to explain better。 〃It's not true； it's。。。simply for enjoyment。〃
Exedore decided to table that for now； he knew the enjoyment he found in the ancient lore and history of the Zentraedi； but those were factual。 〃Then what about your energy barrier and destruction waves？〃
〃These are merely defensive and offensive weapons based on technology discovered in this ship when it originally crashed on Earth。〃
〃Ah； but you've forgotten the Protoculture！〃 Exedore said slyly。 〃The great genius of the Robotech Masters' race； Zor； hid the secrets of Protoculture and its last great manufacturing source in this vessel before he dispatched it here。〃
Now； at last； Gloval was seeing some of the aliens' cards； and he was sure the talks were worth it。 All the questions of who the Robotech Masters were； who Zor was and why he had picked Earth； had to be set aside； intriguing as they were。 The life of the human race might be measurable in hours； even minutes。
Gloval opened a fne。 〃I think we're ready for Dr。 Lang now。〃
Lang entered； the greatest mind of his time； an intellect worthy to sit with Newton and Einstein and yet a man frustrated by the many mysteries of Robotechnology。 He had been monitoring the exchanges in a waiting room and was eager to talk to Exedore。
The Zentraedi； Minmei and Kyle； and the others there who had never seen Lang before got a bit of a shock and understood why he shunned the limelight。 Normal…looking in every other way； the man had eyes that seemed to be all dark； liquid iris…no pupil or white。
Gloval remembered that day well； hours after the SDF…1's crash in 1999； when he； Lang； and a few others had first boarded the smoking wreck。 They had discovered an astounding technology； fearsome mecha guardians； and bewildering time paradoxes。
They had also discovered a recorded warning that they couldn't fathom。 And Lang； yielding to an unquenchable thirst for more knowledge； more interface； had somehow subjected himself to direct contact with whatever it was that animated the ship。 That was when his eyes changed； when he himself became different； as if he were hearing celestial music。 Nevertheless； it was his genius that had allowed the rebuilding of the SDF…1 and the construction of the Robotech Defense Force。
Now； Lang said to Exedore； 〃We've heard Protoculture mentioned many times； Emissary。 Will you tell me now what it is？〃
Exedore's brows shot up。 〃You mean you still insist that you Micronians don't know？ Protoculture is the most powerful energy source in the universe。〃
Lang's deep； dark eyes bored into him。 〃I have been able to find nothing of that nature in this vessel； and I've been searching since your fleet first arrived in the solar system。 But I believe I know what has happened。 Will you e with me； please？〃
Gloval rose but told the others； 〃You will all kindly remain here； please。〃
The jeep was waiting； and the trip through the huge passages and byways of the battle fortress took only a few minutes。 Very shortly they were in the engineering section； just forward of the huge reflex engines that were the ship's power plant。
They were in a large partment that had once held the ship's spacefold apparatus。 Now there was some leftover machinery from the pin…point barrier system that had been the ship's main defensive weapon on its precarious trip across the solar system。 As there had been for years； there were also the lights。
〃When the Zentraedi first attacked Earth； we made our spacefold jump to get to safety；〃 Lang was explaining。 〃We had no time to experiment； no time to test。 A jump that was meant to take us beyond our moon's orbit took us instead to the orbit of Pluto。〃
〃I remember well；〃 Exedore said； scratching his cheek； staring at the giant； almost…empty partment。
〃You made the jump too close to the planetary surface； we were convinced that you were suicidal。〃
〃You gave us no choice；〃 Gloval said in a low voice； thinking back to the appalling devastation and loss of life that day。 He did his best to put it from his mind。
〃But in the wake of the jump；〃 Lang went on； 〃the spacefold apparatus just。。。disappeared。 Utterly！ Simply faded from view and was never seen again。 And in its place were those。〃
Lang meant the lights： darting； glowing sparks； fireflies and tiny ets that swarmed and drifted through the space where the spacefold apparatus had once been。 Exedore turned to him。 〃May I borrow some of those instruments you've brought； Doctor？〃
It took only a little time to prove his suspicions。 〃Ah； yes： definite residual Protoculture signature here； but the Matrix is gone。 And I detect no other great manufacturing mass； only the lesser animating charges of your weapons and the reflex furnaces。〃
Exedore lowered the detector numbly。 〃The secrets of Zor； gone！ This long war fought for nothing！〃
Lang patted Exedore's shoulder miseratingly。 〃Perhaps someday we will find it again； who can say？〃
Gloval was shocked to see how quickly the two had bee easy in each other's pany。 〃I think we'd better get back to the hearing room；〃 the captain said。 〃We still have a great deal to talk about。〃
Deep within the sealed fastness of the mighty reflex engines； something stirred and then was quiet again。 It could not be detected by Lang's relatively primitive instruments； was capable of hiding itself even from the Zentraedi's scanners at this range。
As Zor had provided； the last Protoculture Matrix was safe； biding its time； waiting until his great Vision should e to pass。
〃It does appear we've made a great mistake；〃 Exedore confessed when they were all back in their places。 〃But！ You cannot possibly deny the power of the female's singing！〃
〃I wouldn't dream of it；〃 Gloval responded simply； drawing a doubtful look from Colonel Maistroff。
But Bron was on his feet。 〃He won't deny it because it's true！〃
〃Minmei's song has incredible power！〃 Rico added； jumping up too。
Minmei； for her part； gave a shy smile that seemed to have some secret wisdom behind it。
〃This is not the first time the Zentraedi have encountered something like this；〃 Exedore told them all。 〃A very long time ago we were exposed to a culture like yours； and it nearly destroyed us。〃
〃How do you mean that？〃 Gloval was quick to ask。
Exedore's protruding； pinpoint eyes roamed the room。 〃To a Zentraedi； fighting is a way of life。 Our entire history is made up of nothing but battle after glorious battle。 However； exposure to an emotionally open society like yours made our soldiers refuse to fight。
〃This； of course； could not be tolerated； and the infection had to be cleansed。 Loyal soldiers and the Robotech Masters themselves came in to exterminate all those who had been exposed to the source of the contagion。〃
The three spies in particular were pale and silent。 The rest looked at one another。 Exedore went on。 〃Dolza； our supreme mander； will do everything in his power to avoid making the mistake our ancestors did。 When and if he reads my report； he will certainly launch an all…out attack on Earth； especially in light of the fact that the Protoculture Matrix is no longer on the SDF…1。〃
Gloval's eyes shifted to Rick。 〃That's the same one mentioned in your report？〃
Rick licked his lips。 〃Yes； sir。〃 Almost five million warships！
Exedore nodded。 〃I know what you're thinking。 But you see； these new developments…the defections； the Minmei cult； the mating of our greatest warrior with one of your pilots…change the entire picture。〃
He looked around at them； the center of their riveted attention。 〃For； you see；〃 Exedore said； 〃unless some solution can be found； we…Breetai's forces…are in as great a danger from Dolza and the Grand Fleet as you。〃
Breetai sat in his chair in the mand station overlooking his flagship's bridge。
A projecbeam drew a two…dimensional image of Azonia in the air； the woman who had replaced him in the war against the humans； failed to bring it to a successful conclusion； and been replaced in turn by Breetai。
〃mander！〃 she began。 〃How long do you intend to allow this situation to continue？〃 She was a mediumsize； intense Zentraedi female with a quick mind and high aspirations。 Her short； frizzy hairstyle puffed within the confinement of her hig