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The usually morbid Ransom cracked a very slight smile。 〃I suppose we should have known the Earth would be starting her own recovery program。 Great news； huh； skipper？〃
〃Roger that。 Look； continue your patrol according to mission plan； Ted。〃
〃I copy； but aren't you ing with us？〃
〃Not right now；〃 Rick answered。 〃I'm dropping over to Granite City。 If anything serious es up； give me a yell。〃
Ransom nodded and hedged。 〃And； uh； boss。。。〃
〃Don't sweat it； Lieutenant！ When I leave the ship； I'll take my rover！ Out！〃
Rick did a barrel roll for the hell of it and opened his throttle wide for Granite City。
If she wonders；
It's you who's on my mind。
It's you I cannot
Leave behind。。。
Rick followed Minmei's voice as someone else might have trod a yellow brick road。 From overhead the Zentraedi battlewagon dominated the landscape； but a closer look at the ground showed that the rusting metal peak was a monument to defeat and that the teeming victors were still in turmoil。
Rick left his VT at the edge of town under the care of the local militia CO； who was well disposed toward RDF fliers even if the populace wasn't。 Rick got to the concert and missed； by a fraction of a second； getting flattened by the hand of a Zentraedi leviathan who was sitting at the edge of the crowd； shifting his weight。
〃I'm so sorry；〃 the alien tried to whisper in his resounding bass。 Everybody around them went Shhhh！ Rick gave the big fellow a nod to let him know it was no offense taken。
It's me who's lost；
The me who lost your heart
The you who tore my heart
Apart。。。
She's e a long way； but it's the same girl I spent those awful； wonderful two weeks with somewhere in the belly of the SDF…1。 My Minmei。
When the song was over； the crowd applauded。 Rick applauded loudest of all。
Near a sidewalk cafe in Monument City； with the SDF…1's shadow ing her way like a sundial； Lisa stared dully at people passing by and ignored her cooling demitasse。 The meetings had been delayed； giving her some unexpected free time。 Idle hours were more a curse than a blessing。
As she watched； two down…at…the…heels boulevardiers ogled a very pert young blonde whose hemline came nearly to her waist。 The two did not quite slobber。
〃My man； the women were dealt all the aces in this life。 They can have anything they want；〃 opined one； a beefy kid who looked as if he stood a fair chance of growing up to be normal。 〃They can have anybody they wanna have。〃
Lisa considered that； her chin resting on her interlaced fingers。 〃That's all you know about it； my fat friend；〃 she murmured； watching the two would…be rakes go on their way。 〃Here's one woman who'd trade every other ace； knave； and king in the deck for one Rick Hunter。〃
She drew a sudden breath as she looked across Monument City's main thoroughfare。 Max Sterling strolled along there； looking as if he didn't have a care in the world； pushing a baby carriage。 Miriya held his arm。
They stopped； and Max hurried around the carriage to scoop up his daughter and pat her back； burping her on his shoulder。 Miriya looked on serenely with a smile Lisa almost begrudged her。
The very most secret eyes…only reports boiled down to the fact that nobody could quite figure out how Max and Miriya had had Dana； their baby girl。 But as proved by exhaustive tests； the child was indisputably theirs。
No Zentraedi male…female reproduction had ever been recorded； making the whole thing that much more extraordinary。 The likelier explanations had to do with Miriya's consumption of human…style food as opposed to the antiseptic rations of the Zentraedi and her exposure to emotions that had worked subtle biochemical changes on her。 The word 〃Protoculture〃 cropped up again and again in the reports； only nobody seemed to understand quite what it was； at least nobody outside the charmed； secretive circle of Lang； Exedore； and a few others。
Like a lot of women and quite a few men； Lisa sometimes thought all that was a crock。 Miriya and Max were in love； and so： little Dana。
She looked at the three of them； and for a moment Max wore Rick's face； and Miriya wore Lisa's。 The SDF…2 would soon be ready for space trials； but that didn't mean the First Officer couldn't have a family。 The starship had been built for a long voyage； for children as well as men and women。
Max and Miriya and their baby resumed their way； and Lisa watched them go。 They look so happy。 If only I could make Rick understand！
Just then； though； two RDF boot trainees wandered up to the caf？with a street…blaster stereo。 The well…remembered voice boomed；
And the thrill that I feel
Is really unreal。
〃Hew！ That little mama sure can sing；〃 the first one said； whistling。 〃I'd give a month's pay to meet her。〃
The other blew his breath out sarcastically as the pair sat down a few tables away。 〃Sure； buddy。 Then she takes you away and signs over the deed to her diamond mine to you； right？〃
The first one made a very sour face and signaled the waitress。 On the eardrum agitator； Minmei sang；
I can't believe I've e this far。
This is my chance to be a star！
There doesn't seem to be any way I can avoid you； Minmei！
Lisa collected her purse and left her money on the salver； then rose and headed off down the boulevard。
She was so caught up in her own thoughts； regrets； and preoccupations that she didn't realize…had never realized…how many admiring glances she drew。 She was a willowy； athletic young woman with brown hair billowing behind her； a delicate plexion； and a distant look in her eyes。 Her insignia and decorations were enough to make any vet； male or female； take notice of her。
If there were an artistic petition for the concept WINNER； a simple photo of Lisa at that moment would have won it。 Women in particular looked at her； her sure stride and air of confidence； and made various resolutions to be more like this self…confident superwoman； whoever she was。
But that wasn't the way it felt to Lisa。 She allowed herself a rueful half smile。 I guess when the aces were dealt out； it just wasn't in the cards for me to get the one I want。
It was near enough to a joke to make her smile cheerlessly。 She quickene