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　the　Human　race。　But　he　obviously　had　no　place　in　a　regulation　strikeforce。

So；　what　happens　to　the　rest　of　us　now？　〃Thanks；　and　don't　let　the　door　hit　you　in　the　butt　as　you　leave？〃

The　mists　still　swirled　around　the　many　hectares　of　grounded　mecha。　Scott　figured　the　base　was　operating　under　blackout　conditions；　because　he　could　see　no　lights　or　movement。　He　didn't　receive　any　warn…offs　or　challenges；　and　he　didn't　get　any　indications　that　radar　or　sensors　were　checking　him　out；　but　he　decided　to　land　on　the　hillside　and　go　in　on　foot　anyway。　The　base　might　be　using　new　mo　procedures；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　be　shot　down　as　a　bogie。

The　Guardian　bowed　its　radome；　and　Scott　hopped　down。　He　stood　breathing　Earth's　air　for　a　few　deep　breaths；　feeling　the　moment。　From　this　beachhead；　we　take　our　homeworld　back！

Rand　and　Rook　had　raced　ahead　of　the　others；　their　Cycs　came　leaping　over　the　hill　with　a　winding　of　Robotech　engines。　The　sun　was　about　to　top　a　ridge　to　the　east；　Scott　decided　he　might　as　well　wait　and　ride　down　with　his　panions。　He　was　painfully　aware　that；　except　for　Lancer　and　Lunk；　they　had　no　place　in　this　regular…army　campaign。

Rand　and　Rook　came　to　side…on　stops；　pushing　up　their　goggles；　and　Lancer　showed　up　moments　later；　with　Lunk　not　far　behind。　Scott　checked　himself　to　make　sure　the　mauve…and…purple　flightsuit　with　its　unit　patches　of　his　division；　the　Mars　Division；　and　his　knee…length；　rust…red　boots　were　all　in　order。　Insignia；　buttons；　sidearm…he　wasn't　quite　strac；　but　he　wasn't　looking　too　bad　for　somebody　who　had　been　stranded　for　so　long。

Scott　and　his　teammates　were　exchanging　a　few　mild；　almost　self…conscious　congratulations…when　Annie　gave　a　dismayed　yelp。

〃The　base！　Look！〃

They　turned　to　look　at　the　base　just　as　the　sun　crested　the　ridge　and　its　light　shone　off　the　snowy　hills；　brightening　the　little　valley　that　was　the　home　of　Earth's　liberation　army。

But　what　they　saw　wasn't　a　home　but　rather　a　graveyard。　Attack…transport　spacecraft　lay　gutted　like　crushed　eggs。　Broken　and　burned…out　mecha　were　everywhere。　Ranks　of　parked　Veritech　Alphas　had　been　holed　and　eliminated　before　ground　crews　and　pilots　could　even　reach　them。　Battloids　and　Hovertanks　and　MACs　and　logistical　vehicles　lay　on　the　ground　like　shattered　toys。　And　the　stench　of　death　wafted　on　the　warming　breeze。

The　valley　was　filled　with　jutting；　broken；　blackened　fuselages　and　skeletal；　burned…off　airframes　and　hulls。　Barely　keeping　his　balance；　Scott　stumbled　to　the　edge　of　the　rise；　looking　down；　both　hands　buried　in　his　dark　hair。

The　clearing　of　the　mist　only　made　it　worse　by　the　second。　〃I　don't　believe　it；　this；　this　can't　be…〃　He　howled　across　the　valley；　hoping　the　survivors　would　answer。　He　fired　his　H90　aimlessly　into　the　air。　The　others　sat　in　their　vehicles　and　looked　at　one　another　in　despair。　At　last　Scott　Bernard　dropped　the　pistol；　sank　to　his　knees；　and　wept。

Earth's　liberating　army！　The　mist　for　its　shroud；　the　vultures　to　caw　taps　over　it。

One　by　one　his　friends　dismounted　and　gathered　around　him。


They　went　down　among　the　monolithic　wrecks；　there　was　no　place　else　to　go。　Lunk　opened　up　the　last　of　their　rations　and　Annie　built　a　fire。　Scott　had　wandered　off。

He　was　sitting　in　the　shade　of　a　three…tube　pumpedlaser　turret；　looking　off　at　nothing；　eyes　unfocused。　Eventually；　Rand　came　over　with　a　plate　of　food　and　a　cup　of　ersatz　ration　coffee；　nudging　them　up　against　Scott。　〃Enough　is　enough。　Time　to　eat；　before　you　keel　over。〃

He　turned　to　go；　then　turned　back　for　a　moment。　〃You've　got　the　team　to　think　about；　y'know。〃　Rand　walked　away；　the　soles　of　his　desert　boots　gritting　in　the　sand。　Scott　stared　blankly　at　the　field　of　carnage。

Back　at　the　campfire；　Rook　tried　to　sound　positive；　although　cheerleading　wasn't　usually　in　her　line　of　work；　but　everybody　else　seemed　to　be　falling　apart。　〃Look；　here's　a　good　idea：　Why　don't　we　get　outta　this　dump　right　now？〃

Lancer　studied　his　ration　can's　contents；　stirring　them。　〃Not　until　we　collect　everything　of　use。　Ordnance；　supplies；　weapons；　perhaps　Protoculture。〃

They　all　shivered　a　little；　realizing　how　grisly　that　search　would　be。　Lunk　blew　out　smoke　from　a　ration…pak　cigarette；　unsteadily。　Rand　returned。

〃How　is　he？〃　Lancer　asked；　looking　at　the　distant　figure　sitting　with　arms　around　knees。

Rand　pulled　up　the　hood　of　his　sweatshirtlike　windbreaker。　〃Catatonic。　I　dunno。〃

Lancer　set　down　his　ration　can。　〃e　on；　Scott！　We're　wasting　time！〃

Rand　caught　Lancer's　arm。　〃Uh；　I　think　I'm　gonna　go　forage　over　that　way。　Maybe　Scott　can　establish　a　mo　base。〃

Like　the　others；　Lancer　caught　what　was　in　Rand's　eyes。　In　another　moment　they　were　on　the　move；　eager　to　replenish　their　supplies；　eager　to　get　away。　As　Rand　sped　off　in　a　plume　of　soil；　Rook　raced　after　him。

The　Robotech　graveyard　was　a　strange　place　for　a　two…ride；　but　Rand　weled　it。　It　came；　really；　just　as　he　had　decided　it　was　pointless　to　try　to　get　close　to　the　onetime　biker　queen。　By　her　city　lights；　he　was　just　a　hick；　a　wilderness　Forager。　She　had　made　it　clear　to　him　that　he　wasn't　one　of　the　Bad　Boys。　Rand　tried　not　to　show　his　astonishment　as　she　fell　in　with　him；　their　tires　stenciling　parallel　tread　patterns　among　the　looming　derelicts。

They　were　moving　slowly；　searching；　he　had　his　hood　down　and　his　goggles　up　on　his　forehead。　He　glanced　over　at　Rook；　admiring　the　lissome　grace　her　red…and…blue　racer's　bodysuit　showed　off。　〃Why'd　you　e　along？〃　He　had　to　yell；　not　wanting　to　key　his　headset。　〃Not　that　it　bothers　me　or　anything。〃

Her　fair　brows　knit；　the　strawberry…blond　hair　blew　around　her　freckled　face。　〃Too　depressing　back　there。〃

They　came　in　a　tight　turn　round　a　smashed　tanker。　Rand　was　saying；　〃I　know　what　you…heyyyyy！〃

They　dug　to　a　stop　at　the　lip　of　a　drop…off；　looking　down　into　a　kind　of　arroyo　ledge　protected　by　drainage　ditches。　There　stood　a　village…or　at　least；　the　remains　of　a　village；　its　caved…in　tile　roofs　and　beaten…down　walls　and　the　general　lifelessness　of　it　somehow　let　them　know　it　had　suffered　the　same　fate　as　the　strikeforce。


〃Two　transgressors　approach；〃　the　voice　of　the　Regis　said　to　her　mecha　warriors。　〃Remain　in　concealment！〃

The　war　machines　hunkered　down；　Scouts　and　Shock　Troopers　in　personal　battle　armor；　watching　through　optic　sensors。　Rand　and　Rook　wound　their　way　down　the　narrow　lane。

Rand　rode　through　the　streets　calling　for　any　survivors；　even　though　it　might　attract　dangerous　attention。　But　there　was　little　time　to　search；　and　he　hated　the　idea　of　leaving　anyone；　especially　a　child　or　someone　who　had　been　injured；　behind。　Rook　was　impressed　with　Rand's　nerve；　but　she　kept　that　to　herself。　She　joined　in　the　yelling。

They　dismounted　near　the　only　building　that　was　still　in　one　piece；　a　large　hacienda。　Obviously　the　place　had　been　too　close　to　the　strikeforce's　rendezvous　point；　and　it　had　been　included　in　the　slaughter。　More　carnage。　But　the　two　had　grown　callous　to　such　scenes。

They　were　looking　around　the　hacienda；　not　talking　or　meeting　each　other's　gaze；　when　Rook　smelled　something　strange　and　went　to　a　spot　where　most　of　an　adobe　wall　had　been　blown　away。　She　stepped　through　into　a　garden；　and　knelt　next　to　something　jellylike　and　translucent；　like　a　dying　man…o'…war；　draped　across　the　swordleafed　plants　there。　It　was　three　or　four　inches　thick；　and　had　perhaps　the　surface　area　of　a　table　cloth。

Rook　knelt　by　it。　〃Careful；〃　Rand　grated；　holding　his　gun　uncertainly。　But　she　touched　it；　then　snatched　her　hand　back　with　a　hiss　of　pain。

〃Damn　thing　burned　my　hand！　And　it's　nothing　to　smirk　about！〃

〃Well　I　said　watch　out。〃

She　was　suddenly　as　alert　as　a　doe。　Her　voice　came　more　softly；　so　intimate　that　it　made　him　a　little　lightheaded。　She　practically　mouthed　it；　〃Do　you　think　the　Invid　are　still　around？〃

He　shrugged。　She　was　up　and　moving；　he　had　been　staring；　fascinated；　at　the　blob　of　protoplasmic　stuff；　but　now　he　couldn't　take　his　eyes　off　the　fit　of　her　bodysuit；　the　shape　of　those　slender　legs；　the　swirl　of　the　seemingly　weightless　cascade　of　hair。。。

〃I'll　look　outside；　you　check　in　back　of　the　house。〃　She　pulled　out　her　gun；　and　that　brought　him　back　to　realit