15_death_dance-第19章

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Rick　didn't　even　consider　trying　to　stop　them…not　that　Bela　or　Miriya　would　have　listened　to　him　in　any　case。　He　had　noticed　a　kind　of　latent　xenophobia　surfacing　among　the　Sentinels…something　stress　had　brought　out…and　reasoned　that　a　rescue　mission　could　provide　just　the　rallying　point　everyone　needed。

Bela　and　Miriya　were　suited　up　by　the　time　Rick　came　over　to　wish　them　luck；　and　minutes　later　the　bay　had　been　cleared　for　the　VT's　launch。　Miriya　entered　course　headings　as　the　mecha　dropped　down　along　the　GMU's　substantially　reduced　orb　cluster　and　into　the　dark　night　of　the　planet's　soul。

Once　through　the　shroud；　the　two　women　witnessed　for　themselves　the　final；　tormented　moments　of　Praxis's　tectonic　death。　Great；　furious　rivers　of　molten　stuff　coursed　across　the　planet's　surface　now；　burying　forests　and　villages　in　liquid　fire。　Here　and　there；　where　the　rivers　were　abruptly　dammed　by　ground　swells；　were　crater…sized　lakes　of　lava；　flailing　white…hot　tendrils　into　an　equally　hellish　sky。　Praxis　seemed　to　be　expanding　while　they　watched；　bursting　its　geological　seams。

Miraculously；　the　region　around　the　caves　was　practically　unchanged；　except　for　an　expanding　flow　of　lava　that　had　sealed　the　entrance　to　the　central　cavern。　The　artificial　chute；　however；　remained　open　and　accessible。

〃We'll　have　to　go　in　through　the　top；〃　Miriya　shouted；　struggling　to　keep　the　VT　stabilized　in　the　face　of　intense　updrafts　from　the　liquified　valley　floor。

Miriya　imaged　the　VT　over　to　Guardian　mode　and　dropped　the　mecha　into　a　controlled　fall　through　the　wide　chimney　the　Sentinels　had　blasted　through　fifty　feet　of　porous　rock。　With　external　temperatures　registering　in　the　red；　there　was　no　leaving　the　Veritech　for　a　personal　rescue；　but　years　of　experience　in　handling　the　mecha　allowed　Miriya　to　acplish　something　even　more　extraordinary：　foot　thrusters　holding　the　mecha　motionless　only　inches　above　a　pool　of　lava　that　had　seeped　in　through　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　she　utilized　the　radome　to　rake　the　throbbing　crystal　away　from　the　wall　where　Teal　had　dropped　it。　Then；　when　the　Spherisian　infant　was　within　reach；　she　took　it　gingerly　into　the　VT's　metal…shod　hand；　brought　up　the　thrusters；　and　took　the　Guardian　up　the　chimney；　in　a　kind　of　stork　reversal。

All　the　while；　Bela　was　offering　words　of　encouragement；　and　free　of　the　chute　now；　she　reached　forward　to　give　Miriya　an　affectionate　squeeze　on　the　shoulder。

Praxis　did　all　it　could　to　ground　the　tiny　craft；　hurling　plumes　of　fire　at　its　tail　and　chasing　it　to　the　edge　of　space　with　savage　stabs　of　lightning；　but　there　was　no　stopping　Miriya；　no　way　she　would　permit　the　planet　to　reclaim　the　child　they　had　rescued　from　its　unharnessed　evil。

Once　more　through　the　pall；　the　VT　reached　the　deceptive　safety　of　the　planet's　stratosphere。　Locked　on　to　the　GMU's　frequency　now；　Miriya　and　Bela　began　to　relax　some；　but　as　they　approached　the　ten…wheeled　battlewagon　and　its　support　cluster；　they　saw　something　that　delivered　them　to　the　edge　of　panic：　both　the　vehicle's　launch　doors　were　wide　open；　and　local　space　was　littered　with　VTs　and　Logans；　even　half…a…dozen　reconfigured　Hovertanks。　Miriya　and　Bela　thought　for　a　moment　that　things　had　reached　the　hopeless　level；　and　someone　had　given　the　abandon…ship　order；　a　reckless　last　gasp　for　the　moon。。。

Then　they　spotted　the　dreadnought；　Wolff's　bright　spot　in　the　galaxy…the　SDF…7　rescue　vessel。


One　day　Rick　and　Lisa　would　pare　the　rescue　of　the　Sentinels　to　the　SDF…l's　rescue　of　Macross　from　the　Solar　System's　outer　circle　of　frozen　hell；　there　was　the　same　sense　of　urgency；　the　same　logistical　problems　and　sacrifices…and　chief　among　these　would　be　the　GMU　itself。　With　the　orbs　beating　a　fast　path　for　the　safety　of　interstellar　space；　the　Sentinels　had　no　way　to　maneuver　the　base　aboard；　and　there　was　no　docking　bay　in　the　SDF…7　large　enough　to　contain　it　even　if　they　could。　But　just　now；　to　everyone　but　Vince　Grant；　the　GMU　was　of　secondary　concern。　Distance　was　the　crucial　matter　at　hand…how　much　could　be　put　between　the　cruiser　and　Praxis；　and　just　how　quickly。

They　were　close　to　a　million　miles　out　when　the　planet　came　apart；　when　enough　force　to　obliterate　the　moon…the　place　Rick　had　recently　seen　as　their　possible　salvation。　Bela　and　Gnea　were　on　the　bridge　to　witness　the　brief　fireball　that　flared　where　a　world　had　once　turned。

〃We　are　homeless；〃　Bela　cried。

But　from　what　Rick　and　the　others　were　beginning　to　understand；　the　Praxians　weren't　the　only　ones。　Again　a　parison　with　the　SDF…1　would　present　itself；　the　memory　of　a　council's　edict　that　forbade　the　fortress　to　remain　the　Earthspace；　an　edict　that　effectively　betrayed　the　Robotech　Defense　Force。　And　such　betrayals；　Rick　reminded　himself；　had　a　cruel　way　of　balancing　out。。。

Superluminal　Reflex　drives　kept　the　fortress　well　ahead　of　Praxian　debris；　and　during　that　brief　run　to　the　outer　limits　of　the　planetary　system；　Wolff　related　to　his　dazed　rades　the　sobering　tale　of　his　short　stay　aboard　the　SDF…3。　Wolff　knew　nothing　of　the　simulagent's　assassination；　and　Tesla　certainly　wasn't　talking；　but　even　without　that　subplot；　there　was　more　than　enough　to　leave　the　Humans　dumbfounded。

As　they　continued　to　rehash　the　details；　a　curious　understanding　of　the　council's　decision　began　to　undermine　their　initial　outrage。　But　that　Wolff　should　have　to　steal　a　ship；　and　that　the　Sentinels　would　as　a　consequence　be　viewed　as　outlaws。。。these　things　were　not　so　easily　embraced。　For　the　XT　Sentinels；　the　revelations　only　meant　that　they　had　gained　a　second　enemy　instead　of　a　much…needed　ally。　Among　the　group；　however；　there　was　the　beginning　of　a　renewed　cohesiveness。

Rick　thought　he　detected　something　unsettling　in　Wolff；　but　he　dismissed　it；　speculating　that　he　would　probably　have　returned　in　even　worse　shape。

〃Do　we　return　to　Tirol；　or　continue　on　as　planned？〃　Rick　asked　everyone。　〃If　we　opt　for　going　back；　it　could　mean　prison　for　most　of　us；　death　for　some；〃　he　added；　glancing　over　at　Wolff。　〃On　the　other　hand；　it　might　give　us　a　chance　to　explain　ourselves　to　the　council　and　keep　Edwards　from　gaining　any　further　influence。〃

〃What　do　we　care　about　your　General　Edwards？〃　Lron　shouted；　looking　for　support　from　the　other　XTs。　〃The　Invid　are　our　enemy。　And　if　your　forces　decide　to　side　with　them　against　us；　so　be　it。〃

Kami；　Learna；　Crysta；　Bela；　and　Gnea　voiced　their　support　for　Lron's　position。　Cabell；　Rem；　Janice；　Sarna；　and　Veidt　were　curiously　quiet。

Rick　silenced　them　and　directed　the　question　to　the　RDF　contingent。　Lisa　stood　up　to　answer　him。

〃I　understand　the　need　for　countering　Edwards's　influence；〃　she　said　in　a　way　that　was　aimed　at　Rick；　〃but　we　have　to　consider　the　broader　picture。　Our　return　could　place　the　council　in　an　awkward　position　with　regard　to　further　negotiations。〃

〃We'll　acplish　the　same　thing　with　continued　acts　of　aggression　directed　against　Invid…held　planets；〃　someone　from　the　Wolff　Pack　pointed　out。　〃What　happens　when　Edwards　es　gunning　for　us…do　we　fight　our　own　forces？〃

Vince　Grant　shot　to　his　feet　and　turned　on　the　pilot；　even　as　Jean　was　trying　to　calm　him　down。　〃The　council　would　never　bow　to　the　Regent's　demands　that　we　be　hunted　down！　They'd　break　the　truce　before　they'd　do　that…〃

〃Not　if　Edwards　is　running　the　council！〃

〃Waste　'em！〃　said　a　Skull　pilot。　〃They　were　ready　to　let　us　die　on　Praxis！　I　say　we're　free　agents！〃

XTs　and　Humans　cheered。　Rick　found　himself　thinking　about　pirates；　and　happened　to　notice　Jack　Baker　slapping　Lron　on　the　back；　while　Karen　raised　her　eyes　in　an　imploring　gesture。

〃Put　it　to　a　vote；〃　Max　suggested。

Rick　scanned　the　crowd　and　received　nods　of　agreement　from　Lisa；　Wolff；　Miriya；　Vince；　and　Cabell。　〃Will　it　be　Garuda；　then；　or　back　to　Tirol？〃　he　asked　loud　enough　to　be　heard　above　the　tumult。

〃Garuda！〃　came　the　overwhelming　response。

〃Then　it's　settled；〃　he　said；　aware　once　more　of　how　he　had　taken　charge　without　being　asked。　And　from　across　the　room；　Lisa's　eyes　burned　into　his　own。


CHAPTER　EIGHT

I'm　looking　forward　to　Garuda　in　a　way　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　what　I　felt　toward　either　Karbarra　or　Praxis。　All　things　point　to　the　possibility　of　our