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aking her way back to her post。
The place was nearly dark； lit only by dim red emergency lights。 The weak flow from the fallback power system was barely enough to keep her console functioning。 There was plenty of power in the base； power gathering itself for a split…second rampage； but she couldn't tap any of it。
〃It's no use。 They're all gone；〃 she said numbly。 She wondered how long she would last； the only living thing in the city of the dead； perhaps the only human being alive。
Not long； she hoped。
Abruptly； multicolored lines of static zagged across her screen； and her father's face appeared； broken by interference； only to reappear。
〃Is that you； Lisa？ I'm reading you； but the transmission is very weak。〃
She let out a long breath。 〃Thank God you're alive！〃
She could see that he was still in the mand station。 A few figures moved in the gloom behind him； lit by occasional flashes of static or electrical shorts。 So others had been spared by the concussion； the explosions and air contamination； the fires and smoke and radiation。
〃The Grand Cannon was severely damaged；〃 he admitted。 〃I don't think it will fire again； but we have to try。〃
〃Oh； Father。〃
He smiled weakly。 〃It seems you were right all the time。 The Zentraedi forces are much too powerful for our weapons to handle。 I should have listened to you。〃
Another shock wave shook the base。 Admiral Hayes said； 〃Lisa； you have to get out of here now！〃
Get out？ What was he talking about？ The surface was a radioactive execution chamber carpeted with molten glass for miles all around。 She was about to tell him so； to make her way to him； to die with him because it was a better place than the one she was in now； and she knew she would die this day。
Before she could speak； there was some sort of eruption from the Grand Cannon base equipment behind him； and the screen broke up into rainbow distortion； then went dark。
〃No！〃 She threw herself at the console； then sank to the floor； wracked by sobs； as the wailing of the base's power plant built and built for a final； terrible outpouring。
〃Father。。。Father。。。〃
As the battle draws on； we feel stronger；
How much longer must we go now？
Rick recognized the voice at once； even in the daze he was in from the missiles' pounding。 He blinked and saw the Earth whirling before him。 His flying sense told him his ship was spinning and sprawling toward the ground； its thrusters only marginally effective in slowing it。 He was inside a big； loose…limbed fireball meteor。
Where am I？ What happened？ Then it came back to him in a rush。 As he gained a little control over himself； his VT； taking its impulses from the receptors in his helmet； did the same。
Gotta go to F mode！ The bucking and spinning of the dive made it difficult reaching for the one close control。 He knew that if the ship hadn't made minimal attempts to control the crash； he would likely never have woken up。
It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life； but he got his hand to the F lever and yanked it。 Damage control systems in his Robotech ship made decisions and blew off the armor and pods with which it had been retrofitted。 Somehow； the burning ponents were jettisoned too。
The Battloid folded； elongated here； shortened there…mechamorphosed。 And in a moment； a sleek； conventional VT rode the thickening air down toward Earth。
Seems to be handling all right； he thought。 Maybe I wasn't hit as bad as I thought。
The ship had automatically assumed a belly…flop attitude for atmospheric reentry。 The speed of its descent reddened its ablative shielding a bit； torching the air around it。
Oops！ Better activate heat shields！ In another moment a protective blister of heat…reflective armor； bearing the Skulls' Jolly Roger insignia； slid into place over the canopy。 Other vulnerable ponents were similarly protected。
The heat in the cockpit began dropping at once； and Rick tried to assess his situation。 I'm still alive。 That covered just about all the important stuff as far as most pilots were concerned。
Minmei was still singing。 He recalled those last words he had exchanged with her in his quarters as the sirens shrilled for a VT hot scramble。
You can do it； Minmei。 Just remember： Today you sing for everyone。
But …I want you to understand； Rick。 I'm really singing for you。
And then she had given him a kiss that he had felt to his toes； a kiss that made him feel he didn't need a VT in order to fly。
I love you； he told her； l love you； she said。
But it was really good…bye； and they had both known it。
He shook off the recollection； that was the sort of stroll down memory lane that got pilots killed。 He was deep in the atmosphere now； his VT trimmed； seeming to respond well。 He slowed； bringing the wings out to minimal sweep； rolling back the heat shields； for a look around。 Night lay over the wasteland； and clouds closed in above。
He tried to figure out why the VT was descending in the first place； why it seemed to be homing in on something。 Then he noticed that the mo system had picked up a signal and remembered that he had given it a certain task。
He swept in lower over the ravaged surface； trying to get a stronger signal。 The utter horror of what had been done to his planet made him lock his mind to the job at hand and that alone。 His mo equipment had picked up emanations of some kind on the designated frequency。
He turned and banked； climbed through the smoky night。 A minute of maneuvering went by； then two； and as if by magic he was rewarded with a signal that came in five by five…perfectly。
〃I say again： This is mander Hayes； Alaska Base。 Anyone receiving this transmission； please respond。〃
There was a note of fear in her voice that he had never heard before。 Something in it brought home to him forcefully how important she had bee to him。
Farewell； Minmei。
He was so eager to reply； to tell her he was there； that he fumbled in opening his transmitter and ignored all proper procedure。
〃Lisa！ Lisa； it's me！〃
〃Rick？〃 She said it low； like a prayer。 Then； wildly； 〃Rick； is it really you？〃
〃Yes！ Are you all right？〃
She suddenly sounded downcast。 〃Yes； but I think I'm th