doing.
Just then, Roy was leading Skull Team in the most furious dogfight he'd ever seen, as wave after wave of pods came in at the SDF-1. Zentraedi energy blasts and missiles flashed in all directions as the dimensional fortress's defensive batteries blazed away. The special Veritech autocannon ammo, designed to fire in airless space, was even more powerful and accurate there than in atmosphere.
There were explosions and more explosions, all in the eerie quiet of vacuum. Except the tac nets weren't quiet; if the explosions emitted no sound, the screams of dying men made up for that.
Every Veritech squadron rehearsal and drill went out the window; in the utter madness that swirled around the SDF-1, the pilots found that they could keep tight with their wingmen and engage the enemy only as the opportunity arose. It was a cloud of dogfighting like nothing that had ever gone before it in human history-fireballs created by exploding spacecraft, perhaps a half dozen of them at a time, and the relentless lancing of beam weapons and autocannon tracers.
'These aliens area lot better up here than they were back on Earth,' Roy told Skull Team, although they were all painfully aware of that already. 'Looks like a real rat race this time.'
He led his wingman onto a new vector and headed for a cluster of pods that threatened to break through SDF-1's defenses at a spot where two gun turrets had been knocked out.
Pods began erupting in flames as the VTs' shots rained on them; the sally was turned back, but in the meantime three more cries for help came in. Roy told himself to ignore the big picture and just tend to his flying.
'Our special decoy vessel is now within their firing range,' the report came to Breetai.
Exedore stood next to him, watching the same tactical display monitors. 'I find it strange they haven't fired their main gun yet.'
Breetai, arms folded across his immense chest, contemplated the screens. After a lifetime of soldiering, after uncountable contests in battle, he'd come to appreciate a shrewd enemy, and he'd begun to conclude that this enemy commander was either quite shrewd-or insane.
Still, a warrior fought to win. To meet a foe worthy of respect was a thing to be wished for but also a thing to ignite caution in any wise commander.
The metal and crystal of his headpiece caught the light. 'What are you planning, my dear Micronian friend?' Breetai murmured.
'Perhaps we should offer them another enticement and see what they do,' Exedore suggested.
'Mmmm.' Breetai's metal-sheathed head inclined.
'Very good idea. Tell the recon ship to open fire, but it is
Exedore bowed and hastened to obey.
Out in the lead of the armada's main body, the recon ship opened up with all batteries. At that distance, it was impossible to be sure an energy bolt wouldn't hit a dogfighting pod; the battling Robotech machines were in constant motion.
But the Zentraedi overlords cared little about that; their warrior code held that lives were expendable. Without warning, a terrible volley hit friend and foe alike and holed the battle fortress.
A pod was blown apart just before two converging VTs could make the kill themselves; another Veritech was singed along a wing surface by the barrage. Attempting to switch to Guardian mode so it could cope better with damage to itself, it was hit by another blast, flying to pieces in a bright globe. Secondary explosions blistered from the SDF-1's hull. Wreckage flew, and precious atmosphere puffed into space.
Lisa was thrown against her console by a direct hit to a reactor subcontrol unit several decks below the bridge. Gloval rose halfway from his chair. 'Are you all right?'
She righted herself, nodding. 'I'm okay, but what about the hull?'
He came to his feet, studying the damage reports pouring in all around him, gazing out the forward viewport at the eruptions of destroyed pods and VTs, and the blue hail of incoming cannon bolts.
'Just pray,' Gloval said tightly.
A call came in from the engineering officer, the shouts of his men and the crackle of fire mixed with the hiss of firefighting foam in the background. 'There's been some damage to the reactor subcontrol, Captain, but we'll manage.'
'I'm counting on you,' Gloval told him, wondering how long the ship could withstand the barrage.
Out in the savage killing ground of the dogfight, pod preyed on Veritech and Veritech upon pod. All was swirling combat, blazing weaponry, max thrust, and desperate maneuvers. The pods, like the VTs, often moved in a way that suggested atmospheric constraints, despite the fact that they were in deep space.
The Zentraedi recon ship continued to pour heavy fire into the SDF-1's general vicinity, though the dimensional fortress sustained less damage than it might have. The alien gunners weren't making it obvious, but Breetai's orders regarding the battle fortress's survival were being followed to the letter. Still, carefully placed rounds seared through the ship's shields and armor, blowing apart a turret here, a radome there. A nearby hit shook the bridge gang around like dice in a cup and threw Gloval headlong out of his chair, his hat skittering across the deck.
'Thundering asteroids!'
Vanessa was back to her station before he got to his feet.
'Captain, damage control reports that the second and fifth laser turrets have sustained heavy damage. They'll be out of action for seven hours minimum.'
'Number four thruster is almost completely destroyed,' Claudia declared grimly.
'Subcontrol systems report heavy damage and heavy casualties,' Lisa added.
Another close hit jarred the ship, lifting a missile-launching tube away from it and scattering wreckage and pieces of human bodies.
Gloval reared up angrily. 'That's the last straw!
Lisa heard herself gasp along with the rest of the bridge gang.
Gloval was stone-faced. 'Stand by; upon my command, we will execute Dr. Lang's designated modular transformation!'
Kim couldn't keep herself from protesting. 'But if we do that, it means the whole town might-'
'Yes, that's right, the damage-' Sammie agreed, breathless.
Gloval glared at them. 'I either take this risk or see the SDF-1 completely destroyed. I have no choice! I have to do it.
Outside, the sinister festival of lights grew more intense. Another nearby hit shook the bridge again. Lisa whirled back to her duty station. 'All systems attention, all systems attention! Begin preparations for firing the main gun!'
Her voice rang through the rest of the ship, through engineering compartments and fire control centers and living quarters alike. 'Modular transformation will be initiated in three minutes,
An engine room tech looked to his squadmate. 'They can't be doing that crazy transformation now.'
'They're outta their minds,' the other agreed.
'Two minutes, fifty seconds and counting,' Lisa's steady voice echoed.
The two looked at each other for a moment, then dove for their emergency suits.
The traffic had halted in the city streets below, but otherwise Macross looked the same. Rick and Minmei glanced up at the nearest PA speakers as the voice he'd come to so dislike said, 'Attention, all citizens! This ship will be undergoing modular transformation in two minutes. This operation is dangerous; please take all safety precautions.
'Move outdoors at once. Beware of possible quake damage. If possible, evacuate to a designated safety
