03_homecoming-第31部分

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


Roy's　gift　box　hadn't　contained　a　bathrobe　at　all　but　rather　his　treasured　and　superb　collection　of　miniature　aircraft。

Rick's　favorite　was　also　Roy's：　a　fragile　yellow　World　War　I　fighter；　a　German　Fokker　triplane　with　black　Iron　Cross　markings；　made　at　the　time　of　that　conflict　and　nearly　a　century　old。　〃Fokker；　Little　Brother；　that's　me！〃　as　Roy　liked　to　say。

The　door　opened；　and　Rick　looked　to　it　uninterestedly。　Then；　abruptly；　he　was　sitting　bolt　upright　in　bed。　〃Minmei！〃

She　was　looking　very　stylish　in　a　long；　red　suede　coat　with　white　fur　collar　and　cuffs　and　a　pair　of　yellow　tinted　aviator　glasses。　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind；　you　didn't　look　like　you　were　sleeping；　so。。。〃

He　hastily　put　the　toys　aside　as　she　came　over　to　him。　Whatever　subtle　things　the　movie　makeup　and　hairstyle　people　were　doing　to　her　looked　great。　〃Nice　big　room；〃　she　said　brightly；　glancing　around。　Her　eyes　fell　on　the　flowers　for　a　moment。

〃It's　wonderful　to　see　you。〃

〃I　must　look　an　absolute　mess；〃　she　fished　a　little；　〃but　I　came　right　over　from　the　studio　when　I　heard　you　were　hurt。〃

〃How'd　you　find　out？　Not　many　people　know。〃　Casualty　figures　and　many　details　of　the　war　were　still　classified。

〃mander　Fokker　told　me。　He　came　by　the　set　this　afternoon　to　visit　me。〃　She　patted　the　bed。　〃D'　you　mind　if　I　sit　down？〃

That's　another　one　I　owe　you；　Big　Brother！　thought　Rick。

〃Mm；　this　is　nice；〃　Minmei　said；　stretching　out　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　Her　eyes　fluttered；　and　she　yawned　charmingly；　then　laid　her　head　on　her　arm。

〃You　look　tired。〃

〃I'm　exhausted；　Rick。　There　just　doesn't　seem　to　be　enough　time　in　the　day　to　do　the　things　I'm　supposed　to　do　now。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　just　lie　there　and　get　some　sleep　for　a　little　while；　Minmei？〃

Her　eyes　were　already　closed。　〃That　would　be　wonderful！　If　I　could　just　stay　here。。。for　a　little　while。。。〃

She　was　asleep　in　seconds。　Watching　her；　he　mused；　I　don't　understand　what's　happening　to　our　world；　Minmei；　or　what's　going　to　bee　of　us。　But　your　safety　and　well…being　makes　everything　worthwhile　to　me。

He　sat　with　his　knees　drawn　up　under　the　sheet；　arms　folded　across　them　and　chin　resting　on　his　arms；　watching　her　sleep。　He　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　he'd　felt　so　happy。


〃Let's　get　on　with　it！〃　howled　Roy　Fokker；　putting　a　final　burst　into　a　damaged　Quadrono　mecha　and　sending　another　Zentraedi　flier　to　the　great　beyond。　The　skull…and…crossbones　VT　banked　and　dove；　looking　for　new　quarry　in　a　sky　crowded　with　missile　tracks；　alien　beams　and　annihilation　discs；　gatling　tracers　and　explosions。

The　enemy　leader　and　Max　were　still　battling　it　out　for　the　championship；　but　Roy　and　the　other　VT　pilots　weren't　about　to　let　the　rest　of　the　invaders　hang　around　like　wallflowers。　The　RDF　fliers　were　ready　and　willing　to　fill　their　dance　card。

The　Quadronos　didn't　hesitate；　either。　And　so：　the　dance　of　death。

Captain　Kramer；　Roy's　Skull　Team　second　in　mand；　had　shown　up　with　reinforcements　when　it　became　clear　that　the　single　bat　between　Max　and　the　enemy　leader　wasn't　simply　a　diversionary　tactic。

Now；　Roy　pulled　out　of　an　Immelmann；　split　S　and　zapped　another　Quadrono　just　as　he　saw　Kramer　zoom　past　with　a　Zentraedi　on　his　tail。　Roy　went　after　to　help；　but　he　was　too　late；　the　captain's　ship　was　already　in　flames。

〃Kramer；　punch　out；　damn　it！〃　Roy　yelled；　waxing　the　one　who'd　hit　Kramer。　〃You're　clear；　boy！　Punch　out！〃

Kramer　ejected　as　another　Skull　pilot　called　the　SDF…1　air…sea　rescue。　The　captain　should　have　left　his　chute　undeployed　until　he　had　fallen　well　out　of　the　dogfight；　but　it　opened　for　some　reason。　Roy　figured　that　meant　that　Kramer　had　been　hit　and　his　ejection　seat's　automatic　systems　had　taken　over。

Roy　circled　anxiously；　determined　to　make　sure　none　of　the　invaders　took　advantage　of　Kramer's　vulnerability。　The　grizzled　captain　had　been　with　Skull　Team　for　years；　had　flown　off　the　old　flatdeck　Kenosha　with　him　in　the　Global　Civil　War。　Kramer　was　the　oldest　VT　Pilot　on　the　roster；　and　Roy　meant　to　see　that　he　got　older。

The　Skull　Leader　was　so　intent　on　watching　over　his　friend　that　for　once　he　was　careless。　He　didn't　realize　it　until　bolts　from　a　Quadrono　chest…cannon　blew　pieces　from　his　plane。

〃Ahh；〃　he　groaned；　with　pain　like　white　hot　pokers　being　thrust　through　him。　Ben　Dixon　came　to　his　rescue　and　engaged　the　Zentraedi　before　it　could　make　another　pass；　but　Roy's　VT　began　losing　altitude；　trailing　smoke。

The　dogfight　raged　away　from　him　like　a　tornado　of　bat　ships　and　weapons　fire　as　Kramer's　limp　form　glided　peacefully　toward　the　sea。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO

There　quite　simply　had　never　been　anything　like　it；　and　veteran　fighter　pilots　who　witnessed　it　shook　their　heads　and　did　quite　a　bit　less　boasting　for　a　while。
Zachary　Fox；　Jr。　VT：　the　Men　and　the　Mecha

Max　and　Miriya　still　fought　their　incredible　duel　across　the　sky。

Max　had　gone　back　to　Battloid　mode；　and　the　two　darted　and　zigzagged　like　maddened　dragonflies。　Max　released　another　flight　of　missiles　that　she　avoided；　then　nearly　clipped　her　with　a　tracer…bright　stream　of　gatling　rounds。

But　she　evaded　him　again。　It　was　the　most　difficult；　dangerous；　exhilarating　contest　Max　had　ever　been　in；　his　sense　of　time　had　slipped　away；　and　he　didn't　think　of　victory　so　much　as　excelling；　of　outperforming　his　foe。

For　Miriya　it　was　different。　Not　only　had　she　not　destroyed　the　Micronian；　she'd　e　very　close　to　being　killed　herself。　He　was　as　good　as　Khyron　had　said　and　better。　For　the　first　time；　she　was　beginning　to　know　what　her　own　opponents；　her　long　list　of　kills；　had　felt。

Perhaps；　as　the　ancient　wisdom　goes；　there　is　always　someone　better　than　oneself。　The　thought　repelled　her　and　filled　her　with　an　angry　dread。

She　came　tearing　through　a　small　white　puff　of　cloud　to　see　that　the　SDF…1　was　close　by。　〃His　ship！'

She　made　straight　for　it　at　maximum　speed。　Perhaps　in　tight　quarters　with　his　own　unprotected　fellow　beings　all　around；　he　would　know　a　hesitation　to　shoot；　would　lose　concentration。

It　was　a　deliciously　audacious；　risky　plan；　she　adored　it。

〃I　won't　be　able　to　catch　him　in　time！〃　Max　hollered　over　the　mand　net；　seeing　what　this　brilliant；　devious　enemy　had　in　mind。


〃They're　heading　this　way；　Captain…straight　for　us！〃　Lisa　reported。

〃Tell　the　AA　batteries　not　to　fire！〃　Gloval　barked。　〃Sterling　is　too　close　to　the　enemy！　Make　sure　all　hatches　are　sealed！　Double…check　that　all　civilians　are　in　shelters！〃


The　banshee　song　of　sirens　echoed　through　the　stupendous　hold　that　housed　Macross　City。

Rick　looked　up　from　his　peaceful　contemplation　of　the　sleeping　Minmei。　He　got　to　his　feet；　then　staggered　for　a　moment　as　his　bandaged　head　pounded　like　a　bass　drum。　He　had　no　idea　what　the　procedure　was　for　patients　and　visitors　during　an　alert。

Minmei　hadn't　even　stirred。　Rick　found　the　corridor　empty；　he　didn't　know　it；　but　doctors；　nurses；　and　other　staff　members　were　busy　helping　priority　patients…newborns；　intensive　care；　and　other　nonambulatories。　He　could　hear　internal　hatches　booming　shut。

Rick　looked　at　Minmei；　for　the　moment　she　was　as　safe　where　she　was　as　anywhere　he　could　think　of。　He　had　to　find　out　what　was　going　on。　Rick　trotted　off　to　find　someone；　his　head　punishing　him　with　every　step。


Most　of　the　exterior　hatches　on　the　SDF…1　were　sealed；　of　course；　the　ship　being　at　general　quarters。　But　one　wasn't：　the　one　through　which　the　air…sea　rescue　helo　had　just　left　to　make　the　pickup　on　Captain　Kramer。

The　enormous　hatch　couldn't　be　closed　quickly；　but　it　was　more　than　half　closed　already。　Miriya　saw　it　and　dove　through　it；　into　the　dimensional　fortress。

〃This　is　it！〃　Max　steeled　himself　and　followed　grimly；　his　ship　in　Fighter　mode。　His　rear　stabilizers　barely　cleared　the　descending　upper　half　of　the　hatch；　the　VT's　gleaming　belly　nearly　scraped　the　lower。

He　chased　the　giant　powered　armor　suit　through　a　long　curve　of　enormous　passageway　usually　used　to　shuttle　large　machinery；　ponents；　and　vehicles　to　and　from　the　fabrication　plex　situated　near　Macross　City。

〃Run；　little　man；　run；〃　Miriya　beckoned；　watching　him　approaching　in　her　rearview　screen　while　simultaneously　flying　at　hair…raising　speed　through　the　relatively　tight　passageway。　〃And　when　you　catch　me；　you　die。〃


Rick　was　gazing　out　through　a　permaglass　window　in　the　solarium；　watching　the　last　few　civilians　scuttle　into　shelters；　when　outside　debris　began　falling　from　overhead。

An　enormous　figure　dropped　to　the　streets　of　Macross；　making　the　ship　tremble。　Rick　found　himself　staring　at　the　back　of　the　Quadrono's　head。

They're　inside　the　ship！　We're　finished！　The　Quadrono's　back　thrusters　flared；　and　it　went　racing　down　the　street；　taller　than　some　of　the　buildings；　its　backwash　nearly　knocking　out　the　solarium　windows。

Rick　had　barely　regained　his　balance　when　another　cyclopean　form　dropped　from　above。　Rick　recognized　the　Battloid's　markings　as　Max　Sterling's。

Maybe　we're　not　finished；　after　all！　〃Go　get　'im　Max！　Yeah！〃

Standing　erect　like　the　Quadrono；　the　Battloid　flashed　off　into　the　streets　of　Macross　in　search　of　its　antagonist。

Miriya　wasn't　used　to　such　close　quarters；　though　she　handled　her　Quadrono　mecha　well；　she　bashed　through　walls　and　ripped　out　overhead　signs　and　fixtures。　None　of　that　mattered　to　her；　and　it　didn't　affect　the　mecha　at　all。

But　Max　had　the　advantage　of　knowing　the　streets　of　the　city。　Miriya　came　around　a　turn　to　see　the　Battloid；　feet　gushing　thruster　fire；　skid　to　a　halt　before　her。

Several　blocks　separated　them。　Max　whipped　up　the　long；　cigar…shaped　gray　chain…gun　and　opened　fire　from　the　hip。　The　hail　of　massive　bullets　spattered　the　Quadrono；　holing　it　in　places　where　its　armor　was　thinnest；　driving　it　back　off　balance。　Do　what　she　might；　Miriya　couldn't　prevent　her　mecha　from　being　knocked　over　backward。

The　Quadrono　heaved　itself　to　its　feet　again；　Miriya　caught　in　a　red　haze　of　rage。　〃You　think　to　do　bat　with　me？〃　she　screamed；　though　he　couldn't　hear　her。　〃You　impudent　fool！〃

No　radio　reply　or　translation　from　Max　was　needed。　The　Battloid　said　it　all　as　it　sto