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their atmospheric approach。 Our thermal energy shields are already seriously drained。〃
〃Roger；〃 said Scott； at the same time waving the chain…gun to signal his wingmen。 〃We'll escort you through。〃
Scott saw the transport's thrusters fire a three…second burst； realigning the ship for its slow descent。 He sat back and punched up orbital entry calculations inn the data screen； fed these over to the autopilot； and returned his attention to wide…range radar。 Suddenly Marlene was on the net again； alerting him to a unit of bandits moving against him at four o'clock。 He glanced over his shoulder and glimpsed them even as their signatures were registering on the mecha's radar screen。
〃I see them；〃 he answered her calmly。
Scott permitted the half dozen Invid to close in； enabling his onboard targeting puter to get a fix on all of them。 It was a calculated risk but one that paid off a moment later when the Battloid's deltoid partments opened and each launched a missile that homed in on its target。 Scott boostered himself away from the silent fireworks and rechecked the screen： There was no sign of enemy activity。
〃We're all clear； mander；〃 he reported； easing up the thinking cap's faceshield。
Gardner's face now flashed into view on the cockpit's small mo screen。 〃Scott！ We must try to slip through and hit Reflex Point before the Regis's drones have a chance to regroup。 Understood？〃
〃Roger mander；〃 Scott returned。 At a signal from the HUD； he dropped the faceshield； the inside surface of which was displaying approach vectors and numerical data。 He opened the tac net。 〃Our entrance azimuth is one…two…one…one。。。Reconfiguring for orbital deviation。〃
Scott armed the Veritech's shield after it had shifted mode and brought the fighter alongside Gardner's descending transport。 The hull temperature of his own ship was reaching critical levels； and he reasoned that the same thing had to be occurring on the larger ship。 A glance told him he was correct and more。 The underside of the mand vessel was radiating an intense glow that suggested an improper angle of approach。 Scott waited for the vessel to correct itself； and when it didn't； he went on the net。
〃Remend you recalculate entry horizon； mander。 The ship appears to be entering too quickly。〃
〃It can't be helped； Scott。 We've got to put down。 Our shields will never see us through another attack。〃
〃Sir； you'll never live to see another attack if you don't readjust your course heading；〃 Scott said more firmly。 〃That ship wasn't built for this kind of gravitational pull。 You're going to tear her apart！〃
Scott tried to suppress a mounting feeling of panic。 He heard Marlene tell Gardner that the reserve thermal energy shields were now pletely exhausted。 Gardner ordered her to engage the retros。
Scott craned his neck to see if the retros were having any effect； his guts like a knot pressing against his diaphragm。 He saw something break free from the tail section of the transport； glow； and burn out。 He was trying to maintain proximity with the ship； but as a result his own displays were suddenly flashing warnings as well。 I'd better slow down myself if I don't want to be decorating a big part of the landscape。
Scott pulled the mode selector to G position and stepped out of his fear temporarily to think the Veritech through to Guardian mode。 As the legs of the mecha dropped； reverse…articulating； he engaged the foot thrusters； substantially cutting his speed。 At the same time； Gardner's transport was roaring past him in an uncontrolled plunge。
〃mander； pull out！〃 he cried into the net。 Marlene！
Caught between self…sacrifice and desperation； Scott could do little more than bear witness to the agonizingly slow deterioration of the mand ship…the end of all he held dear in the world。 The transport was a glowing ember now； slagging off fragments of itself into the void。 The intense heat would have already boiled the blood of those inside。。。
Marlene！
His mind tried to save him from the horror by denying the events； cocooning him in much the same way the Veritech did。 But averting his gaze only worsened matters。 Everywhere he looked ships…of…the…fleet were breaking apart； flaming out as they plunged into Earth's betraying blue softness； wings and stabilizers folded by heat； delicate necks snapped； molten alloy falling like silver tears in the night。
The Veritechs were faring better； but columns of Invid were now on the ascent to deal out their own form of injustice。
They fell upon the helpless transports and mand ships first； helping nature's cruel reversal along with deliberately placed rends and breaches； spreading further ruin throughout the fleet。 Scott saw acts of bravery and futility： a Battloid already crippled and falling backward into the atmosphere pouring cannon fire against the enemy； two superheated Veritechs attempting to defend a transport against dozens of Invid claw fighters； another VT； boosters blazing； in a kamikaze run toward the head of the column。
Scott instructed his ship to jettison the rear augmentation pack and increased his speed； atmosphere be damned。 There was still an outside chance that some of Gardner's crew had made it into the evacuation pods。 If only the Invid could be kept away from the hapless transport。
〃Please； pull out！〃 Scott was screaming through gritted teeth。 〃Please； please。。。〃
Then； all at once； the transport's triple…thrusters died out； and an instant later the ship was engulfed in a soundless fireball that blew it to pieces。
Marlene！ Scott railed at the heavens； his fists striking blows against the canopy and console as the Veritech menced a swift unguided fall。
CHAPTER TWO
I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I laid eyes on Scott Bernard…beneath all that Robotech armor； I mean。 He had the Look of the Lost in his eyes； and a stammer in his voice that was pure tremolo。 The latter proved to be a case of offworld accent…some Tirolian holdover…but that Look。。。I just couldn't meet his eyes； I sat there tinkering with the Cyclone； trying to figure out whether I should run for the hills or off the guy then and there。 Later on…much later on…he told me about that first night in the woods。 I've got to laugh； even now： Ask Scott Bernard the one about the tree falling in the wilderness…and prepare to have your head bitten off？
Rand； Notes on the Run
Tirol； once the homeworld of the Robotech Masters； then an Invid colony when the Masters had uprooted the remnants of their dying race and journeyed to Earth in search of Protoculture； was a reconfigured planet； much of its surface given over to humankind's needs； its small seas and weather patterns tamed。 Not like this Earth； Scott thought； with its solitary yellow sun and distant silver satellite。 He yearned for Tirol。 It had been his home as much as the SDF…3 had been； he missed the binary stars of Fantoma's system； the protective presence of the motherworld itself。 How remote one felt from the heavens on this displaced world。
Scott recalled Admiral Hunter's rousing send…off speech； his talk of the 〃cool green hills of home〃…his home； Earth。 Scott laughed bitterly to himself； the planet's native splendor lost on him。
The Alpha had found a soft spot to cushion its fall in some sort of highland forest。 Oak and fir trees； Scott guessed。 The VT was history； but cockpit harnesses and collision air bags had kept him in one piece。 However； the crash had been violent enough to plow up a large hunk of the landscape。 He had lost his helmet and sustained a forehead bruise； then came a follow…up thigh wound of his own making when he had rather carelessly climbed from the wreck。
He was sitting in the grass now； his back against the fighter's fuselage； his head and left leg bandaged with gauze from the ship's first…aid kit。 He had gotten rid of his cumbersome armor just before nightfall but kept his blaster within reach。
The forest was dark and full of sounds he could not identify； although he was certain these were all natural calls and chirps and whistles…from what he had seen thus far； Earth was primitive and uncontrolled。
And there were just too many places for an enemy to hide。
〃Give me a scorched Martian desert any day；〃 Scott mu