05_force_of_arms-第35节

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d　that　that　was　where　he　belonged。

Of　course；　the　odds　against　surviving　would　be　very　high；　but　that　was　a　bat　pilot's　lot。　And　what　better　cause　was　there　to　serve；　and　die　for；　if　it　came　to　that？　He　had　a　sudden　vivid　recollection　of　something　Roy　Fokker　had　told　him。

An　American　president　once　said　that　the　price　of　liberty　is　eternal　vigilance；　Rick。

It　was　on　a　〃day〃　in　SDF…1；　out　someplace　by　Pluto's　orbit；　when　Rick　joined　the　RDF　There's　no　more　flying　for　fun；　Roy　told　him；　stern　and　grave。　From　now　on　you　fly　for　the　sake　of　your　home　and　loved　ones；　Rick。

〃My　home　and　loved　ones；　huh？〃　Rick　muttered　to　himself。　He　flicked　a　switch；　and　the　canopy　descended　on　whining　servos。

〃All　right；　time　to　go　flying；　then。〃　He　eased　the　throttle　forward。　The　Guardian's　foot　thrusters　blew　soil　away　and　lifted　it。　Rick　was　careful　to　skirt　the　patch　of　dandelions　as　he　rose。　But　the　backwash　sent　hundreds　of　thousands　of　spores　wafting　into　the　air　in　hopes　of　finding　some　other　kind　plot　of　ground。

Rick　tucked　a　single　dandelion　blossom　into　a　seam　of　his　instrument　panel；　mechamorphosed　his　ship　to　Fighter　mode；　and　went　ballistic；　climbing　toward　the　sun。　He　set　the　mo　rig　to　search　for　local　traffic；　part　of　the　recon　mission。　The　equipment　scanned　the　band　and　stopped　at　a　transmission　that　carried　a　female　human　voice。

…here　by　my　side；
Here　by　my　side。


He　jolted　against　his　safety　harness；　reaching　to　get　a　stronger　signal。　〃Minmei！〃

There　was　applause　in　the　background。　Another　voice　he　knew　well　came　up。　〃You're　listening　to　the　beautiful　Lynn…Minmei；　broadcasting　live　and　direct　from　Granite　City！　This　area　is　slowly　rebuilding　through　the　bined　efforts　of　many　wonderful　people　who　are　ceaselessly　devoting　their　time　and　labor　to　a　project　that　many　considered　hopeless。〃

Lynn…Kyle。　He　sounded　more　like　a　pitchman　than　a　costar　now；　but　he　still　had　that　same　hostility　in　his　tone。

Granite！　Rick　realized。　Not　far　away！　He　was　already　checking　his　nav　puters。

〃People　Helping　People　is　the　theme　of　our　tour；〃　Kyle　went　on。　〃And　we　don't　consider　the　project　hopeless　at　all！　How　do　you　people　feel　about　it？〃

Clapclapclapclap；　from　the　audience；　and　a　few　yays。　Those　shill　questions　always　worked。　Rick's　expression　hardened；　and　he　brought　his　stick　over　for　a　bank。


Granite　City　lay　in　the　shadow　of　a　Zentraedi　flagship　rammed　like　a　Jovian　bolt　into　the　red　dirt。　The　outskirts　of　the　place　were　still　haphazard　rubble　from　the　war；　but　a　few　square　blocks　in　the　center　had　been　made　livable。

There　were　weakened　foundations　and　angled　slabs　of　paving　and　fractured　concrete　everywhere；　but　at　least　the　streets　were　clear。

This　most　recent　stop　in　what　was　to　have　been　the　triumphant　Minmei　People　Helping　People　tour　had　attracted　something　under　three　hundred　people　in　Granite；　plus　several　Zentraedi　who　loomed　over　the　crowd　even　when　sitting　and　squatting。

The　crowd　was　posed　of　sad…eyed　people　doing　their　best　to　believe　they　had　a　future。　Most　were　ragged；　all　were　thin；　and　there　were　signs　of　deficiency　diseases　and　other　medical　problems　among　them。

But　at　the　urging　of　Lynn…Kyle　and　others　in　the　loose…knit　network　of　antigovernmentalists；　Granite　persisted　in　refusing　to　drop　its　status　as　an　independent　city…state　or　allow　military　relief　teams　in。

The　Zentraedi　were　in　better　shape　than　the　humans；　the　rations　in　the　spiked　ship　could　sustain　them；　though　for　some　reason　those　seemed　to　have　no　nutritive　value　for　Homo　sapiens。　There　had　been　a　fine　cordiality　and　hopefulness　among　the　people　of　Granite　at　first；　but　now　there　was　growing　despair　in　this　dissident　model　program。　Thus；　this　morale　appearance　by　Minmei。

〃Yeah！　Let's　hear　it！〃　Lynn…Kyle　yelled；　working　the　mike　at　center　stage；　making　beckoning　motions　with　his　free　hand。　The　crowd　clapped　again；　a　little　tiredly。

〃And　Granite　doesn't　need　any　outside　interference；　either！〃　he　yelled。　He　had　spent　fewer　than　four　hours　there　in　his　entire　life。

〃The　good　people　here　will　take　care　of　themselves　and　make　Granite　the　great　metropolis　she　once　was！〃

The　applause　was　even　weaker　this　time　around；　and　the　more　theatrically　knowledgeable　in　the　front　rows　could　detect　beads　of　flop…sweat　on　Kyle's　brow。

〃But　let's　forget；　for　now；　what　the　military　warmongers　have　brought　us　to；〃　he　said；　almost　scowling；　then　catching　himself　and　flashing　a　bright　smile。　〃As　we　listen　to　the　song　stylings　of　the　marvelous；　the　inparable　Lynn…Minmei！〃

Recorded　music　came　up；　and　Minmei　hit　her　mark　right　on　cue；　mike　in　hand。　She　sang　her　latest　hit。

I've　made　the　right　move　at　the　right　time！
We're　on　our　way　to　something　new！
Just　point　the　way　and　I　will　follow！
Love　feels　so　beautiful　with　you！


Rick　followed　the　song；　entranced；　until　a　transmission　cut　through　Minmei's　singing。　〃mander　Hunter；　e　in；　please。〃

It　was　Ransom。　Rick　switched　to　the　tac　net。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃You　all　right；　skipper？　I've　been　trying　to　reach　you　for　some　time；　thought　you　might've　run　into　trouble。〃

Rick　let　a　little　impatience　slip　into　his　tone。　〃Is　anything　wrong？〃

Ransom　looked　at　him　out　of　a　display　screen　next　to　the　yellow　dandelion；　speaking　precisely。　〃Nothing　specific；　boss。　Just　wish　you'd　take　your　rover　radio　with　you　when　you　leave　your　ship　to　look　around。　I　worry；　y'　know？〃

Rick　bit　back　the　rebuke　he　had　been　putting　together。　Of　course　he　knew；　he　would　have　chewed　out　a　subordinate　for　doing　the　same。

He　sounded　contrite；　and　it　was　real。　〃Sorry；　Lieutenant。　But　I　came　across　something　miraculous　today。〃

Ransom　stared。　〃Trouble　with　renegade　Zentraedi？　Boss；　what　is　it？〃

Rick　took　the　dandelion　from　its　place　and　held　it　close　to　the　optical　pickup。　〃Look　what　I　found。　An　entire　field　of　them。〃

Ransom　considered　the　flower。　〃Wait　a　minute。　Your　zone　wasn't　inside　the　natural　recovery　planning　zone。〃

Rick　was　ecstatic。　〃That's　right！　But　lemme　tell　ya；　there　are　flowers　in　the　northwest　quadrant！〃

The　usually　morbid　Ransom　cracked　a　very　slight　smile。　〃I　suppose　we　should　have　known　the　Earth　would　be　starting　her　own　recovery　program。　Great　news；　huh；　skipper？〃

〃Roger　that。　Look；　continue　your　patrol　according　to　mission　plan；　Ted。〃

〃I　copy；　but　aren't　you　ing　with　us？〃

〃Not　right　now；〃　Rick　answered。　〃I'm　dropping　over　to　Granite　City。　If　anything　serious　es　up；　give　me　a　yell。〃

Ransom　nodded　and　hedged。　〃And；　uh；　boss。。。〃

〃Don't　sweat　it；　Lieutenant！　When　I　leave　the　ship；　I'll　take　my　rover！　Out！〃

Rick　did　a　barrel　roll　for　the　hell　of　it　and　opened　his　throttle　wide　for　Granite　City。

If　she　wonders；
It's　you　who's　on　my　mind。
It's　you　I　cannot
Leave　behind。。。


Rick　followed　Minmei's　voice　as　someone　else　might　have　trod　a　yellow　brick　road。　From　overhead　the　Zentraedi　battlewagon　dominated　the　landscape；　but　a　closer　look　at　the　ground　showed　that　the　rusting　metal　peak　was　a　monument　to　defeat　and　that　the　teeming　victors　were　still　in　turmoil。

Rick　left　his　VT　at　the　edge　of　town　under　the　care　of　the　local　militia　CO；　who　was　well　disposed　toward　RDF　fliers　even　if　the　populace　wasn't。　Rick　got　to　the　concert　and　missed；　by　a　fraction　of　a　second；　getting　flattened　by　the　hand　of　a　Zentraedi　leviathan　who　was　sitting　at　the　edge　of　the　crowd；　shifting　his　weight。

〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　the　alien　tried　to　whisper　in　his　resounding　bass。　Everybody　around　them　went　Shhhh！　Rick　gave　the　big　fellow　a　nod　to　let　him　know　it　was　no　offense　taken。

It's　me　who's　lost；
The　me　who　lost　your　heart
The　you　who　tore　my　heart
Apart。。。


She's　e　a　long　way；　but　it's　the　same　girl　I　spent　those　awful；　wonderful　two　weeks　with　somewhere　in　the　belly　of　the　SDF…1。　My　Minmei。

When　the　song　was　over；　the　crowd　applauded。　Rick　applauded　loudest　of　all。


Near　a　sidewalk　cafe　in　Monument　City；　with　the　SDF…1's　shadow　ing　her　way　like　a　sundial；　Lisa　stared　dully　at　people　passing　by　and　ignored　her　cooling　demitasse。　The　meetings　had　been　delayed；　giving　her　some　unexpected　free　time。　Idle　hours　were　more　a　curse　than　a　blessing。

As　she　watched；　two　down…at…the…heels　boulevardiers　ogled　a　very　pert　young　blonde　whose　hemline　came　nearly　to　her　waist。　The　two　did　not　quite　slobber。

〃My　man；　the　women　were　dealt　all　the　aces　in　this　life。　They　can　have　anything　they　want；〃　opined　one；　a　beefy　kid　who　looked　as　if　he　stood　a　fair　chance　of　growing　up　to　be　normal。　〃They　can　have　anybody　they　wanna　have。〃

Lisa　considered　that；　her　chin　resting　on　her　interlaced　fingers。　〃That's　all　you　know　about　it；　my　fat　friend；〃　she　murmured；　watching　the　two　would…be　rakes　go　on　their　way。　〃Here's　one　woman　who'd　trade　every　other　ace；　knave；　and　king　in　the　deck　for　one　Rick　Hunter。〃

She　drew　a　sudden　breath　as　she　looked　across　Monument　City's　main　thoroughfare。　Max　Sterling　strolled　along　there；　looking　as　if　he　didn't　have　a　care　in　the　world；　pushing　a　baby　carriage。　Miriya　held　his　arm。

They　stopped；　and　Max　hurried　around　the　carriage　to　scoop　up　his　daughter　and　pat　her　back；　burping　her　on　his　shoulder。　Miriya　looked　on　serenely　with　a　smile　Lisa　almost　begrudged　her。

The　very　most　secret　eyes…only　reports　boiled　down　to　the　f