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failed him yet。 With replacement parts and maintenance time in such woefully short supply； the Skull Leader's craft wasn't in the shape it had been in during the war； but he trusted it。
The Guardian jetted in low over the rust…red； pitted countryside and foot…thrustered to a deft landing。 It bowed； nose nearly touching the ground； he jumped from the cockpit eagerly； hardly able to credit what was happening to him。
〃I don't believe it！ It's impossible！〃
He ran across the gritty； fallow soil； back toward what he had spotted。 All around were gigantic； jagged shreds and peels of Zentraedi armorplate； twisted and mangled； slowly turning to rust and dust。 Off to one side was an overturned Guardian wreck that looked like it had been put through a meat grinder。 Its rusting legs stuck straight up into the air like a dead hawk's。
Rick skidded to a halt； the wind moaning around him。 He looked down and was astounded。
At his feet； springing from a moist plot of earth somehow enriched enough to sustain it； was a field of dandelions。 The irregularly shaped； few…square…yards patch of them was sheltered from the wind by the wreckage and yet； by chance； had good exposure to sunlight。
For a moment he couldn't find words。 〃Absolutely incredible；〃 he murmured； but that was insufficient。 Here； near yet another Zentraedi wreck； the soil had been fortified with something that would support life。 He suspected that he knew what that something had been； and it suddenly made him feel very mortal and humble。
〃Real flowers！〃 He knelt； handling them as gently as a lover； inhaling。
Certainly there were flowers in the greenhouses and protected fields of the reclamation projects； but this！ It was a thing as wonderful as flight…no； more wonderful！ Life itself！
He couldn't recall how many times； as a child； he'd raced across a field of these unglamorous flowers； eyes fixed on the blue sky； wishing only to fly。 And now things had e full circle； he flew the most advanced aircraft ever known with his eyes trained on the ground； waiting and hoping for just such a sight as。。。dandelions。
I hope this means the Earth is forgiving us； he meditated。
It was a good and precious thing to know that at least one positive sign； however small； had shown itself。 There were other omens that were not so good。 Rick was privy to a lot of high…level information thanks to his experiences among the Zentraedi and his value as an intelligence source。
There were things he tried not to think about； and three of them had disturbing names： Protoculture。 Robotech Masters。 Invid。
Three VTs swooped in low over the desolate land； forming up again after pleting their aerial recons of assigned sectors。 They were newer ships than Rick's； but they looked somehow less sleek and finished。 There were those who said the true high…water mark of Robotech workmanship had passed。
〃mander Hunter； e in； please；〃 said Rick's new second in mand； Lieutenant Ransom。 〃This is Skull Four calling Skull Six。〃
No answer； after five minutes' trying。 Ransom thought for a moment。 〃Bobby？〃
Sergeant Bobby Bell； youngest of the remanned Skull Team； appeared on Ransom's display screen。 〃Yo？〃
〃I can't raise the boss； kid。〃
Bobby's round face looked pained。 〃What d' you think？ Renegades？〃
That was one of the big reasons for the patrols。 Of the many Zentraedi who had gone forth among the humans to try a more peaceful way of life and a chance to open up the more feeling and passionate side of their nature； some had found that it simply wouldn't work。
The renegades had begun slipping away into the wastelands more than a year before。 There was an entire world of salvage for them out there： mecha； weapons； rations； and anything else they might need； provided they could find the right wreck。 More importantly； there was the freedom to act as Zentraedi warriors once again； to follow their own brutal； merciless code。
〃I think his last transmission came from his search quadrant；〃 Bobby said worriedly。
〃I know；〃 Ransom said。 〃I got a DF fix on it。 Let's go。
The VTs formed up； and their engines made the ground tremble。 They shot away to the northwest。
The SDF…1 stood like a knight in a bath up to his waist。 The two supercarriers floated at anchor； giving the corroding derelict added buoyancy。
Refilling the lake had been a major priority； since not even the fortress's colossal strength could support itself and the two giant warships for long。 At the same time that RDF fliers were seeding clouds and Dr。 Lang's mysterious machines were working day and night to head off the nuclear winter； bat engineers and anybody else who could be found to lend a hand worked feverishly to make sure the drainage would be ready。
And just over forty…eight hours after the ship's landing； the rains had begun。 They gave back some of the moisture boiled away by the Zentraedi attack； but Lang's calculations； supported by subsequent data； showed that much of it was gone forever。 Short of importing many cubic miles of water across space from some as yet unknown source； the Earth would never again be the three…quarters…ocean world she had been when she brought forth life。
In time； the rains stopped； and the generations…long job of replanting and refoliating the planet began。
Around the lake the new Macross rose； the stubborn refugees rebuilding their lives yet again。 It was the only new population center on the planet so far； the only place where the concrete was uncracked and the buildings tall and straight。 There was fresh paint； and there were trees transplanted from the starship。 There were lawns and flower beds seeded from plants that had survived the billions of miles of the SDF…1's odyssey。
It was a city where energy and resources were used with utmost efficiency； a town of solar heaters and photovoltaic panels； with a recycling system tied to every phase of life。 The Macross residents and SDF…1 personnel had learned the tough lessons of ecological necessity during years in space； and nothing at all was wasted。 That was the sort of world it was going to have to be from now on。
In a neat； quiet suburb of the city served by an overhead rapid…transit system sat a modest