02_battle_cry-第6部分

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erable　underbelly。　Oddly　enough；　it　also　appeared　to　be　quilled；　but　there　was　good　reason　to　suspect　that　many　of　those　spines　were　weapons。

〃Not　a　pretty　sight；　is　she？〃　said　Gloval。

〃Sir；〃　said　Vanessa；　〃the　destroyer　is　within　range。〃

〃All　right。　Bring　the　ship　around　to　the　predesignated　coordinates。　Make　certain　there　are　no　fluctuations　in　the　barrier　system　readings　and　prepare　to　fire　the　main　gun　on　my　mand。〃

Claudia　tapped　in　the　coordinates。　She　could　feel　the　huge　reflex…powered　thrusters　kick　in　to　propel　the　ship　away　from　Saturn's　gravitational　grasp。　The　pinpoint　barrier　system　checked　out；　and　the　main　gun　was　charging。

Free　of　the　rings　now；　the　SDF…1　was　repositioning　itself。　The　twin　main　gun　towers　were　leveling　out　from　the　shoulders　of　the　ship；　taking　aim　at　a　target　hundreds　of　kilometers　away。

〃Main　gun　locked　on　target；　sir。〃

Gloval's　fist　slammed　into　his　open　hand。　〃Fire！〃

Claudia　pushed　down　a　series　of　crossbar　switches；　threw　open　a　red　safety　cover；　and　pressed　home　the　firing　device。

Illumination　on　the　bridge　failed　momentarily。

The　gun　did　not　fire。

Again　Claudia　tapped　in　a　series　of　mands；　there　was　no　response。

〃Quickly！〃　Gloval　shouted。　〃Get　me　Lang。〃

〃On　the　line；〃　Kim　said。

Lang's　thickly　accented　voice　resounded　through　the　bridge　link　speakers。

〃Captain；　the　pin…point　barrier　is　apparently　interfering　with　the　main　gun　energy　transformers。　We're　doing　a　vibrational　analysis　now；　but　I　don't　think　we'll　have　use　of　the　gun　unless　we　scrap　the　shield　power。〃

〃Bozhe　moy！〃　said　Gloval　in　his　best　Russian。

Sammie　swiveled　from　her　console　to　face　the　captain；　〃Sir；　particle…beam　trackers　are　locked　on　our　ship。　The　enemy　is　preparing　to　fire！〃


Eight　weeks　of　special　training　had　failed　to　prepare　him　for　the　silent　insanity　of　space　warfare。　Disintegration　and　silent　death；　the　pinpoints　of　distant　light　that　were　laser　beams　locked　on　to　his　ship；　the　stormy　marriage　of　antiparticles；　the　grotesque　beauty　of　short…lived　spherical　explosions…bolts　of　launched　lightning；　blue　and　white；　igniting　the　proper　bination　of　gases。。。

Rick　Hunter　fired　the　VT's　thrusters　as　two　Battlepods　closed　in　on　him　from　above…the　relative　〃above〃　at　any　rate；　for　there　was　no　actual　up　or　down　out　here；　no　real　way　to　gauge　acceleration　except　by　the　constant　force　that　kept　him　pinned　to　the　back　of　his　seat；　or　pushed　him　forward　when　the　retros　were　kicked　in；　no　way　to　judge　velocity　except　in　relation　to　other　Veritech　fighters　or　the　SDF…1　herself。　Just　that　unvarying　starfield；　those　cool　and　remote　fires　that　were　the　backdrop　of　war。

It　was　said　that　the　best　VT　pilots　were　those　who　simply　allowed　themselves　to　forget：　about　yesterday；　today；　or　tomorrow。　〃Nothing　extraneous；　in　mind　or　body。〃　Warfare　in　deep　space　was　a　silent　Zen　videogame　where　victory　was　not　the　immediate　goal；　success　to　any　degree　depended　on　a　clear　mind；　free　of　expectations；　and　a　body　conditioned　for　thoughtless　reaction。　Stop　to　think　about　where　to　place　your　shot；　how　to　move　or　mode　your　mecha；　and　you　were　space　debris。　Fight　the　fear　and　you'd　soon　be　sucking　vacuum。　Rather；　you　had　to　embrace　the　terror；　pull　it　down　into　your　guts　and　let　it　free　your　spirit。　It　was　like　forcing　yourself　through　the　climax　of　a　nightmare；　confronting　there　all　the　worst　things　that　could　happen；　then　piercing　through　the　envelope　into　undreamed…of　worlds。　And　the　dreamstate　was　the　key；　because　you　had　to　believe　you　had　plete　control　of　each　detail；　every　element。　The　silence　of　space　was　the　perfect　medium　for　this　manipulated　madness。　Out　here；　content　was　more　important　than　form；　wings　were　superfluous；　banking　and　breaks　unnecessary；　thoughts　dangerous。

Rick　knew　when　he　was　trying　too　hard：　He　would　feel　the　alpha　vibe　abandon　him　and　the　mecha　follow　suit。　You　are　the　mecha；　the　mecha　is　you。　Left　empty；　the　fear　would　rush　in　to　fill　him　up；　like　air　rushing　into　a　vacuum；　and　the　fear　would　trigger　a　further　retreat　from　the　vibe。　It　was　a　vicious　circle。　But　he　was　beginning　to　recognize　the　early　stages　of　it；　the　waverings　and　oscillations；　and　that　in　itself　represented　an　all…important　first　step。

He　stayed　at　Fokker's　wing；　learning　from　him。　The　pods　were　not　as　maneuverable　as　the　Veritechs　and　nowhere　near　as　plex。　They　also　had　far　more　vulnerable　points。　It　was　just　that　there　were　so　damned　many　of　them。　One　Battlepod；　one　enemy　pilot。　How　strong　was　their　number？　How　long　could　they　keep　this　up？

Rick　came　to　Roy's　aid　whenever　he　could；　using　heat…seekers　and　gatling；　saving　the　undercarriage　lasers　for　close…in　fighting。

The　assault　group　had　fought　its　way　out　of　the　rings　and　shadow　zone；　but　not　without　devastating　losses　to　the　Red　and　Green　teams。　And　the　SDF…1　had　still　not　fired　the　main　gun。

It　was　difficult　to　tell　just　what　was　going　on　back　at　the　fortress。　Rick　could　see　that　it　was　taking　heavy　fire　from　the　enemy　destroyer；　a　bizarre…looking　ship　if　ever　he'd　seen　one：　a　cross　between　a　manta　ray　and　a　mutant　cucumber。　But　for　some　reason　the　enemy　was　using　rather　conventional　ordnance；　easily　thwarted　by　the　fortress's　movable　shields。　It　would　only　be　a　matter　of　time　before　the　destroyer　upped　the　ante。

Rick　guessed　mand's　new　orders　for　Skull　Team　long　before　Roy　appeared　on　the　screen　with　them：　The　VTs　were　to　attack　the　destroyer。

Fokker　led　them　in；　searching　for　soft　spots　in　the　forest…green　hull。　Battlepods　continued　to　exit　the　ship　through　semicircular　topside　portals；　so　the　Skull　Leader　directed　the　attack　along　the　underside　of　the　destroyer；　using　everything　his　fighter　was　prepared　to　deliver。

Rick　had　pleted　one　pass；　discharging　half　his　remaining　Stilettos。　He　was　preparing　for　a　second　run　now；　ing　in　across　the　nose　of　the　destroyer　this　time；　zeroing　in　on　two　massive　cannons　set　close　to　the　central　ridge。　Suddenly　a　Battlepod　streaked　in　front　of　him　with　a　VT　in　close　pursuit；　the　mecha　let　loose　a　flock　of　heat…seekers　which　caught　up　with　the　pod　directly　over　Rick's　fighter。　He　dropped　the　VT　into　a　nose　dive；　expecting　concussion　where　there　was　none；　then　executed　two　rollovers　but　still　couldn't　manage　to　pull　the　mecha　out　of　its　collision　course　with　the　destroyer。　Desperately；　he　reached　out　for　the　mode　levers　and　reconfigured　to　Guardian。　This　would　at　least　enable　him　to　extend　the　〃legs〃　of　the　mecha　and　utilize　the　foot　thrusters　to　brake　his　speed。　But　the　angle　of　his　approach　was　too　critical。　With　the　nose　beginning　to　dip　and　the　energized　foot　thrusters　threatening　to　throw　him　into　a　roll；　Rick　again　switched　modes；　this　time　to　Battloid　configuration。　Regardless；　he　was　mitted　to　pleting　the　front　flip；　and　the　Battloid　came　down　with　a　silent　crash；　face　first　on　the　armored　hull。

As　on　the　SDF…1's　shell；　there　was　artificial　gravity　here；　but　Rick　had　no　time　to　be　impressed：　two　Battlepods　were　on　him；　ing　in　fast　now　for　strafing　runs。　He　thought　the　mecha　to　a　kneeling　position　and　brought　the　gatling　cannon　out　front。　Blue　bolts　from　the　pods　were　striking　the　hull　around　him；　fusing　metals　and　blowing　slag　into　the　void。　It　didn't　seem　to　bother　the　enemy　pilots　any　that　they　were　firing　on　their　own　ship；　they　were　intent　on　finishing　him　off；　homing　in　now；　bipedal　legs　dangling　and　plastron　cannons　firing　like　spheroid　kamikazes。

Rick　was　backing　away　from　blue　lightning；　returning　continuous　fire。　The　big　gun　was　dangerously　close　to　overheating　in　the　Battloid's　hands。

Then；　suddenly；　the　hull　seemed　to　give　way　under　him。　Instantly　Rick　realized　that　he　had　stumbled　the　Battloid　through　one　of　the　topside　semicircular　ports。

The　mecha　landed　on　its　butt；　twenty…five　meters　below　the　action　on　the　floor　of　a　loading　bay。　Rick　worked　the　foot　pedals　frantically；　raising　the　Battloid　to　its　feet　in　time　to　see　the　overhead　hatch　close…a　shot　from　one　of　the　pods　had　probably　activated　the　external　control　circuitry。　There　was　a　second　hatch　in　the　bay　which　undoubtedly　led　to　the　innards　of　the　destroyer。

Rick　began　to　approach　this　second　hatch　cautiously；　studying　the　air　lock　entry　controls　and　feeling　strangely　secure　in　the　sealed　chamber。　Just　then　the　air　lock　door　slid　open。　On　the　other　side　of　the　threshold　stood　an　enemy　soldier　who　had　apparently　heard　Rick's　fall　to　the　floor。　He　was　easily　as　tall　as　the　Battloid　and　massively　built；　but　although　he　was　armored；　his　head　was　bare　and　he　was　weaponless。

The　alien　goliath　and　the　small　human　in　the　cockpit　of　the　mecha　had　taken　each　other　by　surprise。　As　dissimilar　as　these　potential　batants　were；　their　frightened　reactions　were　the　same。　The　defenseless　soldier's　eyes　darted　left　and　right；　desperately　seeking　an　escape　route　as　Rick's　did　the　same。　The　alien　warrior　then　stepped　back；　body　language　betraying　his　thoughts。

It　was　all　that　was　needed　to　break　the　stalemate：　Rick　raised　the　muzzle　of　the　Battloid's　gatling；　metalshod　fingers　poised　on　the　trigger。


The　enemy　destroyer　was　bearing　down　on　the　SDF…1；　peppering　her　with　hundreds　of　missiles。　Radar　scanners　located　throughout　the　body　of　the　fortress　relayed　course　headings　of　the　ining　projectiles　to　inboard　puters；　which　in　turn　translated　the　data　into　colored　graphics。　These　displays　were　flashed　to　monitors　in　the　barrier　control　room；　where　three　young　female　techs　worked　feverishly　to　bring　photon　disc　cover　to　projected　impact　points；　the　spherical　gyros　of　the　pin…point　barrier　system　spinning　wildly　under　the　palms　of　their　hands。

On　the　bridge　Captain　Gloval　feared　the　worst。　The　main　gun　was　still　inoperable；　and　despite　the　effectiveness　of　the　shields；　the　ship　was　sustaining　damage　on　all　sides。　Skull　Team　was　counterattacking　the　destroyer；　but　it　was　unlikely　they'd　be　able　to　inflict　enough　damage　to　incapacitate　it。　Was　there　ever　in　Earth's　history　a　mander　who　had　more　than　50；000　civilian　lives　at　stake　in　one　battle？　For　all　these　long　months　Gloval　had　never　once　contemplated　surrender。　Now；　however；　he　found　that　possibility　edging　into　his　thoughts；　draining　him　of　strength　and　will。

As　if　reading　Gloval's　thoughts；　Lisa　suddenly　came　up　with　an　inspired　plan。　But　first　she　needed