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Minmei wore a hand…woven lavender mandarin gown of clinging silk； a dress that had belonged to her grandmother and had been altered to suit the girl's slim figure and long legs。 The tunic had a simple round collar； flawless embroidery over the left shoulder； and revealing slits。 She wore matching pumps and had strands of pink cultured pearls in her braided and bunned hair。 Rick thought she looked fantastic as she stepped forward into the bright spot to wait for the judges' questions。
〃Could we have your thoughts about the war and the needs of Macross City； your hopes for the future； your ambitions。。。〃
Rick was simply too taken with the sight of her to pay much attention to Minmei's responses； but just then Captain Gloval asked a relevant question： 〃Do you have a steady boyfriend among all the fighter pilots you count as your friends？〃
Rick hung on her every word。
〃I don't believe I'm ready for that at this point。 I mean； I think it's best to have a lot of different friends。〃
Colonel Maistroff followed up： 〃Do you find it difficult having male friends？〃
Minmei laughed。 〃Not at all！ In fact； I have one really good friend who's just like a brother to me。〃
Rick slapped himself in the forehead with the heel of his hand。 A brother？！ A BROTHER？！！ And just then； while Minmei was taking in the applause； his pager went off。 He raised his eyes to the starlight； wondering who was calling him out this time。
CHAPTER TEN
〃Rome wasn't built in a day…Macross City was！〃
Mayor Tommy Luan
Had it not been for the Miss Macross pageant； I might never have undertaken the journey which led me to enlightenment…a journey I hope to guide you through in the pages that follow。 It was only after I had opened my heart to the First Truth…that beauty and fame were not only transitory but illusory…that my soul was sufficiently prepared to accept the profound wisdom of the heavens： the knowledge that we are but seeds in the cosmic garden； potential given form and the will to evolve； true children of the starsbeings of noble light！
Jan Morris； Solar Seeds； Galactic Guardians
When accounts of The First Robotech War were finally written； not one of that war's many chroniclers failed to point out the curious turn of events precipitated by the Miss Macross pageant。 The word 〃irony〃 appears often in those accounts； but irony is a judgment rendered after the fact and； in the case of Lynn…Minmei and the part she would e to play in the hostilities； much too simple and soft a term。
Exedore could no longer allow his growing concerns about the Micronians to go unspoken。 The Tritani pattern was being woven again； and although it was not the Zentraedi way to look back； the application of lessons from the past was now essential。 Otherwise the quadrant would surely fall to the vengeful Invid！
Just when events had calmed somewhat…Khyron was temporarily reined in and Dolza had issued an order allowing the SDF…1 a brief stay of execution…the Earthlings had once again demonstrated their penchant for the unpredictable。
Strange； inprehensible telemunications were being broadcast from the dimensional fortress。 Exedore had requested that mander Breetai meet with him on the bridge。
The audio and visual signals were being broadcast on a relatively low…frequency wavelength； reception was intermittent at best。 But even strong and continuous； they would have remained equally baffling to the Zentraedi mander and his adviser。 What they saw were images of female Micronians undergoing what appeared to be an unusual metamorphosis； plete with bizarre changes in chroma and an alarming lack of any cause…and…effect sequencing。 Breetai and Exedore stared at the screen and turned to each other with confused looks。
〃 ‘Miss。。。Macross。。。pageant'。。。What does it mean； Exedore？〃
〃I understand the individual words； mander； but the meaning of it escapes me。〃
〃A call for reinforcements； perhaps。〃
〃No； mander。 The signal is far too weak for that。〃
Breetai experienced a moment of disquiet。 Had he overlooked something important in the legends…something about a secret weapon the Micronians possessed； an innate ability to conquer all who threatened them？
〃We must decipher this code； whatever it is。 Have you been successful in your efforts to teach our agents the Micronian tongue？〃
〃As successful as can be expected； mander。 They aren't…〃
〃Ready one of the Cyclops recon ships。 Tell your operatives to stand by。〃
〃M'lord；〃 said Exedore； and backed away。
While his adviser was left to carry out the orders； Breetai studied the screen； there was something disturbing about those partially clothed and strangely colored females； a power about them that pierced him like an ancient arrow。
As regimented as the Zentraedi were； there were still individual personality types； and the three agents chosen to man the Cyclops recon were to prove as pivotal in the unfolding of events as the Miss Macross pageant itself。 At the helm of the arachnidlike vessel was Rico； a wiry； effectively one…eyed warrior with a thin； sunken face； prominent cheekbones； and chiseled features。 Bron； a beefy； powerful man with greasy red hair； was the navigator； and in charge of munications was Konda； a nondescript second lieutenant with shaggy； lavender hair well suited to current Earth fashions。
They'd been given a dangerous assignment： The Cyclops had to be brought in close enough to Zor's ship to monitor and record the curious Micronian broadcasts while at the same time evading detection。 But Rico was an experienced surveillance pilot； and he soon had the Cyclops well situated for reception。 He was not； however； prepared for what greeted his eyes （nor would he be for quite some time to e）： Here was a Micronian male wearing some sort of strange devices in front of his eyes； holding in his hand an equally unusual device which he seemed to be directing toward。。。a female！ An unclothed female at that！ A…and the two of them were actually together…in the same space！
〃This is unthinkable！〃 he cried。
Bron and Konda were similarly appalled。
Rico adjusted the recording controls to enhance the monitor image。 〃She must be wearing some new type of armor。〃
Bron disagreed： The armor covered the female's hips and breasts only； it didn't make sense。
〃Perhaps those are the only vulnerable parts of a Micronian female；〃 Rico offered。
〃It's not armor at all；〃 said Konda。 〃It's a formal uniform。〃
Bron shook his head。 〃You're both wrong。 It's not even a female。 It must be a secret weapon designed to look like one！〃
Rick Hunter was missing the swimsuit petition。
He cursed his luck and muttered to himself while he strapped into the cockpit module of the armored Battloid。 Why did Henricks have to pick tonight to get sick； and why did Rick's name have to appear at the top of the patrol list？
He had already gotten into an argument with mander Hayes… 〃As primary patrol backup； you should have remained on the base； Lieutenant Hunter； not run off to some foolish beauty pageant！〃…and now Minmei was going to be disappointed that he'd missed her big moment。 〃This sucks！〃 he yelled to the techs who were operating the module cranes and servos。 They had one eye fixed on getti