g something paternal。 These things troubled him in the brief moments when he wasn't doing his best to see that his entire mand wasn't obliterated。
〃Shuttle escort flight； prepare for launch； five minutes；〃 Sammie said； bent over her console。 She turned to Gloval。
〃Shuttle's ready； sir。 Lisa will be leaving in four minutes； fifty seconds。〃
CHAPTER TWO
Of course； idle hands are not the devil's workshop； that is a base canard。
Rather； it is the sort of hand that is always driven to be busy； turning itself to new machinations； keeping the brew boiling； that causes the most trouble。 Those who wish to dispute this might do well to consider what happened whenever Khyron grew restive。
Rawlins； Zentraedi Triumvirate： Dolza； Breetai； Khyron
Max Sterling； flight helmet cradled in his left arm； strode through the frenetic activity of the hangar deck and heard Sammie's voice echo over the PA。 〃Sammie's substituting for the mander；〃 he said。
At his side was a Skull Team replacement； Corporal Elkins； who had been transferred in from Wolf Team to help fill the gaps in Skull's ranks after the last pitched battle with the Zentraedi。 Elkins remarked； 〃I hope she stays calm。 Last time she had me flying figure eights around a radar mast。〃
Max chuckled； then forgot the joke； distracted。 〃Hey。〃
Elkins saw what Max meant。 The techs had rolled out a prototype ship； something everybody in the Veritech squadrons had heard about。 It was like the conventional VT； a sleek ultra…fighter； but two augmentation pods were mounted above its wing pivots。。
The conventional VTs were a kind of miracle in themselves； the most advanced use of the Robotechnology that humans had learned from the wreckage of the SDF…1 when the alien…built battle fortress had originally crashed on Earth twelve years before。 The SDF…1 had murderous teeth in the form of its mecha； its primary and secondary batteries； and its astoundingly powerful main gun； but the VTs were the ship's claws。 And this new； retrofitted model was the first of a more powerful generation； a major advance in firepower and performance。
〃Wouldn't that be something to fly？〃 Max murmured。 He hoped it checked out all right in test flights； the humans needed every edge they could get。
〃Whenever they're ready to give me one； I'll take it；〃 Elkins said。 〃Anyway； watch yourself up there； Max。〃
At the top of the shuttle boarding steps； Lisa said； 〃I've made notes on everything that might be a problem。〃
〃Don't worry about a thing；〃 Claudia told her。 Then she put her hands on Lisa's shoulders。 〃I'll see you back here in a few days； okay？〃
Lisa tried to smile。 What do you say to someone dearer than a sister？ 〃I hope so。 You look after things。〃 One of the ground crew whistled； and Lisa stepped back into the shuttle's entry hatch。
The mobile steps moved away from the tubby shuttle。 Claudia threw Lisa a salute for the first time in so long that neither of them could remember the last。 Lisa returned it smartly。 The round hatch swung to； emblazoned with the Robotech Defense Force insignia。
There were no other passengers； of course； contact with Earth had been all but nonexistent since the UEDC rulers decided that the dimensional fortress was to be a decoy； luring the enemy away from the planet。 Other than a few canisters of classified dispatches and so forth； she had the passenger partment to herself。
Lisa found a seat at the front of the partment； near a console； and asked a passing crewman； 〃Is this a secure line？〃
〃Aye aye； ma'am。 It's best to make any calls now； never can tell what glitches we'll run into outside。〃
〃I will。〃
He was wandering a quiet side street of Macross when the paging voice said； 〃Repeating： Lieutenant Rick Hunter； you have a call。〃
For a moment he wasn't even sure where he was； shuffling along in civvies that felt rather strange…the first time he'd worn anything but a uniform or a flightsuit in weeks。 He'd been brooding a lot longer； trying to sort things out； to understand his own feelings and face up to certain truths。
He went to one of the ubiquitous yellow phones and identified himself。 The ining call carried a secure…line encryption signal； keying the public phone with it。 While the machines went through their coding； Rick looked around to make sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop。
People were just passing by； not even sparing a glance for the pact black…haired young man at the phone。 He didn't mind that； he needed a few hours respite from being the Skull Team's leader…some time away from； the burden of mand。
He had been a cocky civilian when he first came aboard the dimensional fortress two years before。 He had been drawn into military service only grudgingly by Roy Fokker； his unofficial Big Brother…Claudia Grant's lover。 Rick Hunter had survived more dogfights than he could remember； had written so many condolence letters to the families of dead VT pilots that he forced himself not to think of them； had stood by at the funeral of Roy Fokker and others beyond counting。 He only wanted to shut them out of his mind。
He was not yet twenty…one years old。
The circuit was established。 〃Rick？ It's Lisa。〃
He felt as though he had been under observation as he walked the streets aimlessly。 Lisa and Minmei； Minmei and Lisa。 His brain failed him in that emotional cyclone where his feelings for the two women swirled and defied all analysis； all decision。
〃What can I do for you？〃 Ouch。 Wrong。 He knew that as soon as he said it； but it was too late。
〃I wanted to let you know； Rick。 I'm leaving the SDF…1。 I'm on my way to Earth to try to get them to stop the fighting。〃
He looked around again quickly to make sure no civilians had any chance of hearing。 There was enough unrest in the dimensional fortress without spreading new rumors and raising expectations that would in all probability be dashed。 At the same time； he felt an emptiness。 She's leaving！
〃Why wasn't I told ab…〃
〃It's all top secret。 Rick； I might not be allowed to e back。〃 Lisa cupped the handset to her； staring at it sadly； as the shuttle was moved onto the aircraft elevator for the trip to the flight deck。 Max Sterling's VT was next to it。
〃So。。。I want to tell you something；〃 she struggled。 Oh； say it！ Claudia's voice seemed to holler at her。 But she couldn't。
〃I appreciate all you've done； and it's been an honor serving with you；〃 Lisa said instead。 〃Your observations about our captivity in the alien headquarters will be an important part of my report when…〃
〃What are you talking about； Lisa？〃 Something that had been murky to him moments ago was crystal clear now。 〃I don't care about reports or anything else if you can't e back here！〃
Tell him！ Say it！ But she ignored the voice； couldn't face the rejection。 He loved the luminous superstar； Minmei； and Minmei cared for him。 Who could pete with that？
She found herself saying； 〃Please watch over the Zentraedi defectors； Rick。 A lot of our people haven't had time to reason things out yet； and the aliens are in danger。〃
The stubby shuttle was on the flight deck； boxed up for launch by the cat crew； the hookup people clear； the blast deflector raised up from the deck behind the spacecraft。 Off to one side； Max's VT swept its wings out and raised its vertical stabilizers。
Lisa held the handset tenderly。 〃We're launching。 Good…bye。 And thanks again。〃
〃What？ Wait！〃 But the circuit was dead。
He got up to an observation deck just in time to watch a tiny cluster of distant lights； the drives of the formed…up flight； dwindle into the darkness。
〃Shuttle craft and escorts proceeding according to flight plan；〃 Vanessa told Gloval quietly。 Nobody had actually said that Lisa's flight was to be monitored so closely； but no one had objected to the idea； either； and the Terrible Trio were keeping close tabs。
Back at her duty station； Claudia was alert to every nuance of voice； like everyone else there。 When Vanessa said； 〃Captain！〃 in a clipped； alarmed tone； Claudia's heart skipped a beat。
〃Elements of the Zentraedi fleet are redeploying。 They're on intercept course； closing in on the shuttle。〃
Gloval looked over his situation displays； threat boards； puter projections。 Claudia kept one eye on the board； one on Gloval。
He sounded very calm。 Now that battle had e； he was a well of tranquility。 〃Order them to take evasive action as necessary or return to the SDF…1 if possible。〃
Claudia almost blurted out a plea to send reinforcements； but she could read the displays as well as anyone。 More Zentraedi forces were moving into place； apparently to cut the shuttle off from the dimensional fortress。 Pummeled and undermanned； the SDF…1 could ill afford to risk an entire VT team to save one shuttle and its escorts。
No matter who might die。
Alarms and emergency Hashers brought Lisa out of a dim gray despair。 The shuttle pilot was announcing； 〃Enemy craft approaching。 All hands； general quarters。 Secure for general quarters。〃
There was a heavy grinding sound as sections of padded armor shielding slid up into place around Lisa's seat。 She calmly pulled her briefcase into the questionable safety of the metal cocoon with her； securing her acceleration harness； and the ship's drive pressed her back into the seat's cushioning。
Max Sterling accepted the news almost amicably。 The heritage that was the fighter pilot's proud tradition remained strong。 Dying was sometimes unavoidable； but losing one's cool was inexcusable。
〃Enemy approaching on our six；〃 he said； with less emotion than most people used talking about the weather。 〃Form up in gamma deployment and stick with your wingmen。〃
The other VTs rogered and moved to ply。 Max was going to give Lisa an encouraging wave； but the armored cocoon had already swallowed her up。
He peeled off to take up his own position。 The aerodynamic maneuvers of the VTs looked strange in the airlessness and zero g of space； but the pilots came from a naval aviation tradition。 They thought a certain way about flying； and thinking was half the key to Robotechnology。 The aerodynamic maneuvers wasted power； but Robotechnology had plenty of that。
Max hoped this was another feint。 Like Gloval and many others； he had noticed that there seemed to be two distinct factions…almost a schizophrenia…among the enemy。 One side was playing a waiting game； determined to capture the SDF…1 intact for reasons that the humans still couldn't guess and that the low…ranking defectors； not privy to strategic information； couldn't clarify。
The other element…rash； unpredictable； almost irrational…mounted sudden； vicious attacks on the dimensional fortress； apparently intent on destroying it with no thought to the consequences。 It was being clear that the enemy mander responsible for this had a name known to； and even feared by； all Zentraedi。
Khryon the Backstabber。
〃mander； the target has changed course；〃 a Zentraedi pod pilot said； the facebowl of his bat armor lit by his instruments。 〃And the Micronian fighters are redeploying for intercept。〃
The alien mecha； two dozen and more； were in attack formation…huge ovoid bodies quilled with cannon muzzles； mounted on long reverse…articulated legs so that they resembled headless ostriches。 Most would have been consi