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The tech had brought up a long…range image of their blue…white homeworld on the screen before her。
Claudia was a tall woman in her late twenties； with exotic good looks and glowing honey…brown skin。 Her dark eyes twinkled and shone when she was happy； and flashed when she was angry。 Right now； they were flashing like warning beacons。
〃Why don't you go ask the mander of that Zentraedi fleet？ Go ahead； take a look at them！ Maybe they've gone away！〃
The tech； a teenage girl who wore her auburn hair in a pageboy and still didn't look quite fortable in uniform； swallowed and went a little pale。 Claudia Grant's temper was well known； and she had the size and speed to back it up when she needed to。
The tech worked her controls obediently； bringing up a visual of the Zentraedi fleet。 They were all around the battle fortress； standing out of range of the ship's secondary batteries and lesser weapons。 They were like a seaful of predatory fish…cruisers and destroyers and smaller craft in swarms； blocking out the stars。 And farther away； the instruments registered their flagship： nine miles of armor and heavy weapons。
The tech gasped； eyes big and round。
〃Still there； huh？〃 Claudia nodded； knowing full well they were。 〃All right； then； let's not hear any more about wanting to go home； not until our job's done。 Understood？〃
The tech hastened to say； 〃Aye aye！〃 as did the rest of the watch。
Claudia eased off a bit； looking around at the watch members。 〃There are a lot of folks depending on us。 And I guarantee you； you don't want to know what it feels like to let people down in a situation like this。〃
In a far…off partment of the SDF…1； three strange beings skulked and crept around。 They were not Zentraedi； at least not any longer； they were of human scale。 But neither could they fairly be called human； though that was the appearance they gave； until a few hours before they had been members of the giant warrior race。
The devastatingly fast and ferocious enemy mecha that had wreaked such havoc among the VTs…the one the humans hadn't seen before…had put this threesome aboard。 The one thing they could accurately be called was 〃spies。〃
They had hastily retreated from the metal canister in which they'd arrived。 The mighty Quadrono Battalion mecha that had； in its lightning raid； torn open a section of the SDF…1's hull to toss them inside had also （understandably enough） attracted a certain amount of attention。 If the canister was found before it quietly dissolved； it might set off a massive search。
The smallest of the three； Rico； said； 〃Okay； let's start spying！〃 He was dark…haired and wiry。
The sturdy Bron； a head taller； said sourly； 〃But we can't spy in these clothes； they'll know who we are！〃
Even though the Zentraedi military had little experience in espionage…out…and…out battle was what the warrior race preferred…it was obvious that Bron was right。 The Zentraedi fleet carried no wardrobe in human size； of course； and so the three wore improvised； shapeless knee…length robes of coarsely woven blue sackcloth。 The sleeveless robes were gathered at the waist with a turn or two of Zentraedi string； more or less the thickness of clothesline。 Not surprisingly； the spies were barefoot。
It all had them a bit shaken； this matter of dress。 The Zentraedi drew much of their sense of self from their uniforms。 The best the trio had been able to do was agree to maintain the attitude that they were wearing the special attire of an elite unit。 A very small elite unit。
Konda； nearly Bron's height but lean and angular； shook his hair back out of his eyes。 His hair was purple； but intelligence reported that the color wouldn't stand out much in light of current human fads。 〃Then； let's find some other clothes；〃 Konda proposed。
They'd been given some briefings and rather broad guidelines by Zentraedi intelligence officers； but to a great extent they were improvising as they went along。 Still； Konda's idea made a lot of sense。 The spies leapt from hiding and set off down a passageway； slipping among the shadows and peering around corners； much more conspicuous than if they'd simply strolled along chatting。
Naturally； SDF…1 had no internal security measures against Zentraedi spies； since it was generally assumed that a fifty…foot…high armored warrior wouldn't be difficult to spot in the average crowd。
There followed a period of ducking and darting； of peeping into various partments and avoiding any contact with the occasional passerby。 The spies knew the general location of the battle fortress's bridge and worked their way in that direction； since the ship's nerve center was something the Zentraedi wanted very much to know about。
As the motley trio peeked out from concealment； they heard a very strange and appealing sound； something none of them had ever heard before。 It was human； Konda wondered if it was some alien form of singing； even if it didn't sound very military。
The sound was ing in their direction。 They yanked themselves back out of sight。 The oddly interesting sound stopped； and the spies heard human female voices。
〃Where d' you want to go tonight； Sammie？〃
There was the sound of slender shoe heels clicking along the deck。 The human females were ing their way； so the spies drew back even deeper into darkness。
〃Oh； I don't really care； as long as I can get out of this uniform；〃 Sammie answered。
〃Mine feels like it'll be glad to get off me！〃 Vanessa said。
The Terrible Trio giggled together again； they'd been laughing with delight ever since the relief watch had shown up on the bridge to give them a brief taste of freedom。 The hatch to a plex of enlisted ratings' quarters partments slid open for them and they entered。 The hatch closed； shutting off the giggles。
The accelerated course in human language the three spies had been given let them understand the words perfectly； but the content was another question entirely。 〃What did all that mean？〃 Konda wondered； rubbing feet that had been made very； very cold by the deck plates。
Little Rico was thinking of a uniform wanting to get off somebody。 Can these creatures have sentient clothing？ Perhaps with artificial enhancements？ That would indicate a supreme control of Protoculture！ 〃It seems these Micronians have some great powers。〃
〃Micronians〃 had always been a derogatory Zentraedi term for small humanoid beings such as Homo sapiens。 Now； the spies weren't so sure that the condescension was justified。
Bron nodded。 〃Well； let's keep watch and see what else we can find out。〃
It seemed like a very long time before the hatch reopened。 The Terrible Trio emerged； each dressed for a night on the town in a different； fetching outfit。 They laughed and joked； going off in the opposite direction； leaving the very faint but heady fragrance of three perfumes in the passageway。
〃Different clothes！〃 Rico exclaimed softly。 With different powers； perhaps； specialized for a particular mission？
〃I know！〃 Bron said with a certain surprising emphasis。
〃Do these people change uniforms every time they do something？〃 Konda posed a tactical question：
But why； then； did the clothes all look different？ The spies somehow knew what th