21_before_the_invid_storm-第1部分

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Robotech：　Before　The　Invid　Storm
Book　21　of　the　Robotech　series
Copyright　1996　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



CHAPTER　ONE

As　a　species　enslaved　to　time；　we　are　wont　to　package　history　in　tidy　bundles。　And　so　we　find　ourselves　at　the　mercy　of　mentators　who　speak　of　First；　Second；　and　Third　Robotech　Wars。　And　we　are　forced　to　listen　to　those　same　voices　obsess　about　the　generation　of　Henry　Gloval；　the　generation　of　Rick　Hunter；　and　the　generation　of　Dana　Sterling　。。。　When；　in　my　humble　opinion；　there　was　only　the　War　that　began　with　the　arrival　of　the　Zentraedi　and　ended　with　the　departure　of　the　Invid；　and　only　one　generation　that　lived　through　it：　the　generation　of　the　lost。
Jacob　Remy；　Robotech　　


Misa　Yoshida　sipped　green　tea　while　the　Robotech　Masters'　flagship　fell　to　Earth；　the　whole　of　its　starboard　side　aglow。　A　swarm　of　Logans　and　aged　Veritechs　trailed　in　seemingly　slow…motion　pursuit；　like　wrathful　wasps　spilled　from　some　unseen　orbital　nest。　Missiles　of　every　conceivable　type　tore　from　the　pylons　and　launchers　of　the　reconfigurable　fighters；　fires　blossoming　against　the　instrument…studded　backbone　of　the　holed　and　deteriorating　battlewagon。　Silent　explosions；　both　surface　and　internal；　hurled　building…size　chunks　of　slagged　alloy　into　Earth's　already　debris…littered　atmospheric　envelope。　Some　of　the　pieces　struck　and　obliterated　entire　squadrons　of　Southern　Cross　mecha；　but　the　chase　continued　unabated。　

Veteran　pilots　of　the　First　Robotech　War　could　recall　the　devastation　wreaked　by　the　SDF…1　during　its　gradual　dive　to　the　surface；　thirty…three　years　earlier。　And　the　flagshipravaged　by　fire　and　beckoned　by　gravitytwice　the　size　of　that　uninvited　end…of…the…century　visitor。　

The　digital　feed　from　the　robot　news　cameras　was　superb。　Misa　could　almost　believe　that　she　was　witnessing　the　scene　through　a　viewport　on　one　of　the　orbital　weapons　platforms；　rather　than　watching　it　on　wallscreen　in　the　fort　of　her　spacious　apartment　in　underground　Tokyo。　At　twenty…two；　she　had　only　been　alive　for　the　catastrophic　conclusion　of　the　war　against　the　Zentraedi；　but　she　had　often　screened　archival　video　of　their　attack　on　Macross　Island；　various　encounters　between　the　SDF…1　and　the　ships　of　Breetai's　fleet；　and；　of　course；　the　battle　against　the　alien　armada。　Granted；　scant　footage　had　survived　the　Rain　of　Death；　but　nothing　she　had　seen　rivaled　what　the　War　Channel　had　been　presenting　since　the　arrival　of　the　Robotech　Masters；　a　year　earlier。　

Sometimes　Misa　found　herself　concerned　that　she　didn't　know　what　to　do　about　the　emotional　desensitizing　wrought　by　her　hours　and　hours　of　viewing。　A　year　ago　she　had　been　crying　herself　to　sleep　every　night；　but　lately　it　seemed　as　if　the　war　was　taking　place　on　a　different　world。　Change　channels　and　you　could　still　find　movies；　sits；　sumo…bot　wrestling；　and　exercise　infomercials。　In　large　part；　that　was　because　much　of　the　war　had　been　fought　in　space；　and　there　was　little　any　Earthbound　citizen　could　do　but　support　the　efforts　of　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross　and　shed　nightly　tears　for　the　dead。　In　fact；　most　of　the　world　was　eager　to　perpetuate　the　illusion　that　what　was　happening　above　would　have　no　impact　on　life　below。　

From　the　start；　it　had　been　assumed　that　the　city　targeted　by　the　Masters　would　reap　the　whirlwind。　While　sovereign　nation…states　like　Bras？lia；　Mexico；　and　Rome　had　not　been　ignored　by　the　Masters'　weaponry；　Monument　Cityin　the　Northlandshad　taken　the　brunt　of　their　ire。　Headquarters　of　the　United　Earth　Government；　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross；　and　the　Global　Military　Police；　Monument　was　without　doubt　the　most　important　city　in　the　world　and　arguably　the　most　prosperous；　though　by　no　means　the　most　populous。　It　also　had　the　distinction　of　being　the　closest　city　to　the　war　memorial　that　was　thrice…born　Macross；　whose　three　Human…made　buttes　marked　the　resting　places　of　the　SDF…1　and　…2；　and　the　cruiser　that　had　carried　the　Zentraedi　warlord；　Khyron　Kravshera；　to　his　death。　Andas　with　the　Zentraedi　themselvesthe　SDF…1　had　once　been　the　property　of　the　Masters；　dispatched　from　their　grasp　by　a　renegade　scientist　named　Zor。　

Still；　no　one　could　explain　why　Tokyo；　of　all　places；　had　escaped　attack。　Perhaps　it　was　simply　that　the　largely　underground　city　hadn't　offered　much　of　a　target　for　the　Masters'　laser　cannons　and　lesser　batteries。　Or　perhaps　the　Masters　were　under　the　impression　that　by　sparing　Tokyo　they　were　sparing　the　life　of　Dr。　Lazlo　Zand；　with　whom　they　had　been　in　brief　contact　three　years　earlier；　and　were　unaware　that　Earth'　s　chief　Protoculturist　had　been　relocated　to　Monument。　

Whichever　the　case；　Tokyo's　exclusion　from　the　war　had　only　heightened　Misa's　sense　of　guilt；　and　so　she　kept　the　wallscreen　on…line　day　and　night；　in　the　spirit　of　remote　participationto　remain；　if　nothing　else；　informed　　about　the　war。　

And　just　now　the　war　was　being　brought　down　to　Earth。　

〃We　take　you　to　the　outskirts　of　Monument　City；〃　a　news　reporter　was　saying；　〃for　an　update　on　the　latest　in　a　series　of　ruinous　developments　。。。〃　

Misa　set　her　tea　aside　and　leaned　toward　the　wallscreen。　

Thousands　of　people　were　fleeing　Monumentand　with　good　cause；　since　a　sizable　portion　of　the　city　was　in　flames。　Bioroids；　the　saucerlike　mainstay　of　the　Masters'　fleet；　were　dropping　in　waves　on　Monument　and　on　nearby　Fokker　Aerospace　Base；　clearing　a　path　for　the　flagship；　which　was　descending　toward　Macross's　triad　of　mounds。　Two　towns　at　the　outermost　perimeter　of　the　city　had　already　vanished　in　a　thermonuclear　inferno。　

The　War　Channel's　use　of　the　phrase　〃live　from　Monument　City〃　struck　Misa　as　ill…advised。　

〃And　this　just　in　。。。　We　have　now　confirmed　earlier　reports　that　Major　General　Rolf　Emerson　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Masters。　It　now　appears　that　the　chief　of　staff　of　the　Ministry　of　Terrestrial　Defense　has　died　inside　the　Masters'　flagship；　of　wounds　sustained　aboard　the　Tristar　　；　during　yesterday's　counteroffensive　。。。〃　

She　hugged　herself　and　swung　away　from　the　screen；　tears　welling　in　her　eyes　as　she　stared　out　the　window　at　subterranean　Tokyo。　She　knew　Emersonindirectly；　as　it　happenedthrough　Southern　Cross　fly…boy　Terry　Weston。　Terry　had　been　Misa's　roommate　and　constant　though　much　older　lover；　until　his　recent　reenlistment　in　the　Tactical　Armored　Space　Corps　and　his　upside　transfer。　

More　than　the　War　Channel；　it　was　Terry　who　had　kept　Misa　and　her　closest　friends　apprised　of　the　ASC's　small　victories　against　the　Masters。　These　were　victories　that　owed　much　to　the　efforts　of　the　15th　Alpha　Tactical　Armored　Corps；　an　elite　Hovertank　unit；　which　had　engaged　the　enemy　in　space　and　on　the　ground；　and　on　at　least　two　occasions　had　infiltrated　the　enemy　flagship　itself。　In　mand　of　the　15th　was　none　other　than　Dana　Parino　Sterling；　who；　as　well　as　being　famous　as　Rolf　Emerson's　ward　and　the　only　offspring　ever　to　result　from　a　Human　and　Zentraedi　mating；　had　also　been　a　previousand　much　youngerlover　of　Terry'　s。　

At　times；　even　Terry　hadn't　been　able　to　separate　the　misinformation　from　the　disinformation；　but　he　had　relayed　to　Tokyo　whatever　scuttlebutt　reached　his　ears。　For　example；　that　the　Global　Military　Police　had　managed　to　insert　an　espionage　operative　among　the　clone　population　of　the　Masters'　ships。　And　that　the　Mastersuntil　recentlybeen　tiptoeing　around　Monument　City　because　of　some　Protoculture…manufacturing　device　concealed　inside　the　SDF…1。　The　latest　rumor　to　e　down　the　well　was　that　the　Masters　had　issued　an　ultimatum　to　Supreme　mander　Leonard　that　humankind　either　abandon　Earth；　or　find　itself　caught　in　a　war　between　the　Masters　and　their　　enemies；　the　Invid。　

If　anyone　could　have　negotiated　an　accord　with　the　aliens；　it　would　have　been　Rolf　Emerson；　Dana　Sterling's　guardian。　And　now　Emerson　was　dead。　

Tears　coursing　down　her　cheeks；　Misa　gazed　absently　at　the　huge　fiber…optic　display　screen　on　the　wall　of　the　neighboring　residential　tower。　The　telepresence　known　as　EVE　had　once　dominated　that　and　other　screens；　but　EVE　was　long　gone；　gone　with　Zand　and　his　Protoculture　research　facility；　from　which　Zand's　conversations　with　the　Masters　had　taken　place。　With　nothing　but　advertisements　running　on　the　screens　ever　since；　was　it　any　wonder　that　Misa　preferred　to　stay　tuned　to　the　War　Channel？　

Moth　to　a　flame；　she　returned　her　attention　to　the　news　。。。　

Dead；　too；　by　all　accounts；　were　Anatole　Leonard　and　Chairman　Wyatt　Moran。　Word　had　it　that　Leonard；　the　Supreme　mander　of　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross；　had　blundered　definitively　at　the　end；　and；　by　rejecting　Emerson's　plea　to　consolidate　all　ground…based　forces；　had　allowed　the　Masters'　flagship　to　slip　through　Monument's　defenses。　

Cameras　positioned　near　the　Macross　memorial　relayed　a　dazzling　close…up　of　the　spade…fortress；　as　three　segmented　appendages　extruded　themselves　from　the　ship's　underside。　From　each　appendage　came　a　zigzagging　beam　of　light　as　bright　as　a　solar　prominence；　which　cleaved　the　tallest　of　the　mounds；　displacing　avalanches　of　trees；　boulders；　and　dirt　from　its　flat　top；　ultimately　exposing　the　headless　corpse　of　the　SDF…1　itself。　The　beams　intensified　and　merged；　and　more　of　the　dirt　and　debris　that　had　been　heaped　on　the　Super　Dimensional　Fortress　fell　away　or　was　incinerated。　

But　just　when　it　was　beginning　to　look　as　if　the　Masters　were　intent　on　levitatingif　not　resurrectingthe　fortress；　the　flagship　abruptly　powered　down；　tipped　to　one　side；　and　exploded。　

Then　something　even　more　unexpected　occurred：　the　explosion　appeared　to　arrest　itself。　Misa　thought　that　she　had　inadvertently　activated　the　wallscreen's　replay…and…pause　function；　but　not　a　moment　later　a　nova　flared　at　the　center　of　the　cleaved　mound　and　a　shaft　of　refulgent　energy　shot　upward　from　the　SDF…1；　engaging　and　somehow　dampening　the　blast　of　the　exploding　starship。　

Dampening；　but　not　entirely　containing　the　burst。　

There　was　no　way　to　stabilize　the　satellite…relayed　image　now。　The　ground　was　shaking　with　the　force　of　an　earthquake；　and　enormous　fragments　of　housings；　armor；　and　structural　members　were　pelting　the　two　standing　mounds　and　the　surrounding　plain　that　had　once　been　Lake　Gloval。　Atomized；　the　SDF…1　disappeared　in　what　at　first　seemed　to　be　a　storm　of　swirling　dust　particles；　but　in　close…up　looked　more　like　seeds　or　spores。　　Spores；　and　more：　petals；　leaves；　flowers；　entire　plantssucked　upward　and　sent　wafting　in　every　direction；　as　if　being　sown　　by　the　explosion　itself。　

Misa　gaped　at　the　wallscreen；　not　knowing　what　to　make　of　the　sight。　She　reached　a　trembling　hand　for　her　cup　of　green　tea　and　raised　it　to　her　lips。　Had　the　Earth　been　savedrescued　one　final　time　by　the　very　ship　that　had　started　it　all？　Or　had　something　more　sinister　than　defeat　been　visited　on　the　world？　


Dana　Sterling　marched　bravely　at　the　head　of　the　crowd；　the　side　arm　she　had　filched　from　Angelo　Dante　tucked　into　her　broad　leather　belt；　Polly　the　XT　pollinator　gamboling　at　her　feet。　She　felt　ravaged　in　every　part　of　herself；　burned　raw；　inside　and　out。　Rolf　Emerson；　Leonard；　and　Morandead　　。　The　afternoon　made　colder　by　strange　winds；　born　of　the　destruction　of　the　Masters'　flagship　and　the　SDF…1　mound。　The　sky　shrouded　by　black　smoke　from　the　funeral　pyre　that　had　been　Monument　City　。。。　

Behind　her　marched　the　rest　of　the　15th　ATACAngelo；　Bowie；　Sean；　and　Louiealong　with　Cosmic　Unit　manders　Marie　Crystal　and　Dennis　Brown；　Global　Military　Police　lieutenant　Nova　Satori；　Musica；　Mistress　of　the　Cosmic　Harp；　and　the　two　hundred　or　so　alien　clones　the　15th　had　rescued　from　the　Masters'　flagship。　

In　the　east　hung　a　great　roiling　cloud　of　spores　and　petals　that　had　been　funneled　into　the　upper　atmosphere　by　the　destroyed　flagship。　Dana　had　e　to　think　of　the　mushroom　cloud　as　a　transfer　station　for　the　seedlings　of　the　Flower　of　Life；　a　place　of　penultimate　appointment　where　they　hung　until　the　winds　dispersed　them　worldwide。　The　physical　and　spiritual　foodstuff　of　the　Invid；　the　Flowers　of　Life　were　harbingers　of　Earth's　next　cataclysm。　

To　many　it　would　appear　that　Zor　Prime　had　died　for　nothing；　having　sacrificed　his　life　to　prevent　the　Masters　from　retrieving　the　Protoculture　Matrix　hidden　by　his　namesake　aboard　the　SDF…1。　But　Dana　had　been　granted　a　glimpse　of　a　deeper　truthor　at　least　she　thought　she　had。　Mirroring　the　chaotic　dance　of　the　spores　overhead；　images　swirled　in　her　mind；　though　she　couldn't　say　which　were　the　by…products　of　real　events　and　which　were　flashbacks　of　hallucination。　

Her　recollection　of　those　final　moments　aboard　the　flagship　were　nothing　less　than　dreamlike。　The　plummeting　ship　。。。　Zor　Prime's　assassination　of　the　Master　named　Shaizan　。。。　Zor　Prime's　final　words　to　her。　〃They　brought　punishment　down　on　themselves　through　their　misuse　of　the　Protoculture；　and　I　am　the　instrument　of　that　punishment；　ordained　by　the　Shaping。〃　

The　Shaping。　Over　the　years　she'd　heard　the　term　bandied　about　by　the　disciples　of　Dr。　Emil　Lang　and　Lazlo　Zand；　both　of　whom　had　turned　Robotechnology　into　a　kind　of　religion；　with　Protoculture　as　its　demiurge。　But　to　hear　the　word　from　Zor　Prime's　lips　。。。　Was　he　crazy　at　the　end；　she　wondered；　or　merely　a　victim　of　the　Protoculture？　

Only　moments　earlier；　on　the　flagship；　as　a　consequence　of　touching　a　canister　of　the　Protoculture；　Dana　had　had　her　own　fling　with　madness：　a　vision　of　sorts；　fashioned　of　images　lifted　from　events　of　the　past　year；　mingled　with　others　whose　origins　she　couldn't　explain。　

She　recalled　a　green　field；　lush　with　the　Flowers　of　Life；　surrounded　by　hills　and　valesthough　only　her　Southern　Cross　body　armor　and　the　distant；　wind…blasted　crags　gave　any　hint　that　she　was　on　Earth。　Dark；　cloaked　figures　had　shown　her　a　youthful　image　of　herself　and　had　intimated　that　she　belonged　to　a　triumvirate　of　clones；　like　those　the　Masters　had　created　on　Tirol。　

She　had　rejected　the　suggestion；　even　if　it　wasn't　far　off　the　mark。　She　was；　after　all；　half　Zentraedi；　and　that　race　of　giant　warrior　clones　had　also　been　created　by　the　Masters。　And；　yes；　there　were　many　times　when　she　had　tried　to　deny　her　ancestry；　in　the　interest　of　fitting　in。　But　in　the　hallucination；　rejecting　the　alien　side　of　herself　had　landed　her　in　a　bleak　landscape；　among　skulls　and　bones　and　the　ash　piles　of　ten　thousand　cremations。　Only　to　be　rescued　from　her　exile　by　a　black…eyed　sprite　of　a　girl；　who　was　wearing　a　short；　flowing　garment　of　gold　and　white；　cinched　at　the　waist　by　a　broad　belt。　A　garland　of　woven　Flowers　of　Life　in　her　hair；　the　sprite　had　introduced　herself　as　the　other　　child　of　Max　and　Miriya。　

Dana's　sister。　

〃Oh；　Mother　and　Father　will　be　so　glad　to　know　that　I've　finally　made　contact　with　you；〃　she　had　said。　

And　Dana　could　recall　thinking；　Finally？　　

Around　them　were　low　crystal　domes；　and　arching　overhead　was　a　purple　sky　hung　with　unrecognizable　constellations。　Faint　music　filled　the　air；　reminiscent　of　the　ethereal　strains　that　emanated　from　Musica's　Cosmic　Harp。　The　sprite　pressed　a　bouquet　of　Flowers　into　Dana's　hands　and　hurried　away　to　join　two　shadowy　figures　that　had　appeared　on　the　scene。　

Time　grows　short；　　one；　or　perhaps　both　of　them；　had　sent　to　Dana　without　speaking。　So　much　has　happened　since　our　last　contact　with　Earth