elded the target area from the blast。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Hodel bellowed so loudly that even his fellow Karbarrans winced。
Ntor spoke up。 〃Negative； sir。 Look。〃 She had split the main screen。 Next to the real…time image of the expanding nuke strike； she was projecting the flicker that had raced across the surface of the megacosm…mecha。
It was a large blue circle； like the image of a spotlight on the surface of Haydon IV。 It streaked straight for the impact point； a dot of light some hundred miles across and yet small in parison to the gargantuan torso。
The Tracialle's techs were confirming what Quartzstar's had found： The nuke hit had been deflected。 〃And see； two more of those strange energy loci；〃 Ntor added。 Hodel yowled angrily at the three blue circles； drifting here and there across the modules of the reconfigured planet like buzzing insects。
Without warning； Exedore appeared on the main screen。 〃Captain Hodel； I have seen this phenomenon before。 It's a pinpoint barrier system； though how Haydon learned of it； I don't know。 There's no time to explain； you must withdraw your fleet。 〃
Hodel's paw smashed his mand chair's arm。 〃There are only three of those miserable little dots。 We'll hit them with everything we have； all at once…and wipe them out！〃
Waysee； manding the two…ship Garudan contingent； came up on the net。 〃There's no guarantee we'll be able to concentrate our strike precisely enough。〃
Hodel shot back； 〃There is if you all listen to orders！ Now； link your operators to my controllers； who will coordinate all strikes。 We'll soften them up with the suicide ships； then blow them away！〃
〃More readings from the forearm booms；〃 Ntor said to him。
Hodel whirled。 〃Any sign of offensive capability？〃
〃No； Captain； just power buildup。〃
Hodel barked a laugh。 〃Much good it will do them when ten ships punch in at once。 Controllers！ Prepare for a unified strike operation…simultaneous hits all across that empty suit of tin out there。〃
As the fleet re…formed and moved in again； all decoys and kamikaze ships leaping ahead for the coordinated attack； Exedore checked and collated data back in the Royal Hall。
〃I don't know how they did it； Cabell。 Perhaps the Haydonites learned something when they were holding us captive； or perhaps it's something uncovered back when the Regent had the Sentinels captive on Haydon IV。〃
〃It may be much simpler； something implicit in Robotechnology that Haydon discovered just as the Micronians did。 〃
Exedore shrugged helplessly。 〃Just so。 In any case it proves do we don't know what we're up against。 We must get Hodel and the others to break off the attack。〃
〃Retreat： something Karbarrans have never been good at；〃 Cabell observed。
At least Hodel had the caution to stay well back while launching his attack wave。
Fire from the plasma batteries was less effective now that the drones were down and strafing the planet's surface； those that had been dispatched to scout the far side were brought back and hurled into the assault。 As Hodel had observed； the racing pinpoint barrier shield circles could not be everywhere at once。
But just as it had served SDF…1 so well decades before； the defense cut into the attackers' advantage dramatically。 Nevertheless； the decoy craft wreaked havoc all over the near side of Haydon IV。
Of the ten nuke…primed ships sent ahead to smash resistance； two were destroyed by fire while still far above the artificial world； and another two on approach； even though by then the decoys had put many gun emplacements out of action。
Hodel； howling in battle lust； ignored Exedore's attempts to reach him by mo。 Ntor watched the buildup of the energy in the booms but dared not bring them up again。
The surviving ships streaked down to strike as planned； dispersed across Haydon IV。 Three were met by pinpoint barriers； but the other three struck in the chest； neck； and lower abdomen of the Robotech figure that was the artifact world。 This time the planet shook from superbombs so massive that even a continent of armor was not proof against them。
Haydon IV was ripped open in three places； energy and vaporized systemry fountaining from it。 Secondary explosions rattled the megacosm…figure and vented themselves in the vicinity of the right shoulder； blasting it open。 The streams of annihilation discs died away。
The Karbarrans on the Tracialle's bridge； growling their war chants； led the way in to the attack。 The rest of the Local Group ships raced after； some of the other races even taking up the Karbarrans' chant。
Haydon IV loomed near； and the fleet primed its weapons for a last decisive assault。 At last Exedore managed to override the fleet's munications and put his image on their screens。
〃Reverse course； you fools！ Retreat！ The booms the booms are weapons too！〃
The precise nature of the threat had worked at his mind even as it eluded him； until he chanced to glance over at a schematic in the munications center there in the Royal Hall。 On it； the figure of Haydon IV was represented as a sort of crude outline； and he saw things for what they were。
Instead of the articulated Robotech waldos and forearms； the planet's limbs might have been clubs； or the arms of a horseshoe magnet； or a tuning fork 。。。
Or the bows of the SDF…1。
〃Get out； get out before it's too late！〃 Exedore screamed； but few were listening。
One was Prah in the Quartzstar。 〃Attention； Hodel！ Urgently advise you break off attack until considering Exedore's advice。 Energy buildup along forearm booms has intensified。〃
Hodel wasn't having any； and neither was anybody else aboard the Tracialle。 Around the booms； bubbles of snapping； coruscating energy were forming and bursting in brilliant effervescence； but that did not deter the rest of the fleet for a moment。 Prah； however； began to deviate from course； shearing away from the attack run and demanding that Hodel and the rest do the same； heeding Exedore； before it was too late。 The Valivarre emulated her； largely because of the Tirolian clones' respect for Exedore and Cabell。 The bulky mining vessel fell in behind the glittering； glassy bauble that was Quartzstar even as Hobel growled his contempt for them and returned to his assault。
Haydon IV was being shaken by massive internal quakes and eruptions。 The pinpoint loci were gone。 The fleet's sensors marked a hundred great exposed； defenseless targets and too many smaller ones to count。 In its eagerness； the Tracialle outran the rest of the Local Group ships； hot to draw blood。
Tongues of orange starflame were slithering and looping around the booms and writhing up and down them； seemingly eager to be set free。 Hodel thought the booms not worth bothering about but fired a bow sweep of missiles at them as he neared； just to be sure。
Flashing along at attack speed； the Karbarran was nearly past the booms when his missiles struck； and doomsday fell。 All at once the energies in the booms surged； unleashed； just as the SDF…1's bows had configured into a main gun and fired on her launch day so many years ago。 Hodel's missiles were vaporized。
A cloud of swirling energy appeared between the booms； and a raving torrent of utter destruction shot out from it。 The superbolt； miles in diameter； lanced out and washed across the oning Local Group ships； where it had played； nothing was left behind but elementary particles。
Valivarre and Quartzstar； both damaged by the mere peripheral wash of the volley； braced for another。 But none came。 Indeed； the booms were blackened and leaking power fluxes。 The volley had damaged Haydon IV as well as wiping out most of the flotilla。
〃We…we'll pull back and wait；〃 Prah said in a subdued voice； the clones on the converted Zentraedi ore ship concurred。
The Tracialle； damaged by the abrupt appearance of the power storm between the booms behind it； somehow escaped annihilation by a split second。 Shuddering and breached； its mo systems fried and others threatening to fail； it dived for the planet。
〃I don't think any of the others made it； sir；〃 Ntor reported。 〃At least； I have no visuals on them。 Most other sensors were knocked out。〃
〃Then it's up to us；〃 Hodel said calmly。 〃Aim for the heart。〃
They all saw what he meant； an exposed control nexus as big as a floodplain on the mecha figure's upper right chest。 What little data they had indicated that it was a vulnerable point。
They also knew that there was no going back； even if the booms were inoperative。 The Tracialle's engines were going fast…they would overload in moments。 Like most of the others； Hodel and Ntor felt that they had already witnessed this death once； in their augury chants。
The few cannonades of discs the plasma guns could manage were a pale imitation of their former selves； hopelessly low…power and inaccurate。 The far greater danger was that the Sekiton…fueled ship would shake apart； but somehow it held together。 By some fluke of technology or caprice of the Shapings； the Karbarrans' mo began functioning again just at the end； and the survivors heard their roars as the Tracialle's crew went to sink their fangs into their enemy's heart。 Down and down their ship plummeted； into the breast of Haydon IV like an avenging et。 The detonations it set off sent the artifact worldlet into lethal convulsions。
Quartzstar and Valivarre； carrying out repairs to restore life support and some measure of maneuvering power； were lit by the distant nova of Haydon IV's death blow。 Prah watched sadly and was about to turn away； when someone said； 〃I'm scanning spacecraft…many of them！〃
Prah rapped； 〃Origin？〃
〃They are sphere ships； I believe they emerged from the far side； just before the end。〃
For a moment Prah thought that it was to be the end of her vessel； after all。 But the swarm of sphere ships； a hundred and more； formed up and set off without paying Quartzstar or Valivarre any heed。
Their course pointed straight for Tirol。
CHAPTER THIRTY…THREE
This cadet…graduate will make either a passable officer or a very troublesome convict。
Final evaluation from the file of Southern Cross Lieutenant Dana Sterling
There was nothing for the ground party to do but return to the landing zone； the Regis ignored their demands that she e back； listen to reason； answer their questions； show some mercy。
The quietest among them were the children； who seemed distracted and unmunicative。 Scott noticed that Marlene was very much like them。 He realized he had been holding his breath； dreading the moment when arcane forces would suck her soul and body into the oneness of the Invid race that was the Regis。
But apparently the trauma she had undergone had insulated her from that for good。 She really was herself。 He was grateful for that but furious at the trick of fate that had put them back together at last only to schedule Armageddon a few days or hours away。
Still； when he reached tentatively for her hand and she smiled bittersweetly； taking his hand fondly； there was a lightness to his soul that had not been there since the death of Marlene Rush on a day long gone。
There wasn't much vigilance to their withdrawal in spite of Rick and Lisa's disspirited promptings。 What good to keep your guard up when all of newspace might well attack at any mom