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！
d Dolza's mand post was expanding； gushing forth blinding…white obliteration。
Ships only beginning to maneuver for the run to safety were caught in it； wiped out of existence like so many soap bubbles in a blast furnace。
The base swelled like an overfilled football； then split apart along irregular seams that hadn't been there moments before。 Ruinous light spilled out of it； then it lit the sky over Earth like a star。
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
Francis Bacon said that 〃In peace the sons bury their fathers and in war the fathers bury their sons。〃 My father warned me when I joined up that this didn't always apply to our family； because we were all military。 He might have had some premonition that I would outlive him； but what he didn't foresee was that his daughter would hear taps played for an entire world。
Lisa Hayes； Recollections
The thick clouds had darkened the Alaskan night to pitch…blackness； but the fighter's night…sight capabilities gave Rick a clear view of what he was doing。 The lurching Guardian barely cleared the rim of the Grand Cannon's shaft without snagging a wingtip。
It might be begging for a crash； but he kept going； nursing the fighter along until he was beyond the blighted； red…hot area around what had been Alaska Base。
He was barely clear of the blast radius when Alaska Base went up like a pyromaniac's fantasy of Judgment Day。
He flew in Fighter mode for a long while； casting back and forth across the charred Earth for safe landing； watching his radiation detectors and terrain sensors。
He swooped in over what had been a major UEDC base； according to the maps。 But there was only a dry lake bed； its water vaporized by a direct hit； and the remains of what had been a major city。 The plane started bucking hard； and he went back to Guardian。 The place showed no signs of radioactivity or fallout； he decided to set down。
It was a little before sunrise on a smoky； darkened world that； it seemed； would never see the sun again。
Rick hit the foot thrusters and brought the VT to an erratic； slewing landing。 The canopy servos had gotten fried in one of those last blowups； so he yanked the rescue handgrip and blew the canopy off。
Rick and Lisa stood up in the cockpit and looked out at the mutilated landscape of Earth。 It was as pockmarked as the moon； with deep cracks and crevasses。 Smoke was rolling into the sky from dozens of impact points and from fires that stretched along the horizon。 The air was hot； thick with soot and dust。 There seemed to be volcanic activity along a chain of mountains to the west。 A scorching wind was rising。
The most frightening thing was that there was no water to be seen anywhere。
There was a patch of open sky； but as they watched； the clouds rolled in； blotting out the stars。 He wondered how the battle had turned out。 From the looks of Earth； it probably didn't matter very much。
Lisa looked at him； pulling the windblown strands of long brown hair away from her face。 〃Thank you for getting me out of there； Rick。〃 She could bear dying on the surface； in whatever form that death might take。 But to endure her last moments among the charred and smoking remains of the base's dead…that would have been more than she could have borne。 She extended her hand。
Rick took it with a grin。 〃Oh； c'mon。 It gave me a chance to disobey your orders again； after all。〃 They shook hands； and she let herself laugh just a little。
Lisa sat on the edge of the cockpit。 〃I'll always be grateful。 I admire you a great deal； Rick。〃
That wasn't what she really wanted to tell him； but it was a start。 It was much further along than Rick had gotten in saying what he was feeling at the moment。 It occurred to him that a world that was a mass grave； very likely smoldering ash from pole to pole； was a strange place to profess love for somebody。
Or maybe not； he saw suddenly。 Maybe it was the best epitaph anybody could ever hope to leave behind。
He had already yielded to the hard lesson that life wasn't worth much without it。
He almost said four or five different things； then shrugged； looking at his feet； and managed； 〃It was。。。it was a pleasure。〃
A ray of light made them turn。 The rising sun had found a slit between clouds； to send long； slanting rays on the two people and their grounded machine。 There was no sign of the stupendous battle。
〃It looks like the fighting's stopped。〃 She felt so peaceful； so tired of war； that she didn't even want to know the oute。
〃Um； yeah。〃
〃I wonder if there's anyone else around？〃
〃Huh？〃
She looked around to him。 〃What if we're the last？ The only ones left？〃
He looked at her for long seconds。 〃That wouldn't be that bad； would it？〃 he said softly。 〃At least neither of us will ever be alone。〃
〃Rick。。。〃
He had his mouth open to say something more； but there was a blast of static from the mo equipment as the automatic search gear brought up the sound on a signal it had located。 There was a familiar voice singing a lilting； haunting hymn to Earth。
We shall live the day we dream of winning；
And beginning a new life！
〃Minmei！〃 Lisa cried。 She didn't know whether she could ever change her feelings toward the singer； but right now that voice was as wele as…well； almost as wele as the pany Lisa was keeping。
〃Up there！〃 Rick shouted； pointing。 Something was descending on blue thruster flames hundreds of yards long； trailing sparkling particles behind it； weird energy anomalies from the interaction of barrier shield and reflex furnace obliteration。
Rick held Lisa to him。 The dimensional fortress settled in toward the lake bed； the two flattops held level； elbows against its own midsection like Jimmy Cagney doing his patented move。
All it needs to do is throw a hitch in its shoulders and sing 〃Yankee Doodle Dandy〃！ Rick thought。
The enormous blasts of its engines kicked up dust； but the SDF…1 was landing with the rising sun directly at its back。 They watched it sink down； silhouetted against the wavering fireball of the sun； until the land was waist high all around it。
Sunrise was throwing brighter light across the flattened terrain。 〃What a sight for sore eyes。〃 Rick smiled； flicking switches on his i