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round the partment as they； too； came to attention。
Men leapt from the cars to form ranks smartly； and a man in a uniform not so different from the Zentraedi's own came toward Exedore； hand extended。
〃Colonel Maistroff； Robotech Defense Forces； sir。 I bring you greetings from the super dimensional fortress mander； Captain Gloval。〃
Exedore sighed a bit to see that Maistroff was taller than he； to see that all of them were。 Perhaps there was something in the micronization process that dictated that； or perhaps it was just something about destiny。
Anyway； Maistroff's open hand was out to him。 Exedore blinked at it in bewilderment。 〃This is how we greet friends；〃 the human said。
Ah； yes！ The barbarian custom of showing that there was no weapon！ Exedore put his dark mauve hand into the other's pale pink one； trading the grip of friendship。
〃I am Exedore； Minister of Affairs。〃
Maistroff； a former martinet and xenophobe who had been salted and wisened up a bit in the course of the Robotech War； looked him over。 〃That sounds rather important； sir。〃
Exedore shrugged blithely。 〃Not really。〃 He smiled； and Maistroff found himself smiling back。
The colonel indicated his staff car。 〃If you're ready； we'll get you some more fortable clothes and then take you to the captain。 Have you eaten？〃
Exedore sorted that out； recalling the wedding transmissions and dreading a lot of ceremonies stalling the beginning of the peace talks。 〃Ah； yes； yes。〃
As they walked； ground…shaking impacts began on the deck behind them； jostling them as they moved。 They turned to see that the Zentraedi pilot had naturally fallen in to follow his lord。 The Battloids hadn't quite brought their chain…gun muzzles back up。
Exedore was quick to see the problem and also to understand some of the humans' apprehension。
Maistroff kept his posure。 〃Excuse me； Minister Exedore； but…could you ask him to wait here on the hangar deck？〃
〃Oh！〃 It didn't take a genius of Exedore's caliber to see that those little hatches wouldn't allow for much fullsize Zentraedi wandering。 Clever！
He turned to look up at his pilot。 〃Stay here and guard the pod。〃 It did irritate him how much higher and less forceful the transformation had made his voice。
The pilot pulled a brace； biting out； 〃Yes； sir！〃
Maistroff turned and jerked a thumb at two aides。 〃You men find him something to eat。〃
They saluted as one； 〃Yes； sir！〃 under the eyes of the Zentraedi warrior； just as precise as he。 Then they watched as Maistroff cordially aided Exedore in boarding the staff car； just about as unlikely a sight as anything yet in the war。 Motorcycle outriders led the way； and the motorcade moved off。
The two staff officers relaxed； looked up at the Zentraedi； then looked back at each other。 〃Something to eat？〃 the first one exclaimed。 〃He's got to be kidding！〃
〃Maistroff never kids；〃 his panion answered。 They both had rigs in their jeeps； and the second staff officer reached over now to get a handset； telling his friend； 〃You call ration distribution and break the bad news。〃
Then he turned to his own mission。 〃Hello； transportation control？ Listen； I'm gonna need a coupla flatbeds。。。〃
The thoroughfares of Macross City were as confusing to Exedore as they had been to the spies。 So much undisiplined； disorganized activity！ So much aimless milling about！ There seemed to be no point to a lot of it…all this gaping through display windows and strolling haphazardly。 He wondered if it was some deceptive show that had been mounted for his visit。
And； of course； he averted his eyes from the males and females wandering the city holding hands or with arms around each other's waists。 Of the tiny…model Micronians； the noisy； poorly regimented smallscales that the human called 〃children；〃 Exedore could make neither head nor tail。 Just seeing them gave him a shuddery feeling。
But he had to admit the ship was in a good state of repair； especially after two years of running battles with the warrior race。 There would have been no hiding the damage in a Zentraedi ship； no fixing it。 Intelligence reports had already indicated what Exedore saw evidence of all around him： The Micronians knew how to rebuild…perhaps how to create。 It was an awesome advantage； a critical part of the war's equation。
Very few Micronians were in uniform； none of them appeared to be under close supervision。
〃Why； this is our shopping district；〃 Maistroff explained when Exedore asked。
〃Ah； yes！ I believe this is where you use something called money to requisition goods。〃
Maistroff scratched his neck a bit。 〃Um。 That's not too far off； Minister。〃
They cruised along a broad boulevard； and Exedore suddenly broke out into a cold sweat and began to shudder。 Maistroff sat up straight； wondering if something about the ship's life support was inpatible； but that was impossible。
Then he saw that Exedore； teeth clenched； was staring up at a billboard。 The billboard advertised the Velvet Suntan Clinics； with a photo of the languorous Miss Velvet； a voluptuous； browned； barely clad； supremely athletic looking young woman whose poster popularity in Macross City was second only to Minmei's。
〃Ee； er； oh； th…that picture on the building over there；〃 Exedore got out at last； looking like he was having a malaria attack。 〃Would you mind explaining it？〃 He forced his gaze to the floor of the staff car。
Maistroff reached up to the back of his cap and tilted the visor down over his eyes to keep good form with the minister； coughing into his other hand。 〃Well； actually； it's a little hard to explain。〃
Exedore crossed his skinny arms on his narrow chest and nodded wisely。 〃Aha！ A military secret； no doubt！ Very clever！ Indeed！〃
Maistroff didn't even want to think about what damage he might have done to interspecies relations…didn't want to plicate things。
He tilted his visor farther down。 〃Right； that's it。 Classified。〃
The motorcade raced for the conference room。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
RUSSO： What are they doing up there； Alexei？ Don't those RDF pantywaists of yours even know how to fight？
ZUKAV： I believe that what we should worry about； Senator； is that they and the aliens are teaching each other how not to。
Exchange believed to have taken place between Senator Russo and Marshal Zukav of the UEDC
The SDF…1 and the flagship faced each other； unmoving across a narrow gap of space； almost eyeball to eyeball。
Gloval left instructions with Claudia that she open fire with the main gun if there was any hostile action at all。 A few minutes later he sat at a judicial bench in the ship's biggest hearing chamber with Colonel Maistroff on his right； an intelligence major to the left； zing down at Exedore。 Except for a few functionaries； the place was empty。
The misshapen little fellow fell far short of Gloval's mental image of a ravaging alien warmonger； the captain had to admit to himself。 If anything； he seemed rather。。。prissy。
〃At last we meet face to face； Captain；〃 the alien said in a not…uncordial voice； glancing at him from the distant witness stand。
〃Yes；〃 Gloval allowed。
An attractive young female ensign brought a tray and put a glass of orange juice where Exedore could reach it。 Gloval and the others watched Exedore's reaction to the woman closely； but apparently he had gotten his responses under control as he merely nodded his head in gratitude。
Exedore raised the glass and took a cautious sip。 The flavor was delightful； but the beverage had a certain savor； something he couldn't define。 It was something dizzying； almost electric。
〃Mmm。 This is very refreshing。〃 He looked up at her。 〃What is it？〃
She checked with Gloval by eye to make sure that it was all right to answer。 Gloval gave the barest nod； which Exedore in turn caught。 〃It's orange juice； sir。 From our own hydroponics orchards。〃
Exedore didn't quite understand for a moment。 When he spoke； he tried to keep the tremor from his voice。 〃You mean； you grow it？〃
She looked a little confused。 〃We grow the fruit the juice es from。〃
〃Ah； yes； just so。 That is what I meant。〃 He downed the rest of the orange juice to hide his amazement。
These creatures consumed food that had been alive！ Who knew； perhaps they consumed things that still were alive！ He shuddered and reminded himself that this was only the juice of a plant； but his self…control was tested thoroughly。
Here was something those three imbecile spies hadn't mentioned； or had perhaps omitted from their reports on purpose； or had even failed to realize。 Zentraedi food； of course； was synthesized from its chemical constituents； that was as it had always been； by the decree of the Robotech Masters。 To eat living or once…living food was to risk the consumption of rudimentary energies somewhat related to Protoculture。
Exedore finished the glass so as to give no hint of what he was thinking…fearing。 It crossed his mind that perhaps these men were testing him。 If so； he would reveal nothing。
〃That was very refreshing；〃 he enthused。
The ensign gave him a bright smile。 〃Here； have another。〃 She picked up the empty and gave him a full one from her tray。
〃If you insist；〃 he said lightly。
Gloval was rubbing his dark mustache。 To Maistro