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Rick laughed。 〃Guilty as charged。 But I didn't have anything to do with turning him into a whiz kid。 That's gotta be your doing。〃
Lisa patted the bun of gray…streaked hair at the back of her head and laughed with him。
In meeting at the nursery； the two proud parents had agreed to call a moratorium on discussing the fortress's present circumstance； at least until Lang and Rem could sort out whether they had punched themselves into some misty uncharted corner of hyperspace or were simply on line in limbo； waiting for judgment。 Morale was low in all sections； and so Lisa had ordered most of the ship to secure from battle stations。
She returned her eyes to Roy and to the transformable puzzle block one of the ship's child…care specialists had handed him。 Silently； as she watched Roy rotate the alloy block in his tiny hand； she applauded his analytical powers： the way； he seemed to size it up before making a move； the way the expression on his sweet face mirrored his intense concentration。 At the same time she marveled at the dexterity he demonstrated as he began to expose one after another of the block's hidden forms； nimble fingers prying open doors； separating sections； twisting others； extending telescoping parts。 And just as silently she worried。
Up until a few months ago Roy had seemed just an ordinary child to her； perhaps too ordinary； if anything。 For all her efforts at keeping him as far from the SDF…3 as she could manage； at seeking to raise him as someone other than the son of two career officers； Roy had been going through the same action/adventure stages as his peers aboard the fortress。 One could take the child away from Earth； but one apparently could not take Earth away from the child。 Airplanes； action figures； toy guns 。。。 even an invisible friend who still showed up every so often。
But things had changed once she and Rick had pleted their transfer to the SDF…3。 Suddenly it was puzzles that fascinated him； both manual and puter…generated。 And then there was the look he would give her sometimes； as if to say： I know exactly what you're thinking。 To hear Kazianna tell it； her son Drannin and some of the other Zentraedi children were behaving likewise； and there had been occasions when Lisa had had to drag Roy screaming from his oversize 〃play mates。〃 She still didn't know whether to feel forted by all the youthful bonding or even more worried than she already was。 More than anything she wished Miriya were there to tell her what it was like to nurture a genius； what the Praxians sometimes called a Wyrdling。
And how much of it； Lisa wondered； could be traced to the ship itself？
She felt Rick's arm go around her shoulder； and she rested her head against his。
〃We've had some good days； haven't we？〃 Rick said softly。 〃Especially these past few years。〃
She knew what he meant： how good it had been to absent themselves from the endless tasks they had overseen during Reconstruction and again after the destruction of New Macross。
Rick turned to face her。 〃I've been missing them lately。 Really feeling at a loss。〃
Lisa recalled her postfold malaise and shot him a look。 〃You； too； Rick？ Like you've lost something important？〃
He nodded。 〃First I thought it was just leaving Tirol； but it's more than that。 Lately I've been thinking about Pop's air circus； Macross Island； even the Mockingbird。〃
〃But it's pervasive； isn't it？〃 Lisa said。 〃Like you can't pin it down。〃
Rick bit his lower lip。 〃I think I know what it is now；〃 he began with a nervous laugh。 〃I'm willing to lay odds it's the Proto…〃
〃Begging your pardon； sirs；〃 Rick's adjutant interrupted； stepping through the observation room hatch。 〃Tactical Center requests the admiral's immediate presence。〃
〃What is it？〃 Lisa asked； hurrying to the room's inter。
〃We've got a screenful of bogies； sir。〃 〃Signatures？〃 Rick said。
〃Not yet； sir。 Radar's silent。 The ship's bio…sensors made the call。〃
Rick and Lisa traded looks。 〃Bio…sensors？〃
〃TIC patched the system into IFF； sir； but couldn't raise a signature or profile。〃
〃Invid？〃 Lisa said； cocking her head to one side。 〃Some self…mutated form？〃
Rick met his adjutant at the hatch。 〃Maybe someone's shown up to lead us home；〃 he suggested； and was gone。
Belowdecks in one of the fortress's mecha bays； Captain Jack Baker gave a downward tug to his flight jacket as he paced back and forth in front of his small audience of veteran pilots and mechamorph aces。
And not one of them had soared where he had now。 〃You may think the background stuff's unimportant； Captain Phillips；〃 Jack was continuing after a bothersome interruption； 〃but what I'm trying to do is give you a sense of the experience。〃
Sean Phillips threw an imploring look to the high ceiling。 〃No offense； Baker； but I think we've all heard about what happened when you piloted the VT down to Haydon IV。 I just don't see the relevance。〃
Jack's innocent face reddened。 With so many heavy hitters to choose from； he still could not figure out why the admiral had singled him out for the void recon。 He hoped； of course； that Hunter's finger had simply gone right to the top of the list； but then； he supposed that list could have been alphabetical。 Jack nevertheless was determined to make the most of the distinction while it lasted。
〃I'm talking about the unknown； Captain；〃 he told Sean。 〃The importance of state of mind。〃
〃Like going against the Robotech Masters was a given？〃 Sean asked。
Jack grew flustered。 〃I'm not saying that。 I'm just saying that what Haydon IV threw at us was totally unlike anything we'd faced。〃
〃Did we ever tell you about the spade fortress that put down just outside of Monument City？〃 Sergeant Angelo Dante asked in a conversational tone； the only one of the group who had refused to accept a mission。 He swung around to face everyone； elbows flared； large hands on wide spread knees。 〃The Fifteenth ATAC was ordered to recon the ship； see。 So we tank out there and…〃
〃Now who's being irrelevant？〃 Jack cut in。 〃I mean； why don't we just invite some of the Karbarrans in here to entertain us with their war stories？ Or how 'bout getting Gnea in here to talk about hand…to…hand。〃
〃Yeah；