led； too。〃
〃Then it got quiet。 We guessed that they had decided they had destroyed us。 But there was no going back； our only chance； the way I saw it； was to look for another route out of the place…find a junction further down。 And we had to do it fast； Lancer pointed out； because there might be Invid looking for a way in。〃
〃Scott was mechamorphosing back to cycle mode while he was reminding us how persistent the Invid were…as if we hadn't seen that for ourselves。 If Scott had one weakness as a leader； it was stating the obvious。 But as he stripped out of his armor and went to look for an exit； his light showed that the tunnel had been sort of squooshed together like a toothpaste tube in that direction。〃
〃We were sealed in。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY
What is to bee of men and women…males and females…and the way they cope with one another and the differences between them？
Doesn't this go to the heart of the reason the Robotech Wars started in the first place？ The Regis and Zor？ The soullessness of the Masters？ The Shaping of the Protoculture itself？
Isn't it the question that must be answered before there's a love that's worthy of the name？
Altaira Heimel； Butterflies in Winter： Human Relations and the Robotech Wars
Rand continues：
〃Scott hardly batted an eyelash。 He just fell back to Plan W； or whatever letter he was up to by then。 Can…do； that's the attitude they had drummed into him。〃
〃But without any warning at all； Lunk suddenly lost it。 The next thing we knew he was kneeling on Scott's chest； choking him； screaming about how Scott had gotten us into this； how it was his fault we were going to die。 I think the first would be undeniable； but we had all had the chance to opt out； just like Annie； and so the second part just didn't stick。 Maybe Lunk was regretting that he hadn't stayed behind to give Annie away at the wedding and settle down in a hammock someplace。〃
〃When Lancer and I tried to peel him off； Lunk just flung us away with one sweep of his arm； growling and roaring like some berserk Neanderthal。 Rook had no intention of letting it go on； but she was smarter than we were； I saw her edging her H90 out。〃
〃Lancer saw； too； and so we made one more effort。 Lunk was foaming at the mouth； but I guess by then he had said everything he was thinking…basically； that he was afraid he was going to die。 Lancer and I got armlocks on both sides； and this time we dragged him loose。 Marlene cradled Scott's head to her and tried to stop the bleeding of his split lip。〃
〃Lancer and I had our hands full； and Lunk was howling for us to leave him alone。 Lancer stepped back and wound up for a punch。 He got a lot of power into the uppercut…I made a mental note not to poke fun at Yellow Dancer ever again…but it barely rocked Lunk。 Still； the big guy sort of came out of his fit。〃
〃Lancer was apologizing； although I noticed he was poised to give Lunk a second dosage if the diagnosis called for it。 But Lunk's madness seemed to have left him as quickly as it had e。 Lancer reminded him that Scott hadn't led us down there； I had。〃
〃And there I was； nodding； kind of smug； in a sneaky way； about how honest and forthing I was being。 It served me right for letting my ego take over； when I wasn't looking； Lunk hooked me。 It was a little like being struck by lightning。 Next thing I knew； I was lying on the ground with loosened teeth。〃
〃All I could think of to do was lie on the ground。 I settled for giving Lunk my best mean look。 'Feel better？' I drooled。〃
〃And it worked。 Next thing I know； Lunk's down on his hands and knees begging my forgiveness and blubbering that he didn't know what got into him…he was scared； he didn't belong on the team； didn't have what it took and so on。〃
〃I opted for the high road。 Rubbing my jaw； I told him that it seemed to me that he had had what it took just a second before。 I sorta sneaked a look at Rook； hoping she had noticed now mature and big…hearted I was being； but she just sniffed at me and turned her nose in the air； and said； ‘I guess he proved that； didn't he？'〃
〃Sometimes I wish there was a third gender that would do nothing but referee。〃
〃Marlene was looking around at us like we were crazy。 And I suppose we were； Christ； we were all crazy； the Robotech Irregulars off on a lark to blow up Reflex Point！ No wonder it had brought us to a dead end。〃
〃We gradually pulled ourselves back together。 Scott said his head felt like somebody had been using it to crack walnuts。〃
〃Lunk was worried about that same old thing； what else？ Back in the war he had had to make tracks from a bad situation； and he saw himself as a coward。 He was afraid he had cracked and let us down； too。〃
〃Lunk had never asked me about this； but from what he admitted about that firelight； I don't think he could be blamed for what he did。〃
〃I'm sure that it's a special kind of hell hearing your closest buddy scream for a pickup and having to stand pat。 But when the transmission's ing from the middle of a walking…barrage of Invid cannonfire； and the rest of your unit's wiped out； and the man or woman shrieking at you is mortally wounded and beyond any possible rescue； I don't call it cowardice。 It's part of the evil of war。〃
〃Lancer had established himself as a sort of authority figure with that punch； I suppose you could say。 But he tried to point out that Lunk was just Human。 Lunk still didn't seem to know what to do and looked like he was about to burst into tears again。 I gave Rook a little eye signal and said somebody should start hunting for a back door…that maybe there was something we had missed。〃
〃She gave me a funny look； but didn't object。 She and I got flashlights and started off。 There was the very beginning of another platform at the far cave…in； and we got down to a lower level； but there was no exit。 We walked amid handbills that had faded and gone to tatters； newsstands where the candy had been taken by the rats and the stacks of newspapers turned into cockroach settlements。〃
〃The steady drip of water was everywhere and you could smell the stagnant pools of it； and the things rotting in them。 There were constant skitters in the dark； distant squeaks and squeals。 It wasn't terribly cold； but it was dank enough to make me shiver。〃
〃I looked at the face of the woman on the last edition of Mademoiselle ever to be published and couldn't help wondering what I always wonder when I e across things like that。〃
〃Did she survive the Invid holocaust？ Had she lived through the turf…wars and the plagues and famines and slave…roundups？ Had she been disfigured； or lived long enough to discover that her beauty could be a terrible curse in this post…apocalyptic world； and simply ended it all one day？
〃Rook was strangely quiet； and I didn't feel like talking much because my jaw ached。 Finally we were sitting on a platform； swinging our legs； gazing down at the third rail that would never know its surge of current again。 Out of nowhere； I was admitting that I wasn't so sure there was any way out this time。
〃I expected the worst； but for once she wasn't busting my chops。 ‘Don't give up hope。 I'm sure we'll e up with a way out of here eventually。' Her voice sounded so different all of a sudden； the world seemed to change。〃
〃I was flummoxed； as the ancients would say。 To cover up； I said that even if we did get out； the team would never be the same。 Rook just lay back with her head pillowed on her hands； looking up at the ceiling。 I wanted to stretch out next to her the same way…nothing funny； you understand； just lie there together like we were out on a hill someplace looking at clouds。 But I thought she might take it the wrong way； so I didn't。〃
〃‘I should tell you something；' she said。 ‘I've been thinking of quitting the team。'〃
〃It was the last thing I expected her to say。 But she insisted； ‘It's been on my mind a long time； Rand。'〃
〃‘But we're counting on you more than ever now that…'〃
〃‘I'm tired of people counting on me！ Or maybe I'm just tired of running for my life all the time。'〃
〃I didn't know how to respond to that； so my mouth said； 'C'mon； you're just like me。 You thrive on danger！'〃
〃She was looking at me out of the corner of one eye； in a very strange way。 ‘Up to a point。' From her； it was a major concession； agreeing with anything I said like that。〃
〃So I gave in a little； too。 ‘You're right。 I'm not being straight with you when I say fighting is fun。 Maybe I just keep repeating it to keep from facing the fact that I'm scared sick a lot of the time。'〃
〃Now she was watching me with both eyes。 ‘What d'you know？ I never thought I'd hear you admit a thing like that。'〃
〃I shrugged。 ‘It's all been working at me； Lunk and the Invid and all。 Matter of fact； I wonder if this whole mission isn't just a hopeless effort。 A half…dozen people just can't do it。'〃
〃Now she was up on one elbow； and I couldn't help noticing how she moved in that shiny； skintight biker's racing suit。 'Rand； I just had a bright idea。 Let's quit the team together。 Hear me out！ We'd be saving everybody's life。 Scott would have to postpone the mission while we all go looking for more recruits。 There are Resistance units。 We might be able to assemble a real strikeforce。'〃
〃I thought about that for a few seconds。 An hour would not have been enough； but I didn't want her to think I was slow or indecisive now that she was just starting to be civil to me。 ‘I've got an even better idea： Why don't you and me just pull out and not e back？'〃
〃Those fair； fine brows of hers came together。 ‘What are you saying？'〃
〃‘We could hop on our bikes and hit the highway again！ You and I could get married； have us a coupla spare wheels…'〃
〃It will； by now； be obvious to the knowledgeable reader that in spite of all the boasting I had done； I really didn't know much about women。 Rook was giving me a glare that made me wonder if I should go get myself fumigated。〃
〃But all at once she turned and started twirling a wisp of her forelock around one finger looking at it kind of cross…eyed。 ‘You've pletely missed my point； Rand。 The point was to pull out together so we could find more people and bring them back。 Get me？'〃
〃‘I thought the point was to hit the road together because you feel the same way about me that I feel about you；' I opened up。 ‘We'd be perfect together。 I'd follow you anywhere in the world。 You know that。'〃
〃‘Have you pletely lost your mind？'〃
〃‘Huh…uh。 I've pletely lost my heart。' God； what else did she want me to say？ And so； of course； because （I'm pretty sure） I had made my point； she just…jumped to her feet！ She just broke off the conversation！ With that one move； she was calling the tune again。〃
〃So I got up； too； and put my arm around her shoulders； not at all certain that she wouldn't flip me down over the third rail。 But she stamped one foot and pushed my arm away and scolded me instead。 ‘The point of this deal is to save our friends' lives； not to establish a relationship。 If； if you're willing to accept that； then I'm still game。'〃
〃‘Since you put it that way； I can hardly refuse； can I？'〃
〃She chuckled softly； that throaty laugh that made me wish so muck that we could be together。 ‘Boy； will Scott be mad；' she added。〃
〃She laughed some more and it made