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Robotech：　Symphony　of　Light
Book　12　of　the　Robotech　Series
Copyright　1987　by　Jack　McKinney

arranged　by　dayuan　＇　robotech　zone　＇



CHAPTER　ONE

I　am　intrigued　by　these　beings　and　their　strange　rituals；　which　center　around　this　plant　their　language　calls　〃the　Flower　of　Life。〃　This　world；　Optera；　is　a　veritable　garden　for　the　plant　in　its　myriad　forms；　and　the　Invid　seem　to　utilize　all　these　for　physical　as　well　as　spiritual　nutrition…they　ingest　the　flower's　petals　and　the　fruits　of　the　mature　crop；　in　addition　to　drinking　the　plant's　psychoactive　sap。　The　Regis；　the　Queen…Mother　of　this　race；　is　the　key　to　unlocking　Optera's　mysteries；　and　I　have　set　myself　the　goal　of　possessing　this　key…if　I　have　to　seduce　this　queen　to　make　that　happen！
Zor's　log：　The　Optera　Chronicles　（translated　by　Dr。　Emil　Lang）

It　was　never　Scott's　intention　to　make　camp　at　the　high　pass；　he　had　simply　given　his　okay　for　a　quick　food　stop…if　only　to　put　an　end　to　all　the　grousing　that　was　going　on。　Lunk's　stomach　needed　tending　to；　Annie　was　restless　from　too　many　hours　in　the　APC；　and　even　Lancer　was　plaining　about　the　wind　chill。

Oh；　to　be　back　in　the　tropics；　Scott　thought　wistfully。

He　had　always　been　one　for　wastes　and　deserts…weathered　landscapes；　rugged；　ravaged　by　time　and　the　stuff　of　stars…but　only　because　he　knew　of　little　else。　Here　he　had　been　to　the　other　side　of　the　galaxy　and　remained　the　most　parochial　member　of　the　team　in　spite　of　it。　But　since　their　brief　stopover　in　the　tropics；　he　had　begun　to　understand　why　Earth　was　so　revered　by　the　crew　of　the　Expeditionary　Mission；　those　same　men　and　women　who　had　raised　him　aboard　the　SDF…3　and　watched　him　grow　to　manhood　on　Tirol。　In　the　tropics　he　had　had　a　glimpse　of　the　Earth　they　must　have　been　remembering：　the　life…affirming　warmth　of　its　yellow　sun；　the　splendor　of　its　verdant　forests；　the　sweetness　of　its　air；　and　the　miracle　that　was　its　wondrous　ocean。

Even　if　Rand　had　insisted　that　they　try　that　swimming！

Scott　would　have　almost　been　willing　to　trade　victory　itself　for　another　view　of　sunset　from　that　Pacific　isle。。。

Instead；　he　was　surrounded　by　water　in　the　forms　more　familiar　to　him：　ice　and　snow。　The　thrill　the　team　had　experienced　on　reaching　the　Northlands　and　realizing　that　Reflex　Point　was　actually　within　reach　had　been　somewhat　dampened　by　the　formidable　range　of　mountains　they　soon　faced。　But　Scott　was　determined　to　make　this　as　rapid　a　crossing　as　was　humanly　possible。　Unfortunately；　the　humanly　possible　part　of　it　called　for　unscheduled　stops。　It　was　Lunk's　APC　that　was　slowing　them　down；　but　there　was　that　old　one　about　a　chain　being　only　as　strong　as　its　weakest　link。

The　land　vehicles　were　approaching　the　summit　of　the　mountain　highway　now。　Rook　and　Lancer；　riding　Cyclones；　were　escorting　the　truck　along　the　mostly　ruined　switchback　road　that　led　to　the　pass。　The　ridgeline　above　was　buried　under　several　feet　of　fresh　snow；　but　the　vehicles　were　making　good　progress　on　the　long　grade　nonetheless。

Scott　was　overhead　in　the　Beta；　with　Rand　just　off　the　fighter's　wingtip。　Short　on　fuel　canisters；　they　had　been　forced　to　leave　Rook's　red　Alpha　behind；　concealed　in　the　remains　of　a　school　gymnasium　building　in　the　valley。　Scott　planned　to　retrieve　it　just　as　soon　as　they　located　a　Protoculture　supply　ripe　for　pilfering。　Down　below；　Annie　and　Marlene　were　waving　up　at　the　VTs　from　the　back　seat　of　the　APC；　Scott　went　on　the　mecha's　tac　net　to　inform　Lunk　that　a　rest　stop　was　probably　in　order。

The　two　Robotech　fighters　banked　away　from　the　mountain　face　to　search　out　a　suitable　spot；　and　within　minutes　they　were　reconfiguring　to　Guardian　mode　and　using　their　foot　thrusters　to　warm　a　reasonably　flat　area　of　cirque　above　the　road　and　just　shy　of　the　saddle。　By　the　time　they　put　down；　the　sun　had　already　dropped　below　one　of　the　peaks；　but　the　temperature　was　still　almost　preternaturally　warm。　The　weather　was　balmy　enough　for　the　two　pilots　to　romp　around　in　their　duotherm　suits；　especially　with　the　added　luxury　of　residual　heat　from　the　snow…cleared　moraine。　There　was　a　strong　breeze　rippling　over　the　top　of　the　col；　but　it　carried　with　it　the　scent　of　the　desert　beyond。

The　rest　of　the　team　joined　them　in　a　short　time。　Lunk；　Rook；　and　Lancer　began　to　unload　the　firewood　they　had　hauled　up　from　the　tree　line；　while　Rand　went　to　work　on　the　deer　he　had　shot　and　butchered。　Moonrise　fringed　the　eastern　peaks　in　a　kind　of　silvery　glow　and　found　the　seven　freedom　fighters　grouped　around　a　sizzling　fire。　The　northern　sky's　constellations　were　on　display。　Scott　had　developed　a　special　fondness　for　the　brilliant　stars　of　the　southern　hemisphere；　but　Gemini　and　Orion　were　reassuring　for　a　different　reason：　They　reinforced　the　fact　that　Reflex　Point　was　close　at　hand。　He　had　to　admit；　however；　that　it　was　foolish　to　be　thinking　of　the　Invid　central　hive　as　some　sort　of　end　in　itself；　when　really　their　arrival　there　would　represent　more　in　the　way　of　a　beginning。　He　wondered　whether　the　rest　of　the　team　understood　this…that　the　mission；　as　loose　as　it　was；　was　focused　on　destroying　the　hive；　or　at　the　very　least　accumulating　as　much　recon　data　as　possible　to　be　turned　over　to　Admiral　Hunter　when　the　Expeditionary　Force　returned　to　Earth　for　what　would　surely　be　the　final　showdown。

Glancing　at　his　teammates；　Scott　shook　his　head　in　wonder　that　they　had　made　it　as　far　as　they　had；　a　group　of　strangers　all　but　thrown　together　on　a　journey　that　had　so　far　covered　thousands　of　miles。

Scott　regarded　Lunk　while　the　big；　brutish　man　was　laughing　heartily；　a　shank　of　meat　gripped　in　his　big　hand。　He　had　done　so　much　for　the　team；　yet　he　still　seemed　to　carry　the　weight　of　past　defeats　on　his　huge　shoulders。　Then　there　was　Annie；　their　daughter；　mascot；　mother；　in　the　green　jumpsuit　that　had　seen　so　much　abuse　and　the　ever…present　E。T。　cap　that　crowned　her　long　red　hair。　She　had　almost　left　them　a　while　back；　convinced　she　had　found　the　man　of　her　dreams　in　the　person　of　a　young　primitive　named　Magruder。　It　wasn't　the　first　time　she　had　wandered　away；　but　she　always　managed　to　return　to　the　fold；　and　her　bond　with　Lunk　was　perhaps　stronger　than　either　of　them　knew。

Rand　and　Rook；　who　could　almost　have　passed　for　siblings；　had　had　their　moments　of　doubt　about　the　mission　as　well。　They　had　formed　a　fiery　partnership；　one　that　seemed　to　rely　on　strikes　and　counterstrikes；　but　it　was　just　that　unspoken　pact　that　kept　them　loyal　to　the　team；　if　only　to　prove　something　to　each　other。

More　than　anyone；　Lancer　had　remained　true　to　the　cause。　Scott　had　grown　so　accustomed　to　the　man's　lean　good　looks；　his　lavender…tinted　shoulder…length　hair　and　trademark　headband；　that　he　had　almost　forgotten　about　Yellow　Dancer；　Lancer's　alter　ego。　That　feminine　part　of　the　Robotech　rebel　was　all　but　submerged　now；　especially　so　since　the　tropics；　when　something　had　occurred　that　had　left　Lancer　changed　and　Scott　wondering。

But　the　most　enigmatic　among　them　was　the　woman　they　had　named　Marlene。　She　was　not　really　a　member　of　the　team　at　all　but　the　still　shell…shocked　victim　of　an　Invid　assault；　the　nature　of　which　Scott　could　only　guess。　It　had　robbed　her　of　her　past　but　left　her　with　an　uncanny　ability　to　sense　the　enemy's　presence。　Her　fragile　beauty　reminded　Scott　of　the　Marlene　in　his　own　past；　killed　when　the　Mars　Division　strike　force　had　first　entered　Earth's　atmosphere　almost　a　year　ago。。。

〃You　know；　just　once　I'd　like　to　sit　down　and　eat　steak　until　I　pass　out；〃　Lunk　was　saying；　tearing　into　the　venison　like　some　ravenous　beast。

〃Just　keep　eating　like　you're　eating　and　you　might　get　your　wish；〃　Rand　told　him；　to　everyone's　amusement。

〃I've　never　met　anyone　who　had　such　a　thing　for　food；〃　Rook　added；　theatrically　amazed；　strawberryblond　locks　caught　in　the　firelight。

Scott　poured　himself　a　cup　of　coffee　and　waited　for　the　laughter　to　subside。　〃You　know；　Lunk；　we've　still　got　a　full　day　left　in　these　mountains；　so　I'd　save　some　of　that　for　tomorrow　if　I　were　you。〃　Always　the　team　leader；　he　told　himself。　But　it　never　seemed　to　matter　all　that　much。

〃Well；　you're　not　me；　Scott；〃　Lunk　said；　licking　his　fingertips　clean。　〃Sorry　to　report　that　I've　eaten　it　all。〃

〃You　can　always　catch　a　rabbit；　right；　Lunk？〃　Lancer　told　him　playfully。

Annie　frowned；　thinking　daunt　just　how　many　rabbits　they　had　dined　on　these　past　months。　〃I'm　starting　to　feel　sorry　for　rabbits。〃

Rand　made　a　lace。　〃They　like　it　when　one　of　them　gets　caught；　Annie。　It　gives　them　a　chance　to　go　back　to　the　hutch　and…〃

Rook　elbowed　him　before　he　could　get　the　word　out；　but　the　team　had　already　discerned　his　meaning　and　was　laughing　again。

Even　Marlene　laughed；　eyes　all　wrinkled　up；　luxuriant　hair　tossed　back。　Scott　was　watching　her　and　plimenting　Rand　at　the　same　time；　when　he　saw　the　woman's　joyous　look　begin　to　collapse。　Marlene　went　wide…eyed　for　a　moment；　then　folded　her　arms　across　her　chest　as　though　chilled；　hands　clutching　her　trembling　shoulders。

〃Marlene；〃　Annie　said；　full　of　concern。

〃Are　you　feeling　sick　or　something？〃　Lunk　asked。

But　Lancer　and　Scott　had　a　different　interpretation。　They　exchanged　wary　looks　and　were　already　reaching　for　their　holstered　hip　howitzers　when　Scott　asked：　〃Are　the　Invid　ing　back；　Marlene？　Do　you　feel　them　returning？〃

〃Form　up！〃　Rand　said　all　at　once；　pulling　back　from　the　circle。

〃Weapons　ready！〃

Annie　went　to　Marlene's　side　while　the　others　drew　their　weapons　and　got　to　their　feet；　eyes　sweeping　the　snow　and　darkness　at　the　borders　of　the　firelight。　〃Anyone　hear　anything？〃　Rand　whispered。　No　one　did；　there　was　just　the　crackling　of　the　fire　and　the　howl　of　the　wind。　Rand　had　the　H90　stiff…armed　in　front　of　him　and　only　then；　a　few　feet　away　from　the　fire；　began　to　sense　how　cold　it　was　getting。　There　was　moisture　in　the　wind　now　and　light　snow　in　the　air。　Behind　him；　he　heard　Rook　breathe　a　sigh　of　relief　and　reholster　her　wide…bore。　When　he　turned　back　to　the　fire；　she　was　down　on　one　knee　alongside　Marlene；　stroking　the　frightened　woman's　long　hair　soothingly。

〃It's　all　right；　Marlene。　Believe　me；　you　don't　have　a　thing　to　worry　about。　We're　safe　now；　really。〃

Marlene　whimpered；　shaking　uncontrollably。　〃What's　wr