03_homecoming-第10部分

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lord　risked　a　confrontation；　perhaps　even　bat；　but　by　nature　Yaita　was　a　risk　taker。

Azonia；　even　more　so。　〃I　shall　have　to　force　Khyron　to　break　off　his　attack　myself。〃

Yaita　said；　〃You　mean　to　divert　part　of　the　fleet　blockade？　But　the　enemy　vessel　might　find　a　way　to　break　through！〃

〃It　can't　be　avoided；〃　Azonia　said　coldly。　〃That　ship　must　not　be　destroyed。　Its　Protoculture　secrets　are　the　key　to　the　Zentraedi's　ultimate　victory。〃


Vanessa　relayed　the　information；　〃The　aliens　are　bringing　up　reinforcements；　Captain；　nearly　two　hundred　heavy　warships。〃　She　looked　up　from　her　console。　〃Analysis　indicates　that's　too　many　for　us　to　handle。〃

〃The　barrier's　weakening　rapidly；〃　Sammie　said。

〃We're　losing　power；〃　Kim　added。

Vanessa　watched　her　tactical　screens；　ready　to　give　the　grim　details　as　the　enemy　closed　in　for　the　kill。　But　she　suddenly　had　trouble　believing　what　she　was　seeing。　〃What's　going　on？　The　reinforcements　are　breaking　formation…spreading　out　and　closing　in　on　the　other　enemy　ships！〃


Khyron　watched　his　trans…vid　displays　furiously　as　Azonia's　fleet　swept　in　to　close　with　his　own　reduced　forces。　〃What　is　that　woman　up　to　now？〃

The　Micronian　vessel　was　nearly　his；　he　could　feel　it。

I　will　not　be　thwarted　again！

A　projecbeam　created　an　image　of　Azonia　in　midair　over　his　head。　〃Khyron；　you　fool！　Dolza　has　given　you　no　authority　whatsoever　to　destroy　the　Earth　ship！〃

Khyron　felt　that　insane　wrath　welling　up　in　him　once　again；　a　fury　so　boundless　that　his　vision　began　to　blur。　He　growled　like　an　animal　through　locked　teeth。

Azonia　was　saying；　〃As　mander　of　this　force；　I　am　ordering　you　to　cease　this　attack　at　once　and　withdraw　to　your　assigned　position…or　you　will　find　yourself　facing　Zentraedi　guns！〃

Studying　the　tactical　readouts；　Grel　said；　〃Captain；　her　entire　arsenal　is　already　being　aimed　at　us。〃

Khyron　crashed　his　first　on　the　map　console。　〃That　blasted　meddling　idiot　of　a　woman！〃

He　may　have　been　called　Khyron　the　Backstabber　by　some；　but　he'd　never　been　called　Khyron　the　Suicide　or　Khyron　the　Fool。　Azonia　had　the　rest　of　the　armada　to　back　her　in　this　confrontation。

Khyron　had　no　choice。　With　Azonia's　ships　blocking　their　way；　his　vessels　reduced　speed；　and　the　SDF…1　began　to　put　distance　between　itself　and　its　enemies。

〃They're　escaping！〃　Khyron's　voice　was　a　harsh　croak。　〃And　so　Azonia　robs　me　of　my　triumph。　But　I　swear：　I　shall　not　forget　this！〃

Grel　had　heard　that　tone　in　his　mander's　voice　before。　He　smiled　humorlessly。

If　Azonia　was　wise；　she　would　begin　guarding　her　back　at　all　times。


The　immense　Robotech　knight　that　was　the　SDF…1　descended　to　Earth's　atmosphere；　toward　the　swirling　white　clouds　and　the　blue　ocean。

〃I　don't　understand　it；〃　Claudia　said。　〃They　screened　us　from　their　own　attack。〃

〃I　know；　but　we'll　worry　about　that　after　we　get　back　to　Earth；　Claudia；〃　Gloval　answered。

〃Reentry　in　ten　seconds；〃　she　told　him。

〃Steady　as　she　goes；　Lisa；〃　Gloval　ordered　calmly。　All　the　equations　and　theories　about　how　the　reconfigured　SDF…1　would　take　its　first　grounding　in　Earthnormal　gravity　were　just　that：　theories。　Any　one　of　an　almost　infinite　number　of　things　might　go　wrong；　but　there　was　no　alternative。　Soon　the　ship's　crew　and　inhabitants　would　find　out　the　truth。

〃Atmospheric　contact；〃　Claudia　reported。

The　giant　warrior　ship　descended　on　long　pillars　of　blue…white　fire　that　gushed　from　its　thruster　legs　and　from　the　thrusters　built　into　the　bows　of　Daedalus　and　Prometheus。　〃Order　all　hands　to　secure　for　landing；〃　Gloval　directed。

Elsewhere；　the　strain　was　beginning　to　tell。　Power　surges　and　outages；　overloads　and　explosions；　were　lighting　up　warning　indicators　all　over　the　bridge。

〃Starboard　engines　have　suffered　major　damage　from　the　reentry；　sir；〃　Claudia　said。　〃And　gravity　control's　being　erratic。〃

〃The　explosions　have　caused　some　hull　breaches；　Captain；　and　we're　losing　power　quickly；〃　Lisa　put　in。

〃This　is　going　to　be　some　splashdown；〃　Gloval　muttered　to　himself。　At　least　the　loss　of　atmosphere　didn't　matter　anymore；　in　moments　they'd　either　have　all　the　sweet　atmosphere　of　Earth　to　breathe　or　they　wouldn't　need　air　ever　again。

Claudia　counted　off　the　last　few　yards　of　descent。　Vast　clouds　of　steam　rose　from　the　ocean　as　the　waters　boiled　from　the　heat　of　the　drive　thrusters。　Then　the　ship　hit　the　water。

At　first；　the　ocean　parted　around　it；　bubbling　and　vaporizing。　Then　it　came　rushing　back　in　again；　overwhelming　even　that　tremendous　heat　and　blast。　SDF…1　sank；　sank；　the　waves　crashing　against　its　armor；　then　racing　away　from　it；　until　at　last　it　disappeared　from　sight　beneath　the　churning　water。

Moments　passed；　and　the　sea　began　to　calm　itself　again。　Suddenly；　a　spear　of　metal　broke　the　surface；　then　three　more：　the　long　tines　at　the　tips　of　the　booms　of　the　ship's　main　gun。　The　booms　rose；　shedding　water；　and　then　the　bridge。　The　SDF…1's　shoulder　structures　came　up；　and　then　the　elbow　housings；　until　at　last　Daedalus　and　Prometheus　were　up；　their　flight　decks　shedding　millions　of　gallons　of　water。

The　calculations　were　right；　SDF…1　was　an　immense　machine；　but　it　was　quite　buoyant　and　seaworthy。　It　gleamed　brightly　as　the　seawater　streamed　down　its　hull。


CHAPTER　EIGHT

〃There's　no　excuse　for　sloppy　discipline…not　even　victory；〃　Colonel　Maistroff　was　fond　of　lecturing　us。　Maybe　so；　but　I　never　saw　a　haircut　win　a　battle。
The　Collected　Journals　of　Admiral　Rick　Hunter

Gloval　and　his　bridge　crew　gazed　out　at　the　serene　ocean。　The　Terrible　Trio　was　intoxicated　with　joy。

〃Home　again…after　so　long！〃

〃It's　just　beautiful！〃

〃Home…〃

Sammie；　Vanessa；　and　Kim；　arms　around　one　another；　turned　to　the　others。　〃Wele　back！〃

Claudia　was　brushing　tears　away；　and　Lisa　just　stared　at　the　sea；　not　knowing　exactly　what　she　felt。

Gloval　lit　his　pipe；　regulations　be　hanged。　〃Now；　how　about　a　little　fresh　air？〃

Major　access　hatches　began　cranking　open　all　around　the　Macross　City　area；　light　and　wonderful　sea　breezes　flooded　in。　Blinking　and　gaping；　the　inhabitants　of　the　city　began　to　congregate　in　the　air　locks　and　on　the　outer　decks。

When　they　finally　believed　what　their　senses　were　telling　them；　the　cheering　began…the　backslapping　and　hugging　and　kissing　and　laughter。　People　stood　in　the　sunlight　and　cried　or　prayed；　shook　hands　solemnly　or　jumped　up　and　down；　sank　to　their　knees　or　just　stood；　staring。

Kim's　voice　came　over　the　PA。　〃We've　touched　down　in　the　Pacific　Ocean。　The　captain　and　crew　extend　their　gratitude　to　the　citizens　of　Macross　for　your　splendid　cooperation　during　a　difficult　and　dangerous　voyage。　It's　good　to　be　home。〃

A　big　hatch　dropped　open　just　below　the　bridge。　Ben　Dixon　was　the　first　one　out　onto　the　open　deck；　laughing　and　turning　somersaults；　leaping　into　the　air　ecstatically。

More　Veritech　pilots　and　crew　people　rushed　after　him。　Rick　and　Max　stood　watching　Ben　carrying　on。　〃He'd　make　a　pretty　good　acrobat；　wouldn't　he？〃　Max　mented。

Rick　smiled。　〃Probably；　but…look　at　that　blue　sky。　That's　no　EVE　projection！　I　can't　say　I　blame　Ben　a　bit。〃

Ben　was　pointing　into　the　sky。　〃Look！　They're　giving　us　a　fighter　fly…by　to　wele　us！〃

So　it　seemed；　twenty　or　more　ships　that　resembled　VTs；　bearing　the　familiar　delta　markings　of　Earth's　Robotech　Defense　Forces；　came　zooming　in　in　tight　formation　to　pass　over　the　SDF…1。

But　the　three　pilots　felt　their　joy　ebb　as　they　were　struck　by　the　same　thought：　The　Zentraedi　were　still　out　there；　millions　of　ships　strong。


An　endless　series　of　details　kept　Gloval　busy　for　the　next　few　hours；　including　the　recovery　of　the　Vermilion　and　Ghost　fighters　who'd　flown　escort　during　the　SDF…1's　final　bolt　to　safety。

But　at　last　he　put　aside　other　duties；　satisfied　that　subordinates　could　take　care　of　the　remaining　details；　and　repaired　to　his　cabin　to　plete　his　pilation　of　log　excerpts。

The　Earth　authorities　would　soon　have　all　the　facts　as　he　knew　them。　Gloval　wondered　if　the　leaders。　of　the　United　Earth　Government　would　believe　all　that　had　happened　to　the　SDF…1　in　the　months　since　it　had　disappeared。　Sometimes　Gloval　himself　had　trouble。

He　reviewed　the　long　tape　he'd　piled　to　amplify　the　other　materials。　Starting　with　the　initial　Zentraedi　attack；　when　so　much　of　Earth's　military　force　had　been　obliterated　and　the　dimensional　fortress　had　activated　itself；　the　log　covered　all　the　important　incidents　of　the　running　battle　with　the　aliens。

There'd　been　the　ghastly　aftermath　of　the　spacefold　jump　and　the　almost　insurmountable　problems　of　getting　tens　of　thousands　of　Macross　refugees　settled　in　the　ship。　The　Daedalus　Maneuver；　Lisa　Hayes's　inspiration；　had　allowed　the　humans　to　win　their　first　resounding　victory　amid　the　icy　rings　of　Saturn。

Lisa　saved　the　day　again；　this　time　on　Mars；　by　destroying　the　alien　gravity　mines　that　had　been　holding　SDF…1　on　the　Red　Planet's　surface。　The　ship's　most　recent　crisis　began　when　radar　was　disabled　by　enemy　fire；　leading　to　a　foray　by　a　Cat's…Eye　recon　ship…piloted　by　Lisa　Hayes；　of　course。

Gloval　didn't　like　to　think　too　hard　about　the　fate　his　mand　would　have　suffered　if　he　hadn't　been　lucky　enough　to　have　had　Lisa　with　him。　Certainly　there　were　skilled　and　courageous　men　and　woman　throughout　the　SDF…1；　examples　of　extreme　bravery　and　ingenuity　were　too　many　to　mention。　But　it　seemed　that　Lisa's　devotion；　valor；　and　special　loyalty　to　the　SDF…1　and　to　Gloval　made　her　the　pivotal　figure　in　almost　every　action　the　ship　fought。　It　made　it　that　much　more　difficult　for　Gloval　to　see　how　few　real　friends　Lisa　had；　how　empty　her　life　was　of　anything　but　service　and　duty。　Of　course；　he　had　no　right　to　interfere　with　her　personal　life；　but　he　couldn't　help　being　worried　about　her。

The　most　important　thing　Gloval　had　to　present　to　the　United　Earth　Government　was　an　enigma：　The　molecular　and　genetic　structure　of　the　Zentraedi　was　so　formidable　that　some　of　them　could　even　survive　unprotected　in　the　vacuum　of　space　for　short　periods　of　time；　their　sheer　physical　strength　was　a　match　for　that　of　Battloids　and　other　human　Robotech　mecha…yet　they　had　nearly　collapsed　at　the　sight　of　two　relatively　tiny　humans　sharing　a　kiss。

Moreover；　the　Zentraedi　didn't　seem　to　know　any