Battle cry As SDF-1 is forced to land in the ocean by the Earth authorities, Khyron prepares a new offensive against Azonia's orders. His Queadol Magdomilla command cruiser's bow section, housing an attack force of battlecraft, detaches and speeds towards Earth. This time Azonia is curious about Khyron's plans and, instead of recalling him immediately, decides to wait and observe his actions. Nevertheless, she orders Quadronos to follow Khyron in case things get out of hand. The rapidly descending bow section is observed by Earth defence forces, and an array of missiles is launched to destroy it. However, conventional warheads are useless against Zentraedi armor. To Grel's surprise, Khyron refuses a counterattack on missile silos - the main obective is not the micronian planet but the battlefortress. When the bow section reaches SDF-1, Khyron deposits two assault groups - battlepods to fight on surface and tri-thrusters to take care of the Veritech squadrons, himself leading the first group. Micronian defensive formations are soon overwhelmed and penetrated in several places; battlepods are swarming the battlefortress, annihilating veritechs right on launch pads. Azonia decides not to take chances and orders Miriya to stop Khyron while not fighting the micronians herself. But the arrogant and bloodthirsty Quadrano leader decides otherwise - to actually assist Khyron in his plan. Khyron, however, appears to have something else in mind, and when ordered by Azonia to abort the attack, surprisingly agrees and recalls his forces. But not before making sure Gerao didn't forget about the little souvenier for the micronian friends... Azonia dispatches a group of landing craft, and as Khyron's troops evacuate under water, suddenly the Queadol bow section, operated by remote control, starts moving on a collision course with SDF-1. If not for a last-second Daedalus maneuver, the battlefortress would've been destroyed; even then the Daedalus (SDF-1's right "arm") broke through the Queadol hull and, errously launching missiles on the other side, damaged several veritechs. Khyron's plan has failed, and Azonia's sarcastic remarks add to his helpless fury. Miriya is upset by Khyron's, and partly her own, failure; in reply to her mockeries Khyron proclaims that micronians boast a better pilot than she. Miriya decides to ignore Azonia's orders and attack the SDF-1 to destroy the micronian ace. The Meltran command cruiser descends to the Earth surface, and Miriya, along with several Quadrano wingmen, approaches the battlefortress. As Veritech squadrons scramble for defence, she orders her fighters to attack, and waits until the ace shows himself. Indeed soon he does, and the two master pilots clash in a fearful fight, which continues inside SDF-1. Khyron was right - the micronian manages to defeat Miriya; furious, she promises to kill him no matter what the cost.

Bursting Point

Upon return to the Meltran fleet, Miriya approaches Azonia and requests permission to become a micronian spy. The commander is astonished that her best pilot wishes to trade the noble art of war for living among the loathsome micronians; Miriya, of course, doesn't mention that she disobeyed her superior and was defeated by a micronian, and Azonia grants her the necessary permission. The plan to plant micronized Miriya is similar to the one previously executed, but there is one unpredictable interference...

When SDF-1 reaches the Earth's populated areas, Khyron sees it as the perfect time to strike, but Azonia informs him of the High Command's orders, which make clear that there is to be no attacks on the battlefortress whatsoever until the intelligence operation is over. Enraged by yet another denial, Khyron slams off the video comm and decides to resort to his habitual disobedience.

He devises a plan truly worthy of his military talent. The Zentraedi already learned that micronians care a great deal about their planet, and especially about civilian lives, so Khyron decides to bring the fight directly to the densely populated areas of Ontario quadrant, where SDF-1 has been allowed to land. He assigns a strike force to penetrate Earth atmosphere and place electronic counter-measures equipment to cover the approach of Zentraedi capital ships. The strike force consists of tri-thrusters, since Regult battlepods woud not survive the rapid descent through atmosphere. The capital ships, led by Grel, are to maneuver at extra low altitudes and use the terrain, along with ECM, for stealth approach. Khyron, as usual, will lead the strike force, in his Glaug with an attached armored booster to allow transorbital maneuvers.

Acknowledging the faultless plan, Grel nevertheless is worried, but not about micronian opposition. His commanding officer completely ignores superiors, and sooner or later there will be trouble. Yet Grel again risks his military career and supports Khyron in this dangerous endeavour.

The tri-thrusters swarm out of landing bays and speed towards SDF-1, which hovers above the city of Ontario. Recognizing the great danger to civilians, Gloval scrambles all Veritech squadrons, and the sky is immediately full of fighters, missiles, shells and explosions. Zentraedi activate the radar jammers, and under their protective screed Grel's ships descend towards Earth.

Not far from the enormous firefight, a lone Queadlunn-Rau approaches the battlefortress. In its manipulator is a capsule with micronized Miriya, bent on finding the enemy ace and destroying him. The simple task of planting the capsule inside SDF-1 is complicated by Khyron's attack, since all micronian Air Force seems to be scrambled to defend the fortress. On the other hand, the attack is a perfect diversion, and there are no Veritech patrols, so the capsule is planted without even engaging in dogfights and Miriya begins her mission.

Khyron orders Grel to move the cruisers into firing range and makes sure fire is to be opened only once he gets back aboard the Queadol Magdomilla. Getting caught in the crossfire is obviously not in Khyron's plans.

When Khyron's safely back on the bridge, Grel reports strange energy activity around the battlefortress, which appears to be some form of a new omnidirectional barrier system uncommon to Zentraedi. But there is no turning back, and Khyron orders full artillery barrage. Regrettably the Command cruiser's main gun was lost with its bow section, but hundreds of heavy particle beam turrets would be enough for the fortress' destruction. Yet after the first salvo SDF-1 appears undamaged; baffled, Khyron orders the barrage to continue, and moves cruisers to closer range for maximum effect. Blast after blast, and soon the barrier begins to lose power; in a desperate attempt to stop the Zentraedi, Veritechs attack the cruisers, but it is too late - the barrier system is severely overloaded and explodes. The energy barrier transforms into a great mass of subatomic particles; out of control, it expands, annihilating everything on its way - veritechs, tri-thrusters, city blocks, and several Zentraedi cruisers. Khyron orders immediate withdrawal, saving his own life and the majority of his fleet. Among micronian casualties there are Ben Dixon and the whole city of Ontario.

Battle Hymn

Grel reports to Khyron that the three spies, recently returned from SDF-1, are wrecking havoc upon Zentraedi morale onboard Breetai's flagship. The commander has a hard time believing his XO, since psychological warfare was unheard among the Zentraedi (only Supreme commander Dolza and his trusted advisors carried knowledge of an ancient culture which almost destroyed the Zentraedi society). Soon, however, Grel's claims will be proven right before Khyron's unbelieving eyes.

Dolza has already recognized the danger which the Zentraedi society was facing; he becomes convinced that micronians discovered the secrets of Protoculture, and reveals to Breetai that after scientific evaluation of the micronian species has been completed all earthlings must be annihilated. To accomplish the first stage of this plan, Dolza orders Breetai to capture several micronians for examination.

While leaders discuss important matters, rumors of the pleasureful micronian society spread fast among Zentraedi troops. Bron, Rico and Konda convince the micronization chamber operator to micronize them and, along with many other soldiers, plan to defect during the oncoming attack on SDF-1.

Breetai and Exedore decide to make use of SDF-1's common Daedalus maneuver. A small fleet of 30 ships move towards SDF-1 and surrounds it; Khyron's battlepods blast out and engage the veritech defence squadrons. The flagship alone approaches the battlefortress, provoking the Daedalus attack. As Daedalus breaks through the flagship's bow section and opens, the trap springs - dozens of battlepods emerge from their ambushes, crush the unsuspecting destroids and enter SDF-1. Veritechs are withdrawing to help defend the fortress; behind them, 7th division battlepods slide inside unnoticed. "This is too easy", murmurs Khyron as his forces begin demolishing micronian defenders.

Zentraedi soldiers are totally confused; they do not know whether to shoot at the enemy or admire the micronian way of life. Near the concert hall, two battlepod pilots stare in amazement at singing Minmay, whom they've seen in a form of a tiny doll. The awkward psychological balance is broken by Hunter, who attacks the unsuspecting, shocked Zentraedi and bravely kills them.

The only Zentraedi inside SDF-1 who remain loyal and ignore the micronian wonders are those from the 7th Mechanized. Khyron annihilates one defence screen after another, joyous that at last he has been allowed to lay waste upon the hated micronians. Soon his forces meet one of the defecting groups, who report that they're wandering around the city in search of Minmay. Khyron, who of course has no knowledge of the girl singer, perplexely asks what missile type are the soldiers talking about and sends them into a burst of uncontrollable laughter. Embarassed, Khyron angrily demands an explanation, and finally understands that the soldiers are looking for a micronian female. This stuns him; one of the pilots can't stop laughing, and, enraged, Khyron shoots at him. Suddenly all battlepods begin to scatter, probably aware of the commander's infamous nickname. Completely baffled, Khyron chases them, trying to find out why would Zentraedi warriors want to see an earthling singer; hearing that soldiers prefer the micronian way of life, he becomes convinced that they've gone mad and begins to destroy the insane defectors.

When Breetai receives a report from Lord Khyron that desertion is spreading among the Zentraedi ranks, he is surprised, angered, and frightened. Robotech Masters were right: the micronians indeed possess strange powers, and any future attacks are useless unless a way to overrule these powers is found. Breetai orders total withdrawal, and demands that Khyron captures some defectors for interrogation. Furious, Khyron wants to kill all traitors immediately; having to escort them to the flagship humiliates him and spawns more hatred towards the micronians... and Breetai.

The Messenger of Doom

After an unsuccessfull attack on a micronian transport, when his forces were scattered by a new enemy fighter, Khyron waits for another opportunity. And one indeed occurs, when "under orders of High Command" Breetai has the Zentraedi flagship approach SDF-1 to begin diplomatic negotiations. Seeing that the space fortress doesn't open fire, Khyron sends several squadrons of tri-thrusters to take advantage of the apparent micronian carelessness. To his horror, the flagship starts firing at Zentraedi craft, destroying the whole strike force. Enraged, Khyron demands an explanation from Breetai, who gives little importance to the fact that he just now backstabbed hundreds of pilots; executing High Command's orders is imperative to Breetai.

To me it seems that Dolza did not give any orders about starting negotioations. Previously we have seen Breetai and Exedore decide that no further actions could be taken unless they had something to counter the awesome effect of the micronian society on Zentraedi warriors. In hopes of learning more about this effect and perhaps getting some protoculture, Breetai invokes negotiations by his own initiative, and tells those who disagree, like Khyron, that these are orders from High Command. Azonia immediately informs Dolza of the happenings, and the Supreme Commander decides to annihilate the micronian race, traitor Breetai and all Zentraedi who took part in the operation.

The diplomatic mission is a success, Exedore and Gloval conjure a peace treaty of sorts. But soon Azonia declares that in a matter of hours Dolza with his Main fleet of 4.8 million ships will arrive; the Zentraedi ships have almost ran out of protoculture supplies, and are unable to fold away from the doomed planet. Exedore states that they'll have to fight alongside micronians against Dolza's armada. Breetai consults the two other fleet commanders, Azonia and Khyron, for their opinion. Azonia agrees that there is no way out - they must fight together or die. She wishes success to Breetai in the oncoming battle. Khyron, sane and rational as always, points out that the odds are too great - almost five million battleships, among them many flagships and Reflex cannon platforms, against the battered and disorganized remnants of Breetai's fleet plus the unreliable micronian foes-turned-allies. Rudely Breetai puts him down, exclaiming that he wasn't counting on Khyron's loyalty anyway. Insulted, Khyron slams off the videolink and tells Grel to start moving away from Earth.

As the 7th Mechanized drifts away on conventional thrusters, Earth orbit begins to fill with Dolza's battleships - thousands, then millions, they surround the planet in a gigantic sphere, dominating Earth sky on every continent, in every city, sending a feeling of imminent doom into billions of suddenly turned cold hearts. Azonia stares in awe at the cosmic power about to unleash its rage upon micronians and Zentraedi alike.

Force of Arms

From his Command Base on Earth orbit, Dolza orders full barrage upon the micronians' mother planet. Hundreds of Monitors send tremendous blasts of energy towards helpless cities; in the empetrifying energy storm Earth surface is devastated, and desert spreads through lands once fertile with life. A moment's notice and most of the human civilization is turned into ashes; only a few underground bases survive, and among them the Grand Cannon in Alaska. It has time enough to fire only one shot, annihilating many Zentraedi cruisers, before its own destruction.

Terrified as they are, the SDF-1 and Breetai and Azonia's fleets stage a powerful counterstrike. Using Minmay's singing and kissing to divert the attention of Dolza's warriors, they are able to crush one division after another. The fight is bitter however; Dolza's armada boasts the best in space warfare - reflex cannon platforms, officers' power armors, plus numeric superiority.

Khyron observes the great battle from his safe haven not far from Earth. He and Grel also monitor the micronian psychological weapon - Minmay singing, and indeed it takes effect on Khyron. The commander orders to approach Breetai's position; Grel is shocked, for he thinks Khyron is going to attack their comrades-in-arms. But Khyron has something else in mind - a feeling catalyzed and brought out from subconsciousness by Minmay's song, a passion for the Meltran commander Azonia. The ships of the 7th division move in just in time to save Azonia from imminent death in her wrecked cruiser.

Then SDF-1 breaks through several armor layers of Dolza's enourmous Command Base and fires a full reflex missile salvo from within. In an immeasurable explosion the Command Base is destroyed, along with Dolza and the vast majority of Zentraedi fleets. SDF-1 survives thanks to the omnidirectional barrier; so does Breetai's flagship and the crews of several hundred Zentraedi cruisers which manage to crash-land on Earth. Among them are Khyron, Azonia and the remnants of the 7th Mechanized infantry Space division, who land their ships in Alaskan snow plains.