ated systemry。 Because of damage suffered in Louie Nichols's cyberburn or the battle near Ranaath's Star； or perhaps even as a result of this final mechamorphosis； Haydon IV's guiding AI seemed no longer capable of that sort of hostile action。
The courier was preceded by probes that had been mounted with additional booster thrusters for the suicide mission。 The long…range flaring of the plasma batteries hosed annihilation discs across the night of space； their accuracy not very impressive at that range。
The probes and drones bore in； their onboard puters and sensors augmenting the guidance from their shipboard operators。
〃Clumsy；〃 Hodel said in a low guttural voice； meaning Haydon IV's defensive fire。 〃Slow。〃
He looked over to Ntor。 〃It's been weakened。 We've got them now。〃
She growled loyally。 〃Aye； sir。 But？ Her sense of duty made her add； 〃I still detect subsurface activity。 There appear to be immense servos； energized and functional。〃
〃Do they have mechamorphosis capability？〃
Ntor wuffed to herself； studying her instruments。 〃Negative； from what I can see。〃
Hodel flipped a fearsome paw。 〃Then servos will do them no good。 I'm more concerned about those sphere ships； keep a careful watch。〃
But the remotes plunged down toward the immense torso of Haydon IV without meeting opposing vessels。 〃They couldn't get 'em powered up；〃 Hodel concluded。
Prah； Spherisian captain of the Quartzstar； came up on the mand net。 〃Captain； may I suggest that we preserve some of our lead element drones for recon。〃
〃Agreed；〃 Hodel said。 He had not really expected the decoys to survive the approach； but things were going better than he had hoped。
A half score of the decoys； most of them bulkier mining probes； had been lost to the close…in plasma guns。 As many more swooped in to take up strafing attacks on the defensive batteries in twisting； dodging flak…supression runs。
The artifact planet's guns now divided between the attacking drones and the oning remote…controlled vessels； along with the additional drones escorting them。 The courier ship began its dive into the guns' close range。 The target zone was crisscrossed by geysers of annihilation discs； one right on top of the next； at such a high rate of fire that they were practically touching。
The probes' firepower was not sufficient to penetrate the armor of the massive gun turrets； but their attacks helped spoil the plasma cannons' aim and did do at least some damage to the targeting sensors。 Nevertheless； one by one the drones and probes were potted out of the air by the sheer volume of firepower down near the planet's surface。
But by then the courier was juking its way down through the AA fire； homing in on a large fire…control plex in the general vicinity of the megacosm…mecha's solar plexus。
On the bridge； Ntor reported； 〃Sir； we're detecting a power influx to those servos again。〃
Hodel tore himself away from the main action long enough to snap； 〃Any movement？〃
〃Not yet； sir。〃
〃Keep me informed。〃
Then he was back watching the main screen as the courier swooped like a hawk at Haydon IV。 There was a moment of utter disappointment as a glancing hit by a disc damaged one of the steering thrusters； but the operator had sufficient auxiliaries to pensate。
Spread out back in the courier's wake； more kamikazes took up their approaches。
Ntor spoke up again。 〃Sir？ Servos activated。 The arm booms are moving。〃
Hodel checked the readouts。 The arms were moving so slowly that they presented no credible threat。 Still； moving like that梩hey reminded him of something； some Robotech legend 。。。
〃Missile one： thirty seconds to impact；〃 someone remarked； and Hodel broke off his musings。
〃Make sure surviving drones are clear of ground zero；〃 Hodel ordered。 〃Get…uurrrr！…numbers five； seven； eight； and ten on recon sweeps of the far side。〃
〃Fifteen seconds。〃
The courier craft had slipped down under the AA guns' lowermost angle of fire； too low for most defenses to target。 Streaming smoke and flame； it wobbled and rattled across the last miles； the fire…control plex looming up like a Robotech scarp。
〃What was that？〃 Difficult to make out either on visuals or； thanks to the alchemist's mix of energies down below； by sensor； something seemed to go flashing across the corpus terrain of Haydon IV。 Like a skimming blue shadow； it flickered straight for the target area。
The courier's visual pickup cut out at impact； of course； but other instruments showed the abrupt outwelling of the explosion： the nearly magical appearance of a superfireball that put many watching it in mind of the big bang。
〃Damage report！〃 Hodel was grunting excitedly even while the fireball expanded。 If there was anything left of the plex； he would target a second mop…up missile ship at it； if not； he would accelerate the other kamikazes to their assigned targets。 The proof that the attack weapons could strike home on Haydon IV had him exulting。
But then came Prah's voice from Quartzstar。 〃Attention； Tracialle！ Our instruments show failure to impact。 Something shielded the target area from the blast。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Hodel bellowed so loudly that even his fellow Karbarrans winced。
Ntor spoke up。 〃Negative； sir。 Look。〃 She had split the main screen。 Next to the real…time image of the expanding nuke strike； she was projecting the flicker that had raced across the surface of the megacosm…mecha。
It was a large blue circle； like the image of a spotlight on the surface of Haydon IV。 It streaked straight for the impact point； a dot of light some hundred miles across and yet small in parison to the gargantuan torso。
The Tracialle's techs were confirming what Quartzstar's had found： The nuke hit had been deflected。 〃And see； two more of those strange energy loci；〃 Ntor added。 Hodel yowled angrily at the three blue circles； drifting here and there across the modules of the reconfigured planet like buzzing insects。
Without warning； Exedore appeared on the main screen。 〃Captain Hodel； I have seen this phenomenon before。 It's a pinpoint barrier system； though how Haydon learned of it； I don't know。 There's no time to explain； you must withdraw your fleet。 〃
Hodel's paw smashed his mand chair's arm。 〃There are only three of those miserable little dots。 We'll hit them with everything we have； all at once…and wipe them out！〃
Waysee； manding the two…ship Garudan contingent； came up on the net。 〃There's no guarantee we'll be able to concentrate our strike precisely enough。〃
Hodel shot back； 〃There is if you all listen to orders！ Now； link your operators to my controllers； who will coordinate all strikes。 We'll soften them up with the suicide ships； then blow them away！〃
〃More readings from the forearm booms；〃 Ntor said to him。
Hodel whirled。 〃Any sign of offensive capability？〃
〃No； Captain； just power buildup。〃
Hodel barked a laugh。 〃Much good it will do them when ten ships punch in at once。 Controllers！ Prepare for a unified strike operation…simultaneous hits all across that empty suit of tin out there。〃
As the fleet re…formed and moved in again； all decoys and kamikaze ships leaping ahead for the coordinated attack； Exedore checked and collated data back in the Royal Hall。
〃I don't know how they did it； Cabell。 Perhaps the Haydonites learned something when they were holding us captive； or perhaps it's something uncovered back when the Regent had the Sentinels captive on Haydon IV。〃
〃It may be much simpler； something implicit in Robotechnology that Haydon discovered just as the Micronians did。 〃
Exedore shrugged helplessly。 〃Just so。 In any case it proves do we don't know what we're up against。 We must get Hodel and the others to break off the attack。〃
〃Retreat： something Karbarrans have never been good at；〃 Cabell observed。
At least Hodel had the caution to stay well back while launching his attack wave。
Fire from the plasma batteries was less effective now that the drones were down and strafing the planet's surface； those that had been dispatched to scout the far side were brought back and hurled into the assault。 As Hodel had observed； the racing pinpoint barrier shield circles could not be everywhere at once。
But just as it had served SDF…1 so well decades before； the defense cut into the attackers' advantage dramatically。 Nevertheless； the decoy craft wreaked havoc all over the near side of Haydon IV。
Of the ten nuke…primed ships sent ahead to smash resistance； two were destroyed by fire while still far above the artificial world； and another two on approach； even though by then the decoys had put many gun emplacements out of action。
Hodel； howling in battle lust； ignored Exedore's attempts to reach him by mo。 Ntor watched the buildup of the energy in the booms but dared not bring them up again。
The surviving ships streaked down to strike as planned； dispersed across Haydon IV。 Three were met by pinpoint barriers； but the other three struck in the chest； neck； and lower abdomen of the Robotech figure that was the artifact world。 This time the planet shook from superbombs so massive that even a continent of armor was not proof against them。
Haydon IV was ripped open in three places； energy and vaporized systemry fountaining from it。 Secondary explosions rattled the megacosm…figure and vented themselves in the vicinity of the right shoulder； blasting it open。 The streams of annihilation discs died away。
The Karbarrans on the Tracialle's bridge； growling their war chants； led the way in to the attack。 The rest of the Local Group ships raced after； some of the other races even taking up the Karbarrans' chant。
Haydon IV loomed near； and the fleet primed its weapons for a last decisive assault。 At last Exedore managed to override the fleet's munications and put his image on their screens。
〃Reverse course； you fools！ Retreat！ The booms the booms are weapons too！〃
The precise nature of the threat had worked at his mind even as it eluded him； until he chanced to glance over at a schematic in the munications center there in the Royal Hall。 On it； the figure of Haydon IV was represented as a sort of crude outline； and he saw things for what they were。
Instead of the articulated Robotech waldos and forearms； the planet'