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。 She felt a little irritated； even a bit strange； with all these Micronians gathered around。 Yet she endured their gaze； proud and pleased to show off her prowess。
She briefly considered the idea that her strange sensations had something to do with the damned Micronian food。 It was nothing like the cold； processed； sanitized rations of the Zentraedi； human food had strange textures and flavors； odd biological constituents。 It was all animal tissue and plant substances； and she suspected it was affecting her system。
She shook off the feeling and kept playing； rolling her score higher and higher； until she went over the top； beating the game； and more tokens poured into her tray。 Getting enough money to survive in Macross had been no problem for Miriya since she had discovered the arcades。
Now someone pressed through the crowd： an unremarkable…looking VT pilot with a tray of token winnings in his hands。 She was inclined to dismiss him； dozens of men had made overtures to her since she first came to the SDF…1。
But there was something different about this one； she thought。
Max worked up the nerve to say； 〃'Scuse me； would you be interested in playing a game with me？ From what I've seen； I think we'd be equally matched。 Don't you？〃
He looked so young and eager that she almost laughed in his face and ignored him。 Then she considered the tray of tokens in his hands。 Miriya knew enough about the arcades to appreciate how good he must have been to have accumulated so many of the glittering pieces。
Of course it was beyond the realm of possibility that this slim youngster could be the premier enemy killer； but if he provided some petition； it might make for useful practice。
She looked at him languidly beneath long black lashes。 Max felt his heart pounding。 〃Are you willing to bet all that？〃 Miriya asked。
He gasped happily。 〃Yes； I am！〃 He set his tray down next to hers； then scooted around into the seat opposite her。 He babbled； 〃This is absolutely terrific！ I know we're gonna have a great game！〃
Watching frorn the sidelines； Rick wondered if there wasn't something else Max could do to screw up his chances of impressing her。 Trip over her； maybe； or throw up。
But once in his seat； Max took on the air of confidence and aplomb that was his in matters regarding the VTs。 〃How about starting with level B？ All right with you？〃
She shrugged； somehow making it seem alluring and yet indifferent。 〃Fine。〃
〃All right。 Here we go。〃
He deposited the tokens； and the screen lit。 Miriya had picked red for the color of her VT； Max selected blue； for the trim on his own ship。 He didn't notice that Miriya's eyes suddenly narrowed at that choice。
Little animated Minmei figures walked out from either side of the screen to strike a gong in the center； and the action began。 They guided their VTs through the twisting； changing puter…modeled landscape； using control sticks and foot pedals； maneuvering at each other and firing。
It didn't take long for Miriya to lose her nonchalance。 Try as she might； she couldn't gain the advantage on him； couldn't shake him once he'd gained on her。 A frown crossed her face； then a sudden flare of rage； when his fighter destroyed hers。 She hid the expression in an instant； looking at him more closely。
The video warriors gathered around them were aghast。 It had been a master…level fight。 Max grinned at her。 〃Whoops！ Looks like I won； huh？ Wanna go on to level A？〃 He winked at her。
Rick groaned to himself。 Somewhere along the line； Max had learned exactly how to antagonize beautiful young women。
She regarded him coldly。 〃Yes。 Let's go on to level A。 That should prove quite interesting。〃 This time she would give the fight serious attention。
Max fed in more tokens； this time a blue hemisphere sprang from the game； a holoprojection。 The muttering of the growing crowd became louder； until the real purists silenced everybody。
The miniature Veritechs flew over the flat surface of the gaming table now； going to Battloid mode and taking their autocannon in hand at high port。 There was a moment in which Miriya gazed through Max's bluetrimmed； ghostly mecha； through his blue aviator glasses； into his eyes。
Somehow； she knew in that moment； all the rest of the game would only be proof of what her instincts were telling her。
The little Battloid puter images looped and fired； maneuvering on each other； going to Guardian or Veritech as their players decreed。 There were outbursts and yells from the onlookers as the game moved。 It was the fastest； most canny maneuvering anyone had ever seen； even though side bets were strictly illegal； everybody was making them。
Frankie Zotz projected it onto the arcade's main screen。 Veteran players looked on in awe at the amazing dogfight。 Tiny missiles and tracers spat； the puters could barely keep up with the instructions ing from the control sticks。 The minuscule mecha circled and attacked。
Miriya used the same tactics she had used that day in her Quadrono armor； his responses were the same。 For a moment； it seemed to her that her simulacrum Battloid had bee a miniature Quadrono。 Any doubts she had were swept away。
Max was thinking； Boy； is she beautiful！ as he played his best at the machine。 Another VT pilot； a lady's man； might have lost to Miriya on purpose。 But then； another VT pilot probably couldn't have won。
People were whooping and cheering on the sidelines。 In her mind's eye； Miriya saw the apocalyptic bat in the streets of Macross； as her own powered armor smashed through buildings and wreaked havoc； backpack thrusters blaring。 She also saw that one…on…one final confrontation； when she had bolted rather than die in a point…blank shootout。
And just as his autocannon rounds had defeated her that day； Max's VT image destroyed hers。 The red VT fragmented and flew into modeled； spinning bits； then de…rezzed to nothingness。
The blue hemisphere faded away； leaving her openmouthed and blinking。 I lost！ This cannot be！ I will not be humiliated again！
The victorious Battloid image's head turret swung back； and a little figure that looked suspiciously like Rick Hunter appeared； crying the word 〃STRONG！！〃 as a tiny Minmei raced up to throw her arms around his neck； kissing him and kicking her feet。 The real Rick Hunter； still standing on the staircase； edged back in order to be more inconspicuous and thought dark thoughts about the sense of humor of video game designers。
An onlooker was saying to Max； 〃I dunno how you pulled that off； buddy。〃
〃Aw； there were a couple of tight spots in the middle and near the end； but all in all； it wasn't too tough。〃
〃Oh！〃 Miriya breathed。 The insult of it。 So she'd presented him with little challenge； eh？ She rose； turning on one booted heel。
Max forgot his warm victory feelings and plunged after her。 He caught her wrist； not knowing how close he was to getting a fist in the throat。 〃Wait； I've been wanting to speak to you for a long time。 I think you're wonderful； and I want to get to know you better。 This is my only chance to get your name and phone number。〃
His grip was very strong but not painful； his palm very warm。 For a moment Miriya felt as though her wrist were burning。
〃My name is Miriya；〃 she said coldly。 〃And I don't currently have a phone number。〃 She turned to go； tugging at his grip。 The feel of his skin against hers made her feel a typical Zentraedi loathing of contact between the sexes but stirred something else； something she couldn't put a name to。
Now that she had met her archenemy； Miriya was confused。 Killing him on the spot was out of the question； she suddenly didn't know how to cope with her mission。 What he said about her brought back the strange； blurry feelings that the Micronian food gave her。
Max kept hold of her wrist。 〃Then； would you meet me in the park this evening？ By the Peace Fountain； at nine o'clock？〃
Fool！ You've sealed your fate！ she thought。 Somehow the thought of slaying him made her angry rather than exultant。 〃Oh； whatever you want！ Just let me go！〃
His fingers loosened； and she snatched her wrist away； saying an icy； 〃Thank you。〃 Then she whirled and ran； fleet as a deer； driven by a storm of conflicting emotions。
Max watched admiringly； breathing； 〃Isn't she something？ Whew！〃
Looking down from the staircase； Rick silently wished Max better luck than he was having。
CHAPTER SIX
When you're caught up in a war and thinking mostly about the enemy； it's easy to forget that there are other fronts on which you should at least attempt to strike a truce。
Lisa Hays； Recollections
In a corridor deep in UEDC Headquarters； Lisa Hayes sat fretfully； shifting and fidgeting。 She heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see her father。 〃Well； I talked to them；〃 he said。
Tension twisted her middle。 〃Did they make any decisions？〃
〃You can never be certain about these things； but I think they're ready to accept the idea of peace talks。〃
She drew an excited breath； then smiled at him fondly。 〃I'm so proud of you for having the courage to take on this fight！〃 She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek。
Later； as they sat on an upholstered bench in a lift car； she asked him； 〃Is anything wrong； Father？〃 He had been star