ty much a ground battle。
The man released the nametag he had ripped from his flight suit。 It fluttered down on the wind as he watched the battle move his way。 Edwards was using his Invid troops cleverly； feinting and redeploying； subtly opening an avenue of attack on the HQ。 REF mand wouldn't consider HQ much of an objective for Edwards； Flight Officer Isle knew； mand would consider it a dead end； and would be watching for an assault on the spaceport。 They didn't know that the most precious thing in the universe was in the headquarters building。
No； mand was busy dealing with diversionary strikes by Edwards's loyal Ghost Riders and shoring up its faltering ready…reaction groups in the western and southern parts of Tiresia。 Edwards was one up on them。
The council acted quickly on Lang's plea to secure SDF…3 against mutiny。 But what they weren't prepared for was a mass desertion by Ghost elements then on the super…dimensional fortress。 And while there were sufficient loyal troops to hold the bridge； power section； and other vital points against assault； there weren't nearly enough to stop Edwards's people from decamping。
Some of the Ghosts headed for the surface of Tirol； to provide air support for their general's escape。 But the bulk of them drove directly toward the new SDF…7 ship； sister to the Tokugawa and the Jutland； that was just nearing pletion。 Since Edwards had to take flight； he meant to do so in a ship with its superluminal drive in place。
Inorganics were already breaking through onto the huge square outside the rocketlike HQ building。 The man who had called himself Isle for so long drew a deep breath and leapt from the parapet on which he stood。
Ten feet below； he touched down soundlessly on the tiles of a balcony； eased himself onto a ledge that ran round the building； and sidled along it； back to the wall。 He negotiated the corner and saw the mecha he had seen fifteen or thirty seconds before： a Scrim lumbering in behind the first wave of Inorganics to assault the doors of the HQ。
He swung himself out with a grip on the evercrete of a flying buttress； his fingers； as strong as steel； finding purchase where few other Humans' could have。 When the Scrim passed under； he made a daring deadfall； clinging to a ridge of armored backplate。 The Scrim stopped and turned； but saw nothing behind it。 It charged after its panions； bringing up the rear； as they breached the headquarters' main doors。
In another instant； the man was inside the building that had for so long resisted his every effort to gain entry。
He saw his chance and sprang； with nearly superhuman strength and precision； to a darkened surveillance camera mast； just as the Inorganic he had been riding came under intense fire from a gun emplacement。 The fighting in the lobby and the halls was hideous and without quarter； the Humans as willing to die as the Invid。 Cool and capable as he was； he was staggered for a moment by the blind； unyielding carnage of it。 Edwards's advantage in numbers and firepower were quickly reduced by sheer Human stubbornness。 The Invid media paid heavily for every inch they claimed。
But there were other things to think about。 He slid away like a flickering shadow； knowing the floor plan from diligent study。 He had waited so long and patiently； so humbly。 And now the moment was his。
Reports had it that Wolff's damnable Wolff Pack were advancing to back up the loyalist Destroids in repelling the Inorganics。 Luckily； only a part of the Hovertank unit had been permitted to make planetfall with their mander； and most of the rest of the troops who had gone to Haydon IV were still in orbit aboard ship； too far away to be of any tactical importance。
Edwards didn't care； just as he didn't care how many lives he had to spend to take the HQ citadel。 Troops and mecha were things that he could replace； Minmei wasn't。
Adams was yammering something in his ear； Edwards looked aside from his screens and readouts。 〃What？〃
〃HQ building partially secured but still putting up resistance； sir；〃 Adams repeated。 〃I think we should stand fast and wait till…〃
〃We're going in；〃 Edwards cut him off。 〃Where's that SDF escort？〃
Adams told him calmly； 〃Rendezvous is still on schedule。 They're beginning orbital insertion now。 We only have twenty…three minutes； General。〃
More than enough time。 〃Drive on！ Hit hard！〃 Edwards hollered over the tac net。 〃I want some results； people！〃 Relaying orders back to the Living puter by means of a receptor band that looked something like an Invid slave headband； he worked the Inorganics into a killing frenzy。
He left the limo behind to take personal charge of the raid。 His forces mowed down all opposition； slew and demolished； melted superalloy and blew apart walls。 At the entrance of the brig section； he was obliged to leave his Inorganics and Ghost mecha behind because the corridors were too small。 Ghost Riders deployed with rifles leveled； securing the area。
Minmei had imagined the cell door opening； had imagined it so many times that she thought her mind was playing tricks on her now that it was happening。 Oh； God！ I'd rather be dead than crazy！
But when Edwards stepped into the open doorway； she knew she wasn't imagining it and started to scream。 Sinking her fingers into the black hair that hung around her face； squeezing her eyes shut； she shrieked。
Edwards pounced on her as Adams and two lesser officers brought up the rear； guarding the door。 The general cuffed her face； back and forth。 〃Shut up； shut up！〃
Then he had her shoulders； shaking her； as she shuddered with long； wracking sobs。 〃Minmei； you're ing with me！ Do you hear？ You're mine！〃 He slapped her again。 〃Not Hunter's！ Not Wolff's！ Mine！
Somehow she stopped crying。 Minmei raised her eyes to Edwards with a look he had never seen from her before。 She wiped away the tears and saliva and mucous with the back of her hand。
She looked her foe in the eye。 〃If you don't leave me alone you'd better kill me； T。 R。 Or else I am going to kill you。〃
He felt such sudden misgiving that he raised his hand to hit her again； expecting her to flinch。 But she kept her eyes fixed on him。 〃I'm going to make you beg me to forget what you just said；〃 he whispered。
Minmei drew a deep breath。 揘o； you're not。〃
A hand closed around Edwards's upraised wrist from behind； a voice told him； 揘o； you're not。〃
Edwards was pulled aside； his wrist nearly broken。 He was spun at the cell wall like a child's top； his burnished facemask ringing against it； his nose banged so that he smelled metal and blood。 He clawed for purchase but found himself sliding down the cold alloy； leaving a red stain。 A foot pressed his head to the deck； nearly crushed it； then relented。 Then the foot was abruptly gone。
The general shook his head to clear it； glancing about drunkenly。 Adams lay sprawled in the doorway； perhaps unconscious； perhaps dead。 Edwards could see the upturned toes of one downed guard's boots in the corridor beyond。 Minmei was on her feet with a look on her face that Edwards had always longed to force her to direct at him。 But it was for the man in the REF flight suit who had appeared out of nowhere。
Edwards felt numbed in certain ways； superalert in others。 The light danced in Minmei's eyes as she slowly raised her hands to her rescuer。
〃Lynn…Kyle！ Oh； Lynn…Kyle。。。〃
Her distant cousin and； in the opinion of some； a reflection of the dark side of Minmei herself； her onetime lover and the most renowned martial arts fighter of the Robotech age。 The haunted and saturnine； the brilliantly gifted but ill…starred； the undefeated and cursed Lynn…Kyle。
Kyle's face was thinner than when he had been a movie star。 The fine； silky black shag was showing some gray。 He kissed his cousin's forehead； then took her hand。 〃I'm taking you home。〃 There was something as much penitent as loving in his voice。
Home！ She couldn't really think what the word meant anymore。 But she felt weightless； her hand and her body and her soul buoyant beyond belief； as she entrusted her grip to his； her feet seemingly free of the cell floor。
Edwards lurched and grabbed her ankle with a failing grip。 〃No！ I won't let you go！〃
Kyle was kne