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ng all the Zentraedi there was only one who would have defended her to the finish and whose respect for her some said was tainted by an atavistic lust for sensual experience。 That one was Khyron； the so…called Backstabber。
Azonia was joined on the bridge of the cruiser by the ace pilot Dolza had promised her to carry out the infiltration…Miriya Parino of the Quadrono Battalion。
If Miriya was not as ambitious as her superior； she was certainly as respected。 Where Azonia lived for self…glorification； Miriya fought for personal perfection： to rank first in this game called war the Zentraedi had been born into。 Ever on the alert for new challenges； new tasks to master； new worlds to conquer； she was possessed of an intensely curious nature well suited to the extraordinary level of her talents； a trait that set her apart from the other pilots。 But she was loyal to a fault and never failed to carry out her orders to the fullest。 In this way she was much like her mander； but where Azonia would seek out ways to promote herself； only Miriya could rightfully judge Miriya。 She had earned her own mand a dozen times over but had rejected it on each occasion。 Promotion would have placed her too far from the action； and it was hands…on action that she craved…contest； confrontation； challenge。 She had little patience for the relative ease of a mander's life； having always to be ready to accept blame or praise based on how well the troops had carried out their mission。 No； it was far easier to accept the orders of those unskilled superiors and bask in the freedom that a secondary position allowed。
She was eager to mix it up with these Micronians。 They were making fools of the pilots under Breetai's mand。 And even the great Khyron had not fared well with this new enemy。
It was time to let the female Zentraedi take over。
Anyone unaware of the motivational differences between Azonia and Miriya might have been inclined to read rivalry into their relationship； and in fact many of the female soldiers on the bridge did just that； even though no such condition existed。
Azonia swirled the gray mander's cloak over her crimson uniform as she turned to face the female ace。 Her close…cropped bluestone…colored hair gave her an air of efficiency。 Unlike Miriya's long thick fall of forest green and large emerald eyes that radiated sensual fire。
〃I take it you have already been briefed on your mission。〃
〃I have； mander Azonia。 But may I speak freely？〃
〃Say what's on your mind。〃
〃Delivering spies into the SDF…1 hardly seems a mission worthy of my talents。〃
〃Yes； I thought it might be something like that。〃
〃After all； I'm a bat pilot； not some delivery drone。〃
〃This mission happens to be of utmost importance。 It has been authorized by mander…in…Chief Dolza himself。〃
〃Of course； sir； but still…〃
〃Have you considered that these Micronians might prove to be more dangerous than you have been led to believe？〃
〃That is something to be hoped for； mander。〃
〃Need I remind you that my reputation rides on this mission？〃
Miriya bowed and saluted。 〃I will not fail you； my lord。〃
Azonia narrowed her yes。
〃The three micronized operatives are presently aboard our sister ship。 They have been placed inside a capsule…craft that you will retrieve once we are within range of the dimensional fortress。 Now； how will you get the spies aboard？〃
〃I am not at liberty to discuss that aspect of the operation with anyone。〃
The mander stiffened somewhat。 〃I see。〃
〃mander； it will be good to best Breetai in this matter。 And Khyron； of course。〃
〃mander Khyron to you； Miriya…now and always。 Is that clear？〃
〃My apologies； sir。〃
〃You are dismissed。 Return to your quarters and prepare for hyperspace…fold。〃
The fold operation was the first note of encouragement struck for the four Micronian escapees who had sequestered themselves in a supply hangar elsewhere in Azonia's cruiser。 The Zentraedi guards had left the hold when the spacefold began； leaving them alone in a room full of armaments and Battlepods。 But they remained cautiously optimistic。 Especially Ben。
〃I know a way we can pass the time…we can count the number of different places we might end up after this fold。〃
Lisa's attention had been riveted on the real…time indicator； but Ben's ment intruded on her concentration。
〃Lieutenant Hunter； you didn't tell me you had such a edian on your team。〃 Lisa gestured to Ben。 〃We've gone from the frying pan to the fire； and all he can do is make jokes。〃
〃All right Ben； can it；〃 said Rick。
〃How are we going to get outta here； anyway？〃 said Max。 〃Even if we do defold back in Earthspace？〃
〃We're going to mandeer one of these Battlepods。〃
Lisa said it so matter…of…factly that the three then did delayed double takes。
〃Just climb into the Battlepod and fly it out of here； huh？ Who's going to teach us how to operate it？ You think they left an operating manual inside； in the glove partment maybe？〃
Lisa put her hands on her hips。 〃Have you been playing hooky； Lieutenant？〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 Rick said defensively。 〃Sure； I've studied the insides of these things just like everybody else。 But those were wrecks。 Nobody's actually piloted one of them。〃
〃Listen； Rick； you said yourself that their systems are plex but not impossible to understand。 It shouldn't be a problem for three ace pilots like you boys。〃
〃e on； mander。。。〃
Lisa checked her watch。 〃It took us twenty…four real hours to make the hyperspace jump from Earthspace to Dolza's mand center。 Assuming we're headed back to the SDF…1； we've got twenty hours left to learn。〃
〃And suppose we're not headed back to Earthspace？ Suppose we defold at some other Zentraedi front or base or I don't know what？〃
〃Then it won't matter whether we learn how to operate it or not。〃
Rick stood up and cracked his knuckles。 〃All right； gang； let's get crackin'。〃
Aft in the special weapons hold； Miriya strapped herself into the Quadrono scout ship…a bination thruster unit and multiple…missile launcher developed by the Invid； and designed for infiltration or solo penetration operations。 Defold was plete； and the time had e to retrieve the three micronized agents from the cruiser's sister ship。
Miriya lowered the canopy of the extravehicular pack and stepped forward to the edge of the port。 In the distance she could see the object of her mission： the SDF…1。 It was under attack by the remnants of Breetai's tattered fleet。
Azonia came on…screen in the mecha's cockpit：
〃We'll draw the enemy's attention away from you。 May you win all your battles！〃
〃As always！〃
Miriya launched herself into space； a darting dragonfly among the stars。。。
Max had his arms stretched out deep into the pod's waldolike gun controls。 Ben was scratching his head； puzzling over the firing mechanism for the missiles。 Lisa wondered how she was going to be able to activate those huge radio toggles。 And Rick tried to figure out how he was going to fly the thing。
The interior of the Battlepod was not entirely dissimilar to human…made Robotech mecha。 In fact； the design of the cockpit went a long way toward verifying Lisa's theory about a point of mon origin； the layout an