　brought　up　the　cannon　once　again；　but　by　then　the　crew　had　already　abandoned　ship。　He　raised　the　Battloid　and　walked　it　forward　cautiously。　A　hatchway　slammed　shut　somewhere；　and　all　at　once；　off　to　his　right；　a　bank　of　porthole　monitors　lit　up；　Minmei's　face　on　each　of　the　dozen　screens。

She　was　the　last　image　in　Rick's　mind　when　the　ship　exploded。


From　the　twenty…eight　contestants　the　judges　chose　five　finalists；　Minmei　was　among　them。　They　were　seated　in　the　center　of　the　stage　now；　Shawn　and　Hilary　on　Minmei's　right；　Sally　and　Jan　Morris　on　her　left。　Vertical　light　bars　puter…linked　to　the　voting　processor　rose　behind　each　of　them。　Ron　Trance　was　speaking。　The　big　moment　had　arrived。

〃And　now；　ladies　and　gentleman。。。〃　Ron　milked　it　a　bit；　playing　on　the　suspense；　walking　to　and　fro；　cordless　mike　in　hand。　〃It　is　time　for　you　to　decide　who　will　be　crowned　Miss　Macross！　So　get　ready　to　cast　your　vote。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　undiluted　silence　before　Trance　gave　the　word。　Then　the　orchestra　began　a　soft　and　slow　build　that　quieted　the　murmurings　from　the　audience　and　kept　time　with　the　ascending　columns　of　light。　Minmei　wanted　desperately　to　turn　around；　but　she　felt　glued　to　her　chair。　The　orchestra　continued　to　pour　out　an　atonal　modulation　which　strained　for　a　crescendo；　the　audience　began　to　cheer　and　scream；　the　light　rose　higher　and　higher。。。