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any further devastation. In this way, the Robotechnicians had done their job:
An alien attack had been averted.
Gloval was now forced to take a long hard look at the present situation
through the eyes of the Earth leaders. And through the eyes of the enemy.
Several possibilities presented themselves. The fate of the Earth might still
hang in the balance regardless of whether or not the SDF-1 was captured,
destroyed, or surrendered. If the Council was thinking along those lines, then
perhaps work was under way on some unimaginable weapons defense system, and
time was what they needed most-time that the SDF-1 could buy for them. But if
the ship was the enemy's central concern, it would occur to the aliens sooner
or later to use their superior firepower to hold the Earth hostage. And how
could one compare the loss of 50,000 lives to the annihilation of an entire
planet?
Sadly, there was something about the short message that led Gloval to
believe that Earth had already written them off.
When the Captain looked up, he realized that Lisa, Claudia, and the
others were staring at him, waiting for his reaction.
Full of false confidence, he stood up and said:
"We're changing course."
The Zentraedi had grown so accustomed to the Micronians' erratic
behavior and unpredictability that it hardly surprised them when the SDF-1
repositioned itself. Where at one time they would have puzzled over the
situation and analyzed its strategic implications, they now simply altered
their plans accordingly. And it just so happened in this instance that the
course change was easy to accommodate.
Breetai and Exedore communicated their attack plan to Grel, acting
liaison officer for the Botoru's Seventh Division-Breetai refused to have any
further direct dealings with Khyron. Grel relayed the information to his
commander.
Khyron received him in his quarters onboard the battle cruiser. He had
been using the dried leaves again, a habit he turned to in tranquil times, and
ingested one as Grel spoke.
"They've changed course?"
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"Yes, my lord. Already they have recrossed the orbit of the fourth
planet, and our course projections show them closing on the system's planetoid
belt."
"Hmm, yes, they seem to fear deep space. Go on."
"While the Noshiran and Harmesta assault groups are engaging the enemy,
we are to choose a planetoid of suitable makeup and sufficient size and
destroy it. It is Commander Breetai's belief that the Micronians will raise
their shields against the resultant debris-"
"Shunting power for the shields from their main battery weapons system."
"Such is Breetai's belief. With their main gun inoperable and their
Battloids engaged, Zor's ship will be rendered helpless."
Khyron slapped the table. "Then we move in for the kill!"
"No, Commander."
"What then?"
"Warning shots across the bow of the ship."
"What!-without hitting them?"
"Commander Breetai will then demand a surrender."
A look of disbelief flashed across the Khyron's face. He threw back his
head and laughed. "This reeks of Exedore's hand. What can he be thinking of?
We've chased these Micronians through this entire star system. They know we
won't destroy the ship, so why expect a surrender now?" Khyron's gestures
punctuated his words. "A demand must be backed up with the threat of
annihilation."
"I agree, Commander. The Micronians have demonstrated a remarkable
tenacity. They will continue to fight."
Khyron thought for a moment. "Suppose they had to fight blindfolded,
Grel. Say, without their radar..."
"But Commander, our orders-"
"To hell with our orders! I'm not afraid of Breetai."
Khyron stood up and approached his underling conspiratorily.
"What we need now is someone to toss to Central Command. Someone willing
to admit to a tactical blunder-a misdirected laser bolt."
"I understand, my lord."
"Good. If no one volunteers, then use your discretion and choose
one...We must take care to cover our tracks, my dear Grel."
Had Lieutenant Rick Hunter been privy to Captain Gloval's decision to
alter the SDF-1's course (or had he been able to read the stars), he might not
have been feeling so desperate, sitting there on a bench in Macross Central
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