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to lose。 Okay： A fight it would be。
Breetai； staring up at the displays that were still functioning on his bridge； watched in awe。 It was。 the greatest single bat fold jump operation in history； and it came off meticulously。 Dolza was doing everything right so far。
Breetai's clifflike jaw set。 Opening moves and endgame were two different things。
The night sky over the Alaska Base was lighter； with the reflections of sunlight from the light underbellies of the warships taking up orbit。 The stars were obscured； hundreds at a time。
Watching the screens； Lisa heard her father moan。 She turned and saw by his expression that he realized； far too late； that the reports of the aliens' strength were accurate and that five million ships were so many more than he had ever envisioned。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
And so the Great Mandala spun； Two halves had learned They both were one
Mingtao； Protoculture： Journey Beyond Mecha
Among all the announcements of the loading of Decamissiles； the manning of gun turrets； the frantic coordinating of target…acquisition and threat…priority puters； there came word that Skull Team was to report to its fighters。
〃Well。 That's us；〃 Max said； looking at the deck and then up at his wife。 He was really at a loss。 Some traditionalism said that he should shield her from harm； but Miriya was a better flier than anyone else aboard except relax； and there was no safety； anywhere。
More to the point； she would never have allowed him to leave her behind。
〃Yes； Maxmillian；〃 she said； watching him。 Rick noticed that in an amazingly short time； they had both learned to smile exactly the same slow smile at each other at exactly the same moment。 He did his best to suppress his envy。
Max put his arm around his wife's slim waist and gave Rick a wave。 〃See you out there； boss。〃
〃Count on it。〃 Rick waved at them with phony cheer； watching them go off to suit up。
Others were finding their way out of the hearing chamber； Gloval and Exedore and the other heavy…hitters were already gone。 The recording techs were wrapping things up quickly； preparing to double in brass on bat assignments。
Only Kyle and Minmei were left； uncertain； with no place to go。 Rick looked up at them and thought about what was happening out there where the void met Earth's atmosphere。 Millions of ships were forming up for a greater battle than even the Zentraedi had ever seen before。
Which meant the future looked very dim for one little VT leader who had e late into the business of war。 Rick decided in an instant and sprinted off to where Minmei stood。
She was at the top of the steps leading to the table podium； he stopped a few steps below。 〃Minmei！〃
She looked at him oddly。 〃Yes； Rick？〃 He couldn't read her； couldn't understand what was going on behind the startling blue eyes。 Kyle was at her shoulder； cold and angry； glaring down at him。
Not that Kyle mattered anymore； very little did。
Rick fumbled for words； not ing up with any that would express what he wanted to say； not even managing to get started。 At last he got out； 〃You know I'm not good at this sort of thing。〃
She did； knew it from the long days and nights they had spent stranded together； knew it from more recent times； when he had been all but inarticulate。
〃But I might not see you again；〃 he went ahead。 〃I want to say that…that I love you。〃
Her hands flew to her mouth like frightened birds。 She mouthed words that made no sound。
〃Had to tell you。〃 He smiled bitter…sweetly。 〃Take care。〃
Then he left to suit up； already late in the massive launch schedule of the apocalypse； heels clicking emptily on the deck。
She was frozen by his words； she could move again only when he was out of the hatch； out of sight。 Minmei hurried down the steps to catch up。
Kyle was next to her in an instant； catching her arm； bringing her up short。 〃Don't try to stop him！〃 The doings of the warmakers were their own concern； Kyle had loved Minmei too long to lose her to them now。
She struggled hopelessly to free her arm； the black hair whipping。 〃Let go！ I' have to tell him！ Kyle； let me go or I'll hate you forever！〃
Fingers that could have tightened like a vise released instead。 He knew a hundred ways to force her to stay there but not a single one to take away her feelings for Hunter or to keep her from the pilot without making her hate him。
The grip； strong as steel； went limp； letting her go。 Minmei wrenched her arm free and raced off after Rick。 Kyle stood alone for a long time in the deserted hearing chamber； listening to the emergency directives； the RDF announcements； the preparations for battle。
Battle； death； oblivion…those were so easy to face； didn't the military war lovers understand？ Living without the one who meant everything in life to you； that was the fear that couldn't be overe； the abyss no courage could see you across。
In the hangars and bays and ready rooms of the bat mecha； thoughts of love and grief had been left behind。 Now it was only kill or be killed。 Men and women emptied their minds of everything else in a way no outsider would ever understand。
〃Arm all reflex warheads；〃 the mand came over the PA from Kim Young。 The missiles…Hammerheads； Decas； Piledrivers and Stilettos…became alive in their pods and racks。
The attack mecha stood to readiness： lumbering giants heavy with laser…array and x…ray laser cannon； missiles； chain…guns； and rapid…fire tubes loaded with discarding…sabot armor…piercing rounds。
The Destroids stumped out first： waddling two…legged gun turrets the size of houses； running their clustered barrels back and forth in test traverses； ready to bunch up shoulder by shoulder and concentrate fire。 Forming up behind them were the Gladiators； Excaliburs； the Spartans and Raidars； all making the reinforced decks resound to their tread； weighted with every weapon Robotechnology could give them。
The March of the Robotech Soldiers。
The SDF…1 gun turret and casemate barrels swung and readied； men and women sweating as they settled into the gunners' and gunners' mates' saddles。 Targeting reticles were checked for accuracy； triggers were dryfired。
The stupendous warrior that was the SDF…1 itself stood ready； covers lifted from its many weapon ports。 The two suppercarriers that were the ship's arms； Daedalus and Prometheus； set for battle and for the harrowing； fiercely dangerous business of bat launches and retrievals。
On the hangar deck； Skull Team warmed up。 They would be one of the few teams flying the new armored Veritechs。 Max； running things until Rick could get there； threw his wife a quick smile。 Miriya blew him a kiss； as she often did when no one else was looking。 Kissing was still an amazing thing to her； lovemaking left her at a plete loss for words。 But then； it did the same to Max。
She turned back to a final check of her VT。 bat was something she knew intimately； too。 Max got the rest of Skull saddled up； resisting the urge to be bitter and preoccupied with regret that he had had so little time with her。
Those were the distractions that got fighter pilots killed。
On the bridge； Gloval arrived with Exedore at his side； and no one thought to say it should be otherwise。
The reports of the ship's fighting status came to him from the Terrible Trio and from Claudia。
Gloval led Exedore to the great bubble of the forward viewport； thinking； Who would have dreamed we'd be fighting side by side？
But there was an answer to that。 It was Gloval； always Gloval…and sometimes only Gloval…who had anticipated this day from the moment he had heard of the enemy defections。
Over the UEDC Alaskan headquarters； fighters looking a lot like VTs but lacking their superlative Robotechnology screamed into the air on alert。 It was a brave show that everyone knew to be hollow； Earth's only real hope lay with the dimensional fortress。
Admiral Hayes and several other senior officers stood on a balcony overlooking the vast situation room。 They heard echoing updates on the Grand Cannon's firing status； the enemy fleet that was still pouring out of spacefold； the posite picture that made it unlikely that a single member of species Homo sapiens would live through the day。
〃The projections turned out to be in error；〃 an intel…analysis officer confessed； zombielike。 〃Against a force that big； we can't hope to win。 We couldn't do it even if the Grand Cannon satellites were in place。〃 He was shaking his head slowly。 〃No way； sir。〃
Hayes was used to hiding his dismay。 He called down to a munication officer； 〃Lieutenant！ Have we been able to establish contact with the aliens？〃
Hayes burned at the thought of why his superiors were suddenly so eager to talk to the Zentraedi。 He avoided any contemplation of how Earth's rulers sounded now that reality had at last been forced upon them。 The brave words and the bold posturing had been blown away like smoke in the wind； and UEDC was eager； cringingly eager； to make any deal it could； starting with an offer to make itself an overseer government under alien rule。
Except the Zentraedi weren't making deals today； and Armageddon was apparently the only item on the agenda。
〃We're trying； Admiral； but so far it's a no…go；〃 a officer calle