03_homecoming-第21部分

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Other　members　of　what　had　now　bee　a　mob　saw　what　had　happened　and　began　to　converge　on　Max；　snarling　and　getting　ready　to　fight。

Max　glared　at　them；　unruffled。　〃You'd　better　get　back。〃

Somebody　shrieked；　〃Let's　get　'em！〃　and　Rick　found　that　he　couldn't　get　to　Max　because　the　mob　was　closing　in　on　him；　too。　A　man　in　a　green　turtleneck　threw　a　wild　left。　Rick　bobbed　under；　came　up；　and　planted　a　solid　uppercut；　sending　him　staggering　back。　Two　more　men　closed　in；　swinging　hastily　and　inaccurately。　He　avoided　them；　backpedaling。

Max　was　taking　on　a　very　muscular　young　man　who　had　plenty　of　power　but　not　much　style。　Max　warded　off　a　roundhouse　with　an　inside　block；　getting　a　quick　hold　on　that　arm。　Max's　fist　went　ballistic　under　the　guy's　chin；　lifting　him　right　off　his　feet。　It　was　the　brawler's　good　fortune　that　his　tongue　was　well　back　in　his　mouth；　or　his　teeth　would　have　snipped　it　off。

The　muscular　one　landed　sprawling　across　a　table；　it　crashed　down；　slamming　him　on　the　back　of　the　head　as　he　landed　on　his　butt　on　the　floor。

Lynn…Kyle　had　neither　advanced　to　help　his　cousin's　friends　nor　withdrawn　from　the　scene。　Rick　got　one　brief　look　at　him：　Kyle　was　standing　as　rigid　and　indifferent　as　a　stone　idol。

Rick　stopped　another　vigilante　with　a　short；　hard　shot　to　the　sternum；　then　rocked　him　back　with　a　left　cross。

Things　had　gone　very　well　for　the　two　VT　pilots　up　to　now；　but　more　and　more　men　were　getting　ready　to　wade　into　the　melee　as　soon　as　an　opening　occurred。　On　the　outskirts　of　things；　Lisa　and　the　Terrible　Trio　were　doing　what　they　could。　Quite　a　number　of　self…appointed　public　prosecutors　never　got　to　mix　it　up　with　the　pilots　because　a　chop　across　the　neck　or　a　kick　to　the　kneecap　put　them　out　of　the　fight　for　good。

But　the　odds　against　them　kept　growing。　With　no　chance　for　a　breather　and　no　escape　route；　Rick　and　Max　knew　things　would　probably　swing　the　other　way　shortly。　There　was　no　helping　that；　and　the　brawl　had　gone　too　far　to　be　stopped　now；　they　fought　on。　Rick　was　acplished　in　hand　to　hand；　quick；　well　trained；　and　in　good　shape；　but　Max　Sterling　was　simply　unleashed　lightning。

It　was　then　that　Max；　blocking　a　punch　so　that　he　had　his　foe's　arm　in　a　firm　lock；　threw　the　man　through　the　air。　Only　this　fellow；　thrashing　and　kicking　madly；　was　lofted　straight　at　Lynn…Kyle；　who　had　been　watching　the　fight　impassively。　Behind　Kyle；　Minmei　let　out　a　kind　of　squeak　and　ducked　for　cover。

Kyle　never　even　moved　his　feet；　he　simply　bent　aside　and　struck；　sending　the　unfortunate　man　flying　through　the　air　again；　away　from　his　cousin　and　himself。

The　vigilante　crashed　into　the　table　the　muscular　fellow　had　overturned；　shattering　it　on　impact　as　a　result　of　the　amazing　force　Lynn…Kyle's　move　had　imparted　to　him　and　somehow　contriving　to　land　on　his　face。

Two　of　the　brawler's　friends　were　at　his　side　instantly。　〃You　all　right？〃　one　of　them　asked　idiotically　when　it　was　obvious　the　man　was　not　all　right。

The　brawler　looked　up　woozily。　〃Who　is　that　guy？　He's　an　incredible　fighter！〃

〃His　name's　Kyle；〃　said　the　other　buddy；　〃and　that　was　nothin'　but　luck！〃　He　straightened。　〃But　I'm　gonna　fix　him。〃


CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

〃I'll　tell　ya　somethin'　about　your　Lynn…Kyle；〃　Max　said。　〃He　might　be　anti…military；　but　he's　no　pacifist。　What'd　ya　think；　Gandhi　could　do　spin　kicks？〃
The　Collected　Journals　of　Admiral　Rick　Hunter

Kyle　waited；　serene　and　unmoving。

〃No！　No！〃　Lisa　breathed；　seeing　them　close　in　on　him。　It　would　be　too　much　like　having　gentle　Karl　Riber　beaten　up。　But　there　was　nothing　she　could　do；　it　was　all　she　and　the　Terrible　Trio　could　do　to　hold　their　own　against　the　peripheral　crowd　members。

Rick　wondered　later　if　Max　Sterling　knew　all　along…or　had　at　least　guessed…what　was　to　happen　next　and　had　deliberately　thrown　that　first　opponent　Kyle's　way。　Max；　in　his　supremely　humble　way；　assured　Rick　that　such　a　thing　was　preposterous。　Rick　might　have　believed　him　more　if　he　hadn't　seen　the　things　Max　could　do　in　bat。

The　first　two　were　a　pair　of　stumblebums；　barely　moving　at　all；　Kyle　disposed　of　them　contemptuously　with　foot　sweeps；　evasions；　leg　trips；　and　beginner's　class　shoulder　throws。

That　drew　the　attention　of　the　men　waiting　for　another　crack　at　Max　and　Rick；　more　and　more　of　them　came　at　Kyle。

Minmei's　cousin　seemed　to　have　chosen　a　particular　spot　on　the　floor　and　decided　to　defend　it…not　from　preference　but　rather　as　an　exercise　of　will　and　proficiency。　Certainly；　the　fight　didn't　seem　like　much　of　a　challenge…at　least　at　first。

There　was　a　lot　of　aikido　in　his　style；　plus　bando；　some　judo；　uichi…ryu；　and　a　lot　of　stuff　Rick　couldn't　identify。　It　wasn't　until　he　was　pressed　very　hard　that　Kyle　used　his　feet；　and　after　that　there　were　teeth　and　blood　on　his　area　of　the　White　Dragon's　floor。

Defending　himself　on　several　fronts；　Kyle　didn't　seem　to　notice　the　roughhouser　closing　in　behind　him。　Lisa　happened　to　see　it；　and　she　had　the　weird　impression　that　he　knew　what　was　ing　and　chose　to　undergo　it　as　a　sort　of　test；　as　if　he　wanted　to　be　hurt。

Be　that　as　it　may；　the　big　bruiser　got　Kyle　in　a　full　nelson；　and　somebody　else　tagged　him　good　and　hard　on　the　mouth。　Kyle　didn't　seem　to　feel　it　much；　he　shrugged　down　out　of　the　hold　with　some　fluid　move；　sidekicking　the　man　who'd　done　the　punching　so　that　he　went　down　and　stayed　down。

Then　Kyle　whirled　and　brought　the　flat　of　his　hand　in　an　unsweeping　blow　along　the　face　of　the　one　who'd　held　him。　The　man　reeled　back；　face　leaking　crimson　but　not　as　badly　hurt　as　he　would　have　been　if　Lynn…Kyle　had　been　truly　angry。

Kyle　had　taken　just　enough　of　the　pressure　off　Rick　and　Max　so　that　they　were　doing　okay　again。　They'd　both　taken　more　than　a　few　shots　and　at　one　time　or　another　had；　between　them；　squared　off　with　just　about　everybody　on　the　other　side　of　what　had　bee　a　minor　war。　The　opponents　were　bouncing　back　more　slowly　now；　and　many　of　them　were　out　of　it　for　good。

As　for　Lynn…Kyle；　he　was　a　whirlwind；　leaping　over　and　ducking　under；　spin　kicking　but　never　surrendering　the　spot　he'd　chosen　to　defend　in　the　middle　of　the　White　Dragon。　He　jumped　impossibly　high；　out　of　the　way　of　a　powerful　kick；　got　his　opponent　in　a　wristlock；　and　rammed　him　headfirst　into　a　man　who　was　attacking　from　the　opposite　side。

It　was　an　amazing　demonstration；　like　some　martial…arts　fantasy；　marking　the　beginning　of　Lynn…Kyle's　legend　on　the　SDF…1。　But　it　should　be　remembered　that　for　the　most　part　he　was　facing　antagonists　who'd　already　been　around　the　dance　floor　once　or　even　twice…and　in　some　more　insistent　cases　three　times…with　Rick　and　Max。

At　one　point；　Rick　put　away　a　shaven…headed　tough　who'd　been　trying　to　gouge　his　eyes；　working　fast；　jabbing　binations　with　knuckles　that　were　long　since　lacerated　and　bleeding。　He　turned　and　saw　Kyle；　leaping　high；　lash　out　with　the　sword　edge　of　his　left　foot　and　down　another　opponent。

Rick　wiped　blood　from　his　face。　〃Hey；　Kyle！　Why　don'tcha　hand　him　a　pamphlet？〃

Rick　went　back　to　his　own　fight。　Kyle　made　no　response　but　wondered　if　the　VT　pilot　knew　how　deeply　that　jape…and　the　dissonance　of　this　violence…upset　Kyle's　inner　harmonies。

The　fight　didn't　so　much　end　as　slow　to　a　halt；　at　last　there　was　no　one　to　e　at　them　again。　Rick　was　left　sitting　on　the　floor；　huffing　and　puffing；　bone…weary　and　sore　all　over。　Max　was　panting；　too；　leaning　against　a　wall；　blood　seeping　from　a　swollen；　split　lip；　his　ribs　starting　to　ache　where　somebody's　knee　had　gotten　a　piece　of　him。

Lisa　and　the　Terrible　Trio　were　standing　by　the　line　of　brawlers　they'd　taken　out　of　the　action；　having　neatly　posed　some　of　them　as　if　for　sleep。　Lynn…Kyle　stood　squarely　on　the　spot　he'd　chosen　to　defend　in　the　middle　of　his　family's　restaurant。

〃You　okay；　Rick？〃　Max　panted。

Rick　was　too　tired　to　do　anything　but　nod　slowly；　tonguing　a　tooth　that　felt　like　it　had　been　loosened。　He　felt　a　certain　dread：　There　were　some　inflexible　laws　aboard　the　SDF…1；　mandated　by　the　insanely　unlikely　circumstances　of　so　many　civilians　and　service　people　thrown　together　in　such　close　quarters　for　such　a　long　time。

Many　of　those　laws　had　to　do　with　〃No　Fighting　with　the　Townies！〃　Rick　figured　Gloval　was　going　to　be　mildly　crazy　about　all　of　this。　Then　it　occurred　to　Lieutenant　Hunter　to　think　about　the　bigger　picture；　about　what　was　happening　all　over　the　super　dimensional　fortress　in　the　wake　of　the　Boogieman's　announcement。

We'll　be　lucky　if　there　is　an　SDF…1　by　tonight！　he　realized。

Lisa　and　the　Terrible　Trio　were　dusting　their　hands　off；　making　a　few　first…aid　suggestions　to　the　people　they'd　taken　out　of　the　action。　It　occurred　to　Rick　that　without　them；　he　and　Max　and　even　Kyle　would　have　gone　down；　martial　arts　notwithstanding。　Minmei　was　gazing　at　Kyle　with　stars　and　hearts　and　flowers　in　her　eyes。

〃Oh；　Kyle；　I'm　so　proud　of　you！　Are　you　okay？〃　She　threw　her　arms　around　his　neck。

Lynn…Kyle　only　nodded　and　made　a　soft；　〃Mm　hmm。〃

〃‘Okay'？〃　Rick　sniggered　tiredly；　and　spit　out　a　gobbet　of　blood。

Max　had　e　upright；　staring　at　Kyle　strangely。　〃They　barely　laid　a　hand　on　you。〃　Kyle　only　looked　down　at　the　floor　like　some　demure　maiden。

Men　who　had　been　in　the　fight　were　helping　each　other　to　their　feet；　staunching　blood　flows；　helping　hobbling　friends。　One　tucked　an　injured　hand　into　his　shirtfront　with　much　pain；　wiped　the　blood　from　his　broken　nose；　and　said　grudgingly；　〃He's　the　best　I've　seen　or　fought　against。　That's　the　truth。〃

〃Yeah；〃　said　Max　Sterling　reflectively。　〃He's　got　moves　I　never　saw　before。　Doesn't　make　sense。〃　He　went　over　toward　Kyle；　and　Rick　hauled　his　aching　body　to　its　feet；　prepared　to　back　up　his　friend　if　the　ultimate　slugfest　were　to　begin。

There　was　a　sudden；　particular　something　in　Max's　manner　now：　an　acuity；　an　unveiled　dangerousness；　that　the　aw…shucks　everyday　Sterling　demeanor　usually　shrouded。

But　Max　only　stood　looking　at　Kyle；　and　Kyle　back　at　Max。　Max　said　after　a　moment；　〃You're　a　pretty　well…trained　fighter　for　someone　who　doesn't　like　to　fight。〃

They　stood　measuring　each　other。　On　the　one　hand　was　quiet；　bespectacled　Max；　with　his　natural　gifts；　miraculous　coordination；　and　speed　so　superior　that　he　could　afford　to　be　humble　in　al