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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。 T