05_force_of_arms-第20部分

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surface；　in　whatever　form　that　death　might　take。　But　to　endure　her　last　moments　among　the　charred　and　smoking　remains　of　the　base's　dead…that　would　have　been　more　than　she　could　have　borne。　She　extended　her　hand。

Rick　took　it　with　a　grin。　〃Oh；　c'mon。　It　gave　me　a　chance　to　disobey　your　orders　again；　after　all。〃　They　shook　hands；　and　she　let　herself　laugh　just　a　little。

Lisa　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　cockpit。　〃I'll　always　be　grateful。　I　admire　you　a　great　deal；　Rick。〃

That　wasn't　what　she　really　wanted　to　tell　him；　but　it　was　a　start。　It　was　much　further　along　than　Rick　had　gotten　in　saying　what　he　was　feeling　at　the　moment。　It　occurred　to　him　that　a　world　that　was　a　mass　grave；　very　likely　smoldering　ash　from　pole　to　pole；　was　a　strange　place　to　profess　love　for　somebody。

Or　maybe　not；　he　saw　suddenly。　Maybe　it　was　the　best　epitaph　anybody　could　ever　hope　to　leave　behind。

He　had　already　yielded　to　the　hard　lesson　that　life　wasn't　worth　much　without　it。

He　almost　said　four　or　five　different　things；　then　shrugged；　looking　at　his　feet；　and　managed；　〃It　was。。。it　was　a　pleasure。〃

A　ray　of　light　made　them　turn。　The　rising　sun　had　found　a　slit　between　clouds；　to　send　long；　slanting　rays　on　the　two　people　and　their　grounded　machine。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　stupendous　battle。

〃It　looks　like　the　fighting's　stopped。〃　She　felt　so　peaceful；　so　tired　of　war；　that　she　didn't　even　want　to　know　the　oute。

〃Um；　yeah。〃

〃I　wonder　if　there's　anyone　else　around？〃

〃Huh？〃

She　looked　around　to　him。　〃What　if　we're　the　last？　The　only　ones　left？〃

He　looked　at　her　for　long　seconds。　〃That　wouldn't　be　that　bad；　would　it？〃　he　said　softly。　〃At　least　neither　of　us　will　ever　be　alone。〃

〃Rick。。。〃

He　had　his　mouth　open　to　say　something　more；　but　there　was　a　blast　of　static　from　the　mo　equipment　as　the　automatic　search　gear　brought　up　the　sound　on　a　signal　it　had　located。　There　was　a　familiar　voice　singing　a　lilting；　haunting　hymn　to　Earth。

We　shall　live　the　day　we　dream　of　winning；
And　beginning　a　new　life！


〃Minmei！〃　Lisa　cried。　She　didn't　know　whether　she　could　ever　change　her　feelings　toward　the　singer；　but　right　now　that　voice　was　as　wele　as…well；　almost　as　wele　as　the　pany　Lisa　was　keeping。

〃Up　there！〃　Rick　shouted；　pointing。　Something　was　descending　on　blue　thruster　flames　hundreds　of　yards　long；　trailing　sparkling　particles　behind　it；　weird　energy　anomalies　from　the　interaction　of　barrier　shield　and　reflex　furnace　obliteration。

Rick　held　Lisa　to　him。　The　dimensional　fortress　settled　in　toward　the　lake　bed；　the　two　flattops　held　level；　elbows　against　its　own　midsection　like　Jimmy　Cagney　doing　his　patented　move。

All　it　needs　to　do　is　throw　a　hitch　in　its　shoulders　and　sing　〃Yankee　Doodle　Dandy〃！　Rick　thought。

The　enormous　blasts　of　its　engines　kicked　up　dust；　but　the　SDF…1　was　landing　with　the　rising　sun　directly　at　its　back。　They　watched　it　sink　down；　silhouetted　against　the　wavering　fireball　of　the　sun；　until　the　land　was　waist　high　all　around　it。

Sunrise　was　throwing　brighter　light　across　the　flattened　terrain。　〃What　a　sight　for　sore　eyes。〃　Rick　smiled；　flicking　switches　on　his　instrument　panel。

Lisa　laughed　outright；　surprising　herself。　Was　it　right　to　be　happy　again　so　soon　after　so　much　carnage？　But　she　couldn't　help　feeling　joy；　and　she　laughed　again。　〃Oh；　yes；　yes！〃

〃This　thing's　still　got　a　few　miles　left　in　it；〃　Rick　decided；　studying　the　instruments。　〃Let's　go。〃

〃Okay！〃

She　settled　back　into　his　lap；　and　when　he　put　his　hand　over　the　throttle；　she　covered　it　gently　with　her　own；　averting　her　eyes　but　leaving　her　hand　there。　He　moved　the　throttle　forward。　Lisa's　heart　soared；　feeling　his　hand　beneath　hers。

The　Guardian　jetted　across　the　devastated　landscape；　into　the　sunrise；　straight　for　the　SDF…1　and　the　long　shadow　it　threw。　Lisa；　her　arms　around　Rick's　neck；　laid　her　head　on　his　chest　and　watched　a　new　future　loom　up　before　her。


PART　II：　RECONSTRUCTION　BLUES


CHAPTER　TWENTY　TWO

Why　were　the　higher…ups　so　surprised　that　we　rebuilt　right　away；　and　so　quickly？　Human　feet　can　wear　down　a　stone；　human　hands　can　grind　down　iron；　human　perseverance　can　overe　any　adversity。
Mayor　Tommy　Luan；　The　High　Ofce

Upon　its　initial　arrival；　Gloval　had　thought　of　the　SDF…1　as　a　kind　of　malign　miracle；　since　it　had　kept　humanity　from　destroying　itself　utterly　in　the　Global　Civil　War。

There　was　another　miraculous　purpose　it　was　to　serve；　to　divert　war　away　from　Earth；　fight　off　the　Zentraedi；　and　ultimately　break　the　invaders'　power。

But　there　was　a　third　role　in　this　sequence　of　events　that　even　Gloval　hadn't　guessed；　indeed；　he　had　unwittingly　worked　in　opposition　to　it。

The　SDF…1　was　an　ark；　as　well。

Even　after　the　bombardments；　the　scorched…Earth　attack　that　had　very　nearly　e　to　a　no…Earth　situation；　the　boiling　away　of　much　of　the　planet's　water…temporarily　at　least…into　the　atmosphere；　pockets　of　humanity　had　survived。　But　what　chance　would　they　have　to　resume　an　advanced　culture　and　technological　base？

Very　simply；　none。

Take　mining　as　an　example。　Most　of　the　useful　minerals　that　could　be　mined　by　primitive　means　were　long　since　exhausted。　The　huddled　groups　of　war…shocked　people　who　survived　the　Zentraedi　holocaust　were　unable　to　mount　even　steam…age　mining　efforts；　much　less　the　sophisticated　operations　it　would　take　to　get　to　the　less　accessible　deposits　still　remaining　in　the　planet。　An　unbelievably　plex　and　interdependent　world　had　simply　passed　away；　and　there　was　no　means　to　rebuild　it。

Terran　technology　had　used　up　its　one　bolt；　and　there　was　no　such　thing　as　starting　over　from　scratch；　because　the　resources　that　had　let　Homo　sapiens　start　from　scratch　had　been　consumed　long　before。

The　human　race　was　on　its　way　to　being　a　permanent；　dead…end　race　of　hunter…gatherers　with　no　hope　of　ever　being　more　again。　History　was　about　to　close　the　books　on　a　vaguely　interesting　little　upstart　species；　events　and　the　simple　facts　of　life　had　gone　against　it。

Except　there　was　the　SDF…1；　with　Macross　City　inside。

There　had　been　few　hard　words　or　unyielding　attitudes　once　the　great　starship　set　down　in　the　dry　lakebed。　Who　do　you　get　mad　at　when　the　world　lies　dying？

In　their　years　of　wandering　and　persevering；　the　residents　of　Macross　City　had　put　most　delusions　and　wishful　thinking　behind　them。　They　saw　what　had　happened；　and　it　came　to　them　quickly　that　against　any　expectation；　they　had　been　the　lucky　ones。　The　castoffs　and　pariahs　were　actually　the　cargo　of　a　new　ark。

So　in　the　end　that　was　the　fate　of　Macross　City。　What　was　left　of　it　was　disembarked；　person　by　person；　piece　by　piece；　around　the　lakebed；　and　the　rebuilding　began。

The　intellectuals　and　experts　argued　about　the　best　ways　to　reestablish　ecological　balances　and　manage　moisture　reclamation；　the　people　of　Macross　rebuilt　their　homes　and　businesses　and　lives　as　best　they　could；　trusting　that　such　things　were　more　important　than　all　the　puter　projections。

The　ship's　engines　provided　power。　Its　mecha　and　military　people　enforced　law　and　order　in　an　ever…growing　domain　of　security。　The　SDF…1's　fabricators　and　other　technical　equipment　quickly　provided　a　new　industrial　base；　and　the　population　of　Macross　constituted　an　urban　economic　hub。

In　the　time　after　that　last　Armageddon；　the　SDF…1's　name　might　better　have　been　that　of　one　of　its　constituent　flattops；　Prometheus。　It　was　humanity's　main　source　of　medical　care；　technical　resources；　and　most　importantly；　the　accumulated　knowledge　and　wisdom　of　the　species　Homo　sapiens。

The　nuclear　winter　scenario　was　much　less　severe　than　the　puters　had　guessed。　That　was　partly　because　the　predictions　had　been　based　on　faulty　models。　It　was　also　because　the　RDF　and　civilian　corps　worked　around　the　clock　to　make　it　so。

And　they　had　allies。　The　explosion　of　Dolza's　base　had　disabled　or　taken　with　it　his　entire　Grand　Fleet；　but　a　considerable　part　of　Breetai's　armada　had　survived。　Many　Zentraedi　had　chosen　to　go　to　Earth　and　take　up　a　life　there　either　in　Micronian　size　or　in　their　own　original　bodies。

Both　races　hoped　for　a　new　golden　age　or　at　least　a　lasting　silver　one。

It　was　a　world　seared　and　barren；　pockmarked　with　craters　and。　split　with　fissures　made　by　war。　Everywhere　were　the　rusting　mecha　of　the　last　great　battle。　Most　of　the　disabled　Zentraedi　ships　had；　for　unknown　reasons；　oriented　on　the　nearest　center　of　gravity…Earth…and　driven　toward　it。

The　result　was　that　the　planet's　surface　was　an　eerie　Robotech　Boot　Hill　dotted　with　crumpled　alien　warships　that　had　driven　themselves　partway　into　the　ground　like　spikes。　The　reminders　of　that　last　day　were　everywhere；　too　many　to　ever　dismantle　or　bury。　Only　time　and　the　elements　would　remove　the　grave　markers；　and　they　would　not　do　so　in　the　life　span　of　anyone　then　living。

But　those　who　were　left　alive　went　on　a　new　crusade；　the　one　to　heal　the　planet　and　put　things　right　again。

Two　years　passed。


Rick　Hunter's　VT；　in　Guardian　mode；　plained　at　the　strain　he　put　on　it　in　the　tight　bank。　He　gritted　his　teeth　but　held　to　it。　The　old　ship；　battered　as　it　was；　had　never　failed　him　yet。　With　replacement　parts　and　maintenance　time　in　such　woefully　short　supply；　the　Skull　Leader's　craft　wasn't　in　the　shape　it　had　been　in　during　the　war；　but　he　trusted　it。

The　Guardian　jetted　in　low　over　the　rust…red；　pitted　countryside　and　foot…thrustered　to　a　deft　landing。　It　bowed；　nose　nearly　touching　the　ground；　he　jumped　from　the　cockpit　eagerly；　hardly　able　to　credit　what　was　happening　to　him。

〃I　don't　believe　it！　It's　impossible！〃

He　ran　across　the　gritty；　fallow　soil；　back　toward　what　he　had　spotted。　All　around　were　gigantic；　jagged　shreds　and　peels　of　Zentraedi　armorplate；　twisted　and　mangled；　slowly　turning　to　rust　and　dust。　Off　to　one　side　was　an　overturned　Guardian　wreck　that　looked　like　it　had　been　put　through　a　meat　grinder。　Its　rusting　legs　stuck　straight　up　into　the　air　like　a　dead　hawk's。

Rick　skidded　to　a　halt；　the　wind　moaning　around　him。　He　looked　down　and　was　astounded。

At　his　feet；　springing　from　a　moist　plot　of　earth　somehow　enriched　enough　to　sustain　it；　was　a　field　of　dandelions。　The　irregularly　shaped；　few…square…yards　patch　of　them　was　sheltered　from　the　wind　by　the　wreckage　and　yet；　by　chance；　had　good　exposure　to　sunlight。

For　a　moment　he　couldn't　find　words。　〃Absolutely　incredible；〃　he　murmured；　but　that　was　insufficient。　Here；　near　yet　another　Zentraedi　wreck；　the　soil　had　been　fortified　with　something　that　would　support　life。　He　suspected　that　he　knew　what　that　something　had　been；　and　it　suddenly　made　him　feel　very　mortal　and　humble。

〃Real　flowers！〃　He　knelt；　handling　them　as　gently　as　a　lover；　inhaling。

Certainly　there　were　flowers　in　the　greenhouses　and　protected　fields　of　the　reclamation　projects；　but　this！　It　was　a　thing　as　wonderful　as　flight…no；　more　wonderful！　Life　itself！

He　couldn't　recall　how　many　times；　as　a　child；　he'd　raced　across　a　field　of　these　unglamorous　flowers；　eyes　fixed　on　the　blue　sky；　wishing　only　to　fly。　And　now　things　had　e　full　circle；　he　flew　the　most　advanced　aircraft　ever　known　with　his　eyes　trained　on　the　ground；　waiting　and　hoping　for　just　such　a　sight　as。。。dandelions。

I　hope　this　means　the　Earth　is　forgiving　us；　he　meditated。

It　was　a　good　and　precious　thing　to　know　that　at　least　one　positive　sign；　however　small；　had　shown　itself。　There　were　other　omens　that　were　not　so　good。　Rick　was　privy　to　a　lot　of　high…level　information　thanks　to　his　experiences　among　the　Zentraedi　and　his　value　as　an　intelligence　source。

There　were　things　he　tried　not　to　think　about；　and　three　of　them　had　disturbing　names：　Protoculture。　Robotech　Masters。　Invid。


Three　VTs　swooped　in　low　over　the　desolate　land；　forming　up　again　after　pleting　their　aerial　recons　of　assigned　sectors。　They　were　newer　ships　than　Rick's；　but　they　looked　somehow　less　sleek　and　finished。　There　were　those　who　said　the　true　high…water　mark　of　Robotech　workmanship　had　passed。

〃mander　Hunter；　e　in；　please；〃　said　Rick's　new　second　in　mand；　Lieutenant　Ransom。　〃This　is　Skull　Four　calling　Skull　Six。〃

No　answer；　after　five　minutes'　trying。　Ransom　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Bobby？〃

Sergeant　Bobby　Bell；　youngest　of　the　remanned　Skull　Team；　appeared　on　Ransom's　display　screen。　〃Yo？〃

〃I　can't　raise　the　boss；　kid。〃

Bobby's　round　face　looked　pained。　〃What　d'　you　think？　Renegades？〃

That　was　one　of　the　big　reasons　for　the　patrols。　Of　the　many　Zentraedi　who　had　gone　forth　among　the　humans　to　try　a　more　peaceful　way　of　life　and　a　chance　to　open　up　the　more　feeling　and　passionate　side　of　their　nature；　some　had　found　that　it　simply　wouldn't　work。

The　renegades　had　begun　slipping　away　into　the　wastelands　more　than　a　year　before。　There　was　an　entire　world　of　salvage　for　them　out　there：　mecha；　weapons；　rations；　and　anything　else　they　might　need；　provided　they　could　find　the　right　wreck。　More　importantly；　there　was　the　freedom　to　act　as　Zentraedi　warriors　once　again；　to　follow　their　own　brutal；　merciless　code。

〃I　think　his　last　transmission　came　from　his　search　quadrant；〃　Bobby　said　worriedly。

〃I　know；〃　Ransom　said。　〃I　got　a　DF　fix　on　it。　Let's　go。

The　VTs　formed　up；　and　their　engines　made　the　ground　tremble。　They　shot　away　to　the　northwest。


The　SDF…1　stood　like　a　knight　in　a　bath　up　to　his　waist。　The　two　supercarriers　floated　at　anchor；　giving　the　corroding　derelict　added　buoyancy。

Refilling　the　lake　had　been　a　major　priority；　since　not　even　the　fortress's　colossal　strength　could　support　itself　and　the　two　giant　warships　for　long。　At　the　same　time　that　RDF　fliers　were　seeding　clouds　and　Dr。　Lang's　mysterious　machines　were　working　day　and　night　to　head　off　the　nuclear　winter；　bat　engineers　and　anybody　else　who　could　be　found　to　lend　a　hand　worked　feverishly　to　make　sure　the　drainage　would　be　ready。

And　just　over　forty…eight　hours　after　the　ship's　landing；　the　rains　had　begun。　They　gave　back　some　of　the　moisture　boiled　away　by　the　Zentraedi　attack；　but　Lang's　calculations；　supported　by　subsequent　data；　showed　that　much　of　it　was　gone　forever。　Short　of　importing　many　cubic　miles　of　water　across　space　from　some　as　yet　unknown　source；　the　Earth　would　never　again　be　the　three…quarters…ocean　world　she　had　been　when　she　brought　forth　life。

In　time；　the　rains　stopped；　and　the　generations…long　job　of　replanting　and　refoliating　the　planet　began。

Around　the　lake　the　new　Macross　rose；　the　stubborn　refugees　rebuilding　their　lives　yet　again。　It　was　the　only　new　population　center　on　the　planet　so　far；　the　only　place　where　the　concrete　was　uncracked　and　the　buildings　tall　and　straight。　There　was　fresh　paint；　and　there　were　trees　transplanted　from　the　starship。　There　were　lawns　and　flower　beds　seeded　from　plants　that　had　survived　the　billions　of　miles　of　the　SDF…1's　odyssey。

It　was　a　city　where　energy　and　resources　were　used　with　utmost　efficiency；　a　town　of　solar　heaters　and　photovoltaic　panels；　with　a　recycling　system　tied　to　every　phase　of　life。　The　Macross　residents　and　SDF…1　personnel　had　learned　the　tough　lessons　of　ecological　necessity　during　years　in　space；　and　nothing　at　all　was　wasted。　That　was　the　sort　of　world　it　was　going　to　have　to　be　from　now　on。


In　a　neat；　quiet　suburb　of　the　city　served　by　an　overhead　rapid…transit　system　sat　a　modest