按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n the flowers for a moment。
〃It's wonderful to see you。〃
〃I must look an absolute mess；〃 she fished a little； 〃but I came right over from the studio when I heard you were hurt。〃
〃How'd you find out？ Not many people know。〃 Casualty figures and many details of the war were still classified。
〃mander Fokker told me。 He came by the set this afternoon to visit me。〃 She patted the bed。 〃D' you mind if I sit down？〃
That's another one I owe you； Big Brother！ thought Rick。
〃Mm； this is nice；〃 Minmei said； stretching out at the foot of the bed。 Her eyes fluttered； and she yawned charmingly； then laid her head on her arm。
〃You look tired。〃
〃I'm exhausted； Rick。 There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to do the things I'm supposed to do now。〃
〃Would you like to just lie there and get some sleep for a little while； Minmei？〃
Her eyes were already closed。 〃That would be wonderful！ If I could just stay here。。。for a little while。。。〃
She was asleep in seconds。 Watching her； he mused； I don't understand what's happening to our world； Minmei； or what's going to bee of us。 But your safety and well…being makes everything worthwhile to me。
He sat with his knees drawn up under the sheet； arms folded across them and chin resting on his arms； watching her sleep。 He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so happy。
〃Let's get on with it！〃 howled Roy Fokker； putting a final burst into a damaged Quadrono mecha and sending another Zentraedi flier to the great beyond。 The skull…and…crossbones VT banked and dove； looking for new quarry in a sky crowded with missile tracks； alien beams and annihilation discs； gatling tracers and explosions。
The enemy leader and Max were still battling it out for the championship； but Roy and the other VT pilots weren't about to let the rest of the invaders hang around like wallflowers。 The RDF fliers were ready and willing to fill their dance card。
The Quadronos didn't hesitate； either。 And so： the dance of death。
Captain Kramer； Roy's Skull Team second in mand； had shown up with reinforcements when it became clear that the single bat between Max and the enemy leader wasn't simply a diversionary tactic。
Now； Roy pulled out of an Immelmann； split S and zapped another Quadrono just as he saw Kramer zoom past with a Zentraedi on his tail。 Roy went after to help； but he was too late； the captain's ship was already in flames。
〃Kramer； punch out； damn it！〃 Roy yelled； waxing the one who'd hit Kramer。 〃You're clear； boy！ Punch out！〃
Kramer ejected as another Skull pilot called the SDF…1 air…sea rescue。 The captain should have left his chute undeployed until he had fallen well out of the dogfight； but it opened for some reason。 Roy figured that meant that Kramer had been hit and his ejection seat's automatic systems had taken over。
Roy circled anxiously； determined to make sure none of the invaders took advantage of Kramer's vulnerability。 The grizzled captain had been with Skull Team for years； had flown off the old flatdeck Kenosha with him in the Global Civil War。 Kramer was the oldest VT Pilot on the roster； and Roy meant to see that he got older。
The Skull Leader was so intent on watching over his friend that for once he was careless。 He didn't realize it until bolts from a Quadrono chest…cannon blew pieces from his plane。
〃Ahh；〃 he groaned； with pain like white hot pokers being thrust through him。 Ben Dixon came to his rescue and engaged the Zentraedi before it could make another pass； but Roy's VT began losing altitude； trailing smoke。
The dogfight raged away from him like a tornado of bat ships and weapons fire as Kramer's limp form glided peacefully toward the sea。
CHAPTER TWENTY…TWO
There quite simply had never been anything like it； and veteran fighter pilots who witnessed it shook their heads and did quite a bit less boasting for a while。
Zachary Fox； Jr。 VT： the Men and the Mecha
Max and Miriya still fought their incredible duel across the sky。
Max had gone back to Battloid mode； and the two darted and zigzagged like maddened dragonflies。 Max released another flight of missiles that she avoided； then nearly clipped her with a tracer…bright stream of gatling rounds。
But she evaded him again。 It was the most difficult； dangerous； exhilarating contest Max had ever been in； his sense of time had slipped away； and he didn't think of victory so much as excelling； of outperforming his foe。
For Miriya it was different。 Not only had she not destroyed the Micronian； she'd e very close to being killed herself。 He was as good as Khyron had said and better。 For the first time； she was beginning to know what her own opponents； her long list of kills； had felt。
Perhaps； as the ancient wisdom goes； there is always someone better than oneself。 The thought repelled her and filled her with an angry dread。
She came tearing through a small white puff of cloud to see that the SDF…1 was close by。 〃His ship！'
She made straight for it at maximum speed。 Perhaps in tight quarters with his own unprotected fellow beings all around； he would know a hesitation to shoot； would lose concentration。
It was a deliciously audacious； risky plan； she adored it。
〃I won't be able to catch him in time！〃 Max hollered over the mand net； seeing what this brilliant； devious enemy had in mind。
〃They're heading this way； Captain…straight for us！〃 Lisa reported。
〃Tell the AA batteries not to fire！〃 Gloval barked。 〃Sterling is too close to the enemy！ Make sure all hatches are sealed！ Double…check that all civilians are in shelters！〃
The banshee song of sirens echoed through the stupendous hold that housed Macross City。
Rick looked up from his peaceful contemplation of the sleeping Minmei。 He got to his feet； then staggered for a moment as his bandaged head pounded like a bass drum。 He had no idea what the procedure was for patients and visitors during an alert。
Minmei hadn't even stirred。 Rick found the corridor empty； he didn't know it； but doctors； nurses； and other staff members were busy helping priority patients…newborns； intensive care； and other nonambulatories。 He could hear internal hatches booming shut。
Rick looked at Minmei； for the moment she was as safe where she was as anywhere he could think of。 He had to find out what was going on。 Rick trotted off to find someone； his head punishing him with every step。
Most of the exterior hatches on the SDF…1 were sealed； of course； the ship being at general quarters。 But one wasn't： the one through which the air…sea rescue helo had just left to make the pickup on Captain Kramer。
The enormous hatch couldn't be closed quickly； but it was more than half closed already。 Miriya saw it and dove through it； into the dimensional fortress。
〃This is it！〃 Max steeled himself and followed grimly； his ship in Fighter mode。 His rear stabilizers barely cleared the descending upper half of the hatch； the VT's gleaming belly nearly scraped the lower。
He chased the giant powered armor suit through a long curve of enormous passageway usually used to shuttle large machinery； ponents； and vehicles to and from the fabrication plex situated near Macross City。
〃Run； little man； run；〃 Mir