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！
He looked at her angrily now。 〃Father or no； I promise you this： If you try to leave； I'll have you thrown in the brig。〃
She was only partly successful at keeping the tears out of her eyes； but her voice was steady。 〃Yes； sir。〃
Admiral Hayes despaired of ever winning the battle； he saw that he had lost the last of his family。
Breetai looked up at the projecbeam image。 〃What now； Azonia？〃
She didn't mince words； he had expected no less。 〃There are no options； great Breetai。 Dolza will try to exterminate us now that we have been exposed to the Micronians。 I will stay and face the Grand Fleet。 It will be an honor to go into battle with you； my lord！〃
Some part of him knew what she meant。 Wasn't this the battle any Zentraedi dreamed of； a hopeless fight against overwhelming odds in the clash of dreadnoughts as numerous as the stars？ Wasn't this the apocalypse to which the Zentraedi looked for their version of immortality？
〃mendable；〃 he said。 〃May you win every fight。〃
She drew a breath at the high pliment he had paid her。 〃And you too； Breetai！〃
Her face dissolved as the projecbeam image did； and he turned to another。 〃Khyron？ Your intentions？〃
Khyron； languid and condescending； smoothed his beautiful blue hair。 〃You know my answer。 The odds are too great。 Why fight if you can't win； Breetai？〃
〃Why be Zentraedi if you don't know the answer to that； Khyron？ But this is as I expected； I wasn't depending on you； anyway。〃
And so it was all out in the light at this eleventh hour。 Khyron had substituted the ruthlessness and savagery that were all he had for courage。 The difference came forth only in moments like these； but it was plain。
Now Khyron's facade broke； and he screamed at Breetai； froth leaping from his lips。 〃You will be destroyed！〃 The projecbeam image vanished。
On his own flagship； Khyron sat slouched in his mand chair like a wounded toad。 〃All right； let's go。〃 He threw the mand over his shoulder to his subordinate； Grel。
〃What coordinates？〃 Grel asked carefully。 In such a rage； Khyron was easily capable of lashing out and killing any around him。
〃Anyplace else in the universe but here；〃 Khyron brooded； staring off angrily at nothing。 There was no response from Grel； and Khyron snarled； 〃Didn't you hear me？〃
Grel calculated his next words carefully。 〃But sir； we can't run。〃
Khyron barked a galling laugh。 〃You think not？ Watch； then！〃 He signaled； and the engines of his flagship came up to power； as did those of all the Botoru ships under his mand。
Grel licked his lips； wondering how best to tell Khyron that he hadn't been speaking figuratively。 Khyron cherished the practice of beheading the messenger who bore bad tidings。
Breetai paid little attention to the maneuvers of the Botorus。 He considered the nearby fabric of space； where the first perturbations of the Cosmic String heralded the Grand Fleet。
Once he had been Dolza's most valued subordinate…had saved Dolza's life from the very Invid attack that had killed Zor。 Now he contemplated the stirrings of the universe in advance of the attack and reflected on the incredible way things had turned out there in the Micronian star system。
Hear my thoughts； Lord Dolza！ To go down in battle is all we seek； from the highest to the lowest。 Mark me well； for this is the final battle of Breetai！
In the hearing chamber； people were exhausted； but the marathon went on。 puters and analysts were hooked in； G…staff members and evaluation teams were ready。
〃Dolza will assume you're too weak to fight；〃 Exedore was saying； still animated and prim in the midst of the most tiring activity。 〃He will divide his fleet and attack from every side； sealing off any avenue of escape。 But this maneuvering will give you your only chance。〃
〃Enough background； kindly be specific；〃 Gloval snapped。
Exedore turned to a luminous tactical projection he had constructed with the help of the SDF…1 puters。
〃Their flagships will be here； here； here； and here； and Dolza's mobile base will appear here； these are my best projections。
〃If you can destroy these vessels； it will throw the entire Grand Fleet into chaos。〃
〃Simple military strategy；〃 someone muttered。
〃No； simple military strategy…of all…out； straightforward attack and overwhelming numbers…is what has allowed our tactics to remain the same for so long；〃 Exedore countered。 〃That and the fact that the Zentraedi have never lost a war。〃
Colonel Maistroff rubbed his face with his hand； as if he were washing。 〃So； in short； we crush the head of the snake！〃
Exedore nodded。 He stepped away from the tactical display； pacing toward the place where Gloval sat。
〃With their attack forces in disarray； our only chance for survival is to utilize the bined forces of the SDF…1 and our battlefleet。 We are already aware of the crude Robotech cannon in your planet's northern hemisphere but consider it a minor element at best。〃
Gloval came to his feet。 〃I'm glad that we're now fighting on the same side。〃 He clasped hands with the gnomish little man。
〃Yes； so am I。〃 Exedore turned to Minmei； who was watching it all unbelievingly。 〃And without your singing； this alliance between our peoples would not have been possible。〃
Kyle had assumed a hard expression； eyes closed； chin sunk on chest； lip curled。 But Minmei was in a sort of dream state。 〃Who； me？ Really？〃
Exedore nodded his head slowly。 〃While I don't profess to understand Micronians； I now realize the importance of your singing。 It touches emotional resources to which we Zentraedi did not have access before…a courage that is beyond mere courage in battle。〃
He seemed to blush a little； nothing could have surprised them more。 Even Kyle was shocked。
〃Will。。。will you sing for us？〃 Exedore got out； face coloring furiously。 〃So that we may hope for victory？ Please； Miss Minmei。〃
〃Of course。〃
She stood up； in that room where the plans were ing together that would spell the death or life of worlds； the survival or slaughter of billions。 She drew a breath and sang in a voice as clear as polished diamond。
She sang 〃To Be in Love；〃 one of her first positions； still one of her favorites。 It was a simple song； and there was nothing in it of armies or battles。 It was about a closeness between two lovers。
Exedore and the three former spies were mesmerized。 Kyle； eyes closed； was cold and indifferent。 Gloval； Max and Miriya； and the rest watched and listened； immersed。 Her voice soared to rebound from the domed ceiling。
Rick was transfixed； too； at first。 The fact that he'd lost her didn't make her any less desirable； especially now。
But then a new sound came to him； a sound he recognized even through the intervening decks and bulkheads。
On the hangar decks； the elevators were at work； lifting Veritechs for cat launch。 For the final battle。
The finder beams had done their work。 Now there was a brutal application of force； and the warp and woof of the universe were ripped apart。
The Zentraedi had refined their targeting。 This time； there was no cosmic bow wave of incandescent fire。 Instead； a green cloud of some kind seemed to appear…until it became clear that every last mote in the cloud was a warship。
Another cloud appeared nearby； and another。 Then two at once； then three。 And soon the stars were blotted out。 It was as if handfuls of sand had suddenly bee ugly battlecraft。 More appeared； and more； in dense； well…ordered formations； thicker than any hive swarm。
〃There are too many for sensors to count；〃 Vanessa said； sweating； blinking behind her glasses。 〃Too many。。。〃
〃I have to go；〃 Admiral Hayes told his daughter gruffly。 〃We'll talk about this later…〃
The PA interrupted。 〃Sensors register immeasurable defold activity。 Estimated enemy strength one million； three hundred…correction； two million； one hundred thousand…stand by！ Stand by！ More enemy units arriving！〃
Some other； less hysterical voice cut in。 〃Battle stations。 Repeat； battle stations。〃 Alarms and sirens sounded； and nobody had to say that it wasn't a drill this time。
Admiral Hayes swallowed； going pale。
Earth was engulfed in a net of enemy warships。 They blotted out the sun's light； appearing in their hundreds of thousands； taking up position for the ultimate confrontation。
Claudia's face appeared in the hearing chamber on a display the size of a movie screen。 〃Captain Gloval； monitor three shows enemy positions over the western hemisphere。〃
The view came up。 Still the sinister warcraft poured into Earth orbit from nothingness。 The drifting clouds of them stretched； established intervals； deployed for total coverage。 Great blotches of green； whole clustered space navies； were painted into the picture。
〃Well； I'm afraid this is it；〃 Exedore said。 It looked； like the planet was falling； in time…lapse photography； under a leprous infection of Zentraedi bat green。
Minmei could only stare； her song forgotten。 Max and Miriya took each other's hands； and he was grateful that he had been granted the time they had had together。
Even Kyle was aghast。 If there was one there who was in the mood for the scene； it was Rick Hunter。 He watched the Grand Fleet spread and grow。 Nothing left to lose。 Okay： A figh