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Marlene！

Before　he　knew　what　was　going　on；　he　was　vaulting　for　the　Alpha's　cockpit。　He　howled　away　into　the　air；　pulled　on　his　thinking　cap；　and　buckled　his　harness。　Scott　changed　to　Alpha　to　Veritech　mode；　wings　swept　back　for　high…speed　atmospheric　dogfighting。

He　had　remembered　what　he　was　fighting　for。


CHAPTER　EIGHT

People　are　mostly　stupid　and　hateful　and　cruel　to　one　another　but…hell；　let's　save　the　world's　ass　anyway。　It's　better　than　being　bored。
Rook

The　three　pincer　ships　came　at　scott　in　a　tight　V　formation。　He　tagged　the　starboard　wingmate　with　an　air…to…air　missile　and　banked　past　the　falling；　burning　bits　of　it　as　the　surviving　two　broke　to　either　side　to　avoid　him。

He　read　the　displays；　the　target　acquisition　puters　were　working　overtime。　He　launched　another　flight　of　missiles；　a　Pincer　dodged　one　only　to　be　skeeted　head…on　by　another。

〃All　right；　who's　next？〃

The　third　personal…armor　Pincer　was　the　next　one　to　e　in　at　him；　Frisbeeing　the　white…hot　discs。　Its　claws　were　bent　close　to　it　to　decrease　wind　resistance　and　increase　airspeed。　Scott　missed　with　a　burst　from　his　wing　cannon。

How　the　blazes　do　they　manage　to　maneuver　so　fast？

But　he　knew　he　had　been　lucky；　his　whole　team　had。　It　was　miraculous　that　the　Invid；　catching　them　unprepared　and　out　in　the　open　like　that；　hadn't　incinerated　them。　

He　looped；　trying　to　get　into　the　Invid's　six　o'clock　position　for　the　kill。


Rand　brought　his　Cyc　through　a　skidding　180？turn；　throwing　up　a　shower　of　grit；　as　annihilation　discs　registered　hits　to　all　sides。　The　Shock　Trooper　stumped　toward　him；　raising　its　immense　claws；　its　two　shoulder　cannons　pointing　in　his　direction。　Rand　got　off　one　round　from　the　front…hub…mounted　gun；　cursing　the　fact　that　he　hadn't　had　time　to　don　his　armor。　Then　he　was　flung　back　as　a　near　miss　from　the　Trooper's　heavy　guns　blew　him　and　his　Cyclone　backward　through　the　air。

He　landed　in　a　shallow　pit；　stunned；　waiting　for　an　alloy　claw　to　close　around　him　and　snip　him　in　two　or　for　a　disc　to　burn　him　to　ash。　Instead　he　regained　full　consciousness　in　moments；　spitting　out　sand　and　swearing。　A　thunder　in　the　sky　made　him　look　up；　the　Shock　Trooper　roared　by　overhead；　with　Scott　rocking　it　with　cannon　salvos。

Scott　lost　track　of　the　Trooper；　though；　as　the　last　Pincer　Ship　got　on　his　tail　and　raked　him　with　near…miss　fire。

Rand；　standing　up　in　the　pit；　wiped　the　dirt　off　his　face　and　invoked　an　all…embracing　line　from　one　of　his　favorite　prewar　motion　pictures；　shaking　his　fist　at　the　sky。　〃I'm　mad　as　hell　and　I'm　not　gonna　take　it　anymore！〃

Then　he　spotted　the　grounded　Beta。


Lunk　and　Annie　had　the　young　amnesiac　back　under　cover。　〃Don't　worry；〃　Annie　told　her。　〃The　Invid　won't　hurt　you；　I　promise！　We　won't　let　them！〃

The　Simulagent's　face　was　warm　and　slick　with　tears。


Rand　was　studying　the　manual　while　he　pulled　on　his　thinking　cap　and　warmed　up　the　ship。　He　was　trying　to　forget　the　fact　that；　except　for　a　few　hours　in　the　Alpha　under　Scott's　tutelage；　he　had　never　flown　at　all。

But　the　engines　came　up；　deeper　and　more　powerful　than　any　Alpha's　engine。　Although　the　Beta　was　light　on　sensor　gear　and　countermeasures　equipment　and　certainly　less　maneuverable　than　an　Alpha；　it　was　fearsomely　armed。

He　was　debating　the　best　way　to　lift　off　when　the　heavy　fighter　rocked　and　nearly　overturned。　He　saw　through　a　stern　monitor　that　a　Shock　Trooper　had　landed　to　take　a　swipe　at　it。　Only　the　Beta's　reinforced　Robotech　alloy　armor　had　saved　it…and　him。

Rand　grabbed　the　control　grips；　wrenched　the　stem　back；　and　imaged　the　move　to　the　receptors　in　the　flight　helmet。　The　Beta's　engines　erupted；　the　Shock　Trooper　was　knocked　backward　tumbling；　cracking　open；　being　a　pinwheel　of　flame。　The　Beta　arrowed　away　from　the　standing　start；　riding　a　column　of　smoke；　fire；　and　ground…shaking　thunder。

Rand　laughed　to　himself　nervously。　〃Now！　That's　what　I　call…huh？〃

The　last　Pincer　Ship　dove　in　at　him；　skimming　annihilation　discs　from　both　shoulder　mounts。　He　juked　his　ship　inexpertly；　trying　to　evade　the　Pincer；　wondering　if　this　was　to　be　the　briefest　solo　on　record。

Then　he　heard　Scott's　voice；　〃Hold　on；　Rand！〃　These　were　the　most　wele　words　he　had　ever　heard　in　his　life。　Above　and　behind　the　Invid　and　closing　in　fast；　Rand　saw　the　Alpha　launching　a　spread　of　missiles。

The　Pincer　Ship　dodged　and　juked　like　a　demon；　but　one　air…to…air　got　a　piece　of　it。　The　knee　juncture　of　one　of　the　monstrous；　crablike　legs　exploded。　The　Pincer　cut　in　all　thrusters　and　went　off；　tumbling　and　blasting　across　the　sky　like　some　erratic　et。

Scott　let　it　go；　and　fell　in　with　Rand　to　try　to　talk　him　down。　But　there　wasn't　time。　The　Beta　was　flying　upside　down。　Rand　held　his　breath；　fought　off　the　impulse　to　close　his　eyes；　and　went　in　for　a　landing。

He　managed　to　get　rightside　up　at　the　last　moment；　but　that　was　about　all。　The　massive　armor　of　the　Beta　got　him　through　a　landing　that　would　have　demolished　on　Alpha；　or　almost　any　other　mecha。　The　ship　skidded；　punched　pletely　through　an　empty　troop　carrier；　skidded　some　more　（while　Rand　recalled　prayers　he　hadn't　thought　about　in　years）　and　ended　up　penetrating　the　hull　of　a　tanker。　She　finally　came　to　rest　in　the　shadowy　main　hold；　lit　by　the　few　rays　of　sunlight　that　found　their　way　in　through　hull　punctures。　She　was　nose…down　but　intact。

Rand　lay　with　his　chin　on　the　instrument　panel；　the　rest　of　his　body　piled　up　behind；　the　operating　manual　on　his　head　like　an　A…frame　roof。

A　perfect　landing。　In　the　sense　that　I'm　gonna　be　able　to　walk　away　from　it。　Or　at　least　be　carried。


Extraction　of　the　Beta　and　reactivation　of　the　other　Alphas　took　most　of　the　rest　of　that　long　day。　The　team　wanted　to　stay　longer　to　get　everything　they　could　from　the　battlefield；　but　they　didn't　dare；　there　was　no　telling　when　the　Invid　would　be　back。　They　gathered　what　supplies；　ordnance；　Protoculture；　and　equipment　they　could　and　prepared　to　move　out。

〃Good　fight；〃　Scott　told　them；　meeting　everyone's　gaze。　But　something　showed　in　his　eyes　that　hadn't　been　there　before：　an　awareness　that　people　had　their　limits；　and　that　those　limits　were　not　so　confining　as　he　had　thought。

Around　them　the　Alphas　were　poised；　noses　almost　touching　the　ground。　The　lower　half　of　the　Beta's　nose　was　swung　open　like　a　trapdoor；　its　pilot's　seat　lowered　for　boarding。　Lunk's　truck　was　loaded。　The　team　watched　Scott。

〃But　as　a　result；　we're　short　on　Protoculture；〃　he　continued；　〃and　we　can't　risk　another　tangle　with　the　Invid；　at　least　not　now；　if　we　can　possibly　help　it。　Remember　that。　Rand；　do　you　think　you　can　fly　that　thing　without　killing　yourself？〃

Scott　pointed　toward　the　white…and…olive…drab　Alpha。　Rand　scratched　his　cheek　near　one　of　his　numerous　bandages。　〃As　long　as　we　don't　have　to　turn　right　or　left；〃　he　allowed。

〃Improvise。　Lancer；　the　Beta　Fighter's　yours。　Rook；　the　other　Alpha；　okay？〃

It　was　a　VT　with　red…and…white　markings。　Rook　wore　a　hungry；　feline　smile。　〃Just　leave　it　to　me。〃

They　split　up　to　get　going。　Annie　and　Lunk　put　Ariel　into　the　truck。

As　the　Veritechs　took　off　and　Lunk　gunned　his　engine；　a　lone　figure　stood　watching　them　from　a　distant　ridge。　The　Pincer　Ship；　its　right　leg　blown　away　at　the　knee；　relayed　what　it　was　seeing　to　Reflex　Point；　and　to　the　Regis。

The　wind　whipped　the　Simulagent's　scarlet　hair；　as　she　rode　next　to　Annie。　〃Reception　is　perfect；〃　the　Regis's　voice　came　to　the　mutilated　Pincer　Ship。　〃Maintain　surveillance。〃


The　subsidence　of　the　mountains　around　the　Genesis　Pit　and　the　danger　of　increased　Invid　patrol　activity　in　the　wake　of　events　at　rendezvous　point　K　made　Scott　wary；　progress　was　slow　in　the　next　few　days。　Roads　and　bridges　had　been　shattered；　and　mountain　passes　were　filled　by　quake　and　avalanche。

Time　and　again　the　Veritechs　were　forced　to　airlift　the　truck　and　its　stores；　until　the　Protoculture　supply　became　critically　low。　Long…range　aerial　scouting　missions　were　impossible；　Invid　patrol　activity　was　too　intense。　At　last　the　freedom　fighters　reached　a　mountain　tunnel　that　a　shifting　of　the　Earth　had　permanently　sealed。

With　the　Veritechs'　remaining　operating　time　drastically　restricted；　there