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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 to the sonic boom as the RDF fighters swept in vengefully。
The girls' voices were very small in the middle of all that； but they cheered nonetheless。
The pods chose straightforward battle； charging out in a group； firing the primary and secondary cannon mounted on their armored chest plastrons。
That suited Skull Team just fine； they flew down through the intense ground fire in Guardian mode； like eagles for the kill； gripping their chain…guns。
〃Let's hit 'em；〃 Ransom said。
〃Sure； but we've gotta lead 'em away from the city！〃 Bobby Bell yelled。
He was right； and the formation split even while it exchanged fire with the rampaging pods。 The Guardians turned back； and the pods； firing with every gun； rocketed and kangaroo…hopped after。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
For the Zentraedi； peaceful life and a disengagement from their warlike culture was； after all； a profound struggle； a sort of sublimating battle into； which they could hurl themselves。 For a time they were content with it； as they were content with any other conflict。
Is it any wonder； though； that with the battle won； so many of them began to fall prey to a frustrated restlessness？ The fight for peace can be a noble one； but as history and legend tell us； the warrior…born should beware the disaster of total victory。
And so should those about him。
Zeitgeist； Alien Psychology
In the foothills at the outskirts of New Portland； the VTs stopped running and the mecha clashed in earnest。
Almost by instinct； the pods came abreast to set up a firing line。 The Guardians dove at them； and the bluewhite lances of energy beams jousted against streams of high…density slugs lit by tracers。
A concentrated salvo of alien cannon fire took off the left arm of Ransom's Guardian。 〃These dudes really wanna fight；〃 he said grimly。 He looped； trying to manage the damage； and unleashed a spread of Stilettos at them。
No more tromping on little girls； bozos！ Let's see you pick on somebody your own size！
〃This could be defined as dereliction of duty； mander；〃 Lisa's voice said in Rick's ear。
〃What're you talking about？〃
〃Where were you？〃 she said icily。
〃Uh； on recon。〃 Guilt made him snappish。 〃It's within mission guidelines。 Why； any objections？〃
Back in the mand center； she looked down at the latest satnet locater profiles of military aircraft。 He had been grounded at the edge of。 Granite City。 No surprise。
〃I object when you jeopardize the lives of the men under your mand； Hunter。〃
He couldn't help it； the accumulated experiences of the day just made him lose control as no cool； petent bat flier is supposed to。 〃What's your goddamn problem； Lisa？〃
〃Your men are in bat； and you're supposed to be leading them； you unutterable moron！〃 she yelled into the mike； then snapped it off。
Well； there。 They had had a grand argument over a mand mo net about everything except what was really driving them apart。 What satisfaction。
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； Lis