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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。