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He was not yet twenty…one years old。
The circuit was established。 〃Rick？ It's Lisa。〃
He felt as though he had been under observation as he walked the streets aimlessly。 Lisa and Minmei； Minmei and Lisa。 His brain failed him in that emotional cyclone where his feelings for the two women swirled and defied all analysis； all decision。
〃What can I do for you？〃 Ouch。 Wrong。 He knew that as soon as he said it； but it was too late。
〃I wanted to let you know； Rick。 I'm leaving the SDF…1。 I'm on my way to Earth to try to get them to stop the fighting。〃
He looked around again quickly to make sure no civilians had any chance of hearing。 There was enough unrest in the dimensional fortress without spreading new rumors and raising expectations that would in all probability be dashed。 At the same time； he felt an emptiness。 She's leaving！
〃Why wasn't I told ab…〃
〃It's all top secret。 Rick； I might not be allowed to e back。〃 Lisa cupped the handset to her； staring at it sadly； as the shuttle was moved onto the aircraft elevator for the trip to the flight deck。 Max Sterling's VT was next to it。
〃So。。。I want to tell you something；〃 she struggled。 Oh； say it！ Claudia's voice seemed to holler at her。 But she couldn't。
〃I appreciate all you've done； and it's been an honor serving with you；〃 Lisa said instead。 〃Your observations about our captivity in the alien headquarters will be an important part of my report when…〃
〃What are you talking about； Lisa？〃 Something that had been murky to him moments ago was crystal clear now。 〃I don't care about reports or anything else if you can't e back here！〃
Tell him！ Say it！ But she ignored the voice； couldn't face the rejection。 He loved the luminous superstar； Minmei； and Minmei cared for him。 Who could pete with that？
She found herself saying； 〃Please watch over the Zentraedi defectors； Rick。 A lot of our people haven't had time to reason things out yet； and the aliens are in danger。〃
The stubby shuttle was on the flight deck； boxed up for launch by the cat crew； the hookup people clear； the blast deflector raised up from the deck behind the spacecraft。 Off to one side； Max's VT swept its wings out and raised its vertical stabilizers。
Lisa held the handset tenderly。 〃We're launching。 Good…bye。 And thanks again。〃
〃What？ Wait！〃 But the circuit was dead。
He got up to an observation deck just in time to watch a tiny cluster of distant lights； the drives of the formed…up flight； dwindle into the darkness。
〃Shuttle craft and escorts proceeding according to flight plan；〃 Vanessa told Gloval quietly。 Nobody had actually said that Lisa's flight was to be monitored so closely； but no one had objected to the idea； either； and the Terrible Trio were keeping close tabs。
Back at her duty station； Claudia was alert to every nuance of voice； like everyone else there。 When Vanessa said； 〃Captain！〃 in a clipped； alarmed tone； Claudia's heart skipped a beat。
〃Elements of the Zentraedi fleet are redeploying。 They're on intercept course； closing in on the shuttle。〃
Gloval looked over his situation displays； threat boards； puter projections。 Claudia kept one eye on the board； one on Gloval。
He sounded very calm。 Now that battle had e； he was a well of tranquility。 〃Order them to take evasive action as necessary or return to the SDF…1 if possible。〃
Claudia almost blurted out a plea to send reinforcements； but she could read the displays as well as anyone。 More Zentraedi forces were moving into place； apparently to cut the shuttle off from the dimensional fortress。 Pummeled and undermanned； the SDF…1 could ill afford to risk an entire VT team to save one shuttle and its escorts。
No matter who might die。
Alarms and emergency Hashers brought Lisa out of a dim gray despair。 The shuttle pilot was announcing； 〃Enemy craft approaching。 All hands； general quarters。 Secure for general quarters。〃
There was a heavy grinding sound as sections of padded armor shielding slid up into place around Lisa's seat。 She calmly pulled her briefcase into the questionable safety of the metal cocoon with her； securing her acceleration harness； and the ship's drive pressed her back into the seat's cushioning。
Max Sterling accepted the news almost amicably。 The heritage that was the fighter pilot's proud tradition remained strong。 Dying was sometimes unavoidable； but losing one's cool was inexcusable。
〃Enemy approaching on our six；〃 he said； with less emotion than most people used talking about the weather。 〃Form up in gamma deployment and stick with your wingmen。〃
The other VTs rogered and moved to ply。 Max was going to give Lisa an encouraging wave； but the armored cocoon had already swallowed her up。
He peeled off to take up his own position。 The aerodynamic maneuvers of the VTs looked strange in the airlessness and zero g of space； but the pilots came from a naval aviation tradition。 They thought a certain way about flying； and thinking was half the key to Robotechnology。 The aerodynamic maneuvers wasted power； but Robotechnology had plenty of that。
Max hoped this was another feint。 Like Gloval and many others； he had noticed that there seemed to be two distinct factions…almost a schizophrenia…among the enemy。 One side was playing a waiting game； determined to capture the SDF…1 intact for reasons that the humans still couldn't guess and that the low…ranking defectors； not privy to strategic information； couldn't clarify。
The other element…rash； unpredictable； almost irrational…mounted sudden； vicious attacks on the dimensional fortress； apparently intent on destroying it with no thought to the consequences。 It was being clear that the enemy mander responsible for this had a name known to； and even feared by； all Zentraedi。
Khryon the Backstabber。
〃mander； the target has changed course；〃 a Zentraedi pod pilot said； the facebowl of his bat armor lit by his instruments。 〃And the Micronian fighters are redeploying for intercept。〃
The alien mecha； two dozen and more； were in attack formation…huge ovoid bodies quilled with cannon muzzles； mounted on long reverse…articulated legs so that they resembled headless ostriches。 Most would have been considered 〃armless；〃 but the Officers' Pods mounted heavy guns that suggested gargantuan derringers。
In the lead pod was Khyron the Backstabber。
He didn't fit most stereotypes of the brutal warlord。 Quite contrary to the Zentraedi conventionalities…their Spartan simplicity； their distaste for mannerisms…Khyron would have been called a fop if such a word or concept had existed among his race。
Youthful…looking and sinisterly handsome； he gazed into the screens of his pod's cockpit； contemplating the kill。 He had been forbidden to attack the SDF…1 again on pain of immediate execution； but no one had issued any orders with regard to a juicy little convoy。
Four times now； the Micronian vermin had humiliated him。 With each defeat； his hatred had grown geometrically。 It went incandescent when he saw the sorts of perversions the humans practiced： males mingling with females； the sexes somehow ing into contact and expressing weak…willed affection for each other。 They behaved seductively； something unknown to the Zentraedi。 The Micronians paired off； sometimes forming lifelong bonds； driven by impulses and stimuli Khyron was only beginning to perceive。
It repelled and fascinated him； it obsessed and possessed him。 So he knew he had no other choice but to destroy the Micronians utterly or go pletely insane。
〃Nothing can save them；〃 he gloated。 〃All units： Attack immediately！〃
The pods closed in； riding the bright flames of their drives； guns angling； answering their targetting servos。 The VTs swept out to meet them。
〃Captain； the shuttle has reached coordinates Lambda thirty…four；〃 Sammie called out。 〃Should we send reinforcements？〃
The bridge crew watched Gloval； hoping he would say yes as much as he himself wanted to。 But that would have left the SDF…1 underprotected； the Zentraedi had already tried similar diversionary maneuvers to set up a major attack。
With the number of spaceworthy VTs critically low until the Robotech fabrication machinery could produce replacements； he simply couldn't risk sending out another team of fighters or risk the pilots who were so crucial to the ship's survival。
〃Not unless we absolutely have to；〃 he said stonily。 The women turned back to their jobs in silence。 Gloval did not elaborate on the question of reinforcements； but he had already decided： He couldn't risk a flight of VTs； but there was one desperate gamble he could take if the shuttle's situation got worse。
In the volume of empty space designated Lambda thirty…four； Max Sterling's Veritech went through a lightning change。 It was what Dr。 Lang； the eerie Robotech genius； termed 〃mechamorphosis；〃 the alteration of the fighter's very structure。
Max had pulled the lever that sent the ship into Battloid mode； thinking the mecha through its change。 The VT shifted to Battloid； looking like a futuristic gladiator in bulky； ultratech armor； bristling with weapons。 Two pods drove in at him； cannon blazing。
CHAPTER THREE
That undisciplined showoff？ That wet…nosed civilian joystick pilot？ What a waste o