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vel ahead of them。
Gloval asked for information about the aliens' retreat。 The only thing Claudia and Lisa could be certain of was that there were no longer any traces of enemy pods on the radar screens。 Gloval was pondering this when Kim Young announced that ining data was being received on one of the open frequencies。
Gloval stepped down from his chair and walked over to take a look at the transmissions。
〃。。。‘If mice could swim；〃' he read； 〃 ‘they would float with the tide and play with the fish。 Down by the seaside； the cats on the shore would quickly agree。。。' What is this nonsense？ Where is it ing from？〃
Vanessa Leeds tapped in a set of requests and swiveled in her seat to study a secondary monitor。 In a moment she had the answer。 〃A transmitter located sixteen degrees off our current course。〃
〃That would put it at Sara Base on Mars！〃 said Claudia。
Lisa Hayes turned from her post in a start。 〃What？！ That's impossible！ Are you certain of those readings？〃
〃Sara Base is deserted；〃 said Gloval。 〃All life there was wiped out during the war。 It just can't be。〃
Lisa and Claudia exchanged a conspiratorial look。
〃No； Lisa；〃 said Claudia。 〃Don't get your hopes up。〃
〃Why couldn't there be survivors？〃 Lisa said excitedly。 She turned to Gloval。 〃Isn't it possible； sir？〃
Gloval crossed his arms； 〃I don't see how； but it was a pretty big base； and I suppose anything is possible。 We've all seen enough lately to convince me of that。〃
〃We have secondary confirmation on the origin of the transmissions； sir。 The origin is definitely Sara。〃
Claudia said； 〃Perhaps we should check it out； Captain。 It would only mean a minor deviation in our course。〃 Again she and Lisa exchanged looks。
Gloval returned to his chair。 He thought it unlikely that there were survivors on the base。 And the possibility of an enemy trap had to be considered。 But there were no radar indications of activity in the area； and the risk presented by a landing would certainly be justified if they could manage to replenish their rapidly diminishing supplies。 It would be the last chance until Earthspace； and who knew when that might be。 If that would be。。。
Gloval turned to his crew。
〃How badly hurt are we？〃
Vanessa responded； 〃Astrogation and engineering sections report limited damage only； sir。〃
〃All right；〃 said Gloval。 〃Change course and head for Mars。〃
CHAPTER FIVE
The destruction of Sara Base on Mars was in some ways typical of the setbacks experienced by the newly formed World Unification Alliance； the unfortunate result of suspicion； misinformation； and manipulation by an unnamed collective of separatist factions。 That the Northeast Asian Co…Prosperity Sphere could be so easily duped into believing the base a military installation was all the more cause for concern。 But more than that； the attack upon the base marked the first instance that humankind had taken warfare off the planet and brought it to the stars。
Malachi Cain； Prelude to Doomsday： A History of the Global Civil War
Mars！
Lisa stared at the barren world as it came into view through the forward bays。 Arid； lifeless； named for the ancient god of war； it was like an angry red wound in her heart。 Eight years earlier her love had died here； on this world that she was destined to visit； one that had visited her so often in tear…filled dreams。 But even so she couldn't suppress the belief； the hope； that one of the many survival scenarios she had played endlessly through these lost years would run to pletion。 The last time she had seen and held Karl Riber was the evening he had told her of his assignment to Mars Base Sara。
〃The Visitor〃 had crash…landed on Macross Island three years earlier； and the Internationalists…men like her father； Admiral Hayes； Senator Russo； Gloval； and the rest…were doing their best to bring about world unity； centered on the restoration of the SDF…1 and the potential threat to Earth posed by the arrival of that ship built by an advanced race of intellectual and physical giants。 But peace and unity were not so easily secured。 Factionalism was rampant and borders changed overnight； sides were drawn and redrawn； bombs were dropped； and the killing continued unabated。
She had known Karl only a short time but had loved him from the start。 He had been assigned to her father as an aide and was doing his best to be the soldier Admiral Hayes expected at his side。 But through and through Karl was a peace…loving man； a sensitive scholar who； like others of his type； was looking forward to a day when the bloodshed would end and humankind would begin to focus itself on its destiny； its true place among the stars。 The arrival of the SDF…1 had further inflamed his passion for peace； but when even that event failed to put an end to the reigning madness； there was nothing left for him but cynicism and the need to escape。
That farewell night found Karl and Lisa together at the Hayes estate in upstate New York。 They sat together under a grand old tree under star…filled skies； and Karl told her that he had been reassigned to Base Sara； a scientific observation post on Mars。 He had pointed out the planet and confessed how torn he was to be leaving her。 But there was no place on Earth for him any longer； even the Robotech project had been co…opted by the militaristic power wing of the Alliance。 Instead of profiting from the miraculous find； they were merely gearing up for an anticipated war； a projected war。
She knew it was the right move for him； even if it was the wrong move for there。 But that night her young mind had seized on a plan she hoped would keep them together： She would enlist in the Defense Force and would apply for an assignment to Sara Base。
She had confessed her love for Karl。
And lost him to the stars。
But she made good her promise； and with her father's assistance had received a security clearance and an assignment to Macross Island to work under Dr。 Lang aboard the SDF…1。
She and Karl never saw each other again。 But there were letters and tapes and the occasional transworld calls。 Karl was in his element there； and all signs had pointed to her being able to join him soon。 Until war had reached out its long arm and seized on the one place humankind had yet to spill blood。 Sara Base became a graveyard overnight； almost a symbol of humankind's need to take war with it wherever it set foot in the universe。
The SDF…1 became her future from that moment on。 She had thrown herself into the project with a fever born of forgetting that meant for rapid advancement but left little time for personal growth。 Vanessa and Claudia chided her for her attachment to the ship； and sometimes she knew that she did e across as cold and distant。
The old sourpuss！
It was left unfinished between her and Karl； as if emotional time had been frozen on the night she learned about Base Sara's destruction。
This planetary touchdown then was more than a mere landing to her； it was an emotional pilgrimage。 Karl Riber was alive in her heart； moment to moment； to her it meant that he could really be alive； one of a group of survivors here。 He had said to her； We'll be together again someday； when the Earth is at peace。 Love was s