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Lancer smiled and put his arm around Marlene； pulling her close。 〃Well； shucks；〃 he mimicked the rider。 〃Iffen you have to know； we're newlywed honeymooners。〃
〃Well； no wonder yer all distracted；〃 the rider exclaimed； lowering his weapon。 〃I would be； too！〃
〃Stop cackling and tend to business； Jesse；〃 his cohort told him。 〃You folks might not know it； but there's an outlaw gang operatin' out here； an' yer lucky ya didn't go and git yer car 'n' everythin' stole out from under ya。 〃 He disarmed his weapon。
〃Worse'n that； yer headed right smack dab straight into Invid territory。〃
〃Garldarn；〃 said Lancer； playing it up。 〃Me and my little bride 'preciate yer bein' so neighborly as to warn us like that。〃
The gruff…voiced man seemed to offer a grin beneath the bandanna。 〃Seems we speak the same language； stranger； so I tell ya what we're gonna do： We're gonna show ya where you can buy some mighty fine weapons to defend yerselves。〃 He tugged at the reins to bring his mount about。 〃Ya jus' follow us。〃
The two riders began to gallop off。 Lancer kept the APC close behind。 Their trail angled east along the remains of a once…broad highway。
〃Why are you trusting them？〃 Marlene asked。
〃I'm not。 But I'm curious about these weapons。 Maybe there's a resistance group operating around here。〃
The highwaymen led them down into one of the devastated crater cities Scott and Rand had flown over earlier that day。 Its once…tall towers were nothing but empty shells now； burned and collapsed like fallen layer cakes。 Some time ago a river had altered course and turned most of the crater into a polluted lake。 But adjacent to the resultant waterfall； practically beneath its thunderous flow； was a massive tunnel that led to an arena of some sort； and it was into this that the riders disappeared。 〃Hole in the wall；〃 they called it。 Inside； however； was an even greater surprise： the rusting remains of a Robotech battle fortress。 It had put down on its belly and somehow seemed to be fused to its ruined surroundings。
Lancer couldn't help but register his astonishment。 The ship was nothing like the cruisers developed during the Second Robotech War； it had more in mon with the organically fashioned Zentraedi battlewagons of the First。 And yet it was not quite Zentraedi； either。 The sleek sharklike bow and massive triple…thrustered stern were closer to the hybrids he had heard about…ships constructed on Tirol and sent home under the mand of a certain Major John Carpenter。 Lancer said as much to the two riders。 They had dismounted and doffed their helmets and cowls； in place of the techno…outlaws who had stopped the APC stood two silver…haired old…timers with thick mustaches and faces aged from a myriad of suns。
〃Yep； and she's old and rusty； just like her crew；〃 said the one called Jesse； who affected a headband and had a crazed way of laughing。
〃Then you were part of Admiral Hunter's mand；〃 said Lancer。
〃That's something we don't talk about around here； sonny；〃 returned Frank； who may have had a few years on his saddlemate。 His hair was shorter than Jesse's； and his mustache lacked the same outlaw droop。
Just then a third member of the gang stepped through an open hatchway in the grounded ship。 He had a cooking pot in one hand and a ladle in the other。 With his clean…shaven face and trimmed black hair he appeared to be much younger than either of his panions； moreover； he wore a sky…blue uniform that bore some resemblance to Scott's。 Lancer saw； however； that there was no sign of life in the soldier's dark eyes。 He tried to question the man as he passed by the driver's seat of the APC but got no response。
〃Don't pay no attention to him；〃 Jesse told Lancer。 〃Gabby hasn't spoken a work to anybody since he came here。〃
Frank motioned them toward the ramp that led to the hold of the battlecruiser。 〃e on in hare； stranger； so's we can show you what we got。〃
Lancer and Marlene followed them in。 Piled high inside were high…tech crates Lancer knew to contain laser…array ordnance of all description。
Jesse made a broad sweep with his arm。 〃Wele to the best…stocked tradin' post in the whole West！〃
Back in town； the sheriff was trying to follow the rapid； angry flow of Scott's words。 He and his men had tossed the three renegade soldiers into a cell； but it hadn't put an end to the leader's ranting and raving。
〃Just in case you're interested； Sheriff；〃 Scott was saying now； his hands gripped on the bars of the cell； 〃I happen to be an officer with Mars Division。 We were sent here from Tirol by Admiral Hunter to liberate Earth from the Invid's hold。 As far as I know I'm the only survivor of the assault group； but regardless； my orders are to locate and destroy the Invid Regis and the central hive at Reflex Point。 Short of that I…〃
〃Enough！〃 the sheriff shouted； holding up his hands。 The man had been going on like this for more than an hour； and he couldn't take much more of it…all this talk about assault groups and an attack fleet on its way to Earth from the other side of the galaxy。。。Every so often one would hear this sort of thing from people who had e wandering in off the wastes looking like they had just received muniqu閟 from the Lord Almighty； but that didn't mean that he had to sit still and listen to every last one of them。 〃You're just wastin' your breath if you expect me to believe such a cock…and…bull story。 Besides； I heard tell of a better one than that by the last group of waste wackos who showed up here。〃
Scott was about to take up the argument…from a different front when he heard a shot ring out from outside the sheriff's office。 A moment later one of the sheriff's men burst through the front door。
〃Rustlers； Sheriff！ They got the motorsickles！〃
Scott shook the bars and cursed。
Rand shouted： 〃Don't let them get away； Sheriff！〃
The sheriff made it to the door in time to see two of his men emptying their revolvers at a truck that was tearing down the main street。 He could just discern a figure in the open back； a cloaked and helmeted figure yelling above the noise of gunfire： 〃Much obliged； Sheriff！ We never woulda gotten away with 'em iffen you hadn't； locked away the strangers！〃
The sheriff glanced in at the jail cell； the open office door； then once more at the truck。
〃You're responsible for this； Sheriff！〃 Scott called out； furious。
〃You've endangered our entire mission；'〃 said Rand。
〃You dumb hick！〃 Annie added。
The sheriff contemplated his position： the rustlers were well known to him； and he certainly didn't fancy tangling with them。 At the same time； he was responsible for the strangers' property。 So it only made sense to let the strangers go after their own machines。 He turned to one of his deputies and said： 〃Saddle up a coupla fast horses。〃
〃These； must date clear back to the war against the Robotech Masters；〃 said Lancer； hefting one of the samples from the opened crate。 It was really not much different from the laser rifles the team was used to； except that the muzzle was somewhat thicker and the trigger mechanism more plex。
〃Gen…yoo…wine army issue；〃 Jesse said proudly。
Lancer brought the rifle up to high port position。 〃Guess it wouldn't be conside