d that that was where he belonged。
Of course； the odds against surviving would be very high； but that was a bat pilot's lot。 And what better cause was there to serve； and die for； if it came to that？ He had a sudden vivid recollection of something Roy Fokker had told him。
An American president once said that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance； Rick。
It was on a 〃day〃 in SDF…1； out someplace by Pluto's orbit； when Rick joined the RDF There's no more flying for fun； Roy told him； stern and grave。 From now on you fly for the sake of your home and loved ones； Rick。
〃My home and loved ones； huh？〃 Rick muttered to himself。 He flicked a switch； and the canopy descended on whining servos。
〃All right； time to go flying； then。〃 He eased the throttle forward。 The Guardian's foot thrusters blew soil away and lifted it。 Rick was careful to skirt the patch of dandelions as he rose。 But the backwash sent hundreds of thousands of spores wafting into the air in hopes of finding some other kind plot of ground。
Rick tucked a single dandelion blossom into a seam of his instrument panel； mechamorphosed his ship to Fighter mode； and went ballistic； climbing toward the sun。 He set the mo rig to search for local traffic； part of the recon mission。 The equipment scanned the band and stopped at a transmission that carried a female human voice。
…here by my side；
Here by my side。
He jolted against his safety harness； reaching to get a stronger signal。 〃Minmei！〃
There was applause in the background。 Another voice he knew well came up。 〃You're listening to the beautiful Lynn…Minmei； broadcasting live and direct from Granite City！ This area is slowly rebuilding through the bined efforts of many wonderful people who are ceaselessly devoting their time and labor to a project that many considered hopeless。〃
Lynn…Kyle。 He sounded more like a pitchman than a costar now； but he still had that same hostility in his tone。
Granite！ Rick realized。 Not far away！ He was already checking his nav puters。
〃People Helping People is the theme of our tour；〃 Kyle went on。 〃And we don't consider the project hopeless at all！ How do you people feel about it？〃
Clapclapclapclap； from the audience； and a few yays。 Those shill questions always worked。 Rick's expression hardened； and he brought his stick over for a bank。
Granite City lay in the shadow of a Zentraedi flagship rammed like a Jovian bolt into the red dirt。 The outskirts of the place were still haphazard rubble from the war； but a few square blocks in the center had been made livable。
There were weakened foundations and angled slabs of paving and fractured concrete everywhere； but at least the streets were clear。
This most recent stop in what was to have been the triumphant Minmei People Helping People tour had attracted something under three hundred people in Granite； plus several Zentraedi who loomed over the crowd even when sitting and squatting。
The crowd was posed of sad…eyed people doing their best to believe they had a future。 Most were ragged； all were thin； and there were signs of deficiency diseases and other medical problems among them。
But at the urging of Lynn…Kyle and others in the loose…knit network of antigovernmentalists； Granite persisted in refusing to drop its status as an independent city…state or allow military relief teams in。
The Zentraedi were in better shape than the humans； the rations in the spiked ship could sustain them； though for some reason those seemed to have no nutritive value for Homo sapiens。 There had been a fine cordiality and hopefulness among the people of Granite at first； but now there was growing despair in this dissident model program。 Thus； this morale appearance by Minmei。
〃Yeah！ Let's hear it！〃 Lynn…Kyle yelled； working the mike at center stage； making beckoning motions with his free hand。 The crowd clapped again； a little tiredly。
〃And Granite doesn't need any outside interference； either！〃 he yelled。 He had spent fewer than four hours there in his entire life。
〃The good people here will take care of themselves and make Granite the great metropolis she once was！〃
The applause was even weaker this time around； and the more theatrically knowledgeable in the front rows could detect beads of flop…sweat on Kyle's brow。
〃But let's forget； for now； what the military warmongers have brought us to；〃 he said； almost scowling； then catching himself and flashing a bright smile。 〃As we listen to the song stylings of the marvelous； the inparable Lynn…Minmei！〃
Recorded music came up； and Minmei hit her mark right on cue； mike in hand。 She sang her latest hit。
I've made the right move at the right time！
We're on our way to something new！
Just point the way and I will follow！
Love feels so beautiful with you！
Rick followed the song； entranced； until a transmission cut through Minmei's singing。 〃mander Hunter； e in； please。〃
It was Ransom。 Rick switched to the tac net。 〃What is it？〃
〃You all right； skipper？ I've been trying to reach you for some time； thought you might've run into trouble。〃
Rick let a little impatience slip into his tone。 〃Is anything wrong？〃
Ransom looked at him out of a display screen next to the yellow dandelion； speaking precisely。 〃Nothing specific； boss。 Just wish you'd take your rover radio with you when you leave your ship to look around。 I worry； y' know？〃
Rick bit back the rebuke he had been putting together。 Of course he knew； he would have chewed out a subordinate for doing the same。
He sounded contrite； and it was real。 〃Sorry； Lieutenant。 But I came across something miraculous today。〃
Ransom stared。 〃Trouble with renegade Zentraedi？ Boss； what is it？〃
Rick took the dandelion from its place and held it close to the optical pickup。 〃Look what I found。 An entire field of them。〃
Ransom considered the flower。 〃Wait a minute。 Your zone wasn't inside the natural recovery planning zone。〃
Rick was ecstatic。 〃That's right！ But lemme tell ya； there are flowers in the northwest quadrant！〃
The usually morbid Ransom cracked a very slight smile。 〃I suppose we should have known the Earth would be starting her own recovery program。 Great news； huh； skipper？〃
〃Roger that。 Look； continue your patrol according to mission plan； Ted。〃
〃I copy； but aren't you ing with us？〃
〃Not right now；〃 Rick answered。 〃I'm dropping over to Granite City。 If anything serious es up； give me a yell。〃
Ransom nodded and hedged。 〃And； uh； boss。。。〃
〃Don't sweat it； Lieutenant！ When I leave the ship； I'll take my rover！ Out！〃
Rick did a barrel roll for the hell of it and opened his throttle wide for Granite City。
If she wonders；
It's you who's on my mind。
It's you I cannot
Leave behind。。。
Rick followed Minmei's voice as someone else might have trod a yellow brick road。 From overhead the Zentraedi battlewagon dominated the landscape； but a closer look at the ground showed that the rusting metal peak was a monument to defeat and that the teeming victors were still in turmoil。
Rick left his VT at the edge of town under the care of the local militia CO； who was well disposed toward RDF fliers even if the populace wasn't。 Rick got to the concert and missed； by a fraction of a second； getting flattened by the hand of a Zentraedi leviathan who was sitting at the edge of the crowd； shifting his weight。
〃I'm so sorry；〃 the alien tried to whisper in his resounding bass。 Everybody around them went Shhhh！ Rick gave the big fellow a nod to let him know it was no offense taken。
It's me who's lost；
The me who lost your heart
The you who tore my heart
Apart。。。
She's e a long way； but it's the same girl I spent those awful； wonderful two weeks with somewhere in the belly of the SDF…1。 My Minmei。
When the song was over； the crowd applauded。 Rick applauded loudest of all。
Near a sidewalk cafe in Monument City； with the SDF…1's shadow ing her way like a sundial； Lisa stared dully at people passing by and ignored her cooling demitasse。 The meetings had been delayed； giving her some unexpected free time。 Idle hours were more a curse than a blessing。
As she watched； two down…at…the…heels boulevardiers ogled a very pert young blonde whose hemline came nearly to her waist。 The two did not quite slobber。
〃My man； the women were dealt all the aces in this life。 They can have anything they want；〃 opined one； a beefy kid who looked as if he stood a fair chance of growing up to be normal。 〃They can have anybody they wanna have。〃
Lisa considered that； her chin resting on her interlaced fingers。 〃That's all you know about it； my fat friend；〃 she murmured； watching the two would…be rakes go on their way。 〃Here's one woman who'd trade every other ace； knave； and king in the deck for one Rick Hunter。〃
She drew a sudden breath as she looked across Monument City's main thoroughfare。 Max Sterling strolled along there； looking as if he didn't have a care in the world； pushing a baby carriage。 Miriya held his arm。
They stopped； and Max hurried around the carriage to scoop up his daughter and pat her back； burping her on his shoulder。 Miriya looked on serenely with a smile Lisa almost begrudged her。
The very most secret eyes…only reports boiled down to the f