19_the_zendtradei_rebellion-第1部分

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Robotech：　The　Zendtraedi　Rebellion
Book　19　of　the　Robotech　series
Copyright　1994　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



Chapter　One

2015　began　much　as　any　other　year　in　recent　memory：　a　Zentraedi　attack　left　yet　a　third　version　of　Macross　in　ruins；　friends　died　and　were　buried；　and　Rick　Hunter　found　himself　hopelessly　conflicted；　if　not　by　love　this　time；　then　by　rumors　of　promotion　and　his　dark　imaginings　of　things　to　e。
Altaira　Heimel；　Butterflies　in　Winter：
Human　Relations　and　the　Robotech　War
Spring's　first　sunrise　brightened　a　bleak　landscape；　pockmarked　withcraters　and　crazed　with　fissures　opened　by　weapons　of　destruction。　Inthe　Northwest　Territory；　where　a　rain　of　Zentraedi　annihilation　boltshad　incinerated　countless　acres　of　fir　forest　and　hardened　vast　expansesof　sand　to　glass；　stood　thrice…born　Macross　City；　Earth's　burgeoningcapital　only　three　months　earlier　and　now　its　most　recent　casualty　ofwar。　Hurricane…force　winter　storms　had　been　no　kinder　to　the　place　thanKhyron　had；　and　with　the　early　thaw　had　e　an　understanding　of　justhow　much　damage　the　city　had　sustained　in　the　moments　before　its　frigidburial。
From　a　rostrum　that　once　had　been　a　segment　of　elevated　highway；　amiddle…aged　man　with　a　noticeable　Germanic　accent　was　addressing　asizable　crowd　of　Robotech　Defense　Force　personnel　and　civilians。　Theonly　way　to　tell　one　from　the　other　was　by　the　RDF　unit　patches　adorningthe　sleeves　of　the　soldiers'　antihazard　suits。

〃The　sudden　deaths　of　friends　and　loved　ones　affect　us　moreprofoundly　than　the　near　death　of　an　entire　world；〃　the　speaker　wassaying。　〃And　it　is　those　loved　onesthose　teammates；　techmates；　andradesthat　we　seek　to　honor　today；　on　the　occasion　of　this　sadassembly。〃

His　name　was　Emil　Lang；　and　he　was　Earth's　preeminent　mathematicianand　physicist。　Robotechnology's　chief　proponent　for　more　than　a　decade；he　was　seldom　at　a　loss　for　words；　but　much　of　his　address　that　day　hadbeen　written　for　him　by　Lisa　Hayes。　She　was　Admiral　Hayes　now；　in　thewake　of　the　destruction　of　Macross　City　and　the　SuperdimensionalFortresses　1　and　2；　and　the　deaths　of　Admiral　Henry　Gloval　and　dozens　ofthe　RDF's　highest…ranking　officers。

Few　among　a　crowd　estimated　to　number　ten　thousand　were　aware　thatLang's　were　borrowed　words；　though　Rick　Hunter　knew　as　much；　because　hehad　been　with　Lisa　when　she　posed　them　two　months　earlier。

〃Lang　wants　to　know　what　I　would　say　if　I'd　been　chosen　todeliver　the　memorial；〃　Lisa　had　explained　at　the　time。

Rick　understood　how　Lang　might　be　nonplussed　by　the　assignment；mo　of　the　nontechnical　sort　didn't　e　easily　to　the　Wizard　ofRobotechnology。　And　yet　who　better　to　memorialize　Gloval；　ClaudiaGrant；　and　the　rest　than　the　man　most　responsible　for　the　reconstructionof　the　SDF…1？　The　Earthman　most　responsible；　that　was。　To　another　wentcredit　for　the　ship's　original　design　and　engineering：　the　Tiresian　Zor；in　whom　Robotechnology　itself　had　its　beginnings。

Lisa's　contribution　notwithstanding；　Lang's　sentiment　was　genuine；and　it　spoke　to　everyone　in　the　crowd。　Several　of　Rick's　closestfriends　had　died　in　Earth's　protracted　war　with　the　Zentraedisome　indeep　space；　some　in　Earth's　wild　blue　yonderand　each　of　those　deathshad　touched　him　more　than　the　devastation　visited　on　the　planet　as　theculmination　of　that　conflict。　Rick　was　willing　to　accept　that　he；　likeso　many　of　Earth's　survivors；　had　been　living　in　staunch　denial　of　thecataclysm。　But　if　that　were　true；　then　Khyron's　surprise　attack　on　thedimensional　fortresses　and　the　city　that　had　grown　up　around　them　hadconstituted　a　long…overdue　wakeup　call。

Those　sections　of　Macross　that　hadn't　been　atomized　during　theattack　had　been　rendered　uninhabitable　by　radiation；　thwarting　earlyplans　for　salvage　operations　and　memorial　services。　Readings　hadn'tsubsided　to　safe　levels　until　late　February；　and　then　there　was　the　snowto　contend　withsnow　that　had　menced　on　the　night　of　the　attack　andcontinued　unabated　for　two　months；　almost　as　if　nature　had　fashioned　amicroclimate　to　hasten　the　cooling。　March's　sudden　melt　loosedavalanches　that　had　blocked　the　pass　between　Macross　and　Monument　Cityand　had　turned　the　valley　floors　to　sludge。　Even　now；　Rick's　Veritecha　VT…1S　configured　in　Battloid　modestood　to　its　ankles　in　thick　mud。

Rick　thought　the　de　rigueur　antihazard　suits　a　touch　belated；　giventhat　one…quarter　the　city's　population　had　been　dosed　with　radiation　onemerging　from　the　sheltersRick；　Lisa；　and　Minmei　more　than　most。　Inaddition　to　the　sixty…six　hundred　dead　who　had　been　aboard　thefortresses　or　providing　mecha　support；　over　five　thousand　civiliansresidents　had　died；　most　within　days；　some　as　recently　as　that　morning。Bodies　had　been　retrieved　by　the　planeload；　but　it　had　been　decided　thatthere　would　be　no　coffins。　General　staff's　plan　called　for　Lake　Glovalto　be　filled　in　and　made　a　mon　grave　sitea　shrine。　Though　a　shrinenone　would　dare　visit　for　at　least　ten　years　to　e。

Macrossers；　however；　were　nothing　if　not　war…hardened；　and　mostwould　have　braved　the　residual　fallout　suitless　to　honor　those　who　hadflown　endless　against…all…odds　missions　in　their　behalf。　Rick　wouldhave　numbered　himself　among　that　noble　group；　but　as　an　RDF　captain；mander　of　celebrated　Skull　Team；　he　was　obliged　to　attend　as　both　manand　mecha〃crafted；〃　as　the　Veritech　pilots　put　it。

Skullthe　lot　of　them　in　Battloid　modewas　deployed　along　whatremained　of　the　concourse　linking　the　downtown　mall　to　the　flight　deckof　the　SDF…1's　Daedalus　forearm。　Ghost；　Vermillion；　and　Indigo　teamswere　similarly　arrayed　along　the　parallel　concourse　that　fed　thePrometheus。　Both　appendages　were　actually　Thor…class　supercarriers　thathad　been　grafted　onto　the　fortress　some　five　years　earlier；　at　the　startof　the　war　against　the　race　of　giant　warriors　known　as　the　Zentraedi。Rick；　seated　NBC…suited　and　neural…capped　inside　Skull　One's　ultratechcockpit；　was　ten　city　blocks　west　of　the　slagged　half…mile…high　hulks　ofthe　SDFs　1　and　2；　the　former；　dismembered　and　decapitated；　was　up　to　itschest　in　the　mud…filled　crater　that　had　been　the　lake；　the　twin　booms　ofits　truncated　main　gun　raised　in　a　attitude　of　humble　entreaty。

No　more；　it　seemed　to　be　saying　to　the　early　morning　sky。　Letit　end　here。

Looking　west；　Rick　could　see　across　the　rooftops　of　block　afterblock　of　burned…out　buildings　clear　to　the　elevated　roadway　that　wasserving　as　a　stage　for　the　long…delayed　ceremony。　By　telephotoing　theVT's　exterior…mount　videocams；　he　could　bring　into　sharp　focus　nearlyevery　hooded　face　on　the　makeshift　rostrum：　Dr。　Lang；　Professors　LazloZand　and　Sheamus　Bronson；　Macross　Council　politicos　Milburn　and　Stinson；Chief　Justice　Justine　Huxley；　and　Mayor　Tommy　Luan。　Elsewhere　stoodBrigadier　General　Gunther　Reinhardt；　generals　Maistoff　and　Motokoff；full…bird　colonels　Caruthers　and　Herzog；　and　Major　Aldershot。

Rick　spent　a　moment　contemplating　his　pending　promotion　andshuddered　at　the　thought　of　being　lofted　into　the　numbing　pany　of　allthat　assorted　brass。　He　would　just　have　to　decline　any　advancement　inrank；　he　told　himself。　Appeal　to　the　aging　flyboy　in　Reinhardt　bysaying　that　while　he　was　flattered　by　mand's　confidence　in　hisleadership　abilities；　his　place　was　and　would　always　be　with　the　Skull。

He　reasoned　he　had　a　good　chance　of　pulling　it　off。　Providing　thatAdmiral　Lisa　could　keep　from　getting　involved。

〃In　conclusion；　let　us　at　least　try　to　embrace　a　constructiveperspective；〃　Lang　was　saying。　〃Let　us　try　to　view　the　ing　years　asa　bridge　to　the　future；　however　uncertain。　We　are　a　forward…lookingrace；　and　it　is　our　faith　in　the　future　that　will　guide　us　。　。　。〃

Lang　was　finally　winding　downand　just　in　time；　Rick　decided。　Forwhat　had　begun　as　a　remembrance　of　the　dead　had　deteriorated　into　aeulogy　for　Lang's　precious　dimensional　fortresses　and　his　plans　forconstructing　an　SDF…3。

And　so　when　Vince　Grant　succeeded　Lang　at　the　podiumtowering　overithe　concentrated　on　remembering　his　sister；　Claudia。　And　whenLieutenant　Mitchell　took　the　microphone　she　remembered　enlisted…ratingstechs　Sammie　Porter；　Vanessa　Leeds；　and　Kim　Young；　all　of　whom　Mitchellhad　relieved　at　one　time　or　another　on　the　fortress's　bridge。　Cat　crewofficer　Moira　Flynn　read　off　the　names　of　hundreds　of　pilots　she　hadwaved　into　battle；　and　Dr。　Hassan；　chief　surgeon　aboard　the　SDF…1；recalled　acts　of　unsurpassed　bravery。

And　when　Lisa　Hayes　spoke　。　。　。　Well；　when　Lisa　spoke　about　what　itmeant　to　have　served　under　Henry　Glovalthe　father　she　would　havepreferredand　about　Claudia　Grant；　her　closest　friend　and　sister…in…arms；　not　even　the　MBS　broadcasters　could　keep　their　deep　voices　fromfaltering。

〃Skull；〃　Rick　barked　into　his　helmet　pickup；　as　sobs　filteredthrough　the　tactical　net。　〃Present　arms！〃

The　crowds　turned　to　the　half…buried　ships。　The　technoknights　ofSkull；　Ghost；　Vermilion　and　Indigo　raised　their　autocannons　in　salute；Veritech　teams　screamed　over　the　lake；　disgorging　payloads　of　hothouseflowers；　and　the　massive　guns　of　a　dozen　MAC　II　Destroids　offeredthunderous　praise　to　the　dead。　A　reclamation　crew　positioned　on　therail…gunned　shoulders　of　the　SDF…1　unfurled　a　huge　banner　bearing　theRDF　insignia：　an　encircled；　curved…sided　diamond　suggestive　of　afighting　kite。

Sunlight　gleamed　off　the　battered　alloy　surfaces　of　the　SDF…1。

There　had　been　talk　of　a　closing　address　by　Exedore；　but　thegeneral　staff　had　had　a　last…minute　change　of　mind　and　the　Zentraediambassador's　shuttle　flight　from　the　factory　satellite　had　beencanceled。　Khyron's　raidthough　in　no　way　undertaken　in　the　name　of　allthe　Zentraedihad　brought　about　a　resurgence　of　hatred　for　the　racewith　whom　humans　were　now　forced　to　share　the　Earth。　Bron；　Rico；　andKondathe　first　of　the　aliens　to　defect　during　the　Warhad　beenordered　to　remain　in　Monument　City　and　satisfy　their　grief　by　watchinglive　coverage　of　the　funeral。

Their　absence　was　nearly　as　conspicuous　as　that　of　Lynn　Minmei。Following　the　ceremony；　Lisa　came　directly　from　Fokker　Field；　outsideMonument　City；　to　Rick's　temporary　quarterseven　though　her　quarterswere　only　a　few　blocks　away　in　Monument's　newest　suburb；　transported　allbut　intact　from　Macross　by　a　fleet　of　flatbed　trucks。

〃I　don't　want　to　be　alone；〃　she　said　when　she　arrived。　〃I　can't　bealone。　Not　tonight。〃

Rick　held　her　and　stroked　her　long　hair。　They　went　over　the　day'sevents　and　she　cried　in　his　arms；　then　Rick　led　her　to　his　bed　andtucked　her　in。　Gradually；　her　sobbing　diminished　and　she　fell　asleep；and　Rick　returned　to　the　living　room；　planting　himself　by　a　fixed…panewindow　that　overlooked　Monument's　distant　highrise　skyline。　He　feltstrangely　separated　from　the　world；　insulated　by　the　window　glass　as　hehad　been　by　the　faceplate　of　the　thinking　cap　and　the　permaplex　of　theVT　cockpit。

The　walls　of　the　small　house　were　hung　with　photos　of　Skull　One　andof　assorted　mecha；　and　dangling　from　the　ceiling　were　plastic　models　ofvintage　prop　planes　of　the　sort　his　father　and　Leo　Epstein　had　so　loved；some　of　them　purchased　at　Bron；　Rico；　and　Konda's　kiosk　in　the　Macrossmall。　In　Lisa's　quarters　were　her　stuffed　toy　ostrich　and　an　ovalvanity　mirror　decaled　with　stars　that　had　somehow　survived　Khyron。Mass…produced　modular　rectangles　of　plastic　and　lightweight　alloy；　thetwo　houses　were　mirrorimages　of　one　another　but　identical　to　dozens　ofothers　in　the　transplanted　neighborhood。

In　the　kitchenette　was　the　round　table　at　which　Lisa　had　posedthe　introductory　remarks　to　Lang's　speech。　By　the　time　she　hadfinished；　the　notepaper　was　so　tearstained　that　Rick　had　had　to　have　thefew　paragraphs　transcribed。　He　marveled　at　how　fluently　she　could　cry；at　how　deeply　she　could　grieve；　especially　when　there　didn't　seem　to　bea　tear　left　in　him。　With　all　that　had　happened　in　the　past　five　years；it　had　gotten　so　that　death　was　only　unexpected　when　its　cause　wasdisease。

Fortunately　for　the　Human　race；　Earth　was　proving　itself　immune　topessimism。　In　spite　of　what　the　War　had　wrought；　the　planet　was　healingitself。　Angry　sunsets　and　blood…red　moons　were　things　of　the　past；　andsongbirds　had　returned　to　a　patch　of　forest　in　the　hills　surroundingMonumentLisa's　favorite　spot　for　picnics。　Conditions　in　the　so…calledSouthlands　were　reported　to　be　even　better。

Monument　City　had　been　founded　by　a　group　of　Zentraedi　loyal　toBreetai；　the　warrior　giant　without　whose　help　the　War　would　have　beenlostwithout　whom；　in　fact；　the　Earth　itself　would　have　been　lost；　ridforever　of　〃Micronians；〃　as　the　aliens　referred　to　any　race　that　failedto　measure　up　to　their　forty…foot　stature。　The　city　lay　to　thenorthwest　of　Macross；　across　a　now…tortuous　landscape　of　eroded　hillsand　precipitous　outcroppings；　and　was　in　many　ways　an　imitation　ofMacross；　right　down　to　the　milk…carton　skyscrapers；　Quickform　buildings；pedestrian　malls；　and　crater　lake。　Save　that　the　rusting　ship　centeredin　Monument's　lake　was　a　Zentraedi　dreadnought　that　had　driven　itself；like　a　spike；　partway　into　the　groundone　of　tens　of　thousands　ofdisabled　and　depleted　warships　that　had　oriented　on　Earth　in　the　finalmoments　of　the　War　and　plunged　toward　it。　Much　of　the　planet's　ravagedsurface　was　an　eerie　Robotech　boot　hill　studded　with　crumpled　ships；　toonumerous　to　either　bury　or　dismantle。　Only　time　and　the　elements　mightremove　them；　though　not　in　the　lifespan　of　anyone　then　living。

With　the　unequivocal　destruction　of　Macrossit　would　never　againrise　from　its　ashesfacsimile　Monument　had　been　forced　to　acceptMacross's　100；000　refugees；　much　as　Earth　had　been　forced　to　accept　thedefeated　and　marooned　Zentraedi。　Thus；　in　the　three　months　sinceKhyron's　assault；　Monument　had　swollen　to　over　ten　times　its　originalsize。　There　was　no　SDF…1　to　supply　the　fabricators　that　had　enabledMacross　Three　to　flower　overnight；　but　Macross's　city　plannersout　offoresight　or　perhaps　paranoiahad　seen　fit　to　construct　Macross　as　averitable　transportable　city。　Indeed；　the　construction　designs　andmaterials　developed　for　Macross　had　already　been　exported　around　theworld；　to　wherever　people　were　struggling　to　rebuild：　to　Portland；Denver；　Detroit；　Albuquerque；　and　Mexico　in　North　American　Sector；　tothe　Eastern　European　monwealth；　Japan；　India；　Australia；　and　centralAfrica；　and　to　relatively　robust　South　Americathe　Southlandswhosecities　housed　the　highest　concentrations　of　Micronized　Zentraedithoseof　human　scale；　whether　by　choice　or　design。

Monument　had　a　mixed　population　of　full…size　and　Micronized　aliens；and　despite　the　sudden　growth　and　ethnic　flipflop；　it　remainedessentially　a　Zentraedi　city；　governed　by　a　council　made　up　of　aliensand　representatives　of　the　small　but　vocal　group　of　advocates　who　hadspearheaded　the　movement　for　autonomy　from　Macross。

Watching　the　lights　wink　on　in　Monument's　towers；　Rick　wondered　howmuch　longer　the　city's　most　recent　immigrants　would　be　willing　to　liveunder　Zentraedi　rule。　The　War；　after　all；　had　been　fueled　by　fears　ofalien　domination。

When　he　went　to　check　on　Lisa；　he　found　her　sound　asleep；　coverspulled　tight　around　her　head　like　a　hood。　Gazing　at　her　from　thebedroom　door；　she　seemed　the　same；　plainly…pretty；　twenty…nine…year…oldmilitary　brat　he'd　once　called　an　old　sourpuss。　Same　heavy　locks　ofbrown…blond　hair；　same　pale　plexion　and　slender　figure。　Not　that　hewas　all　that　different　from　the　long…haired　Veritech　jock　Lisa　wasalways　accusing　of　indulging　in　amateur　heroics。　But　Rick　knew　thatdeep　down　they