mselves； and dread the impact。
In her cockpit； Sera made an animal snarling； her teeth locked； eyes like red coals of anger fixed on the cutter。 So many Pincer drones had died！ So many conflicting emotions had interfered with her devotion to her Queen/Mother； the Regis！ Now it was time to thrust aside confusion and prosecute the war these Humans seemed determined to fight。
And breaking this toylike water…vessel to bits with her mecha's hands； sending it and its crew to the bottom； was the ideal place to start。
She drew back her mecha's hand； wrapped in a fist the size of an oldtime tank。 She could see； through her mecha's eyes； the terrified looks on the faces of the Humans。 Three of them dropped to the deck； the fourth clung to the wheel despite the swells set up by her machine's back thrusters。
Sera drew a quick； almost whistling breath。 The one at the wheel was him； the one with the purple hair who had made those strange； seductive； achingly beautiful sounds。
Her mecha answered her thought…images； it drew back； hanging there on thrusterfire。 Although her mecha was nearly as big as the cutter itself and well able to break it to matchwood； it held back。
Lancer thought about the woman he had confronted in the quiet jungle clearing。 Why doesn't she shoot？ Who is she； and what's going through her mind？ He was frozen at the wheel； waiting for the missile； the annihilation disc； the single blow of a mecha fist that would make four Human Beings into scraps of fishfood。
He wanted more than anything to run from the bridge and scream； Wait！ I don't want to be your enemy！ I don't want you to be mine！
Sera shrank back from the visual displays before her； eyes still fixed on the male with the purple hair； pressing the back of her hand harshly against her lips； whimpering； sobbing。
Rook's voice came over the tac net。 〃Lancer； hang on！ I'm almost in range！〃 Lunk's eyes flickered to the target…acquisition displays and saw that there was no alternative； the cutter was helpless before this Invid。
Sera's indecision gave way to conviction。 She couldn't harm the man。
All the rest was murky： whys and wherefores and what might happen next。 She had failed her Regis； and yet something had been born in her that was herself； that was Sera； and not something that had been put there。 It was frightening； and it was at the same time wonderful。
Her mecha was jolted by an Alpha energy volley。 She looked and saw Rook diving at her like an angry hawk； going to Battloid。 Sera whirled her mecha away； leaking fire and smoke； dodging further damage。
Rook hovered close； confronting her； whamming away with the Battloid's fearsome rifle/cannon。 Sera gathered herself and sprang away into the air faster than any rocket； unable to tell if she had won some personal victory or suffered a disastrous defeat…or both。
Lancer watched her go； his heart beating hard； pulse throbbing against the collar ring of his Robotech armor。
Scott's voice crackled。 〃Lancer； we're almost to you！ ing into range now！ Get set！〃 Lancer glanced aside； target…acquisition displays had them。
〃Ready Scott。〃 He could see the VTs and their Invid pursuers。
〃Breaking on three！ One； two〃 Lancer clutched the remote firing grip； his finger curled just off the trigger。 〃Three！〃 Scott finished。 〃Fire！〃
But Lancer had seen his three friends break away； and was already triggering。 The cutter's fore and aft launchers belched； racks of Tarpons emptied； and thick flights of Copperheads went up as well。 〃Firing！〃
Two Copperheads broke in burning wrack across Corg's mecha but were otherwise insignificant。 But other missiles savaged the Pincers that had made it that far； and not a single personal…armor machine survived。 Corg's mecha closed its bulky； armored forearms around its cranium； protecting its pilot； while an inferno washed past it。 Sera； soaring in to join her brother…unsure of what she would do…pulled clear； as the missiles drew instant lines of contrail across the sky。
Rand； Rook； and Scott stayed out of the demon's brew of detonating warheads until there was quiet again。 There was no sign of the enemy anywhere。 They banked and headed for the cutter； which sailed along on an impossibly placid ocean； a Pacific unaware of the carnage that had ended seconds before。
Sera landed on a beach from which she could watch the cutter and its acpanying VTs dwindle from sight toward the horizon。 Soon Corg landed； and the two skyscraper mecha stood shoulder to shoulder。
〃Patrol escorts destroyed；〃 their puters told them in the Queen…Mother's voice。 〃Abandon further pursuit。 Do not risk loss of royal mecha at this time。〃
Corg emerged from his upholstered nacelle。 He was a sharp…featured； handsome young man with lean good looks and mysterious； oblique blue eyes。 His shoulderlength hair was blue as well； lying flat and fine against his skull and lending itself to his cruel； ascetic look。 He snarled at the escaping enemy； then looked to his twin's mecha。
/Sister； what possessed you？/
/Brother； I…I do not know。。。/
Lancer stood looking out over the fantail； as he had for so much of the voyage。 Annie showed up in her usual ebullient mood； rejoicing that land had e into view。 He said he would be along to the bridge in a moment。 Annie gave him a dubious look； but then frolicked off； ecstatic with the idea of getting away from shipboard confinement。
He brushed the long lavender stands from his face； but the wind only fluttered them back there again。
Who is she？ How did I lose a piece of myself so quickly？
〃Hard to believe we've e such a long way in such a short time；〃 Rand said； breaking the long silence of the net。 He looked over to where Rook cruised close； but she didn't even glance aside at him or otherwise show that she had caught the implication。
Rand trimmed his Alpha。 Where Rook was concerned； silence was a kind of a start。
Baja California gleamed ahead。 The imperatives of history and the Vision that had moved Zor across the years and light…years were pulling together； their warp and woof were almost plete。 What was to be； would be。
But that wasn't how it felt to anyone on the team。 If Corg and Sera were confused by Human emotions； the freedom fighters were at least dazed by them； each in his or her own way…arguably； they were disabled in some measure。 But if emotions had been taken from them they would have fallen like scythed wheat； and the Third Robotech War would have ended right there and then。
As it had been ordained from the beginning； the deciding force in the Robotech Wars was something neither side would ever see or understand； but everyone involved had felt it。
And just over the horizon； a Phoenix waited to spread its wings。