To the Stars! Buried in the South American rainforest, the Rineunadou Lojmeuean slowly awakens - newly repowered by the reserves of protoculture matrix, stolen by its resourceful commander. Inside the huge ship, lamps flood decks with light, and all Zentraedi cheer the might finally at their disposal. On the bridge Azonia reports with a smile that full power has been restored and the ship is ready to take off. Everyone is shocked when Khyron suddenly declares that before leaving the micronian planet he must have his vengeance and destroy SDF-1, but soon the Zentraedi agree entusiastically to follow their commander into the final battle. SDF-1 is severely battered by the lengthy war - according to intelligence reports it doesn't have energy enough for serious resistance, and Khyron feels victory is at hand. He orders to take off and head for New Macross. "As the protoculture flows through its systems, the long-idled battleship comes to life... Outside the ground rumbles, then begins to give way, torn asunder by an artificial earthquake of alien power, as the battlecruiser frivolously tears free from its earth-bound prison. The venerable Khyron is once again armed and at large, bent on vengeance and destruction." Cautiously navigating at extra-low altitude, using terrain as cover and employing a variety of radar jammers, the Monitor moves towards New Macross. On bridge, as snowy mountain caps pass by, Khyron, Azonia and Grel are waiting anxiously for the micronian fortress to come into firing range."The SDF-1 will soon be little more than a footnote in the Zentraedi history books," growls Khyron; the fortress is within thirty miles now, and he orders missile barrage on the unsuspecting city. Warheads liberate their awesome power in fierce explosions, annihilating stone and flesh alike. Micronian forces are scrambled, all veritech fighters are in air, and to defend the Monitor dozens of tri-thrusters engage the enemy. Zentraedi are outnumbered, but it is too late for the micronians - Rineunadou Lojmeuean is now within firing range. On the bridge, Khyron views with satisfaction as the micronian fortress comes to his grasp. My revenge is well worth waiting for... Admiral Gloval will wish he'd never heard of me... Azonia reports that the main cannon is in full power, and Khyron orders to fire.

With mesmerizing slowness the Rineunadou Lojmeuean bow section splits apart; energy concentrates between the sections in bluish electric discharges, and next second a monstrous beam of pure destruction shoots from the Reflex cannon. It is the weapon that destroyed the great cities of Earth, and now its target is the last protector of micronian culture. Buildings and people turn to dust as the beam sweeps through New Macross and finally collides with the battlefortress. In a tremendous explosion a section of SDF-1 is destroyed and the fortress starts slowly falling in the lake.

But the time for rejoicing has not come yet.... Miraculously the crippled battlefortress still has resources enough to make one last shot... In terrified disbelief, Zentraedi watch as SDF-1 climbs from its supposed watery grave, energy starts gathering within its own Reflex cannon, and a deadly wave rushes towards the Monitor. It is too late to turn away; the beam rippes through Zentraedi armor, and burning wind wildly brushes away crewmembers caught in its fiery way.

On the bridge, Grel is thrown out of his seat and smashed at the wall... the floor is covered with glass shards from the broken windshield... blood tickling from a wound on his brow, Khyron looks at the sprawled body of his old comrade-in-arms, old friend, remembering all battles they've been through together, their youthful enthusiasm, their lives full of mirth... and so desperately short... sorrow is soon drowned by a flood of rage at the inexplicable micronians who reduced his friendship and life into mizerable dust of nonexistence. But one thing they couldn't destroy.... his love.

He glances at the woman sitting in the control chair, apparently unharmed, and when her deep blue eyes meet his gaze, rage goes away like sorrow did a moment before, overwhelmed by the power of love... Purified, they look into each other's souls, accepting whatever destiny life has prepared for them, and feel a desire to unite... It will require a sacrifice... are you ready to face it with me, Azonia? ...It will be glorious!... ...Yes... glorious...

Khyron locks the Rineunadou Lojmeuean on a collision course with SDF-1; as the battlefortress is closer and closer he takes Azonia's hand and feels her thoughts flowing through as if they were one... flying away... to the stars!

The cruiser was a fiery javelin in a ballistic fall, called by the Earth's own inherent powers to deadly rendezvous with its techno-savior. On the bridge of the Zentraedi ship, Khyron and Azonia stood hand in hand facing that divine wind in a way only warriors could, victorious in the final moments as much for destroying the object of their years-long pursuit as for the strength of their extraordinary bond, their marriage in death..... The mile-long cruiser rammed into the main guns of the fortress, splintering the twin booms as it continued to dive. Metal shrieked against metal, shafts, connectors, and joints snapping and roaring in protest. The bow of the leviathan ship forced the booms apart and impacted against the main body of the SDF-1, shearing off the head and going on to crash and explode once, twice, and again. The fortress took the full power of these against its back and itself exploded, blowing the supercarriers from their mountings and ripping away the battle-scarred armor that had seen so much violence. The lake boiled, releasing massive clouds of steam into the cold air, and lightning storms appeared spontaneously in the skies over head. A fire ball rose and mushroomed there, announcing the event to the rest of the world. (Doomsday, 501)

Khyron and Azonia were not forgotten. Their martyrdom inspired many micronian-wary Zentraedi warriors on a desperate quest for freedom, a struggle against alien society and culture for a right to live by Zentraedi native standards, which micronians called The Malcontent Uprisings and which was brutally repressed. But the memory will live forever.