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〃Four　units；　mander！〃

〃Ship's　K'rrk　puter　sequence…〃

Mav　and　Cano　had　abandoned　their　duty　stations　and　were　approaching　him　with　murder　in　their　eyes。

〃Abort；　K'rrk！　Abort？

〃Three　units。〃

〃Cancel　priority…〃

〃Two　units。〃

Even　Reeza　had　joined　the　mutiny；　the　claws　of　her　hands　poised　over　the　helm　chair。

〃Arrrggggg！〃

〃One　unit。〃

K'rrk　was　still　butchering　mands　when　the　N'trpriz　added　its　brief　fireball　to　the　heavenly　sweep。


CHAPTER　TEN

One　of　the　things　I　liked　about　having　＇Sean＇　Phillips　around　was　that　his　relationship　with　Marie　Crystal　was　even　more　confused　than　mine　was　with　Karen　＇Penn＇。　But　we　were　petitors　from　almost　the　first　moment　he　set　foot　on　Tirol。　I　had　it　figured　then　that　the　15th　thought　they'd　done　the　job　the　REF　had　been　sent　to　do…cut　the　Robotech　Masters　down　to　size。　After　all；　none　of　us　＇in　the　REF＇　had　dealings　with　the　Masters。　As　far　as　the　Invid　were　concerned；　the　15th　had　left　Earth　before　their　arrival　and　docked　on　Tirol　after　the　Invid　had　already　left。　So　of　course　I　made　a　thing　about　talking　up　the　Sentinels　and　what　we'd　been　through　on　Praxis　and　the　rest。　But　who　could　blame　me　when　the　15th　had　gotten　a　bigger　reception　in　Tiresia　than　the　Sentinels　had　gotten　when　we'd　returned　victorious　from　Optera。
Jack　Baker；　Upwardly　Mobile

Jack　was　first　out　of　the　launch　bay；　nine　Veritechs　formed　up　on　his　tail。　Newspace　veteran　Jack　in　his　scarlet　Alpha；　out　into　the　fog　that　was　not。

That　was　the　real　kicker；　he　told　himself。　That　newspace；　as　Lang's　Robotechs　were　calling　it；　felt　more　like　a　state　of　mind　than　a　state　of　matter。　Extravehicular；　immersed　in　vaporless　white　light；　you　got　the　feeling　you　were　not　so　much　〃out　there〃　as　you　were；　well；　inside　something。

Against　the　black　star…strewn　backdrop　everyone　was　used　to；　you　were　occasionally　overe　by　the　magnitude　of　it　all。　You　could　sense　just　how　insignificant　you　were　in　the　grand　scheme；　and　it　made　for　easy　bat　when　one　figured　your　single　ship　didn't　amount　to　squat。　（But　jeez；　how　it　could　bring　on　the　night；　terrors　afterward！　That　amoebalike　sense　of　immersion；　the　loss　of　self　。　。　。）

That　was　where　newspace　was　something　else。　Because　in　there…he　might　not　say　it；　but　he　could　not　help　but　think　it…one　started　to　feel　just　too　significant；　as　though　every　action　one　took　set　into　motion　a　chain　of　immutable　reactions。

The　〃fireflies〃　found　by　the　fortress's　bio…sensors　were　on…screen　and　closing　on　all　sides。　They　winked　light　just　like　the　real　things；　here　one　moment；　gone　the　next；　vaguely　blue　against　the　colorless；　ambient　glow　of　newspace。

〃mand　to　Red　Team　leader。　Do　you　copy；　Red　leader？　Repeat；　do　you　copy？〃

The　SDF…3　was　a　black　slash　at　nine　o'clock；　the　mecha　constituting　Red　and　Blue　Teams　circumferentially　deployed　like　widely　scattered　paint　flecks　chipped　from　the　ship's　hull。

Jack　chinned　into　the　mand　frequency；　opening　a　line　to　the　Tactical　Information　Center。　〃Red　One　receiving　you　loud　and　clear；　mand。　What　have　you　got　for　us？〃

A　video　image　of　Colonel　Vallenskiy's　head　and　shoulders　appeared　on　one　of　the　Alpha　heads…up　display　screens；　strobing　harsh　light　into　the　cockpit。　〃Nothing　yet；　Captain。　Bio…scanners　are　still　showing　hot　signatures　but　no　profiles。〃

〃Copy　and　confirm；　mand；〃　Baker　said。　〃Sorry　to　disappoint；　Colonel；　but　our　view　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　better　than　yours。〃

〃Roger　that；　Red　leader。　TIC　requests　you　maintain　present　position。　Let's　see　if　they're　willing　to　e　into　the　playground。〃

Terrific；　Jack　thought。　Just　hang　us　out　here　like　fresh　meat。　〃This　is　Baker；〃　he　directed　into　the　tactical　net　helmet　pickup。　〃Maintain　position。　Lights　alive　at　two　thousand　meters；　all　points　and　closing。〃

He　could　see　them　overhead；　given　false　color　and　solidity　by　the　cockpit　canopy's　polarized　tint。　Only　now　he　saw　that　the　bogies　were　not　spherical　at　all　but　the　rounded；　light　emitting　tips　of　tendrillike　forms。　He　flashed　on　the　Sentinels'　encounter　with　Haydon　IV's　antibody　defenses；　thinking：　But　so。　。　。　No　one　at　the　briefing　had　been　interested　in　hearing　about　that　episode。

〃They're　onto　me；〃　one　of　Marie　Crystal's　wingmen　blurted。　〃It's　like　I'm　looking　at　tentacles。　B…but　they're　not　attached　to　anything！〃

〃Hold　your　position；　〃　Jack　heard　Marie　tell　the　pilot。　〃Christ；　Captain；　they're　practically　all　over　me！〃

〃Blue　Six；　you　are　not　to　engage　unless　provoked；　〃　Vallenskiy　ordered　over　the　　net。　〃Maintain　position。　〃　Jack　felt　something　graze　the　Alpha's　radome　and　cockpit　and　realized　that　the　VT　was　being　probed　and　explored。　Reflexively；　he　crouched　down　in　his　seat；　suddenly　feeling　as　though　he　were　about　to　enter　an　old…fashioned　car　wash。　But　what　would　have　been　brush　tips　were　flickering　lights。　Blue　Six　gave　a　panicked　cry。　〃Holy　shit；　they　passed　right　through　me；　Captain！　The　things　just　shot　right　through　me！〃　Jack　shuddered；　chilled　to　his　center；　as　one　of　the　light　tips　pierced　the　hull　and　thudded　wormlike　against　his　〃thinking　cap。〃　It　was　incredible：　The　tendrils　were　not　puncturing　the　hull　but　simply　penetrating　it！　Some　tore　right　through　it；　while　others　were　whizzing　lightning…quick　recons　around　the　cockpit。　A　few　seemed　to　enter　his　body　and　course　up　and　down　his　arms　and　legs；　one　even　took　a　fast　tour　of　his　mind；　leaving　him　dizzy　and　momentarily　nauseated。

The　tac　net　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　gasps　and　near　exultation　as　the　lights　penetrated　one　Veritech　after　another。　No　one　was　capable　of　responding　to　mand's　urgent　requests　for　updates。

Jack　braced　himself　for　the　lights'　return　the　way　one　tightened　up　at　the　crest　of　a　roller　coaster　drop。　But　at　the　last　instant　the　tendrils　that　were　headed　for　the　Alpha　divided　and　joined　separate　groups　closing　on　Jack's　two　wingmen。　This　time；　however；　they　did　not　pierce　the　VTs　but　danced　around　them；　forming　dazzling　nimbi　of　light。　Then；　almost　simultaneously；　the　two　fighters　winked　out　of　existence。

Jack　could　not　get　his　voice　to　work。　When　he　did；　he　had　difficulty　reporting　what　he　had　just　witnessed。　mand；　however；　had　apparently　seen　the　two　Veritechs　disappear　from　the　threat　board。

〃Red　and　Blue　leaders；　we　show　two；　make　that　four；　missing　spacecraft；〃　Vallenskiy　said。　〃Can　you　confirm？　Repeat；　can　you　confirm？〃

〃They're　gone！〃　Jack　managed。　〃Atomized；　dematerialized；　disintegrated。　。　。　I　don't　know　what。　The　lights；　surrounded　them；　then　took　them　out。〃

〃That's　affirmative；　〃　Marie　said；　answering　for　the　Blue　Team。

〃Did　you　engage？　Any　of　you？〃

〃Negative；〃　Jack　said；　counting　follow…up　denials　on　the　net：　Dante；　Crystal；　Penn；　Phillips　。。。

〃Can　you　verify　present　UCT　positions；　Red　leader？〃　Jack　glanced　at　his　displays　and　screens；　tipping　the　Alpha　starboard　with　a　brief　firing　of　the　VT's　attitude　jets。　The　lights　had　lost　interest　in　the　squadron。　Beneath　him；　the　tendrils　were　like　spears　gone　ballistic；　the　SDF…3　soon　to　be　pincushioned　or　worse。

Jack　said；　〃You're　the　center　of　attention；　mand。〃

〃Then　you　are　to　engage；　full　teams；〃　Vallenskiy　returned。　〃Stop　those　things　from　reaching　the　ship！〃


Rick　stood　on　the　TIC'S　mand　balcony；　listening　to　Vallenskiy　relay　mands　to　the　mecha　recon　teams。　Unless　his　eyes　or　the　fortress's　exterior　cams　were　lying；　he　had　just　seen　four　VTs　dematerialized　by　an　enemy　light。　And　now　he　had　ordered　the　squadron　to　counterattack。　With　the　hope　of　acplishing　what？　he　asked　himself。　Punishing　the　light　for　its　omnipotence？　According　to　the　available　data；　it　was　not　even　light　they　were　facing　but　some　animated　form　of　electrical　energy。

Something　like　the　synaptic　firing　of　a　neuron；　Lang　had　explained。

〃Fortress　defensive　shields　raised；〃　a　tech　announced　from　the　mand　console。　〃Red　and　Blue　Teams　falling　in　to　engage；　sir。〃

Rick　swung　around　to　the　monitors　in　time　to　see　the　Blue　Team　pilots　imaging　their　VTs　over　to　Battloid　mode。　Captains　Baker　and　Penn　and　what　remained　of　the　Red　Team　were　configured　as　Fighters　or　Guardians。

Rick　briefly　considered　what　he　would　do　if　he　was　out　there。　He　pictured　himself　strapped　into　the　cockpit　seat；　one　hand　clasped　on　the　Hotas；　face　bathed　in　display　light；　scal