03_homecoming-第20部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Besides；　she　knew　from　her　visit　to　the　Alaskan　base　that　there　would　be　no　leak　of　information　about　the　SDF…1's　return　or　Minmei's　visit；　not　even　from　Minmei's　parents。　The　damned　Council　gestapo　would　apply　pressure　to　make　sure　of　that。

〃So　it's　a　big　reunion；〃　Rick　was　grousing。　〃Everybody　in　the　neighborhood　came　in　to　see　him。〃

〃Gee！　What　a　hunk！〃　Sammie　gushed。

Her　two　cohorts　were　quick　to　agree；　sounding　as　if　they　were　about　to　swoon。　Lisa　looked　over　to　where　Kyle　stood　with　Minmei　and　his　mother；　greeting　people　and　exchanging　pleasantries　with　that　gentle　reserve　of　his。

Lisa　gasped。　He…he　reminds　me　so　of　Karl！

Gentle；　peace…loving　Karl；　her　one　and　only　love；　gone　forever。

The　Terrible　Trio　were　into　their　act。　〃Kim；　you　shouldn't　stare；　not　so　hard！〃　Sammie　giggled。

Kim　sniggered　back；　〃Oh；　sure！　And　I　suppose　you　saw　him　first？〃　Sammie　dissolved　in　laughter。

Max　seated　himself；　tossing　a　forelock　of　long　blue　hair　out　of　his　eyes；　and　polished　his　glasses　on　his　napkin。　Vanessa　asked　Rick；　〃What　did　you　say　her　cousin's　name　was　again？〃

〃I　think　I　said　Kyle；〃　Rick　grunted。

The　Terrible　Trio　had　practiced　enough　to　say　it　as　one；　so　that　everybody　in　the　place　could　hear：　〃OH！　WELL；　HE'S　SURE　GOOD…LOOKING；　ISN'T　HE？〃

Maybe　〃bridge　bunnies〃　isn't　such　a　bad　name　for　them；　after　all；　Max　mused；　putting　his　glasses　back　on　and　taking　another　look　at　this　Lynn…Kyle。

〃Gee；　Minmei　looks　so　happy；〃　Kim　sighed。

Rick　had　something　sour　to　say　on　the　subject；　but　at　that　moment　Mayor　Tommy　Luan　sauntered　up　to　the　table；　his　usual　effervescent　self。

〃Well；　well；　well；　Rick；　m'　boy！　So　these　are　some　of　your　friends；　eh？　Why　don't　you　introduce　me　to　the　ladies；　hmm？〃

Rick　wondered　if　there　was　ever　a　time　when　Tommy　Luan　wasn't　campaigning。　But　before　he　could　ply；　Minmei's　cousin　was　there；　with　Minmei　trailing　behind　like　a　faithful　pet。

〃Hello；　Mr。　Mayor；　glad　to　have　you　back　on　Earth。　I'd　like　to　introduce　myself：　My　name　is　Lynn…Kyle。　Wele　to　my　family's　restaurant。〃

Minmei；　clinging　to　his　arm；　added；　〃Hi！〃

Rick　heard　a　little　sound　escape　Lisa　and　saw　that　something　about　Kyle　made　her　very　distraught。　The　Terrible　Trio　fell　all　over　one　another　greeting　Kyle；　and　Max　mumbled　some　adequate　response。

The　mayor　said　heartily；　〃Well；　Kyle；　even　if　you　don't　like　the　army；　you'll　have　to　admit　there　are　some　lovely　ladies　in　the　military！〃

Lisa　gasped。　He　even　had　the　same　convictions　as　Karl！

〃Oh；　uh；　did　I　say　something　perhaps　I　shouldn't　have？〃　Tommy　Luan　asked　with　elaborate　innocence。　〃Well；　young　people　should　get　to　know　one　another。〃　He　sauntered　off。　〃'Scuse　me。〃

Max　had　the　distinct　impression　that　the　mayor　was　wearing　a　satisfied　smirk…as　though　he'd　succeeded　at　something。　But　what？

〃Was　the　mayor　implying　you　have　something　against　the　service？〃　Sammie　piped　up。

Kyle　shook　his　head；　the　long；　straight　midnight　hair　shimmering。　〃It's　not　just　the　military。　I　don't　like　fighting　of　any　kind。〃

Sammie　rested　her　chin　on　her　hands　and　batted　her　eyelashes　at　him。　〃Oh；　really？〃　For　a　guy　this　dreamy；　she'd　have　sat　happily　listening　to　him　do　Zentraedi　halftime　cheers。　Minmei　gave　Sammie　a　suspicious　scowl。

〃Fighting　produces　nothing！〃　Kyle　declared。　〃It　only　results　in　devastation　and　destruction！〃

Max　was　studying　Kyle　with　an　unusual　directness。　〃Are　you　saying　that　everyone　in　the　service　enjoys　destroying　things？〃

Rick　couldn't　help　jumping　in；　even　if　it　offended　Minmei。　Maybe　even　because　it　would。　〃Well；　I　didn't　join　the　Robotech　Defense　Forces　because　I　like　devastation　and　destruction。〃

Divine　as　Lynn…Kyle　might　be；　even　the　Terrible　Trio　had　to　nod　and　murmur　their　agreement　with　that。　Minmei　intervened；　afraid　that　things　were　about　to　get　out　of　control。

〃Hey；　relax；　everybody！　We're　celebrating　Kyle's　return；　after　all。　I've　got　it：　They're　broadcasting　that　show　I　taped　yesterday。　What　about　turning　on　the　television？〃

That　met　with　general　acclaim；　if　Minmei　was　the　darling　and　idol　of　the　SDF…1；　she　was　an　empress　among　her　friends　and　neighbors。　In　another　moment　the　sixfoot　screen　showed　her　in　the　center　of　the　spotlights；　microphone　in　hand…not　that　the　sound　crew　couldn't　have　used　directionals；　but　she　preferred　it　as　a　prop。　She　wore　a　stunning　new　Kirstin　Hammersjald　creation。

The　crowd　in　the　White　Dragon　was　cheering　and　stomping　and　whistling；　as　was　the　crowd　in　the　taping　studio。　Rick　strained　to　catch　a　little　of　the　song：


I　spend　the　days　alone；

Chasing　a　dream…


All　at　once　the　entertainment　special　disappeared　in　an　avalanche　of　zigzag　static；　to　be　replaced　by　Colton　Van　Fortespiel。

Everyone　in　the　SDF…1　knew　Van　Fortespiel；　the　SDF　Broadcasting　System's　supervising　announcer　and　the　only　TV　anchorman　on　record　to　wear　dark　wraparound　sunglasses　on　camera。　His　appearance　sent　a　signal　of　fear　through　the　room；　unscheduled　announcements　of　this　sort　usually　spelled　trouble　for　the　dimensional　fortress。

For　this　reason；　and　the　sunglasses；　Van　Fortespiel　was　sometimes　called　the　Boogieman。　The　Boogieman　was　wearing　earphones　today；　too；　and　speaking　into　a　jumble　of　mikes　that　took　his　voice　over　the　various　sound…only　circuits；　intership　lines；　and　alternative　TV　channels。

〃We　interrupt　our　regular　programming　for　this　very　important　news　bulletin。〃

The　White　Dragon　resounded　with　angry　resentment。　The　crowd　had　felt　at　home；　safe；　and　had　been　eagerly　watching　Minmei；　the　people　wanted　no　part　of　any　more　disaster　reports。　They　were　yelling　for　Minmei's　show　to　be　resumed。

〃At　a　news　conference　moments　ago；〃　the　Boogieman　continued；　〃Captain　Henry　Gloval　disclosed　to　the　press　that　permission　for　any　survivors　to　leave　Macross　has　been　denied。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　stunned　silence　as　Van　Fortespiel　shifted　his　sheets　of　copy；　until　a　grandmotherly　woman　howled；　〃What　does　he　mean；〃　‘denied'？　Does　that　mean　we're　stuck　here？　For　how　long？〃

Others　were　raising　objections；　too；　but　most　were　shushing　them　to　hear　what　else　the　Boogieman　had　to　say。

〃Rumors　circulating　throughout　the　ship's　upper　echelons　today　indicate　that　this　prohibition　may　only　be　temporary。〃

A　man　in　a　brown　sport　coat　shook　his　fist　at　the　screen　and　hollered；　〃We　finally　make　it　back　to　Earth　and　now　they're　telling　us　we　have　to　stay　aboard　this　junk　heap？〃

A　redhaired　woman；　holding　a　frightened　little　girl　who　wore　an　RDF　insignia　on　her　rompers；　wailed；　〃How　much　more　do　they　think　we　can　endure？　When　will　all　this　ever　e　to　an　end？〃

There　were　plenty　of　angry　voices　to　second　that。　〃Yeah；　we　demand　an　explanation！〃　bellowed　a　guy　in　a　black　T…shirt。

But　the　Boogieman　was　already　returning　them　to　their　normally　scheduled　programming。　In　another　second；　Minmei；　smiling　winsomely　in　the　spotlights；　was　finishing。


…here　by　my　side！

。。。and　taking　a　bow。　The　crowd　in　the　restaurant　didn't　spare　her　a　clap　or　a　whistle。

Kim　murmured；　〃They　spent　all　that　time　and　this　was　the　best　announcement　they　could　e　up　with　to　break　the　news？〃

Max　and　Rick　traded　puzzled；　worried　looks：　What's　she　talking　about？

Sammie　gulped。　〃Look；　they're　not　taking　it　very　well。　I　sure　hope　this　doesn't　turn　into　an　all…out　rebellion！〃

The　man　in　the　brown　coat　said；　〃Hey；　look；　we've　got　those　military　officers　right　over　there！　I　say　let's　get　some　kind　of　explanation　out　of　'em！〃

A　number　of　the　men　there　went　along　with　the　idea；　and　in　a　moment　the　five　RDF　members　seated　at　the　table　found　themselves　surrounded。

The　brown　sport　coat　shook　a　fist　in　Rick's　face。　〃C'mon；　Lieutenant！　Tell　us　what's　goin'　on！〃

Rick　sputtered　and　stammered；　as　surprised　as　anyone。　〃Well；　uh；　I　guess　I　don't　really　know。。。〃

〃Stop　this！〃　Lisa　snapped。　〃Stop　it　right　now！　How　dare　you　treat　us　this　way？　We　risked　our　lives…and　plenty　of　us　died！…to　get　you　back　here　safely！〃

Some　of　the　crowd　paused　at　that；　but　the　man　in　the　brown　sport　coat　and　a　number　of　others　weren't　buying　it。

〃What　d'　ya　want；　gratitude？〃　He　sneered。　〃When　we　lost　everything　we　had　because　of　your　SDF…1？　And　now　you're　making　us　prisoners　here？〃

He　slammed　his　fist　on　the　table；　the　Terrible　Trio　jumped；　startled　and　frightened。　〃Well？　I　want　a　straight　answer！〃

Lisa　tried　again；　more　calmly。　〃Please；　it's　just　a　temporary　measure。　Just　give　us…〃

He　cut　her　off。　〃For　what；　more　of　the　same　old　promises？　We're　tired　of　lies！　We're　tired　of　being　held　here　like　convicts！　Now　we　take　matters　into　our　own　hands！〃

Whoever　the　brown　sport　coat　was；　he　was　a　rabblerouser　of　considerable　talent。　He　had　almost　all　the　men　and　quite　a　few　of　the　women　with　him；　talking　about　justice　and　fighting　for　their　rights。　And　for　Lisa　the　agonizing　thing　was　that　she　knew　that　there　was　a　lot　to　justify　their　reaction　and　that　her　father　had　been　one　of　those　chiefly　responsible　for　doing　this　to　the　Macross　survivors。

Some　loudmouth　was　yelling；　〃Why　don't　we　show　'em　we　mean　business？　Let's　take　these　punks　and　force　'em　to　get　us　off　this　ship！〃

Lisa　stood；　gathering　the　others　in　by　eye。　〃Let's　go。〃

A　broken…toothed　man　clapped　a　big　paw　on　her　shoulder。　〃Hold　it！〃

She　tried　to　stare　him　down。　〃You'd　better　let　me　go。〃　He　shook　her。　〃Siddown！〃

But　a　hand　closed　on　his　shoulder。　〃Okay；　that's　enough。〃

It　was　Max　Sterling。　Rick；　halfway　out　of　his　chair　to　help　Lisa；　did　a　bit　of　a　double　take。　Max　had　been　sitting　beside　him　a　moment　before。　What'd　he　do；　teleport　over　there？

Max's　voice　was　still　mild；　but　his　face　showed　a　certain　intensity　Rick　had　seen　only　during　bat。　Look　out；　tough　guy！　Rick　thought　to　the　broken…toothed　man。

〃Take　your　hand　off　her。　Now。〃

Max　had　barely　gotten　it　out　when　the　man　threw　a　punch；　screaming；　〃Shut　up！〃

Max　ducked；　but　not　far。　Rick　had　seen　him　do　this　before；　Max's　incredible　reflex　time　and　psychomotor　responses　let　him　deal　with　such　things　by　split　seconds　and　fractions　of　an　inch。

Max　avoided　the　clumsy　haymaker　and　delivered　a　jolting　left；　snapping　the　other's　head　around；　stepping　back　neatly　as　he　began　to　collapse。

Other　members　of　what　had　now　bee　a　mob　saw　what　had　happened　and　began　to　converge　on　Max；　snarling　and　ge