10_invid_invasion-第3部分

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d　to　it。　She　turned　away　from　him；　nervous　hands　at　her　chin　it　an　attitude　of　prayer。

〃Well；　will　you？〃　Scott　pressed。

〃It's　a　bit　sudden；〃　she　said　coyly。　But　Scott　didn't　pick　up　on　her　tone　and　reacted　as　though　he　had　been　slapped。

〃You'll　have　to　speak　to　my　father　first；〃　Marlene　continued　in　the　same　tone；　her　back　to　him　still。　〃My　mother；　too。〃　When　she　turned　around；　Scott　was　staring　at　her　slack　jawed。

〃But　they're　back　on　Tirol！〃　he　stammered。　〃They　might　not　be　here　for…〃　Then　he　caught　her　smile　and　understood　at　once。　He　had　literally　known　her　for　her　entire　life；　and　he　still　couldn't　tell　when　she　was　putting　him　on。

Marlene　was　smiling　up　at　him　now；　eyes　beaming。　But　the　sudden　shrill　of　sirens　collapsed　her　happiness。

〃Defold　operation　plete；〃　a　voice　said　over　the　PA。　〃All　wing　manders　report　to　the　bridge　for　final　briefing　and　bat　assignments。〃

Scott's　lips　were　a　thin　line　when　he　looked　at　her。

〃Answer　me；　Marlene。　I　might　not　get　another　chance　to　ask　you。〃


The　mand　ship　bridge　was　a　tight；　no…nonsense　affair；　with　two　duty　stations　squeezed　between　the　wraparound　viewports　and　four　more　back　to　back　behind　these。　There　was　none　of　the　spaciousness　and　calm　that　had　characterized　the　SDF…1　bridge；　here　everyone　had　a　seat；　and　everyone　put　duty　first。　It　took　something　like　the　first　sight　of　Earth　to　elicit　any　casual　conversation；　and　even　then　the　ments　would　have　surprised　some。

〃I'm　so　excited；〃　a　woman　tech　was　saying。　〃I　can　hardly　wait　to　see　what　Earth　looks　like　after　all　these　years。'

mander　Gardner　seated　at　the　forward　station　of　starboard　pair；　heard　this　and　laughed　bitterly　to　himself。　He　had　served　under　Gloval　during　the　First　Robotech　War　and　had　been　with　Hunter　since。　His　thick　hair　and　mustache　had　gone　to　silver　these　past　few　years；　but　he　still　retained　a　youthful　energy　and　the　unwavering　loyalty　of　his　young　crew。

The　woman　tech　who　had　spoken　was　all　of　seventeen　years　old；　born　in　deep　space　like　most　of　her　shipmates。　Gardner　wished　for　a　moment　he　could　have　showed　her　the　Earth　of　forty　years　ago；　teeming　with　life；　wild　and　wonderful　and　blissfully　unaware　of　the　ing　tide。。。

〃What　does　it　matter？〃　the　tech's　male　console　mate　answered　her。　〃One　planet's　the　same　as　another　to　me。　Robotech　ships　are　all　I've　known…all　I　want　to　know。〃

〃Don't　you　have　any　interest　in　setting　foot　on　your　homeworld？　Our　parents　were　born　here。　And　their　parents；　right　on　back　to　the　first　ancestors。〃

Gardner　could　almost　hear　the　copilot's　shrug　of　indifference　clear　across　the　bridge。

〃Just　another　Invid　colony；　color　it　what　you　will。　So　this　place　is　blue　and　Spheris　was　brown。　It　doesn't　do　anything　for　me。〃

〃Spoken　like　a　true　romantic。〃

The　copilot　snorted。　〃You　get　romantic　thinking　about　the　Invid　grubbing　around　the　old　homestead　looking　for　Protoculture？〃

mander　Gardner　was　hanging　on　the　answer　when　the　door　to　the　bridge　hissed　open　suddenly　and　Lieutenant　Bernard　entered。

〃Alpha　Group　is　just　about　ready　for　launch；〃　Bernard　reported。

Gardner　muttered；　〃Good；〃　and　rose　from　the　contoured　seat；　signaling　one　of　the　techs　to　turn　on　the　ship's　PA　system。

〃Most　of　you　know　what　I'm　about　to　say；〃　he　began。　〃But　for　those　who　don't　know　what　this　mission　is　all　about；　it's　simply　this：　Several　months　ago　we　became　aware　that　the　Invid　Sensor　Nebulae　had　located　some　new　and　apparently　enormous　supply　of　the　Flowers　of　Life。　The　source　of　the　transmissions　turned　out　to　be　the　Earth　itself。

〃The　Regis　moved　quickly　to　secure　the　Flowers；　with　the　same　murderous　intent　she　demonstrated　on　Spheris　and　Haydon　IV　and　a　dozen　other　worlds　I　don't　have　to　remind　you　about。　Nor　should　I　have　to　remind　you　about　what　we're　going　to　face　on　Earth。　It　seems　probable　that　the　Invid　decimated　Wolff's　forces；　but　we　number　more　than　four　times　the　units　under　his　mand。〃

Scott　noticed　that　the　bridge　techs；　eyes　locked　on　Gardner　and　grim　faces　set；　were　giving　silent　support　to　the　mander's　words。　Marlene　entered　the　bridge　in　the　midst　of　the　briefing；　whispering　her　apologies　and　seating　herself　at　her　duty　station。

〃Admiral　Hunter　has　entrusted　us　to　spearhead　a　vast　military　operation　to　invade　and　reclaim　our　homeworld；〃　said　Gardner。　〃And　I　know　that　I　can　count　on　every　one　of　you　to　stand　firm　behind　the　admiral's　conviction　that　we　can　lay　the　foundations　for　his　second　wave。〃　He　inclined　his　head。　〃May　God　have　mercy　on　our　souls。〃

A　brief　silence　was　broken　by　the　navigator's　update：

〃Earth　orbit　in　three　minutes；　mander。　Placing　visual　display　on　the　monitor；　sir。〃

Everyone　turned　to　face　the　forward　screen。　Orbital　schematics　de…rezzed　and　were　replaced　by　a　full　view　of　the　Earth。　They　had　all　seen　photos　and　video　images　galore；　but　the　sight　inspired　awe　nevertheless。

〃It's　beautiful；〃　someone　said。　And　pared　to　Fantoma　or　Tirol；　it　most　certainly　was：　snow…white　pole；　blue　oceans；　and　variegated　land　masses；　the　whole　of　it　patterned　by　swirling　clouds。

A　puter…generated　grid　assembled　itself　over　the　image　as　the　mand　ship　continued　to　close。　At　her　station；　Marlene　said；　〃So　that's　what　Earth　looks　like。。。I'd　almost　forgotten。〃

The　mander　called　for　scanning　to　be　initiated；　and　in　a　moment　the　grid　was　highlighting　an　area　located　in　one　of　the　northern　continents。　Data　readouts　scrolled　across　an　adjacent　display　screen。

〃Full　magnification　and　color　enhancement；〃　Gardner　barked。

Marlene　leaned　in　to　study　her　screen。　The　forward　monitor　was　displaying　an　angry　red　image；　not　softened　in　the　least　by　Earth's　inviting　cloud　cover。　She　knew　what　this　was　but　asked　the　puter　to　pare　the　present　readings　with　those　logged　in　its　memory　banks。　She　sensed　that　Scott　was　peering　over　the　top　of　her　high…backed　chair。

〃That's　it；　sir；〃　she　said　all　at　once；　her　screen　strobing　encouragement。　〃The　central　hive。　Designation。。。Reflex　Point；〃　Marlene　read　from　the　data　scroll。　〃Picking　up　energy　flux　readings　and　multiple　radar　contacts。。。waiting　for　signature。〃

Gardner　glanced　over　at　her　briefly；　then　turned　his　attention　forward　once　again。　〃I　want　visuals　as　soon　as　possible；〃　he　instructed　one　of　the　techs。

〃Shock　Trooper　transport；〃　Marlene　said　at　the　same　time。

Gardner's　nostrils　flared。　〃Prepare　to　repel。〃

Techs　were　already　bending　over　the　consoles　tapping　in　mands；　the　bridge　a　veritable　light　show　of　flashing　screens。

〃Two　minutes　to　contact；〃　the　navigator　informed　Gardner。

〃All　sections　standing　by。。。〃

〃Auto…astrogator　is　off。。。Ship's　shields　raised。。。〃

Marlene　flipped　a　series　of　switches。　〃Net　is　open。。。〃

〃All　right；〃　Gardner　said　decisively。　〃Issue　the　go　signal　to　all　Veritechs。〃

〃One　minute　and　counting；　sir。〃

The　mander　turned　to　Scott。

〃It's　up　to　your　squads　now；　Lieutenant。　We've　got　to　get　through　their　lines　and　set　these　ships　down。〃　Scott　saluted；　and　Gardner　returned　it。　〃Good　luck；〃　he　added。

〃You　can　count　on　us。〃

Marlene　had　turned　from　her　station；　waiting　for　him　to　walk　past。　As　he　leaned　down　to　kiss　her；　she　smiled　and　surprised　him　by　placing　a　heart…shaped　holo…locket　into　his　hand。

〃Take　this　with　yo