03_homecoming-第14部分

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The　United　Earth　Government's　mand　plex　was　like　a　landlocked　iceberg…only　a　fraction　of　it　was　visible　aboveground。　In　fact；　the　munications　towers；　observation　and　surveillance　structures；　defensive　emplacements；　landing　pads；　and　aircraft…handling　facilities　constituted　less　than　half　a　percent　of　the　cubic　area　of　the　enormous　base。

It　was　still　a　highly　classified　installation。　The　fighters　escorting　the　transport　plane　bearing　Gloval　and　Lisa　wouldn't　have　hesitated　for　a　moment　to　open　fire　on　any　unauthorized　aircraft　that　entered　its　restricted　airspace　and　failed　to　respond　to　their　challenges。

Changing　the　angle　of　its　engine　blast；　the　transport　eased　in　for　a　vertical　landing。　Lisa；　glancing　out　her　viewport；　saw　Battloids　pacing　on　guard　duty。

Once　the　plane's　authenticity　and　clearance　were　verified；　its　landing　pad　became　an　elevator；　lowering　it　deep　beneath　the　bleak；　subarctic　landscape。

Lisa　and　Gloval　released　their　seat　belts　and　gathered　their　things。

〃I　hope　they're　prepared　to　listen；〃　Lisa　said。　〃Captain；　we've　got　to　convince　them！　Surely　they'll　listen　to　reason！〃

〃That　would　be　nice　for　a　change；〃　Gloval　growled。


The　Ikkii　Takemi…designed　fanliner　rolled　and　soared；　glinting　in　the　sun。

〃Woo…hoo…ooo！〃　Rick　exulted。　Piloting　a　Veritech　through　deepspace　had　its　appeal；　but　there　was　nothing　like　feeling　control　surfaces　bite　the　air　and　making　a　light　stunt　plane　do　exactly　what　you　wanted　it　to。

〃Having　fun；　Minmei？〃　He　laughed　again；　and　she　joined　in。　He　adored　the　sound　of　her　laugh。

Maybe；　he　thought；　he　could　just　set　down　on　some　little　island　and　say　he　wanted　to　check　out　the　engine。　Then　he'd　have　a　chance　to　talk　to　her；　would　have　her　full　attention　for　a　while。

While　he　was　turning　the　idea　over　in　his　mind；　a　familiar　voice　came　over　his　headset。　〃Veritech　patrol　to　Minmei　Special。　Hey；　Lieutenant！　It's　Ben　and　Max！〃

〃Huh？〃　Rick　saw　them　now；　back　at　five　o'clock。　The　fighters　had　their　variable…sweep　wings　extended　all　the　way　for　the　extremely　low　speed　needed　to　keep　pace　with　the　sport　plane。　He　was　a　little　embarrassed　that　they'd　managed　to　sneak　up　on　him。

〃We　understand　you　have　a　VIP　aboard；〃　Ben　went　on。

〃Some　guys　have　all　the　luck；〃　Max　added　suggestively。

〃We're　returning　to　base；　have　a　nice　date；〃　Ben　finished；　laughing。　The　Veritechs　waggled　their　wings　in　salute；　then　peeled　off　onto　a　new　course。　Their　wings　swept　back　to　an　extreme　angle　as　they　picked　up　speed；　punching　through　the　sound　barrier。

They　were　doing　better　than　Mach　2　and　still　accelerating　when　Rick　lost　sight　of　them。　〃So　long；　wise　guys；〃　he　called　over　their　tac　net。　〃See　you　later。〃

〃Ben　and　Max　are　silly；　but　it　does　sort　of　feel　like　a　date。〃

He　felt　his　pulse　race。　〃Yep。〃

She　inhaled　the　cold；　clear　air；　watching　the　glitter　of　the　sun　on　the　canopy。　〃It's　great　to　get　away　for　a　while；　but　when　I　get　back；　I　have　a　whole　lot　of　work　to　make　up。　You　should　see　all　the　things　they　want　me　to　do！〃

Show　biz　again！　〃I　suppose　it　fills　your　time；〃　Rick　snapped；　vexed。

She　hadn't　noticed　his　tone；　ticking　off　her　projects　on　her　fingers。　〃Oh；　yes！　I've　got　to　do　a　television　show；　and　then　I'm　cast　in　a　play。　Why；　I'm　even　supposed　to　do　a　movie！〃

〃Mmm；〃　Rick　tried　to　sound　elaborately　bored。　She　still　didn't　notice。

〃That's　going　to　be　really　great；〃　Minmei　gushed。　〃I　expect　to　work　really　hard。　This　is　my　first　movie；　y'　know。　Say！　If　I　speak　to　the　director；　I　might　be　able　to　get　you　a　small　part；　hmm？〃

That　made　him　smile。　Maybe　she　did　think　about　others　after　all；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　he　thought　movies　were　a　rather　brainless　occupation　and　definitely　inferior　to　flying　a　fighter。

〃Maybe　some　other　time；　Minmei。　But；　hey；　where　d'　you　get　all　your　energy？　Flying　heel…and…toe　patrols　is　one　thing；　but　I'd　be　exhausted　trying　to　keep　up　with　a　schedule　like　that　one。　Minmei？〃

He　hiked　himself　around　to　look　over　his　seat　at　her。　〃Minmei；　are　you　all　right？　Speak　to　me！〃

For　a　moment　he　was　afraid　the　cockpit　had　lost　pressure　and　looked　to　his　instruments　frantically。　Then　he　saw　what　had　happened。　〃Well　how　d'you　like　that？　She's　asleep。〃

Her　chin　was　resting　on　her　chest；　and　she　was　breathing　softly。　Again；　Rick　felt　a　wave　of　that　fierce　protectiveness　he'd　felt　toward　her　when　they　were　stranded。　And　tremendous　affection　rose　up　in　him　as　well。

He　turned　back　to　his　piloting　with　a　fond　smirk。　I　hope　she　wakes　up　long　enough　to　say　hello　to　her　parents。


The　streamlined　tramcar；　mounted　on　twin　magnetic…lift　rails；　plunged　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　gigantic　headquarters　installation。

Aboard；　Captain　Gloval　sat　with　arms　folded　across　his　chest　and　cap　visor　pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　as　if　asleep。　He　would　have　loved　a　meditative　pipe　but　knew　how　unpleasant　that　would　have　been　for　Lisa。

Lisa　shifted　nervously　on　the　padded　passenger　bench。　〃Will　it　take　long　to　reach　the　Council　chambers？〃

Gloval　lifted　his　visor。　〃Just　a　little　longer。　The　shaft　goes　down　almost　six　miles。〃　He　didn't　remark　on　his　disdain　for　all　this　burrowing　and　hiding…Earth's　governing　body　skulking　at　the　bottom　of　a　hole　in　the　ground　like　frightened　rabbits！　When　the　Zentraedi　were　capable　of　blowing　an　entire　planet　to　particles！

〃By　the　way；　that　reminds　me；〃　he　went　on。　〃Have　you　heard　anything　about　this　Grand　Cannon？〃

Lisa's　face　clouded；　the　words　sounded　so　ominous。　〃No；　what　is　it？〃

〃It　is　a　huge　Robotech　weapon　that's　been　under　construction　here　for　almost　a　decade　now。〃

Gloval　gestured　to　the　illuminated　schematic　of　the　base　that　was　displayed　by　the　tramcar's　access　doors。　The　elaborate　details　of　the　sprawling　underground　plex　were　mostly　represented　in　coded　symbols　for　security's　sake；　but　the　essential　layout　was　in　the　shape　of　a　gargantuan　Y　The　blinking　light　representing　the　tramcar　was　moving　down　one　arm　of　the　Y；　heading　for　the　vertical　shaft。

〃The　Grand　Cannon　uses　Earth's　gravitational　field　as　its　main　energy　source；〃　he　told　her。　〃In　fact；　the　shaft　we're　traveling　in　at　this　moment　is　the　barrel　of　the　weapon。〃

Lisa　looked　around　unfortably。　〃You　mean；　if　this　base　were　attacked　right　now　and　mand　decided　to　fire　the　cannon；　we'd　be　blown　away？〃

Gloval　chortled。　〃Well；　I'd　like　to　think　they'd　clear　the　barrel　first。〃

He　knew　she　was　astute　enough　to　see　the　major　disadvantage　of　the　great　gun：　Even　with　the　Y　arrangement　and　the　titanic　rotating　gear；　the　Grand　Cannon's　field　of　fire　was　very　limited…and　even　United　Earth　mand　hadn't　e　up　with　a　way　to　tilt　and　traverse　the　planet　Earth　to　bring　the　weapon　to　bear　on　inconvenient　targets。　Arrangements　to　overe　the　problem　were　part　of　the　plan；　of　course；　but。。。

Gloval　had　been　one　of　the　loudest　voices　against　the　project；　wars；　he　maintained　（with　history　on　his　side）；　aren't　won　by　defense　but　rather　by　offense…by　an　SDF…1　that　could　go　out　and　confront　the　enemy；　not　by　a　Grand　Cannon　in　a　hole　in　the　ground。

He　had　gone　head　to　head　with　Lisa's　own　father　during　that　argument；　taking　the　opposite　side　from　a　man　who　had　been　a　valued　friend　and　a　rade　in　arms　until　then。　It　had　been　the　beginning　of　a　rift　that　had　only　widened　and　deepened　in　the　years　since。

It　made　him　sad　to　reflect　on　those　days　gone　by…they　had　saved　each　others'　lives。。。they　were　bonded　by　more　than　mere　blood。　Yet　Admiral　Hayes　had　bee　an　opponent；　almost　an　enemy。

Henry　Gloval　knew　the　way　of　the　world　and　of　highest…echelon　politics；　he　was　as　shrewd　as　anyone　who　played　the　game。　But　there　was　still　something　in　him；　something　bred　in　the　bone；　that　found　it　bewildering　and　saddening　that　there　could　be　such　a　falling　out　between　men　who'd　served　together　in　war。

I　suppose　it's　just　as　they　say；　he　thought。　I'm　a　peasant　at　heart；　and　there's　no　changing　that。

He　shook　off　his　brief　distraction。　There　was　an　Isaac　Singer　story　he'd　taken　to　heart…〃The　Spinoza　of　Market　Street〃？　Perhaps；　in　any　case；　the　point　was　that　the　virtue　lay　in　behaving　in　accordance　with　one's　ideal；　not　necessarily　in　being　it。

And　one　of　Henry　Gloval's　ideals　was　a　steadfastness　in　friendship。　So　he　asked　Lisa　pleasantly；　〃Your　father　never　brought　you　down　here　before？〃

〃A　few　times；〃　Lisa　answered；　〃but　I　was　never　allowed　to　e　down　the　main　shaft。　Now　I　understand　why。〃

〃Yes；　this　Robotech　project　was　top　secret。　Only　a　few　outside　officers　had　access。　It　made　the　old…time　Los　Alamos　reservation　look　like　open　house！〃　He　chuckled；　there　were　fond　memories　of　those　days　among　the　bitter。

〃And　no　civilian　visitors；〃　he　finished；　〃not　even　an　admiral's　daughter。〃

Lisa　wore　a　puzzled　look。　〃But　then；　why　did　they　let　Father　in？〃

Gloval　said　staunchly；　〃Who　else　was　there？　He　was　the　visionary。　He　pushed　for　the　creation　of　this　plex　when　no　one　else　thought　it　was　necessary。〃

She　looked　around　again；　looked　to　the　vast　schematic　on　the　wall。　〃My　father　was　responsible　for　all　this？　I　didn't　know　that！〃

Gloval　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃Your　father　was　always　decisive。〃　How　could　he　talk　to　her　of　friction　and　resentment？　He　couldn't。

〃When　I　was　serving　under　him　in　the　Global　Civil　War；　a　problem　came　up　about　inadequate　rations　for　the　troops。　When　Admiral　Hayes　didn't　get　satisfactory　action　from　headquarters；　he　led　our　entire　bined　Action　Group　in　a　raid　on　the　logistical　depot。　Camo　face　paint；　real　guerrilla　stuff！

〃He　personally　sat　on　the　log…mand　three…star　general　while　we　got　something　to　eat。　There　were　a　lot　of　brave　and　deserving　men　and　women　who　had　their　first　real　meal　in　a　long　time　that　night。〃

Lisa　was　laughing　heartily；　one　hand　at　the　base　of　her　throat。　〃My　father　got　away　with　that？〃

Gloval　was　laughing　again。　〃It's　true。　The　general　thought　sappers　had　infiltrated　the　base；　kept　sending　down　orders　for　us　to　find　them。　There　wasn't　a　woman　or　a　man　in　that　entire　unit　who　wouldn't　have　done　anything；　anything；　for　your　father；　Lisa。　Would've　followed　him　to　hell　if　he'd　given　us　the　word。〃

Lisa　was　still　laughing；　shoulders　shaking。　But　her　laughter　no　longer　had　anything　to　do　with　the　story　about　her　father。　The　sudden　freedom　from　the　SDF…1；　the　astonishing　size　of　headquarter