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rs snapped like toothpicks。 The directed barrier shields glowed brighter but held。
An ocean of air began leaking from the headquarters； and the dying started at once。 Power junctions and energy routing； severed or crushed； sent serpents of writhing electrical and Protoculture lightning into the thinning air and serpentining along the bulkheads and decks。
The SDF…1 brought its mighty forearms； the supercarriers Daedalus and Prometheus； into play。 Their bows； too； had been reinforced and mantled with directed barrier shields。 Like a giant punching his way through an enemy castle； the ship drove on； destroying all that was in its path； its thrusters making it an irresistible force。
Zentraedi were whirled through the air like dust motes in the tremendous atmospheric currents being sucked toward the opening the SDF…1 had made。 They died in explosions and were torn apart； ground up； squashed to jelly； or impaled by the flying； whirling wreckage。
Through it all； Minmei sang。 She knew the song was no longer a part of any surprise attack； but she felt…now that if she stopped； it might bring about some disastrous halt in the desperate attack。 It was as if her song was what was making it all happen； it was a form of magic that she couldn't stop in midspell。
Then the dimensional fortress was opening up with conventional weapons。 X…ray lasers and missile tubes； cannon and pulsed beams hammered away at everything before and around them。 The ship's path was often obscured by the demon's brew of flame and explosion all around。
Minmei watched； transfixed； at the huge sweep of viewport and sang； wondering if the universe was about to end。 Because that was how it looked from where she stood。
But moments later； as suddenly as the drawing aside of a curtain； the SDF…1 broke out into a vast； open place。 Behind it was a tunnel with its mouth edged by jagged； bent…out superalloy plate。 The Zentraedi gaped as it drifted across the vast space within the headquarters mountain。
Gloval knew the timing had to be split second and perfect； and he had no leisure for preparation。
There were quite a few enemy vessels still inside the gargantuan base； something Gloval had been hoping against。 But they were all at rest； unable to maneuver or open fire for seconds more at least； perhaps as much as a half minute。 In a battle like this； that was an eternity。
〃Prepare to execute final barrage！〃 he snapped as his bridge crew bent to their work。 〃Then full power to barrier shield！〃
Missile ports opened to let loose the last volley the SDF…1 was capable of firing； the do…or…die knockout punch Gloval had saved for this moment。 The fortress's heaviest projectiles…Deca missiles the size of old…fashioned ICBMs； Piledrivers as big as sub…launched nukes…were readied for firing。
The bows of the flatdecks opened like sharks' mouths； revealing racks of smaller Hammerhead and Bighorn missiles。
〃Target acquisition on their main reflex furnace；〃 Gloval ordered。
But Claudia was way ahead of him。 〃Target locked in； all missiles； sir；〃 she said。
In his mand post； the looming Dolza tried to believe what he saw before him。 〃What are they doing？ They'll destroy us all！〃
If the reflex furnace went； the resulting explosion would certainly destroy the base and everything in it； and quite possibly all ships in both fleets and even the planet nearby。 But that didn't seem to be daunting the Micronians。
This isn't war！ Dolza screamed within himself。 It's madness！
So the tiny creatures were willing to die in order to avoid the disgrace of defeat。
They are more like us than I thought！ Dolza realized。 They have some source of strength we must learn。 What allies they would snake in a war against the Robotech Masters！
〃Wait！〃 he bellowed。
〃Fire！〃 Gloval roared on SDF…1's bridge。
The missiles gushed from the battle fortress； the smaller； faster ones getting a quick lead and leaving corkscrewing white trails。 The heavier ones took a bit longer to get up to speed； but they quickly overtook and passed their little siblings。 All angled in； on assorted vectors； for the base's reflex furnaces。
But Gloval had dismissed them from his mind as soon as he had given the order to let them fly。 There was no time to spare。
〃All power to barrier shields！〃 he snapped； but again his bridge crew had anticipated。
The ship was standing stock still。 Every erg of power in it was channeled to the shields； producing first a cloud of scintillating lights around the ship； then a green…white sphere like some exotic Christmas ornament。
〃Barrier shield ing to maximum；〃 Kim said calmly。 Then； a second later； just as the first missiles began to detonate on target； 〃Barrier at max； sir。〃
The enemy ships in the base were opening fire now； but their shots glanced harmlessly off the barrier system。 Gloval barely paid attention to confirmation of that； he had little doubt the Robotech shield created by Dr。 Lang could hold out against an enemy bombardment for a few seconds。 The real test was ing up。
Dolza watched the awesome barrage hit home on the reflex furnace area of the ship's interior and knew he was going to die。
Even with the protection of its shielding； even with the defenses of desperate； brave Zentraedi captains who purposely threw their ships in the way of the all…out salvo； enough missiles got through to ensure that the base would be destroyed。 Many times enough。
The reflex furnaces churned； then spewed forth utter destruction。 Dolza； watching from his mand post； had time only for one thought。
Years and years before； he had watched Zor die。 Zor had spoken of some overriding Vision that made the megagenius send the SDF…1 here； to Earth。
Had Zor seen this moment； too？ And things beyond it？
Then a terrible light seared him。 Dolza howled a fierce Zentraedi war cry as he was rent to particles。
The interior bulkhead of the base began to bulge with secondary explosions； nodes of superhard armor being pushed out like putty by the force of the blasts running through the place。 The rift in the reflex furnaces that had destroyed Dolza's mand post was expanding； gushing forth blinding…white obliteration。
Ships only beginnin