premely athletic looking young woman whose poster popularity in Macross City was second only to Minmei's。
〃Ee； er； oh； th…that picture on the building over there；〃 Exedore got out at last； looking like he was having a malaria attack。 〃Would you mind explaining it？〃 He forced his gaze to the floor of the staff car。
Maistroff reached up to the back of his cap and tilted the visor down over his eyes to keep good form with the minister； coughing into his other hand。 〃Well； actually； it's a little hard to explain。〃
Exedore crossed his skinny arms on his narrow chest and nodded wisely。 〃Aha！ A military secret； no doubt！ Very clever！ Indeed！〃
Maistroff didn't even want to think about what damage he might have done to interspecies relations…didn't want to plicate things。
He tilted his visor farther down。 〃Right； that's it。 Classified。〃
The motorcade raced for the conference room。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
RUSSO： What are they doing up there； Alexei？ Don't those RDF pantywaists of yours even know how to fight？
ZUKAV： I believe that what we should worry about； Senator； is that they and the aliens are teaching each other how not to。
Exchange believed to have taken place between Senator Russo and Marshal Zukav of the UEDC
The SDF…1 and the flagship faced each other； unmoving across a narrow gap of space； almost eyeball to eyeball。
Gloval left instructions with Claudia that she open fire with the main gun if there was any hostile action at all。 A few minutes later he sat at a judicial bench in the ship's biggest hearing chamber with Colonel Maistroff on his right； an intelligence major to the left； zing down at Exedore。 Except for a few functionaries； the place was empty。
The misshapen little fellow fell far short of Gloval's mental image of a ravaging alien warmonger； the captain had to admit to himself。 If anything； he seemed rather。。。prissy。
〃At last we meet face to face； Captain；〃 the alien said in a not…uncordial voice； glancing at him from the distant witness stand。
〃Yes；〃 Gloval allowed。
An attractive young female ensign brought a tray and put a glass of orange juice where Exedore could reach it。 Gloval and the others watched Exedore's reaction to the woman closely； but apparently he had gotten his responses under control as he merely nodded his head in gratitude。
Exedore raised the glass and took a cautious sip。 The flavor was delightful； but the beverage had a certain savor； something he couldn't define。 It was something dizzying； almost electric。
〃Mmm。 This is very refreshing。〃 He looked up at her。 〃What is it？〃
She checked with Gloval by eye to make sure that it was all right to answer。 Gloval gave the barest nod； which Exedore in turn caught。 〃It's orange juice； sir。 From our own hydroponics orchards。〃
Exedore didn't quite understand for a moment。 When he spoke； he tried to keep the tremor from his voice。 〃You mean； you grow it？〃
She looked a little confused。 〃We grow the fruit the juice es from。〃
〃Ah； yes； just so。 That is what I meant。〃 He downed the rest of the orange juice to hide his amazement。
These creatures consumed food that had been alive！ Who knew； perhaps they consumed things that still were alive！ He shuddered and reminded himself that this was only the juice of a plant； but his self…control was tested thoroughly。
Here was something those three imbecile spies hadn't mentioned； or had perhaps omitted from their reports on purpose； or had even failed to realize。 Zentraedi food； of course； was synthesized from its chemical constituents； that was as it had always been； by the decree of the Robotech Masters。 To eat living or once…living food was to risk the consumption of rudimentary energies somewhat related to Protoculture。
Exedore finished the glass so as to give no hint of what he was thinking…fearing。 It crossed his mind that perhaps these men were testing him。 If so； he would reveal nothing。
〃That was very refreshing；〃 he enthused。
The ensign gave him a bright smile。 〃Here； have another。〃 She picked up the empty and gave him a full one from her tray。
〃If you insist；〃 he said lightly。
Gloval was rubbing his dark mustache。 To Maistroff； he said； 〃I think we're missing some people； aren't we？〃
〃Some。〃 The colonel nodded。 〃But they should be arriving any minute now。 In fact； this may be them。〃
He was indicating the door signal。 Max and Miriya entered； both in RDF uniform。 Max snapped off a sharp salute。 〃Sir。 Reporting as ordered。〃
Exedore was on his feet； the drink put aside。 〃Ah！ Hello； Quadrono Leader！〃
She gasped as she turned to him and saluted by reflex。 〃I'm sorry； sir； I didn't realize you were the emissary。〃
He shrugged to say it was unimportant。 〃I found your pairing ritual…marriage？…quite。。。provocative。〃
She didn't know what to say。 〃You are probably wondering why we did it。〃
〃Yes； just as you're no doubt wondering what 1 am doing here。 And this must be the male half of your pair。〃
Suddenly Miriya looked young and a little forlorn； standing before the great genius of her race； the Eldest； the repository of all Zentraedi lore。 〃Ah； that's right； sir。〃
〃Gee； y' don't sound too thrilled about it；〃 Max murmured。 He almost gave in to his impulse to take her in his arms and kiss her； top brass or no； and remind her emphatically of what their pairing really meant。
But just then Rick Hunter reported as ordered； saluting。 Then he spied Max； who was in a bit of a snit。 〃Hey； you don't look so good；〃 Rick confided。
Exedore was still on his feet。 Now； he pointed at Rick and Max； yelling； 〃That's it！〃 He clucked to himself。 〃The micronization process must have affected my memory！ You're two of the hostages from Dolza's flagship； aren't you？〃
〃Does somebody want to tell me what's going on here？〃 Rick asked slowly。
〃This time the circumstances are a bit different；〃 Exedore rattled on excitedly。 〃But tell me： How did you and the others manage to escape？ Was it some hidden Micronian power？〃
What had really happened was that Max had e aboard in a Battloid disguised in a Zentraedi uniform； but Rick wasn't sure he should let that particular cat out of the bag。 He didn't see Gloval or the others giving him any help； so he improvised； 〃Uh； I guess you could say that。〃
The frail little emissary sat； fingering his jaw。 〃Hm； another one of your military secrets。〃 It was all so confusing and illogical； even to him。 Who knew what eons of eating live food had done to these creatures？
The door signaled again； and Gloval said； 〃Here are the others now。〃 Rico； Bron； and Konda filed into the hearing chamber。 They caught sight of him and cringed as he gave them a death's…head smile。
〃It's Minister Exedore！〃 they all yelped at once； looking like mice facing a hungry lynx。
〃I did not expect to see the instigators of our mass defection show up here today；〃 he remarked。
Trembling； Rico drew himself up。 〃Your Excellency； it wasn't our fault！〃
〃That's right！ It was just something that we couldn't help！〃 Konda put in。 And the stout Bron maintained； 〃We had no control； sir！〃
Exedore brushed that aside with a prim flick of his fingers。 〃You may relax。 I have no intention of harming you。〃
The breath they let out was audible as they wilted with relief。 When everyone was seated； Colonel Maistroff said； 〃Captain Gloval； the ship's puter will record the proceedings。〃
Gloval squared his cap away。 〃Very good； let us begin。〃 To Exedore he said； 〃Minister； we are unclear as to the exact purpose of your mission here。 You've told us very little so far。 Won't you please enlighten us？〃
Exedore's eyes swept across them。 〃Your curiosity is understandable； but…not everyone is present yet； Captain。〃
〃What？〃 Maistroff growled under his breath。
〃We would like to know more about two of your kind； gentlemen。 The first possesses powers and fighting skills that are truly extraordinary； and there is a female who is the core of your psychological assault。〃
〃Incredible；〃 mumbled Gloval； watching Exedore。
Colonel Maistroff had read some of the defector debriefing reports。 In an aside to Gloval he said； 〃I think he means that movie； Little White Dragon。 They must've seen it too； and think Lynn…Kyle's movie stunts were for real