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His mind tried to save him from the horror by denying the events； cocooning him in much the same way the Veritech did。 But averting his gaze only worsened matters。 Everywhere he looked ships…of…the…fleet were breaking apart； flaming out as they plunged into Earth's betraying blue softness； wings and stabilizers folded by heat； delicate necks snapped； molten alloy falling like silver tears in the night。
The Veritechs were faring better； but columns of Invid were now on the ascent to deal out their own form of injustice。
They fell upon the helpless transports and mand ships first； helping nature's cruel reversal along with deliberately placed rends and breaches； spreading further ruin throughout the fleet。 Scott saw acts of bravery and futility： a Battloid already crippled and falling backward into the atmosphere pouring cannon fire against the enemy； two superheated Veritechs attempting to defend a transport against dozens of Invid claw fighters； another VT； boosters blazing； in a kamikaze run toward the head of the column。
Scott instructed his ship to jettison the rear augmentation pack and increased his speed； atmosphere be damned。 There was still an outside chance that some of Gardner's crew had made it into the evacuation pods。 If only the Invid could be kept away from the hapless transport。
〃Please； pull out！〃 Scott was screaming through gritted teeth。 〃Please； please。。。〃
Then； all at once； the transport's triple…thrusters died out； and an instant later the ship was engulfed in a soundless fireball that blew it to pieces。
Marlene！ Scott railed at the heavens； his fists striking blows against the canopy and console as the Veritech menced a swift unguided fall。
CHAPTER TWO
I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I laid eyes on Scott Bernard…beneath all that Robotech armor； I mean。 He had the Look of the Lost in his eyes； and a stammer in his voice that was pure tremolo。 The latter proved to be a case of offworld accent…some Tirolian holdover…but that Look。。。I just couldn't meet his eyes； I sat there tinkering with the Cyclone； trying to figure out whether I should run for the hills or off the guy then and there。 Later on…much later on…he told me about that first night in the woods。 I've got to laugh； even now： Ask Scott Bernard the one about the tree falling in the wilderness…and prepare to have your head bitten off？
Rand； Notes on the Run
Tirol； once the homeworld of the Robotech Masters； then an Invid colony when the Masters had uprooted the remnants of their dying race and journeyed to Earth in search of Protoculture； was a reconfigured planet； much of its surface given over to humankind's needs； its small seas and weather patterns tamed。 Not like this Earth； Scott thought； with its solitary yellow sun and distant silver satellite。 He yearned for Tirol。 It had been his home as much as the SDF…3 had been； he missed the binary stars of Fantoma's system； the protective presence of the motherworld itself。 How remote one felt from the heavens on this displaced world。
Scott recalled Admiral Hunter's rousing send…off speech； his talk of the 〃cool green hills of home〃…his home； Earth。 Scott laughed bitterly to himself； the planet's native splendor lost on him。
The Alpha had found a soft spot to cushion its fall in some sort of highland forest。 Oak and fir trees； Scott guessed。 The VT was history； but cockpit harnesses and collision air bags had kept him in one piece。 However； the crash had been violent enough to plow up a large hunk of the landscape。 He had lost his helmet and sustained a forehead bruise； then came a follow…up thigh wound of his own making when he had rather carelessly climbed from the wreck。
He was sitting in the grass now； his back against the fighter's fuselage； his head and left leg bandaged with gauze from the ship's first…aid kit。 He had gotten rid of his cumbersome armor just before nightfall but kept his blaster within reach。
The forest was dark and full of sounds he could not identify； although he was certain these were all natural calls and chirps and whistles…from what he had seen thus far； Earth was primitive and uncontrolled。
And there were just too many places for an enemy to hide。
〃Give me a scorched Martian desert any day；〃 Scott muttered。
He heard a rustling sound in the brush nearby and reached out for the blaster…a discette…shaped weapon developed on Tirol that was a scaled…down version of the one carried by the Masters' Bioroids during the Second Robotech War。
〃Is there somebody out there？〃 he asked of the dark。
When the movement suddenly increased； he fired off a charge； it impacted with a blinding orange flash against a tree； flushing two small long…eared creatures from the undergrowth。 Scott mistook them for Optera cha…chas at first…the Flower of Life Pollinators…then realized that they were rabbits。
What's happening to me？ he asked himself； shaken by the cold fear that coursed through him。 Marlene and everything I loved destroyed； and now I'm losing my nerve。 He set the blaster aside and put his gloved hands to his face。 It was possible he had sustained a concussion during the crash。 A delayed onset of shock。。。
Lifting his head； he found that Earth had another surprise in store for him。 The sky was dumping droplets of water on him…it was raining！ Scott got up and walked to a clearing in the woods。 He had heard about this phenomenon from old…timers but hadn't expected to encounter it。 Scott could see that rain might not be a bad thing under certain conditions； but right now it was only adding to his disfort。 Besides； there was something else in the air that had e in with the rain： periods of a short…lived； rolling； explosive roar。
Clouds backlit by flashes of electrical charge were moving swiftly； obscuring the Moon and plunging the world into an impenetrable dark。 Soon the angry bolts responsible for that stroboscopic light were overhead； launched like fiery spears toward the land itself； earsplitting claps of thunder in their wake。
Scott found himself overwhelmed by a novel form of terror； so unlike the fear he was accustomed to that he stood screaming into the face of it； his feet seemingly rooted to the ground。 This had nothing to do with enemy laser fire or plasma annihilation discs； it had nothing to do with bat or close calls。 This was a larger terror； a deeper one； springing from an archaic part of himself he had never met face to face。
Unnerved； he ran for the safety of the Veritech cockpit as lightning struck and ignited one of the trees； toppling it with a second bolt that split the forest giant along its length。 He lowered the canopy and hunkered down in the VT seat； hugging himself for warmth and security。 Eyes tightly shut； ears filled with crackling noise； he shouted to himself： What am I doing on this horrible planet？
As if answering him； his mind reran images of the mand ship's fiery demise； that slow and silent fatality。
〃Marlene；〃 he said through tears。
His hand had found the holo…locket she had given him on the bridge。 But his forefinger was frozen on the activation button； his mind fearful of confronting the ghosts the device was meant to summon up。 Still； he knew that he had to force himself to see and hear her again。。。before he could let the past die。
The metallic green heart opened at his touch； unfolding like a triptych； from its blood…red holo…bead center wafted a phantom image of Marlene。
〃Scott； my darling； I know it isn't much； but I thought you'd get a kick out of this trinket。 I'm looking forward to living the rest of my life with you。 I can't wait till this conflict is all behind us。 Till we meet again； my love。。。〃
The voice that had been Marlene's trailed off； and the shimmering message returned to its place of captivity。 Scott closed the heart and clutched it tightly in his fist； wishing desperately that he could so easily de…rezz the images held fast in his own heart。 Outside； the storm continued unabated； echoing the dark night of his soul。 Lighting fractured the alien sky； and rainwater ran in a steady stream across the protective curve of the VT's canopy。
In the morning Earth's skies seemed as blue as the seas Scott had seen from space； the air smelled sweet； washed clean of last night's violence。 But this was little consolation。 Fear and sorrow had lulled him into a fitful sleep； and the stark images of Marlene's death were with him when he awoke。
At a clear stream near the crash site； he filled his canteens with water。 Taking in morning's soft light； the spectacle of the forest itself； the profusion of bird life； he suspected that Earth could be a tolerable place； after all； but doubted that he would ever feel at home here。 He promised himself that he would turn his thoughts to the mission and only the mission from this point on。 Insanity was the only alternative。
He returned to the Veritech and stowed the canteens with the survival gear he had already retrieved from the mecha。 He had enough emergency rations to last him the better part of an Earth week； if he didn't e across a settlement or city by then； he would be forced to forage for food。 And given what little information he had about edible plants and such； the thought was hardly an appetizing one。
He turned his attention now to the one item that was likely to rescue him from edible plants or privation： the Cyclone vehicle stored away in the fighter's small cargo partment。 A well…concealed sensor panel in the fuselage gave him access to this； and in a moment he was lifting the self…contained Cyclone free of the cargo hold。 In its present collapsed state the would…be two…wheeled transport was no larger than a foot locker； but reconfigured it was equivalent to a 1；000…cc twentieth…century motorcycle。 Which in fact it was； after a fashion。
Originally one of Robotechnology's first creations； it had undergone some radical modifications under Lang's SDF…3 teams。 The Expeditionary Force had e to rely upon the vehicle as much as it had on the Veritech fighters； even though its design was still a basic one： a hybrid piston and Protoculture…powered transformable motorcycle that was a far cry from the Hovercycles developed on Earth during the same time period。 Unlike that Southern Cross marvel； the Cyclone required the full interaction of its pilot； whose 〃thinking cap〃 and specially designed armor were essential to the functioning of the vehicle's Protoculture…based mechamorphic systems。 In addition； it was light enough to carry； and wondrously fuel…efficient。
Scott carried the Cyclone several feet from the fighter and set about reconfiguring it； which entailed little more than flipping the appropriate switches。 That much acplished； he transferred his survival gear to the cycle's rear deck and began to struggle into the mecha's modular battle armor…not unlike the shoulder pads； hip harnesses； and leg and forearm protectors worn by turn…of…the…century athletes； except for the fact that the armor had been fashioned from lightweight alloys。
Scott was wearing Marlene's holo…heart around his neck now and gave a last look at it before snapping the armor's pectorals in place。 It's time； my love； he said to the heart。
Again he told himself to concentrate on the mission。 He recalled mander Gardner's words： If only one of you survive the invasion； you must locate the Invid Reflex Point and destroy it along with their queen； the Regis。 Scott had no idea how many people from Mars Division had survived atmospheric entry； but it was unlikely that any of them had touched down near his crash site。 He had been so caught up in the destruction of the mand ship that he had failed to lock the proper coordinates into the VT's autopilot。 As a consequence； the mecha had surely delivered him far from any of the dozen preassigned rendezvous points and who knew how far from the Reflex Point itself。 The stars told Scott that he had e down somewhere in the southern hemisphere； which put thousands of miles between him and the Regis if he was lucky； oceans between them if not。 In any case； north was the direction of choice。
Scott donned his helmet and mounted the Cyclone。 A thumb switch brought the mecha to life； he found his confidence somewhat restored by the throaty； synchronous firing of the cycle's systems。
Now let's get on