03_homecoming-第30部分

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n　worked；　it　would　get　no　more；　but　be　driven　out　into　space　once　again。


In　the　Disco　Bamboo　House；　the　three　spies；　sweating　and　exhausted　from　a　brave　effort　to　keep　up　with　the　torturous　convolutions　the　Micronian　females　called　〃dancing；〃　were　shocked　and　worried　by　the　sudden　alarms　but　also　relieved。　The　Terrible　Trio's　endurance　on　the　dance　floor　was　simply　not　to　be　believed。

The　women　dove　for　their　things；　about　to　head　for　the　door。　Sammie　stopped　to　pat　Rico's　cheek。　〃You　have　the　strangest　style　I　ever　saw；　but　it　was　fun！〃

Vanessa　gave　Bron　a　quick　hug。　〃Let's　do　it　again　soon；　boys！〃

And　Kim；　blowing　a　kiss　to　Konda　as　she　and　the　others　hurried　to　go；　yelled；　〃We　really　had　a　good　time！〃

Standing　there　and　watching　them　go；　Konda　said　wonderingly；　〃You　know…I　did；　too。〃

The　other　two　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　but　then　nodded　in　agreement。


Khyron's　words　had　not　seared　long　at　Miriya's　pride　before　she'd　taken　action。

Now；　her　own　attack　cruiser　threw　off　the　heat　of　atmospheric　entry　unfeelingly；　and　she　and　her　Quadrono　stalwarts　poised　for　the　moment　when　they　could　go　hunting。

Indicators　signaled　GO。　Encased　in　their　top…heavy　looking　powered　armor；　the　Quadronos　stepped　one　after　another　into　the　drop　bays。

They　were　released　seemingly　at　random　but　all　in　a　plan　to　assume　a　bat…drop　formation；　backpack　thrusters　blaring；　forming　up　for　the　assault　on　the　SDF…1。

Inside　the　green…tinted　face　bowl　of　her　interior　suit；　the　light　gave　Miriya's　plexion　a　verdant　tinge。　〃I　am　looking　for　one　particular　enemy　fighter；〃　she　told　the　massed　assault　mecha　behind　her。　〃He　will　show　himself　by　superior　performance。　When　he　has　been　identified；　you　will　maintain　distance　and　leave　his　execution　to　me；　personally！　Am　I　understood？〃

That　was　confirmed　all　through　her　mingled　force　of　Quadrono　mecha　and　tri…thrusters。　Miriya　monitored　her　powered　armor　and　contemplated　her　kill。

There　were　so　many　things　that　made　this　violation　of　standing　orders　so　irresistible！　There　was　the　chance　to　show　up　that　posturing　fool　Khyron；　the　opportunity　to　meet　an　enemy　worthy　of　her　mettle　（for　in　his　taunt；　the　Backstabber　had　been　right　on　target…she'd　never　met　an　antagonist　she　regarded　as　her　equal）；　a　way　to　defy　Azonia；　a　chance　to　have　the　Robotech　Masters　sing　the　name　of　Miriya；　a　crack　at　ending　this　war　once　and　for　all；　to　her　own　personal　glory；　and　of　course　that　ultimate　thrill；　flirting　with　plete　disaster。

Because　if　she　failed…and　Miriya　never　had…then　all　would　probably　be　taken　from　her；　her　life　included。　But　what　was　any　of　it　for；　if　not　for　the　risking？　She　lived　for　bat　and　victory。　It　was　as　easy　to　keep　bleeding　prey　from　the　jaws　of　a　lioness；　as　it　was　to　protect　the　foe　from　Miriya's　attack。


This　time；　the　SDF…1　was　ready。

Cat　crews　nosed　up　VTs　in　the　launch　boxes；　the　flight　decks　of　the　dimensional　fortress　and　Daedalus　and　Prometheus　were　cluttered　with　bat　aircraft；　looking　like　toys　under　a　Christmas　tree　from　the　lofty　height　of　the　bridge。　The　VTs'　wings　were　at　minimum　sweep；　ready　for　launch。

Lisa　Hayes　had　already　given　Ben　and　Max　the　go。　Lt。　Moira　Flynn；　cat　crew　officer；　pointed　to　her　shooter。　A　moment　later；　Max　Sterling　rode　a　rocket　off　a　bow　catapult　at　200　knots；　while　Ben　Dixon　〃Yahoooed〃　off　a　waist　cat　a　moment　later。

Lisa　asked　over　the　inter；　〃Is　mander　Fokker's　ship　ready　for　takeoff？〃

Claudia　left　her　station…left　it　entirely！…and　strode　over　to　Lisa。　〃Is　Roy　leading　that　intercept　flight？〃

Lisa　bit　back　what　she'd　been　about　to　say：　You　mean　he　didn't　tell　you？　〃Yes；　Claudia。〃

Roy　pulled　on　his　VT　helmet…the　〃thinking　cap；〃　as　some　liked　to　call　it…as　his　own　trusty　Skull　fighter's　forward　landing　gear　was　boxed　up　by　the　cat　crew。

〃Good　hunting；　mander；〃　Lisa　said；　her　face　on　his　display　screen　looking　as　worried　and　self…contained　as　ever。

〃I'm　more　interested　in　hunting　for　a　pineapple　salad；〃　he　radioed　back。

Lisa　couldn't　quite　believe　her　ears。　She　tried　to　get　a　confirmation　on　the　pineapple　salad　transmission　as　Claudia　laughed　behind　her　hand　and　Gloval　marveled　at　the　resilience　of　young　people。


Roy；　Max；　and　Ben　joined　another　flight　of　VTs　off　Prometheus。　In　mand；　Roy　took　them　up　and　up；　going　ballistic；　all　of　them　eager　for　the　dogfight　that　had　been　forced　upon　them。

Roy　looked　at　them；　a　bit　dismayed。　None　of　the　VTs　had　fought　with　Quadronos　on　an　even　footing　yet；　except　for　Rick；　who　hadn't　e　out　of　it　so　well。

But　Roy　remembered　the　souped…up　Zentraedi　better　than　anyone；　and　if　the　SDF…1　was　facing　a　division　of　them；　that　was　all　she　wrote。　Endgame。

〃Dogfight？〃　muttered　Ben。　〃You　Zentraedi　ain't　hardly　been　bit　yet！　Now；　it's　lockjaw　time！〃


Now。　Where　is　this　great　enemy　ace　that　Khyron　fears　so？　mused　Miriya　as　she　and　the　first　few　of　her　armored　Quadrono　deployed　under　power　to　engage　a　slightly　lesser　number　of　enemy　aircraft。

She　howled　a　Zentraedi　word；　a　Quadrono　battle　cry　that　translated　as　〃Smite　them　from　the　sky！〃

Immediately　the　Quadrono　battle　suits　began　pouring　forth　a　cascade　of　fire。　The　Veritechs　dove　up　into　it　eagerly；　dodging　and　jamming　missiles；　betting　their　reflexes　against　the　enemy's。

Roy　did　a　wingover　and　banked　as　a　Quadrono's　redhot　beams　ranged　past　him。　Skull　leader　did　a　loop　that　would　have　torn　the　wings　off　any　other　fighter　ever　built；　then　centered　the　bulky；　top…heavy…looking　Quadrono　in　his　gunsight　reticle；　and　thumbed　the　trigger。

He　had　a　lot　of　bad…tasting　memories　in　his　mouth　of　how　an　armored　bogey　just　like　this　one　had　rousted　him　and　cost　him　men　in　the　attack　near　Luna's　orbit。　A　lot　of　that　pain　went　away　as　he　watched　the　Quadrono's　head　module　cave　in；　then　be　plowed　to　nothingness　by　high…density　rounds。

The　alien　mecha　fell；　leaving　a　long；　curlicuing　trail　of　oily；　red…black　smoke。

〃Scratch　one；〃　whispered　Roy　Fokker　to　himself；　and　went　looking　for　scratch　two。

They　fought　their　way　up　above　the　cloud　cover。　One　Quadrono　burst　through；　pursuing　Ben's　banking　VT；　a　second　followed；　folding　into　some　sort　of　bizarre　fetal　configuration；　only　to　bring　forth　a　hornet's　nest　of　missiles。

The　missiles　moved　faster　than　the　eye　could　follow；　detectable　only　by　their　flaming　wakes　and　corkscrewing　trails　of　smoke。　Somehow；　though；　they　weren't　fast　enough　to　get　Max　Sterling；　he　twisted　and　rolled　his　VT　through　seemingly　impossible　maneuvers；　jamming　some　of　the　missiles'　guidance　systems；　getting　others　to　mit　fratricide；　and　just　plain　outflying　the　rest。

He　was　putting　his　Veritech　through　mechamorphosis　even　before　the　last　of　them　had　gone　by。　Changing　to　Battloid　mode；　he　leapt　down　at　his　attacker　like　a　cross　between　a　sleek；　superswift　gunship　and　Sir　Lancelot。

Max　fired　his　autocannon；　riddling　the　Quadrono　and　blowing　it　to　burning　shreds　that　fell　almost　lazily。　He　turned　just　in　time　to　catch　a　Quadrono　that　was　trying　to　sneak　up　on　him。　The　Robotech　chain…gun　made　its　howling；　buzzsaw　sound　again；　and　the　alien　became　nosediving　wreckage。

Miriya　had　seen　it　all；　the　blue…trimmed　VT's　latest　victory　in　its　rampage　across　the　sky。　No　Zentraedi　had　been　able　to　stand　against　it；　who　else　could　this　be　but　Khyron's　vaunted　Micronian　champion？

She　cut　in　full　power；　diving　at　him　like　a　rocket…powered　hawk。　〃Now　you　die！〃

Except　dying　wasn't　on　Max　Sterling's　agenda　today。　He　dodged　her　first　volley　and　got　a　few　rounds　into　her　armor　as　she　zigzagged　past。

Miriya　turned　and　loosed　a　flight　of　missiles　that　arced　and　looped　at　the　Battloid；　leaving　ribbons　of　trail　as　graceful　as　the　streamers　on　a　maypole。　He　dodged　those；　too；　while　he　charged　straight　at　her；　firing　all　the　time。　An　unbelievable　piece　of　flying。

〃You　devil！〃　Miriya　grated　softly；　almost　fondly；　knowing　now　what　a　pleasure　it　was　going　to　be　to　kill　him。　The　powered　armor　and　the　Battloid　whirled　and　pounced；　the　upper　hand　changing　sides　a　dozen　times　in　a　few　seconds。　Miriya　was　astounded；　could　this　Micronian　have　artificially　enhanced　reflexes　and　telepathic　powers？　That　was　certainly　the　way　he　flew　his　aircraft。

She　went　into　a　ballistic　climb；　and　Max　got　a　sustained　burst　into　the　Quadrono's　backpack　thrusterpower　unit。　Miriya's　mecha　trailed　sparks　and　flame　as　it　tumbled　back　down　but　suddenly　straightened　out　again；　she　played　hurt　and　turned　the　tables　once　more。

Her　particle　cannon　pounded　away　at　the　Battloid；　knocking　it　back　as　several　rounds　hit　home。　Max　regained　stability　by　shifting　back　to　Veritech　mode　and　taking　evasive　action　to　get　a　little　elbow　room　before　going　at　it　again。

Miriya　laughed　like　some　wild　huntress　and　pursued　him　down　through　the　clouds；　crying；　〃You　can't　dodge　forever！〃


〃That's　very　odd；〃　Lisa　murmured。　〃Those　alien　mecha　aren't　attacking　us。　In　fact；　they　seem　to　be　holding　off；　covering　the　one　that　engaged　Max　Sterling。〃

Claudia　nodded。　〃It　seems　like　the　leader；　or　whoever　it　is；　has　a　personal　vendetta　against　Max。〃

〃Who　can　understand　the　mind　of　a　bat　pilot？〃　Gloval　shrugged。　〃Especially　an　alien　one？〃

〃There　must　be　some　reason　Max　has　been　singled　out。〃

She　was　right。　〃Order　the　lieutenant　to　retreat。　If　they　continue　to　pursue　him；　it　will　mean　that　the　target　isn't　SDF…1。〃


Max　received　Roy's　order　with　a　good　deal　of　bewilderment。　〃Retreat？　Wa…wait；　I　don't　get　it！〃

It　would　not　be　exactly　true　to　say　that　he　was　having　a　good　time；　but　he　was　doing　what　he　did　best…did　better　than　anyone　else　alive。　Bashful；　unassuming　Max　Sterling　could　afford　to　be　deferential　and　mild…mannered　on　the　ground。　It　was　a　kind　of　wide…eyed　but　honest　noblesse　oblige；　because　in　aerial　bat　he　lived　life　at　lightspeed　and　ruled　the　sky。

〃That　bandit　on　your　tail　is　trying　too　hard；〃　Roy　explained。　〃They　want　to　find　out　what　his　game　is。〃

〃You　got　it；〃　Max　said　amicably。　He　thought　there　was　something　different　about　this　one。　At　any　rate；　whoever　this　alien　was；　he　was　one　hot　pilot。

Max　shoved　his　stick　into　the　corner　for　a　pushover　and　dove　for　the　surface　of　the　ocean。　The　Quadrono　powered　armor　streaked　after。


Watching　the　instruments　on　the　dimensional　fortress's　bridge；　Gloval　came　to　his　feet。　〃So；　now　we　k