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〃Rumors circulating throughout the ship's upper echelons today indicate that this prohibition may only be temporary。〃
A man in a brown sport coat shook his fist at the screen and hollered； 〃We finally make it back to Earth and now they're telling us we have to stay aboard this junk heap？〃
A redhaired woman； holding a frightened little girl who wore an RDF insignia on her rompers； wailed； 〃How much more do they think we can endure？ When will all this ever e to an end？〃
There were plenty of angry voices to second that。 〃Yeah； we demand an explanation！〃 bellowed a guy in a black T…shirt。
But the Boogieman was already returning them to their normally scheduled programming。 In another second； Minmei； smiling winsomely in the spotlights； was finishing。
…here by my side！
。。。and taking a bow。 The crowd in the restaurant didn't spare her a clap or a whistle。
Kim murmured； 〃They spent all that time and this was the best announcement they could e up with to break the news？〃
Max and Rick traded puzzled； worried looks： What's she talking about？
Sammie gulped。 〃Look； they're not taking it very well。 I sure hope this doesn't turn into an all…out rebellion！〃
The man in the brown coat said； 〃Hey； look； we've got those military officers right over there！ I say let's get some kind of explanation out of 'em！〃
A number of the men there went along with the idea； and in a moment the five RDF members seated at the table found themselves surrounded。
The brown sport coat shook a fist in Rick's face。 〃C'mon； Lieutenant！ Tell us what's goin' on！〃
Rick sputtered and stammered； as surprised as anyone。 〃Well； uh； I guess I don't really know。。。〃
〃Stop this！〃 Lisa snapped。 〃Stop it right now！ How dare you treat us this way？ We risked our lives…and plenty of us died！…to get you back here safely！〃
Some of the crowd paused at that； but the man in the brown sport coat and a number of others weren't buying it。
〃What d' ya want； gratitude？〃 He sneered。 〃When we lost everything we had because of your SDF…1？ And now you're making us prisoners here？〃
He slammed his fist on the table； the Terrible Trio jumped； startled and frightened。 〃Well？ I want a straight answer！〃
Lisa tried again； more calmly。 〃Please； it's just a temporary measure。 Just give us…〃
He cut her off。 〃For what； more of the same old promises？ We're tired of lies！ We're tired of being held here like convicts！ Now we take matters into our own hands！〃
Whoever the brown sport coat was； he was a rabblerouser of considerable talent。 He had almost all the men and quite a few of the women with him； talking about justice and fighting for their rights。 And for Lisa the agonizing thing was that she knew that there was a lot to justify their reaction and that her father had been one of those chiefly responsible for doing this to the Macross survivors。
Some loudmouth was yelling； 〃Why don't we show 'em we mean business？ Let's take these punks and force 'em to get us off this ship！〃
Lisa stood； gathering the others in by eye。 〃Let's go。〃
A broken…toothed man clapped a big paw on her shoulder。 〃Hold it！〃
She tried to stare him down。 〃You'd better let me go。〃 He shook her。 〃Siddown！〃
But a hand closed on his shoulder。 〃Okay； that's enough。〃
It was Max Sterling。 Rick； halfway out of his chair to help Lisa； did a bit of a double take。 Max had been sitting beside him a moment before。 What'd he do； teleport over there？
Max's voice was still mild； but his face showed a certain intensity Rick had seen only during bat。 Look out； tough guy！ Rick thought to the broken…toothed man。
〃Take your hand off her。 Now。〃
Max had barely gotten it out when the man threw a punch； screaming； 〃Shut up！〃
Max ducked； but not far。 Rick had seen him do this before； Max's incredible reflex time and psychomotor responses let him deal with such things by split seconds and fractions of an inch。
Max avoided the clumsy haymaker and delivered a jolting left； snapping the other's head around； stepping back neatly as he began to collapse。
Other members of what had now bee a mob saw what had happened and began to converge on Max； snarling and getting ready to fight。
Max glared at them； unruffled。 〃You'd better get back。〃
Somebody shrieked； 〃Let's get 'em！〃 and Rick found that he couldn't get to Max because the mob was closing in on him； too。 A man in a green turtleneck threw a wild left。 Rick bobbed under； came up； and planted a solid uppercut； sending him staggering back。 Two more men closed in； swinging hastily and inaccurately。 He avoided them； backpedaling。
Max was taking on a very muscular young man who had plenty of power but not much style。 Max warded off a roundhouse with an inside block； getting a quick hold on that arm。 Max's fist went ballistic under the guy's chin； lifting him right off his feet。 It was the brawler's good fortune that his tongue was well back in his mouth； or his teeth would have snipped it off。
The muscular one landed sprawling across a table； it crashed down； slamming him on the back of the head as he landed on his butt on the floor。
Lynn…Kyle had neither advanced to help his cousin's friends nor withdrawn from the scene。 Rick got one brief look at him： Kyle was standing as rigid and indifferent as a stone idol。
Rick stopped another vigilante with a short； hard shot to the sternum； then rocked him back with a left cross。
Things had gone very well for the two VT pilots up to now； but more and more men were getting ready to wade into the melee as soon as an opening occurred。 On the outskirts of things； Lisa and the Terrible Trio were doing what they could。 Quite a number of self…appointed public prosecutors never got to mix it up with the pilots because a chop across the neck or a kick to the kneecap put them out of the fight for good。
But the odds against them kept growing。 With no chance for a breather and no escape route； Rick and Max knew things would probably swing the other way shortly。 There was no helping that； and the brawl had gone too far to be stopped now； they fought on。 Rick was acplished in hand to hand； quick； well trained； and in good shape； but Max Sterling was simply unleashed lightning。
It was then that Max； blocking a punch so that he had his foe's arm in a firm lock； threw the man through the air。 Only this fellow； thrashing and kicking madly； was lofted straight at Lynn…Kyle； who had been watching the fight impassively。 Behind Kyle； Minmei let out a kind of squeak and ducked for cover。
Kyle never even moved his feet； he simply bent aside and struck； sending the unfortunate man flying through the air again； away from his cousin and himself。
The vigilante crashed into the table the muscular fellow had overturned； shattering it on impact as a result of the amazing force Lynn…Kyle's move had imparted to him and somehow contriving to land on his face。
Two of the brawler's friends were at his side instantly。 〃You all right？〃 one of them asked idiotically when it was obvious the man was not all right。
The brawler looked up woozily。 〃Who is that guy？ He's an incredible fighter！〃
〃His name's Kyle；〃 said the other buddy； 〃and that was nothin' but luck！〃 He straightened。 〃But I'm