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The getaway truck and the rigged balloon clusters arrived at the transmitter site at the same time； a clearing in the woods that fringed the northeastern outskirts of Norristown。 The team hopped out and began gathering up the canisters。 Rook and Lancer were heading for the Cyclones when they heard Annie yell and saw her point
to the sky。
〃Invid。〃
There we a five Troopers； ing in fast from the southwest but still several miles off。 Scott told everyone to grab whatever canister packs they could carry and run for the mecha。 Lancer； already suited up in battle armor； headed directly for one of the Cyclones and inserted a fresh canister into the cylinderlike fuel cell below the mecha's engine。 He straddled the cycle and activated the ignition； watching with delight as the power displays came to life； glowing with an unprecedented brightness。 Nearby； Scott was in the cockpit of the Veritech； Lunk attending to the refueling。
Rook was preparing to power up her red Cyclone when she saw Lancer lift off and reconfigure to Battle Armor mode。 Beside her； Rand was strapping on the last of his Cyclone armor。
〃Rand； did you remember to put in a fresh canister？〃 she asked him； certain he had forgotten。
〃Oh； right；〃 he returned； and stooped ego insert the fresh pack。
〃Dimwit；〃 Rook scolded him as she roared off； going to Battle Armor mode a moment later。 Rand followed her up and through to reconfiguration； and the two of them streaked off to assist Lancer； who was going head to head with two Invid Troopers。
Lancer had coaxed the Troopers to the ground and was executing leaps to avoid pincer swipes。 Frustrated now； one of the creatures was ready to bring its shoulder cannons into play。
Lancer stepped back when he saw the muzzles begin to glow； Rook and Rand had set down behind him； and the three of them felt the blast of the first charge。
〃Let's not push our luck until the Alpha arrives；〃 Lancer said over the Cyclone's tactical net。
The two Troopers took to the air； then swooped down for strafing runs。 But Rand had tailed one of them and launched shoulder…tubed Scorpions before the Invid could fire。 The Trooper took two missiles to the face and went down； leaking a thick green fluid。
Rook took out a second creature； Lancer dispatched a third that was giving Rand a hard time； bringing the odds more to everyone's liking by the time Scott got the Veritech up。
The two remaining Troopers kept to the ground； dishing out annihilation discs against the ining Alpha； but Scott flew undaunted into the fire； loosing the VT's own brand of vengeful energy。 With a last…minute leap； one of the Invid narrowly escaped the Alpha's angry red…tipped missiles； but the second stood its ground and suffered for it。
Scott continued his power dive against the fifth and final Invid now； it had put down again； emptying its upturned cannons against him。 Scott dropped through the annihilation discs like some sort of slalom flyer； getting off one shot before pulling out of his dive。 But that one connected； impacting the Trooper's midsection and splitting it in half。
Scott banked hard at the top of his climb and fell away toward Norristown and the enormous buttes which overshadowed the city。 Down below he could discern a long line of police vehicles speeding from the city toward the team's somewhat ravaged forest clearing。
Hearing Scott's warning over the tac net； Rand； Rook； and Lancer landed their mecha and reconfigured to Cyclone mode。 Annie and Lunk were running around gathering up late…arrival balloonloads of Protoculture canisters。 They took to the police van at Scott's amplified insistence and sped off following the Cyclones' lead； the setting sun huge and blood…red at their backs。
CHAPTER TEN
Rook's hometown ＇Trenchtown； formerly Cavern City＇ typified an offbeat trend in city planning that was popular between the ＇First and Second Robotech＇ Wars。 This plan； called the Obscuro Movement； was formed as a reaction to threats of invasion； real and imaginary； by Zentraedi； Tirolian Masters； Invid ； or any of a number of self…styled conquerors and terrestrial invaders。 Cities were constructed in the most unlikely places…on the tops of mesas； the bottom of ravines； the heart of darkness…anywhere deemed unassailable by founders and would…be leaders。
〃Southlands；〃 History of the Third Robotech War； Vol。 XXII
Rands journal picks up the story：
〃We had a good enough jump on Norristown's police force to lose them without too much hassle。 But just to make sure； Scott saw to it that our escape route was wiped out behind us with a few well…placed missiles from the Alpha。 Chances are that most of the vans turned tail as soon as they caught sight of the Veritech anyway。 We could only guess what the Invid decided to extract in the way of retribution； at the very least some heads were going to roll。〃
〃We were all feeling great。 The Cyclones practically had to be reigned in； thanks to the fresh infusion of 'Culture。 Scott thought that the Invid…manufactured batch was more powerful than the 'Culture Earth mecha had been operating on during the last twenty years。 The only thing that held us back was the police van we had mandeered。 But it seemed a wiser idea to accept the thing's limitations rather than carry Lunk and Annie on the Cyclones or in the fighter。 It continued to puzzle us why the Invid didn't simply overwhelm us with Troopers； with three Cycs running at high speed； it should have been easy enough to track us down。 But Scott explained that they had demonstrated the same sort of tactical shortings in previous encounters。 I was always trying to press him to elaborate； but he was reticent to talk about Tirol and the other worlds he had seen。〃
〃We traveled north for two days almost without letup； using the scrip Woods had given Lancer to barter supplies and bedrolls in some of the settlements we passed through。 The terrain was arid and rugged； characterized by buttes and tors and mesas similar to those around Norristown but softened by small skyblue lakes and patches of hardwood forest。 We made our first real camp alongside one of these cold water lakes。 We had e across a dozen wild cattle earlier on and shot one for provisions； so we were eating well and getting good rest in the sleeping bags。 Scott ran us through a kind of mutual…appreciation debriefing on the Norristown raid。 More and more we were beginning to feel like an actual team and not just six individuals on the run。〃
〃I tried to insist that we make camp in the woods； but everyone else was intent on enjoying the sunlight at the edge of the lake。 I put Annie in charge of gathering firewood； and she kept ing in with nearly petrified pieces of hardwood。 （Not that we really even needed the fire…I was doing most of the cooking over a propane stove anyway…but a fire was their idea of camping out； and I wasn't into spoiling anyone's fun。） Lunk whittled when he wasn't going over the Cyclone and VT systems。 Scott cleaned and maintained the ordnance。 Lancer was finding it easier and easier to relax around us； and he would often fall quite naturally into a kind of midway mode that was part Lancer the freedom fighter and part Yellow Dancer。 He had fashioned a shower for himself by punching a series of holes in one of our old cook pots。 He would bring in water heated on the fire and pour this into the holed pot he had fastened to an overhead branch。 Lunk got a big charge out of this and once tried to interrupt Lancer while he was showering。 It was a pretty ical exchange that ended with Lancer calling Lunk 〃a mindless brute；〃 and Lunk amazed that Lancer of all people should be modest。〃
〃Rook was the only one keeping to herself。 I would see her standing alone by the lake； absently skimming stones across the surface。 It was obvious that she had something disturbing on her mind； but she didn't want to share it with the rest of us。 Scott also sensed it。 I have since learned what the brooding was all about； but back then all I could sense was Rook's uneasiness and an inexplicable feeling of helplessness。 The only time the team discussed it was after she had turned on Annie； who was only trying to entice her to join us around the fire。〃
〃‘What d'ya thinks wrong with her？' Lu