02_battle_cry-第28部分

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　she　was　at　once　sorry　she　had　asked。

〃How　many　sizes　do　these　guys　e　in？〃　said　Ben　in　amazement。

The　grand　inquisitor　stood　well　over　eighty　feet　tall　and　wore　a　solemn　gray　robe　with　a　high　upturned　collar　that　all　but　enclosed　his　massive；　hairless　head。　The　heavy　brow　ridge；　pockmarked　sullen　face；　and　wide　mouth　gave　him　a　fearful　aspect；　and　when　he　spoke　there　was　no　mistaking　his　meaning。

〃I　am　Dolza；〃　he　began。　〃mander…in…Chief　of　the　Zentraedi。　You　will　submit　to　my　interrogation。　Should　you　choose　not　to；　you　will　die。　Do　you　understand　me？〃

Rick；　Ben；　and　Lisa　looked　at　one　another；　realizing　suddenly　that　they　had　failed　to　elect　a　spokesperson…for　the　simple　reason　that　they　hadn't　expected　an　actual　session　with　the　enemy。　The　fact　that　they　would　be　able　to　municate　with　the　Zentraedi　gave　them　new　hope。

Lisa　secretly　activated　the　audio　receiver　of　the　microrecorder；　while　Rick　stepped　forward　to　speak　for　his　group。

〃We　understand　you。　What　do　you　want　from　us？〃

Dolza　turned　to　the　dwarf。　〃Congratulations；　Exedore；　you　have　done　well　in　teaching　me　their　primitive　language。〃

Exedore　inclined　his　head　slightly。

〃Why　do　you　continue　to　resist　us；　Micronians？〃　Dolza　gestured　to　the　male　on　his　right。　〃Surely　Breetai　has　already　demonstrated　our　superiority。〃

Rick　pointed　his　finger　at　the　one　called　Breetai。　〃You　launched　the　attack　on　us！　We've　only　been　trying　to　defend　ourselves　for　the　past　year…〃

〃Immaterial；〃　Breetai　interrupted。　〃Return　to　us　what　is　rightfully　ours…Zor's　ship。〃

〃'Zor's　ship'？　If　you　mean　the　SDF…1；　that's　our　property。　It　crashed　on　our　planet；　and　we　rebuilt　it。　You…〃

Dolza　cut　Rick　off。　〃It　is　as　I　feared；〃　he　said　to　Exedore。

〃Tell　us　what　you　know　of　Protoculture。　You…the　fat　one。〃

Ben　gestured　to　himself　questioningly。　〃Me？　Forget　it；　high　rise。　I　don't　know　anything　about　it。〃

〃Tell　us　what　you　know　of　Protoculture！〃　Dolza　demanded。

〃You　deny　that　you've　developed　a　new　weapons　system　utilizing　Protoculture？〃　Exedore　wanted　to　know。

Rick　turned　to　his　panions　and　shrugged。　The　questions　kept　up；　increasing　in　volume；　until　Lisa　decided　she'd　had　enough。　She　stepped　forward　boldly　and　held　up　her　hand。

〃That's　enough！　I　will　no　longer　submit　my　men　to　your　questioning！〃

Dolza　raised　what　he　had　of　eyebrows。　〃So　the　female　is　in　charge　here。〃　He　sat　back　in　his　chair；　steepling　his　fingers　as　he　did　so。　〃You　underestimate　the　seriousness　of　your　predicament；　Micronian。〃

And　with　a　wave　of　his　hand　the　room　was　transformed。

Lisa；　Rick；　and　Ben　were　suddenly　in　deep。。。space！　At　least　it　appeared　that　way：　Here　were　the　stars；　planets；　and　tens　of　thousands　of　ships　they　had　seen　upon　defold　into　Zentraedi　territory。　And　yet　they　had　not　moved　from　the　table；　and　Dolza's　voice　could　still　be　heard　narrating　the　phenomenal　events　occurring　in　that　unreal　space。

Photon　charges　were　beginning　to　build　up　in　several　of　the　fleet　ships；　they　were　taking　aim　at　a　planet　not　unlike　Earth　in　appearance。。。

〃We　are　in　possession　of　sufficient　power　to　destroy　your　world　in　the　blink　of　an　eye；〃　Dolza　was　saying。　〃And　if　you　need　proof　of　that；　behold。。。〃

As　lethal　rays　from　the　battle　wagons　and　cruisers　converged　on　the　living　surface　of　the　planet；　a　glow　of　death　began　to　spread　and　enpass　it；　and　when　that　fatal　light　faded；　a　lifeless；　cratered　sphere　was　all　that　remained。

Lisa　hung　her　head；　the　Zentraedi　had　just　destroyed　a　planet　merely　to　make　a　point。　Is　this　what　they　had　planned　for　Earth？　But　then；　why　were　they　holding　back？　What　had　Exedore　said　about　〃a　new　weapons　system　utilizing　Protoculture〃？　She　made　up　her　mind　to　try　a　bluff。

〃You　don't　have　enough　power　to　destroy　the　SDF…1；　Dolza。〃

〃Impertinence！〃　their　interrogator　yelled。

Ignoring　Rick's　plea　for　caution；　she　continued：　〃The　SDF…1　has　powers　you've　never　dreamed　of。〃

Dolza　brought　his　fists　down　on　the　table；　throwing　the　Terrans　off　their　feet。　He　then　reached　out　and　grabbed　Lisa　in　his　right　hand。　He　brought　her　close　to　his　face；　warning　Rick　and　Ben　to　stay　put。

〃Now；　my　feisty　female；　I　want　to　know　by　what　process　you　bee　Micronians。〃　He　tightened　his　grip　around　Lisa；　demanding　an　immediate　answer。

〃Stop　squeezing　her！〃　said　Rick。　〃We're　born　this　way。　We're　born。。。Micronian！〃

〃Born　from　what　is　the　question；〃　said　Exedore。

〃Huh？　Well。。。from　our　mothers。　What　else？〃

〃What　is　this　thing　you　call　‘mother'？〃　one　of　the　Zentraedi　behind　Rick　asked。

Ben　swung　around　to　face　the　red…uniformed　trio。

〃Mother。　You　know；　like　the　parent　that's　female。〃　Ben　turned　to　Rick；　twirling　his　forefinger　against　his　temple。

Exedore　was　startled。　〃You　mean　that　you　are　actually　born　from　the　females　of　your　kind？〃

Breetai　was　incredulous。

〃Hey；〃　Ben　continued。　〃It　happens；　you　know。　You　put　a　man　and　a　woman　together　and。。。well；　it　just　happens。〃　He　laughed。　〃It's　love。〃

Breetai　looked　over　at　Dolza；　then　fixed　his　gaze　on　Ben。　〃　‘Love；'　yes；　I　have　heard　that　word　mentioned　in　some　of　your　transmissions。　But　what　is　it？　How　do　you　express　it？〃

〃Oh；　brother；〃　Ben　said　under　his　breath。　〃You　field　this　one；　mander。〃

Rick　shot　him　a　look　and　chuckled；　in　spite　of　himself；　in　spite　of　the　gravity　of　the　situation。　〃It　can　start　with　a　kiss；　I　guess。〃

Dolza　wasn't　buying　it：　If　Micronians　could　be　produced　by　kissing；　then　he　wanted　living　proof　of　it。　He　ordered　Rick　and　Ben　to　demonstrate。

〃Demonstrate　this　kissing　or　I　will　crush　all　of　you！〃

Rick　was　stammering　an　explanation　of　the　facts；　when　he　heard　Lisa　agree　to　volunteer。　Released　from　Dolza's　grip；　she　staggered　weakly　over　to　Rick；　leaning　against　him　as　though　regaining　her　strength　and　taking　advantage　of　their　proximity　to　explain　her　plan：　She　wanted　Rick　to　kiss　her。。。so　she　could　record　the　aliens'　reaction　on　her　microcamera。

Rick　stepped　away　from　her。　〃Do　it　with　Ben；　mander。〃

She　turned　and　looked　over　at　the　corporal　briefly。　〃Listen；　Rick；　I'd　rather　do　it　with　you；　all　right？〃

〃You'll　have　to　make　it　a　mand；　sir。〃

〃Proceed　at　once！〃　said　Dolza。

Lisa　held　Rick's　gaze；　softening　his　anger　somewhat　by　the　hurt　look　he　thought　he　saw　in　her　eyes。

〃I'm　giving　you　a　direct　order；　Lieutenant　Hunter：　Kiss　me。〃

Rick　made　a　silent　appeal　for　Minmei's　forgiveness　and　stepped　into　Lisa's　arms。　They　kissed　each　other　full　on　the　mouth；　and　for　several　seconds　the　two　of　them　were　far　away　from　it　all。　It　was；　however；　difficult　to　sustain　that　romantic　mood　while　six　giants　were　making　sick　sounds　behind　their　backs。　They　broke　their　embrace　and　stepped　apart。

〃What　is　happening　to　us？〃　said　Dolza。　〃This　results　from　Protoculture？〃

〃It　is　their　weapons　system　at　work；〃　said　Exedore。

Dolza　was　on　his　feet；　glaring　at　the　Terrans。　〃Take　them　out　of　here　at　once！　Get　these　Micronians　out　of　my　sight！〃

Rick　turned　to　Lisa　as　the　three　of　them　were　being　herded　onto　the　hover…table　once　again。　〃Are　we　that　bad　at　it？〃

She　looked　at　him　and　said；　〃I　guess　we　are。〃


CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

〃Ya　gotta　picture　it；　gang：　I　mean；　here's　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Ben；　surrounded　by　these　six　giants；　Hunter　and　Hayes　step　into　each　other's　arms；　liplock；　and　these　big；　bad　hombres　begin　to　freak！　I　mean。。。＇laughs　shortly＇；　'magine　if　Lisa's　microcamera　had　been　set　up　to　show　X…rated　movies？　The　war　woulda　been　over　on　the　spot！〃
Unnamed　VT　pilot；　as　quoted　by　Rick　Hunter

〃What's　love　got　to　do　with　it？〃
Late　twentieth…century　song　lyric

Dolza　and　his　advisory　group　remained　in　the　interrogation　room　after　the　Micronian　prisoners　had　been　taken　away。　The　Zentraedi　mander　in　chief　was　disturbed　by　the　reactions　he　had　experienced　when　the　female　and　male　had　kissed　each　other。　Breetai　stated　that　he　had　felt　weakened　after　witnessing　a　verbal　argument　between　these　same　two　Micronians；　and　apparently；　similar　feelings　had　plagued　the　three　operatives　of　the　surveillance　team　that　had　been　dispatched　to　monitor　transmissions　from　Zor's　ship。　Now；　as　Dolza　listened　to　the　recon　team's　report；　he　asked　himself　whether　Exedore's　suspicions　about　the　Micronian　use　of　Protoculture　might　not　be　justified；　after　all。　Perhaps　he　should　have　killed　Zor　when　he　had　had　the　chance；　or　simply　destroyed　the　dimensional　fortress；　instead　of　seeing　in　it　a　road　to　freedom　for　himself　and　the　rest　of　his　warrior　race。

〃。。。and　Konda　here　had　the　same　reaction　when　he　saw　the　unclothed　female；〃　Rico；　the　mander　of　the　team；　was　saying。

〃It's　true；　sir；〃　Konda　affirmed。　〃Although　I　didn't　agree　at　the　time。〃

〃This　could　only　be　done　with　Protoculture；〃　said　Dolza。　He　folded　his　arms　and　addressed　the　group。　〃What　I'm　about　to　tell　you　must　never　leave　this　room。　Is　that　understood？〃

Breetai　and　Exedore　nodded　their　assent。　In　unison；　Rico；　Konda；　and　Bron　said；　〃Yes；　sir！〃

〃Protoculture；　as　Breetai　and　Exedore　are　aware；　is　the　essence　of　Robotechnology　developed　by　our　ancestors。　Yes；　ancestors；〃　he　emphasized　for　the　sake　of　the　recon　team。　〃In　the　beginning；　members　of　the　Zentraedi　race　were　the　same　size　as　these　Micronians。　And　at　one　time　we；　too；　lived　together；　male　and　female；　in　something　that　was　called　a　'society。'　But　through　the　use　of　Protoculture　we　were　able　to　evolve　to　our　present　size；　strength；　and　superiority。　However；　a　series　of　events　that　must　even　now　be　kept　secret　from　you　led　to　a　loss　of　our　understanding　of　Protoculture。〃

Dolza　put　his　open　hands　on　the　table　and　leaned　forward。

〃I　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　those　lost　secrets　are　to　be　found　aboard　Zor's　ship。〃　He　allowed　this　to　sink　in　for　a　moment。　〃This　is　why　the　Micronians　present　such　a　potential　threat。　And　this　is　precisely　why　we　must　take　that　ship　back　undamaged。〃

〃We　have　not　been　able　to　determine　to　what　extent　the　Micronians　have　applied　their　understanding　of　Protoculture；〃　Breetai　added。　〃But　it　is　obvious　to　me　that　they　know　enough　to　effect　repairs　on　Robotech　equipment　and　perhaps　enough　to　be　experimenting　with　a　new　weapons　system。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Rico。　〃We　have　demonstrated　our　power　to　them。　Why　not　hold　their　planet　hostage　for　the　return　of　the　ship？〃

It　was　a　generally　unheard　of　notion；　but　Dolza　was　willing