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a techno…hairband that suggested a headphone。 Her face was heart…shaped； her eyes dark and intense； lips mobile； bright； expressive。
〃Earth calling Zor。〃 She chuckled； breaking his reverie。
〃Eh？〃
〃Promise not to mention it； I said。 Dana's got an awful temper； she's going to split a seam when her precious 15th squad gets left out of another major operation！〃
〃Don't worry。 I won't tell her。〃
Nova shrugged to indicate that it really wouldn't be so bad if Dana found out from him and learned that he had found out from Nova。
She said； 〃No one's supposed to know the relief force is on its way until tomorrow。 I really shouldn't have told you about it。〃
The vague pulsions in Zor suddenly coalesced； and he found himself asking； 〃How many ships are going？ How are they planning to get past the enemy？〃
It would all be revealed tomorrow anyway； and Nova's tongue had been loosened by the wine with which Zor had been plying her。 〃Well； I heard that…〃
〃So！ there you are！〃 Dana howled； rushing toward the table。 The pianist stopped playing and silverware was dropped by startled diners。
Angelo Dante followed； embarrassed。 The Revenge of the Martian Mystery Women had been a debacle； animated camp moron…fodder instead of the sizzling interplanetary romance…edy…adventure Dana was under the impression they would be seeing。 Apparently the officer who had told Dana about it was jazzing her。 Angelo had laughed so maniacally that she had slugged his arm and dragged him out of the theater。 Then she set out on a mission of revenge。
Now she set her fists on her hips and glared daggers at Zor。 〃Just who the hell d'you think you are； you double…dealing dirtbag； standing me up so you can take out something like her？〃
Zor looked very confused and almost queasy。 Nova said； 〃I don't think I like the sound of that last part。〃
〃You're not supposed to； you tramp！ It was an insult！〃
Angelo managed to intervene just as Nova was about to vault across the table for a go at Dana； who was waiting to clean Nova's plow before going on to put Zor in traction。
〃Now calm down； ladies！〃 He looked to Zor for assistance； the maitre d' was already headed their way。 〃Hey； Zor； you just gonna sit there like a vegetable or what？〃
Zor tried to put his thoughts in order。 He couldn't remember why it had been so important to get Nova to tell him those secrets about the relief expedition。 Now that Dana had interrupted everything； he could barely recall the impulse that had made him ignore his date with Dana。
〃I…I'm so sorry。〃 He got to his feet unsteadily。 〃I don't feel well。。。。 〃 He lurched from his place； and headed for the door。
〃Damn chicken！ e back and die like a man！〃 Angelo fumed； for he felt that he was about to meet his own fate。
Outside； Zor stopped to catch his breath； leaning on a railing overlooking a garden near the restaurant's entrance。 He heard Nova's voice in his head again； 〃The relief force is just lifting off for the moon。〃
But then there was another voice； a cold one； speaking directly to his mind。 It filled him with terror and hate； and he saw an image of an ax…keen； angry face set against a collar that looked like the Invid Flower of Life。
It said； Message received and understood。
At Fokker Aerospace Field； on the outskirts of Monument City； the last units of the emergency relief force were lifting off。 The larger warships were being helped aloft by the brute power of a dozen flying tugs。 The tugs released their cables as the warcraft climbed above Earth's gravitational grip。
They formed up； making their way out beyond the atmosphere； moving at flank speed； maintaining munications silence。 Their ascent was masked by the bulk of the Earth for the time being。 Since the Robotech Masters couldn't maintain geostationary position over Monument City and still guard access to Luna； the expedition would have an element of surprise。
To someone of an earlier day； the giant battlecruisers would have resembled prenuclear submarines； plete with conning towers； and bulky thruster packages attached to their sterns。 Their estimated time of rendezvous with the units from ALUCE； station； barring trouble； was in just under six hours。
At Moon Base ALUCE； Marie Crystal began organizing things for the evacuation； with brave words to the wounded about how they would be on Earth by the next morning。
Home； she thought； and thought； too； of a certain deuce private…formerly a First Lieutenant…in the 15th squad； ATAC。 Sean； Sean！ to be with you again！
Jeddar； group leader of the Clonemasters； glared at Musica sternly。 〃What exactly is the meaning of this behavior？〃
〃Do you realize that you're jeopardizing the very existence of our people？〃 added bearded Ixtal； the other male in the Clonemaster triumvirate。
Tinsta； the tall； androgynous female； manded not unkindly； 〃Child； explain yourself。〃
Allegra and Octavia watched the scene； not daring to say a word。 They had already concluded that they would never be able to prehend Musica's new； aberrant behavior。 They were frightened to death of being contaminated or punished for what their triad…sibling was doing。 Off to one side； Karno and the other Guard clones looked on。
Musica sounded as if she was ready to weep again； something with which Allegra and Octavia were being unfortably familiar。 〃I'm sorry！ I wish I could explain！ I don't mean to be disobedient； really I don't！〃
〃Your mate has been selected； Musica；〃 Tinsta said。 〃And he is Lieutenant Karno。 You will submit to this decision。〃
〃The survival of your own people requires it。〃 Jeddar pressured her。
She shook her head； her long； deep…green hair swinging around her face； moaning； 〃No。。。no。。。〃
〃Yes！〃 Jeddar shot back。 〃Disobedience cannot be tolerated！〃
Musica； moaning； seemed to undergo some sort of seizure。 Then she slumped to the deck。 Her sisters rushed to kneel by her。 The Clonemaster triumvirate gaped； finally； Jeddar found words。 〃This is far worse that I had imagined。〃
〃Has she ceased to live？〃 Lieutenant Karno asked numbly。
Jeddar replied； 〃She has fallen into what the Humans call a ‘faint。〃' A cold current rippled through him。 Until this moment； he had been sure that his Robotech Masters ultimately would be victorious。 But as Musica now knew emotions； so did Jeddar begin to know the meaning of doubt。
Everything was on schedule； and the relief force was expecting rendezvous with Marie's contingent； when the chilling news came。
〃Enemy ships spotted at mark seven niner； closing on us fast！〃
General quarters sounded； armor…shod feet pounding the deck as men and women rushed to battle stations。 Cannon and missile tubes were run forth from their turrets as the rust…red； whiskbroom…shaped assault ships of the Robotech Masters plunged at the relief force。
Fast…moving and mounting formidable firepower； the assault ships dodged the Terrans' shot patterns and began scoring hits almost immediately。 Hulls were penetrated by fusion…hot lances of energy； there were explosions and explosive depression in the breeched warcraft。 Southern Cross soldiers died in flames； in whirlwinds of shrapnel； and in vacuum。
Battlecruiser number three； the Austerlitz； disappeared in a fu