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The Skulls in Roy's jeep didn't seemed very thrilled about the encounter either； but they knew better than to say anything to their hotheaded leader。
〃What'd you say？〃 Rick asked mildly。
Roy hollered； 〃I said； where d' you think you're going？〃
Max leaned forward。 〃The PA system said for all military personnel to report for duty！〃 he said。 Ben Dixon began sweating bullets as the far bulkhead got closer and closer。
〃You had orders to stay behind； you nitwit！ That announcement doesn't apply to you guys！〃 Roy was shaking his fists in the air； the guy riding shotgun grabbed the wheel while one of the others in the back seat began crossing himself and the other spun a tiny prayer wheel。 Roy ignored them； keeping the accelerator floored。
〃But that wasn't an order。。。specifically；〃 Rick pointed out。
Roy had his hands back on the wheel。 〃Well； I'm making it an order！ Specifically！ Return to quarters； and make it fast！〃
Ben eased back； breathing a sigh of relief。 Roy's jeep took the lead as Rick yelled； 〃Gonna take on the enemy alone； huh？〃
Roy turned and rose； his front seat passenger diving for the wheel again。 Roy shook his fists at the heroic escapees。 〃Maybe you'd rather report to the brig for insubordination？〃
Ben began braking。 He and his friends chanted in perfect unison； 〃Not really； sir！ No thank you； sir！〃 a bootcamp response used here to mock Roy by implying that he was as dumb as a drill sergeant。
Roy cracked an unwilling smile； then turned to take the wheel back from his ashen…faced front seat passenger。 〃I'm glad you understand；〃 he called back； voice growing fainter。 〃Nobody likes a smart aleck！〃
Ben stopped just short of the bulkhead； and Roy's jeep shot through the hatch； speeding toward the fighter bays。
〃There goes a wonderful guy；〃 Ben said； letting out his breath。
The Zentraedi had a saying that in Earthly terms would translate to： 〃Even wolves may be prey to the tiger。〃
So the huge armada kept its distance from SDF…1； pacing it on its homing journey。 Ironclad orders stated clearly that Zor's fortress was to be captured with all its Protoculture secrets intact。 From the perspective of the fleet's manders； the more important point at the moment was that the SDF…1's main gun had proved itself operational； even though the Micronians had used it very sparingly。
The Zentraedi couldn't figure out why…one of the mysteries that prompted the placement of Bron； Rico； and Konda aboard SDF…1。 What the Zentraedi didn't know was how little the human race understood about the giant ship and how vulnerable the SDF…1 really was。
All the Zentraedi knew for certain was that the ship contained enough power to destroy whole star systems and rip the very fabric of space and time。 So the armada paced the battle fortress； watching and waiting。
A report was being delivered by a technician in a fleet mand vessel。 〃mander Azonia； the super dimensional fortress had started to increase its velocity。〃
Azonia looked up sharply at her intelligence analyst。 Azonia sat in the control seat amid a vast array of machinery and consoles and holographic data displays that stretched away in every direction。
〃What are your orders？〃 the analyst asked。 Azonia glanced at the various maps； readouts； and tactical projections。
〃Dolza has given me no authority to destroy it；〃 the armada's mander replied； running a hand through her close…cropped blue…black hair。 〃So we'll just follow it and see what happens。〃 Azonia had replaced the legendary Breetai as mander when he'd made one mistake too many； and she had no intention of suffering similar humiliation。
The analyst bowed obediently； and withdrew from the mand center。 Azonia pulled her campaign cloak tighter around her and adjusted the high collar； she was having doubts she would never betray to a subordinate。
The Micronians' homeworld was close； what would happen there？ The original Zentraedi invasion force had smashed all Terran opposition until it encountered those thrice…damned Robotech mecha…the Veritechs。 And after ail these months； who knew what new defenses the perversely ingenious humans might have developed？
Allowing the super dimensional fortress to reach its destination was a risky game at best； a disastrous one； perhaps。 Yet Azonia couldn't see any new orders ing from her superiors； nor could she e up with an alternative course of action to offer them that didn't risk the loss of the all…important secrets of Protoculture。
Azonia forced down those thoughts。 There was still time to win； and victory in this campaign would bring the most precious prize in all the universe。
The SDF…1 was in its cruiser mode； which meant that the great main gun couldn't be fired。 This was unavoidable； however； since the giant weapon would function only in Attack mode…a formation that rendered Macross City virtually uninhabitable。
In its present configuration it looked like a conventional spacecraft or even a naval vessel。 The Thor…class suppercarriers Daedalus and Promethus were swung back flush against it； and the two great booms of the main gun were mated together to form a prow。 The bridge and its attendant structures rose above the main deck but still sat rather low。
As its gargantuan thrusters flared blue fire； the ultimate warcraft approached the orbit of pockmarked Luna。
Claudia studied Earth's moon in her displays。 〃We are proceeding at maximum speed； Captain；〃 she reported。 〃Beginning Earth…approach maneuver。。。now！〃
Gloval appeared to be asleep： The polished visor of his cap was pulled low down on the bridge of his nose； and his arms were folded across his chest。 But he said quite clearly； 〃Vanessa； how has the enemy fleet reacted？〃
Vanessa pushed her glasses up； made a final sweep of her instruments to be sure； and then turned to Gloval 〃They're still all around us； Captain； but they're maintaining distance。 It's strange…they're still matching our speed exactly。〃
Gloval rubbed his cheek and realized he needed a shave。 He didn't even want to think about how tired he was。 〃It would appear they still don't want to risk firing on the SDF…1。 This would seem to bear out your theory； Lisa。〃
Lisa broke her intense concentration on her instruments to say； 〃I certainly hope so； sir。〃 If she was wrong； the battle fortress wouldn't last another hour。
〃We are approaching the orbit of Luna； Captain；〃 Vanessa said tensely。
〃Keep monitoring the enemy closely。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Lisa chimed in； 〃Fighter ops reports Vermilion and Ghost teams ready for takeoff； Captain。〃 She did her best to sound businesslike and not think about one of those Vermilion Team Veritechs。 Especially its pilot。。。
Gloval nodded and hoped he wouldn't be forced to use them。 They were some of his very best pilots； but they'd been chewed up badly in the latest installment of the running battle the SDF…1 had been fighting for months in the remote； dark places of the solar system。
Earth was so close。 Gloval would have given his own life without an instant's hesitation if it would have meant repatriating all the refugees who'd survived the brutal voyage。 But that wasn't how things worked。
In a Zentraedi mand center； a finger the size of a log stabbed