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〃I'm telling you； I love her；〃 Max insisted。 He suddenly hit the table with his fist； making cup and saucer dance。 〃And there's no problem love won't solve！〃
Oh yeah？ Rick thought ironically； he wished that for just a moment he could do something about his hopeless yearning for Minmei； could understand his plex feelings toward Lisa Hayes。 Max； you've got a lot to learn！
〃There's one problem it won't solve； pal； and that's your silly idealism。 Love isn't gonna make you happy； take it from me。〃
Max was furious。 〃It doesn't matter what you say； Rick。 I'm going to marry this woman with or without your approval。〃
〃Okay； look； so you're attracted to her。 How many times does that happen to a guy？〃
〃She's special！〃
〃Take it easy； I'm sorry。 I can tell you like her very much。〃
Max calmed a bit。 〃I want you to meet her。〃
〃This should be interesting；〃 Rick said； realizing someone had e up to the table。
Miriya Parino of the elite Quadrono battalion of the Zentraedi hordes looked like the cover of a fashion magazine。 Rick didn't know what he had expected； he had never met a female Zentraedi and had seen few males who didn't look ugly enough to stop a clock。
What he hadn't expected was a gorgeous young woman in a simple； graceful pink summer frock set off by a blue sash about her slim waist。 She wore her dark green hair in a single lush tail drawn forward over one white shoulder。
〃We were just talking about you；〃 Max told her with a sublime； starry…eyed smile。
Rick blinked； flabbergasted； then got out haltingly； 〃You were right； Max。 She is beautiful。 I…I think I understand now。〃
Miriya smiled serenely。 〃I'm so pleased to meet you。 You look just the way Maximillian described you。〃
She was terribly happy that she and Max were to marry； though this odd； strangely thrilling human custom was more a mystery than anything else。 She suddenly looked and felt nothing at all like a Zentraedi mander and warrior； but she didn't mind。 Everything was so clear and bright and wonderful。。。
Max's decision to buy her new clothes had plainly been a good one； the looks she'd drawn from people； and from Rick in particular； were not the kind one directed at an enemy。
It was difficult to believe that only hours before； she had been trying to kill Max。 He had spent much of the intervening time trying to clarify what 〃love〃 meant。 She decided she wanted more clarification…a lifetime's worth。
〃You're a lucky man； Max；〃 Rick told him； without taking his eyes off Miriya。 Then he grinned。 〃And forget all that nonsense I told you。〃
Max was all smiles again。 Rick added； 〃And to guarantee you two have a great wedding day； I plan to be there to kiss the bride！〃
Max shrugged and nodded cheerfully； a little irony creeping into his tone。 〃I knew I could count on you； boss。 Only…〃
He reached out to take Miriya's hand。 〃You'd better hold off on that until I explain it all to the future Mrs。 Sterling。 The RDF forces are shorthanded as it is； and I'd hate to see Skull Leader wind up in intensive care。〃
The preparations for the wedding began that same day。 Gloval was strangely silent； except to give his permission and authorize the sort of major bash the ship's media moguls hungered and cried out for。 Rick knew Gloval well enough to know that the captain had good reasons for a move like this； and he wondered what those might be。
News of the ing nuptials had the entire dimensional fortress abuzz。 It galvanized crewpeople and refugees alike； a reason at last to celebrate and forget the war for a while。 Mayor Tommy Luan and the director of the in…ship broadcasting system and a hundred others threw themselves into the arrangements。
Somewhat to their surprise； they found that Gloval had ordered that no effort be spared in making the occasion a major event。 Miriya could have had ten thousand bridesmaids if she wanted； the RDF people and the Veritech pilots in particular kicked out the chocks to mount a pageant worthy of a royal wedding。
The preparations went quickly； the marriage became the center of existence for quite a few people。 They were sewing； cooking； decorating； the RDF personnel rehearsed their drills； and the engineers rigged the most special of special effects。
All the activity didn't go unnoticed。 In the alien armada； cold and merciless eyes watched the peculiar goings…on。 Fateful； dire decisions were near。
CHAPTER NINE
These letters pile up； Vince dear； perhaps to be read by you someday or perhaps not； but today especially I have to set down how full my heart is…more so than at any time since Roy was killed。
I heard Gloval murmuring something astounding while he was sitting in his mand chair： 〃Capulets and Montagues。〃 I thought he was going soft； heaven knows the rest of us have。 But when I looked at the clipboard he had been studying； it was an intel rundown on books Miriya had screened from the Central Data Bank while she was here…when she was hunting Max。 Shakespeare was there； of course。
I don't know what to think； except…damn it！ We've got to change the ending this time！
Lt。 Claudia Grant； in a letter to her brother Vincent
The spectacular fireworks lit up the space all around the SDF…1。 It was only the beginning； but what a beginning。 The whole area was illuminated in bright colors； civilians and RDF people alike crowded every available viewport； oohing and ahing。
Then the fighting mecha appeared； to execute their part in things。 From the flight decks of the fortress and the two immense supercarriers that had been joined to it like stupendous metal forearms； Veritechs swarmed out to take up their places。
A broad； flat roadway of light； radiant in all the colors of the spectrum； sprang from the bow of the flattop Daedalus； like a shining runway。 The Veritechs zoomed out； retros flaring。
Excitement hit fever pitch all through the ship。 It was more than just the occasion of a wedding…even the first wedding that anyone could think of that had taken place in outer space。 There was something about the joining of a human and a Zentraedi that spoke directly to the humans' longing for peace and a return home。 It was a ray of hope that the terrible Robotech War might yet be ended short of catastrophe。
For Max and Miriya； it was simply the happiest day of their lives。 They came swooping out of the void in Max's VT fighter right on schedule； Max wearing his tux and sitting in the forward seat； piloting。 Miriya sat in the rear； making constant corrections to the fall of her wedding veil； the arrangement of her bridal bouquet。 She had won so many decorations for bravery and courage under fire； yet she found herself unable to stop trembling。
The VTs had gone into Battloid mode； looking like giant ultratech knights。 They positioned themselves in pairs； facing one another across the rainbow runway of light。 They lifted weapons； the long gray autocannon that had been used on other occasions to wage savage war on the Zentraedi。
Now； though； the weapons had been fitted to throw forth brilliant beams of light into reflective aerosols that had been misted around SDF…1 for just that purpose。 They shone like scores of crossed swords over the gleaming approach path。 Max flew his ship under the military salute at low speed as Miriya looked around at it open…mouthed； delighted beyond words。
The fighter set down on Daedalus's deck； and there were more mecha…the attack machines of the tactical corps ground units。 Monstrous Destroid cannon； Excaliburs； Raidar Xs； and the rest sent harmless beams to form a canopy overhead as Max taxied for the elevator that would lower his ship to the hangar deck。
Cameras were already tracking the VT； and close； total coverage was planned for every portion of the ceremonies。 Max and Miriya didn't mind； they wanted everybody to share in their total joy。
But not everyone did。
Breetai； the mountainous mander of the Zentraedi armada； gazed into the projecbeam image from intercepted SDF…1 signals。 〃This is the oddest Micronian custom we've observed yet； is it not； Exedore？ Can you explain to me what Miriya Parino is doing？〃
What she was doing was evident： She was walking slowly next to a blue…haired human； dressed in a rather elaborate and inconvenient…looking outfit； clutching what appeared to be a handful of plants。
She was also clinging to the Micronian's arm； causing Exedore to speculate that perhaps she had been wounded in the leg or fallen ill。 Although she didn't look ill； she looked…Exedore didn't know what that expression on her face could mean。
Breetai gazed at the image。 He was a creature who would have had no trouble passing for a Micronian himself； except that he was some sixty feet tall。 Terrible wounds received in battle against the Invid species； implacable enemies of the Zentraedi； had left him with a glittering metal half cowl covering the right side of his skull； the eye replaced by a shining crystal。
Next to him was Exedore； a hunched and fragile…looking Zentraedi； far smaller than Exedore…almost a dwarf by the standards of his race。 But within Exedore's big； misshapen skull was most of the accumulated lore and knowledge of his kind and a mind that Breetai relied upon heavily。
Exedore's bulging； lidless； pinpoint…pupilled e