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〃Reportin' fer duty；〃 saluted cross…eyed Shorty； hand to the helmet he was rarely without。
〃He's correct；〃 said Roy； a smile playing across that sagging face of his； his bald pate gleaming in the console lights。
Frank rose out of the chair； suppressing the smile he wanted to return。 〃Well； what're ya waitin' for； then？ Git to yer battle stations。〃
Jesse tossed the flask back to him and straightened his headband。 〃Aye； aye； sir！〃 he said smartly。
A moment later the aged cruiser's lift…off thrusters came to flaming life。 Like some predatory fish； the ship began to rise； disentangling itself from the techno…debris that had ensnared it for so long。 And in response the devastated city rumbled its applause； buildings and ruined roadways vibrating in sympathy。 At an altitude of five hundred feet； the ship's Reflex engines kicked in； triplethrusters blazing like newborn suns； to direct it along its final course； straight into the heart of the Invid domain。
The blunt top of the broadcast tower resembled the glowing hemispherical hives Scott and the others had already gone up against； except for the fact that it was set atop an organic…looking stalk some eight hundred feet high。 As the three Veritechs closed on it…Scott's Alpha and the uncoupled Betas…scores of rust…brown Pincer Ships poured out to engage them。 And the odds had never been worse。
〃God； there are too many of them！〃 Scott yelled into his helmet mike； suddenly questioning the impulsive nature of their attack。 Two of his three heat…seekers found their targets； but the skies were literally dotted with alien ships。 〃We'll never get through them！〃 As a storm of annihilation discs was directed against him； he loosed a cluster of four more missiles。 Three mote Invid ships exploded； sending teeth…jarring shock waves and flashes of blinding light clear into the VT's cockpit。 Scott zigzagged through a second salvo of enemy fire and was triggering off another missile flock when he heard Rand's voice cut through the tac net。
〃Scott； look！ Those crazy old men have actually gotten that junk heap off the ground！〃
Scott edged himself up in the seat； he saw the cruiser off to the right below him； barely above treetop level。
〃Watch your mouth； sonny；〃 Frank was telling Rand。 〃This ain't no junk heap； and we're gonna prove it by showin' you whippersnappers what a real bat crew looks like！〃
Scott wanted to take back all the things he had said to them。 He had heard those words of newfound courage before； and the ending was always the same。
〃Get that ship out of here！〃 he roared。
〃Jus' like the good ole days！〃 Jesse yelled over his shoulder to Roy。 He had the base of the broadcast tower centered in the console's targeting screen； but it was not the tower he was after…not yet。 First there were all those ships to take out。 So he flipped the weapon selector switch to maximum burst and depressed the trigger button。
A fan of laser…array energy spewed into the field； annihilating countless ships。 But the bat troops were quick to even up the score。 Ignoring the Veritechs for the moment； they massed against the cruiser and refocused the might of their collective firepower。 Without shields； the Robotech ship had little immunity to the discs。 Fiery explosions erupted across the cruiser's bow as blast after blast flayed armor and superstructure and blew away gun turrets。
On the bridge Shorty was thrown screaming from his station as an angry white flash holed the ship。
〃Dadburn it！〃 Jesse cursed； seeing his friend go down。 〃I'll show 'em！〃
He slammed his hands against the trigger button again and again； but for every Invid ship that flamed out there were two more returning fire。 They were buzzing around the cruiser now； slashing at its damaged areas with their pincers and opening irreparable wounds in its hull。 Discs found their way into these； and soon the warship was a flaming； smoking wreck locked in a new struggle with gravity itself。
Scott watched helplessly as the cruiser began to fall。 〃Use your escape pods！〃 he pleaded with them。 〃Abandon ship while you've got time！〃 But Frank spoke the words Scott knew he would hear：
〃No way； sonny。 This crew don't give up。〃
〃Don't be foolish； old man！ There's nothing more you can do！〃
〃There's still a job to be done；〃 Frank told him weakly。
Scott was alongside the ship now； trying to get a look in through the bridge viewports。 〃You're not going to prove anything by this！〃
〃We can prove we ain't cowards； Lieutenant。〃
Scott realized that they were trying to pilot the cruiser into the very base of the broadcast tower。 He would have given anything to have been able to prevent them； and yet the tower had to be taken out； and it was doubtful that the Veritechs could do it alone。 So Scott pulled up and away from the ship's suicidal plunge； ordering Rand and Rook back at the same time。
The cruiser pierced the stalk like a lance； some two hundred feet below the hemispherical cap。
On the bridge； Roy turned a knowing look to Frank at the adjacent station。 〃I've removed the safety locks from all the missiles； mander。〃
Frank nodded。 〃Are we all in agreement about what must be done？〃 he asked his crew。 〃Shorty； what d' ya say？〃
Mortally wounded； Shorty had managed to struggle back into his seat。 His head was resting on the console。 〃mander； how many times do I have to tell you？ Don't call me Shorty。〃
Scott's voice boomed through the speakers。 〃There's still time。 Set the charges and get yourselves to the pods。 We'll e in and pick you up。〃
〃Sorry； sir；〃 said Frank。 〃Our radio's been damaged； an' we can't hear a word you're saying。〃 Rand tried to make them understand； but Frank just shook his head。 〃No； it's better this way。。。 Shorty； you ready？〃
Shorty coughed once。 〃It's a funny thing； mander； but I just remembered what it really is…my name； that is。 It's…〃
Frank brought the heel of his fist down on the self…destruct button。
The tower exploded； a stalk in a firestorm。
The three Veritechs swooped in for a flyby。
〃We mustn't let the world forget them。。。loyal； courageous。。。soldiers。〃
〃They'll be awarded medals of honor；〃 Scott said softly。
Down below； Lunk； Annie； Lancer； and Marlene watched the fireball climb and mushroom overhead。
〃Who were they； anyway？〃 Annie asked。
Perplexed by the conflicting emotions she felt； Marlene thought back to Gabby's kindness； Jesse's laugh； Frank's gruffness； the brief holo…locket image of Gabby's son。。。
〃They were heroes；〃 she sobbed。
CHAPTER FIVE
They thought they had stumbled into Denver； but in fact they had lucked into Delta…Six； a top…secret subterranean installation attached to the Cheyenne Mountain plex； constructed to ensure that America's heads of state would survive any form of attack leveled against the continent。 But they weren't thinking of the Zentraedi then； and certainly not of Dolza's four million。
〃Northlands〃 History of The Third Robotech War； Vol。 LXXXVI
The team swung north； then east； leaving the desert behind and entering the foothills of the Northlands central range。 The Rockies； they were told。 They chose to avoid southern routes across the continental divide in favor of the less traveled nort