15_death_dance-第14章

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〃Mr。　Wolff；〃　Senator　Longchamps　cut　in；　〃we　are　just　trying　to　set　things　straight　for　the　record。　You　and　the　Hunters；　Sterlings；　and　Grants　are　understood　to　be　a　part　of　the　Expeditionary　mission。　The　extraterrestrial　Sentinels　are　another　matter。　And　as　for　Ms。　Em；　she　has　never　been　affiliated　with　the　RDF…or　the　mission；　for　that　matter；　if　I'm　not　putting　too　fine　a　point　on　it。〃

Wolff　fought　down　an　explosive　urge　to　tear　the　man's　throat　out。　〃I　apologize　to　the　council　if　I　may　seem　impatient；〃　he　continued　more　calmly；　〃but　the　fact　is　that　our　friends　are　out　there；　marooned　on　a　planet　that　for　all　I　know　is　just　a　memory　by　now！　All　I'm　asking　you　for　is　one　ship　with　a　skeleton　crew。〃

〃To　do　what；　Mr。　Wolff？〃　Thurgood　Stinson　asked。　〃To　rescue　your　friends；　to　be　sure。　But　what　then…continue　on　your　campaign；　or　return　to　Tirol？〃

Wolff　tightened　his　lips。　〃I　don't　think　I'm　qualified　to　answer　that；　Senator。〃

〃And　we're　not　certain　we　can　spare　a　ship　just　now；　Mr。　Wolff。〃

Justine　Huxley　broke　the　unfortable　silence。　〃I　think　we're　missing　the　point　here。〃　She　motioned　to　Wolff。　〃Friends；　is　the　term　the　colonel　used。　I　ask　you　all　to　disregard　for　a　moment　the　events　of　the　past　four　months；　and　recall　our　first　meeting　with　the　Sentinels；　especially　the　pledges　that　were　exchanged　then。〃

As　the　council　members　grumbled　agreement　in　their　individual　fashions；　Wolff　caught　Exedore　and　Lang　sending　hopeful　looks　in　his　direction。

Then　Edwards　got　to　his　feet　to　address　the　twelve。

〃I'd　be　the　first　to　admit　that　the　Sentinels　are　both　our　friends　and　allies；〃　he　began；　〃but　there's　an　important　issue　here　that's　being　neglected…the　Invid。　The　Regent's　position　is　very　clear：　any　assistance　we　render　will　be　considered　a　further　act　of　war。　And　he　makes　no　distinction　between　Humans　and　XTs　in　this　matter。〃

Wolff's　heart　sank。

Edwards　waited　for　the　room　to　quiet。　〃I　don't　think　it's　necessary　for　me　to　remind　the　council　of　the　presence　of　the　Invid　fleet。　I'm　not　saying　that　if　it　came　right　down　to　mixing　it　up　with　them　we　couldn't　e　out　on　top；　but　the　results　of　an　engagement　in　any　case　would　have　disastrous　effects　on　our　long…range　goal…to　repair　our　ship　and　return　to　Earth。　I'm　sure　General　Reinhardt　and　Admiral　Forsythe　concur　in　this　matter。〃

Reluctantly；　Reinhardt　inclined　his　head；　averting　Wolff's　gaze。　Edwards；　however；　was　regarding　Wolff。

〃The　timing　couldn't　be　worse；　Wolff。　I'm　sorry。　Perhaps　if　we　wait　until　the　truce　is　signed…say；　six　months　or　so…〃

〃They　don't　have　six　months！〃　Wolff　shouted。　He　looked　to　the　council。　〃One　ship！　One　goddamned…〃

〃The　council　will　take　these　things　into　consideration　and　render　its　judgment　in　a　few　days；　Mr。　Wolff；〃　the　senator　bit　out；　his　face　flushed。

〃But…〃

〃In　a　few　days；　Wolff。〃

The　senator's　gavel　went　down。


〃It　is　fate　at　work！〃　Tesla　roared　jubilantly。　〃Do　you　see；　Burak…does　it　escape　you　how　we　came　to　be　here；　how　we　were　meant　to　be　here？〃

Burak　screwed　up　his　devil's　face　and　gestured　to　their　surroundings。　〃Here？　Meant　to　be　here？〃

Tesla　made　a　dismissive　motion。　〃In　this　ship　at　this　particular　time；〃　he　emphasized。　〃With　the　Regent　close　enough　to　touch。〃　His　hands　flexed　around　an　invisible　throat。

The　two　conspirators　were　sequestered　in　the　fortress's　confinement　area；　opposite　one　another　in　separate　laser…barred　cells。　Burak　was　sullen…faced；　perched　on　the　edge　of　an　aluminum…framed　bunk　studying　his　hands；　while　across　the　corridor　Tesla　paced　back　and　forth。

〃We　must　find　a　way　out　of　here；〃　the　Invid　said；　ing　to　a　halt。　〃I　must。。。talk　to　him；　convince　him…〃　He　whirled　to　face　Burak。　〃You　don't　think　they　would　keep　my　presence　from　him　a　secret；　do　you？〃

Burak　shrugged。

〃I　cannot　take　the　chance；〃　he　muttered；　back　in　motion　once　more。　〃Burak；　do　you　still　wish　to　see　your　planet　freed　from　its　curse？〃

〃You　know　I　do；　Tesla。　But　how　can　I　help　you　now？　They've　even　taken　your　fruits　from　my　care。〃

〃Never　mind　the　fruits。〃　Tesla　cautiously　pushed　his　hand　into　the　lasers'　field；　and　winced　at　the　resultant　burn。　〃Just　do　as　I　ask　when　the　moment　arrives。　We　have　not　e　this　far　to　be　cheated　out　of　our　victory。〃


Betrayal　of　a　different　sort　had　Minmei　in　tears　in　Edwards's　quarters。　The　general　was　lying　on　the　bed；　his　back　against　the　headboard；　hands　clasped　behind　his　head。　Minmei　was　well　within　reach　in　a　chair　by　the　bed；　but　otherwise　remote。　He　had　found　her　waiting　for　him　upon　his　return　from　the　council　chambers；　still　ruffled　from　her　impulsive　flight　to　the　fortress；　her　eyes　red…rimmed　and　swollen。　He　didn't　need　to　ask；　so　instead；　he　had　fixed　himself　a　drink；　kicked　off　his　boots；　and　settled　himself　on　the　bed　while　she　cried。

〃He's　alive；〃　Edwards　said　now；　reaching　for　the　drink。　〃Isn't　that　what　counts？〃

She　lifted　her　face　from　her　hands　to　stare　at　him。　〃That's　the　problem。〃

〃Oh；　you　wish　he　was　dead。〃

Minmei　sobbed　and　shook　her　head。　〃You　bastard；〃　she　told　him。

Edwards　laughed　derisively　and　took　a　long　pull　from　the　glass；　determined　not　to　give　in　to　her。　〃What　do　you　want　from　me；　Minmei？〃

She　wiped　her　eyes　and　glared　at　him。　〃Is　it　too　much　to　expect　some　support？〃

〃You　don't　need　my　support。　You're　feeling　guilty　because　Wolff　was　stupid　enough　to　think　you'd　just　sit　around　and　pine　for　him。　And　I　suppose　I　don't　count　anymore…I　was　just　a　shoulder　to　cry　on。〃

〃Stop　it；　T。R。…please。〃　Minmei　kneeled　by　the　bed；　resting　her　cheek　on　his　thigh。　〃What　am　I　going　to　say　to　him？〃

Edwards　made　a　harsh　sound　and　pulled　himself　away　from　her　sharply。　He　got　up　off　the　opposite　side　of　the　bed　and　walked　to　the　center　of　the　room；　turning　on　her。　〃I　don't　have　time　for　this　kind　of　nonsense。　Tell　him　whatever　you　want。　Just　quit　whining　about　it。〃

He　kept　his　back　to　her　while　he　freshened　his　drink；　but　he　could　hear　her　slipping　into　her　shoes　and　moving　toward　the　door。　〃And　tell　him　I　said　'Hi；'〃　he　managed　before　the　door　closed。

His　hand　was　shaking　as　he　downed　the　second　drink；　he　was　about　to　head　for　the　shower　when　his　　tone　sounded。　It　was　Major　Benson。

〃Some　interesting　conversation　down　in　confinement；〃　Edwards's　adjutant　reported。　〃Seems　there's　no　love　lost　between　Tesla　and　the　Regent。　He's　pretty　anxious　to　talk　to　his　mander　in　chief；　but　it　sounds　to　me　like　he's　got　murder　on　his　mind。〃

Edwards's　head　went　back　in　surprise。　〃An　unexpected　development。〃

〃He's　got　some　kind　of　deal　going　with　that　other　alien。　Can't　make　too　much　sense　of　it。　Some　payback　after　Tesla　sets　himself　up　as　number　one。〃

While　Benson　continued　to　fill　in　the　scant　details；　Edwards　concluded　that　an　assassination　might　prove　an　advantageous　event。　He　didn't　believe　the　Invid　fleet　would　go　to　guns　over　the　death　of　an　imposter…there　was　simply　too　much　at　stake…and　by　allowing　the　murder；　Edwards　would　be　sending　a　clear　message　to　the　real　Regent。　More　than　that；　Edwards　could　lay　the　blame　for　a　plete　diplomatic　breakdown　on　Wolff；　and　by　extension；　the　rest　of　the　Sentinels。

〃Anything　else　from　other　quarters？〃　He　heard　Benson　laugh　shortly。

〃You'll　love　this。　I　think　Lang　is　going　to　offer　Wolff　the　SDF…7。　Of　course　Wolff　would　have　to　make　it　look　like　he　pirated　the　thing。。。〃

Edwards　mulled　it　over。　A　murder；　the　theft　of　a　ship；　an　escape。。。and　the　council's　okay　to　hunt　the　assassins　down…a　chance　to　finish　the　job　the　Invid　had　begun。

Edwards　smiled　down　on　the　inter。　〃I'll　get　back　to　you；〃　he　told　Benson。


CHAPTER　SIX

Somewhere　along　the　line；　everyone　seemed　to　lose　sight　of　the　fact　that　love　had　won　the　First　Robotech　War。　Now　it　was　down　to　ships　and　body　counts；　it　was　no　longer　a　fight　for　survival　but　a　war　for　supremacy；　a　savage　game。
Selig　Kahler；　The　Tirolian　Campaign　

Love　is　a　battlefield。
Late　twentieth…century　song　lyric

〃It's　bad　news；　Colonel；〃　Dr。　Lang　told　Wolff　two　hours　after　the　council　had　adjourned。

They　were　in　Lang's　quarters　now；　along　with　Exedore；　Janice；　and　the　XT；　Sarna。　Wolff　had　spent　the　intervening　time　pacing　the　fortress's　corridors　like　an　expectant　father。　He　had　tried　to　locate　Minmei；　but　no　one　seemed　to　know