weapon of some kind。。。
He dropped himself into a tuck…and…roll seconds before the weapon fired。 The round impacted against an unbraced section of heaped…up vehicles and mecha parts and loosed some of it into a slide。 Lunk heard shouts and the squeal of brakes behind him。 One of the bikes went down； sliding uncontrolled along the street with a rasping； scraping sound。 Lunk reached Pops' just as Ringo's cycle pulled up； but the gang leader found himself confronting the man with the weapon。
〃You again；〃 Lunk heard Ringo seethe。 〃You're really pressing your luck； robby。〃
Hearing Ringo use the derisive slang term for a Robotech soldier； Lunk turned to study his rescuer。 The man was straddling a Cyclone and wearing a uniform with patches Lunk couldn't identify。 Nor was the weapon familiar。
〃Put your hands where I can see them；〃 the soldier told Ringo。 〃Now turn your cycles around and get out of here。 The party's over。〃
Ringo adjusted his dark glasses and flashed one of his infamous grins。 〃Have it your way。。。〃 He looked over at Lunk。 〃If you wanna see your friend alive； e on out to the ranch…if you have the guts； that is！〃
The three cycles roared off； and the soldier asked about Lunk's friend。 Lunk quickly scanned the crowd： mostly locals he had seen before； but there were three or four he didn't recognize。 Two attractive women and some carrot…topped kid。 Another Cyclone rider。 They were staring at him expectantly。
〃Stay out of it；〃 Lunk said； starting to walk off。
Spider stepped out of the crowd； they had ridden together previously； Spider； Lunk； and Kevin。。。
〃Hey； Lunk； you're not going to just walk away？〃 Spider said to him questioningly。 〃We've gotta go get 'im； man。 We can't leave him with Ringo！〃
Lunk stopped； hung his head； then resumed his heavy steps。
〃With a friend like you； a guy doesn't need enemies；〃 the soldier called out to the delight of the crowd。
Lunk spun around； ashamed but angry； Spider and the others were still waiting。
〃All right；〃 the soldier was saying； strapping on some sort of pectoral armor。 〃Where's this ranch？ How far is it from here？〃
〃About five miles…〃 Pops started to say； but the soldier's younger panion interrupted。
〃Hang on a minute； Scott；〃 the redhead said。 〃You can't keep fighting everybody's battles for them。 You think you're going to whip the whole planet back into shape single…handed； and I think you're nuts！〃
〃I wouldn't advise tangling with Ringo； stranger；〃' Pops added。 〃Just take our thanks and ride on out of here。〃
But Scott didn't answer either of them。 He put his helmet on； started the Cyclone； and wheelied off。 A woman in similar armor riding a red mecha followed him。 Lunk heard the soldier's panion mutter a curse and yell for Scott to slow down； then he angrily straddled his own Cyclone and joined the others。
〃Lunk。。。〃 Spider said leadingly。
Lunk spun around； a determined look on his face now。 〃All right； let's go。〃
〃Really？〃
〃I won't let those bums make a chump outta me； Spider。 Kevin's our friend； and we can't leave him out there。〃 Lunk turned to the crowd。 〃I need some wheels。 I've got scrip enough to rent 'em。〃
〃Take mine；〃 said Pops； fishing keys out of his shirt pocket。 〃And don't worry about paying me； either。〃
Lunk caught the tossed chain； threw a thanks over his shoulder； and ran over to Pops' olive…drab tri…wheel。 Spider straddled the rear seat。 Lunk noticed that the tall woman singer he had seen once or twice in the bar was also headed toward her vehicle。 Meanwhile； the little kid with the E。T。 cap was beside him； introducing herself as Annie。
〃Are you married by any chance？〃 she asked Lunk。
Lunk's face twisted up in shock。 〃What； are you kiddin'？〃
Annie threw open her arms and said； 〃You lucky boy！〃 as Lunk rode off； a look of bewilderment on his face。 〃The man of my dreams；〃 she added a moment later； climbing into Yellow Dancer's pink roll…barred jeep。
Scott's improvised posse of seven followed the road out of town to a turnoff that wound up into the hills。 They stopped once so that Scott and Rook could suit Rand up in Cyclone armor and run him quickly through the basics of mechamorphosis。
The ranch sat at the crest of a gentle rise near a wide stream that made it one of the choicest spots in the district。 It was enclosed by a rustic post…and…rail fence； and there were patches of grass and a few beautiful old trees that had weathered more storms； natural and otherwise； than anyone cared to guess。 Scott and pany rode in without ceremony and found Ringo's gang waiting for them in the shade of an immense oak。 There were five of them： the knife…wielding punk； the hulk； and two others who had been with Ringo in the bar earlier that day。 They were all astride their bikes…the hulk in his usual sidecar seat…grouped close together in a shallow arc； cycle weapons pointed outward。 Kevin was behind them； lashed by thick rope to the tree trunk。
Scott ordered his group to a haft two hundred yards from the tree。 Ringo's group wouldn't have stood a chance against the firepower of one Cyclone； let alone three； but it was obvious from the start that Ringo wanted to go one on one with Lunk。 Kevin's precarious position guaranteed against any Cyclone fireworks； so in a certain sense （as was always the case when hostages were involved） Scott's position was the more vulnerable one。
Lunk was aware of what was going down and asked Spider to climb off the triple…wheeler。 It was likely； given Ringo's flair for dramatics； that he would begin the festivities with a bike joust； and Lunk figured he could handle the thing better if he was alone。
〃Okay； but be careful；〃 Spider said； stepping away。
Lunk snorted。 〃I'm sick to death of being careful。〃
Rand and Rook were side by side a few yards away； with Scott slightly off to one side behind them。 〃I can't figure out why you came；〃 Rand was saying to the red Cyclone rider through the helmet。 〃You've got no stake in this。〃
〃I've got just as much reason to be here as you；〃 Rook said harshly without looking over at him。
〃Everybody stay loose；〃 Scott warned。 〃Keep your fingers away from the triggers。 I don't want anyone getting hurt unless it can't be helped。〃
〃No great loss； if you ask me；〃 Rook muttered。
Rand glanced over at her。 〃Reminds me of a movie I saw once。 Gunfight at the。。。I can't remember the title。 But what happens is that…〃
〃People die in real life； pal。 Keep that in mind。〃
Before Rand could say anything； Ringo called out： 〃Hey； Lunky…boy…I can hear your knees knockin' together！ Is it gonna be just you and me； or do you need the army behind you？〃 Ringo's gang hooted and howled。 〃I mean； you didn't have much use for the army a while ago； did ya？ In fact； you got a history of runnin' away from fights； the way I hear it。 Ain't that right？〃
Lunk gritted his teeth。 Sweat was beading up across his face； and indeed； his knees were knocking against the valve covers of the cycle's engine。 〃You don't know nothin' about it； ya little shit！〃 he managed to bite out。
Ringo laughed and slapped his knee。 〃Sorry if I blew your cover。 I keep forgettin' you're too modest to brag about your military record！〃
〃What're you trying to prove？〃 Lunk yelled； muscles and veins standing out like cords in his beefy neck。
〃Nothin'；〃 Ringo returned。 〃Nothin' at all。 'Cept the Invid hate soldiers； and since we don't have much use for them ourselves； we decided to help them along this time。〃
Lunk began to rev his cycle； but Scott gestured to him to hold his ground。 〃Hand over your hostage！〃 Scott demanded of Ringo。
The gang leader turned to his men and laughed。 〃We might just make you part of today's quota； robby！〃
〃Yeah； we ain't picky！〃 the knifer threw in。
〃And we're not afraid of your firepower； neither；〃 the hulk yelled from the sidecar； raising a bazooka…type weapon into view。
〃They're psyching themselves up；〃 Rook cautioned the others。 〃Be ready！〃
On Ringo's word the four cycles leapt forward in a charge； but all at once a round detonated in their midst； throwing some of them off their machines。 Scott； Rand； and Rook exchanged looks； wondering who had fired。 Then they heard Spider and Annie's simultaneous screams and looked up： Three Invid Shock Troopers had appeared over the canopy of the oak tree。 Ringo and his boys were bolting for the shelter of the ranch house as continued flashes from the Troopers' shoulder cannons shook the ground and blew their cycles apart。 Kevin was trying desperately to free himself from the tree trunk； and Annie was shouting； 〃Do something！〃
Scott took the initiative and shot his Cyclone forward； engaging the thrusters and going to Battle Armor mode as the mecha left the ground。 Two of the Invid went after him； while the third dropped in low toward Lunk and the others。 Rand was working the system switches frantically； eager for the mecha to reconfigure。
〃e on！ e on！。。。What the heck's wrong with this thing！？〃 he said to Rook。
〃Just calm down；〃 she told him。 〃Remember what Scott told you…your thoughts have to help it along。 Relax and stop bashing away at it。〃 Rook lowered her head and threw the thumb switch。 Rand watched amazed as the cycle restructured； wrapping itself around her and integrating with her armor。 〃Treat it gently…like it's alive；〃 Rook added； standing now。
Scott meanwhile was off in another part of the grassy fields dancing between the annihilation discs sent his way by the Troopers who had put down on either side of him。 Lunk saw him lift off after half a dozen agile leaps and bounces and return fire from the suit's forearm rocket launchers。
〃I can't escape it！〃 Lunk yelled to no one in particular。 〃I thought I'd never be fighting again！〃
Rook was engaging the third Invid； while Rand continued to struggle with reconfiguration。 He was about to give up on it； when he felt the mecha's reciprocal vibe； and suddenly the damned thing was actually conforming itself to his armor。 He stood up； showing a look of disbelief under the helmet's faceplate； and gently engaged the system's hoverthrusters； searching the skies for signs of Rook or Scott。 At last he saw the red Cyclone rider。 She was powering up through a backflip one minute and dropping like a stiff…legged bomb the next。 But her Invid target leapt away in time； hooking itself overhead and dishing out a blast that nearly caught her。 She avoided the explosion by launching straight up； but the Trooper was sticking close； discharging two more bolts； one of which nicked her armor and sent her into a spinning descent toward a stand of trees。
Scott was handling himself well against the other two Troopers but had yet to land a Scorpion on either of them。 He was down on the ground now； getting off another shot before the Invid surrounded him； pincers swinging； discs cratering the soft earth。 Rand joined him； and together they managed to chase the Troopers off momentarily。
Scott was congratulating Rand on his mechamorphosis when Lunk pulled up alongside on the triplewheeler。
〃You weren't ever a member of the space battalion； were you？〃 Lunk asked Scott。
〃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 zo