19_the_zendtradei_rebellion-第2部分

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Rick　held　her　and　stroked　her　long　hair。　They　went　over　the　day'sevents　and　she　cried　in　his　arms；　then　Rick　led　her　to　his　bed　andtucked　her　in。　Gradually；　her　sobbing　diminished　and　she　fell　asleep；and　Rick　returned　to　the　living　room；　planting　himself　by　a　fixed…panewindow　that　overlooked　Monument's　distant　highrise　skyline。　He　feltstrangely　separated　from　the　world；　insulated　by　the　window　glass　as　hehad　been　by　the　faceplate　of　the　thinking　cap　and　the　permaplex　of　theVT　cockpit。

The　walls　of　the　small　house　were　hung　with　photos　of　Skull　One　andof　assorted　mecha；　and　dangling　from　the　ceiling　were　plastic　models　ofvintage　prop　planes　of　the　sort　his　father　and　Leo　Epstein　had　so　loved；some　of　them　purchased　at　Bron；　Rico；　and　Konda's　kiosk　in　the　Macrossmall。　In　Lisa's　quarters　were　her　stuffed　toy　ostrich　and　an　ovalvanity　mirror　decaled　with　stars　that　had　somehow　survived　Khyron。Mass…produced　modular　rectangles　of　plastic　and　lightweight　alloy；　thetwo　houses　were　mirrorimages　of　one　another　but　identical　to　dozens　ofothers　in　the　transplanted　neighborhood。

In　the　kitchenette　was　the　round　table　at　which　Lisa　had　posedthe　introductory　remarks　to　Lang's　speech。　By　the　time　she　hadfinished；　the　notepaper　was　so　tearstained　that　Rick　had　had　to　have　thefew　paragraphs　transcribed。　He　marveled　at　how　fluently　she　could　cry；at　how　deeply　she　could　grieve；　especially　when　there　didn't　seem　to　bea　tear　left　in　him。　With　all　that　had　happened　in　the　past　five　years；it　had　gotten　so　that　death　was　only　unexpected　when　its　cause　wasdisease。

Fortunately　for　the　Human　race；　Earth　was　proving　itself　immune　topessimism。　In　spite　of　what　the　War　had　wrought；　the　planet　was　healingitself。　Angry　sunsets　and　blood…red　moons　were　things　of　the　past；　andsongbirds　had　returned　to　a　patch　of　forest　in　the　hills　surroundingMonumentLisa's　favorite　spot　for　picnics。　Conditions　in　the　so…calledSouthlands　were　reported　to　be　even　better。

Monument　City　had　been　founded　by　a　group　of　Zentraedi　loyal　toBreetai；　the　warrior　giant　without　whose　help　the　War　would　have　beenlostwithout　whom；　in　fact；　the　Earth　itself　would　have　been　lost；　ridforever　of　〃Micronians；〃　as　the　aliens　referred　to　any　race　that　failedto　measure　up　to　their　forty…foot　stature。　The　city　lay　to　thenorthwest　of　Macross；　across　a　now…tortuous　landscape　of　eroded　hillsand　precipitous　outcroppings；　and　was　in　many　ways　an　imitation　ofMacross；　right　down　to　the　milk…carton　skyscrapers；　Quickform　buildings；pedestrian　malls；　and　crater　lake。　Save　that　the　rusting　ship　centeredin　Monument's　lake　was　a　Zentraedi　dreadnought　that　had　driven　itself；like　a　spike；　partway　into　the　groundone　of　tens　of　thousands　ofdisabled　and　depleted　warships　that　had　oriented　on　Earth　in　the　finalmoments　of　the　War　and　plunged　toward　it。　Much　of　the　planet's　ravagedsurface　was　an　eerie　Robotech　boot　hill　studded　with　crumpled　ships；　toonumerous　to　either　bury　or　dismantle。　Only　time　and　the　elements　mightremove　them；　though　not　in　the　lifespan　of　anyone　then　living。

With　the　unequivocal　destruction　of　Macrossit　would　never　againrise　from　its　ashesfacsimile　Monument　had　been　forced　to　acceptMacross's　100；000　refugees；　much　as　Earth　had　been　forced　to　accept　thedefeated　and　marooned　Zentraedi。　Thus；　in　the　three　months　sinceKhyron's　assault；　Monument　had　swollen　to　over　ten　times　its　originalsize。　There　was　no　SDF…1　to　supply　the　fabricators　that　had　enabledMacross　Three　to　flower　overnight；　but　Macross's　city　plannersout　offoresight　or　perhaps　paranoiahad　seen　fit　to　construct　Macross　as　averitable　transportable　city。　Indeed；　the　construction　designs　andmaterials　developed　for　Macross　had　already　been　exported　around　theworld；　to　wherever　people　were　struggling　to　rebuild：　to　Portland；Denver；　Detroit；　Albuquerque；　and　Mexico　in　North　American　Sector；　tothe　Eastern　European　monwealth；　Japan；　India；　Australia；　and　centralAfrica；　and　to　relatively　robust　South　Americathe　Southlandswhosecities　housed　the　highest　concentrations　of　Micronized　Zentraedithoseof　human　scale；　whether　by　choice　or　design。

Monument　had　a　mixed　population　of　full…size　and　Micronized　aliens；and　despite　the　sudden　growth　and　ethnic　flipflop；　it　remainedessentially　a　Zentraedi　city；　governed　by　a　council　made　up　of　aliensand　representatives　of　the　small　but　vocal　group　of　advocates　who　hadspearheaded　the　movement　for　autonomy　from　Macross。

Watching　the　lights　wink　on　in　Monument's　towers；　Rick　wondered　howmuch　longer　the　city's　most　recent　immigrants　would　be　willing　to　liveunder　Zentraedi　rule。　The　War；　after　all；　had　been　fueled　by　fears　ofalien　domination。

When　he　went　to　check　on　Lisa；　he　found　her　sound　asleep；　coverspulled　tight　around　her　head　like　a　hood。　Gazing　at　her　from　thebedroom　door；　she　seemed　the　same；　plainly…pretty；　twenty…nine…year…oldmilitary　brat　he'd　once　called　an　old　sourpuss。　Same　heavy　locks　ofbrown…blond　hair；　same　pale　plexion　and　slender　figure。　Not　that　hewas　all　that　different　from　the　long…haired　Veritech　jock　Lisa　wasalways　accusing　of　indulging　in　amateur　heroics。　But　Rick　knew　thatdeep　down　they　both　had　changed。　Or　had　been　changed　by　events。　Whoknew　anymore？

Mostly；　he　was　still　trying　to　get　used　to　the　idea　of　the　two　ofthem　as　partners。　They　had　only　declared　their　love　three　months　back；amid　the　searing　flames　of　a　city　under　siegejust　when　it　had　lookedas　if　Rick　and　Minmei　would　be　setting　up　house　after　five　years　offlirting　with　the　arrangement。　No　matter　that　he　had　won　Minmei　bydefault；　she　had　proposed　to　him；　and　no　one　could　revoke　that　moment。

Minmei　had　moved　into　his　Macross　module；　following　her　disastrousbreakup　with　cousin；　manager；　and　then　love　interest；　Lynn…Kyle。　Shewas　going　to　give　up　her　career　as　a　singeras　The　Voiceand　Rick；　inturn；　was　expected　to　resign　from　the　RDF。　Minmei's　formula　for　happilyever　after：　just　the　two　of　them；　playing　house；　reminiscing　about　oldtimes；　going　gray　together。　But　all　during　that　week　they　had　spenttogether；　in　and　out　of　each　other's　arms；　Rick　couldn't　get　Lisa　out　ofhis　mind。　He'd　been　between　the　two　women　for　so　long　that　the　veryidea　of　choosing　one　over　the　other　。　。　。　Well；　maybe　he　neededconfusion　in　his　life；　he'd　told　himself。

Unaware　that　Khyron　was　about　to　guarantee　that。

Minutes　before　the　Backstabber's　assault；　Lisa　had　stopped　by　thehouse　to　inform　Rick；　very　matter…of…factly；　that　she　was　beingtransferred　to　the　factory　satellite。　Once　there；　she　was　to　assumemand　of　the　near…pleted　SDF…2；　and　of　the　proposed　Expeditionarymission　to　Tirol；　homeworld　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　Realizing　that　shewould　be　out　of　his　life　for　a　long　time　to　e　had　almost　been　enoughto　drag　a　confession　from　him。　But　it　was　Lisa's　follow…up　that　finallydid　the　trick：　she　loved　him；　she　said。　She　had　always　loved　him。　Andshe　was　tasking　MinmeiMiss　Minmei；　at　thatwith　taking　care　of　him。

A　scary　thought；　even　in　the　best　of　times。

Lisa　hadn't　gotten　a　block　when　Khyron's　cruiser　had　fired　thefirst　of　its　annihilation　bolts；　and　there　she　went；　hurrying　right　intothe　thick　of　it。　Giving　chase；　Rick's　first　obstacle　was　Minmei；　whothrew　herself　in　front　of　him；　shouting；　〃You　can't　leave　me　like　this。How　can　you　even　think　of　going　back　into　space？〃

He　had　stepped　around　her　and　dashed　after　Lisa；　Minmei　hot　on　hisheels；　intent　on　playing　out　their　final　scene　to　a　backdrop　fashionedin　hell。

〃If　you　really　love　him；　you'll　let　him　go；〃　Lisa　had　told　Minmei。〃He's　a　pilot。　Flying　is　his　life。〃

〃You　call　that　a　life？〃　Minmei　said　back。　〃Battle　after　battleuntil　everything　is　destroyed？〃

Rick　chimed　in：　〃We're　fighting　to　preserve　a　future。　Somedayyou'll　understand　that。〃　A　somewhat　ill…timed　remark；　what　with　firefalling　from　the　sky　and　much　of　Macross　already　in　flames。

The　look　Minmei　returned　was　pitying。　〃There　is　no　future。　Andyou're　wrong；　Rick；　I'll　never　understandnot　war；　not　love；　not　any　ofit。〃

But　hadn't　that　been　Lynn…Minmei's　problem　all　along？　Rick　askedhimself　now。　Her　celebrity　had　so　isolated　her　that　she　had　noprehension　of　the　real　world。　Lisa；　on　the　other　hand；　understoodall　too　well。

〃It　takes　a　soldier　to　understand　the　bitter　truths；〃　she　had　saidearlier　that　same　afternoon。　〃People　think　that　because　Khyron　is　deadand　spring　has　arrived　that　the　RDF's　work　is　pleted。　They're　wrong。But　it's　always　easier　to　pretend。　Everyone's　bee　a　Minmei。〃

No　wonder　that　he　and　Lisa　were　inseparable；　Rick　thought。　Andthat　he　hadn't　so　much　as　spoken　to　Minmei　since　the　attack。

The　bitter　truths　many　of　Macross's　hagridden　inhabitants　wereignoring　were　two　threats　that　still　lurked　in　the　stars：　one　posed　bythe　race　that　had　bioengineered　the　Zentraedithe　Robotech　Masterstheother　posed　by　an　equally　fiercesome　race　known　as　the　Invid；　one　of　ahost　of　enemies　the　Zentraedi　had　made　during　their　period　of　empirebuilding　for　Tirol。　The　SDF…2；　the　gargantuan　fortress　Lisa　was　to　havemanded；　had　been　built　to　address　the　first　threat。　As　envisioned　byAdmiral　Gloval；　the　members　of　the　Expeditionary　mission　would　sue　forpeace　with　the　Masters　in　their　own　space；　thus　removing　the　Earth　fromdanger。　Now；　though；　with　the　SDF…2　about　to　be　interred；　hope　for　thesuccessful　execution　of　the　mission　had　centered　on　the　sole　remainingspacefold…capable　battle　wagon　of　the　Zentraedi　armada：　Breetai'sflagship。　From　the　flagship　would　be　fashioned　a　new　dimensionalfortress；　Lang's　SDF…3。

There　was　no　denying　the　necessity　of　the　mission。　Rick；　in　fact；had　probably　been　the　first　to　suggest　using　Breetai's　ship。　But　latelyhe'd　been　regretting　having　opened　his　mouth。　Why　couldn't　he　havesaid；　We're　just　going　to　have　to　pray　that　the　Masters　and　the　Invidhave　better　things　to　do　than　e　looking　for　revenge。　Didn't　it　makemore　sense　to　get　on　with　healing　and　repopulating　the　Earth　instead　ofwasting　time　worrying　about　things　that　might　not　even　happen？

Even　so；　he　knew　it　was　too　late　for　regrets。　There　was　nodissuading　Lisa；　in　any　case。　She　saw　it　as　a　sacred　obligation　tocarry　out　the　assignment　Gloval　had　given　her　on　the　morning　of　hisdeath。　Rick　could　understand　that；　too；　though　it　sometimes　felt　thathis　and　Lisa's　newly　affirmed　love　was　little　more　than　an　extension　ofthat　obligation。　Something　h