03_homecoming-第6部分

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But　Minmei。。。She　was　gorgeous　in　a　frilly　dress　whose　hem　was　gathered　up　high　on　one　side　to　show　off　long；　graceful　legs。　Her　jet…black　hair　swayed　behind　her；　and　her　eyes　were　alight。　She　seemed　used　to　the　spotlight；　used　to　the　devotion　of　the　crowd。　She　was　the　same　young　woman　who　had　shared　so　many　adventures　and　so　much　privation　with　Rick　and…at　the　same　time…a　new　persona；　a　darling　of　the　mass　media。

She　blew　kisses　to　the　crowd；　and　it　went　even　wilder；　guards　at　the　edge　of　the　stage；　who　hadn't　been　too　hard…pressed　to　keep　people　away　from　the　military　heroes；　had　all　they　could　do　to　keep…rabid　fans　from　getting　out　of　control。　Young　girls　especially　were　reaching　out　in　a　hopeless　effort　to　touch　Minmei；　many　of　them　crying。

〃I　don't　know　about　you；〃　Ben's　voice　grated。　〃But　I'm　embarrassed；　being　put　on　display　like　this。　And　just　look；　will　you？〃　He　held　up　a　limp　lapel　that　had　been　stiffly　starched　at　the　beginning　of　the　evening。　〃My　uniform's　starting　to　wilt。〃

Lisa　was　watching　Rick　watching　Minmei。　Lisa　didn't　feel　very　much　like　a　heroine；　didn't　feel　strong　or　brave。　Instead；　she　found　herself　resenting　the　sideshow　atmosphere。　What　did　civilians　know　about　military　achievements；　anyway？　Show　them　some　beauty　contest　winner　and　they　forgot　all　about　the　people　who　put　their　lives　on　the　line　to　safeguard　the　SDF…1。

〃I　think　I'd　rather　be　trapped　back　in　that　Zentraedi　headquarters　station；〃　she　blurted　before　she　herself　could　quite　analyze　what　she　meant　by　it。　Rick　gave　her　a　quick；　troubled　glance；　then　looked　back　at　Minmei。

It　was　Max　Sterling；　calm　and　unflappable；　who　answered　good…naturedly。　〃Well；　it　might　never　happen　again；　so　let's　just　sit　back　and　enjoy　this；　huh？〃

Minmei　held　up　her　hands　for　silence；　and　the　ovation　became　relative　silence。　She　took　the　first　of　the　bouquets　of　red　roses　from　the　man　in　the　tuxedo　and　gave　it　to　Lisa。

〃Congratulations　on　your　safe　return！〃　Minmei's　winsome　smile　and　enthusiastic　manner　were　difficult　to　resist。　She　had　a　way　of　putting　something　extra　into　the　words；　of　breaking　through　resistance；　so　that　whomever　she　was　talking　to　virtually　had　to　respond　in　kind。

Lisa　simply　couldn't　think　badly　of　Minmei…found　herself　saying；　〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　and　meaning　it；　and　even　returning　the　bright　smile。　Minmei　surprised　her　by　shaking　her　hand　warmly；　then　went　on　to　Rick；　taking　another　bouquet。

Lisa　closed　the　hand　into　a　tight　fist。　In　those　seconds　Minmei　had　made　her　feel　like　a　friend；　as　if　she　was　all…important　to　Minmei。　Lisa　had　to　admit　that　that　would　be　a　very　hard　thing　for　anybody　to　resist…especially　a　man。


CHAPTER　FIVE

As　veteran　Zentraedi　warriors；　you　will；　of　course；　even　in　your　micronized　state；　find　it　necessary　to　hide　your　natural　superiority。　Be　sure　to　conceal　your　immunity　to　the　degenerate　behavioral　impulses　of　the　humans。
Breetai；　from　his　instructions　to　the　spies　Rico；　Bron；　and　Konda

Minmei　had　gone　on　to　Rick；　taking　another　bouquet　and　presenting　it　to　him。　〃And　congratulations　on　your　safe　return；　you　handsome　devil！〃

She　handed　him　the　flowers　with　a　wink　and　a　laugh。　He　stood　for　a　second　looking　as　though　he'd　just　touched　a　live　wire。　Then　he　blurted　out；　〃Well！　Um；　thank　you！〃

Minmei　put　one　slender　hand　to　his　right　cheek　and　held　him　steady　while　she　kissed　his　left。　Fire　and　ice　coursed　through　him；　he　remembered　the　moment；　months　before；　when；　trapped　together　in　a　distant　partment　of　the　SDF…1；　they'd　shared　a　deeper；　more　lasting　kiss。

The　crowd　had　suddenly　gone　ugly。　Minmei　was　everybody's　favorite；　and　there　was　a　strange　current　of　jealousy　at　seeing　her　single　out　a　nobody　lieutenant；　hero　that　he　might　be；　for　special　treatment。　She　was　the　dream　girl；　the　idol；　the　fantasy　figure；　an　undertone　of　hostility　ran　through　the　crowd。

She　turned　to　the　audience　without　losing　her　merry　persona。　〃Now；　now！〃　she　chided；　shaking　a　finger　at　them　in　mock　chastisement。　Amazingly；　the　sounds　of　resentment　died　away　as　quickly　as　that；　and　people　were　applauding　her　again。　To　make　her　point；　Minmei　kissed　Max's　cheek；　and　Ben's；　as　she　gave　them　their　roses。　〃Congratulations。。ngratulations。。。〃

The　crowd　loved　it；　the　crowd　loved　her。

Down　among　the　people　near　the　stage　were　the　three　spies。　At　first　they'd　merely　drifted　along　with　the　people　assembling　in　the　amphitheater；　to　make　sure　they'd　eluded　any　Micronian　pursuit。　Then　it　had　bee　apparent　that　a　major　gathering　was　taking　place；　and　they'd　set　out　to　infiltrate　it。　That　had　proved　amazingly　easy。

Bron　had　gotten　rid　of　his　pleated　skirt　and　knee　socks　and　white　silk　blouse　and　even　the　tasteful　string　of　pearls。　He　was　wearing　a　blue　turtleneck　and　dark　slacks；　although　it　had　taken　a　little　doing　to　get　new　clothes。

On　a　quiet　side　street；　they　had　stumbled　across　a　metal　bin　stenciled　CONTRIBUTIONS　FOR　THE　NEEDY。　With　some　effort；　the　portly　warrior　had　hauled　himself　into　it　and　found　Micronian　male　garments　that　fit。

The　three　spies　concluded　that　keeping　contributions　for　the　needy　in　the　difficult…to…enter　metal　housing　served　as　a　kind　of　minimum　qualification　test　in　the　savage　Micronian　culture；　any　needy　individual　who　wasn't　fairly　spry　would　be　out　of　luck。　It　was　a　stern　way　to　run　things；　the　trio　agreed；　but　no　doubt　very　efficient。

Now；　though；　they　looked　around　themselves　worriedly。　These　Micronians　were　obsessed　with　the　creature　Minmei。　At　first　the　spies　had　thought　that　they'd　stumbled　onto　a　simple　propaganda　rally　and　that　they'd　get　insights　on　the　humans'　attitudes　toward　the　Zentraedi；　but　the　Zentraedi　had　hardly　been　mentioned。

Instead；　there　was　a　lot　of　strange　business　with　passing　plants　around…flowers；　to　be　precise…and　a　very　confusing　level　of　noise　and　emotion；　virtually　all　of　the　outpouring　directed　at　Minmei。

Konda　in　particular　felt　that　they　were　close　to　uncovering　some　important　military　secret。　There　was　no　question　but　that　the　enemy　was　highly　motivated；　perhaps　some　new　sort　of　mind　control　technique　would　be　revealed。

They　recognized　Minmei　from　transmissions　of　her　that　they'd　intercepted　on　their　original　signal…intelligence　mission；　of　course。　She'd　abandoned　the　bizarre　armor　the　Micronians　called　a　bathing　suit；　and　wore　a　slightly　less　revealing　but　even　flimsier　cover。　The　trio　had　as　yet　seen　no　demonstration　of　Protoculture　powers　from　the　humans'　garments；　but　they　were　still　very　edgy。

The　crowd　was　still　carrying　on　over　Minmei。　〃Hey；　what's　going　on？　A　riot？〃　Bron　yelled　over　the　uproar。

They　were　packed　in　together　tightly　by　the　massed　crowd；　but　Konda　got　his　hands　onto　Bron's　shoulders。　〃Don't　panic！　I　don't　think　it's　a　riot；　it　seems　to　be　something　else。。。〃

Rico　was　nearly　at　the　end　of　his　rope；　sweating　and　shuddering　a　bit；　a　good　old　fashioned　anti…enemy　hate　rally　was　something　anybody　could　understand；　but　this　was　utter　chaos！　He　covered　his　ears　with　his　hands；　squeezing　his　eyes　shut。　〃Oh；　my　head！〃

He　began　to　slump　in　a　near　faint。　His　panions　managed　to　catch　him　somehow　in　the　press　of　the　crowd。　Just　then；　Minmei　came　to　the　edge　of　the　stage　in　a　convergence　of　spotlights　and　the　gathered　residents　of　Macross　began　applauding　and　cheering　all　over　again。

〃Now　what's　the　matter？〃　Bron　asked；　refering　to　Rico　as　well　as　the　Minmei　situation。

Chairs　had　appeared　from　somewhere；　and　Rick；　Lisa；　Max；　and　Ben　were　sitting　unfortably。　Minmei；　angelic　in　the　spotlights；　indicated　them　with　a　sweeping　gesture。　〃To　celebrate　their　return；　my　first　song　this　evening　is　dedicated　to　these　four　heroes　and　all　the　others　who　guard　and　defend　us！〃

She　threw　kisses　to　the　crowd　as　the　band　came　up；　uptempo。　Streamers　and　confetti　rained　down；　and　light　effects　blazed。　As　she　threw　her　arms　wide；　she　seemed　to　be　a　creature　of　pure　light；　of　spirit；　of　magic。　The　streamers　and　confetti　rained　down　on　the　crowd；　too；　and　many　joined　in；　joyously；　knowing　the　words；　arms　around　each　others'　shoulders。


〃Stage　lights　flashing；

The　feeling's　smashing；

My　heart　and　soul　belong　to　you

And　I'm　here　now；　singing；

All　bells　are　ringing；

My　dream　has　finally　e　true！〃


In　a　time　when　the　most　adored　performers　were　unapproachable　and　inaccessible；　she　was　somehow　the　exact　opposite　of　the　media　sirens　who　reigned　elsewhere。　She　was；　after　all；　one　of　the　citizenry；　another　Macross　Island　refugee　like　virtually　everybody　else　aboard。　Her　success　and　stardom　could　as　easily　have　been　theirs…was　theirs　in　a　way。

She　was　one　of　them；　and　she　gave　herself　to　them　totally；　letting　them　share　the　moment。　Her　silver…bright　voice　soared；　taking　the　high　notes　with　plete　confidence。　Her　slim；　straight　figure　reflected　the　light　back　into　their　eyes；　the　joy　back　into　their　hearts。

They　were　a　battered；　war…weary　munity；　and　in　a　way　nobody　quite　understood；　she　made　them　feel　hope　and　experience　a　soaring　elation。　It　had　been　said…and　not　discounted　by　Minmei　herself…that　she　was　a　reflection　of　them；　the　military　and　civilian　occupants　of　SDF…1。

Certainly　there　were　precedents　in　history。　Times　of　greatest　danger　and　tribulation　inevitably　bring　forth　symbols。

In　human　societies。。。

The　three　spies　couldn't　quite　understand　it　but　couldn't　resist　it　either。　It　had　to　be　admitted；　the　gathering　of　humans　might　as　easily　be　an　assembly　of　Zentraedi　in　some　ways…except　that　this　spirit　of　undisguised　joy　was　utterly　weird。　People　swayed　and　laughed　and　forgot　their　problems；　thinking　about　home；　and　there　wasn't　a　single　pro…war　propaganda　message　to　be　seen　anywhere。

Somebody　threw　an　arm　around　Rico's　shoulder　from　one　side；　somebody　else　hanging　one　around　Bron's　from　the　other；　and　they　were　caught　up　in　the　swaying　of　the　throng。　It　so　happened　that　the　groups　on　either　side　were　keeping　separate　time；　one　going　one　way　while　the　other　went　counter。

〃This　must　be　some　kind　of　tribal　ceremony；〃　Konda　speculated；　but　he　found　himself　enjoying　it。

Still；　somehow；　as　easily　as　if　they'd　been　doing　it　all　their　lives；　the　Zentraedi　sorted　out　the　conflicts　and　in　a　moment　were　swaying　along　with　the　thousands　upon　thousands　of　others。　It　began　to　dawn　on　them　what　they　were