d dropped itself to street level； dodging as best it could； but ultimately took one of the heat…seekers full force and spun out of control； impaling itself on a spiked piece of construction infrastructure。 You would have thought Rook and Scott had planned it that way。〃
〃After the action died down； I used the Cyc's tac net to notify Scott that his errant troops would be home soon； we made plans to rendezvous on the north road。〃
〃I didn't have any doubts about Rook's bidding a swift good…bye to Trenchtown； even though some wrongs had now been redressed and some old worries laid to rest。 But I knew also that there was still a scene that had to be played out with Romy； and I was anxious to see it。〃
〃The four of us…me； Rook； Romy； and Lilly…got together for eats at his place。 Small talk for the most part； Romy made no mention of Rook's staying on in Trenchtown； and we made no mention of Reflex Point； Lancer； or the others。
〃‘Rook； it's been so good seeing you again；' Lilly said as we were preparing to shove off。 ‘I just can't tell you。。。If it hadn't been for your courage； the Snakes would still be ruling this city。。。' She started getting weepy about then； and it made Rook angry。〃
〃‘What on Earth are you crying about？' Rook said； putting her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders。 When Lilly exchanged looks with Romy； Rook caught on and lightened up。 ‘Hey； don't worry about me；' she told Lilly。 ‘There's a person in my life now who means a lot to me。。。'〃
〃I was leaning against the building with my hands behind my head when she suddenly turned to me。 'Rand；' she said； leadingly and with a sweetness that didn't fit her。 She came over and took hold of my arm； finding a pressure point in my wrist at the same time。 ‘e on； give me a kiss like you always do。' Under her breath； she told me to pretend to be her honey or else。 ‘Kiss me on the cheek…and make it look good；' she added。〃
〃Romy and Lilly were watching with a mixture of bemusement and anticipation； and Rook was standing there； offering me her left cheek like she was my aunt or something； so I did what I had to do to make it look good！ I took hold of her upper arms and pulled her to me before she even had a chance to close her mouth。 I didn't hold her long； and she kept her eyes wide for the duration； not returning the favor； but it was long enough to bring a scarlet blush to her cheeks。〃
〃‘Rook is my baby and always will be；' I told Romy over Rook's shoulder； putting some bass in my voice to keep from laughing。 ‘e on； honey。 Let's get back to the ranch；' I said as I mounted my Cyc。〃
〃Rook climbed on her mecha without looking at me。 Lilly started to say something； but Rook just said goodbye and motored off。 I did the same； leaving Romy and Lilly in the street； his arm draped over her narrow shoulders。〃
〃When I came alongside Rook； she flashed me the anger she didn't want to show in front of her sister； and I decided to have some fun with it。 ‘You kiss pretty well for such a tough gal；' I ribbed her。〃
〃‘That was supposed to be the cheek； dirtbag。'〃
〃‘Jeez； I'm sorry。。。I must have misunderstood or something。。。〃
〃'Pea brain！ Degenerate！'〃
〃I laughed； then tried to switch tracks。 ‘What about your folks； Rook？' I asked her。 ‘Are they still living in this hole？' I was sincere about it； Rook's past was my way into her present。〃
〃But she just shook her head and made for the conduit； not bothering to look behind。〃
CHAPTER TWELVE
The book Lunk had promised to deliver was called Inherit the Stars； a piece of speculative fiction written by the noted twentieth…century British author and inventor James P。 Hogan and first published in 1977。 It was the first in a series of novels that dealt with humankind's contact with an alien race indigenous to Ganymede （the Ganymeans）； who in many ways were the antithesis of the Opteran Invid。
Footnote in Xandu Reem； A Stranger at Home： A Biography of Scott Bernard
When they were reunited and on the road north once again； it was business as usual。 Four hundred miles north of Trenchtown the team was attacked by five Invid Troopers； which they disposed of almost without breaking stride。 Scott took out the first two from the Alpha and left the rest of the work to the three Cyclones； piloted by Rook； Rand； and Lancer； who had by now bee a finely honed unit。 There had been no signs of Pincer ships for several days； and though the Troopers were bothersome； they posed no real threat provided that each one glimpsed was accounted for on the battlefield。
The desert terrain helped them to easily spot the Troopers。 They had left the highlands behind。 Gone were the forests and misshapen buttes of those plateaus； as well as the cool air and sparkling rivers they had e to take for granted。 But this was not true desert； waterless and unforgiving； but rather a broad expanse of arid lowland； with solitary flat…topped mesas to break the monotony of the horizon and enough spring…fed lakes to support a wide assortment of settlements。
Lunk； demanding equal…time benefits after Rook's 〃dalliance in the Trench〃…Rand's words…was calling the shots on the latest detour along the way。 The group was headed toward a town called Roca Negra； sixty miles west of the north road and said to be a munity that had managed to retain an old…world charm。
The team had an overview of the place now from the tableland a few miles east。 Roca Negra looked neat and pact； enlivened by groupings of cottonwood and eucalyptus trees； and lent a certain drama by the mesa and rounded peaks that all but overshadowed it。 Scott made a pass over the town in the Alpha； the VT's deltalike shadow paralleling the course of the main road； and reported his sightings。 There was a large circular fountain and plaza central to the town； with an assortment of rustic…style buildings grouped around it and the few streets that radiated out from the hub like the spokes of a wheel。 Scott could make out tile roofs and cobblestone streets； a church steeple； and a number of people； some of whom were staring up at the Veritech； while others ran off to inform the rest of the townsfolk。
Lunk smiled at the thought of the place and urged the van along with added throttle。 Annie was next to him in the shotgun seat。 It was the same police van they had mandeered in Norristown； but Lunk had removed the canvas top and given the thing an olive…drab onceover in memory of the beloved APC he had had blown out from under him in the highlands。 Lancer； Rook； and Rand flanked the truck on their Cyclones。
〃I sure hope we'll be able to get some food in this town；〃 Annie said after Scott's message。 〃I'm starved！〃
Lunk flashed her a bright…eyed smile and told her not to worry； then turned to Rand； who had e alongside on the driver's side of the van。
〃What's so special 'bout this place？〃 Rand shouted into the wind。 〃You been here before？〃
Lunk shook his head； maintaining the smile。
〃Then why are we stopping here？〃 Annie demanded； joining in。
Lunk reached back and pulled a worn paperback book from the rear pocket of his fatigues； holding it out the window for Rand's inspection。
〃To make good a promise I made to a friend a year ago；〃 Lunk said to both of them。 〃To deliver this book。〃
Rand gazed at the thing but couldn't make out much； except that it was aged； yellowed； dog…eared； and smudged。 Someone had thought to wrap the book in protective plastic； but too late to preserve the cover illustration。
〃What sort of book is it？〃 Rand asked。
Lunk pulled the book in and regarded it。 〃I really don't know…I haven't read it。 But it was important enough to my buddy for him to ask me to bring it to his father if I ever got the chance。〃
〃Well； why didn't your buddy deliver it himself； if it's so important？〃
〃I wish he could。。。〃
Rand saw Lunk's smile fade and asked him about it。
〃It was during the Invid invasion；〃 Lunk began。 〃My friend was on recon patrol； and I was detailed to rendezvous with him for the extraction。 When I found him； he was trying to get away from a couple of Shock Troopers； and I could see he was wounded。 They blasted him again while I。。。sat and watched。 How he could get up and run after that I'll never know； but he did； and started for the APC。 I thought there might still be a chance； but the Invid caught up with him before I could move in； and he didn't have a prayer。〃
Annie could see that Lunk was torturing himself with the memory but kept still and allowed him to finish。 Was this what he had run from？ Annie wondered； recalling ments uttered months ago when they had first met。
〃He called out to me；〃 Lunk was saying。 〃Calling me to e get him； but there was nothing I could do。 The Invid had spotted the APC and started after me； and I had no choice but to make a run for it。
〃I don't even remember how I got away from them。。。But I can still hear my buddy's voice ing over the net； as loud and clear today as I heard it then； calling me to help him。 I can't forget。。。〃
Lunk's face was beaded with sweat； and Annie fought down an urge to hold him。 But he was through it now and sort of shaking himself back to the present； looking hard at the book again。
〃This had some special meaning for him； I suppose。 The one thing he wanted most was for his old man