03_homecoming-第11部分

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ght　of　two　relatively　tiny　humans　sharing　a　kiss。

Moreover；　the　Zentraedi　didn't　seem　to　know　anything　about　repairing　their　equipment。　It　was　as　though　they　were　a　servant　race　using　the　machinery　given　them　by　some　higher　power；　yet　they　boasted　of　being　the　mightiest　warriors　in　the　known　universe。

Gloval　shook　his　head；　hoping　the　Earth　authorities　would　have　additional　information　or　analyses　that　would　shed　some　light　on　the　mysteries　surrounding　the　war。

He　worked　for　hours；　inserting　updates　and　clarifying　things　that　warranted　it；　condensing　wherever　he　could。　Twice　he　dozed　briefly；　then　got　back　to　work；　making　an　occasional　status…check　call　to　the　bridge。　The　relief　officer　on　duty；　Lieutenant　Claudia　Grant；　assured　him　all　was　well。

A　quarantine　area　had　been　established　around　the　battle　fortress…not　surprising；　Gloval　supposed…and　a　munication　blackout　had　been　imposed　for　the　time　being。　The　crewpeople　took　that　fairly　well…they　were　used　to　military　discipline…and　even　the　civilians　had　been　too　delirious　with　joy　to　be　very　upset　by　it　so　far。　Gloval　could　see　why　his　superiors　might　want　to　maintain　radio　silence　until　he'd　appeared　to　give　his　full　report；　but　he　hoped　the　need　for　it　wouldn't　last　much　longer。

The　civilians　were　still　celebrating；　but　they　wouldn't　be　satisfied　with　that　indefinitely。

He　brought　the　tape　to　a　close；　puffing　on　his　briar　as　he　dictated。　〃I　am　convinced　the　Zentraedi　have　more　firepower　than　we　can　even　imagine。　The　situation　is　extremely　critical；　and　I　believe　that　a　central　issue　in　this　war　they've　forced　on　us　is　this　mysterious　‘Protoculture'　they　keep　mentioning。　I　therefore　suggest　that…what？　e　in！〃

The　rapping　had　been　gentle。　Lisa　entered　with　a　pot　of　fresh　coffee。　〃I　thought　you　could　use　some　about　now；　sir。〃

〃Thank　you；　it　smells　wonderful。〃　She　came　in；　and　the　coffee's　aroma　filled　the　cabin；　cutting　the　aroma　of　the　pipe　tobacco。

She　poured　while　he　glanced　up　at　an　ancient　brass　ship's　clock　on　his　wall。　〃I　did　not　realize　what　time　it　was。〃

He　put　the　pipe　aside。　The　ashtray　lay　next　to　a　detailed　analysis　and　history　of　living　arrangements　and　social　organization　in　Macross　City　and　the　SDF…1　during　the　voyage。　The　SDF…1　held　far　and　away　the　largest　human　population　ever　to　travel　in　space；　and　that　on　a　voyage　of　very　long　duration。　The　data　on　how　people　had　coped　with　their　living　conditions　and　somehow　managed　to　make　things　work　would　be　very　important；　Gloval　suspected。　There　would　have　to　be　a　lot　more　humans　in　space　for　long　periods　of　time；　sooner　than　anyone　expected。

Gloval　threw　back　the　curtains；　looking　out　the　high；　wide　curve　of　viewport　at　a　Pacific　dawn。　He'd　forgotten　how　many　seemingly　impossible　colors　there　could　be　in　such　a　sunrise…the　purples　and　reds　and　pinks。　He'd　forgotten　how　the　water　broke　the　light　into　a　million　pieces　and　the　sky　ignited。

〃Here　you　are；　sir；〃　Lisa　said；　handing　him　his　cup；　prepared　just　the　way　he　liked　it。　They　gazed　out　at　the　peace　and　powerful　beauty　of　the　dawn；

〃I　never　thought　I'd　see　anything　as　beautiful　as　this　ever　again；〃　Lisa　said。　It　was　a　moment　of　such　tranquillity；　such　oneness　with　the　planet　that　had　been　their　goal　for　so　long；　such　satisfaction　with　a　protracted；　seemingly　hopeless　mission　acplished　at　last；　that　she　did　her　best　to　lock　it　in　her　heart　and　senses　and　memory…a　treasure　that　she　could　relive　occasionally。　Sparingly。

〃You're　right；〃　Gloval　said　at　length。　〃I　feel　the　same　way。　You　know；　I　have　a　confession　to　make。〃

Lisa　sipped　her　coffee；　watching　the　sea；　saying　nothing。　Gloval　went　on。　〃I　had　a　premonition　when　I　took　mand　of　this　ship；　the　feeling　that　something　terrible　would　happen。　It's　difficult　to　explain；　but　it　was　a　conviction　that　something　would　happen　to　us　that　would　change　us　forever。〃

She　studied　his　face。　〃And　it　seems　that　you　were　right。〃。

He　was　staring　at　the　sea　and　the　rising　sun；　though　she　doubted　he　was　really　seeing　them。　〃This　ship　still　has　its　secrets；　Lisa；　but　what　are　they？　We　must　find　out；　I　can't　escape　the　feeling　that　everything　depends　on　it。


It　was　strange　to　see　the　flight　deck　crews　working　in　conventional　coveralls　and　safety　helmets　again　after　months　in　vacuum　suits；　strange　to　think　that　most　planes　would　need　a　catapult　launch　from　the　SDF…1　and　the　flatdecks　now　in　order　to　get　up　airspeed。

Theoretically；　the　transport　that　was　waiting　for　Gloval　and　Lisa　didn't　need　a　launch；　it　was　a　VTOL　job；　capable　of　lifting　off　like　a　helo。　Still；　it　had　the　reinforced　nose　and　landing　gear　of　a　naval　aircraft；　and　SOP　remended　that　fixed…wing　aircraft　receive　cat　launch。

Gloval　walked　toward　it　with　Lisa　at　his　side；　his　attached　case　weighted　with　documents；　tapes；　photographs；　reports；　and　evaluation　reports　on　those　reports。　His　feet　scuffed　against　areas　of　missing　nonskid　surface　on　the　flight　deck；　flaps　of　it　having　been　peeled　loose　by　the　violence　of　SDF…1's　homeing。

Scores　of　crewmen　were　just　pleting　an　FOD　walkdown　of　the　flight　deck；　pacing　its　length　in　a　line　abreast　running　from　port　to　starboard。　Foreign　Object　Damage　was　a　thing　much　to　be　feared　on　a　carrier；　no　scrap　of　debris　could　be　left　to　be　sucked　into　a　jetcraft's　air　intake。

The　weather　remained　fair；　but　now　a　thick　odor　rose　from　the　sea。　The　superheated　steam　and　hard　radiation　produced　by　the　dimensional　fortress's　touchdown　had　resulted　in　a　considerable　fish　kill；　even　so　far　out　at　sea；　the　sun　was　warming　the　foul…smelling　soup　that　lapped　around　the　hulls　of　the　carriers　and　the　approximate　hip　level　of　the　SDF…1's　〃torso。〃　Still；　the　stench　came　from　far　below　and　was　easy　to　endure；　mixed　as　it　was　with　the　trade　winds　that　carried　Earth's　inimitable　air　to　people　who　had　been　breathing　reprocessed　gases　for　months　now。

Gloval　was　tight…tipped　and　silent；　feeling　strange　premonitions　like　the　one　he'd　mentioned　to　Lisa。　The　United　Earth　Government's　replies　to　his　messages　had　been　terse；　nonmittal。　It　seemed　he　had　another　desperate　job　of　convincing　to　do。

Lisa　emulated　her　captain；　saying　nothing　and　betraying　nothing　by　her　expression　as　she　followed　him　up　the　boarding　ladder　into　the　transport。　A　crew　member　closed　the　hatch；　and　the　transport's　turbines　increased　their　howl。

The　plane　had　already　been　boxed…aligned　on　the　catapult　and　fitted　with　an　appropriate　breakaway　holdback　link　that　was　color…coded　for　its　particular　job。　The　transport's　downswept　wings　bobbed　minutely　as　the　catapult　crew　got　ready　to　launch。

When　the　cat　crew　had　gone　through　their　ritual；　the　transport　shot　away；　taking　lift　from　the　sudden　flare　at　the　bow；　off　the　angled　flight　deck；　in　a　cloud　of　catapult　steam。

Kim　stretched；　arms　behind　her　head；　gazing　down　at　the　carrier　deck　from　the　SDF…1's　bridge。　She　sighed。　〃Well；　there　they　go；　at　least　they　got　a　clean　launch。〃

She　was　standing　at　the　vast　sweep　of　the　bridge's　forward　viewport　with　Sammie；　Vanessa；　and　Claudia；　following　the　transport's　climb。

Little　Sammie　shook　her　long；　straight　locks　of　blond　hair　back　from　her　face。　〃I　wish　I　were　going；　too；〃　she　said　forlornly；　resting　her　chin　on　the　viewport　ledge。

Claudia　unwillingly　told　herself　that　it　was　time　to　scold　a　little；　not　sympathize；　these　last　few　hours　or　days　before　the　SDF…1　crew　was　relieved　might　be　the　most　demanding　of　all　where　discipline　was　concerned。

So　she　chided；　〃What're　you　talking　about；　Sammie？　D'　you　know　how　cold　Alaska　is　this　time　of　year？　Or　any　time　of　year？　You　should　be　glad　you're　staying　where　it's　warm。〃

〃Well；　I'm　not；〃　Sammie　said　bravely。

〃At　least　we'd　be　off　the　ship；〃　Vanessa　pointed　out；　adjusting　her　glasses　self…consciously。　She　and　Kim　nodded　supportively　and　made　low　〃uh　huh！〃　sounds。

Claudia　was　suddenly　stern。　〃All　right；　that's　enough　of　that！　First　off；　the　captain　and　Lisa　are　on　a　classified　mission；　which　means　we　don't　talk　about　it　any　more　than　we　have　to　for　duty　purposes。　And　we　don't　mention　it　at　all　outside　this　bridge；　do　you　roger　that　transmission？〃

The　Terrible　Trio　nodded　quickly；　gulping；　in　unison。

The　hatch　slid　aside　as　a　voice　startled　them。　〃Good　morning；　ladies！　I'd　like…〃

The　greeting　was　cut　off　by　a　sharp　whap！　of　impact。　The　bridge　crew　turned　in　surprise；　Sammie　letting　out　a　small　cry。　Claudia　maintained　her　posure；　but　it　wasn't　easy。

〃Oh！　Ouch！　Uhhhh！〃　Colonel　Maistroff　was　in　the　hatchway；　rubbing　his　forehead；　his　cap　knocked　back　cockeyed　on　his　head　by　the　impact；　holding　himself　up　with　one　hand　against　the　frame。

Everyone　there　knew　Maistroff；　and　not　for　any　cordial　reason；　one　didn't　make　allies　of　the　bridge　crew　by　crossing　Captain　Gloval。

Claudia　fluttered　her　eyelashes　and　said　disingenuously；　〃Colonel；　are　you　all　right？　That　hatchway's　terribly　low！　I　remend　you　duck　down　when　ing　onto　the　bridge；　sir。　Captain　Gloval　always　does。〃

There　was　something　in　the　expressions　of　the　bridge　crew　that　said　that　they　resented　Maistroff's　taking　this　liberty；　it　was　his　right　to　act　as　if　he　were　Gloval；　but　they　were　not　required　to　play　along　with　the　pretense。

Maistroff　rubbed　a　growing　knot　over　one　eye；　making　a　low　grating　sound　so　that　subordinates　wouldn't　hear　him　groan　in　pain。　〃Thank　you　for　that　warning；　Lieutenant　Grant；　you're　only　about　ten　seconds　too　late。〃

He　stopped　rubbing　his　forehead　and　squared　his　cap's　visor　away。　The　Terrible　Trio　trooped　past　him；　in　step；　on　their　way　to　their　duty　stations。　〃I　just　came　up　to　officially　take　over　mand　of　this　vessel　in　Captain　Gloval's　absence。〃

Claudia　held　all　her　personal　feelings　in　check；　she'd　had　a　taste　of　what　mand　was　now　and　was　willing　to　give　even　Maistroff　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　〃Yes；　sir；　I'd　heard　that　you　would。　I'm　sure　you'll　enjoy　the　experience。〃

He　glowered　at　her。　〃Mmm。　I　don't　think　that　‘enjoy'　is　quite　the　appropriate　word；　miss。　But　I　do　expect　to　run　a　tight　ship。〃　He　moved　past　her；　going　to　the　forward　viewport。

Claudia　tried　to　get　a　grip　on　herself。　Tight　ship！　She'd　had　the　feeling　he'd　say　that。　As　though　Captain　Gloval　runs　a　loose　ship！　As　if　Captain　Gloval　isn't　the　best　skipper　in…

〃No　more　slipping　around　the　rules；〃　Maistroff