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nova。
Waitaminute； waitaminute； it is！
〃Angelo！ 〃 Gnea's nails dug into his shoulder； he rolled over and found himself staring up into the face of a deity。 Out of uniform in the presence of God。 He wondered if it was a court…martial offense。
It was a visage formed from the white brume； a hairless； humanoid head； vaguely and yet unmistakably feminine。 It seemed to take up the whole sky。
They heard its thought： LIFE IS WASTED ON THE LIVING！
CHAPTER TWENTY…FOUR
Not odd to note； perhaps； in view of the upheavals in that particular period of Aeon Lanack。 But the truth is that in spite of the laborious； even stern； inquiries made by the Elders and their servants； no one ever seemed quite certain as to exactly where Zor came from。 We know that； like so many others born during that era （for that matter； like many born before and after it and many born into other races on other planets）； he was raised in a succession of government care facilities and the like from the time he was very young。
But no record of his birth or precise origin could be found。 This frustrated the Elders； who wished to analyze and duplicate the secrets of his genius and extraordinary affinities； beyond words。
Cabell； Zor and the Great Transition
She had often crashed through enemy fortifications or target cities； brushing aside buildings or shouldering her way between defensive works。
But now Kazianna Hesh moved easily and carefully through the venerable old trees on the planet that had appeared from nowhere。 Her enemy had not chosen to reveal itself yet； and caution was warranted。
Rick Hunter had assigned the Zentraedi to sweep paths accesible to their mechaed bulk； the humans and Sentinels were working their way through the denser growth； and a few Cyclone outriders advanced along the wider footpaths and streambeds。 Periodically； she heard Jack Baker and Rick Hunter trying to contact Sergeant Dante or Gnea on their tactical freq； but there was no answer。
Like Angelo； she tried to keep her mind on her job but found herself distracted。 It seemed that her team was too； she snapped at them to stay sharp。
What was it about the place？ She had expected to have Drannin and the problems with the children on her mind； had recognized that she would have to make sure she kept full concentration。 But she had not expected what she was feeling； what kept running through her mind。
Breetai； oh； my Breetai 。 。 。
His face was there before her； his phantom arms around her； his kiss pressed on her lips。
Stop！ You're a war leader of the Quadronos！ But it did no good castigating herself。 A moment later the memories were there before her again； as though she had not grieved and struggled to reclaim her life。
Breetai； my lord and my love 。 。 。 What was it about the place？
Kazianna saw the sky reflected in her helmet …facebowl and realized as if from afar that she had stopped advancing； was standing； swaying； in a grove of trees whose tips came even with the top of her powered suit。 A leaf the shape of a kite came loose from a branch； fluttering down。
But it was only her body there。 Kazianna Hesh was years and light…years away。
It was her first major action； an assault landing on a strategic Invid stronghold on icy Tawkhan； and everything had gone wrong： more Invid than anybody had projected； fleet deployment from fold jump hopelessly snarled； Lord Dolza s flagship missing and perhaps lost。
Kazianna was pinned down with what was left of her battalion…her battalion； because all senior officers had fallen before waves of Invid。 Scout Shock； Trooper； and Pincer Ship； they seemed to spring from the ground； a horde for every individual the massed Zentraedi firepower burned down。
The resources of an entire sector had been marshaled。 Out beyond the atmosphere a total of nearly a quarter million ships of all classes hammered away at one another。 They were at virtual point…blank range for a space engagement； Kazianna and the other ground troops could look for little help from that quarter。 Even on the daylight side of the planet； the incandescent bursts flashed bright； far overhead。
The giants had never had music of their own； the Robotech Masters had reserved the arts of the Muses and the Cosmic Harp to themselves and their clone triumvirates； yet how the blood sang in the veins of the Zentraedi that day！ Fired by the eons…old traditions and honor that Exedore had taught them； they hurled themselves at the Invid with a will。
This was what the Zentraedi had been born for。 They followed their Imperative。
Oyster…shaped Invid troopships blotted out the sky。 The entire planet was a theater of war。 Whole armies were thrown against each other as if they were mere panies。 Nearly eight million Zentraedi eagerly locked in mortal bat with over twenty million Invid。
Battlepod went muzzle to muzzle with Shock Trooper； weapons vomiting forth death。 Powered armor suits darted in aerial bat； fought as infantry； and even rolled and tore with the enemy hand to hand。 There were massed charges of entire corps； met by equal or greater numbers of teeming Invid。
bat heated the atmosphere of Tawkhan itself。 Explosions and energy volleys opened crevasses and shattered glaciers； undersea onslaughts made the oceans boil； beams of raw power melted ice fields and shook loose immense avallanches。 All across the planet the warfare raged in thickening smoke and rain。
The stupendous barrages awoke the resentment of Tawkhan itself； jarring its tectonics。 Volcanoes blasted to life； and fissures poured lava up through ice cap and seabed。 Quakes crushed or swallowed Invid and Zentraedi alike。 Mud and superheated water rained down。 Floods swept mecha away like bits of straw。
Through it all； Kazianna's unit made its way toward the very heart of the foe's central hive； a daring thrust to end the campaign with one telling blow。 But it met with failure； and what was left of her unit was about to be totally annihilated。
Kazianna braced herself to grapple unarmed with a Shock Trooper； her weapons were exhausted。 Then the Trooper was gone； burned in half； the halves falling away in opposite directions。 Dazed； Kazianna Hesh looked beyond where it had been。 There stood the great Breetai； a metal war god in his personal battle panoply； a rifle as big as an Earthly artillery piece smoking in his gauntleted fists。
Behind him came a crack task force； ten divisions of elite troops； to strike at the very brain of the foe。 Kazianna learned later that her own assault force had been a feint； drawing Invid attention away from Breetai's sword…stroke raid。 In moments the special coalition of living puters that directed the Invid on Tawkhan…the piles of brain tissue lurking in their vats…would be destroyed in an apocalyptic contest with the invading foot soldiers and mecha。
In that second； though； all Kazianna Hesh saw was Breetai； striding his personal domain…the domain of battle…like an icon e to life。 The most illustrious and successful of Dolza's field manders and； after the Old One himself； the biggest and strongest of the entire Zentraedi race。
It was heresy to think this； but Kazianna did not care： He was like some higher being； some creature superior to ot