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an old…time Western movie。
Civil Defense mecha had been rushed up to serve as reinforcements for the tacticals。 The thickset war machines； like walking dreadnoughts； stood straddle…legged on the deck； blasting away at the massed enemy。
Excalibur Mark VIs and Gladiators； drum…armed Spartans with their huge circular canisters of missile launchers； and multi…barreled Raider Xs swinging their beam cannon this way and that…they all stood shoulder to shoulder against the main Zentraedi onslaught as enemy fire took them out of the line one by one。
The pods were closing in fast； the enormous losses they'd suffered seemed to have no effect on the size of the fleet。 They had advanced to a point where none of the SDF…1's primary batteries…and only a few of the remaining secondaries…had a line of fire on them； the batteries were primarily for air defense。
The RDF mecha were standing their ground； laying down fire with everything they had。 They knew that if their line collapsed； there would be nothing to stop the aliens from getting into the ship…and winning the war。
It was truly the hour of the attack mecha； with even the VTs taking a back seat。 They made their stand as the Zentraedi closed the distance by leaps and bounds。 The killing in the skies had numbed him； yet Rick thought this was one of the most savage scenes ever seen during the war。
As Vermilion came in to see what they could do to help； two foremost Raider Xs went up like cans of firecrackers。 The pods bounded past the wreckage to close in on the last of the defenders。
Khyron was gleeful； nearly mad with the joy of war； as he led the final charge； addressing the cannon of his Officer's Pod to a new target。 In minutes； the ship would be his； and with it； the universe。
In the meantime； three of the accursed VTs made a close strafing run； destroying the leading line of pods。 But other pods would soon be there to deal with them； even Veritechs couldn't keep Zor's ultimate creation away from Khyron now！
Khyron was distracted by two lumbering Excaliburs that were closing in on him； their power low； missile racks exhausted。 He blew them both away in the same moment with the tremendous derringerlike cannon that were arms of the Officer's Pod。
The VTs were making another pass； and the enemy mecha were being outrageously stubborn…but the final conclusion should only take another minute or so。
But just then Khyron heard an alarm signal on his instrument panel。 He read his indicators； turned； and craned to look up into the distant sky。 〃What's this？ No！ Impossible！〃
Grimly； without looking up from her data displays； Claudia said； 〃Captain； a second enemy attack force is on the way down now； from another ship。 They appear to be a new type of mecha。〃
Leading her bat drop； Miriya looked approvingly at the bitter struggle raging all around the dimensional fortress。 Behind her came a full battalion of her Quadrono Battalion's powered armor mecha。
Azonia was still reiterating instructions over the net； a rather offensive bit of interference； Miriya thought。 〃Miriya； the purpose of your operation is to thwart Khyron's plan。 Therefore； do not fire at the enemy or damage the dimensional fortress。〃
Azonia had done some thinking in the interim and had consulted several of her personal informants。 It seemed Khyron was playing a game truly his own； everything pointed to his intention to take the SDF…1 for himself。
And Azonia would win no approval from her superiors or the Robotech Masters if that were to happen； quite the opposite； in fact。 Thus： Miriya and her Quadrono Battalion were launched to stop him。
So a Zentraedi warrior is expected not to fire at the enemy； eh？ Miriya smiled to herself maliciously。 〃Well now； it's too bad I never heard that order because my munications gear is malfunctioning； Azonia！〃
Her own personal mecha…suit was the one that had so dazzled the RDF during her insertion of the three spies。 It was supercharged； more maneuverable and powerful than any other in the Zentraedi fleet。 Now she zoomed down like a lightning bolt； blowing an unsuspecting VT out of the air with a double stream of the annhilation discs； destroying another a split second later。
〃I love it when a good plan works out well；〃 she said languidly。 And the good plan in this case was her own…the one that had gotten her another crack at the enemy and； if she was lucky； a little scuffle with Khyron's inpetents as well。
The Quadrono armor hit thrusters； rocketing for the deck。
Azonia ranted at the pickup in her flagship bridge mand center。 〃Khyron； e in immediately！ Can you hear me？ You are in violation of your orders！ Therefore； stop this attack at once！〃
Perhaps he would claim that his equipment wasn't working properly。 That was the damnable thing about the Zentraedi armada； and for that matter their whole instrumentality。 With a few exceptions like that bitch Miriya's； Zentraedi war machinery had a far from flawless operational record。
It was only right that warriors care only for war； maintenance and mechanics were work for slaves。 But there never seemed to be nearly enough of those； at least ones of any use。
Azonia swore under her breath and waited to see what would happen。
But Khyron wasn't opposed to answering her。 He was merely pleting his latest maneuver； having leapt his pod high to e down directly over two of the last enemy attack mecha； a pair of Raider Xs； blowing them to bits with the derringer cannon。
〃Violation of my orders？〃 he mocked her。 〃But I haven't done anything to these despicable Micronians； at least not yet！〃 He was firing to all sides。 〃But in the centuries to e； if any of them are left alive； they will speak the name of Khyron with terror！〃
〃Don't play games with me！〃 Azonia shouted。 〃Turn back at once or I'll have you shot！〃
The last of the enemy mecha were down； and Khyron was about to lead his forces to the ultimate plunder； when the odds suddenly changed。 Aircraft elevator platforms ground up into view to either side despite the fact that the last of the SDF…1 bat aircraft had long since taken off。
They were loaded； instead； with every MAC II Destroid cannon the desperate defenders had managed to get to the trouble spot； arriving in time only because of the attack mecha's courageous last stand and Vermilion's skillful flying。 Six of the stumpy； waddling gun turrets were on either elevator； port and starboard。
Mounting six pulsed laser…array cannon and four supervelocity electromagnetic rail…guns apiece； the MACS had the pods in a perfect cross fire…and opened up。
What had been imminent victory for the pods became instead a disastrous firestorm。
The rail…guns fired solid slugs at a velocity that delivered incredible kinetic energy on impact； velocities so high that making the slugs explosive would have been redundant。 Zentraedi bat armor was no protection； and Battlepods collapsed in on themselves like crushed eggs or came apart in fragments； only to explode instants later。
The MACS' pulsed lasers swept back and forth at the massed alien war mecha； quartering the sky with grazing fire that raked the flight deck； and caught them as they leapt or while still on their feet。 Pods we