05_force_of_arms-第14节

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〃I'm　telling　you；　I　love　her；〃　Max　insisted。　He　suddenly　hit　the　table　with　his　fist；　making　cup　and　saucer　dance。　〃And　there's　no　problem　love　won't　solve！〃

Oh　yeah？　Rick　thought　ironically；　he　wished　that　for　just　a　moment　he　could　do　something　about　his　hopeless　yearning　for　Minmei；　could　understand　his　plex　feelings　toward　Lisa　Hayes。　Max；　you've　got　a　lot　to　learn！

〃There's　one　problem　it　won't　solve；　pal；　and　that's　your　silly　idealism。　Love　isn't　gonna　make　you　happy；　take　it　from　me。〃

Max　was　furious。　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　say；　Rick。　I'm　going　to　marry　this　woman　with　or　without　your　approval。〃

〃Okay；　look；　so　you're　attracted　to　her。　How　many　times　does　that　happen　to　a　guy？〃

〃She's　special！〃

〃Take　it　easy；　I'm　sorry。　I　can　tell　you　like　her　very　much。〃

Max　calmed　a　bit。　〃I　want　you　to　meet　her。〃

〃This　should　be　interesting；〃　Rick　said；　realizing　someone　had　e　up　to　the　table。

Miriya　Parino　of　the　elite　Quadrono　battalion　of　the　Zentraedi　hordes　looked　like　the　cover　of　a　fashion　magazine。　Rick　didn't　know　what　he　had　expected；　he　had　never　met　a　female　Zentraedi　and　had　seen　few　males　who　didn't　look　ugly　enough　to　stop　a　clock。

What　he　hadn't　expected　was　a　gorgeous　young　woman　in　a　simple；　graceful　pink　summer　frock　set　off　by　a　blue　sash　about　her　slim　waist。　She　wore　her　dark　green　hair　in　a　single　lush　tail　drawn　forward　over　one　white　shoulder。

〃We　were　just　talking　about　you；〃　Max　told　her　with　a　sublime；　starry…eyed　smile。

Rick　blinked；　flabbergasted；　then　got　out　haltingly；　〃You　were　right；　Max。　She　is　beautiful。　I…I　think　I　understand　now。〃

Miriya　smiled　serenely。　〃I'm　so　pleased　to　meet　you。　You　look　just　the　way　Maximillian　described　you。〃

She　was　terribly　happy　that　she　and　Max　were　to　marry；　though　this　odd；　strangely　thrilling　human　custom　was　more　a　mystery　than　anything　else。　She　suddenly　looked　and　felt　nothing　at　all　like　a　Zentraedi　mander　and　warrior；　but　she　didn't　mind。　Everything　was　so　clear　and　bright　and　wonderful。。。

Max's　decision　to　buy　her　new　clothes　had　plainly　been　a　good　one；　the　looks　she'd　drawn　from　people；　and　from　Rick　in　particular；　were　not　the　kind　one　directed　at　an　enemy。

It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　only　hours　before；　she　had　been　trying　to　kill　Max。　He　had　spent　much　of　the　intervening　time　trying　to　clarify　what　〃love〃　meant。　She　decided　she　wanted　more　clarification…a　lifetime's　worth。

〃You're　a　lucky　man；　Max；〃　Rick　told　him；　without　taking　his　eyes　off　Miriya。　Then　he　grinned。　〃And　forget　all　that　nonsense　I　told　you。〃

Max　was　all　smiles　again。　Rick　added；　〃And　to　guarantee　you　two　have　a　great　wedding　day；　I　plan　to　be　there　to　kiss　the　bride！〃

Max　shrugged　and　nodded　cheerfully；　a　little　irony　creeping　into　his　tone。　〃I　knew　I　could　count　on　you；　boss。　Only…〃

He　reached　out　to　take　Miriya's　hand。　〃You'd　better　hold　off　on　that　until　I　explain　it　all　to　the　future　Mrs。　Sterling。　The　RDF　forces　are　shorthanded　as　it　is；　and　I'd　hate　to　see　Skull　Leader　wind　up　in　intensive　care。〃


The　preparations　for　the　wedding　began　that　same　day。　Gloval　was　strangely　silent；　except　to　give　his　permission　and　authorize　the　sort　of　major　bash　the　ship's　media　moguls　hungered　and　cried　out　for。　Rick　knew　Gloval　well　enough　to　know　that　the　captain　had　good　reasons　for　a　move　like　this；　and　he　wondered　what　those　might　be。

News　of　the　ing　nuptials　had　the　entire　dimensional　fortress　abuzz。　It　galvanized　crewpeople　and　refugees　alike；　a　reason　at　last　to　celebrate　and　forget　the　war　for　a　while。　Mayor　Tommy　Luan　and　the　director　of　the　in…ship　broadcasting　system　and　a　hundred　others　threw　themselves　into　the　arrangements。

Somewhat　to　their　surprise；　they　found　that　Gloval　had　ordered　that　no　effort　be　spared　in　making　the　occasion　a　major　event。　Miriya　could　have　had　ten　thousand　bridesmaids　if　she　wanted；　the　RDF　people　and　the　Veritech　pilots　in　particular　kicked　out　the　chocks　to　mount　a　pageant　worthy　of　a　royal　wedding。

The　preparations　went　quickly；　the　marriage　became　the　center　of　existence　for　quite　a　few　people。　They　were　sewing；　cooking；　decorating；　the　RDF　personnel　rehearsed　their　drills；　and　the　engineers　rigged　the　most　special　of　special　effects。

All　the　activity　didn't　go　unnoticed。　In　the　alien　armada；　cold　and　merciless　eyes　watched　the　peculiar　goings…on。　Fateful；　dire　decisions　were　near。


CHAPTER　NINE

These　letters　pile　up；　Vince　dear；　perhaps　to　be　read　by　you　someday　or　perhaps　not；　but　today　especially　I　have　to　set　down　how　full　my　heart　is…more　so　than　at　any　time　since　Roy　was　killed。
I　heard　Gloval　murmuring　something　astounding　while　he　was　sitting　in　his　mand　chair：　〃Capulets　and　Montagues。〃　I　thought　he　was　going　soft；　heaven　knows　the　rest　of　us　have。　But　when　I　looked　at　the　clipboard　he　had　been　studying；　it　was　an　intel　rundown　on　books　Miriya　had　screened　from　the　Central　Data　Bank　while　she　was　here…when　she　was　hunting　Max。　Shakespeare　was　there；　of　course。
I　don't　know　what　to　think；　except…damn　it！　We've　got　to　change　the　ending　this　time！
Lt。　Claudia　Grant；　in　a　letter　to　her　brother　Vincent

The　spectacular　fireworks　lit　up　the　space　all　around　the　SDF…1。　It　was　only　the　beginning；　but　what　a　beginning。　The　whole　area　was　illuminated　in　bright　colors；　civilians　and　RDF　people　alike　crowded　every　available　viewport；　oohing　and　ahing。

Then　the　fighting　mecha　appeared；　to　execute　their　part　in　things。　From　the　flight　decks　of　the　fortress　and　the　two　immense　supercarriers　that　had　been　joined　to　it　like　stupendous　metal　forearms；　Veritechs　swarmed　out　to　take　up　their　places。

A　broad；　flat　roadway　of　light；　radiant　in　all　the　colors　of　the　spectrum；　sprang　from　the　bow　of　the　flattop　Daedalus；　like　a　shining　runway。　The　Veritechs　zoomed　out；　retros　flaring。

Excitement　hit　fever　pitch　all　through　the　ship。　It　was　more　than　just　the　occasion　of　a　wedding…even　the　first　wedding　that　anyone　could　think　of　that　had　taken　place　in　outer　space。　There　was　something　about　the　joining　of　a　human　and　a　Zentraedi　that　spoke　directly　to　the　humans'　longing　for　peace　and　a　return　home。　It　was　a　ray　of　hope　that　the　terrible　Robotech　War　might　yet　be　ended　short　of　catastrophe。

For　Max　and　Miriya；　it　was　simply　the　happiest　day　of　their　lives。　They　came　swooping　out　of　the　void　in　Max's　VT　fighter　right　on　schedule；　Max　wearing　his　tux　and　sitting　in　the　forward　seat；　piloting。　Miriya　sat　in　the　rear；　making　constant　corrections　to　the　fall　of　her　wedding　veil；　the　arrangement　of　her　bridal　bouquet。　She　had　won　so　many　decorations　for　bravery　and　courage　under　fire；　yet　she　found　herself　unable　to　stop　trembling。

The　VTs　had　gone　into　Battloid　mode；　looking　like　giant　ultratech　knights。　They　positioned　themselves　in　pairs；　facing　one　another　across　the　rainbow　runway　of　light。　They　lifted　weapons；　the　long　gray　autocannon　that　had　been　used　on　other　occasions　to　wage　savage　war　on　the　Zentraedi。

Now；　though；　the　weapons　had　been　fitted　to　throw　forth　brilliant　beams　of　light　into　reflective　aerosols　that　had　been　misted　around　SDF…1　for　just　that　purpose。　They　shone　like　scores　of　crossed　swords　over　the　gleaming　approach　path。　Max　flew　his　ship　under　the　military　salute　at　low　speed　as　Miriya　looked　around　at　it　open…mouthed；　delighted　beyond　words。

The　fighter　set　down　on　Daedalus's　deck；　and　there　were　more　mecha…the　attack　machines　of　the　tactical　corps　ground　units。　Monstrous　Destroid　cannon；　Excaliburs；　Raidar　Xs；　and　the　rest　sent　harmless　beams　to　form　a　canopy　overhead　as　Max　taxied　for　the　elevator　that　would　lower　his　ship　to　the　hangar　deck。

Cameras　were　already　tracking　the　VT；　and　close；　total　coverage　was　planned　for　every　portion　of　the　ceremonies。　Max　and　Miriya　didn't　mind；　they　wanted　everybody　to　share　in　their　total　joy。


But　not　everyone　did。

Breetai；　the　mountainous　mander　of　the　Zentraedi　armada；　gazed　into　the　projecbeam　image　from　intercepted　SDF…1　signals。　〃This　is　the　oddest　Micronian　custom　we've　observed　yet；　is　it　not；　Exedore？　Can　you　explain　to　me　what　Miriya　Parino　is　doing？〃

What　she　was　doing　was　evident：　She　was　walking　slowly　next　to　a　blue…haired　human；　dressed　in　a　rather　elaborate　and　inconvenient…looking　outfit；　clutching　what　appeared　to　be　a　handful　of　plants。

She　was　also　clinging　to　the　Micronian's　arm；　causing　Exedore　to　speculate　that　perhaps　she　had　been　wounded　in　the　leg　or　fallen　ill。　Although　she　didn't　look　ill；　she　looked…Exedore　didn't　know　what　that　expression　on　her　face　could　mean。

Breetai　gazed　at　the　image。　He　was　a　creature　who　would　have　had　no　trouble　passing　for　a　Micronian　himself；　except　that　he　was　some　sixty　feet　tall。　Terrible　wounds　received　in　battle　against　the　Invid　species；　implacable　enemies　of　the　Zentraedi；　had　left　him　with　a　glittering　metal　half　cowl　covering　the　right　side　of　his　skull；　the　eye　replaced　by　a　shining　crystal。

Next　to　him　was　Exedore；　a　hunched　and　fragile…looking　Zentraedi；　far　smaller　than　Exedore…almost　a　dwarf　by　the　standards　of　his　race。　But　within　Exedore's　big；　misshapen　skull　was　most　of　the　accumulated　lore　and　knowledge　of　his　kind　and　a　mind　that　Breetai　relied　upon　heavily。

Exedore's　bulging；　lidless；　pinpoint…pupilled　e