re's will； may the cause of peace profit above all。〃
Karen Penn tried one final time to inflict some damage on the lights； to extract a toll for whatever it was they had done to her Red teammates。 With disciplined hand and quieted mind she reconfigured the Alpha to Fighter mode and burned for the fortress's stern； where the lights had clustered on and around the reflex drive exhaust ports。 Jack was in plain view at three o'clock； his burn through the eerie glow of newspace plete； a Veritech pas de deux as they fell toward the ship。
The Blue team mecha； Battloid…configured； were hitting hard at the SDF…3's bow from just below the midline； head lasers emitting a deadly light of their own。
Karen planned on depleting her undercarriage lasers this time； taking no quarter； routing the light or luring it away； making it cry uncle or roll over and die。
She was shifting her weight in the padded seat； posing herself for the kill； willing the VT in； when all at once the fog of newspace lifted。
Her eyes were so fixed on the reticle of the Alpha's targeting screen that it took a moment for the change to register。 Then； suddenly； there was darkness where there had been glow； and the lights were gone。
〃Sonuvabitch；〃 she heard Jack exclaim。 〃We're home； gang…we're home！〃
But Karen was not buying it。 Though they seemed to be drifting through the inky blackness of home space； something was missing。
〃If we're home； Jack；〃 she asked over the net； 〃where the hell are the stars？〃
On the fortress bridge； Lisa mimicked Lang's on…screen head…scratching pose。 She did not understand it； either： One minute the lights were digesting critical portions of the ship； and the next they were gone。 Had the SDF…3 punched or been punched out of the hyperdomain？ she wondered。 And was that actually the real world outside the viewports or yet another black tunnel in the sky？
〃Stations shipwide report all clear； Admiral；〃 Forsythe said from across the bridge。 〃The lights are gone。〃
Lisa ran a palsied hand through her undone hair。 〃Damage assessment； Mister Price。 Immediate。 All decks。〃
〃Aye； aye； sir。〃
Lisa returned her attention to the …line monitor。 〃Well； what about it； Lang？ Are we home？〃
Lang looked at something off screen and shook his head。 〃No； Lisa； nothing has changed。〃
〃Maybe you'd better have a look outside； Doctor。〃 Lang's puzzled expression remained in place。 〃I have looked； Admiral； I assure you。 But present readings are identical to those previously assembled。〃 He snorted。 〃We're still a long way from home。〃
Lisa felt her heart race。
〃We've lost a good deal of our reflex drive systemry；〃 Lang continued as though to himself； pupilless eyes glazed over。 〃I'm beginning to believe that the reason the Veritechs were assimilated had nothing to do with defense against intrusion。 No； whatever was directing the lights had need of specimens。 Perhaps it has yet to make up its mind about us。〃
Lisa swallowed hard。 〃You make it sound like our pilots were appetizers； Doctor。〃
〃In effect； they were just that；〃 he told her； more animated suddenly。 〃By the time the lights reached the ship； they knew exactly what they were after。〃
〃We're crippled； then。 Is that what you're telling me？〃 The scientist shook his head。 〃Oh； no； we have some drive capacity left to us； although nowhere near what we'd require to go superluminal。 In fact； as things stand we would be as stranded in our own space as we are here。〃
Lisa let out her breath。 〃You're full of good news； aren't you？〃
Lang shrugged。 〃I'm sorry if I can't tell you what you'd undoubtedly like to hear。〃
Lisa waved a hand at the screen。 〃I'm the one who's sorry； Doctor。 But you've got to give me something to go on。 I mean； do we sit here and wait for those 。 。 。 things to e back and nibble away at more of our systemry？〃
〃As opposed to what； Admiral？〃 Lang wanted to know。 〃Christ； I don't know。 Move。 Somewhere。〃
Lang smiled； recalling Rem's real…time bubble theory。 〃Your husband suggested that I fashion us a world。〃
Lisa regarded him tight…lipped。 〃Then do it；〃 she said after a moment。
Minmei cradled Rem's head in her arms。 She pushed his hair back from his face and leaned an ear close to his parted lips。 She was certain he had ceased breathing for a time； but that heart…stopping moment was past； his exhalation ruffling the strands of hair she had hooked behind her ear。 Her breath was ing in shallow gasps as she pressed his head to her bosom； praying that he would regain consciousness soon。
Holding him like that； staring down at his beautiful face； she found herself walking through an ancient memory。 Tiresia； on the night of the SDF…3's New Year's celebration。 The Sentinels' ship； Farrago； had yet to arrive in Fantomaspace； and there she was with eyes only for Jonathan Wolff： But she remembered watching Rem that night while Wolff told her all the things he must have assumed she wanted to hear。 And she remembered gazing at him the way she had often observed others gazing at her； with a look people reserved for screen idols and heroes。 What might have happened if Rem had remained in Tiresia instead of joining the Sentinels？ she wondered。 Would his presence have altered events； given her the strength to steer clear of Edwards and grandiose plans？
It was Rem who had rushed to her side after she had killed Fdwards's horrible minion on Optera。 Her voice had awarded a personal victory； a fitting end； she had decided。 But on that same day Janice had walked out of her life forever。 And Lynn…Kyle so soon before that 。。。 It had been difficult for to go on when the memories of the sacrifices made in her behalf were so vivid。 When she had been so undeserving。 So evil。
But Rem had continued to stick by her in Tiresia； during the months she had languished under doctors' care； the Booths and years when she had so little will to survive。 And looking at him now； imagining the two of them walking Tiresia's Romelike streets together； she was not sure she was envisioning a past that almost was or a future that could be。 A kind of alternative present； she told herself。 One they could fashion together to erase the mistakes both Zor and Minmei had made。
She ran a hand across her belly arid sighed。 At the same time a soft groan escaped Rem's lips； and he moved his head against her。
〃Rem；〃 she said。 〃Oh； please； darling 。 。 。〃 And his eyelids fluttered and opened。
Jack knuckled his eyes with gloved hands； wondering what could have given him such a shot to the head that he was seeing stars。 It was not exactly unheard of for the 〃thinking caps〃 to malfunction and send a jolt of current through one's system…to bite the head that fed them； as the saying went but that usually left one with twitching limbs or feeling like someone had unzipped one's backbone and poured hot lead down one's spine。 Not seeing stars。 And he didn't think he had sustained a hit from one of those lights； either； because he had seen them retreat into the black curtain newspace had unexpectedly lowered。
Hadn't he？
Jack forced his eyes wide open。 And kept seeing stars。
It was as though the retreating light tendrils had simply decided to hang themselves out there for his benefit。
〃Uh； this is Red One；〃 he said slowly。 〃Is anybody seeing what I'm seeing？ I mean； is anybody； uh 。 。 。 〃
Karen's face resolved on the tactical screen； but she didn't speak。 She seemed to be staring off into space； and Jack had to call her several times before she responded。
〃Jack； did you see it？〃 she said。
He exhaled in a relieved way。 〃I'm seeing stars if that's what you're talking about。〃
〃But the way they got there； Jack 。。。 It was like they just assembled themselves into constellations。〃
〃Yeah； well； it's like Lang said。 We were trapped in hyperspace； and now we're not。〃 Jack gestured to the blackness outside the Alpha's cockpit。 〃That's real space out there； and those are stars。 We're home； kid。 Get used to the idea。〃
She looked directly at him。 〃You don't seriously believe that； do you？〃
Jack fell silent for a moment。 〃No； I suppose I don't；〃 he conceded； contemplating the view。 〃But I guess I'll take it over the alternative any day。〃
PART II
COHERENT LIGHT
CHAPTER TWELVE
The question of Professor Nichols's whereabouts during the years following the end of the Second Robotech War； including that period now referred to as the Occupation； remains a source of controversy。 While it has been elsewhere demonstrated that he remained with Jonathan Wolff through March of 2033 （see Tasners Sheep in Wolves' Clothing）； his subsequent alliances are more the product of conjecture than hard…earned investigative proof。 However； based on evidence that links Nichols's associates （Gibley； Shi…Ling； Stirson； et al。） to the Yakuza organization that inherited the remains of Lang's Tokyo plex （see Makita and others）； the author is of the opinion that Nichols somehow prevailed upon Wolff to furnish him with safe passage to Japan； where he； we know； was eventually located by intelligence operatives assigned to his case by the REF G2 chief； Niles Obstat。
From Ronstaad Irk's preface to the fourth edition of Nichols's Tripping the Light Fantastic
〃I'm sorry I ever had to drag you into t