one armor。
〃Rand； did you remember to put in a fresh canister？〃 she asked him； certain he had forgotten。
〃Oh； right；〃 he returned； and stooped ego insert the fresh pack。
〃Dimwit；〃 Rook scolded him as she roared off； going to Battle Armor mode a moment later。 Rand followed her up and through to reconfiguration； and the two of them streaked off to assist Lancer； who was going head to head with two Invid Troopers。
Lancer had coaxed the Troopers to the ground and was executing leaps to avoid pincer swipes。 Frustrated now； one of the creatures was ready to bring its shoulder cannons into play。
Lancer stepped back when he saw the muzzles begin to glow； Rook and Rand had set down behind him； and the three of them felt the blast of the first charge。
〃Let's not push our luck until the Alpha arrives；〃 Lancer said over the Cyclone's tactical net。
The two Troopers took to the air； then swooped down for strafing runs。 But Rand had tailed one of them and launched shoulder…tubed Scorpions before the Invid could fire。 The Trooper took two missiles to the face and went down； leaking a thick green fluid。
Rook took out a second creature； Lancer dispatched a third that was giving Rand a hard time； bringing the odds more to everyone's liking by the time Scott got the Veritech up。
The two remaining Troopers kept to the ground； dishing out annihilation discs against the ining Alpha； but Scott flew undaunted into the fire； loosing the VT's own brand of vengeful energy。 With a last…minute leap； one of the Invid narrowly escaped the Alpha's angry red…tipped missiles； but the second stood its ground and suffered for it。
Scott continued his power dive against the fifth and final Invid now； it had put down again； emptying its upturned cannons against him。 Scott dropped through the annihilation discs like some sort of slalom flyer； getting off one shot before pulling out of his dive。 But that one connected； impacting the Trooper's midsection and splitting it in half。
Scott banked hard at the top of his climb and fell away toward Norristown and the enormous buttes which overshadowed the city。 Down below he could discern a long line of police vehicles speeding from the city toward the team's somewhat ravaged forest clearing。
Hearing Scott's warning over the tac net； Rand； Rook； and Lancer landed their mecha and reconfigured to Cyclone mode。 Annie and Lunk were running around gathering up late…arrival balloonloads of Protoculture canisters。 They took to the police van at Scott's amplified insistence and sped off following the Cyclones' lead； the setting sun huge and blood…red at their backs。
CHAPTER TEN
Rook's hometown ＇Trenchtown； formerly Cavern City＇ typified an offbeat trend in city planning that was popular between the ＇First and Second Robotech＇ Wars。 This plan； called the Obscuro Movement； was formed as a reaction to threats of invasion； real and imaginary； by Zentraedi； Tirolian Masters； Invid ； or any of a number of self…styled conquerors and terrestrial invaders。 Cities were constructed in the most unlikely places…on the tops of mesas； the bottom of ravines； the heart of darkness…anywhere deemed unassailable by founders and would…be leaders。
〃Southlands；〃 History of the Third Robotech War； Vol。 XXII
Rands journal picks up the story：
〃We had a good enough jump on Norristown's police force to lose them without too much hassle。 But just to make sure； Scott saw to it that our escape route was wiped out behind us with a few well…placed missiles from the Alpha。 Chances are that most of the vans turned tail as soon as they caught sight of the Veritech anyway。 We could only guess what the Invid decided to extract in the way of retribution； at the very least some heads were going to roll。〃
〃We were all feeling great。 The Cyclones practically had to be reigned in； thanks to the fresh infusion of 'Culture。 Scott thought that the Invid…manufactured batch was more powerful than the 'Culture Earth mecha had been operating on during the last twenty years。 The only thing that held us back was the police van we had mandeered。 But it seemed a wiser idea to accept the thing's limitations rather than carry Lunk and Annie on the Cyclones or in the fighter。 It continued to puzzle us why the Invid didn't simply overwhelm us with Troopers； with three Cycs running at high speed； it should have been easy enough to track us down。 But Scott explained that they had demonstrated the same sort of tactical shortings in previous encounters。 I was always trying to press him to elaborate； but he was reticent to talk about Tirol and the other worlds he had seen。〃
〃We traveled north for two days almost without letup； using the scrip Woods had given Lancer to barter supplies and bedrolls in some of the settlements we passed through。 The terrain was arid and rugged； characterized by buttes and tors and mesas similar to those around Norristown but softened by small skyblue lakes and patches of hardwood forest。 We made our first real camp alongside one of these cold water lakes。 We had e across a dozen wild cattle earlier on and shot one for provisions； so we were eating well and getting good rest in the sleeping bags。 Scott ran us through a kind of mutual…appreciation debriefing on the Norristown raid。 More and more we were beginning to feel like an actual team and not just six individuals on the run。〃
〃I tried to insist that we make camp in the woods； but everyone else was intent on enjoying the sunlight at the edge of the lake。 I put Annie in charge of gathering firewood； and she kept ing in with nearly petrified pieces of hardwood。 （Not that we really even needed the fire…I was doing most of the cooking over a propane stove anyway…but a fire was their idea of camping out； and I wasn't into spoiling anyone's fun。） Lunk whittled when he wasn't going over the Cyclone and VT systems。 Scott cleaned and maintained the ordnance。 Lancer was finding it easier and easier to relax around us； and he would often fall quite naturally into a kind of midway mode that was part Lancer the freedom fighter and part Yellow Dancer。 He had fashioned a shower for himself by punching a series of holes in one of our old cook pots。 He would bring in water heated on the fire and pour this into the holed pot he had fastened to an overhead branch。 Lunk got a big charge out of this and once tried to interrupt Lancer while he was showering。 It was a pretty ical exchange that ended with Lancer calling Lunk 〃a mindless brute；〃 and Lunk amazed that Lancer of all people should be modest。〃
〃Rook was the only one keeping to herself。 I would see her standing alone by the lake； absently skimming stones across the surface。 It was obvious that she had something disturbing on her mind； but she didn't want to share it with the rest of us。 Scott also sensed it。 I have since learned what the brooding was all about； but back then all I could sense was Rook's uneasiness and an inexplicable feeling of helplessness。 The only time the team discussed it was after she had turned on Annie； who was only trying to entice her to join us around the fire。〃
〃‘What d'ya thinks wrong with her？' Lunk asked the rest of us。〃
〃‘Women's mood changes are unpredictable；' Lancer said knowledgeably in Yellow's voice。 He had just stepped from the shower and was wearing a long yellow terry robe and had his hair up under a towel wrapped turban…style around his head。〃
〃‘Just leave her alone；' I suggested。 ‘She'll e out of it。' But Scott took issue with me。〃
〃‘No。 This is different。'〃
〃‘Let it go；' I started to say； but Scott was already on his feet and off to seek her out。 I felt pelled to tag along at a discreet distance； probably because I was afraid of Scott's scoring points where I couldn't。〃
〃Rook was standing near the lake。 She didn't even respond when Scott called her； I saw him give a small shrug and pull out that holo…locket he wore around his neck…the one Marlene gave him shortly before she went down with her ship。 I wasn't sure just what he was thinking； but what bothered me most was the idea that Rook's moodiness was going to have a contagious effect on the team。〃
〃In a moment； however； we all had bigger problems to deal with。〃
〃I saw Scott and Rook turn at the same moment to stare at something off in the distance； so I stepped out from cover to see what was going on and heard the telltale approach of an Invid ship even before I saw the thing appear from behind one of the buttes。 It was a large patrol ship； a rust…brown number boasting twice the firepower of a Trooper。 I ran back to the fire and started stomping it out； while Scott and the others headed for the woods。 The Invids hadn't spotted us； and it wasn't likely that a simple campfire was going to bring it down； but for all we knew the patrol ships had now been ordered to incinerate anything that moved。 Rook's Cyclone was my main concern； she had thoughtlessly left it by the lake in plain view。〃
〃The patrol ship swept along the shore directly over our smoldering campfire and headed out toward the lake； but suddenly it swung about； its optic sensor scanning the woods。 I voiced a silent prayer that the thing wouldn't spot us； and what seemed an eternity later； the Invid blasted up and away from our small piece of tranquillity。〃
〃‘Close one；' I said when the thing had disappeared。 ‘But it looks like we're safe for the moment。'〃
〃‘Uh uh；' Scott said worriedly； shaking his head。 ‘We've got to assume they found us。' He saw the chagrined looked on my face and hastened to add： ‘It might have gone for reinforcements…we'd be foolish to remain here any longer。'〃
〃Lunk was taking stock of our surroundings。 ‘Bad place to get caught if they mean business。 I'm for splitting。'〃
〃‘Then let's move it；' Scott said。〃
〃I knelt down by the remains of our fire and poked at the coals。 ‘So much for dinner。。。'〃
〃Lancer sauntered by me； dangling an outstretched limp wrist from the robe's broad sleeve and feigning a bored yawn。 ‘Well； it didn't look very appetizing anyway；' he minced。〃
〃Movement was likely to make matters worse； but there was high ground nearby that provided substantially more in the way of cover。 We rode out most of the afternoon looking over our shoulders and waiting for Scott's warnings over the tac net； but no Invid appeared。 It was beginning to look as though we hadn't been seen after all； but no one was making an issue of having abandoned our campsite。 The air in the highlands was invigorating； and we found an expanse of conifer forest to call home for the night。 Even Lancer had to admit that the steaks were tasty； and Rook； who had been sullen and lone…riding all day； seemed to be ing around some。〃
〃I woke up sometime during the night and noticed that Rook wasn't in her bag。 I took a quick look around； counting heads and quickly realizing that Scott had the watch。 （Actually； it turned out that he wasn't on watch at all； but I imagined him absent； once again falling victim to a kind of irrational jealousy。） I unzippered myself from the bag； egged on by thoughts of Rook and Scott cozying it up somewhere in the woods。 Just lean on my shoulder and tell me all about it； Rook； I could almost hear Scott saying； when it was my shoulder she should have been leaning on！〃
〃The moon was full and low in the west；