"Jack McKinney - Robotech 03 - Homecoming" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinney Jack)

Macross City inhabitants at a fever pitch.
The emcee was holding his hands up. The uproar died a little. "There's
more to come! To properly demonstrate our high regard for these young heroes, we
present that singing sensation, Miss Macross herself, Lynn-Minmei!"
 "Miss Macross? Minmei!" Rick had almost forgotten about the Miss Macross
contest Minmei had so recently won when he'd gone out on this last mission. It
felt like a century before, but it was really only a few days.
She emerged from the wings, most of the spotlights going to her-followed
by an escort, a fellow in white tie and tails who carried bouquets of red roses,
as if she were royalty. And she was, of a sort; the audience went wild, shouting
her name and whistling, clapping.
Rick could see a cluster of people waiting in the wings-Minmei's
entourage, apparently-men in expensive suits who wore sunglasses at night and
stylish women with calculating looks in their eyes.
But Minmei...She was gorgeous in a frilly dress whose hem was gathered up
high on one side to show off long, graceful legs. Her jet-black hair swayed
behind her, and her eyes were alight. She seemed used to the spotlight, used to
the devotion of the crowd. She was the same young woman who had shared so many
adventures and so much privation with Rick and-at the same time-a new persona, a
darling of the mass media.
She blew kisses to the crowd, and it went even wilder; guards at the edge
of the stage, who hadn't been too hard-pressed to keep people away from the
military heroes, had all they could do to keep-rabid fans from getting out of
control. Young girls especially were reaching out in a hopeless effort to touch
Minmei, many of them crying.
"I don't know about you," Ben's voice grated. "But I'm embarrassed; being
put on display like this. And just look, will you?" He held up a limp lapel that
had been stiffly starched at the beginning of the evening. "My uniform's
starting to wilt."
Lisa was watching Rick watching Minmei. Lisa didn't feel very much like a
heroine, didn't feel strong or brave. Instead, she found herself resenting the
sideshow atmosphere. What did civilians know about military achievements,
anyway? Show them some beauty contest winner and they forgot all about the
people who put their lives on the line to safeguard the SDF-1.
"I think I'd rather be trapped back in that Zentraedi headquarters
station," she blurted before she herself could quite analyze what she meant by
it. Rick gave her a quick, troubled glance, then looked back at Minmei.
It was Max Sterling, calm and unflappable, who answered good-naturedly.
"Well, it might never happen again, so let's just sit back and enjoy this, huh?"
Minmei held up her hands for silence, and the ovation became relative
silence. She took the first of the bouquets of red roses from the man in the
tuxedo and gave it to Lisa.
"Congratulations on your safe return!" Minmei's winsome smile and
enthusiastic manner were difficult to resist. She had a way of putting something
extra into the words, of breaking through resistance, so that whomever she was
talking to virtually had to respond in kind.
Lisa simply couldn't think badly of Minmei-found herself saying, "Thank
you very much," and meaning it, and even returning the bright smile. Minmei
surprised her by shaking her hand warmly, then went on to Rick, taking another
bouquet.