03_homecoming-第27部分

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〃I　didn't　know！　I　just　didn't　know；〃　she　wept。　Didn't　know　she　would　be　putting　him　in　danger　with　the　missiles；　didn't　know　how　deeply　it　would　affect　her　and　how　much　she　felt　for　him。　

Didn't　know　if　she　could　go　on；　if　he　were　dead。

She　gazed　up　to　where　the　bulkhead　met　the　overhead。　〃Please；　please　don't　let　him　die！〃


The　Barracuda　helo　swept　in　low。　The　pilot　radioed　back　to　the　search　plane；　〃Uh；　roger；　two…niner…niner。　I　have　the　dye　marker　in　sight　and　now　have　the　chute　in　sight。　But　I　have　no　movement；　I　say　again；　no　movement。〃

The　helo　descended；　churning　up　the　water　with　the　backwash　of　the　rotors。　The　buoyant　VT　parachute　was　below　it；　lying　like　a　dead　sea　nettle　amid　the　yellow　stain　of　the　dye　marker　that　had　automatically　been　released　by　the　wearer's　safety　harness　on　impact　with　the　water。

There　was　a　figure　in　a　flight　suit；　buoyed　by　automatic　floatation　pockets　that　had　expanded　when　he'd　hit；　his　helmet　having　sealed　itself　to　keep　him　from　drowning。　But　all　the　automatic　gear　was　worthless　if　he'd　been　shot　while　in　his　ship　or　ing　down。

Big；　sinuous　shapes　were　circling；　large　dorsal　fins　cut　the　water。　The　rescue　teams　got　ready　for　a　pickup　while　the　door　gunners　did　a　bit　of　shark　hunting。


Back　at　the　hospital　in　Macross　City；　Rick　was　taken　into　the　ER；　priority。　The　medical　personnel　continued　fighting　their　own　battle　long　after　the　killing　had　stopped。


CHAPTER　NINETEEN

It　was　very　strange。　It　took　such　an　awful　mishap　to　crystallize　something　that　had　been　so　murky　up　until　then。　I'm　not　much　for　romantic　fiction　or　tell…all　autobiographies；　but　from　what　I'd　read；　it's　usually　something　grand　and　poetic　that　brings　on　a　realization　like　this；　not　just　almost　causing　somebody's　death。
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections

He　lay　covered　by　a　protective　med…bubble；　attached　to　banks　of　intensive　care　machinery。

The　monitor…robot　overseeing　his　millisecond…to…millisecond　care　recorded：

〃Lt。　Rick　Hunter。　Multiple　lacerations；　concussion　and　minor　skull　fractures　causing　temporary　encephalographic　irregularities。　No　internal　damage。　This　unit　will　continue　to　monitor。　Probable　symptoms　of　delirium。〃

Somewhere　deep　in　his　thoughts　the　word　registered；　echoing。　Delirium。。。delirium。。。

He　was　off　on　a　midnight　roller　coaster　ride；　posed　of　the　various　wonderful　and　dreadful　experiences　he　had　had　in　wild　juxtaposition　throughout　the　Robotech　War。


He　was　watching　Minmei　sing　at　the　Star　Bowl；　staring　at　her　wistfully。　Then　an　enormous　blue…gray　hand　reached　out　of　infinite　distance　and　grabbed　her　away。　Breetai　laughed　against　afield　of　stars。　〃You'll　never　get　away！〃

Rick　went　after　them　in　his　VT；　through　battle　and　dogfight；　only　to　be　chided　by　Lisa　Hayes；　only　to　crash　in　Macross　again。　He　relived　episodes　of　his　time　aboard　the　SDF…1；　while　Minmei　cried　out　for　rescue。　Basic　training；　friction　with　Lisa；　rat…racing　against　pods　and　a　maelstrom　of　emotions。

He　and　Max　and　Lisa　and　Ben　were　on　Breetai's　ship　again。　And　at　last　he　flew　his　VT　to　where　Breetai　sat　in　the　rubble　of　Macross　City；　holding　Minmei　in　the　palm　of　his　hand　like　a　trained　nightingale。

But　she　spurned　Rick's　rescue；　because；　〃Lynn…Kyle　told　me　I　can't　go　out　with　soldiers。〃　And　then　it　wasn't　Breetai　holding　her　but　a　Lynn…Kyle　big　as　Breetai　and　wearing　the　Zentraedi's　uniform　and　metal　skullplate　and　crystal　eyepiece。

But　Kyle　self…destructed；　and　Rick　was　saving　Minmei　again　in　the　fist　of　his　Guardian；　as　he　had　the　first　day　they'd　met。


〃Observation　hour　ten；〃　the　monitoring　robby　recorded。　〃Lt。　Hunter　still　unconscious。　Low…grade　fever。　Encephalogram　remains　disturbed。〃


Rick　and　Minmei　were　stranded　inside　the　SDF…1　once　more。　They　stood　looking　out　at　the　endless　Zentraedifleet；　and　suddenly　it　was　Lisa　standing　next　to　him；　then　Minmei　again。　The　time　stretched　out　to　years。

The　Miss　Macross　pageant　and　photographers　were　all　mixed　into　their　solitary　time　together　somehow。


〃Patient　progressing　steadily；〃　the　robby　told　itself。　〃Prognosis　good。　Anticipated　return　to　consciousness　in　approximately　one　hour。〃


Rick　and　Minmei　went　through　their　pretend　wedding　once　more。　But　as　he　kissed　her；　Dolza　came　crashing　through　the　bulkhead；　and　suddenly　Rick　was　standing　beside　Lisa　on　the　football　field…size　table　in　Zentraedi　HQ。

〃You　shall　never　have　Minmei！〃　Dolza　promised。

〃You　belong　to　my　world　now；　Rick；　you　belong　to　the　service；〃　Lisa　told　him　gently；　with　love　in　her　eyes。


Then　it　all　dissolved　into　white　light　for　what　seemed　like　a　half　second。　But　when　he　opened　his　eyes；　he　was　lying　in　a　hospital　bed。

Rick　sat　up；　groaning　and　dizzy。　〃What　a　terrible　dream　that　was；〃　he　slurred。

Terrible；　yes；　in　parts；　it　occurred　to　him；　as　the　dream　fragments　blurred　even　as　he　sat　trying　to　gather　them　into　memory。　But　some　were　wonderful；　sending　emotional　surges　through　him。

And　some　had　just　plain　shocked　him。


The　nurse　was　taking　his　pulse　to　verify　what　the　instruments　had　told　her；　which　made　Rick　wonder　why　they　bothered　with　the　instruments。

He　groaned；　bored　stiff；　and　wondered　when　they　would　let　him　get　back　on　active　duty；　he　had　the　flight　surgeons　to　worry　about　in　addition　to　the　attending　physicians。

That　was　assuming；　of　course；　that　fighter　ops　and　Gloval　would　entrust　another　VT　to　a　pilot　who'd　managed　to　stumble　into　a　barrage　of　his　own　side's　missiles　and　get　shot　down　by　them。

〃Oh；　brother；　what　an　ace；〃　he　muttered；　thinking　that　a　slightly　different　pronunciation　of　the　word　might　be　more　appropriate。

〃Hmm？〃　asked　the　nurse。　She　was　young　and　attractive；　with　nice　legs　displayed　by　the　daring　hemline　of　her　uniform。

But　somehow　he　wasn't　interested。　〃Nothing。　Will　I　live？〃

She　dropped　his　hand　and　checked　his　chart。　〃Basically；　you've　got　a　bad　bump　on　the　canopy；　flyboy。　I　think　you'd　better　plan　on　being　our　guest　for　a　while；　Lieutenant；　at　least　until　we　get　the　results　of　your　tests　back　from　the　lab。〃

〃How　e？〃

She　made　a　wry　face。　〃So　the　doctors　can　find　out　if　it's　really　true　that　pilots'　heads　are　made　out　of　granite。〃

〃Why　aren't　you　telling　jokes　for　the　USO？〃

She　patted　his　shoulder。　〃Cheer　up；　Lieutenant。　You'll　be　out　of　here　before　you　know　it。〃

She　turned　to　go；　and　he　looked　out　the　window　at　Macross's　beautiful　EVE　sky。　〃I've　got　rounds　to　do；〃　she　said。　She　opened　the　door。　〃See　you　later。〃

He　didn't　hear　the　door　close。　It　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　that　he　wasn't　alone。　〃Well；　look　who's　here。〃

Lisa　stood　in　the　open　door；　looking　down　at　her　feet。　Then　she　looked　up　at　him　miserably。

〃Hey；　why　the　long　face？　Didja　e　to　bury　Caesar？〃

〃Hello；　Rick。〃　She　walked　to　his　bedside；　a　small　bouquet　dangling　from　her　hand。　He　had　a　flashback　of　her　face　from　his　delirium　but　pushed　it　out　of　his　mind。　〃I　came　to　apolo…to　say　I'm　sorry；〃　she　confessed。

〃Apologize？　Apologize　for　what；　for　Pete's　sake？〃

She　turned　to　put　the　flowers　in　a　little　vase；　arranging　them　so　that　she　wouldn't　have　to　meet　his　stare。　〃For　your　being　here。　We　both　know　it's　my　fault　that　your　VT　was　downed　and　you　were　injured。〃

He　couldn't　believe　what　he'd　just　heard　from　the　ever…in…control　mander　Hayes。　〃Lisa；　I　have　nobody　to　blame　but　myself。　I　made　a　mistake　in　judgment　and　that's　it；　see？〃

She　brought　the　flowers　to　his　nightstand。　〃Thanks　for　your　generosity。〃

He　snorted；　〃What's　happened　to　that　old　mand　confidence？　This　isn't　like　you　at　all。〃

He　still　sees　me　as　just　a　martinet；　an　old　lifer！　She　went　to　crumple　up　the　wrapping　paper　angrily　and　toss　it　out。　〃No；　Lieutenant；　I　don't　suppose　it　is；　at　that！　Anyway…I've　said　what　I　came　to　say；　and　now　I　have　to　get　back　to　my　duties　on　the　bridge。　Get　well。〃

〃Thanks；　Lisa。　Drop　by　again？〃

As　she　closed　the　door：　〃I　don't　think　so；　Lieutenant。　I'll　be　too　busy。〃


On　the　bridge；　Claudia　stopped　trying　to　pretend　she　was　taking　care　of　minor　duties　and　turned　to　where　Lisa　stood　with　head　bowed　over　her　console；　lost　in　thought。

〃How　is　Lieutenant　Hunter；　Lisa？〃　Lisa　turned　around；　startled　and　downcast。　Claudia　sympathized。　〃e　on；　baby；　it　can't　be　as　bad　as　all　that。〃

〃You're　wrong。〃

Claudia　held　folded　hands　to　her　bosom。　〃　‘And　now　the　sting　of　Cupid's　arrow　strikes　home！〃'

Lisa's　mouth　dropped　open。　〃What？〃

〃You　needn't　be　ashamed　to　talk　about　it；　Lisa。　I　know　what　it's　like　to　be　in　love；　y'　know。　Roy　and　I　started　out　the　same　way。〃

〃But　you　two　love　each　other！〃

Claudia　put　her　hands　on　hips。　〃Of　course；　silly。　So　what's　the　difference？〃

Lisa　was　practically　gnawing　her　fingertips。　〃I　don't　think　Rick　cares。〃

Claudia　leaned　close；　towering　over　her。　〃It's　very　simple；　Lisa。　If　you're　in　love　with　him；　go　after　him！　You're　in　love　with　Rick　Hunter；　isn't　that　true？〃

She　sighed；　nodding　slightly。　〃What　should　I　do；　Claudia？〃

〃Be　a　woman！　Stop　moping　and…〃　She　gave　Lisa　a　light　cuff　on　the　shoulder。　〃Smile　more　often！〃

The　hatch　had　slid　open；　and　Gloval　was　on　the　bridge。　〃Let　me　know　as　soon　as　logisitics　has　loaded　all　supplies。〃

The　two　women　saluted。　〃It's　already　been　ordered；　Captain；〃　Claudia　replied。

He　studied　the　two　women；　so　vital　to　the　survival　of　the　SDF…1。　〃Is　there　anything　else　I　should　know？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　Claudia　said　blithely。　〃I　was　updating　mander　Hayes　on　other　military　procedures　just　now。〃

〃Umm。〃　Gloval　stroked　his　dark　mustache。　〃Well；　it's　unlikely　we'll　need　much　hand…to…hand　bat　expertise　up　here　on　the　bridge；　but　carry　on。〃

He　turned　to　go；　and　Claudia　slipped　Lisa　a　wink。


Rick　was　listening　to　Minmei　singing　on　the　radio；　alternatively　recalling　shards　of　his　dreams　and　putting　them　out　of　his　mind；　when　the　door　opened　and　uniforms　started　pouring　through。

〃Hi　there；　buddy。　How　goes　it？〃

Roy　Fokker　grinned；　Max　and　Ben　bringing　up　the　rear。　〃Big　Brother！〃　Rick　said　happily；　sitting　up　in　bed。

〃Y'　just　can't　keep　outta　trouble；　can　you？　Here。〃　He　tossed　Rick　a　gift…wrapped　package　that　was　just　about　the　right　size　for　a　new　robe　he　had　no　use　for。

Ben　cocked　an　ear　to　the　little　radio。　〃Hey；　it's　Minmei！　That's　great！〃　He　fiddled　with　the　volume　control。

〃Aw；　can　it；　Dixon。〃　Rick　slapped