03_homecoming-第2部分

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ith　your　precious　bridge；　I　noticed！〃

If　this　is　some　kind　of　trick；　we're　up　against　the　zaniest　enemies　in　the　universe；　Roy　thought。

〃I　thought　you　both　did　very　well；〃　another　male　voice　said　calmly；　humbly　placatingly。

〃Ah；　look　out；　Max；〃　the　first　male　voice　said。　〃And　let's　get　outta　here。〃

There　was　a　certain　amount　of　grunting　and　straining　then；　and　at　one　point　the　female　voice　yelled；　〃Ben；　if　you　don't　get　your　big　foot　out　of　my　face；　I'm　going　to　break　it　off！〃　A　vociferous　argument　broke　out。

〃Everybody　shut　up！〃　the　first　male　voice　screamed。　〃Ben；　Max：　Gimme　a　boost　up；　here。〃

Moments　later；　two　flight…gloved；　human…size　hands　gripped　the　edge　of　the　hatch。　A　dark　mop　of　black　hair　rose　into　view。

Rick　Hunter；　standing　on　the　head　of　the　husky　Ben　Dixon；　hauled　himself　up　triumphantly。

〃Hold　your　fire！　We're　back！　Roy；　we　escaped　from　the　Zentraedi…um。。。〃

Three　Battloids　stood　there　looking　at　him；　hands　resting　casually　on　the　upturned　muzzles　of　their　grounded　autocannon；　heads　cocked　to　one　side　or　the　other。　Their　attitude　seemed　to　be　one　of　resigned　disgust。

〃We　escaped！〃　Rick　repeated；　thinking　perhaps　they　hadn't　heard　him。　〃Man；　have　we　got　stories　to　tell！　We　were　in　an　enemy　ship！　We　met　their　leaders！　We　shot　our　way　out　in　this　pod！　We。。。we。。。What's　wrong？〃

Roy　couldn't　tell　Rick　how　overjoyed　and　relieved　he　was；　it　would　have　spoiled　their　friendship。

〃We　were　hoping　for　a　POW；〃　he　said。　〃Boy；　is　Captain　Gloval　gonna　be　sore　at　you　for　not　being　a　Zentraedi。〃


CHAPTER　TWO

The　Zentraedi　version　of　psychology　could　only　be　termed　primitive；　of　course；　except　as　it　applied　to　such　things　as　maintaining　military　discipline　and　motivating　warriors。　And　even　there；　it　was　brutal　and　straightforward。
No　surprise；　then；　that　when　those　particular　three　Zentraedi　were　quick　to　accept　their　spying　mission；　Breetai　scarcely　thought　twice　about　it。
But　of　course；　he　hadn't　spent　as　much　time　watching　transmissions　of　the　swimsuit　portion　of　the　Miss　Macross　contest。
Zeitgeist；　Alien　Psychology

The　SDF…1'S　survival　of　the　latest　Zentraedi　attack　had　buoyed　morale　all　through　the　ship…at　least　in　most　cases；　there　were　those　whom　the　lessons　of　war　had　made　too　wary　to　quickly　believe　in　good　fortune。　Even　with　Earth　looming　large　before　it　and　the　long；　dark　billions　of　miles　safely　crossed；　the　battle　fortress　was　dogged　by　the　enemy…now　more　than　ever。　Continued　vigilance　was　imperative。

One　of　those　acutely　aware　of　the　continuing　danger　was　Claudia　Grant；　who　was　acting　as　the　vessel's　First　Officer　in　Lisa　Hayes's　absence。　Though　Claudia　and　Lisa　were　friends；　Claudia　had　always　felt　a　little　put　off　by　Lisa's　single…minded　devotion　to　duty；　her　severity。　But　now；　elevated　to　the　responsibilities　of　her　new　position…especially　at　this　moment；　with　Gloval　off　the　bridge…Claudia　was　seeing　things　in　a　different　light。

The　members　of　her　usual　watch；　the　female　enlisted…rating　techs；　Sammie；　Kim；　and　Vanessa；　were　off　duty　for　a　long…postponed　pass　into　Macross　City。　Lisa；　Claudia；　and　the　other　three　had　formed　something　very　much　like　a　family；　with　Gloval　as　patriarch；　they　had　bee　a　highly　efficient　team　both　under　everyday　stresses　and　demands　and　under　fire。

The　turmoil　of　the　war　had　brought　an　assortment　of　other　techs　to　the　bridge　on　relief　watches；　and　Claudia　didn't　trust　any　of　them　to　really　know　what　they　were　doing；　just　as　Lisa　hadn't。　So　even　though　she　was　almost　out　on　her　feet　with　fatigue；　Claudia　had　refused　to　be　relieved　of　her　duties　as　long　as　Gloval　was　away。

There　was　no　telling　how　long　that　would　be。　The　glorious　news　of　the　rescue　of　Lisa　and　the　others　was　tarnished　by　the　fact　that　the　SDF…1　was　still　surrounded　by　the　enemy　armada。　Debriefings　and　mand　conferences　might　go　on　for　a　very　long　while。

Claudia　looked　up　wearily　from　her　instruments　as　she　heard　one　of　the　relief…watch　techs　say　wistfully；　〃Boy；　is　that　beautiful！　D'　you　think　we'll　ever　set　foot　on　Earth　again？〃

The　tech　had　brought　up　a　long…range　image　of　their　blue…white　homeworld　on　the　screen　before　her。

Claudia　was　a　tall　woman　in　her　late　twenties；　with　exotic　good　looks　and　glowing　honey…brown　skin。　Her　dark　eyes　twinkled　and　shone　when　she　was　happy；　and　flashed　when　she　was　angry。　Right　now；　they　were　flashing　like　warning　beacons。

〃Why　don't　you　go　ask　the　mander　of　that　Zentraedi　fleet？　Go　ahead；　take　a　look　at　them！　Maybe　they've　gone　away！〃

The　tech；　a　teenage　girl　who　wore　her　auburn　hair　in　a　pageboy　and　still　didn't　look　quite　fortable　in　uniform；　swallowed　and　went　a　little　pale。　Claudia　Grant's　temper　was　well　known；　and　she　had　the　size　and　speed　to　back　it　up　when　she　needed　to。

The　tech　worked　her　controls　obediently；　bringing　up　a　visual　of　the　Zentraedi　fleet。　They　were　all　around　the　battle　fortress；　standing　out　of　range　of　the　ship's　secondary　batteries　and　lesser　weapons。　They　were　like　a　seaful　of　predatory　fish…cruisers　and　destroyers　and　smaller　craft　in　swarms；　blocking　out　the　stars。　And　farther　away；　the　instruments　registered　their　flagship：　nine　miles　of　armor　and　heavy　weapons。

The　tech　gasped；　eyes　big　and　round。

〃Still　there；　huh？〃　Claudia　nodded；　knowing　full　well　they　were。　〃All　right；　then；　let's　not　hear　any　more　about　wanting　to　go　home；　not　until　our　job's　done。　Understood？〃

The　tech　hastened　to　say；　〃Aye　aye！〃　as　did　the　rest　of　the　watch。

Claudia　eased　off　a　bit；　looking　around　at　the　watch　members。　〃There　are　a　lot　of　folks　depending　on　us。　And　I　guarantee　you；　you　don't　want　to　know　what　it　feels　like　to　let　people　down　in　a　situation　like　this。〃


In　a　far…off　partment　of　the　SDF…1；　three　strange　beings　skulked　and　crept　around。　They　were　not　Zentraedi；　at　least　not　any　longer；　they　were　of　human　scale。　But　neither　could　they　fairly　be　called　human；　though　that　was　the　appearance　they　gave；　until　a　few　hours　before　they　had　been　members　of　the　giant　warrior　race。

The　devastatingly　fast　and　ferocious　enemy　mecha　that　had　wreaked　such　havoc　among　the　VTs…the　one　the　humans　hadn't　seen　before…had　put　this　threesome　aboard。　The　one　thing　they　could　accurately　be　called　was　〃spies。〃

They　had　hastily　retreated　from　the　metal　canister　in　which　they'd　arrived。　The　mighty　Quadrono　Battalion　mecha　that　had；　in　its　lightning　raid；　torn　open　a　section　of　the　SDF…1's　hull　to　toss　them　inside　had　also　（understandably　enough）　attracted　a　certain　amount　of　attention。　If　the　canister　was　found　before　it　quietly　dissolved；　it　might　set　off　a　massive　search。

The　smallest　of　the　three；　Rico；　said；　〃Okay；　let's　start　spying！〃　He　was　dark…haired　and　wiry。

The　sturdy　Bron；　a　head　taller；　said　sourly；　〃But　we　can't　spy　in　these　clothes；　they'll　know　who　we　are！〃

Even　though　the　Zentraedi　military　had　little　experience　in　espionage…out…and…out　battle　was　what　the　warrior　race　preferred…it　was　obvious　that　Bron　was　right。　The　Zentraedi　fleet　carried　no　wardrobe　in　human　size；　of　course；　and　so　the　three　wore　improvised；　shapeless　knee…length　robes　of　coarsely　woven　blue　sackcloth。　The　sleeveless　robes　were　gathered　at　the　waist　with　a　turn　or　two　of　Zentraedi　string；　more　or　less　the　thickness　of　clothesline。　Not　surprisingly；　the　spies　were　barefoot。

It　all　had　them　a　bit　shaken；　this　matter　of　dress。　The　Zentraedi　drew　much　of　their　sense　of　self　from　their　uniforms。　The　best　the　trio　had　been　able　to　do　was　agree　to　maintain　the　attitude　that　they　were　wearing　the　special　attire　of　an　elite　unit。　A　very　small　elite　unit。

Konda；　nearly　Bron's　height　but　lean　and　angular；　shook　his　hair　back　out　of　his　eyes。　His　hair　was　purple；　but　intelligence　reported　that　the　color　wouldn't　stand　out　much　in　light　of　current　human　fads。　〃Then；　let's　find　some　other　clothes；〃　Konda　proposed。

They'd　been　given　some　briefings　and　rather　broad　guidelines　by　Zentraedi　intelligence　officers；　but　to　a　great　extent　they　were　improvising　as　they　went　along。　Still；　Konda's　idea　made　a　lot　of　sense。　The　spies　leapt　from　hiding　and　set　off　down　a　passageway；　slipping　among　the　shadows　and　peering　around　corners；　much　more　conspicuous　than　if　they'd　simply　strolled　along　chatting。

Naturally；　SDF…1　had　no　internal　security　measures　against　Zentraedi　spies；　since　it　was　generally　assumed　that　a　fifty…foot…high　armored　warrior　wouldn't　be　difficult　to　spot　in　the　average　crowd。

There　followed　a　period　of　ducking　and　darting；　of　peeping　into　various　partments　and　avoiding　any　contact　with　the　occasional　passerby。　The　spies　knew　the　general　location　of　the　battle　fortress's　bridge　and　worked　their　way　in　that　direction；　since　the　ship's　nerve　center　was　something　the　Zentraedi　wanted　very　much　to　know　about。

As　the　motley　trio　peeked　out　from　concealment；　they　heard　a　very　strange　and　appealing　sound；　something　none　of　them　had　ever　heard　before。　It　was　human；　Konda　wondered　if　it　was　some　alien　form　of　singing；　even　if　it　didn't　sound　very　military。

The　sound　was　ing　in　their　direction。　They　yanked　themselves　back　out　of　sight。　The　oddly　interesting　sound　stopped；　and　the　spies　heard　human　female　voices。

〃Where　d'　you　want　to　go　tonight；　Sammie？〃

There　was　the　sound　of　slender　shoe　heels　clicking　along　the　deck。　The　human　females　were　ing　their　way；　so　the　spies　drew　back　even　deeper　into　darkness。

〃Oh；　I　don't　really　care；　as　long　as　I　can　get　out　of　this　uniform；〃　Sammie　answered。

〃Mine　feels　like　it'll　be　glad　to　get　off　me！〃　Vanessa　said。

The　Terrible　Trio　giggled　together　again；　they'd　been　laughing　with　delight　ever　since　the　relief　watch　had　shown　up　on　the　bridge　to　give　them　a　brief　taste　of　freedom。　The　hatch　to　a　plex　of　enlisted　ratings'　quarters　partments　slid　open　for　them　and　they　entered。　The　hatch　closed；　shutting　off　the　giggles。

The　accelerated　course　in　human　language　the　three　spies　had　been　given　let　them　understand　the　words　perfectly；　but　the　content　was　another　question　entirely。　〃What　did　all　that　mean？〃　Konda　wondered；　rubbing　feet　that　had　been　made　very；　very　cold　by　the　deck　plates。

Little　Rico　was　thinking　of　a　uniform　wanting　to　get　off　somebody。　Can　these　creatures　have　sentient　clothing？　Perhaps　with　artificial　enhancements？　That　would　indicate　a