05_force_of_arms-第31章

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He　couldn't　have　surprised　her　much　more　if　he　had　done　his　Minmei　imitation　for　her。　〃I…I　suppose　I　could。　But　why　do　you　need　that？〃

Exedore　dropped　into　the　pedantic；　almost　effete　tones　he　used　when　trying　to　get　his　point　across　to　stubborn　Zentraedi。　〃I　believe　it　would　act　as　a　kind　of　psychological　shock　to　all　the　Grand　Fleet　attack　forces；　rendering　them　less　able　to　fight。〃

She　felt　like　laughing　hysterically；　there　were　some　critics　who　would　have　agreed　with　Exedore's　evaluation　of　her　acting　ability。

But　outside　the　viewport；　Earth　smoldered。　〃Well；　if　it　will　help。〃


The　clouds　were　already　thick　in　the　night　sky　over　Alaska；　lit　from　below　by　an　infernal　glow。

The　base　throbbed　around　her；　preparing　for　the　monumental　cannon　shot。　Lisa　stared　at　her　screens　and　waited　to　die。

At　the　cannon's　base；　a　small　city　of　Robotechnology；　subatomic　fires　whirled；　energy　crackled　and　struggled　to　get　free。

Admiral　Hayes　heard　the　reports　in　stony　silence。　This　would　probably　be　the　last；　possibly　the　only　human　shot　in　the　battle；　on　the　last　day　of　the　human　race；　but　somebody　was　going　to　be　very　sorry　they　had　ever　e　seeking　battle。　To　go　down　fighting　was　much　better　than　simply　dying。

The　cannon's　huge　lens；　lit　with　targeting　beams；　made　the　undersides　of　the　black　clouds　closing　in　on　the　world　red。


Dolza　looked　around　suddenly　at　an　emergency　munication　tone。　〃Your　Excellency！　We've　detected　a　high…energy　reaction　ing　from　the　third　planet！〃

But　before　Dolza　could　ask　for　more　data　or　give　a　single　order；　hell　spewed　forth。


It　had　been　apparent　from　the　start　that　an　energy　gun　buried　vertically　in　a　planetary　surface　would　have　a　very　limited　field　of　fire。　The　planned　system　of　satellite　reflectors　was　supposed　to　have　solved　that；　but　interim　measures　had　been　put　in　place。　They　showed　their　worth　now。

A　beam　as　hot　as　the　heart　of　a　star　sprang　up　from　the　devastated　Earth。　Widened　by　the　lens；　it　lanced　up　into　the　Grand　Fleet。　A　hundred　thousand　ships　disappeared　in　an　instant；　burned　out　of　existence　like　insects　in　a　flamethrower's　blast。

Brute　servos　tilted　the　lens；　angling　the　beam。　No　one　had　been　sure　whether　or　not　a　shot　like　that　would　violate　all　the　mathematics　of　the　Grand　Cannon　and　blow　the　installation　to　kingdom　e；　but　it　turned　out　that　somehow　everything　held。

Like　a　flashlight　of　plete　and　all…enpassing　destruction；　the　Grand　Cannon's　volley　swiveled　through　the　blockading　fleet。

Ships　were　simply　there　and　then　not。　Left　behind　were　only　ponent　particles　and　the　furious　forces　of　destruction。　In　that　single　attack；　the　human　race　destroyed　more　warcraft　than　the　Zentraedi　had　lost　in　any　war　in　their　entire　history。


〃The　enemy　ships　are　just　disappearing；　sir；〃　Vanessa　said。

Gloval　and　Exedore　stared　at　the　screen；　watching　the　angling　and　swinging　of　the　Grand　Cannon。　〃Alaska　Base　survived！〃　Gloval　exulted。　The　Terrible　Trio　let　out　whoops　and　laughter。

〃Lisa；〃　Claudia　whispered。


CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN

Well；　that　was　when　I　decided　that　ol'　Vance　needed　to　ease　out　of　being　Minmei's　manager　and　into　a　new　setup。　I　mean；　hey：　what　does　twenty…five　percent　of　Armageddon　amount　to　in　real　money？
Vance　Hasslewood；　Those　Were　the　Days

Minmei's　backup　band　and　roadies　（if　that　was　the　proper　name　for　them；　they　played　only　one　town；　but　they　clocked　more　miles　than　any　other　act　in　history）　were　used　to　taking　their　time　setting　up；　running　sound　checks；　getting　mentally　prepared　for　a　concert　or　recording　session。　None　of　that　today；　though。

RDF　techs　and　other　personnel　threw　the　setup　together　in　a　few　minutes　flat；　a　briefing　officer　making　it　clear　to　the　musicians　just　how　important　this　concert　would　be。　The　only　one　to　object；　a　keyboard　man　who　wasn't　happy　with　the　way　his　stacks　had　been　arranged；　was　menaced　into　silence　not　by　the　military　people　but　by　the　other　band　members。　Everyone　knew　what　would　happen　if　the　Grand　Fleet　carried　the　day。

In　her　dressing　room；　Minmei　tried　to　keep　her　mind　off　the　greater　issues　and　simply　concentrate　on　her　performance。　Humming；　she　leaned　toward　her　brightly　lit　makeup　mirror；　examining　one　eyelash　critically。　It　wasn't　that　she　was　unaware　of　the　horrifying　events　taking　place　all　around　the　SDF…1；　it　was　just　that　she　could　do　nothing　about　them　except　clear　her　mind　and　sing　her　very　best。

There　was　a　timid　knock　at　her　door；　and　three　visitors　entered。　〃Hi；　Minmei；〃　said　a　rough　but　friendly　voice。

Minmei　smiled　into　her　mirror　at　the　reflection　of　Bron　and　the　other　two　Zentraedi　spies。

〃We　understand　the　pressure　you're　under；　Minmei；〃　Rico　began。

〃Going　into　battle　can　be　very；　um；　taxing；〃　Konda　added　helpfully。

〃We　just　wanted　you　to　know　we're　with　you　100　percent　and　we　know　you　can　do　it；〃　Bron　told　her；　blushing。　The　other　two　nodded　energetically。

〃Oh！〃　She　turned　to　them　and　came　to　her　feet。　She　had　spoken　to　them　only　a　few　times；　even　including　the　official　hearings　and　meetings。

But　she　felt　a　kinship　to　them；　a　bond　of　empathy。　Song　had　made　them　leave　behind　everything　they　knew；　made　them　risk　the　unknown　and　mit　themselves　to　a　new　life；　even　though　that　life　held　dangers　and　frightening　enigmas。　In　that；　they　were　very　much　like　Minmei　herself。

She　put　her　hands　out　to　them；　palm　to　palm。　〃Thank　you；　Konda…Bron；　Rico。　You're　very　kind。〃

Konda　cupped　his　hands　around　hers；　and　the　other　two　stacked　theirs　gently　on　top。　〃You　three　are　such　wonderful　men。〃

〃Minmei；〃　came　the　stage　manager's　voice。　〃Two　minutes。〃

She　kissed　each　of　them　on　the　cheek；　then　she　was　gone　in　a　swirl　of　long；　raven　hair。


Instead　of　the　seats　of　the　Star　Bowl　amphitheater　or　a　glass　wall　that　looked　on　a　recording　studio's　engineering　booth；　Minmei　and　her　band　gazed　at　a　great；　concave　sweep　of　viewport。　The　enemy　warfleet　was　deployed　before　them。　Below　were　the　battle　fortress's　upper　works；　and　beyond　the　bow；　the　curve　of　the　blasted　Earth。

bat　craft　were　swarming　from　the　super　dimensional　fortress；　the　warships　of　Breetai's　armada　were　forming　up　around　and　behind　it；　battlewagons　and　flagships　at　the　lead　for　a　do…or…die　first　impact。

The　cameras　and　pickups　focused　on　Minmei　as　she　found　her　mark　on　the　stage。　She　had　decided　to　wear　a　simple　full　skirt　and　blouse；　with　a　golden　ribbon　bowed　at　her　throat。

〃Wh。。。what's　your　opener　gonna　be？〃　laughed　her　manager；　Vance　Hasslewood；　nervously；　mopping　his　brow　with　his　handkerchief。

〃How　'bout　‘My　Boyfriend's　a　Pilot'？〃　the　bass　man　joked　weakly。

〃No；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃We'll　do　the　new　one。〃

They　had　barely　rehearsed　it；　she　had　pleted　it　only　two　days　before。　There　was　a　chorus　of　objections　from　just　about　everyone；　but　she　held　up　her　mike　and　spoke　into　it　firmly。

〃This　is　the　time　for　it。〃

Now　or　never。


Tactical　corps　and　civil　defense　mecha　had　been　brought　out　on　the　decks　of　the　battle　fortress　and　the　suppercarriers。　With　their　massed　weapons　added　to　the　turrets　and　tubes　of　the　SDF…1；　short…range　defensive　firepower　was　more　than　tripled。

Out　where　the　VTs　were　forming；　as　the　cats　slung　more　and　more　of　them　into　space；　the　RDF　fliers　listened　over　the　mand　net　as　Gloval's　voice　came　up。

〃Attention；　all　fighter　pilots。　Once　we　enter　the　zone　of　engagement；　there　will　be　plete　radio　silence　under　all　circumstances。　Miss　Minmei's　song；　and　only　that；　will　be　broadcast　on　all　frequencies。　As　you　have　been　briefed；　we　hope　that　will　distract　the　enemy　and　give　us　the　advantage。

〃We　must　make　maximum　use　of　this　element　of　surprise。　Good　luck　to　you　all。〃


Rick　heard　Gloval　out；　lowering　his　helmet　visor。　Skull　Team　was　flying　the　few　armored　VTs　the　fabrication　and　tech　people　had　managed　to　get　operational。　That　meant　that　Rick；　Max；　Miriya；　and　the　rest　would　be　out　at　the　very　spearhead　of　the　attack。　Not　something　to　dwell　on。

In　his　heart；　he　wished　Minmei　well；　and　then　he　led　Skull　Team　out。


She　looked　up　to　the　camera　and　raised　her　mike　on　cue　as　the　cone　of　spotlight　shone　down　on　her。　In　the　control　room；　her　image　was　on　all　the　screens　from　many　angles。

Life　is　only　what　we　choose　to　make　it；
Let　us　take　it；