r them； and green rays ricocheted from surface to surface。 Walls blew out into the corridor； sending pieces of shredded armor plate whirling like leaf fragments。
〃The reactor's overloading！〃 she yelled over the din。
Rick somehow ran the dimly lit obstacle course； Lisa's head buried against his chest in case the canopy shattered。 After several centuries' time juking and sideslipping through the maze of Alaska Base； the Guardian was back into the vertical shaft of what had been Earth's greatest weapon less than an hour before。
The last layer of defensive ships was riven apart by the irresistible wedge of the allied force。 Before them hung Dolza's headquarters like some lumpy； dangling overripe fruit。
But Dolza didn't run； that wasn't the way of the true Zentraedi warrior； and Dolza embodied the Zentraedi warrior code。 It was as Breetai had known it would be。 Instead； the moonlet…size headquarters came straight at its enemies； surrounded by such escort vessels as it could gather around it。
〃Objective now approaching；〃 Vanessa reported。
〃All units in position；〃 Kim sang out。
〃Target within range。 Stand by； all batteries；〃 Sammie said into her mike。
〃All escort fighters； break contact and attack objective immediately；〃 Claudia ordered。 She paused for a quick glance at the headquarters。 Its shape and lines and apparent texture reminded her so much of a mountain in space； falling straight at the SDF…1。 Ready to crush them and the Zentraedi who had bee humanity's friends； ready to crush everything in its path； as had always been the Zentraedi way。
Claudia's face hardened along grim； angry lines。 Not this time。 She thought of her slain lover； Roy Fokker； and of all the others who had died in the pointless war。 But not this time！
Exedore； still at Gloval's shoulder； said softly； 〃Now； Captain。〃
It was as if someone had run a high current through Gloval。 〃Open fire！〃 he barked。
The SDF…1 fired again； in every direction； her carefully hoarded power being used at a fearsome rate now； at a moment that was late in the battle even though only minutes had elapsed。
The armada ships of Breetai fell away to all sides to engage the enemy or lend support as they could。 The final mission was the dimensional fortress's alone； and no other vessel in existence could perform it or acpany the ship。
The giant warrior shape's thrusters blared； adjusting attitude； and now the SDF…1 came at Dolza's stronghold headfirst。
〃Brace for ramming！〃 Gloval bellowed； and the orders went forth。 The engines shook the great ship and drove it in a death dive。
The two great booms that reared above the ship's head like wings were now aligned directly at the space mountain that was Dolza's headquarters； the nerve center of the Grand Fleet。 The booms were separate parts of the main gun； reinforced structures that were； with the exception of the mammoth engines； the strongest parts of the ship。 And around their tips glowed the green…white fields of a limited barrier defense； making them all but indestructible。
The SDF…1 plunged at its objective； Dolza's technical operations people； prepared for an exchange of close broadsides； realized only in a last； horrified moment what the dimensional fortress's intention was。 By then； it was too late。
The idea of being rammed hadn't occurred to them； no other vessel could have done it。 Even Breetai's flagship could have caused Dolza's base little more damage that way than a child could inflict by crashing a kiddie car into Gibraltar。
But this was Zor's final creation； a machine that incorporated most of what he had learned about Protoculture and the secrets of Robotechnology。 The booms went through the thick armor of the headquarters moonlet as if it were soft cheese。 The SDF…1 was like some enormous stake being driven into the heart of the Grand Fleet。
Once the dimensional fortress was inside the outermost layers of the headquarters' armor plating； Dolza's stupendous ship was even more vulnerable。 Bulkheads were smashed out of the way like aluminum foil； structural members snapped like toothpicks。 The directed barrier shields glowed brighter but held。
An ocean of air began leaking from the headquarters； and the dying started at once。 Power junctions and energy routing； severed or crushed； sent serpents of writhing electrical and Protoculture lightning into the thinning air and serpentining along the bulkheads and decks。
The SDF…1 brought its mighty forearms； the supercarriers Daedalus and Prometheus； into play。 Their bows； too； had been reinforced and mantled with directed barrier shields。 Like a giant punching his way through an enemy castle； the ship drove on； destroying all that was in its path； its thrusters making it an irresistible force。
Zentraedi were whirled through the air like dust motes in the tremendous atmospheric currents being sucked toward the opening the SDF…1 had made。 They died in explosions and were torn apart； ground up； squashed to jelly； or impaled by the flying； whirling wreckage。
Through it all； Minmei sang。 She knew the song was no longer a part of any surprise attack； but she felt…now that if she stopped； it might bring about some disastrous halt in the desperate attack。 It was as if her song was what was making it all happen； it was a form of magic that she couldn't stop in midspell。
Then the dimensional fortress was opening up with conventional weapons。 X…ray lasers and missile tubes； cannon and pulsed beams hammered away at everything before and around them。 The ship's path was often obscured by the demon's brew of flame and explosion all around。
Minmei watched； transfixed； at the huge sweep of viewport and sang； wondering if the universe was about to end。 Because that was how it looked from where she stood。
But moments later； as suddenly as the drawing aside of a curtain； the SDF…1 broke out into a vast； open place。 Behind it was a tunnel with its mouth edged by jagged； bent…out superalloy plate。 The Zentraedi gaped as it drifted across the vast space within the headquarters mountain。
Gloval knew the timing had to be split second and perfect； and he had no leisure for preparation。
There were quite a few enemy vessels still inside the gargantuan base； something Gloval had been hoping against。 But they were all at rest； unable to maneuver or open fire for seconds more at least； perhaps as much as a half minute。 In a battle like this； that was an eternity。
〃Prepare to execute final barrage！〃 he snapped as his bridge crew bent to their work。 〃Then full power to barrier shield！〃
Missile ports opened to let loose the last volley the SDF…1 was capable of firing； the do…or…die knockout punch Gloval had saved for this moment。 The fortress's heaviest projectiles…Deca missiles the size of old…fashioned ICBMs； Piledrivers as big as sub…launched nukes…were readied for firing。
The bows of the flatdecks opened like sharks' mouths； revealing racks of smaller Hammerhead and Bighorn missiles。
〃Target acquisition on their main reflex furnace；〃 Gloval ordered。
But Claudia was way ahead of him。 〃Target locked in； all missiles； sir；〃 she said。
In his mand post； the looming Dolza tried to believe what he saw before him。 〃What are they doing？ They'll destroy us all！〃
If the reflex furnace went； the resulting explosion would certainly destroy the base and everything in it； and quite possibly all ships in both fleets and even the planet nearby。 But that didn't seem to be daunting the Micronians。
This isn't war！ Dolza screamed within himself。 It's madness！
So the tiny creatures were willing to die in order to avoid the disgrace of defeat。
They are more like us than I thought！ Dolza realized。 They have some source of strength we must learn。 What allies they would snake in a war against the Robotech Masters！
〃Wait！〃 he bellowed。
〃Fire！〃 Gloval roared on SDF…1's bridge。
The missiles gushed from the battle fortress； the smaller； faster ones getting a quick lead and leaving corkscrewing white trails。 The heavier ones took a bit longer to get up to speed； but they quickly overtook and passed their little siblings。 All angled in； on assorted vectors； for the base's reflex furnaces。
But Gloval had dismissed them f