18_the_end_of_the_circle-第13章

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Rick　laughed。　〃Guilty　as　charged。　But　I　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　turning　him　into　a　whiz　kid。　That's　gotta　be　your　doing。〃

Lisa　patted　the　bun　of　gray…streaked　hair　at　the　back　of　her　head　and　laughed　with　him。

In　meeting　at　the　nursery；　the　two　proud　parents　had　agreed　to　call　a　moratorium　on　discussing　the　fortress's　present　circumstance；　at　least　until　Lang　and　Rem　could　sort　out　whether　they　had　punched　themselves　into　some　misty　uncharted　corner　of　hyperspace　or　were　simply　on　line　in　limbo；　waiting　for　judgment。　Morale　was　low　in　all　sections；　and　so　Lisa　had　ordered　most　of　the　ship　to　secure　from　battle　stations。

She　returned　her　eyes　to　Roy　and　to　the　transformable　puzzle　block　one　of　the　ship's　child…care　specialists　had　handed　him。　Silently；　as　she　watched　Roy　rotate　the　alloy　block　in　his　tiny　hand；　she　applauded　his　analytical　powers：　the　way；　he　seemed　to　size　it　up　before　making　a　move；　the　way　the　expression　on　his　sweet　face　mirrored　his　intense　concentration。　At　the　same　time　she　marveled　at　the　dexterity　he　demonstrated　as　he　began　to　expose　one　after　another　of　the　block's　hidden　forms；　nimble　fingers　prying　open　doors；　separating　sections；　twisting　others；　extending　telescoping　parts。　And　just　as　silently　she　worried。

Up　until　a　few　months　ago　Roy　had　seemed　just　an　ordinary　child　to　her；　perhaps　too　ordinary；　if　anything。　For　all　her　efforts　at　keeping　him　as　far　from　the　SDF…3　as　she　could　manage；　at　seeking　to　raise　him　as　someone　other　than　the　son　of　two　career　officers；　Roy　had　been　going　through　the　same　action/adventure　stages　as　his　peers　aboard　the　fortress。　One　could　take　the　child　away　from　Earth；　but　one　apparently　could　not　take　Earth　away　from　the　child。　Airplanes；　action　figures；　toy　guns　。。。　even　an　invisible　friend　who　still　showed　up　every　so　often。

But　things　had　changed　once　she　and　Rick　had　pleted　their　transfer　to　the　SDF…3。　Suddenly　it　was　puzzles　that　fascinated　him；　both　manual　and　puter…generated。　And　then　there　was　the　look　he　would　give　her　sometimes；　as　if　to　say：　I　know　exactly　what　you're　thinking。　To　hear　Kazianna　tell　it；　her　son　Drannin　and　some　of　the　other　Zentraedi　children　were　behaving　likewise；　and　there　had　been　occasions　when　Lisa　had　had　to　drag　Roy　screaming　from　his　oversize　〃play　mates。〃　She　still　didn't　know　whether　to　feel　forted　by　all　the　youthful　bonding　or　even　more　worried　than　she　already　was。　More　than　anything　she　wished　Miriya　were　there　to　tell　her　what　it　was　like　to　nurture　a　genius；　what　the　Praxians　sometimes　called　a　Wyrdling。

And　how　much　of　it；　Lisa　wondered；　could　be　traced　to　the　ship　itself？

She　felt　Rick's　arm　go　around　her　shoulder；　and　she　rested　her　head　against　his。

〃We've　had　some　good　days；　haven't　we？〃　Rick　said　softly。　〃Especially　these　past　few　years。〃

She　knew　what　he　meant：　how　good　it　had　been　to　absent　themselves　from　the　endless　tasks　they　had　overseen　during　Reconstruction　and　again　after　the　destruction　of　New　Macross。

Rick　turned　to　face　her。　〃I've　been　missing　them　lately。　Really　feeling　at　a　loss。〃

Lisa　recalled　her　postfold　malaise　and　shot　him　a　look。　〃You；　too；　Rick？　Like　you've　lost　something　important？〃

He　nodded。　〃First　I　thought　it　was　just　leaving　Tirol；　but　it's　more　than　that。　Lately　I've　been　thinking　about　Pop's　air　circus；　Macross　Island；　even　the　Mockingbird。〃

〃But　it's　pervasive；　isn't　it？〃　Lisa　said。　〃Like　you　can't　pin　it　down。〃

Rick　bit　his　lower　lip。　〃I　think　I　know　what　it　is　now；〃　he　began　with　a　nervous　laugh。　〃I'm　willing　to　lay　odds　it's　the　Proto…〃

〃Begging　your　pardon；　sirs；〃　Rick's　adjutant　interrupted；　stepping　through　the　observation　room　hatch。　〃Tactical　Center　requests　the　admiral's　immediate　presence。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　Lisa　asked；　hurrying　to　the　room's　inter。

〃We've　got　a　screenful　of　bogies；　sir。〃　〃Signatures？〃　Rick　said。

〃Not　yet；　sir。　Radar's　silent。　The　ship's　bio…sensors　made　the　call。〃

Rick　and　Lisa　traded　looks。　〃Bio…sensors？〃

〃TIC　patched　the　system　into　IFF；　sir；　but　couldn't　raise　a　signature　or　profile。〃

〃Invid？〃　Lisa　said；　cocking　her　head　to　one　side。　〃Some　self…mutated　form？〃

Rick　met　his　adjutant　at　the　hatch。　〃Maybe　someone's　shown　up　to　lead　us　home；〃　he　suggested；　and　was　gone。


Belowdecks　in　one　of　the　fortress's　mecha　bays；　Captain　Jack　Baker　gave　a　downward　tug　to　his　flight　jacket　as　he　paced　back　and　forth　in　front　of　his　small　audience　of　veteran　pilots　and　mechamorph　aces。

And　not　one　of　them　had　soared　where　he　had　now。　〃You　may　think　the　background　stuff's　unimportant；　Captain　Phillips；〃　Jack　was　continuing　after　a　bothersome　interruption；　〃but　what　I'm　trying　to　do　is　give　you　a　sense　of　the　experience。〃

Sean　Phillips　threw　an　imploring　look　to　the　high　ceiling。　〃No　offense；　Baker；　but　I　think　we've　all　heard　about　what　happened　when　you　piloted　the　VT　down　to　Haydon　IV。　I　just　don't　see　the　relevance。〃

Jack's　innocent　face　reddened。　With　so　many　heavy　hitters　to　choose　from；　he　still　could　not　figure　out　why　the　admiral　had　singled　him　out　for　the　void　recon。　He　hoped；　of　course；　that　Hunter's　finger　had　simply　gone　right　to　the　top　of　the　list；　but　then；　he　supposed　that　list　could　have　been　alphabetical。　Jack　nevertheless　was　determined　to　make　the　most　of　the　distinction　while　it　lasted。

〃I'm　talking　about　the　unknown；　Captain；〃　he　told　Sean。　〃The　importance　of　state　of　mind。〃

〃Like　going　against　the　Robotech　Masters　was　a　given？〃　Sean　asked。

Jack　grew　flustered。　〃I'm　not　saying　that。　I'm　just　saying　that　what　Haydon　IV　threw　at　us　was　totally　unlike　anything　we'd　faced。〃

〃Did　we　ever　tell　you　about　the　spade　fortress　that　put　down　just　outside　of　Monument　City？〃　Sergeant　Angelo　Dante　asked　in　a　conversational　tone；　the　only　one　of　the　group　who　had　refused　to　accept　a　mission。　He　swung　around　to　face　everyone；　elbows　flared；　large　hands　on　wide　spread　knees。　〃The　Fifteenth　ATAC　was　ordered　to　recon　the　ship；　see。　So　we　tank　out　there　and…〃

〃Now　who's　being　irrelevant？〃　Jack　cut　in。　〃I　mean；　why　don't　we　just　invite　some　of　the　Karbarrans　in　here　to　entertain　us　with　their　war　stories？　Or　how　'bout　getting　Gnea　in　here　to　talk　about　hand…to…hand。〃

〃Yeah；　I'll　bet　you'd…enjoy　that；　Jack；〃　Marie　Crystal　laughed；　affectionately　nudging　Karen　Penn　with　an　elbow。　Black　Lion　leader　during　the　Second　Robotech　War；　she　was　just　another　officer　here。　Sean；　who　had　been　her　fiance　three　times　over　the　past　year；　was　being　his　usual　arrogant　self；　and　while　she　rarely　approved　of　his　teasing　sarcasm；　Baker　was　so　easy　to　put　off　balance。　〃What　d'　you　think；　Karen？　Shall　we　call　the　Praxians　in？〃　she　contributed。

Karen　smiled　and　regarded　Jack　from　her　seat。　Lithesome　and　honey…blond；　she　appeared　to　be　every　bit　Marie's　opposite；　but　in　fact　the　two　had　grown　to　be　close　friends。　〃That's　up　to　Captain　Baker；〃　she　said。　〃It's　his　show。〃

〃Jeez；〃　Jack　muttered；　brushing　back　a　recently　styled　silver…tinted　pompadour；　〃et　too？〃　He　spread　his　hands　in　a　conciliatory　gesture。　〃All　right；　for　cryin'　out　loud；　I'll　get　on　with　it。〃

The　pilots　applauded　wildly　as　Jack　called　up　memories　of　his　brief　EVA。
〃It's　like　flying　through　a　cloud；〃　he　began　on　a　serious　note。　〃Only　there's　no　vapor　around　you；　no　droplets　streaking　your　canopy。　Other　times　it's　like　moving　toward　a　cloud　you　can't　seem　to　reach。　I　had　a　hard　time　looking　forward；　because　everything　started　to　go　solid　on　me。　But　watching　your　displays　doesn't　help；　because　there's　absolutely　nothing　happening　on…screen。　I　kept　feeling　like　I　was　close　to　punching　through　it；　but　it　just　went　on　and　on。　And　it　never　changed；　no　matter　which　heading　I　took。　The　SDF…3　is　your　whole　world；　the　only　game　in　town。〃

He　blew　out　his　breath　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know　what　more　to　tell　you；　really。　The　VT　performed　well；　no　glitches　in　any　of　the　systems。　I　thought　it　through　a　couple　of　reconfigurations；　and　there　were　no　problems。　Weapons　systems　seemed　to　be　fully　operational；　but　I　was　under　orders　not　to　enable。　Dr。　Lang's　thinking　is　that　missile　propulsion　isn't　affected。〃

〃When　do　we　get　a　crack　at　it？〃　Sean　said；　rising　to　his　feet　for　added　effect。

As　soon　as　Admiral　Hunter　figures　you're　ready；　Jack　was　about　to　tell　him；　when　hooters　drowned　out　the　thought。　The　ship　was　returning　to　full…alert　status。　A　female　voice；　boomed　from　the　flight　bay's　overhead　speakers：

〃We　have　uncorrelated　targets　closing　on　the　fortress　in　all　sectors。　Captains　Baker；　Phillips；　Penn；　and　Crystal　report　with　your　teams　to　assigned　launch　bays　immediately。　Substations　November；　Romeo；　Tango；　Zebra；　prepare　for。　。　。　〃

Jack　let　the　rest　of　it　pass　right　through　him。　Phillips　and　his　15th　cohorts　were　already　up　and　hurrying　toward　their　VTs；　pale…faced　but　eager　wingmen…bat　virgins　the　lot　of　them…falling　in　behind。

Jack…stepped　down　from　the　missile　pallet　that　had　been　his　temporary　stage；　Karen　was　waiting　for　him；　a　grin　forming。

〃Cheer　up；　flyboy；〃　she　said；　linking　arms　with　him　as　he　approached。　〃For　what　it's　worth；　you'll　still　go　on　file　as　being　the　first　out。〃

Jack　snorted　sullenly。　〃Fame's　a　damned　fleeting　thing　these　days。〃


CHAPTER　EIGHT

The　elderly　spokesperson　for　what　remained　of　th