02_battle_cry-第5部分

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Suddenly　Fokker　had　him　by　the　arm　and　was　propelling　him　through　the　hangar；　filling　his　ears　with　last…minute　instructions　and　words　of　advice。　He　gave　Rick　a　quick　embrace　when　they　were　alongside　Skull　Team's　twenty…three　and　was　soon　swallowed　up　in　the　crowds　again。

Rick　was　assisted　into　the　pilot's　crane　sling　by　two　techs；　who　also　issued　him　boots；　gloves；　and　a　〃thinking　cap〃…a　sensor…studded　helmet　that　was　in　some　ways　an　outgrowth　of　the　Global　Civil　War　〃virtual　cockpits〃　and　essential　for　rapport　with　the　mecha。

Rick　regarded　the　plane　as　he　was　being　lowered　into　the　cockpit　module。　In　Fighter　mode；　the　mecha　was　similar　in　appearance　to　the　supersonic　jets　of　the　late　twentieth　century。　But　in　actuality；　the　Veritechs　were　as　different　from　those　as　cars　were　to　horse…drawn　wagons。　The　aliens　who　had　engineered　the　super　dimensional　fortress　had　found　a　way　to　animate　technological　creations；　and　working　from　examples　found　onboard　the　SDF…1；　Dr。　Lang　and　his　Robotechnicians　had　been　able　to　fabricate　the　Veritechs　in　much　the　same　way…〃chips　off　the　old　block；〃　as　the　scientist　called　the　VTs。

Once　inside　the　cockpit；　Rick　strapped　in　and　donned　the　helmet；　from　this　point　on　he　was　mind…linked　to　the　fighter。　There　were　still　plenty　of　manual　tasks　to　perform；　but　the　central　defense　capabilities　that　set　the　planes　apart　from　their　predecessors　were　directly　tied　in　to　the　pilots'　mecha…will。

The　Veritech　was　fired　up　now；　reflex　engines　humming；　and　cat　officers　were　motioning　Rick　forward。　He　adjusted　the　helmet　and　seat　straps　and　goosed　the　throttle　to　position　the　fighter　onto　one　of　the　carrier　elevators。　A　second　Skull　Team　VT　joined　him　there。

As　the　two　crafts　were　lifted　to　the　flight　deck；　Rick　could　see　the　disc　of　the　sun　far　off　to　his　left。　At　the　end　of　the　hurricane　bow　was　Saturn；　impossibly　huge。　mander　Hayes　was　once　again　on　the　PA　and　tac　net。

〃This　operation　will　be　directed　toward　the　Cassini　Quadrant。　All　squadrons　will　wait　in　the　ice　fields　of　the　rings　for　further　instructions。〃

The　ice　fields　of　Saturn's　rings；　Rick　repeated　to　himself。

And　he　had　thought　yesterday　was　bad。


CHAPTER　THREE

The　so…called　Daedalus　Maneuver　was　the　first　demonstration　of　what　I　have　termed　〃mecha…consciousness〃…levels　beyond　the　somewhat　primitive；　almost　instinctual　modular　transformation。　The　officers　of　the　bridge；　along　with　the　engineering　section；　did　little　more　than　offer　a　prompt　to　the　SDF…1：　The　dynamics　of　the　maneuver　were　carried　out　by　the　fortress　herself；　despite　claims　to　the　contrary。　I；　alone；　recognized　this　for　what　it　was…an　attempt　on　the　part　of　the　ship　to　interface　with　the　living　units　she　carried　within　her。。。Later　I　would　overhear　someone　in　the　corridor　say　that　〃the　Daedalus　Maneuver　（would）　go　down　in　the　annals　of　space　warfare　as　a　lucky　break　for　an　inpetent　crew。〃　In　point　of　fact；　however；　the　SDF…1　was　able　to　repeat　this　〃accident〃　on　four　separate　occasions。
Dr。　Emil　Lang：　Technical　Recordings　and　Notes

〃It　is　as　you　predicted；　mander；〃　Exedore　said　as　he　entered　the　flagship's　mand　center。

Without　a　word；　Breetai　rose　from　his　seat；　a　wave　of　his　hand　and　the　projecbeam　field　began　to　assemble　itself。　Here　was　Zor's　ship；　still　in　that　bizarre　configuration；　a　speck　of　gleaming　metals　caught　in　starlight　and　silhouetted　against　the　milky　white　bands　and　icy　rings　of　the　system's　sixth　planet。　Breetai　called　for　full　magnification。

〃The　Micronians　have　activated　electronic　countermeasures　and　are　about　to　enter　the　rings；〃　Exedore　continued。　〃They　are　endangering　the　ship。〃

〃We　cannot　permit　that。〃

〃I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　contacting　mander　Zeril。〃

〃Excellent。〃

A　second　wave　brought　Zeril　to　the　screen。　He　offered　a　salute。

〃My　Lord　Breetai；　we　await　your　instructions。〃

〃The　Micronians　are　laying　a　trap　for　us；　mander　Zeril。　It　would　suit　me　to　humor　them　a　bit；　but　I'm　concerned　about　the　security　of　the　dimensional　fortress。　As　your　scanners　will　indicate；　the　enemy　has　deployed　several　squadrons　of　mecha　in　the　hope　of　luring　you　to　your　doom。　Send　out　enough　Battlepods　to　deal　with　them。

〃The　Micronian　mander　will　bring　his　ship　from　the　rings　when　you　are　within　range　of　the　main　gun。　I　expect　you　to　cripple　the　fortress　before　the　gun　is　armed。〃

〃Sir！〃　said　Zeril。

〃You　understand　that　the　ship　is　to　be　disabled；　not　destroyed。　As　we　speak；　relevant　data　concerning　the　ship's　vulnerable　points　is　being　transmitted　to　your　inboard　targeting　puters。　Success；　mander。〃

〃May　you　win　all　your　battles；　sir！〃

Zeril's　face　faded　from　the　field；　replaced　now　by　a　wide…angle　view　of　the　SDF…1　at　the　perimeter　of　the　ring　system。　Breetai　and　his　adviser　turned　their　attention　to　a　second　monitor　where　radar　scanners　depicted　the　exiting　mecha　as　flashing　color…enhanced　motes。

〃Attacking　with　such　a　weak　force　is　pletely　illogical；〃　Exedore　mented。　〃They　seem　to　have　little　knowledge　of　space　warfare。〃

〃They　have　been　a　planetbound　race　for　too　long；　Exedore。　Caught　up　in　their　own　petty　squabbles　with　one　another。〃

〃Absolutely　and　totally　illogical。〃

Breetai　moved　in　close　to　the　scanner　screen；　as　if　there　were　some　secret　message　that　could　be　discerned　in　those　flashing　lights。

〃I　don't　believe　they　realize　that　we　are　holding　back　nearly　all　our　forces。。。But　this　is　an　excellent　opportunity　for　us　to　demonstrate　just　what　they're　up　against。〃


No　sooner　had　Rick　Hunter　executed　a　full　roll　to　avoid　colliding　with　a　chunk　of　ring　ice　than　mander　Lisa　Hayes　opened　the　net；　her　angry　face　on　the　mo　screen　lighting　up　the　Veritech　cockpit。

〃Skull　twenty…three！　What　in　blazes　are　you　doing？　Just　where　were　you　at　the　briefing…asleep？　I'm　getting　sick　and　tired　of　repeating　myself：　That　kind　of　stunt　flying　will　give　away　your　position　to　the　enemy！　This　isn't　the　time　or　place　for　aerobatics；　do　you　copy？！〃

〃It　was　just　a　roll；〃　Rick　said　in　defense　of　his　actions。　〃I'm　not　the　only　one…〃

〃That'll　be　enough；　Corporal。　Follow　Skull　Leader's　instructions；　do　you　copy？〃

〃All　right；〃　he　answered　sullenly。　〃I　gotcha。〃

But　Hayes　wasn't　finished；　not　by　a　long　shot。

〃Is　that　the　way　you　address　superiors；　Hunter？　Look　around　you；　bright　boy。　Everyone　else　here　flies　by　the　rules。〃

〃Roger；　roger；　mander；　I　copy。〃

〃And　get　your　RAS　back　where　it　belongs…why　are　you　dropping　behind？〃

〃Hey；　you're　not　flying　around　up　here…〃　He　caught　himself　and　made　a　new　start。　〃Uh；　Skull　twenty…three　increasing　relative　airspeed；　mander。〃

Hayes　signed　off；　and　Rick　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　This　was　going　to　be　even　more　difficult　than　he　had　imagined。　His　first　mission；　and　already　he　was　being　razzed　by　some　know…it…all　bridge　bunny。　Just　his　luck！　What　did　she　think；　it　was　easy　out　here？　Oh；　to　be　back　in　the　Mockingbird；　Rick　thought。

They　were　flying　blind　in　Saturn's　shadow；　far　from　the　surface　of　the　rapidly　spinning　planet　and　deep　in　the　ice　fields　of　its　outermost　rings。　Rick's　eyes　were　glued　to　the　cockpit　screens　and　displays；　and　yet　even　with　all　this　sophisticated　instrumentation　he　had　already　had　several　close　calls　with　debris　too　insignificant　to　register　on　the　short…range　scanners　but　large　enough　to　inflict　damage。　He　knew　that　the　rest　of　Skull　Team　was　out　there　somewhere；　but　visual　contact　would　have　been　reassuring　right　about　now…a　glimpse　of　thruster　fire；　a　glint　of　sunlight　on　a　wingtip；　anything　at　all。　Soon　enough　there　would　be　an　added　element　of　danger…the　arrival　of　the　enemy　Battlepods。

Just　then；　Roy　Fokker　appeared　on　the　port　mo　screen。

〃Get　ready；　fellas；　here　they　e。〃

There's　no　more　flying　for　fun。


Claudia　Grant；　the　black　Flight　Officer　on　the　SDF…1's　bridge；　was　monitoring　Lisa　Hayes's　conversation　with　the　young　VT　pilot　when　radar　informed　her　of　the　enemy's　counterattack。

Claudia　and　Lisa　had　adjacent　stations　along　the　curved　forward　hull　of　the　bridge；　beneath　the　main　wraparound　bays　which　now　afforded　views　of　the　rocks　and　ice　chunks　that　made　up　Saturn's　rings。　Each　woman　had　two　overhead　monitors　and　a　console　screen　at　her　disposal。　Elevated　behind　Lisa's　post　was　the　mand　chair；　and　behind　the　captain　along　the　rear　bulkheads　on　either　side　of　the　hatch　sat　Sammie　and　Kim；　each　duty　station　equipped　with　nine　individual　screens　that　formed　a　grand　square。　Vanessa　was　off　to　starboard；　positioned　in　front　of　the　ten…foot…high　threat　board。

Claudia's　station　was　linked　to　those　of　the　three　junior　officers　by　radio；　but　such　was　her　proximity　to　Lisa's　that　scarcely　a　word　the　mander　uttered　escaped　her　hearing。　Not　that　there　would　have　been　anything　left　unshared　between　them　in　any　case。　They　had　forged　a　close　friendship；　Claudia；　four　years　Lisa's　senior；　often　playing　the　role　of　older　sister；　especially　in　matters　of　the　heart。　But　for　of　all　her　desirable　traits；　her　natural　attractiveness　and　keen　intelligence；　Lisa　was　emotionally　inexperienced。　She　projected　an　image　of　cool　and　capable　efficiency；　rationalizing　her　detached　stance　in　the　name　of　〃mitment　to　duty。〃　But　buried　in　her　past　was　an　emotional　wound　that　had　not　yet　healed。　Claudia　knew　this　much；　and　she　hoped　to　help　Lisa　exorcise　that　demon　some　day。　This　new　VT　pilot；　Hunter；　had　touched　something　deep　inside　Lisa　by　calling　her　just　as　he　had　seen　her…　‘that　old　sourpuss'　and　Claudia　wanted　to　press　her　friend　for　details。　But　this　was　hardly　the　time　or　the　place。

〃Enemy　Battlepods　now　engaging　our　Veritechs　in　the　Cassini　Quadrant；　Captain；〃　Claudia　relayed。

〃Enemy　destroyer　approaching　the　target　zone；〃　Vanessa　added。

Gloval　rubbed　his　hands　together　and　rose　from　his　chair。

〃Excellent。　If　we　can　get　a　visual　on　the　destroyer；　I　want　it　on　the　forward　screen。　Let's　see　what　these　ships　look　like。〃

Sammie　punched　it　up；　and　soon　the　entire　bridge　crew　was　staring　at　the　enemy　vessel。　It　was　surely　as　large　as　if　not　larger　than　the　SDF…1；　perhaps　two　and　a　half　kilometers　in　length；　but　in　no　other　way　similar　to　it。　Broad　and　somewhat　flat；　the　warship　had　a　vaguely　organic　look；　enhanced　by　the　dark　green　color　of　its　dorsal　armored　shells　and　the　light　gray　of　its　seemingly　more　vulnerable　underbelly。