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〃We'll have a picture taken。 You'll see how beautiful you are。〃
Minmei protested some； and the cam uttered some stock phrases to get them in the proper mood； but eventually they had the print and Minmei was pleased。 A smile and a look of concern； Minmei clinging to his arm； the fountain behind them。
Afterward； she talked dance for half an hour； she read him the lyrics of a song she'd posed。 Then she had to be going。
〃Uncle Max gets mad when I stay out too late。 But I'll see you when you get back； Rick。 Have a good mission； and remember； I'm very proud of you。〃
And with that she was gone； leaving him wondering about tomorrow all over again。
He power…walked and jogged for an hour hoping he would exhaust himself and fall into a deep sleep back in the barracks。 But sleep didn't seem to be on tonight's agenda； in fact； he couldn't even keep his eyes closed。 It was too hot in his bunk； then too cold； there were too many noises in the room； the pillow just wasn't right。。。Finally he sat up and switched on the reading light。 He took the park photo and brought it close to his face。 Perhaps he could reach her by concentrating on her image； spoken words weren't doing much good。
Minmei was proud of him； earlier that day she'd been upset with him for carrying her shopping bag because the package hid too much of the uniform。 Besides； it was wrong for a Veritech fighter pilot to involve himself in such mundane activities。 Well； that much was encouraging to Rick because she had really been his motivation for joining up。 During the weeks that followed their shared ordeal in that remote part of the ship； he realized that Minmei could never accept an ordinary man as her lover； he would have to be someone who participated in life to the fullest。 Someone romantic； adventurous； full of grand dreams and positive hopes for the future…an all…day…long hero who would never fear； never say die。 A special man； a dearest man； someone to share his life with you alone； as Minmei had herself written it。。。She was like someone who had gone from childhood to maturity without any of the intervening periods of longing or confusion。 And even though Rick had saved her life on two occasions and spent two long lost weeks with her； he had yet to prove himself in her eyes。 Without joining up there would have been no way for him to display the heroics she craved； no way to individualize himself； no way to accept himself as her equal。
And yet； even having taken those steps； he felt no closer to her than before。 Her love had no fixed center； it was spread across the board and parceled out in equal packets for one and all to enjoy。 A hero wouldn't even be enough for her because she belonged to everyone。 She was more spirit than woman； more dream than reality。
Rick slipped into fitful sleep for a short while； only to have Roy wake him out of it。 Fokker was just checking in； reminding him that they had to be up early tomorrow。
〃Your first bat mission is always the worst； kid。 I sympathize with you。 Now； get some sleep…count fanjets or something。〃
Everyone had such encouraging words： At the briefing they'd been told to wrap up their personal business； and now Roy tells him that tomorrow is going to be the worst。 Minmei had behaved like a cheerleader； his manding officer thought him a lecher。。。It had been quite a day。
So Rick actually took Roy's suggestion…he began counting fanjets…although it wasn't sleep he found in the high numbers but an unfortable half state where mander Hayes and the three bridge bunnies mocked him； and the giant enemy soldier he had confronted on Macross Island was reborn to stalk him。
The reveille call came too quickly。 Rick felt like one of the walking dead as he gathered up his gear and zombied his way through morning rituals with the other VT pilots。 There was a second preflight briefing； more detailed than the first。 Then the men were loaded into personnel carriers and conveyed to the Prometheus。 Roy and Rick's group drove through Macross City； past the park where he and Minmei had been together only hours before。 The city was asleep； peacefully； blessedly unaware。
Even before the transport vehicle had e to a halt in the hangar of the supercarrier； pilots were hopping out and rushing toward their propped Veritechs。 The Thor…class Prometheus…one of two ships that had been caught up in the spacefold and had since been grafted on to the main body of the SDF…1 was like an active hive； and every drone aboard save Rick seemed certain of his or her duty。 He lost Roy in the crowds and stood by the transport scanning for a familiar face among those now rushing by him。 He recognized mander Hayes's voice ing through the PA system。
〃All Veritechs report for roll call at Prometheus。。。All Veritechs report immediately for roll call at Prometheus。。。Orange； Blue； and Red squadrons will mence flight preparations on second…level afterdeck。。。All remaining squadrons prepare for takeoff from preassigned locations。。。Reactor control； bridge requests status report on first and third plasma shields。。。〃
Suddenly Fokker had him by the arm and was propelling him through the hangar； filling his ears with last…minute instructions and words of advice。 He gave Rick a quick embrace when they were alongside Skull Team's twenty…three and was soon swallowed up in the crowds again。
Rick was assisted into the pilot's crane sling by two techs； who also issued him boots； gloves； and a 〃thinking cap〃…a sensor…studded helmet that was in some ways an outgrowth of the Global Civil War 〃virtual cockpits〃 and essential for rapport with the mecha。
Rick regarded the plane as he was being lowered into the cockpit module。 In Fighter mode； the mecha was similar in appearance to the supersonic jets of the late twentieth century。 But in actuality； the Veritechs were as different from those as cars were to horse…drawn wagons。 The aliens who had engineered the super dimensional fortress had found a way to animate technological creations； and working from examples found onboard the SDF…1； Dr。 Lang and his Robotechnicians had been able to fabricate the Veritechs in much the same way…〃chips off the old block；〃 as the scientist called the VTs。
Once inside the cockpit； Rick strapped in and donned the helmet； from this point on he was mind…linked to the fighter。 There were still plenty of manual tasks to perform； but the central defense capabilities that set the planes apart from their predecessors were directly tied in to the pilots' mecha…will。
The Veritech was fired up now； reflex engines humming； and cat officers were motioning Rick forward。 He adjusted the helmet and seat straps and goosed the throttle to position the fighter onto one of the carrier elevators。 A second Skull Team VT joined him there。
As the two crafts were lifted to the flight deck； Rick could see the disc of the sun far off to his left。 At the end of the hurricane bow was Saturn； impossibly huge。 mander Hayes was once again on the PA and tac net。
〃This operation will be directed toward the Cassini Quadrant。 All squadrons will wait in the ice fields of the rings for further instructions。〃
The ice fields of Saturn's rings； Rick repeated to himself。
And he had thought yesterd