03_homecoming-第33部分

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〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　blew　up　at　Lisa　for　not　telling　me　you　were　leading　the　Vermilions　today；　but　that's　squared　away　between　her　and　me。　But　what　about　you　and　me；　Roy？　It's　just　not　fair　to　blame　me　for　worrying　about　you！〃

Roy　didn't　say　anything；　sitting　and　strumming。　He　looked　pale　and　a　bit　dazed。　She　made　up　her　mind　that　he　was　having　breakfast　with　her；　and　dinner　again　tomorrow　night。　She　was　going　to　get　him　to　rest　even　if　she　had　to　strong…arm　the　flight　surgeons　into　taking　him　off　the　duty　roster！

She　turned　to　look　at　him　from　the　tiny　kitchenette。　〃I　don't　think　you　realize　how　terrified　I　get　every　time　you　fly　off　on　a　bat　mission。　It's　almost　as　if　you　pilots　think　it's　all　some　kind　of　wonderful　game　that　you're　playing　when　you　go　up　in　those　Veritechs！〃

The　music　stopped。　〃It　has　never　been　a　game；　Claudia；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃You　know　that。〃　He　wanted　to　resume　his　song；　to　feel　connected　to　the　music　and　to　feel　connected　to　Claudia　and　to　feel　connected　to　life。

But　his　vision　was　going　dim；　and　he　couldn't　recall　what　he'd　been　playing。　He　felt　cold；　unutterably　cold。

〃Anyway；　I　said　what　I　had　on　my　mind；　and　I　promise　that　I'll　keep　my　mouth　shut　about　it　in　the　future；〃　she　said；　putting　a　few　final　flourishes　on　the　halved　pineapple。

Claudia　told　herself　to　let　it　drop。　They　were　together；　and　they　would　be　together　that　night。　She　thought　of　his　touch；　how　tender　and　caring　he　could　be；　how　he　had　always　been　there　whenever　she　really　needed　him。　And　all　the　other　problems　vanished；　their　love　had　a　way　of　making　that　happen。

Claudia　turned；　holding　up　the　salad　plate　triumphantly。　〃Well！　Don't　tell　me　I　put　you　to　sleep！〃

His　head　lay　bent　back　at　an　awkward　angle；　the　blond　hair　hanging　from　it。　His　hands　had　fallen　from　the　guitar；　and　his　eyes　were　closed。　He　moaned　very　faintly。

Something　about　it　filled　her　with　a　fear　worse　than　anything　she'd　ever　felt　on　the　SDF…1's　bridge。　〃Roy？〃

He　moaned　again；　louder；　tried　to　stand　up　but　instead　fell；　to　stretch　out　facedown　on　her　carpet。　The　back　of　his　uniform　jacket　was　sodden　with　blood。


Roy　heard　Claudia；　far　away；　and　wanted　to　answer　but　couldn't。　He　didn't　know　how　he'd　forgotten；　but　there　was　a　mission　he　had　to　fly。

There　was　Kramer　now；　with　the　ships　waiting　to　go。　Strangest　fightercraft　Roy　had　ever　seen：　far　sleeker　and　more　dazzling　than　Veritechs；　and　they　seemed　to　shine　with　an　inner　light。

But…how　had　Pop　Hunter；　Rick's　dad　and　Roy's　old　mentor；　gotten　tapped　for　this　mission？

It　didn't　matter。　There　were　plenty　of　good　men　on　this　one；　many　of　the　best　Roy　had　ever　flown　with。　Why　hadn't　he　seen　them　lately？　Not　important。　Pop　Hunter　handed　Roy　his　helmet；　and　Kramer　slapped　his　back　in　wele。

Then　they　were　airborne；　going　ballistic　into　the　blue；　free　and　proud　as　eagles。　What　was　the　mission；　again？　Oh；　yeah；　the　big　one！　How　could　that　have　slipped　his　mind？

They　were　going　to　ride　forth　and　rid　the　universe　of　war　itself；　so　that　there　would　be　peace；　nothing　but　peace；　forever。　Then；　after　this　last　mission；　he　could　go　home　and　turn　in　his　helmet　and　never　fly　another。

He　could　hold　Claudia　to　him　and　never　let　her　go。

The　fighters　climbed；　and　the　sky　became　lighter　instead　of　darker；　and　then　impossibly　bright。　With　his　squadron　arrayed　behind　him；　Roy　Fokker　zoomed　straight　into　the　center　of　the　white　light。


〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　Lieutenant　Grant；〃　Doctor　Hassan　was　saying。　〃We　did　everything　we　could　for　him。　But　there　was　massive　internal　hemorrhaging；　and　he　had　just　lost　too　much　blood。〃

Claudia　was　shaking　her　head　slowly；　she　heard　the　words；　understood　what　they　meant；　but　they　made　no　sense　to　her。　She　was　looking　down　at　Roy's　unmoving　body；　not　believing　he　was　dead。

Hassan　and　the　nurse　looked　at　each　other。　The　doctor　had　seen　this　before；　he　tried　to　get　through　to　Claudia　again。

〃It's　a　terrible　tragedy。〃　He　gave　the　nurse　a　look；　she　understood　the　signal；　and　they　turned　to　leave　Claudia　for　a　while　so　that　she　could　begin　the　long；　painful　healing。

〃mander　Fokker　will　be　sorely　missed；〃　Hassan　said；　closing　the　door　gently　behind　him。

Claudia　stared　down　at　Roy's　face　until　the　tears　blinded　her；　then　threw　herself　to　her　knees；　burying　her　face　in　the　sheet　that　covered　his　chest。

She　wept　until　she　thought　her　heart　would　burst；　unable　to　believe　he　was　gone。　It　seemed　that　the　entire　world　had　simply　vanished；　leaving　nothing　but　a　cold；　silent　void。


Rick　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　playing　with　the　triplane　again；　fairly　happy；　although　he　didn't　realize　it。　Even　worry；　lovesickness；　and　depression　couldn't　be　on　the　job　all　day　and　all　night；　so　his　natural　resilience　had　surfaced。　He　looked　up　as　the　door　opened。

〃Well；　hi；　Lisa！　What's　got　you　out　around　town　on　this　fine　morning？〃

Then　he　saw　something　in　her　expression；　and　all　the　ebullience　went　out　of　him。

Lisa　had　never　been　good　at　this　sort　of　thing；　she　still　didn't　understand　why　she　had　agreed　to　be　the　one　to　tell　Rick。

〃mander　Fokker's　dead。　From　wounds　suffered　during　the　air　battle　yesterday。〃

The　little　yellow　airplane　with　the　Iron　Cross　markings　fell　from　his　limp　grasp。　〃Fokker；　Little　Brother；　that's　me！〃　It　hit　the　floor　and　broke　into　a　dozen　pieces。

〃My　Big　Brother's　dead？〃　He　whispered　it　without　tone；　with　barely　the　inflection　to　make　it　a　question；　staring　at　the　wall。

When　he　began　weeping　into　the　bunched　sheet　that　he　gripped　in　his　fists；　racked　by　sobs　that　it　seemed　would　tear　him　apart；　Lisa　turned　to　go。　But　she　reconsidered；　her　guardedness　and　reserve　and　the　hurt　of　what　she'd　taken　earlier　as　his　rebuff　dropping　from　her。　She　went　to　sit　by　his　side；　her　arm　around　him；　as　he　cried　inconsolably。


Gloval　showed　no　emotion　when　he　read　the　casualty　report。　But　he　was　distant　and　distracted；　remembering　the　gangling；　blond…haired　teenager　who　had　flown　for　him　off　the　Kenosha；　who　had　helped　him　explore　the　just…crashed　SDF…1　when　it　first　came　to　Earth。。。who　had　believed　so　much　that　war　must　end　that　he　was　willing　to　fight　for　it。

Let　him　be　the　last！　Gloval　thought　wrathfully。　They're　not　sending　us　out　for　more　killing　and　dying！　If　I　have　to　end　the　Robotech　War　here　on　Earth；　then　I　will！