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〃Yeah？。。。〃 said Scott。 〃So what？〃
〃Then you can fly a Veritech。〃
〃Of course I can；〃 Scott said excitedly。 〃Do you have one？〃
Lunk nodded。 〃Follow me。〃
Rand watched them zoom off； Scott running alongside Lunk's cycle。 He dodged an Invid that attempted to flatten him into the ground and brought his forearm up to fire。 But the Trooper was already flying off to link up with the other two； all three headed in the same general direction as Lunk and Scott。
If I hang around with this guy long enough； I'm gonna get myself killed for sure； Rand said to himself。
Then Rook was suddenly beside him； upright in Battle Armor mode and hovering two feet off the ground。 〃What's the matter；〃 she asked him； 〃your joints rusting up on you or something？〃
〃No； I was just trying to…〃
〃You really aren't much use in bat； are you？〃
〃Hey； wait a minute！〃 Rand shouted as she began to hover off in the same configuration。 〃It's not like I'm supposed to be here； you know。 I mean； technically I'm a nonbatant； did you know that？ Did I ever tell you about the time I fought off three Invid patrols at the same time。。。？〃
From the cover of the ranch house； Ringo watched Spider set Kevin free from the ropes that held him to the tree。 Knifer was kneeling by the window； peering over the stool； the hulk was cowering in a corner under a shelf。
〃Stop your whinin'； you lily…livered rogue！〃 Ringo shouted from the window。
Knifer looked up。 〃Hey； Ringo； I think I can hear your knees knockin'。〃
Ringo made an exasperated face and brought his fist down on Knifer's skull。 〃It's because I'm mad； bonehead。 Mad； mad； mad！〃 He punctuated each word with a follow…up blow。
Elsewhere； Annie was asking Yellow Dancer why she was hanging around。 They were in the singer's pink armored vehicle； parked some distance from the scene of the initial fighting。 〃What do you want from them？〃 Annie wanted to know。 〃I'm warning you； I can get very jealous。〃
Yellow turned to her from the driver's seat with an enigmatic smile。 〃Believe me；〃 she assured Annie； 〃there's absolutely nothing for you to be jealous of。〃
〃Well； then； it's okay；〃 Annie said； perking up。 〃You can hang around as much as you want。〃
The Veritech hangar was a dilapidated circular building； holed in numerous places； with a hemispherical red roof sectioned off and reinforced by curved trusses。 A mostly ruined solar windmill rose alongside the structure； which Scott guessed was a barn of some sort。 Up ahead； he saw Lunk give a wave； jump the triple…wheeler from the top of a small grassy embankment； and accelerate through the fallow fields that led to the makeshift hangar。 The Invid Shock Troopers were in hot pursuit overhead； their gleaming crablike bodies filling the sky。
〃Hurry！〃 Scott could hear Lunk shout。
Scott had been expecting to find the rusting shell of a first…generation Veritech； but once inside the building his hopes took a leap forward。 Carefully positioned in the spacious loft was what looked to be a well…maintained Alpha Fighter； sans augmentation pack and boosters； and certainly a leftover from the latter stages of the Second Robotech War。
〃Climb in；〃 said Lunk。 〃She's ready to fly。〃
〃Who's been maintaining it？〃 Scott asked as he struggled out of the reconfigured Cyclone。
〃Listen； I'm not as stupid as you might think；〃 Lunk said； raising his voice above explosive volleys from the Invid。 Discs were striking the fields nearby； loosening dirt and debris from the exposed rafters。 〃I was a certified bio…maintenance engineer。 Trust me； this baby will fly like a dream。〃
Scott climbed into the barn loft and gave the Veritech's radome an affectionate pat。 He threw himself up to the open canopy； got a good handhold； and slipped into the cockpit。 He hadn't bothered to change out of the Cyclone armor； but now he exchanged his helmet for the Veritech's own 〃thinking cap〃 and began a run…through of the systems。 It was so long since he had piloted a VT in atmosphere； he wondered if he could bring it off now。
〃Everything seems in order！〃 he called down to Lunk as an explosion tore out a huge section of wall。
Lunk's hands went to his ears； and he threw himself to cover。 Through the breach in the wall； Scott glimpsed the three Troopers land and begin their approach on the barn。 I'll never be able to power up fast enough to get out of here！ he thought。
But just then Rand and Rook arrived to check the aliens' advance。 The red Cycloner launched herself like a projectile straight into one of the Trooper's optic sensors； while Rand fired two Scorpions against a second。 It was all the time Scott needed to bring up the Protoculture levels of the Veritech； and a moment later； much to Rand's consternation； the radome of the VT was punching through the barn's roof。
Scott threw the VT into a steep climb； luring the Troopers away from their swipe attacks against Rook and Rand。 Rand watched the fighter accelerate through a sweeping arc and head back into the faces of its pursuers； destroying one with a missile too swift for his eyes to track。 But that was only the beginning。 Now the fighter was reconfiguring to Battloid mode and leading the two remaining Invid on a high…speed chase over the countryside。
Scott thought the ship upright…a techno…knight standing in thin air…while salvos of annihilation discs beamed past him。 He reached out； throwing levers that opened the missile partments built into the Battloid's forearm； shoulder； and lower…leg armor； and thought the systems through to launch。 It was all ing back to him now…it had to！ For a moment； the techno…knight was enpassed in energy balloons； then dozens of missiles tore from their launch racks like so many red…tipped arrows of death。 The Troopers took the full storm and were all but disintegrated by the force of the blasts。
Down below； Kevin and Spider were running toward the barn； a few steps ahead of Annie； who had just leapt from Yellow's jeep and was calling out for Lunk。 Rook and Rand had already reconfigured their Cyclones and were doffing the hot and cumbersome battle armor when Scott brought the VT down； cut the engines； and threw open the canopy。
Lunk stepped from the barn unharmed and caught