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sn't about to cut them any slack。
Frank was the first to catch Scott's wrath…square on the side of his jaw。
〃You cowardly scum！〃 Scott raved； sending the old man backward into the arms of his panions。 〃I hate to even dirty my fists on you。〃
Rand kept his mouth shut； but he wished for once that Scott could control his temper。
〃We ain't soldiers any longer；〃 Jesse was telling Scott； wagging a bony finger in the lieutenant's face。 〃And we don't take orders from the likes of you or anyone else！ So if ya wanna attack the Invids； you'll jus' have to do it on yer own！〃
〃You're all traitors！〃 Scott bellowed back； grabbing Jesse by the shirtfront and glaring at him。
Lancer put his hand on Scott's shoulder。 〃Back off； Scott； you're wasting your time。 They fought bravely against the Zentraedi； but the fight's gone out of them。 Obviously they're no match for the Invid now。〃
Scott growled and propelled Jesse backward into Roy's arms。 It looked for a moment like he was ashamed of himself； but just then he caught the telltale sounds of the transceiver。 He rushed into the adjoining cabin； where Gabby was seated at the console。
〃A working transceiver？〃 Rand heard Scott say before roughly snatching the headphones from Gabby's grip and shoving him aside。 〃Calling Admiral Hunter；〃 Scott began。 〃e in； Admiral Hunter。。。〃
Frank； Jesse； and the others burst out laughing until Scott turned on them。
〃What's so damned funny？〃
〃The transmitter doesn't work；〃 Lancer explained while the old men tried to stifle their chuckling。 〃Just the receiver。 〃
Scott looked at the console in disbelief。 〃It what…〃
Suddenly the monitor screen flashed； and the external speakers crackled to life。 〃This is the Expeditionary Force calling all Earth stations。 Do you read us？ e in Earth stations。。。〃
〃We receive you； base；〃 Scott spoke into the headset； desperation evident in his voice。 〃This is Earth station receiving Expeditionary Force mand。。。〃
The face of a young man began to resolve on the screen。 It was a clean…shaven face with blue eyes； finefeatured and framed by shaggy brown hair。
〃If anyone is reading this message； your orders are to rendezvous with the Expeditionary Force at Reflex Point。 Ships of the main fleet will be entering Earthspace within two weeks Earthtime this transmission。。。〃
〃Admiral Hunter jus' won't give up；〃 Jesse mented。
〃He's sure a spunky one； ya gotta give 'im that；〃 said Shorty。
The image had de…rezzed by now。 Through it all Gabby had been staring at the screen as though he had seen a ghost。 While Scott continued to fiddle with the console controls； Gabby shuffled mindlessly toward the hatch。
〃We've got to take out the broadcast towers；〃 Scott was saying to no one in particular。 〃If we can cripple even some of them。。。Hey！ Where's he going？〃
Rand stepped back to permit Gabby access to the hatch； he noticed that the man was clutching something in the palm of his hand； but he couldn't make it out。 〃Let him go；〃 he told Scott。 〃He can't help； anyway。〃
Lancer volunteered to take the APC out to the camp and bring in Rook and Lunk。 It was dark by the time he returned； and in addition to Rook and Lunk； the APC carried what remained of Gabby's body。 Lancer explained that they had seen flashes of annihilation disc fire in the vicinity of the broadcast tower； they had gone in when the fighting stopped and discovered the flaming wreck that was Gabby's jeep。 Close by； they had found Gabby； clad in the battle armor he had retrieved only a short while before。
They had the man laid out in the escort hold now； Gabby's fractured helmet sat on the floor next to him； and the holo…locket taken from his burned hand lay atop the sheet Lunk had thrown over the body。
〃He was a brave and loyal soldier； all the way and then some；〃 Frank said soberly。
Shorty tugged in a sob。 〃We're gonna miss ya； Gabby。〃
Marlene stooped to place a flower on the sheet； she gathered up the holo…locket； accidentally activating it as she stood up。 A handsome； uniformed youth appeared in an egg…shaped aura of purple and gold light。 〃Hi； Dad；〃 the bolo…image saluted。 〃Like father； like son； so here I am in the army now； and I just hope you'll be as proud of me as I am of you。〃 Marlene thought she recognized the youth but said nothing。
〃Poor Gabby；〃 Jesse said； kneeling down to lift a corner of the sheet。
All at once Frank grabbed Jesse by his lapels and pulled him to his feet。
〃Are we gonna jus' sit around and let the Invid kill us off one by one； or are we gonna do somethin' about it？！〃 He shoved his friend aside and drew his blaster。 〃I'm gonna finish the job Gabby started！〃
Lancer came up behind Frank and caught him up in a full nelson； trying to reason with him。 〃You can't do it alone； Frank。〃
The old man told Lancer to butt out but ceased his struggling as a second transmission began to flash from the munications console。 On the screen was the face they had seen earlier； and the young man's message was much the same： The Expeditionary Force was preparing for an offensive； and all resistance groups were urged to move against the central Invid hive； designated Reflex Point。
Marlene reactivated the holo…locket and pared the two images。
〃It's him！〃 exclaimed Jesse。 〃That's Gabby's boy on that screen！〃
Lancer let go of Frank。 〃No wonder he spent so much time trying to make that transceiver work；〃 he said； turning to the body。 〃With it he could stay in touch with the one person he loved the most。〃
Frank hung his head。 〃It's a goldurn pity。 Gabby could see his son； but the boy couldn't see him。 An' he never told us nuthin' 'bout it。〃
〃Listen to me； everybody；〃 Scott said in his best takecharge voice。 〃I'm going to get that broadcast tower if it's the last thing I do。 How about it…are you with me or not？〃
The team； of course； rallied； but the veterans remained unmoved。
〃What's your plan？〃 Rand thought to ask Scott as the freedom fighters raced toward the hatch。
〃We'll decide on the way！〃
Terrific； Rand said to himself。
〃But what about the old cowboys？〃 Annie wanted to know； gesturing to Frank and his men。
〃You heard them； Annie；〃 Scott told her。 〃Their fighting days are over！〃
Frank knew what he had to do； he just couldn't seem to bring his body to understand。 It was as if the young lieutenant's words were true after all： The fight had gone out of him。 He had； however； gotten as far as suiting himself up in his rusting armor and struggling his way to the bridge of the ship。 He was sitting in one of the mand chairs now； trying to bolster his courage with long pulls from his flask； but even the whiskey was failing him。
〃This ain't no help；〃 he muttered； giving the flask a toss toward the rear of the bridge。
〃Thank ya； Frank； but we don't need it either。〃
Frank swiveled in the chair to find Jesse grinning at him； the flask gripped in his right hand。 Roy and Shorty were with him； all three of them squeezed into armor that barely fit them anymore。
Jesse laughed； shutting his eyes。 〃You ain't goin' nowhere without us； Cap'n。〃
〃Reportin' fer duty；〃 saluted cross…eyed Shorty； hand to the helmet he was rarely without。
〃He's correct；〃 said Roy； a smile playing acr