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a short hop through hell。
Lisa poised herself on the threshold of the munication building's blown hatch。 Ground…shaking explosions were going off all around her。 Alien pods； hopping nimbly through the devastation； were leveling everything in sight。 Hundreds of missiles Corkscrewed overhead； converging on what was left of the supply line and the fortress itself。 Lisa's dream was finished； and Sara Base was finished with it。 She pushed herself from the front entry like a parachutist leaving an old…style aircraft and flung herself into the firestorm。 She ran a slalom course； jagging left and right through fields of fire； and made it to the safety of the barracks just short of a violent blast that took out the area she'd left behind。 The concussion threw her off her feet； but she was unhurt。
Inside； she accessed information from the SDF…1 to locate the main shaft elevators。 There was auxiliary power here； so she would be able to ride down to the underground room。
The descent was a long one。 It felt as though she were traveling into the very bowels of the fiery planet。 Each level lessened the effects of the overhead bombardment until the world seemed silent once again。
Stepping out at Sublevel Fifteen； she made her way to the control room。 There was an unmon； low…level vibration down here； and she was forced to move with more exertion； almost as though she'd been returned to Earth gravity。 She reasoned that the enemy gravity mines were responsible for this。
It took Lisa several minutes to locate the furnace controls； a confusing array of switches； dials； and meters； antiquated and needlessly plex。 There were redundant systems and far too many mand switches and manually operated crossovers。 But instructions from the onboard puter simplified her task。 Finally she had the reflex puters programmed for overload。 The control systems that allowed excess charge buildup to be safely shunted into runoffs were now damped down； and all backup outlets were similarly closed。 Next she instructed the CPUs that operated the furnace to bring the power up to maximum； canceling out the safety programs with override mands。
Warning lights were starting to flash on the console； and she thought she could detect the sound of warning sirens and klaxons going off somewhere。 The sequence； however； had kicked in several other built…in safety systems that were unanticipated： Hatchways were beginning to lower throughout the room。 According to an overhead digital clock； she had less than fifteen minutes to get off the base。
Lisa returned to the main elevator and rode the car back to ground level。 The sounds of battle had increased。 She tried to retrace her path to the entrance； but the barracks had taken several hits； and debris now blocked the corridor。 There was an unobstructed second corridor that led to the officers' quarters； a hatchway there would allow her to exit on the other side of the building。 She entered this and was making for the hatch； when the corridor suddenly sealed itself off。 Iron doors dropped from overhead vaults at both ends； trapping her inside。
Hatchways to individual quarters lined both sides of the corridor； and while she was opening each of these looking for some way out； a terrible thought occurred to her： What if one of these rooms had belonged to Karl？
In the dim light； Lisa's fingers traced the letters of raised name tags on the doors； and it wasn't long before she found RIBER； KARL。
Slowly the will to survive began to abandon her。 All she could feel now was a terrible sadness and a pain from long ago； as though her body was recalling the hurt and bringing it up to the surface。
She hit the button that opened the hatchway to Karl's quarters and stood at the threshold； afraid to enter； supporting herself against the doorjamb。 〃Oh； Karl；〃 she said to whatever ghosts were lurking there。
Lisa entered； mindless of the countdown to self…destruction。
〃The destruct sequence has been initiated； Captain；〃 Claudia said。 〃T minus ten minutes and counting。〃
Gloval nodded his head in approval。 〃Good。 I knew Lisa could do it。 Now； issue a recall order to our remaining Destroids and Valkyries。 But I want them to pull back slowly： With a little luck we'll catch the enemy in our trap this time。〃
〃Nine minutes and counting； Captain。〃
〃Contact Lisa； let's see how she's making out。〃
Claudia tried； but there was no response。 The radio transmitter was still on； but Lisa wasn't answering the call。
〃Lisa； e in； please；〃 Claudia said。 〃She's not responding； Captain。〃
Gloval rose from his chair。 〃If she's still on…line； we should be able to get a fix on her position。〃
Kim already had it up on the screen。
〃She's in Barracks C。 But she's not moving。〃
〃She could be hurt； or trapped；〃 said Gloval。 〃Claudia； quickly； contact the Skull Leader。〃
Rick released two rockets and dove under the Battlepods。 White…hot shrapnel impacted against his fighter； and the shock wave threw him into an involuntary sink。
He narrowly missed buying it at the hands of an enemy Officer's Pod that leaped into view out of nowhere。 It was the same one he had seen on and off throughout the battle。 And whoever piloted it was someone to fear。 Rick had seen the pod take out three Veritechs in one pass； and later he had seen that same pilot blow away two of his own men to get to one of the Robotech Valkyries。
Roy pulled alongside Rick； gesturing to the enemy mecha。 His face was on twenty…three's left screen。
〃You wanna watch that one； Rick。 He means business。〃
〃Let's gang up on him； buddy。〃
〃Negative； Rick。 We've got new orders。 Seems that mander Hayes has gotten herself stranded on the base and it's up to us to rescue her。〃
〃Hey； like we don't have more pressing matters at hand？〃
〃e on； I thought that damsels in distress were your stock 'n' trade； Little Brother。〃
〃One damsel at a time； Roy。 One at a time。〃
Roy's face became serious。 〃Patch your system into the SDF…1 mainboard and home in on the signal they transmit。 I'll be covering you。〃
〃Roger；〃 Rick said。 〃One rescue ing up。〃
He pushed the fighter into a shallow dive that brought him into and through a group of alien pods。 Those that didn't take each other out in an effort to bring him down； Rick dispatched with close…in laser fire directed at the pods' fuel lines。 Roy was running interference up ahead； diverting some of the pods positioned between Rick and the base。
Rick dropped the fighter to ground level； relaxed back into his seat； lowering his mind into transitional alpha and directing the Veritech's transformation to Guardian mode。 The fighter was soon tearing along the ground in a sort of bat crouch； gatling cannon held out front by the huge grappling hands of the mecha。 Rick rode out a cluster of explosions in this form； then hit his thrusters and brought the mecha into full Battloid mode to deal with several pods along his projected course。
Upright； the Battloid swung the cannon in an arc and trap…shot two of the pods。 A half twist and Rick beat another to the draw。
Rick let Roy deal out justice to the rest and shifted his attention to the homing signal。 Info from the SDF…1 bridge told him precisely where the mander was