按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
while。〃 He gazed appreciatively at the green hills above the festival grounds。 〃I'm going to do a bit of farming； try and pay back the debt I owe to good ole Earth for shooting it up the past coupla years。 Especially now that I've got some real fine volunteer help；〃 he added； looking over at Marlene and Annie and grinning。
〃What about you； Rand？ Any ideas？〃 Rook asked leadingly。 The two of them were sitting side by side in the grass； their backs against a tree。
Rand leered at her fondly。 〃Well； yeah； I do have a notion or two。 I'm thinking of going back to the Southlands to write my memoirs。〃
Rook grimaced。 〃You've got to be kidding。 Who the heck cares； anyway？ Besides； you're just at the beginning of your life； not the end of it。〃
Rand thrust out his chin。 〃Hey； I think people would be interested to read about some of the adventures we've been through。〃
〃We？〃 she said excitedly。 〃Well； that's different！ But I think those books are going to need a feminine point of view； just to keep things balanced； of course。〃
〃And you're applying for the position。〃
〃I am uniquely qualified to edit you； rogue。〃
Rand was about to agree； when a tremendous cheer rose from the crowds down below。
But the cause of the motion wasn't Yellow Dancer； who had just finished her rendition of 〃We Will Win〃…the anthem of the First Robotech War…but Lancer himself。 He had thrown off his wig and female attire and was now attempting to explain himself to the audience。
〃Thank you； everyone； thank you。 You've made Yellow Dancer's final concert the greatest ever。 Thank you all； you're wonderful！〃
Those in the front rows saw that he was directing a lot of his delivery to one person in particular： an unusual looking woman with short spiky green…blond hair and eyes that glowed like embers。。。For who else but an out…of…this…world woman was so well suited for Lancer？
Only he wasn't getting the response he had expected； the audience seemed almost indifferent to his visual confession。 In fact； they were prepared to follow him in any guise he chose； after all； it was just the stage； wasn't it？
Up above； Scott had kissed Marlene good…bye and was headed for the cockpit of the Alpha。 What would bee of her and Sera？ he wondered； and found himself thinking about Max and Miriya Sterling's daughter； Dana。
He waved to his friends as the VT lifted off； tuning his receiver to the broadcast frequency of Lancer's concert。 He really did it； Scott chuckled to himself。 It was certainly a month for revelations。
〃I want to dedicate my last number to a very special group of friends；〃 Lancer was saying from the stage。 〃And to one friend in particular。。。He's leaving Earth behind； and with it the most precious of possessions： his friends…the people who love him most。 But I want him to know that when he returns； we'll be here to wele him home with open arms。〃
As Scott listened to Lancer's latest position； he found himself recalling the names and faces of the people who had emerged as heroes during Earth's quarter of a century of devastating warfare。 Rick and Lisa Hunter； Max； Miriya； and Dana Sterling； Lynn…Minmei and Bowie Grant and Louie Nichols。。。And all those who hadn't lived to see this day： Admiral Gloval； Roy Fokker； Claudia Grant； Rolf Emerson； and countless others。 Scott felt a bittersweet wave pass through him as Lancer's words crept into his mind； Earth dwindling now in the Alpha's cockpit display screen。
She finds him strong and brave
And how she wants him so； so much
So much she knows she needs that touch
To lead the way to love。
He spies a gentle soul
Waiting for her to find someone so
So very sweet and kind
To lead the way； the way to love。
〃The Way to Love；〃 Scott repeated； meditating on the words。 And it suddenly occurred to him that it was love after all that had tipped the scales in each of those terrible wars。 Love had won out over the greed； the hatred； and the betrayals； redressing the evil the Robotech Masters had first unleashed； and perhaps even atoning for some unknown sin that was Zor's alone。
And now they have their space
They've run the final race
Love's given them a place
Where love can live
Heaven is where they are
With love； they have no need to roam
Just look at them to see how she；
She led them to love
They are in love
They are in love。。。
Marlene！ he thought； leaning out as though to catch a glimpse of her。 But there were only Earth's oceans and clouds now； and stars winking into view above him。 And he made a promise on one of them： a promise to return after he had found that jinxed ship and its long…lost crew。
Scott listened a moment more； choking back his sadness； and hit the Alpha's thrusters； boostering up and away from the world he had helped to liberate； one he hoped he would see again。。。
Far below； Lunk； Marlene； and Annie had climbed into the battered APC and were headed down to the festival grounds to pick up Lancer and Sera。 There were wisps of sunset clouds in a warm…looking sky； clear all the way to tomorrow。 The Moon was rising； brilliant and seemingly closer than it had ever been。 Lunk glanced up at it and said：
〃You know； sometimes I think that's the most beautiful sight in the whole world。 And I don't know why anyone would want to leave it behind。〃
Annie saw the VT's contrails caught in the western sky's final moment of color and sighed。
〃And it might be a long time before anyone leaves it again。〃 She smiled。
Marlene put her arm around Annie and hugged her close。
〃Good…bye； Scott；〃 she said softly。 〃May you find what you're after。 May all of us。〃