h a certain pilot's superstition on what he had said to the men in the alley。 Perhaps the taboos were right and it was lethal bad luck to talk about not ing back。
〃The escorts are outnumbered；〃 Kim called over her shoulder without taking her eyes from her instruments。
〃More pods closing in on them！〃 Vanessa added。 〃Cutting off the shuttle's escape。〃
Gloval sat slumped in his mand chair with his cap visor pulled down low over his eyes。 A Veritech flight couldn't possibly get there in time； and he didn't have them to spare。 But。。。
〃How long would it take the armored Veritech prototype to make it there？〃
Sammie already had the figures。 〃Approximately four minutes from launch at max boost。〃
Claudia bit her lower lip； watching Gloval。 The captain's head came up。 〃Prepare it for launch！〃
Claudia relayed the order； sending up a silent prayer； while Sammie asked； 〃Who'll be flying it； sir？〃
〃Get Lieutenant Hunter to the hangar deck at once。 Tell him we don't know how much longer Sterling can hold out。〃
The ship's PA and a few seconds on a circuit had Rick on his way； anxious and very intense； in a mandeered jeep he flagged down in the middle of a Macross boulevard。 The enlisted driver was a capable man who liked having an excuse to break all traffic laws。
Rick suited up virtually on the run； and minutes later the aircraft elevator was lifting the humpbacked…looking armored VT to the flight deck。
〃Lieutenant； your destination is Lambda thirty…four；〃 Sammie told him over the mand net。
〃Lambda thirty…four？ What're you talking about？〃
On the bridge； Claudia turned to Sammie。 〃Didn't you see to it that all pilots had the new map…reference codes？〃
Sammie looked devastated。 〃I was so swamped…I didn't think he'd need one until he went on duty later。〃
Aircraft status was relayed； the armored VT was boxed and ready for launch。 Sammie gritted her teeth； ignoring the silent stares of the rest of the bridge watch； especially the ominous quiet from Gloval。 She couldn't let her mistake spell Lisa's death！
Sammie opened the mike again； concentrating； eyes shut； matching coordinates and codes by memory。 〃Coordinates in superseded code are at Weasel twenty…one！〃
Rick launched without taking time to acknowledge。 The armored VT poured on speed like nothing any other human…produced mecha had ever demonstrated。 A single man in an untested ship； flying out against terrible odds…and if he lost； the woman who was humanity's best hope for peace would die too。
From the first； Max had known that the chances of help arriving from the SDF…1 were slim。 Now he was resigned to the fact that there would be no help； though he didn't let on to the dwindling survivors of the escort flight。
The other VT pilots had flown well and bravely； their kill ratio was high； but still they went down to oblivion； one by one； in the silent globular explosions of a space rat race…a mass dogfight。 Max Sterling flew like no pilot before him； a grim reaper； a deadly wraith； an undefeatable mecha demon in the form of a Battloid。
The Battloid changed vectors and zoomed out of a pod's salvo； jamming some of its missiles with ECM equipment and dodging the rest； a masterful performance。 Max turned the gatling on it and hosed it with a tracer…bright stream of heavyweight rounds； blowing it away。
But still the enemy came； and more were arriving。 It looked like a day for dying。
He turned to get back with Elkins； to stick together and protect the shuttle to the last。 But Elkins's ship vanished in an ugly blossom of fire and shrapnel。 The escort had been whittled down to five。 Four times that number came in at them now。
Hanging back from the action in his Officer's Pod； Khyron watched gleefully。 He suspected that the enemy leader； the amazingly fast and deadly blue…trimmed Veritech； was the same one who had sent so many Zentraedi to defeat and death…had even humbled the vaunted Miriya； female ace of aces of the Quadronos。
Khyron was in no hurry to lead the attack and tangle with the Micronian devil in person； it would be enough to dispose of the rest of his mand by attrition and pull the Veritech wizard to bits by sheer weight of numbers。 Then； Khyron would have a boast to fling in Miriya's face and the faces of all the others who secretly laughed at him！
More pods converged。 But at that moment a newer arrived。
〃Only one；〃 a pod pilot reported； and Khyron dismissed the matter coldly。 One more Veritech wouldn't matter now。
His opinion changed a moment later。 The fighter accelerated to unprecedented speeds； maneuvering more nimbly than any Micronian mecha ever had。 Its humpbacked profile didn't match any puter ID。
Then the strange new machine let forth a storm of fire： murderously fast and accurate missiles of some new type； autocannon rounds with even greater velocity； delivering far more kinetic energy on impact； phased…array laser blasts as powerful； at close range； as any plasma bolt。
The new arrival； faster than the escort leader； was in and out among the pods； striking and vanishing； blowing two Zentraedi mecha to smithereens and going on to take out another while the first two explosions were still ballooning。
Suddenly； the pods were like so many fat pigeons before the attack of a rocket…driven hawk。
Rick's initial success was so overwhelming； so pronounced and irresistible； that he got careless。
After seeing a dozen and more of the ambushers go up in flames； he began the switch to Guardian mode。 But he'd forgotten what a hot ride he had； and the ship's sudden retro thrust almost put his head through the instrument panel and split his thinking cap down the middle。
He barely recovered； shaking his head； the breath knocked from him by the strain of the safety harness across his torso。 Trembling； he got control of himself and his ship and pressed the fight again。
And once more the Zentraedi pods were fat targets at his mercy。 He went swooping in at them； the VT laying out a staggering volume of fire； skeeting pods as if they were clay targets。
Khyron had seen enough； he had no desire to go up against this bewilderingly fast； fearsomely armed intruder。 He made sure his own withdrawal was well under
way before he ordered his troops back。
It didn't mean his thirst for revenge was slaked； of course； if anything； it was worse。 It was a constant torment now； it would be until he destroyed the enemy insects once and for all。
Max's report came over the bridge speakers。 〃The enemy has broken contact and withdrawn。 The shuttle has sustained minimal damage and is continuing on。
〃With your permission； I am returning to the SDF…1 with the remaining escort ships； due to damage suffered during the attack。 Lieutenant Hunter will escort the shuttle to Earth。〃
Gloval granted permission。 To Claudia's doubtful look； he responded； 〃That armored Veritech has so much speed and firepower； it's the equal of ten regular fighters。〃
And a thousand more like it wouldn't put us on an equal footing with our foe； he thought to himself。 Still； we must have as many as we can； as fast as we can！
Sammie stretched and yawned。 〃I'm exhausted！ I wish mander Hayes was back。〃
Claudia glared at her。 〃We almost lost her permanently with that code snafu of yours！〃
Sammie looked dismayed； young and tearful； she was even more upset by the danger to Lisa than by Claudia's temper； which could lead to very serious problems for anyone who angered the bridge officer。
But Claudia softened after a moment。 After all； Sammie had pulled things out of the fire。
〃That's okay； kiddo；〃 Claudia said； turning back to her console。 〃Everybody learns from mistakes。〃
Gloval thought about that； silently gazing through the forward viewport。 Did that apply to the Zentraedi； too？ And the UEDC rulers？
Could they all be convinced the war was a catastrophic mistake？
The protective shielding swung back to show Lisa a passenger partment that seemed unaffected by the battle。 She was still a little winded and bruised from the tossing around she had taken in the padded； armored cocoon。
The shuttle pilot had kept her abreast of the battle and she felt a bit limp with relief。 It was so vital that she get to Earth； tha