15_death_dance-第38章

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mething　more　than　crying　by　her　bedside；　so　he　opted　for　the　second　team。　Burak；　Kami　and　Learna；　Bela；　Gnea；　Lron；　and　Crysta　threw　in　with　him。　Janice　was　undecided　until　the　last　minute；　then　she　allied　herself　with　Jack's　group…on　one　condition：　that　they　take　Tesla　and　the　two　Invid　scientists　along　with　them。

〃He　did　help　out　back　on　Garuda；〃　Jack　was　willing　to　concede。　〃But　I　still　don't　trust　him。〃

〃I　don't　either；〃　Janice　said。　〃I'd　just　like　to　see　what　would　happen　if　Tesla　and　the　Regent　came　snout…to…snout。〃

Only　Wolff　heard　Burak's　gasp；　but　he　didn't　think　anything　of　it。


〃Breetai　and　his　Zentraedi　are　traitors　and　criminals；〃　T。　R。　Edwards　told　the　council；　positioning　himself　where　he　was　certain　the　cameras　would　close　in　on　his　polished　skullplate　and　furious　expression。　〃They've　stolen　the　very　thing　we　need　to　return　to　Earth；　and　thereby　condemned　our　world　to　defeat　at　the　hands　of　the　Robotech　Masters。〃　He　swung　around　and　walked　angrily　back　to　his　seat；　facing　the　audience　now。　〃Some　of　you　are　probably　thinking　that　this　is　the　Zentraedi's　way　of　avenging　themselves　on　the　RDF。　But　I　suspect　they　have　an　even　darker　purpose　in　mind。　It's　my　belief　that　Breetai　means　to　band　together　with　the　Sentinels　and　form　a　cartel　to　take　control　of　the　spaceways。

〃And　with　the　Invid　Regent　dead　and　our　own　forces　stranded；　there　will　be　little　to　stop　them　from　putting　their　plans　in　motion…unless　we　take　quick　and　decisive　action　against　them。　For　this　reason；　I'm　asking　for　the　council　approval　of　my　request　for　the　four　ships　that　prise　our　new　flotilla。　The　Zentraedi　must　be　hunted　down　and　destroyed！〃

There　were　conflicting　reactions　from　the　crowd；　all　of　which　Senator　Longchamps　silenced　with　three　determined　gavel　blows。　〃The　council　will　not　tolerate　these　continued　outbursts；〃　he　warned　the　audience。　〃If　this　occurs　again；　I'm　going　to　order　the　room　cleared。　Now；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Edwards；　〃the　council　appreciates　the　generals's　concern；　but　there　are　a　few　issues　that　need　to　be　addressed。〃　He　consulted　his　notes；　then　said；　〃Mr。　Obstat？〃

〃Isn't　it　true；　General；　that　action　of　the　sort　you　propose　could　quite　possibly　jeopardize　the　very　ore　we're　so　desperately　in　need　of？〃

Edwards　stood　up。　〃Do　you　propose　to　let　them　have　it；　then？〃　he　asked　evenly。

〃We　don't　know　why　they　took　it　in　the　first　place；〃　Justine　Huxley　argued。　〃I　for　one　am　not　convinced　that　they　mean　to　do　as　you　suggest…band　together　with　the　Sentinels　and　embark　on　some　sort　of　transgalactic　campaign。　Can't　we　simply　continue　to　mine　ore　until　the　Zentraedi　make　their　demands　known　to　us？〃

Dr。　Lang　spoke　to　that。　〃I'm　afraid　that　Fantoma　has　yielded　up　the　last　of　its　monopole　ores。　Only　trace　quantities　remain；　and　further　mining　is　hardly　justified　at　this　stage。〃

〃What　about　our　reserves；　Doctor；　here　and　on　Tirol；〃　Harry　Penn　asked。　〃Don't　we　have　enough　to　repair　the　fortress's　fold　systems？〃

〃Unfortunately　not；〃　Exedore　asserted。　〃The。。。stolen　ore　represented　more　than　three　months　of　mining。　It　is　crucial　to　our　goals。〃

Edwards　waited　for　the　gasps　and　buzzing　in　the　room　to　subside。　〃With　the　council's　indulgence；　I　have　reason　to　question　Dr。　Lang　and　Ambassador　Exedore's　assessment　of　the　situation。　It's　no　secret　to　the　RDF　that　both　of　them　have　special　interests　in　furthering　the　Sentinels'　cause…〃

Longchamps　banged　his　gavel。　〃General；　I　must　caution　you　to　refrain　from　using　this　session　to　cast　aspersions　on　any　members　of　this　council。　Is　that　understood？〃

The　cameras　tracked　in　to　catch　Edwards's　stiff　and　silent　nod。

In　Edwards's　chambers　aboard　the　SDF…3；　where　she　was　watching　the　proceedings；　Minmei　got　up　to　fix　herself　another　drink。　Lang's　face　was　on…screen　when　she　returned　to　the　edge　of　the　bed。

〃That's　true；　Senator；〃　the　Robo…wiz　was　saying。　〃Exedore　and　I　were　the　first　to　discover　that　the　material　offloaded　from　the　Valivarre　was　a　type　of　'fool's　ore；'　if　you　will。　We　immediately　reported　this　to　General　Edwards…〃

〃After　that　ship　had　folded　out　of　Tirolspace；　Doctor；〃　Edwards　barked。

〃General　Edwards；〃　Longchamps　cut　in；　〃weren't　some　of　your　own　Ghost　Squadron　aboard　the　Valivarre　supervising　the　transfer？〃

Minmei　saw　Edwards's　face　drain　of　color；　the　cameras　captured　the　fury　in　his　single　eye。　〃I'm　certain　that　those　brave　men　were　killed；　Senator。〃

The　cameras　cut　to　Lang。　〃Council　members；　I　can　personally　attest　to　the　presence　of　the　general's　men。　And　Exedore　and　I　both　found　them　very　much　alive。〃

Minmei　sipped　her　drink；　anticipating　Edwards's　eback；　he　didn't　surprise　her。

〃Yes；　and　exactly　what　motivated　you　and　the　ambassador　to　shuttle　up　to　the　Valivarre；　Doctor？〃

〃We　were　merely　going　over　the　transfer　schedule　with　mander　Breetai…〃

Minmei　touched　the　remote　and　the　screen　went　blank。　She　drained　her　glass　and　thought；　A　few　more　of　these　and　I'll　be　too　numb　to　care。　And　numb　was　just　what　she　was　after。　She　had　lost　her　friends；　her　faith；　her　voice；　any　sense　of　purpose　she　might　have　once　called　her　own。　Rick；　Lisa；　Janice；　Dr。　Lang；　Jonathan。。。And　lately　she　had　even　been　thinking　about　Kyle。　She　wasn't　sure　why；　but　guessed　that　it　had　something　to　do　with　Edwards　and　the　control　he　had　begun　to　assert　over　her。　She　imagined　she　saw　a　curious　pattern　at　work　that　coupled　Rick　and　Lynn…Kyle；　now　Jonathan　Wolff　and　Edwards…some　slide　into　self…abuse　when　she　came　too　close　to　genuine　love　and　mitment。　Property；　she　thought　in　disgust。　That　was　how　she　was　beginning　to　view　herself。　Her　voice　co…opted　by　the　RDF；　her　dreams　destroyed　by　war；　her　will　at　the　mercy　of　men　who　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　rule　and　posses　her；　body　and　mind。

Numb；　fortably　numb；　she　told　herself。。。


Thirty　minutes　later　the　door　hissed　open　and　Edwards　strode　into　the　room；　grinning　evilly。　Minmei　realized　she　had　dozed　off；　and；　startled　now；　she　began　to　back　herself　onto　the　bed。　Edwards　leered　at　her；　perhaps　thinking　she　was　toying　with　him；　and　came　down　on　top　of　her；　elbows　supporting　his　upper　body。　She　pressed　her　hands　against　his　chest　and　said；　〃Please。。。〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　he　asked；　face…to…face　with　her。

〃I'm　just。。nfused。〃　She　tried　to　roll　out　from　under　him；　but　his　arms　held　her　fast。

〃Oh；　no；　you　don't；〃　he　told　her；　bringing　his　mouth　hard　against　hers…a　kiss　he　liked　to　think　passionate；　but　one　she　felt　was　simply　rough。　〃The　council　gave　their　okay。〃

〃W…what　does　that　mean…that　you're　going　to…〃

〃Precisely　that；〃　he　said；　rolling　off　her　onto　his　back。

He　gazed　at　the　ceiling　and　laughed。　〃First　the　Zentraedi；　then　the　Sentinels。〃　He　looked　over　at　her。

Minmei　was　aghast；　gaping　at　him；　he　had　his　right　hand　curled　tightly　around　her　left　wrist。

〃When　this　is　over　I　want　you　to　marry　me。〃

Her　right　hand　flew　to　her　face。　〃What！〃

〃It'll　be　just　like　the　Hunters'　wedding；〃　he　said；　as　though　thinking　aloud。　〃Except　it'll　be　you　and　me；　and　the　destination　won't　be　Tirol；　but　Earth。〃　His　grin　was　still　intact。

〃And　the　mission　won't　be　for　peace；　but　for　war！〃　she　screamed　at　all　once；　yanking　her　arm　away。

Edwards　sat　straight　up　as　she　made　a　move　for　the　door。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　Minmei！〃

She　was　slightly　drunk　and　clumsy　even　through　her　fear　and　shock；　she　bumped　against　a　table；　sending　some　tapes　to　the　floor；　crashed　against　the　bulkhead；　fumbling　for　the　door　release。

〃Minmei！〃　he　yelled　again；　more　harshly　than　before。

He　was　angry　now　and　she　was　panicked。　She　left　the　room　and　ran　barefooted　along　the　ship's　corridor。　She　heard　someone　behind　her　as　she　entered　the　elevator　and　swung　around；　but　it　wasn't　Edwards。　It　was　a　VT　pilot；　wearing　his　helmet；　oddly　enough；　a　tall　and　slender　bearded　man　she　thought　she　had　seen　before。　He　was　regarding　her　bare　feet　and　disheveled　appearance。　She　forced　a　trembling；　smile；　pushing　and　patting　her　hair　back　in　place。

〃Troubles？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；〃　she　told　him；　surprising　herself。

〃Anything　I　can　do？〃

〃I　need　to　get　back　to　Tiresia。　Are　any　shuttles　leaving　soon？〃

〃I'll　take　you　myself；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。

It　made　her　laugh。　〃What…in　an　Alpha？　I　don't　know。