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〃Must you keep drinking？〃 Minmei said。 〃It's getting out of hand！〃
Kyle upended the bottle and let the last few droplets fall on soil that hadn't tasted moisture in two years。 Then he tossed it high； launched himself through the air in a reverse spin kick； a ki…yi yell ing from deep within him； turning twice； and popped the little brandy bottle out of existence like a trap shooter。
Pieces of dark glass landed at Minmei's feet。 She watched Kyle steadily。 〃Did that make you feel any better about yourself？〃
How can she wound me so easily with just a word or two？ he wondered in confusion。
His mood swung again； and there was an endless affection in him for her。 She was； after all； the sum of his life。 All he had ever really acplished； Lynn…Kyle saw now； was getting Minmei to love him。
But Minmei's mood was riding a different swing。 〃Whatever you think of the RDF； there are a lot of fine men and women in it；〃 she said levelly。 〃Much better people than you are right now。〃
A moment that might have been a reconciliation and a new start was gone forever。 Kyle ran the back of his hand across his mouth again。 Al！ right； we might as well have it all out。
〃What's that crack supposed to mean？〃
Minmei was actually shaking a fist at him。 〃It means they're trying to rebuild Earth； while all you can do is drink and feel sorry for yourself！〃
〃Is that so？ Well； I've done a pretty good job of takin' care of your career； little Miss Superstar！〃
She had been loud a moment before； her voice was quiet now。 〃Maybe we'd better split up then； Kyle。 So you can look after your own career。〃 She gathered her pink jacket around her。
She had been hurt until her endurance was all gone； and now she only wanted to hurt in retaliation。 〃I didn't realize I owed it all to you； Kyle。〃
He had his hands out in fending…off gestures。 〃Wait； wait。 I didn't mean…didn't mean I wanted to split up our partnership。〃 〃Partnership〃 was a weak word for what they'd had； but somehow the vocabulary of love was steamrollered by the vocabulary of argument。 He felt something slipping away even as he made the choice of words。
She drew a long； deep breath； looking him in the eye。 〃Maybe not； but it's what I meant。〃
The pass of Lynn…Kyle's emotions swung a last time； and his mouth resolved into a straight； thin line。 〃Okay； go！ Who needs you？〃 He kicked the empty carton high into the air。
Rick Hunter didn't know exactly what to feel。 The fact that Kyle had alienated Minmei might have been enjoyable from a distance； but it was harrowing to see at close range。
And then there was the whole question of going out and intervening。 Rick had no illusions about being able to take the tall； cobra…fast martial…arts expert hand to hand； and he had forgotten to bring along the survival pistol from his VT's ejection pack。
Suddenly the rover radio buzzed in its thigh pouch。 〃mander Hunter； e in please！〃 It was Vanessa's voice； sending from the rusting； soggy…footed SDF…1。
He had turned the volume down low when he came out to the edge of the wastelands； following leads to find Minmei。 Now he held the rover up to his ear。 Minmei and Kyle didn't seem to have heard a thing。
He thumbed the transmit switch。 〃I'm here。〃
〃Sir； you're directed to lead your flight to New Portland。 A residential district is under attack by several Zentraedi malcontents。〃
〃Malcontents。〃 That was what the new world government was calling them so far。 But those who had sworn the Zentraedi warrior oath and turned their back on human society were a lot more than malcontents。 They had only to walk out into the wasteland and keep going； find the right wrecked ship。 If they were lucky； they would find arms； mecha； rations； water； and shelter。
Rick poised for a moment in a pain so precise that it defied any random theory of the universe。 Most of what he had e to believe in impelled him to get to New Portland with all possible speed。
Everything else told him to stay there； because this was the moment he could win Minmei back。
But he thumbed the rover's transmit button again。 〃What weapons？〃
〃Three battlesuits and four pods； a total of seven；〃 Vanessa's voice came back。 That wasn't exactly several； the way Rick saw it； but he had to admit that things probably looked a little different from a worldwide coordinating nerve center like the SDF…1。
These were Zentraedi who had defected to the human side in the Robotech War。 They were onetime allies。 He held the rover's voice pickup close and said softly； 〃It'll be taken care of。 What's the status on Skull flight？ Over。〃
〃They are curtailing their current sweep and will rendezvous with you in New Portland。 Out。〃
He shut off the rover before the sound of static could betray him。 He raced off toward his ship。 It was a kind of liberation to have some crisis so pressing that he could forget about Minmei for a while。 He left the two Lynns to their own devices； and somehow he couldn't help wishing them the worst。
As his VT took off in Guardian mode； Rick saw the tiny； distant figure of Kyle go down on both knees before Minmei。 She turned and opened her arms； cradling his head to her breast。 Rick hit the throttle； and his VT left a trail of blue fire across the sky。
Lisa stared up through her window at the rotting hulk of the SDF…1。 Beneath it was a thriving； growing city； but its presence put everyone in mind of the war。
〃Hmmph！ What a view！〃 As a morale builder； she was wearing a tight blouse with a high； upturned collar。 Every once in a while she permitted herself to catch a glimpse of herself in a full…length mirror there in her quarters and admit； not bad！
The SDF…1 wasn't bad to look at either； really。 The more so because the SDF…2 would be lowered into place； back to back with it； in another day or so。 Lang and his disciples had worked out some way to move the sealed enigmatic engines from one to the other。 Lisa had heard the briefings； could sort of understand the mathematics Lang scrawled all over every flat surface that came to hand； and had faith in him； but she still thought her new assignment was an unknown quantity。
The set birred for her attention。 She picked up the handset。 In seconds she had word of the New Portland raid from Vanessa and was hurrying for the door。
Sunset had e； and a freezing rain； as the Zentraedi ransacked New Portland。 They had cut a swath of destruction from the diminished Lake Oswego to the once great Columbia River。
The pods fired and devastated without mercy。 Local militia and police were victims just like the civilians； in the first hours of their rampage； the alien malcontents slew over four hundred men and women of assorted constabularies； police departments； and guard units。
They set buildings afire with a mere brush of their plastron cannon； they trod houses and people flat underneath their pods' huge； hooflike feet。
Now they loomed； three abreast； in the center of New Portland as black smoke roiled around them and the screams of the dying echoed through the rain…washed streets。 Blood ran in the gutters。
Down from the night swooped the VTs of Skull Team under Ransom's mand。 Robotechnology made them all…weather fighters； as dangerous in blackness as they were in light。
〃Nobody fires unless they have a confirmed target； there're civilians down there；〃 Ransom said。
Just then New Portland came into view； burning like a skillet of molten metal； smoke funneling up from it to form thickening layers that threw back red light。
Bobby Bell began； 〃My God！ This is horrible…〃
〃Shut up； Sergeant；〃 Ransom cut him off。 〃All VTs form up on me。 Let's get down there and stop this thing。 And watch your fare！〃
Jeanette LeClair and her best friend； Sonya Poulson； ran through the rain…slick streets of New Portland hand in hand； shivering in the frigid rain； crying for the loved ones who had died； pulses hammering because death was at their heels。 Jeanette's birthday a month before had made her eight years old； Sonya's； four days later； had brought them even。
Behind them； a Zentraedi Battlepod stumped around the corner； kicking a traffic light through a brick wall and snapping power lines； then turned its guns on them。
Jeanette fell； and Sonya wanted to keep running but found that she couldn't。 She dashed back to her friend； trying to help her up； but she fell instead； and the two of them sprawled on the rain…washed cobblestone street as a huge round metal hoof came down at them。 They wept； held each other close； and waited to die。
The pod paused in the act of trampling yet more victims。 The armored； lightbulb…shaped torso turned； as if listening to something。 Jeanette and Sonya could hardly know that it was receiving an urgent message from one of its fellows。
〃Warning！ Warning！ Enemy fightercraft approaching！ Form up to take defensive action！〃
The two little girls looked up at the ridges and features of the huge hoof and realized it was pulling away。 In moments； the pod had turned and grasshoppered off for some destination they couldn't even guess at； riding its foot thrusters。
Moments later； thunder came down through the sky as Skull Team VTs arrived at full throttle。 The two girls helped each other up。 Buildings shook and windows broke t