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mind to these things。 Have we forgotten that our own planet was stolen from us？ What gives us the right to inflict the same evil on these people？〃
Sardonic laughter issued through the ship's externals。 〃So suddenly our Ariel remembers；〃 sneered Sera。 〃And you would have us surrender。。。Well； we have traveled too far to concern ourselves with this barbaric life…form's needs。 Soon this will be our world； and our world alone。〃
〃We've traveled far； and yet we have learned nothing。〃
Sera engaged her ship's power systems and leapt into the light； the roar of the thrusters drowning out Marlene's anguished pleas。
Outside； the barrier had been breached by antimatter torpedoes delivered against it by two Veritechs and subsequent blasts from the battalion's destabilizer cannons。 Cyclone riders and Battloids were now punching through the rend and battling Pincer Ships on the ground nearest the hive wall。
The outpouring of Protoculture energy released from the shield was working a kind of seasonal magic across the landscape； reconfiguring not only local weather patterns but the life processes of the flora itself。 Rand and Rook； riding at the head of a contingent of Cycloners； moved from winter to spring in a matter of seconds。 Spores and pollen clusters the size of giant snowflakes were wafting through the newly warmed air； young grass was spreading like some green tide across the valley； and trees and flowers were blossoming in vibrant colors。
〃This sure wasn't in the forecast！〃 Rand mented over the net。
〃Look at all these wildflowers！ Poppies； marigolds…〃
〃Yeah； but I don't like the look of that big cornflower up ahead。〃
Rook saw a blue Enforcer ship surfacing in front of them； its cannon tips already aglow with priming charges。 〃Fan out；〃 Rand ordered the rest of the Cyclone group as energy bolts were thrown at them。 The two freedom fighters launched their Cycs and changed over to Battle Armor mode。
〃Draw its fire！〃 said Rook； boostering up and off to the left。
Rand remained at ground level； taunting the blue devil with trick shots； while Rook came in from behind to drop the thing。 But a second Invid suddenly appeared out of nowhere and swatted her from the air with a cannon twist that smashed one side of the armor's backpack rig； shearing away one of the mecha's tires。 She went into an uncontrolled fall with her back to the larger ship； but Rand swooped in to position himself between the two of them。
〃It's okay； I've got you covered。〃
〃Leave it to me！〃 she told him； voice full of anger； as Rand triggered off a series of futile shots。
〃If I'd left it to you； you'd be a pile of smoking rubble by now； and I'm just too fond of you to let that happen！〃
〃You're what？！〃
Rand risked a look over his shoulder at her。 〃You heard me…I'm fond of you； dammit！〃
It was a hell of a time to be confessing his feelings； she thought； but it was turning out to be one of those days。 〃I…I don't know what to say。。。 〃
Rand swung back to his opponent and saw that the Invid ship's cannons were about to fire。 〃Don't say anything；〃 he yelled in a rush； 〃just moooove！〃
The cannons traversed and followed the Cycloners up； but the pilot's aim was off； and Rand managed to sweep in and bull's…eye the ship from behind。
〃Nice shooting there； cowboy；〃 Rook said； ing alongside him later。 〃I bet you try to impress all the girls that way。〃
There was a sweetness in her voice he had never heard before and a smile behind the faceshield of her helmet that lit up his heart。 〃No； only the ones who can outshoot me；〃 he laughed。
They were both some fifty feet off the ground； almost leisurely in flight； as though the battle had ended。 Then； without warning； there was something up there with them： a kind of towering diamond…shaped flame of white energy inside of which； naked and transcendent； was a Human female with long； flowing red hair。。。
The vision； if that indeed was what it was； also appeared to Lunk and Annie； who were down below in another part of the arena。
〃What the devil is that thing？！〃 Lunk said； back behind the wheel of the APC now。
At that the flame seemed to tinkerbell across the sky； as though calling to them。 Annie swore to herself that she was seeing Marlene up there but dismissed the thought as wishful thinking。 The flame； however； did seem to be beckoning to them。
〃Do you get the feeling it wants us to follow it？〃
〃That seems to be the idea；〃 said Lunk； putting the vehicle into gear。 〃And I've learned that you never say no to a hallucination。〃
At the same time； almost directly over the hive； where the fighting had been fast and furious； Scott and Lancer were reconfiguring their fighters to Battloid mode in the hope that some of the Expeditionary Force fly…boys would follow their lead。 The air bat units had been sustaining heavy losses； and Scott reasoned that the boys had been flying far too long in zero…gee theaters。 He recalled the fear he had felt when Lunk first surprised him with the Alpha…and back then he was only going up against two or three Troopers ships； nothing like the swarms of Invid aircraft that were in the skies today。
Reconfigured； the two teammates demonstrated what a year of guerrilla fighting had taught them； they dropped down close to the hive； rifle/cannons blazing； and took out one after another Invid ship…even the most recent entries to the aliens' supply： the Battloid…like Retaliator ships； upscale versions of the Invid Urban Urban Enforcer street machines。 Lancer went so far as to bat a couple of them with the rifle/cannon； showing just how to make gravity work to one's advantage。
Then suddenly there was a kind of flame whisking along beside them； tipped on its side and incandescent。
Lancer said： 〃It's some sort of vapor cloud； I think。 But I can't get a decent fix on it。 See if you can get close to it。〃
Scott banked his fighter toward the apparition and trained his scanners on it。 But it was his eyes that gave him the answer： Inside the flame cloud a naked figure swam； larger than life and recognizable。
No； it can't be！ Scott thought。
All at once Lancer's voice pierced the cacophony of sounds ing over the tac net。
〃I'm hit； Scott！ The gyro…stabilizers are shot！ I can't get myself turned around！ Can't get the canopy up； either。 I'm down and out…；buddy！。。。A memory！〃
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
One of the intriguing （and unanswered） questions of ＇the Third Robotech War＇ is how Ariel/Marlene acplished her minor miracle in the skies above Reflex Point。 Nesterfig （in her controversial study of the social organization of the Invid） advances the theory that Ariel somehow 〃borrowed〃 Protoculture energy leaking from the hive barrier shield…the same that so affected the surrounding countryside。 But this does not really answer the question。 Neither Corg nor Sera was endowed with similar abilities； and most experts agree that they were the most highly evolved of the Regis's creations。 The Lady Ariel herself was never able to shed light on this curious incident。
Zeus Bellow； The Road to Reflex Point
In the cockpit of her mand ship； Sera flashed a self…satisfied smile at her display screen。 The Human pilots had hoped to get the better of her troops