03_homecoming-第32部分

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fool！〃

No　radio　reply　or　translation　from　Max　was　needed。　The　Battloid　said　it　all　as　it　stood　waiting；　poised；　with　autocannon　ready；　allowing　her　the　option。　The　clearest　challenge　imaginable。

Her　words　couldn't　dispel　the　thought　that　assailed　Miriya。　Khyron　was　right！　This　Micronian　is　a　demon　of　war！


〃Open　the　overhead　hatch　that's　nearest　to　them！〃　Gloval　snapped。　〃We　have　to　force　the　alien　out　of　the　ship！〃


The　Quadrono's　exterior　pickups　caught　the　sound　of　grinding　brute　servomotors；　and　Miriya　detected　the　opening　of　the　hatch　above　her　as　she　shouldered　aside　a　building；　crumbling　it　to　pieces　like　a　plaster　model；　to　get　some　fighting　room。

Her　Quadrono　fired　with　the　energy　weapons　built　into　its　giant　hands…particle　beams　and　annihilation　discs。　The　Battloid　ducked　one　volley；　leapt　high　on　thrusters　to　elude　another。

Then　Max　started　slowly　walking　his　Battloid　toward　the　enemy；　still　holding　his　fire　until　he　had　a　perfect　shot；　determined　that　his　next　burst　would　end　the　duel。　He　was　sure　the　other　was　enough　of　a　warrior　to　know　just　what　was　happening；　a　test　of　nerve　and　backbone。

How　close　do　we　e　before　we　open　fire？　Who　gets　rattled　and　shoots　first；　afraid　to　go　toe　to　toe？　Afraid　to　shoot　it　out　point…blank？

It　was　all　so　bizarre；　so　impossibly　unlikely；　a　unique　moment　in　the　Robotech　War。　Max　couldn't　help　feeling　like　one　of　the　good　guys　in　the　Westerns　he'd　loved　so　much　as　a　kid。　If　the　Duke　could　only　see　this！

The　Battloid's　footsteps　resounded；　the　autocannon　cradled　at　its　side　like　the　Ringo　Kid's　Winchester。　Max　was　a　little　too　busy　to　whistle　〃Do　Not　Forsake　Me；　Oh　My　Darlin'；〃　but　he　heard　it　in　his　head。

Miriya　almost　fired　a　dozen　times　in　those　moments；　but　pride　kept　her　from　it。　If　the　Micronian　had　the　nerve　to　close　the　distance　to　point…blank…to　a　distance　where　they'd　almost　certainly　both　be　killed　when　the　shooting　started…then　so　did　Miriya；　leader　of　the　Quadrono。

On　this；　our　weddin'　day…ayy；　went　the　tune　in　Max's　head。

The　Battloid's　feet　measured　off　ten　yards　at　a　stride；　the　city　blocks　between　the　huge　mecha　disappeared　quickly。

It's　not　good　enough　simply　to　die　killing　him！　Miriya's　mind　yammered。　He　must　die　knowing　that　I　live！

Before　she　could　reconsider；　the　Quadrono's　thrusters　novaed；　and　the　powered　armor　rocketed　up；　through　the　open　hatch。　She　loosed　a　flock　of　sizzling　missiles；　but　the　pursuing　Battloid　avoided　them　and　kept　ing。

Max　mechamorphosed　to　Veritech　mode；　chasing　her　in　a　ballistic　climb。　〃Turnip'　tail；　are　yuh；　pilgrim？〃

Then　Lisa　was　saying　in　his　ear；　〃Return　to　base；　Vermilion　Three。　You've　beaten　him。〃

Not　decisively；　Max　told　himself；　turning　for　home。　He　knew　that；　and　the　Zentraedi　surely　did；　too。

Seething；　Miriya　guided　her　Quadrono　back　into　the　stratosphere。　〃Miriya；　will　not　forget　this　day；　Micronian…and　you　will　pay　for　it。　So　I　vow！〃


Elsewhere；　the　rest　of　the　VTs　were　chasing　the　last　of　the　surviving　pursuit　ships　and　Quadronos。　Roy；　fighting　down　the　pain　in　his　chest；　managed　to　drawl；　〃Awright；　Looks　like　they've　had　enough。〃

〃mander　Fokker；〃　Lisa　said；　〃you're　losing　attitude。　Are　you　all　right？〃

He　smiled　into　the　visual　pickup　and　did　his　best　to　sound　amused。　〃Yeah；　I'm　great。　But　how　'bout　Max？〃

〃He's　fine；　mander。〃

〃And　my　old　buddy　Kramer？　Any　word？〃

Lisa's　face　on　the　display　screen　was　sphinxlike；　unrevealing。　〃He's　in　intensive　care　now；　Roy。　e　on　home。〃

〃Roger；　SDF…1；　we're　in'　in。〃

〃Godspeed。〃


The　dreams　had　been　lovely；　but　the　waking　was　not。

〃Ah；　so　here　you　are！　I　been　lookin'　all　over　for　ya！　C'mon；　Minmei！　Wake　up！　Wake　up！〃

She　didn't　want　to；　she'd　always　loved　to　sleep。　It　was　so　wonderful　and　cozy；　and　her　dreams　were　her　very　best　friends。

Now；　though；　waking　up　was　easier　than　being　shaken　so　rudely…almost　roughly。

She　rubbed　her　eyes；　blinking；　and　looked　up　at　Vance　Hasslewood。　〃What's　the　matter？〃

He　made　a　big　production　of　his　exasperation。　〃Sweetie；　honey；　you're　holding　up　production；　that's　what's　the　matter！　You're　the　star！　Without　you；　they　can't　finish　the　picture！〃

She　yawned；　looking　around；　then　stopped　suddenly。　〃Wasn't　there　a　young　man　in　here　when　you　came　in　the　room？〃

〃Hey！　Toots！　Are　you　nuts？〃　He　was　yelling　now；　time　was　money；　and　when　it　came　to　money；　Vance　Hasslewood　could　be　very　unpleasant。　His　contract　said　that　he　got　a　percentage　of　every　dollar　saved　if　the　picture　came　in　under　budget。

〃You　got　a　career　to　think　about；　sweetie！　Ya　don't　have　time　for　this　kid　stuff　anymore；　prende？〃　He　looked　at　the　bed。　It　wasn't　at　all　messed　up；　barely　looked　slept　in。　He　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief；　it　looked　like　there'd　be　nothing　to　hush　up；　nobody　to　bribe；　no　favors　to　call　in　or　promise。

〃We　have　five　more　setups　today！〃　he　snapped。　〃C'mon；　babe；　let's　go。〃　He　grabbed　her　wrist　and　dragged　her　off　the　bed。

Minmei　surrendered　and　trotted　along　dutifully。　She'd　discovered　that　being　a　star　meant　that　she　had　to　put　up　with　being　herded　around。　She　loved　the　glamour；　but　she　had　never　counted　on　having　to　be　so　passive。　Still；　it　was　worth　it；　she　guessed…wasn't　it？

〃My　dad　was　right；〃　Vance　Hasslewood　steamed。　〃I　shoulda　been　a　CPA！〃


In　the　Veritech　hangar　bays；　the　maintenance　crews　were　getting　to　work　on　the　parked　aircraft。　There　had　been　plenty　of　damage　in　the　dustup　with　the　Quadronos；　nobody　on　the　crews　was　going　to　be　sleeping　very　much　for　the　next　few　days。

Two　enlisted　ratings　had　deployed　the　boarding　ladder　of　Skull　Leader's　ship；　ready　to　climb　up　to　the　cockpit。　〃Whew！　This　time　he　really　got　himself　clobbered；〃　one　said。　〃I　don't　believe　he　could　taxi　this　thing；　let　alone　fly　it。〃

He　followed　his　sectionmate　up　the　ladder；　bumping　into　him　when　the　other　stopped　short。　〃Hey；　what…〃

He　swung　around　and　came　up　the　side　of　the　ladder　with　angled　feet；　a　mon　practice。　And　he；　too；　stopped　short　when　he　got　a　look　at　the　cockpit。

There　were　bulges　in　the　pilot　seat's　chickenplate　armor　and　several　holes　in　the　back　of　it。　And　the　seat　was　red　with　blood　that　was　now　seeping　through；　running　to　the　floor。


Roy　Fokker　sat　in　triage　with　the　others　who　had　been　injured。　The　boys　who　were　really　bad　had　been　taken　to　the　ERs　first。

Roy　had　lost　a　lot　of　blood；　making　him　light…headed；　but　the　wounds　had　been　closed　easily　enough；　and　he　was　hooked　up　to　a　plasma　bottle。

〃Hey；〃　he　asked　a　passing　nurse；　〃is　all　this　really　necessary？〃　He　held　up　his　shunted　arm；　the　plasma　tube　dangling　from　it。

〃Just　shut　up　and　sit　there　or　I'll　get　Big　Bruno　the　odorly　orderly　to　e　sit　on　that　pretty　blond　head；〃　she　said　sweetly。　She　was　the　same　nurse　who　had　looked　after　Rick；　having　been　mobilized　as　soon　as　the　alert　sounded　as　part　of　the　special　shock…trauma…burn　military　medical　team。

〃Doctor　Hassan　wants　a　few　pictures　of　your　gorgeous　insides；　dreamboat；　to　make　sure　there's　no　internal　hemorrhaging。〃

Beside　being　a　top…notch　RN；　she　was　handsome　and　leggy　and　had　a　way　of　getting　men；　even　headstrong　fighter　jocks；　to　do　what　she　told　them。　She　was　an　esteemed　member　of　the　MM　team。

Roy　smiled　and　relaxed；　leaning　back。　She　blew　him　a　kiss　and　went　on　her　way。　He　felt　a　little　floaty　from　blood　loss；　but　he'd　refused　a　shot　for　the　pain；　so　he　was　lucid。

Then　he　remembered　Kramer。　He　reached　out　almost　blindly　for　the　nearest　institutional…green　uniform。　〃Hey；　nurse…〃

But　he'd　grabbed　the　trouser　leg　of　Dr。　Hassan；　the　stocky　heart　and　soul　of　the　MM　unit。　Hassan；　a　surgical　mask　around　his　neck；　stopped　and　looked　Roy　over。

The　doctor　and　the　Skull　Team　leader　knew　each　other　somewhat；　Roy　had　had　plenty　of　his　men　racked　up；　had　been　in　that　same　room　quite　a　few　times　before。

〃Kramer？〃　Roy　asked　hopefully。

Hassan　had　almost　been　out　of　the　medical　profession；　maintaining　a　limited　practice；　doing　some　consulting　and　a　bit　of　teaching；　for　years　up　until　the　SDF…1　spacefolded。　Time　and　events　had　thrust　him　back　into　the　center　of　things；　and　there　was　no　more　dedicated　individual　on　the　ship。　He　had　originally　started　easing　out　of　medicine　because　of　moments　like　this；　and　these　days　such　moments　were　all　too　mon。

〃I'm　sorry；　Roy。　He　was　dead　before　the　rescue　people　even　got　to　him。〃

Roy　squeezed　his　eyes　shut　tightly；　tears　finding　their　way　out　the　sides；　nodding。　He　forced　his　fingers　to　open；　to　release　the　leg　of　the　doctor's　trousers。　But　how　do　you　let　go　of　the　pain　of　a　close　friend's　death？

Hassan　patted　his　shoulder。　〃Take　it　easy；　I　want　to　take　a　better　look　at　you。　Be　back　in　a　minute。〃

Hassan　hadn't　gone　ten　feet　when　an　orderly　came　rushing　up　to　drag　him　away　for　an　emergency。　The　nurse　was　busy　with　a　stat　case　that　had　just　e　in；　another　downed　flier；　this　one　brought　in　alive　by　air…sea　rescue。

Unnoticed；　Roy　disconnected　the　plasma　tube；　closing　the　shunt。　His　flying　suit　had　been　mostly　cut　off　him　by　the　medics；　but　his　robe　would　do　until　he　could　get　a　uniform。　All　he　wanted　now　was　to　be　with　Claudia…to　hold　her　and　tell　her　he　loved　her　and　hear　that　she　loved　him。


CHAPTER　TWENTY　THREE

These　mecha　that　they're　always　talking　about…those　are　a　perfect　symbol　of　the　warmakers。　Our　lives　and　the　life　of　our　planet　are　too　precious　to　be　entrusted　to　the　military　machines！
All　they　care　about　are　their　battles；　their　glory；　their　victories。　The　only　thing　they　love　is　their　endless　killing。　They　want　to　control　us　all　to　make　sure　that　their　war　goes　on　and　on　until　they've　destroyed　the　universe。
And　I　say；　we're　not　going　to　let　them　run　our　lives　anymore。　Peace；　no　matter　what　the　price！　Peace　now！
From　Lynn…Kyle's　pamphlet；　Let　the　People　Make　the　Peace！

Claudia　adored　Roy　with　all　her　heart；　but　honestly；　sometimes　she　had　difficulty　dealing　with　their　love　affair…dealing　with　him。

Like　now。　There　he　sat　on　her　couch；　silent　and　lost　in　thought；　strumming　her　guitar　softly；　his　long　fingers　sure　and　gentle　on　the　strings；　As　if　he　were　mute。　She　made　final　preparations；　the　pineapple　salad　looking　magazine…cover　perfect。

〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　blew　up　at　Lisa　for　not　telling　me　you　were　leading　the　Vermilions　today；　but　that's　squared　away　b