e view that had been denied him when Mars Division had approached a year earlier： Earth's characteristic clouds and swirling weather fronts； its deep…blue water oceans and healing landscape。 And for the first time in years he found himself thinking about Base Gloval； his father's forefinger thrust upward into the Martian night； pinpointing a homeworld。 Huddled afterward in the prewarmed fort of his sleep partment； he would grapple with the notion…that faint light； a home。 But even after his family had been transferred to the factory satellite to work on the SDF…3； Scott could not regard Earth as such。 And he had so few memories of those years that he called Tirol home now and perhaps always would。
Only a week ago he had learned that his parents were still there。
The memories surrendered to more recent recollections as Scott and the rest of the shuttle's privileged boarded a transfer vehicle that ferried them into the ship proper； Ark Angel's artificial gravity settling on him like oppression itself。 Nearly every ponent of the ship was different from what he remembered； from the illumination grids that checkered the holds to the persistent foot…tingling basso of the dreadnought's internal systemry。
He soon caught sight of Vince Grant； towering walnuthrown and square…shouldered over a small gathering of civilians and military personnel bottlenecked at the arrival hold's security gate。 There were hands in the air； salutes； a welter of voices that brought to mind vid…scenes of turn…of…the…entury airport arrivals； and it was obvious to Scott all at once that the REF was as altered as the Angel herself。 He sensed something cool but determined in the ship's slightly sour air； a single…mindedness at work he had not experienced since Tiresia。
A male aide appeared out of the crowd to escort him through security； and a moment later he stood facing the Grants and the two Plenipotentiary Council senators。 〃Colonel Bernard； reporting as ordered；〃 Scott said with a crisp salute。 〃Permission to e aboard； sir？〃
〃Granted；〃 Vince returned； working the muscles of his massive jaw into a tight…kipped smile。 〃Wele home； Scott。 〃
〃Oh； Scott；〃 Jean said； rushing forward to embrace him。 〃God； let me look at you。〃
He took a step back to allow for just that； extending a hand at the same time to Justine Huxley； then Dr。 Penn。 Vince and Jean were outfitted in modified REF uniforms； collarless now but with flared shoulders and simleather torso harnesses retained。 The senators wore loose…fitting jumpsuits of a design that had originated on Garuda。
〃Good to see you； my boy；〃 Penn said with paternal sincerity。 〃I only wish Emil and Karen could be here with us。〃 There was no mention of Karen's lover； Jack Baker； certainly there was no love lost between Dr。 Penn and Baker； in any case。 Karen； like Bowie Grant； had elected to ship out aboard the SDF…3。 Let them all have better luck than Marlene and I had； Scott thought。 Even if that means dying together。 The scientist's words had thrown a curtain of silence around the five of them； a spot of stasis amid the bustling activity in the hold。 〃Is there any word？〃 Scott asked； hoping to break the spell。
Jean shook her head； her dark honey plexion paled by the exchange。 Her hair was pulled back into a tight chignon； imparting a touch of severity to what was normally the warmest of faces。 〃We've received some garbled subtrans from Tirol。 The ship folded soon after Rheinhardt and the others were away。 There's been no word from the SDF…3 since。 〃
〃I think we should have this discussion elsewhere；〃 Vince said with a hint of suggestion in his voice。 〃We all have a lot of catching up to do。 〃
〃Colonel；〃 Huxley said before everyone set off； 〃I do want to apologize for this somewhat subdued wele。〃 She gestured around the hold with a quivering； aged…hand。 〃As you can well imagine； we've all been trying to adjust to the loss of our friends and patriots。〃
Scott could see that she was referring to the destruction of the fleet rather than the presumed loss of the SDF…3。 〃I understand； Senator；〃 he told her。 〃No need for apologies。〃
〃Besides； Colonel；〃 Huxley continued after a deep breath； 〃what with the Council trying to set up summits with our planetside counterparts and Jean's medical teams doing what they can 。 。 。 Well； I'm certain you do understand； Colonel Bernard。〃
Scott did not envy either group but thought it might be particularly rough going for the Council itself。 To the last they had been respected members of the United Earth Government。 But that was before the ascendancy of the Army of the Southern Cross； the arrival of the Robotech Masters and the Invid； and the factionalism and isolationalism that had thrived during the occupation。 Those would…be leaders below barely trusted their neighbors； let alone a council of lawmakers and theoreticians absent for fifteen years。 Scott was not sure whether Huxley； Penn； and the rest had grasped the fact that Earth was a changed world。
Scott found Vince Grant studying him when he looked up。 〃I know the promotion might not seem like much； Scott； but we haven't gotten around to honoring individual effort just yet。〃
Scott was taken aback。 〃Excuse me； sir； but if you're talking about medals or citations…〃
〃You've certainly earned them； Scott；〃 Jean said hurriedly； glancing up at Vince before showing Scott an unfortable look。 〃We just want you to know…〃
Scott held up his hands to stop her from saying anything further。 It was a sham； and everyone knew it…or at least they should have。 There were no heroes this go…round； Scott said to himself； as he had so often the past three months。 No matter who had done what at Reflex Point or anywhere on either side of the envelope。
There were only survivors。
CHAPTER TWO
There isn't a man or woman aboard the ＇Ark Angel＇ that wasn't thinking about the SDF…1 when Dr。 Penn announced our intention to make a trial jump to the moon。 But do we have a choice？ Doesn't it make more sense to strand the ship a safe distance from Earth rather than strand her in Martian orbit as some have suggested out of sheer superstitious fear of repeated misfortune？ All this； of course； presupposes that the fold generators will fail； which I am inclined to believe will not be the case。 As for our inadvertently ending up near Pluto or some such celestial locale； I can only pray that doesn't occur。 Should it； however； I might as well state now that I have always regretted missing the jump that landed Claudia and the rest at the frozen edge of our home system。 Perhaps I'm bound by destiny to follow her now。
General Vincent Grant； ship's log of the Ark Angel
See you on the dark side of the moon。
Late twentieth…century song lyric
Jean Grant purposely fell out of step with Vince and the two senators so that she might observe Scott without setting him off as she had almost done in the arrival hold。 Her sentiments had been sincere if awkwardly expressed。 She was not unaware of the meaninglessness of promotions and medals at this stage of things…she had always held that battles were better forgotten than immortalized by ribbons； in any case…but gestures were important for morale； even of the salute and handshake variety favored by armies the Quadrant over。 And God knew morale was in short supply just now。
She took note of the slight limp in Scott's long…legged stride as Vince led everyone to his personal quarters aft of the Ark Angel's bridge。 Up close； when she had felt Scott stiffen in her short…lived embrace； she had seen the scars on his still youthful face and graceful hands。 Nineteen now…or twenty…ix in Earth…relative years （a system she readily dismissed because of the havoc it wreaked on her own age）…he was growing to resemble his father more and more。 But from beneath the broad forehead and slick black hair peered the dreamy eyes of his mother。 He had her prominent ears as well； but the limp and the stoop in his formerly erect carriage were gifts of a war that refused to go away。
REF staffers and administrative officers stared openly as they hurried through the ship's corridors； trying no doubt to puzzle out the identity of the stranger who had been admitted into their midst； the undernourished apparition in rust…red knee boots and tattered mauve and purple flightsuit adorned with Mars Division unit patches。 The scarred warrior wearing an archaic Badger on his hip。
Jean listened closely to Scott's words as everyone settled themselves behind drinks in Vince's quarters。 And she heard the strange accent he had acquired during his time on Earth； the bitterness in his breaking voice when he recounted the Mars Division's assault against Invid…occupied Earthflow the ships had literally e apart in space； defeated long before the Regis's Shock Troopers and Pincers had moved in to loose their hyphenstorms； their fiery coup de grace。
Scott told them about the long road to Reflex Point； a journey that seemed to have bee something of a personal odyssey to despair and disillusionment。 Of the rogues； traitors； and cowards who populated that war…torn landscape。 Of his encounters with Jonathan Wolff （Scott's template for cynicism； Jean thought）； with the geriatric star…struck mechamorphs who had returned with Major Carpenter； and with Sue Graham of the Jupiter Division's 36th。 Jean remembered the photojournalist well and the agony； real or imagined； she had put Lisa Hayes Hunter through。
Her ears pricked up when Scott mentioned Reflex Point itself and spoke of some of the things he had described to neurometric analysts planetside。 She saw no reason to doubt the veracity of Scott's claims…that he had actually conversed with the Invid hivequeen…but she also sensed that Scott was leaving something unsaid。 G2 had tried to put a trace on the freedom fighters Scott claimed had acpanied him inside the plex； but a search had proved impossible among the population displacements and shifting conditions below。
In turn； Vince caught Scott up on the incredible events that had transpired on Optera shortly after Mars Division had folded for home space。 Scott was attentive； but it was apparent that he had already…heard most of it from REF mecha pilots。 Nevertheless； he had questions about Dana Sterling's nearly miraculous appearance and the so…called Nichols drive that powered the Shadow fighters and retrofitted Ark Angel。
Jean waited for a lull in the shop talk before attempting to return the conversation to personal concerns。 She had risen from her chair to gaze out the viewport； mesmerized by the scintillating dance of Earth's orbiting debris。 Of late； every viewport in the ship seemed to be a window into her private torment。 She could not regard Earth or stars without recalling the phoenix vision she had beheld when the Tokugawa had met its terrible end above Optera or the real…time manifestation of that phoenix as it had scorched its way through the expeditionary fleet。
Nor could she help thinking of Gardner and Ackerman and Gunther Rheinhardt； all dead。 And Rolf Emerson…dear Rolf； who had died in Bowie's arms。 The news of his death had seemed unreal on Tirol； but now； so close 。。。
〃We were so sorry to hear about Marlene； Scott；〃 she said at last。
By sheer reflex； Scott's hand went to his breast to feel for the heart…shaped