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She stalked away from the mo console。 〃Oh； that man。〃
〃Take cover； take cover；〃 chanted Vanessa in a whisper to the rest of the Terrible Trio。
〃I wonder what mander Hunter did to cause the blowup this time。〃 Sammie blinked。
〃Whatever it was； it looks like he'll be on a steady diet of cold shoulder when he gets back；〃 Vanessa replied。
Kim took off her headset and turned to them。 〃I dunno； d'you think she really loves him？〃
〃D'you mean to say you haven't heard the latest gossip？〃 Sammie almost squirmed in her eagerness to tell it。 〃They say she cleans his quarters。 Yeah； yeah； cleans！ While he's away on patrol。 And he doesn't even take her out or anything。〃
The Terrible Trio thought poisonous thoughts about the male gender。
Kim fanned herself gently with her hand。 〃It's hard to believe Lisa would get herself roped into something like that。 She's too smart！〃
Sammie caught her arm。 〃But wait； that isn't all！〃
〃Ixnay；〃 Kim murmured； turning a sidelong glance。 〃We're being watched。〃
〃Uh…oh。〃 Sammie hastened to put her earphones back on。
Lisa looked at them resignedly。 Go ahead； girls； I don't blame you。 I guess it is funny。
The pod's cannon hosed concentrated fire into the storm…wracked night sky。 The Guardian sideslipped and counterfired with its autocannon。
〃Won't these characters ever give up？〃 Bobby Bell gritted。
But there was a certain fear to it。 Zentraedi who had returned to their warrior code； their death…before…defeat belief system； were enemies to be reckoned with。
And then there was a familiar face on an instrument panel display screen。 〃How you guys doin'？〃 Rick Hunter asked with elaborate casualness。 It was the heritage； he was flying into the middle of a red…hot firefight； and he looked like it was all he could do to stay awake。
〃Boss； look sharp；〃 Bobby shot back。 〃These boys are murder。〃
Rick's VT dove down through the rain in Guardian configuration like a rocket…powered falcon。 〃It's okay。 I'll take over now。 Ransom； Bobby； all of you drop back and stay out of sight。〃
He went in at them as he had gone in at hundreds of pods…thousands…since the day he first stepped into a VT cockpit。 He wove through their fire； rebounded from the ground； and sprang high overhead on Robotech legs。
The energy blasts skewed all around him。 〃Last chance；〃 he transmitted over the Zentraedi tac frequency。 〃Cease fire and lay down your arms。〃
If they had； they would have been the first of the malcontents to do so。 But instead； like all the rest； they fired that much more furiously。
He wondered what he would have felt like if their positions had been reversed。 The human race was lost and struggling in its own ashes； but how much more so the Zentraedi defectors？
He wondered only for an instant； though； lives were at stake。
Skull Leader came in behind a sustained burst from its autocannon； the tracers lighting the night； blowing one pod leg to metallic splinters。 As the pod collapsed； Rick banked and came to ground behind an upcropping of rock； going to Battloid mode。
He reared up from behind the rock； an armored ultratech warrior sixty feet tall with a belt…fed autocannon gripped in his fist。 〃For the last time； I order you to drop your weapons！〃
He saw the plastron cannon muzzles swinging at him； and hit the dirt behind the rock。 Energy bolts blazed through the air where he had been standing。
When the volley was over； he came up again shooting。 The high…density slugs blew another pod leg in half at its rear…articulated knee； toppling it。 The third one ran； zigzagging； evading his fire。 Suddenly there was only the drumming of the rain on the field of battle。
The Zentraedi malcontents emerged from their disabled mecha slowly。 He could see that they carried no personal weapons and knew that the New Portland police and militia would be able to deal with them。 The rest of Skull Team went to mop up and make sure the armored Zentraedi on foot were taken prisoner。 The malcontents would pay with their lives for the lives they'd taken。
Tonight we won。 What about tomorrow？
He was the last one to deplane； Ransom； Bobby； and Greer were already far from the hangars and revetments when Rick dragged himself from his VT； feeling dogtired。 How could peace be so terrible？ Peace was all he or Roy or any of the rest had ever wanted。 He wondered if there would ever be an end to the fighting。
Then he saw Lisa standing by the fighter ops door。 No peace in my lifetime； he decided。 Look at that warcloud。
〃Why do I feel like I should ask for a blindfold and a last cigarette； mander？〃
〃Not very funny； Rick。〃
〃No； I suppose not。〃 He groped for a way to tell her all the things he had thought and been through in the last few days。
But she was saying； 〃You're ordered to report to Captain Gloval at once。〃
He considered that； brows knit； turning toward the SDF…1。 〃Wonder what he wants。〃
She couldn't hold back what she was thinking。 〃How was your visit with Minmei？〃 she called after him。
He stopped。 〃I enjoyed her broadcast from Granite City yesterday；〃 she said softly。
He drew a breath； let it out； looked down at the hardtop beneath his feet。 〃Well； I didn't actually visit with Minmei。〃
He started off again。 She caught up； walking right behind。 She made it sound as spiteful as she could； hating herself for it the whole time。 〃Was that because she was so surrounded by adoring fans that you couldn't get close to her； Rick？〃
〃No。〃
〃Anything happen？〃 Why am I putting us both through this？ she wondered； and the answer came back at once： Because I love him！
〃What could happen？〃 he growled。
〃I don't know！〃 She raced to catch up with him； taking a pale blue envelope from her uniform pocket。 She dashed around in front of him； bringing him up short； pressing it into the palm of one flightsuit glove。 She turned and walked away from him。
〃Lisa； what is this？〃
〃Just something to remember me by；〃 she threw back over her shoulder； not trusting herself to look at his face once more。 Her heels clicked away across the hardtop。
The envelope held photographs…Lisa with a niece； on a vacation； Lisa as an adorable teenager with a kitten perched on her he