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Monument had a mixed population of full…size and Micronized aliens；and despite the sudden growth and ethnic flipflop； it remainedessentially a Zentraedi city； governed by a council made up of aliensand representatives of the small but vocal group of advocates who hadspearheaded the movement for autonomy from Macross。
Watching the lights wink on in Monument's towers； Rick wondered howmuch longer the city's most recent immigrants would be willing to liveunder Zentraedi rule。 The War； after all； had been fueled by fears ofalien domination。
When he went to check on Lisa； he found her sound asleep； coverspulled tight around her head like a hood。 Gazing at her from thebedroom door； she seemed the same； plainly…pretty； twenty…nine…year…oldmilitary brat he'd once called an old sourpuss。 Same heavy locks ofbrown…blond hair； same pale plexion and slender figure。 Not that hewas all that different from the long…haired Veritech jock Lisa wasalways accusing of indulging in amateur heroics。 But Rick knew thatdeep down they both had changed。 Or had been changed by events。 Whoknew anymore？
Mostly； he was still trying to get used to the idea of the two ofthem as partners。 They had only declared their love three months back；amid the searing flames of a city under siegejust when it had lookedas if Rick and Minmei would be setting up house after five years offlirting with the arrangement。 No matter that he had won Minmei bydefault； she had proposed to him； and no one could revoke that moment。
Minmei had moved into his Macross module； following her disastrousbreakup with cousin； manager； and then love interest； Lynn…Kyle。 Shewas going to give up her career as a singeras The Voiceand Rick； inturn； was expected to resign from the RDF。 Minmei's formula for happilyever after： just the two of them； playing house； reminiscing about oldtimes； going gray together。 But all during that week they had spenttogether； in and out of each other's arms； Rick couldn't get Lisa out ofhis mind。 He'd been between the two women for so long that the veryidea of choosing one over the other 。 。 。 Well； maybe he neededconfusion in his life； he'd told himself。
Unaware that Khyron was about to guarantee that。
Minutes before the Backstabber's assault； Lisa had stopped by thehouse to inform Rick； very matter…of…factly； that she was beingtransferred to the factory satellite。 Once there； she was to assumemand of the near…pleted SDF…2； and of the proposed Expeditionarymission to Tirol； homeworld of the Robotech Masters。 Realizing that shewould be out of his life for a long time to e had almost been enoughto drag a confession from him。 But it was Lisa's follow…up that finallydid the trick： she loved him； she said。 She had always loved him。 Andshe was tasking MinmeiMiss Minmei； at thatwith taking care of him。
A scary thought； even in the best of times。
Lisa hadn't gotten a block when Khyron's cruiser had fired thefirst of its annihilation bolts； and there she went； hurrying right intothe thick of it。 Giving chase； Rick's first obstacle was Minmei； whothrew herself in front of him； shouting； 〃You can't leave me like this。How can you even think of going back into space？〃
He had stepped around her and dashed after Lisa； Minmei hot on hisheels； intent on playing out their final scene to a backdrop fashionedin hell。
〃If you really love him； you'll let him go；〃 Lisa had told Minmei。〃He's a pilot。 Flying is his life。〃
〃You call that a life？〃 Minmei said back。 〃Battle after battleuntil everything is destroyed？〃
Rick chimed in： 〃We're fighting to preserve a future。 Somedayyou'll understand that。〃 A somewhat ill…timed remark； what with firefalling from the sky and much of Macross already in flames。
The look Minmei returned was pitying。 〃There is no future。 Andyou're wrong； Rick； I'll never understandnot war； not love； not any ofit。〃
But hadn't that been Lynn…Minmei's problem all along？ Rick askedhimself now。 Her celebrity had so isolated her that she had noprehension of the real world。 Lisa； on the other hand； understoodall too well。
〃It takes a soldier to understand the bitter truths；〃 she had saidearlier that same afternoon。 〃People think that because Khyron is deadand spring has arrived that the RDF's work is pleted。 They're wrong。But it's always easier to pretend。 Everyone's bee a Minmei。〃
No wonder that he and Lisa were inseparable； Rick thought。 Andthat he hadn't so much as spoken to Minmei since the attack。
The bitter truths many of Macross's hagridden inhabitants wereignoring were two threats that still lurked in the stars： one posed bythe race that had bioengineered the Zentraedithe Robotech Masterstheother posed by an equally fiercesome race known as the Invid； one of ahost of enemies the Zentraedi had made during their period of empirebuilding for Tirol。 The SDF…2； the gargantuan fortress Lisa was to havemanded； had been built to address the first threat。 As envisioned byAdmiral Gloval； the members of the Expeditionary mission would sue forpeace with the Masters in their own space； thus removing the Earth fromdanger。 Now； though； with the SDF…2 about to be interred； hope for thesuccessful execution of the mission had centered on the sole remainingspacefold…capable battle wagon of the Zentraedi armada： Breetai'sflagship。 From the flagship would be fashioned a new dimensionalfortress； Lang's SDF…3。
There was no denying the necessity of the mission。 Rick； in fact；had probably been the first to suggest using Breetai's ship。 But latelyhe'd been regretting having opened his mouth。 Why couldn't he havesaid； We're just going to have to pray that the Masters and the Invidhave better things to do than e looking for revenge。 Didn't it makemore sense to get on with healing and repopulating the Earth instead ofwasting time worrying about things that might not even happen？
Even so； he knew it was too late for regrets。 There was nodissuading Lisa； in any case。 She saw it as a sacred obligation tocarry out the assignment Gloval had given her on the morning of hisdeath。 Rick could understand that； too； though it sometimes felt thathis and Lisa's newly affirmed love was little more than an extension ofthat obligation。 Something he and Lisa owed to Gloval； Claudia； Sammie；Kim； and Vanessa； all of whom had foreseen a Hunter…Hayes union longbefore either of them had。
The hand of fate seemed to be steering him along with forcefulclaps on the back。 He was grateful for the shove that had landed him inLisa's life； but he wanted to evade any jostling that might mean addedresponsibilities。 He was fortable with his captain's rank； and heknew that he was an able team leader。 No need to overextend himself； orallow anyone else to。 He simply didn't have what it took to mandfrom a desk or from behind the shielded partition of some tech…heavybalcony in a war room。