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He moaned again； louder； tried to stand up but instead fell； to stretch out facedown on her carpet。 The back of his uniform jacket was sodden with blood。
Roy heard Claudia； far away； and wanted to answer but couldn't。 He didn't know how he'd forgotten； but there was a mission he had to fly。
There was Kramer now； with the ships waiting to go。 Strangest fightercraft Roy had ever seen： far sleeker and more dazzling than Veritechs； and they seemed to shine with an inner light。
But…how had Pop Hunter； Rick's dad and Roy's old mentor； gotten tapped for this mission？
It didn't matter。 There were plenty of good men on this one； many of the best Roy had ever flown with。 Why hadn't he seen them lately？ Not important。 Pop Hunter handed Roy his helmet； and Kramer slapped his back in wele。
Then they were airborne； going ballistic into the blue； free and proud as eagles。 What was the mission； again？ Oh； yeah； the big one！ How could that have slipped his mind？
They were going to ride forth and rid the universe of war itself； so that there would be peace； nothing but peace； forever。 Then； after this last mission； he could go home and turn in his helmet and never fly another。
He could hold Claudia to him and never let her go。
The fighters climbed； and the sky became lighter instead of darker； and then impossibly bright。 With his squadron arrayed behind him； Roy Fokker zoomed straight into the center of the white light。
〃I'm terribly sorry； Lieutenant Grant；〃 Doctor Hassan was saying。 〃We did everything we could for him。 But there was massive internal hemorrhaging； and he had just lost too much blood。〃
Claudia was shaking her head slowly； she heard the words； understood what they meant； but they made no sense to her。 She was looking down at Roy's unmoving body； not believing he was dead。
Hassan and the nurse looked at each other。 The doctor had seen this before； he tried to get through to Claudia again。
〃It's a terrible tragedy。〃 He gave the nurse a look； she understood the signal； and they turned to leave Claudia for a while so that she could begin the long； painful healing。
〃mander Fokker will be sorely missed；〃 Hassan said； closing the door gently behind him。
Claudia stared down at Roy's face until the tears blinded her； then threw herself to her knees； burying her face in the sheet that covered his chest。
She wept until she thought her heart would burst； unable to believe he was gone。 It seemed that the entire world had simply vanished； leaving nothing but a cold； silent void。
Rick was sitting up in bed； playing with the triplane again； fairly happy； although he didn't realize it。 Even worry； lovesickness； and depression couldn't be on the job all day and all night； so his natural resilience had surfaced。 He looked up as the door opened。
〃Well； hi； Lisa！ What's got you out around town on this fine morning？〃
Then he saw something in her expression； and all the ebullience went out of him。
Lisa had never been good at this sort of thing； she still didn't understand why she had agreed to be the one to tell Rick。
〃mander Fokker's dead。 From wounds suffered during the air battle yesterday。〃
The little yellow airplane with the Iron Cross markings fell from his limp grasp。 〃Fokker； Little Brother； that's me！〃 It hit the floor and broke into a dozen pieces。
〃My Big Brother's dead？〃 He whispered it without tone； with barely the inflection to make it a question； staring at the wall。
When he began weeping into the bunched sheet that he gripped in his fists； racked by sobs that it seemed would tear him apart； Lisa turned to go。 But she reconsidered； her guardedness and reserve and the hurt of what she'd taken earlier as his rebuff dropping from her。 She went to sit by his side； her arm around him； as he cried inconsolably。
Gloval showed no emotion when he read the casualty report。 But he was distant and distracted； remembering the gangling； blond…haired teenager who had flown for him off the Kenosha； who had helped him explore the just…crashed SDF…1 when it first came to Earth。。。who had believed so much that war must end that he was willing to fight for it。
Let him be the last！ Gloval thought wrathfully。 They're not sending us out for more killing and dying！ If I have to end the Robotech War here on Earth； then I will！