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It didn't take long to get there； Max even paid for the cab。 The Close Encounters game arcade was alive with noise and lights； like some Robotech fun house。
Max's eyes were shining。 〃Great place； huh？ You're gonna love it！〃
More war games？ Rick groaned to himself。 〃I don't know。 Maybe I'll just head home…〃
But Max had him by the elbow again。 〃A coupla games'll make you feel like a new man； boss。〃
〃Max； I don't think…〃
〃Look； I've been here before； I know what I'm talking about！〃 He dragged Rick through the entrance。
As they moved deeper into the arcade； Rick recognized a face。 Jason； Lynn…Minmei's little cousin； had stopped to watch a young woman playing a game。 Rick went past without saying anything to attract the child's attention； talking to Jason would only remind him of his feelings for Minmei and pound his doubts and gloom。
In passing； he did notice the young woman： a very intense player with green…dyed hair and an expression like some beautiful lioness ready for the kill。
The shuttle had barely rolled to a stop when Hayes reached it； running。 His aide watched him in astonishment。
By the time the ground crew got the mobile stairs in position； Lisa was waiting in the open hatch。 The wind tugged at her long； heavy locks of brown…blond hair and her too…light trench coat。 She was wearing fur…trimmed boots she had borrowed； but the cold sent ice picks through her and numbed her skin instantly。
She halted； shocked to see her father waiting for her。 Their previous meeting and parting had been anything but cordial； with the admiral doggedly taking the UEDC line against Gloval's mon sense and passion。 Coldly formal to her in the meetings； her father had later sought to get her reassigned to headquarters base； to get her out of the danger of her SDF…1 assignment。 Lisa had torn up the conciliatory note he had sent her and returned to the dimensional fortress with Gloval。 She was unaware of how that tormented her father。
Now； looking up at her； he said； 〃Lisa！ Thank goodness you're here at last！〃 She came down the stairs carefully； holding the railing with one hand as the wind buffetted her； clutching a dispatch case。
〃You're finally off that cursed alien Flying Dutchman。〃 He was smiling； tears forming。 〃We've got a lot of talking to do！〃
But when she reached the bottom of the stairs； she came to attention and snapped him an exacting salute。 〃Admiral； mander Lisa Hayes reporting； sir。 I'm carrying a special dispatch from the captain of the SDF…1 to the United Earth Defense Council。〃
He was taken aback； the smile wiped from his face。 It was her turn to be formal and distant now； her right； as it had been his the last time。
If she was giving him back his own； he was willing to accept it。 Nothing was as important to him as the fact that his daughter； his only family； was with him again。 He returned her salute crisply； straight…faced。
〃Wele home。〃
Dante's Inferno was one of the more popular games there； but Rick just didn't feel like following old Virgil down through the nine circles to the demanding Ultimate Player level。 Dragonbane； with its swirling nightmare reptile attackers and Nordic swordsman； seemed a little too much like his own duel with inner demons。
Nor was he inclined toward Psycho Highway Chainsaw Bloodbath。 Eventually； though； Max convinced him to take on a pair of side…by…side Aesop's Gauntlet machines； mostly because the easy chairs before them were thickly upholstered and fortable。
Down below； on the main level； Miriya sharpened her skills at the Veritechs！ game： She found grim amusement in being a simulated Micronian pilot； blowing Zentraedi Battlepods to whirling fragments。 She was disappointed that there were no Quadrono powered…armor opponents in the game； her own unit was by far the elite of the alien armada。
She also approved of the training machine…as she thought of it…for not introducing trainees to the realities of warfare at this early phase of their instruction。 It was clear that the gamesters would need a little hardening and proper military discipline before they could deal with the horror and bloodshed of real warfare。 This clean； neat gaming gave them appropriate affection for bat without any confusing exposure to certain unpleasant aspects of a real warrior's life。 Clever。
She sent another pod to puter…modeled oblivion； pretending it was that of Khyron； whom she had e to despise。 The score credit flashed； and little Jason； still watching； piped up； 〃Wow！ Look at that！〃
She tried to ignore him as tokens stamped with a big M poured into the payoff tray。 The little Micronians were intriguing to her； but disquieting。 And the small ones were always so boisterous or emotional…certainly impulsive and rather simpleminded。 At first she thought that they were a slave underclass； but that didn't square with the indulgent treatment they got from the bigger Micronians。 She forcefully shut from her mind the truth about human childbearing； pared to it； the war and slaughter were simple； prehensible； painless things。
And such thoughts were not in keeping with her true mission aboard the SDF…1。 She looked around； wondering when she would find her quarry。 The memory still burned in her： of how the Micronian ace had outflown her and then； in the very streets of Macross itself； she in her Quadrono superarmor and he in his Battloid； faced her down； made her flee。
Her face burned again at the thought of it。 She had difficulty eating or resting and would until she regained her honor。
The dimensional fortress was big； but not big enough that her enemy could hide forever。
CHAPTER FIVE
Considering the staggering expense involved in any Robotech operation； the match that took place in the arcade that day certainly ranks as the most cost…effective VT mission of the war…and perhaps the most fateful。
Zachary Fox Jr。； VT： the Men and the Mecha
Every animal in Aesop's Bestiary seemed to have it in for Rick； while Max progressed through the ascending levels with ease。
〃The points're piling up； Lieutenant；〃 Max said； referring to his score。 Rick； teeth gritted； was trying to wax the fox that was leaping for the grapes。 Damn thing moved faste