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〃May every one of you make it home safely；〃 Gloval murmured； the old briar pipe gripped in his teeth。 But he knew it was too much to hope for。
Rick was running the fighter wing now； even though there were those who outranked him； there was no one with more expertise。
〃Remain in Fighter mode until I give the word；〃 he told them。 〃We are now approaching intercept zone。〃
Flying at his wing was Max； with Miriya in the seat behind wearing an RDF flight suit and 〃thinking cap。〃
The pods were ing in droves to soften up the target and eliminate and suppress as much counterfire as they could before the Zentraedi heavyweights came in for the kill。
Rick's autocannon sounded like a buzz saw multiplied a thousand times； high…density slugs went out in a stream fit by tracers to pierce an oval armored body through and through。 The enemy disappeared in an expanding sphere of red…hot gas and flying shrapnel an instant later。
The Veritechs peeled off； wingmen trying their best to stick together； and threw themselves into swirling； pouncing dogfights against the enemy。 The pods advanced in an unstoppable cloud； as the desperate VTs twisted and swooped。
Gloval agonized over the fact that ongoing repairs and retrofitting made it impossible to fire the ship's main gun。 But the ship's primary and secondary batteries opened up； turrets swinging； barrels traversing； hammering away。
A pod was hit dead center by an armor…piercing discarding…sabot round and blew to incandescent bits。 Another was riddled by kinetic…energy rounds from an electromagnetic rail…gun； projectiles accelerated to hundreds of thousands of g's； hitting at such high speed that explosives would have been redundant。 A VT in Guardian mode spun and tumbled； chopped to fragments by the energy blasts of a pod's plastron cannon。
But more and more pods came at the humans in vast waves； pushing them back。 The SDF…1 was surrounded by the globular explosions of space battle； hundreds of them every second。
Max had a pod square in his gunsight reticle； thumb on his stick's trigger； when Miriya cried； 〃No！ Wait！ Don't shoot！〃
〃Huh？ But they were right in my sights。〃
She took over； maneuvering until the puter…aided sights were centered on a structure behind the articulation apparatus that joined the pod's legs。 Whatever it was； it wasn't on the VT pilots' menu of sure…kill shots。
But Miriya told her husband； 〃Now！〃 Max zoomed in on a close pass； letting a short burst fly。 The target structure disappeared in a burst of flame。
The Zentraedi wobbled and careened out of control； its main thrusters sputtering and coughing every which way； guns going silent after a moment。 Trailing fire； it drifted away； limping toward safety with feeble gusts from its attitude thrusters。
VT pilots were taught to go for the sure…kill shots at areas of the enemy mecha most likely to expose themselves to fire。 He felt like he had just been taught a secret Shao…lin pressure point。
〃But we could've lost him while we were trying for that shot；〃 he pointed out； craning around to look over his seat at his bride of less than an hour。
〃I don't want anybody else to be hurt in this war；〃 she told him。
〃But Miriya； we don't want to jeopardize our own lives； right？ Or the ships？〃
She looked him in the eye。 〃Remember what the captain said？ Max； it's time to do more than just talk。 We must act。 And now I've given you the key。〃
〃Oh； boy。 You're right。 We'll just have to give this a try。〃
〃Thank you； Maximillian。〃
Max took out two more to make sure it really worked。
〃What in heaven's name is going on in that plane？〃 Rick yelled over the tac net。
He saw Max's face on one of his display screens。 〃Boss； I'm sorry those last few weren't kills。〃
〃Don't bull me； Max。〃 Rick could see what was going on。 〃I think I understand。〃
He dove at a pod； his forward lasers vaporizing the vulnerable ponent that Miriya had revealed。 〃We'll stop this war without bloodshed！〃
Captain Gloval was right。 〃The time has e for peace；〃 Rick muttered。
The secret of popping the enemy pods without killing anyone within was made easier to share because the small； vulnerable ponent was located behind and slightly below the leg juncture。 This made it easy and even fun for the VT fighter jocks to tell each other where to shoot and to vie with each other at making perfect shots。
The structures were also located in a spot difficult for the pods to defend。 The VTs had never concentrated on that place before because most of that area was heavily armored and the target in question was so small。
But once they knew what they were after； the VT pilots began enthusiastic； almost crazed disabling runs。 Pods got their fundaments blown out from under them by VTs on long passes； predatory banks； high deflection shots。 One guy on Ghost Team got three in one pass。
But the pods had closed in tightly around the SDF…1 as the alien battlewagons came up behind。 The dimensional fortress shook to a ferocious blast of concentrated fire。
〃Captain； our number two thruster's been damaged；〃 Vanessa said。
Gloval gritted his teeth； saying nothing； he knew it was going to get worse。
The Zentraedi officer dashed angrily into the ready…room hatchway； furious when he saw that the crew there had not even so much as donned their armor。
〃Lord Breetai mands that you prepare to attack！〃 he roared。
One crewmember was standing by a viewport； looking out at the starlit darkness； holding a tiny Minmei doll in his palm； small as a pea in his giant hand。
〃So beautiful yet so small；〃 he whispered to himself in his rumbling voice as the others looked over his shoulder。 He thought of her songs again； and the memory filled him with longings no Zentraedi career could ever answer。 He closed his enormous fingers gently around the doll。
The officer bawled； 〃You're all in direct violation of Lord Dolza's orders！ Report to battle stations at once； or I'll have you all court…martialed！〃
They were Zentraedi beguiled by the songs and peace talk of humans； but they were still Zentraedi； with the pent…up fury of their race。 One whirled on the officer； bringing up an assault rifle； clacking off its safety。
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