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lls and alloy fins。 Each carried in its belly a score or more of Veritech fighters； sleek； transformable mecha developed and perfected over the course of the past thirty years。 And inside each of these was a pilot ready to die for a world unseen。 War was at the top of the agenda； but in a narrow hold aboard one of the mand vessels a young man was thinking about love。
He was a pleasant…looking； clean…shaven youth going on twenty； with his father's long legs and the wide eyes of his mother。 He wore his blue…black hair bed straight back from his high forehead…save for that undisciplined strand that always seemed to fall forward…making his ears appear more prominent than they actually were。 He wore the Expeditionary Force uniform…simple gray tight…fitting pants tucked into high boots and a short…sleeved ornately collared top worn over a crimson…colored synthcloth bodysuit。 The Mars Group patch adorned the young man's shirt。
His name was Scott Bernard…Lieutenant Scott Bernard…and this was a homeing of sorts。 That fact； coupled with the anxieties he felt concerning the imminent battle； had put him in an impassioned frame of mind。 The fortunate recipient of this not…so…sudden desire was a pretty； dark…eyed teenager named Marlene； a good six inches shorter than Scott； with milk…chocolate…brown hair and shapely legs enhanced by the uniform's short skirt。
Scott had Marlene's small face cupped in his hands while he looked lovingly into her eyes。 As his hands slid to her narrow shoulders； he pulled her to him； his mouth full against hers； stifling the protest her more cautious nature wished to give voice to and urging her to respond。 Which she did； with a moan of pleasure； her hands flat against his chest。
〃Marry me； Marlene；〃 he said after she had broken off their embrace。 He heard himself say it and almost applauded； simply for finally getting the nerve up to ask her； Marlene's response was a separate issue。
Her surprised gasp probably said the same： that she too couldn't believe he was finally getting around to it。 She turned away from him； nervous hands at her chin it an attitude of prayer。
〃Well； will you？〃 Scott pressed。
〃It's a bit sudden；〃 she said coyly。 But Scott didn't pick up on her tone and reacted as though he had been slapped。
〃You'll have to speak to my father first；〃 Marlene continued in the same tone； her back to him still。 〃My mother； too。〃 When she turned around； Scott was staring at her slack jawed。
〃But they're back on Tirol！〃 he stammered。 〃They might not be here for…〃 Then he caught her smile and understood at once。 He had literally known her for her entire life； and he still couldn't tell when she was putting him on。
Marlene was smiling up at him now； eyes beaming。 But the sudden shrill of sirens collapsed her happiness。
〃Defold operation plete；〃 a voice said over the PA。 〃All wing manders report to the bridge for final briefing and bat assignments。〃
Scott's lips were a thin line when he looked at her。
〃Answer me； Marlene。 I might not get another chance to ask you。〃
The mand ship bridge was a tight； no…nonsense affair； with two duty stations squeezed between the wraparound viewports and four more back to back behind these。 There was none of the spaciousness and calm that had characterized the SDF…1 bridge； here everyone had a seat； and everyone put duty first。 It took something like the first sight of Earth to elicit any casual conversation； and even then the ments would have surprised some。
〃I'm so excited；〃 a woman tech was saying。 〃I can hardly wait to see what Earth looks like after all these years。'
mander Gardner seated at the forward station of starboard pair； heard this and laughed bitterly to himself。 He had served under Gloval during the First Robotech War and had been with Hunter since。 His thick hair and mustache had gone to silver these past few years； but he still retained a youthful energy and the unwavering loyalty of his young crew。
The woman tech who had spoken was all of seventeen years old； born in deep space like most of her shipmates。 Gardner wished for a moment he could have showed her the Earth of forty years ago； teeming with life； wild and wonderful and blissfully unaware of the ing tide。。。
〃What does it matter？〃 the tech's male console mate answered her。 〃One planet's the same as another to me。 Robotech ships are all I've known…all I want to know。〃
〃Don't you have any interest in setting foot on your homeworld？ Our parents were born here。 And their parents； right on back to the first ancestors。〃
Gardner could almost hear the copilot's shrug of indifference clear across the bridge。
〃Just another Invid colony； color it what you will。 So this place is blue and Spheris was brown。 It doesn't do anything for me。〃
〃Spoken like a true romantic。〃
The copilot snorted。 〃You get romantic thinking about the Invid grubbing around the old homestead looking for Protoculture？〃
mander Gardner was hanging on the answer when the door to the bridge hissed open suddenly and Lieutenant Bernard entered。
〃Alpha Group is just about ready for launch；〃 Bernard reported。
Gardner muttered； 〃Good；〃 and rose from the contoured seat； signaling one of the techs to turn on the ship's PA system。
〃Most of you know what I'm about to say；〃 he began。 〃But for those who don't know what this mission is all about； it's simply this： Several months ago we became aware that the Invid Sensor Nebulae had located some new and apparently enormous supply of the Flowers of Life。 The source of the transmissions turned out to be the Earth itself。
〃The Regis moved quickly to secure the Flowers； with the same murderous intent she demonstrated on Spheris and Haydon IV and a dozen other worlds I don't have to remind you about。 Nor should I have to remind you about what we're going to face on Earth。 It seems probable that the Invid decimated Wolff's forces； but we number more than four times the units under his mand。〃
Scott noticed that the bridge techs； eyes locked on Gardner and grim faces set； were giving silent support to the mander's words。 Marlene entered the bridge in the midst of the briefing； whispering her apologies and seating herself at her duty