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〃Marie？〃
〃That's right； Phillips； you lucky swine you。 You're about four hundred yards from your squad； at one hundred seventy degrees magnetic。 Get back to 'em and stay alert！ I。。。I don't want to lose you； Sean。〃
〃I won't forget you said that。 And I won't let you。 What d'you wanna name our first kid？〃 She could hear the smugness in his voice but didn't mind a bit。 His Battloid dashed away at top speed as Dana rallied her mand。
Marie switched off her mike。 〃I won't forget；〃 she whispered。 Then she broke left； to try to help suppress the murderous AA fire from the teardrop cannon。
The interior of the flagship was a Hovertank job； and A…JACs； Veritechs…no other mecha had any place in it。
Dana and the first of her 15th leapt right down into a cobra pit。
Her transmissions were patched directly through to Emerson； the ATACs were Earth's best hope now。 〃General； we're pinned down in the entrance gap by heavy fire from red Bioroids！ We're about at a standstill and request assistance…A。 S。 A。 P！〃
Emerson was out of his mand chair。 〃We've got to force the enemy mecha back and make that entrance bigger。 Any suggestions？〃
Green was giving him a dead…level look。 〃Ramming them is the only way； Rolf。〃
It didn't even take Emerson a second to make up his mind； Earth could never mount another assault like this； and it was make…or…break time。 〃Then make ready to use this ship as a battering ram at once。〃
Emerson's crew acted instantly； and still it looked as though it wouldn't be soon enough。
If the enemy mother ship's fire had been as intense as it was when the Masters first arrived in the Solar System； the Human battlecruiser would have been holed and immolated as soon as it came close to the invader。 But great hunks of armor and superstructure were blasted away from the enemy ship； and Emerson's flagship was able to stay on course； bearing down on its enemy。
And it provided a wele diversion； permitting Dana's troops to break contact with the devilishly fast and powerful Invid Fighters and scatter。 Even the Triumviroids' power wasn't enough to stop the heavyweight Earth dreadnought。
The wedge…shaped bow drove into the long rift in the invader； the impact sent Bioroid and Battloid alike sprawling and bouncing across the hull。 Dana had no idea what power it was that generated gravity on the surface of the enemy ship； but she was grateful for it then…grateful not to be sent spinning into infinite blackness。
With the outer armor breached； the battlecruiser experienced less resistance from the mother ship's internal structure。 Bulkheads and decks and vast segments of systemry were crushed or bashed aside as secondary explosions foamed around the cruiser like a fiery bow…wave。
Then Emerson's ship was through； having lengthened and deepened the hull breach to three times its former size； all the way through to the mother ship's port side。 As the battlecruiser lifted clear； more explosions from the alien lifted the armor even further； as if peeling back aluminum foil。
Dana got word from the cruiser that the entryway was clear； and for the moment the reds were nowhere to be seen。 She hated the thought of leading her mand down there where so many explosions had already gone off； but this was the only chance to go through the opening。
〃Let's do it； Fifteenth！ Follow me！〃 The 15th； all in Battloid mode； dashed toward the opening； huge metal feet pounding against the hull； rifle/cannon ready。 Angelo was close behind Dana； and then Bowie。 Sean Phillips； Zor； Louie Nichols…those were all of the squad that got through。
Several others were annihilated right at the verge of the gap。 Still more raced for cover。 The sum acplishment of the biggest Human offensive of the Second Robotech War was to get exactly one officer and one NCO and four enlisted men of ATAC aboard the enemy mand vessel。
Aboard his flagship； Emerson was hoping he had given the 15th the margin it needed。 No other mecha had succeeded in reaching a position that would allow them to board； and； for the time being at least； none seemed likely to。
Emerson was calling for more diversionary strikes； to keep the Masters busy and eliminate as many red Bioroids as possible； when his flagship was battered by another massive volley。
Colonel Green picked himself up off the deck； checked the ining reports and called to his manding general； 〃It's another alien mother ship； sir！〃 He checked damage readouts。 〃And we're in no shape to take 'em on； Rolf！〃
After the battle and the ramming； Emerson knew that was only mon sense。 But he said； 〃The battle plan does not allow for withdrawal at this time…〃
A second barrage； even stronger than the first； rattled them all around like dice in a cup。 Emerson saw that it wasn't just one mother ship ing to the rescue； but at least three。 There was no choice； his forces would be utterly obliterated if he didn't at least fall back to regroup。
And there was no time for an extraction mission to recover the 15th； it was mitted。 Its few young troopers were very likely the last； best hope of Earth。
Marie； back aboard her attack transport to rearm and refuel； heard the announcements and mands over the PA and went cold； as the Earth fleet began to break off contact and withdraw。 Oh； Sean！
The 15th spotted the two Triumviroids in the corridor ahead of them before the reds spied the 15th。 The ATAC Battloids charged almost shoulder to shoulder； unavoidably bunched up； putting out the heaviest volume of fire they could。
A strange thing happened； the enemy mecha whirled and froze。 ATAC rifle shots spattered their torsos and faceplates； blowing them out； and the Triumviroids dropped like puppets whose strings had been snipped。 The ATACs had had the advantage of numbers and surprise； but it was still a remarkably easy win in parison to the harrowing battle on the outer hull。
The 15th never even broke stride； but charged on further into the ship； weapons ready。 But even as Dana leapt her Battloid over one red's body something occurred to her。 Two…there were only two this time。 And the reds had been working in threes up above。 Presumably there was at least one more around down here； perhaps damaged or crushed by Emerson's ramming maneuver。
She had no time to pursue the thought； though； as she led her squad along a curvy passageway built to mecha scale。 The deck and bulkheads seemed unremarkable here； but the overhead looked like a big； metallic mural network。 No time to stop and study； however。
〃Must be kinda familiar； huh Zor…O？〃 Angelo taunted。 〃Which way d'we go？〃
〃I wish I knew； but I don't remember； Sergeant。〃 Zor answered； unruffled。
〃I'll just bet ya don't； alien！〃
Dana snapped； 〃Knock it off； Dante！ Stay sharp； all of you！〃
The warning was well timed。 A moment later； a diamond…shaped hatch slid open before them and three Triumviroids leapt into the opening。
But the 15th was so juiced up on adrenaline and the heat of battle that they opened fire instantly。 For some reason these enemy mecha； too； were slow in responding； and with their faceplates shot out； they went over like bowling pins。
〃Shoot for the faceplates； that's their weak spot！〃 Dana confirmed； as the ATACs rushed