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〃Yeah； well； long story。〃
Ben wanted to know where the uniform had e from。
〃Later。 We better get a move on。〃 He lowered the Battloid's gloved left hand。 Rick and Lisa climbed in； and Max raised it up； leaving Ben on the floor。
〃Hey； man！〃
〃Hang on； Ben； I want you in the other hand。〃
Ben climbed into the lowered right。 Now Max brought both the Battloid's hands level with the uniform's breast pockets。 Lisa and Rick grabbed hold of the insignia…pocket and pulled themselves in； Ben did likewise on the other side of the jacket。
〃I don't want you to interrupt the lovebirds； Ben。〃
〃Now wait a minute； Corporal；〃 Lisa protested。 〃We only did that to escape。〃
〃Kissing each other to escape； huh？ I understand。〃
〃Listen up； Max…〃
〃Save it； Lieutenant。 You've got my word that I won't spread this around Macross City。 Although I must say you had me fooled。 I thought you preferred younger women。〃
〃Max！〃
〃Get yourselves down in there。 We're moving out。〃
Rick held in his anger and slid down into the pocket alongside Lisa。 The Battloid parted the double hatches of the holding cell and began to take long； stiff strides down the corridor。
It wasn't long before they heard Max utter a sound of alert。 A Zentraedi soldier； armored and armed with a hip blaster； was approaching them。 Soldier and disguised Battloid passed each other seemingly without incident； and inside the pocket Rick and Lisa breathed a premature sigh of relief。
But the soldier had stopped and was calling for Max to halt。
Max was in no position to defend himself or his passengers； launching his few remaining rockets would have fried Rick and Lisa。 So he took the only course available： He ran…straight into two more shock troopers who were ing down the corridor。 Max tackled one of them； lifting him and swinging him into the other as he continued on his way； but by now the first soldier was chasing him and opening fire。 He was quickly joined by his rades。
The Battloid sustained blasterbolt after blasterbolt to the back as it flew through the ship； pieces of burned and tattered cloth flying in its wake。 At Rick's urging； Max reconfigured the VT to Guardian mode； ripping open the uniform jacket as he hit the aft thrusters。 In that hail of lethal fire； the Guardian looked like some sort of caped bird of prey fighting its way to freedom。
Corridor length； however； was suddenly in short supply； and Max knew the VT wouldn't be able to pull off a ninety…degree turn in such limited space。 Set in the bulkhead at the top of the corridor T； however； was a control panel which could probably be pierced without undue damage to the fighter。 Max opted for it and pulled the thruster lever home。
The bulkhead surrendered too easily； and by the time Max realized that the VT had broken through a large circular viewing screen in a control room； the Guardian was way beyond it； tearing through a series of projecbeam astrogational charts free…floating in an immense central chamber of the ship。 An open rectangular port at the far end of the room delivered them into another serviceway； at the end of which was a sealed elevator。 They were still taking rear fire when the elevator doors parted。 A surprised Zentraedi soldier saw them ing and leaped out into the corridor； narrowly escaping impalement on the radome of the VT。
Once inside the cubicle； Max blew the canopy and clambered out onto the arm of the craft； clutching his laser rifle。
〃The circuits are fried！ This thing's gonna blow！〃
Rick left the pocket and catwalked the extended arm of the Guardian to the elevator closure lever。 He jumped up and grabbed hold of it； riding it down as the doors closed。 The fighter was temporarily sealed off from enemy fire； and the elevator began to descend。
One； two； three； four； five levels and they were still going down； the Guardian giving off predestruct noises and smoke now； Max and the others offering up silent prayers for the doors to open。
At level six the elevator stopped。 The doors parted； and the four defenders were off and running。 But out of nowhere a Zentraedi shock trooper made an airborne grab for them； landing facedown and miraculously empty…handed in front of the elevator。 The soldier got to his feet； his quarry long gone； and stared at the smoldering uniformed thing inside。
He had perhaps a second to contemplate its crouched birdlike form before the ensuing explosion blew him away。
If the soldier's last grasp failed to capture the four； it had at least succeeded in dividing them。
Rick and Lisa ran for quite a while before realizing that Ben and Max were no longer with them。 They searched for a while； but the explosion of the VT had drawn more Zentraedi to the scene； and it seemed a wiser move to push on。
They entered an area where several corridors converged。 It was a vast； domed chamber crowded with generators； puter terminals； conduits； and ductwork。 There was an overpowering smell to the place； as alien as anything their senses had yet encountered； and a sonic roar that reminded them of pressure…cooker sounds； amplified and low…frequency…enhanced。 They secreted themselves behind a long console covered with switches and control knobs。 Then； cautiously； they peered over the top。
What they saw was a cluster of thirty…meter…high vessels； like medicinal capsules stood on end； transparent and filled with a purple viscous； churning fluid。 In at least six of these vessels were half…formed； featureless Zentraedi。 Rick was totally bewildered and vaguely upset by the sight； but Lisa's sharp intake of breath told him that she recognized something here。
〃So that's why so many of the Zentraedi soldiers look alike…they're all clones！〃
Lisa risked a better view： Now she could see a second cluster of human…size capsules positioned in front of the larger ones； also churning； also containing some half…formed shape。 It took her a moment to make sense of this； and when she turned to Rick with an explanation； she scarcely believed her own words： The Zentraedi were reducing their soldiers to human size。
Rick looked at her like she was crazy； and she didn't blame him。 But there it was； happening right before their eyes； and no other explanation was forthing。
They pulled back as more soldiers entered the chamber searching for them and resumed their conversation some distance away in a dimly lit weapons room。
〃You remember how Dolza kept asking us how we became Micronians？〃
〃Yeah； so？〃
〃They're wondering if we have similar clone chambers and reduction devices。 That's why they can't understand any closeness between the sexes； because； well； love and sex wouldn't be necessary in a society of clones。〃
〃Incredible。〃
〃You're not kidding； incredible。 And it wouldn't surprise me to learn that Zentraedi and humans are genetically related。 In the beginning they were probably the same size as us！〃
〃So what are they； human giants or giant humans？〃
She looked at him blankly。 〃I guess it's too early to say。 Maybe after we analyze the videos we'll know。 But right now； I'd say they can go either way。 They've found some way of rearranging their molecular structure…big for hostile environments； small for。。。〃 Lisa shrugged。
〃Yeah；