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Later； as they sat on an upholstered bench in a lift car； she asked him； 〃Is anything wrong； Father？〃 He had been staring at her strangely for minutes。
〃I've been thinking of how you remind me of your mother。 And how proud she'd be。〃
Shy blushed； very pleased。 〃Thank you； Father。〃
He shocked her by saying； 〃So； tell me how your love life's going these days。 Are you going out with anyone special？ Anybody I should know about？〃
It took her so off guard that she found herself admitting； 〃Well； there is a young man。。。〃
〃He's military； of course？〃 her father said。
〃Yes； he is。 In fact； he's the one who rescued me from the alien ship。〃
Admiral Hayes nodded slowly。 〃Ah yes。 Sounds like a good man。〃
They walked and chatted as they hadn't done in more than three years。 The admiral led Lisa through the enormous base； ing at last to a vertical shaft nearly a mile across。 It was lined with operations ports； energy systems； and power routing。 High above； at ground level； a faceted dome like a cyclopean lens covered the shaft。
〃Was there something in particular you wanted to show me out here？〃 After the relative confinement of the base passageways； it did feel like being outside。
Her father led her out to the end of a gantry overlooking the cavernous shaft。 They could see down for miles； see up almost as far。
He waved a hand at it。 〃I wanted you to see the Grand Cannon； Lisa。 Before we enter into any peace negotiations with the aliens； we're going to fire it at them。〃
She couldn't believe her ears。 〃What？〃 The cry seemed lost in the abyss that was the cannon's barrel。
Admiral Hayes wore a grim look； his strong jaw set。 〃Even though the satellite reflector system isn't in place yet； we expect to wipe out a large segment of the enemy fleet by pulling off a surprise attack spearheaded by a volley from the Grand Cannon。 Once they've seen its power； we think they'll enter the negotiations in good faith。〃
The original plan had been to put huge orbiting mirrors in place to direct the cannon's bolts as needed； otherwise； its field of fire was very narrow indeed。 But with the alien warships so numerous and so close to Earth； it was really only a matter of time before part of their fleet drifted into range。
Lisa spat； 〃This Grand Cannon probably couldn't wipe out a small division of Battlepods； much less one of their nine…mile…long mother ships！ Don't you understand？ We have to approach them without trying to escalate the war！〃
〃Some of them have defected to us already！ I'm sure the Zentraedi will listen to our peace proposals without the use of weapons。〃
The admiral looked out at the barrel of the gun。 〃Lisa； how can you be so naive？〃 He turned to her。 〃The only thing a warlike power understands is a demonstration of greater power！ We can't let the Zentraedi mistake our peace overtures for a sign of weakness。 We must deal from strength！〃
He paced to the observation platform at the very end of the gantry； hands clasped behind him。 〃How can you expect peaceful intentions from a race bred and trained for nothing but war？ Even if their genetic structure is identical to ours； we have no real knowledge of what factors in their background motivate them； or how strongly。〃
〃But Father；〃 she began hopelessly。
He forged on。 〃No； Lisa！ If history tells us anything； it's that caution and strength are needed when dealing with an unpredictable foe。 We've already set a date for the firing of the cannon； we'll see about the peace talks after that。〃
She stood mutely； hair stirred by air currents in the yawning shaft。 〃I'm sorry； dear；〃 he told her。 〃But there's nothing more to discuss。〃
〃Yes。 So I see。〃
Even with strange rumblings of unseen events on the war front； the public demanded that its hunger for other news be fed。 The interest in celebrities and media idols was never satisfied for long。
A press conference had been called in the lobby of Macross General Hospital。 It was crowded with print and broadcast journalists； shoving and elbowing； aiming lights and lenses and microphones。 In the middle of it all was Lynn…Minmei； the reigning queen of Macross and the SDF…1。
Not even nineteen yet； she was used to the lights and attention； a gamine； black…haired lovely。 Her tremendous charm and vivacity had bolstered the ship's morale through its darkest moments and won the heart of almost everyone on board。
Next to her sat her costar and third cousin； Lynn…Kyle； a saturnine； sullen young man with flowing black hair that reached down past his shoulder blades。 Kyle； the pacifist who was nonetheless an unbeatable martial…arts expert； wore a bandage around his head。 He was pleting his convalescence after having saved Minmei from a falling spotlight during a Zentraedi attack on the battle fortress。
Lynn…Kyle glared at the reporters and the camera and sound people。 He always held the public in some contempt； scorning them for their willingness to let the military prosecute the war。
〃Minmei；〃 one man was saying； waving a mike at her； 〃is it true you've been helping Kyle recover； remaining right beside his bed for the whole week？〃
Minmei frowned at him； and Kyle glowered； but they were used to that kind of innuendo by now。 〃I don't think I'd put it quite that way；〃 she replied。
A woman persisted。 〃Rumor has it both of you are about to get married。 Got anything to say about that？〃
〃Absolutely untrue！〃 she fired back。
That didn't keep another guy from asking； 〃Can you tell us how your ex…boyfriend reacted when you told him about these marriage plans？〃
She felt like blowing her stack； then saw that this might be a chance to divert the focus of the interview。 〃Oh； you must mean Rick Hunter。〃 She gave a silvery； laugh。 〃He was just a friend。〃
Sitting up on his bunk； knees clasped to himself； watching the live coverage； Rick made a sour face； shaking his head。 〃Yeah。 I guess that's all I was。〃
He felt like an idiot； a plete sucker。 Time and again he had convinced himself that Minmei cared for him。
There was something about her； something flirtatious and impulsive。 It was something that didn't want to release anyone who had fallen under her spell because； he supposed； that would be too much like rejection。 So every time he had e close to getting over her； she had shown up to raise his hopes all over again。
Well； it looked like that wouldn't be a problem anymore。 A little trip down the aisle for the two darlings of stage and screen would at least cut Rick free once and for all。
But the reporters weren't having any of Minmei's evasion。 〃Oh； e on； now！ That's not what we heard！〃 〃You used to be pretty close to him； right？〃 〃You mean to tell us you and Hunter never discussed marriage at all。
Minmei looked vexed but didn't answer。 Rick thought back once again to those long days they had spent together； stranded and lost in a remote part of the SDF…1； when they first met。 When it looked like they weren't going to make it； she had admitted to Rick her lifelong desire to be a bride。
They held a mock ceremony； marked by a very real kiss； only to be interrupted by rescuers before they could say their vows。 Rick wondered if any of that was passing through Minmei's beautiful head or if she had dismissed it from her mind as she seemed to dismiss anything that didn't fit with her desires and attitudes of the moment。
He told himself that he would probably never get a clearer sign。 It was finally time to put her out of his thoughts and try to get back to living his life。
In other quarters； the micronized Zentraedi defectors were gathered around a screen； utterly enthralled as they gazed at Minmei。
They were dressed in ordinary work clothes and came in the assortment of sizes and shapes that any random group of human males might include。 Except for a few skin tones that seemed a little odd…mauve； albino…white； a pale； pale green…there was nothing to mark them as alien。 Since the incident with Karita and the muggers； they all took great pains to avoid trouble。 The military's decision to keep them all confined to their quarters chafed but was accepted。
The SDF…1 authorities had provided them with quarters and rations and so forth and were spending long hours debriefing them； though as low…ranking warriors there was little of strategic value the defectors could tell。 No one had yet begun a systematic orientation program to familiarize them with human life； since the military believed there was always the chance they might return to the Zentraedi fold； the less they knew； for now at least； the better。
But they could watch Minmei and listen to her voice…the voice that had enticed them away from war making。
Now； one of them said； 〃Rico； what do they mean by 'marriage'？ Why do they keep talking about it？〃
There was some grumbling； as others were troubled by the enigma； too。 Rico considered his answer。 He understood only a little more about human existence than the others； but they looked to him for answers； and he didn't want to seem at a loss。
〃Um； because marriage is something important。 When two people get married； they go off someplace private and spend their time pressing their lips together。〃
This business of pressing lips had been mentioned before among the Zentra