vie； Little White Dragon。 They must've seen it too； and think Lynn…Kyle's movie stunts were for real。〃
Little White Dragon was the first feature film produced on the SDF…1。 It featured Lynn…Kyle in some spectacular stunts and fights； downing ferocious giants with his fighting arts and using a death beam that he could shoot from his hand thanks to an enchanted medallion。
〃There is clearly a misunderstanding here；〃 Gloval told Maistroff。 To Exedore he declared； 〃I can't think of anyone who would be at the core of a psychological assault。 It would be helpful if you could be more specific about this female。〃
Exedore blinked at him with bulging； pinpoint…pupiled eyes。 〃She appears to be performing some kind of ritual。 A strange little chant。〃
Bron leaned over to his fellow ex…spies。 〃Do you think he means…〃
〃No！ He couldn't！〃 Konda whispered。
〃Sure he could！〃 snarled Rico。
〃You know；〃 Exedore said impatiently。 And he rose to stand next to the witness chair； strike a coquettish pose； and sing：
Stage fright； go 'way；
This is my big day！
Rick groaned； not wanting to be the first to say anything。 If he wasn't seeing what he thought he was seeing； Colonel Maistroff would probably report him to the flight surgeon and get him grounded on a mental。
But the three spies burst out； 〃He is talking about Minmei！〃
Exedore went on singing 〃Stage Fright〃 with a terrible； cracking falsetto that was seriously off key。 He struck poses and postures that looked like he was auditioning for Yum…Yum in an amateur production of The Mikado。
Gloval drew his head down into his high； rolled jacket collar like a turtle； making a low sound。 〃I do not believe this。〃
〃They must think Minmei's singing is a weapon of some kind；〃 Maistroff observed。
〃Have the girl brought here；〃 Gloval ordered。 〃And her cousin as well。〃 Then he tried to figure out what the most direct and yet diplomatic method would be for asking the emissary to please stop singing。
As soon as Minmei appeared in the doorway； Exedore cried； 〃That's her！ Yes！〃
She stood looking around like a startled deer。 A moment later； Kyle slouched into the room； sulking and hostile； saying； 〃I'm getting tired of being pushed around by the military。〃
〃Now；〃 Minmei said in a tired voice； 〃would someone mind explaining why it was so important for us to e here？〃
She was as beautiful as ever； delicate and haunting as a princess from a fairy tale； try as he would； Rick couldn't keep the familiar longing from welling up in him。
Kyle stepped before her as if to shield her from harm； glaring all around。 〃Don't expect any answers from them。 They only care about their fascist war schemes； they don't care about people； and they…〃
〃Enough of this nonsense！〃 Gloval thundered； and even the truculent Lynn…Kyle was a bit intimidated。 Exedore thought how like the great Breetai this Micronian mander was。
〃You will answer our questions；〃 Gloval said to the two of them。 〃These proceedings are strictly classified； and if you mention them to anyone； I will personally see that you rue this day。 You will give us your total cooperation。 Do you both understand？〃
〃Yes。〃 Minmei nodded。 When Kyle stood unspeaking； unresponsive； she put a hand to his shoulder。 〃They need our cooperation。 Hostility won't do us any good； don't you see？〃
Gloval had turned to Exedore； he let his irritation show in his voice。 〃Now； Mr。 Minister； if you would kindly tell us what your mission here is all about？〃 He began stoking up a favorite meerschaum。
〃All in its proper sequence；〃 Exedore said earnestly。 〃But I assure you： My reason for being here is of crucial importance for you as well as for the Zentraedi。〃
Gloval puffed out a blue cloud that his officers tried to ignore。 Reading this alien's mind is impossible； he reflected。 The song and dance had convinced him of that。 I'll just have to wait and hear him out。
In the UEDC's subterranean plex； Lisa Hayes sat at the end of long rows of techs who were manning monitor screens。 All attention was focused on the SDF…1； Lisa had gotten the impression； in subtle ways； that the world rulers were chewing their nails； waiting to see what would happen。
She had stopped wishing that she was back onboard to help in what was going on； it hurt too much。 The emergency； the shortage of good officers； the dangers of space travel during the current hostilities； the fact that she had had access to classified UEDC information； her value as an intelligence source…her father had a dozen justifications for keeping her right where she was； and there was little she could do about it。
Now； she stared up at her own master console。 The more she learned about the Grand Cannon； the more convinced she was that it would serve little purpose except to get the Zentraedi angrier。
She started； realizing that her father had e in to bend down near her。 The other technical officers and enlisted ratings kept diligently at their work； it was unwise to be seen letting one's attention stray when Admiral Hayes was around。
She was beginning to understand that her father wasn't a popular officer。 She had never found it easy to make friends； and now that she was known as the admiral's daughter； she was effectively frozen out。
She removed her headset in time to hear him say； 〃How do you like your new job？ Everything okay？〃
〃Fine； fine；〃 she lied； and attempted to smile。 〃I understand that the SDF…1 and the Zentraedi fleet have reached a cease…fire agreement。〃
〃That's what I hear；〃 her father said nonmittally。
She tried to sound as upbeat as she could。 〃Well； if things keep going this way； maybe we won't have to use the Grand Cannon； after all。
〃It's possible； but I doubt it。〃
She turned away； dropping her eyes in discouragement。 They were all so blind down here in their little rabbit warren！ Then she felt his hand on her shoulder。
〃Listen； Lisa。 We can't trust the Zentraedi； we have to prove what we can do。〃
It would do no good to tell him again that the SDF…1's main gun was easily a match for the Grand Cannon； and it hadn't kept the Zentraedi from waging their war。 The UEDC planners； engineers； and rulers had too much at stake and only scoffed when she tried to make the point。
He saw she wasn't going to yield the point； she simply gave up arguing it for the time being。 He turned to go； saying； 〃I have work to do。 If anything es up； I'll be in the central core。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Lisa said wearily。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I was close enough to Lang in those days to be certain that he had no confidential knowledge of the hidden Protoculture source to which Exedore was referring。 Had he but known the secret of those great； sealed reflex furnaces； he might have formulated an immortal update to Einstein's remark： Protoculture doesn't play dice with the universe； but It certainly knows how to palm an ace at the crucial moment！
Dr。 Lazlo Zand； On Earth As It Is in Hell： Recollections of the Robotech War
〃Officer Lynn…Kyle； what is your military rank？〃 Exedore asked in the vaulted hearing chamber。
Kyle gave him a surly look。 〃I'm a civilian。〃
Exedore made a brief； mocking chuckle。 〃With your superpowers？ I doubt it。〃
Kyle bared his teeth at the alien。 〃I have no idea what you're talking about！〃
Exedore looked around； confused。 He was satisfied that these Micronians were doing their best to； to 〃level with〃 him； as Colonel Maistroff had put it on the way over。
Gloval intervened。 〃Mr。 Minister； he's telling the truth。 This man possesses no superpowers。 For that matter； none of us in this room possess the powers you're referring to。〃
Gloval was taking a gamble。 The bluff of human superpowers hadn't made the enemy go away and couldn't be sustained for very long。 But there was something murky about the whole war； something that made him suspect that a basic breakdown in munication was responsible for the whole thing。 It was time for someone to try to get to the bottom of it。
〃But…we saw him on our monitors；〃 Exedore protested。
〃Oh； that was a movie； merely a form of entertainment；〃 Gloval replied； scratching his head to try to think how to explain better。 〃It's not true； it's。。。simply for enjoyment。〃
Exedore decided to table that f