no sign of any patrols and no hint of that big…bruiser enemy mecha。〃
〃We took off our armor。 I kept starting to put my arm around Rook's shoulders when she was looking the other way； and then deciding that she would take offense； then starting to edge my arm up again…then pulling it back； hoping nobody had noticed。 I probably looked fairly spastic。〃
〃Here's where it gets surprising again： When we finally trudged back to where we had left the VTs； Annie was standing there。〃
〃She was wearing her olive…drab army surplus； that pink rucksack； and an E。T。 cap just like the one she had lost in the fortress…a spare； it wouldn't surprise me。 She was sort of moping around； but when she saw us her face lit up like a Christmas tree。〃
〃After some reunion time； we got the story out of her…or at least； her version。 ‘Can you picture me as a jungle princess？ They expected me to gather fruit and nuts and stand in the background while the men held council！ So I said so…long！ Dumb； hmm？'〃
〃I suspected that there was probably also the problem that the tribe wouldn't rename itself in her honor。 And that Magruder expected certain matrimonial acmodations。 Annie was a lot like me： talked a better fight； in certain arenas； than she could deliver。〃
〃It was pouring down rain by then and we were all standing under the Beta； which had been hidden in a parking garage。 I had to interrupt Annie。 I told her…and everyone else…that Rook and I were pulling out because we couldn't hack it anymore。 Rook watched me and didn't say a word。 Annie was shattered； poor kid； but then Rook spoke to back me up。〃
〃Marlene said she would stay with Scott； and that seemed only as it should be。 Lunk was in for the whole nine yards； as the ancients put it； to Reflex Point。 To prove himself； he said。 （Though I thought that was the wrong reason to go on a mission like that； I kept my mouth shut。 I guess all motives and ideals were at least a little tainted； by then。）〃
〃The way it turned out was just Rook and me riding away into a curtain of icy rain； while the others prepared to go on without us。 Annie was crying her heart out on Lunk's shoulder。 The farewells had hurt a lot more than they had helped。〃
〃Some brilliant plan； Rand！〃
〃Rook was tearing along way too fast for weather and road conditions； and almost slammed me with her Cyc when I mentioned it。 So we rode on； with all of it eating at us and no possibility of talking it out。〃
〃And we were thinking the same thing： The team was going to carry on the mission。 Dropouts； losses； setbacks…none of that mattered。 Something greater than themselves had taken hold of them。〃
〃The last straw was when Scott and Lancer cruised slowly overhead in VTOL mode； a slow flyby and solemn salute。 Suddenly my adored Rook wasn't there anymore； she had made a bandit turn on the slick street； risking her neck； and was charging back the way she had e。 Back to greet Lunk and Annie； back to board the Alpha she had left behind。〃
〃I turned more slowly； I just didn't feel like talking to anybody for a while。 I was going to have to get Scott to land； because he had my Beta mated to his Alpha。〃
〃I watched Rook speed through the rain like a Valkyrie on two wheels； a War Stormqueen。 I didn't want to talk over the tac net or hear the brave words。 I was staying because Rook had stayed； I would have left if she had left。〃
〃Something greater than myself had taken hold of me。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
I suppose it's net a secret by now； though it was a long time till Pop knew it。 When the team members plained about what bothered them the most； Rand agonized over how the books and films and tapes were dying…how Human history was passing away。 And I guess sometimes he admitted he was trying to be a one…man databank/preservation society。
A lot of things happened after that； but if you want my opinion； that's when Mom fell in love for the first and the last time。
Naturally she didn't tell him right away。
Maria Bartley…Rand； Flower of Life： Journey Beyond Protoculture
The evolution wasn't finished。 It was just beginning。
The time had e for a form beyond that of the Enforcer。 It was time for a new category of mecha…a new evolutionary step。
In the Hive Center at Reflex Point； the Regis looked down on two Enforcers。 One was the one that had failed to eliminate the freedom fighters； the other had been quickened less than a week earlier。 These two were the most intelligent； capable and adaptable of the Regis's children。
〃You have been summoned here to assume your rightful place in the new order of our society；〃 she told them。 〃First you must undergo transformation to the life form most suitable to this planet。 Prepare for bio…reconstruction！〃
Jagged nets of energy whirled out from the huge globe。 in the center of the dome； to ensnare the two Enforcers and etch them in light。 They writhed as if in torment； then froze like statues。 In moments； the mecha had been stripped away； dissolved to particles。 In the midst of the Protoculture fires two figures； in fetal tuck； floated…the forms of two fully developed Humans…a male and a female。
〃My children； you now share a part of my own genetic code。 You are a prince and princess of our race； and shall be known hereafter as Corg and Sera。〃
The Regis appeared again in her almost…physical manifestation； the swirling barber…pole stripes of energy spiraling up and down around her。 The Regis poured forth a purity of Protoculture power on a scale that only an Invid monarch was capable of ordaining or controlling。 In moments； new mecha formed around the floating twins； Corg and Sera。
〃We must soon begin the mass transformation of our people to the Human life form；〃 the Regis went on； 〃the form in which I have conceived you。 The most advanced and flexible configuration for survival on this planet…this world to which the Flower of Life has led us。〃
Two mecha stood side by side now； bigger than Enforcers。 They were more humanlike in form than any of the other alien war machines。 They looked like the powered armor the Zentraedi had used long ago； but they were larger。 The upper torsos were heavy with weapon pods and power nacelles； so that the things gave a strange appearance of buxomness。 The head area was quite small； sunk between massively armed and powered shoulders and immensely strong arms。
The mecha of Corg； who had so recently harried the freedom fighters in their underground escape； was drab gray…green； with highlights in an orange…tan color。 Sera's mecha was purple； with trim of dark pink。 The great Robotech digits worked and tested themselves； the Prince and Princess of the Invid had risen above the claw； the pincer。
〃However；〃 the Regis told them； 〃there may be hidden dangers in this physical form。 An earlier experiment with Human reconstruction appears to be malfunctioning。 Our spy； Ariel； whom the Humans call Marlene； has failed to establish munications with me。 You must seek out Ariel and determine the cause of her dysfunction； before we mit our race to a plete metamorphosis。 You must prepare the way for the final phase of our domination of this planet！ Go now； and prove yourselves worthy of your heritage！〃
As the morning sun rose； the team stood on a cliff looking out at the Pacific。 Scott was calculating the variables and the absolutes involved in a run for Baja California； but the others were just enjoying themselves。 They were watching the crashing waves and the plaintive gulls； and enjoying the sight of the blue water and the broad beach。
From here on； according to fragmentary reports； the Invid watchposts and strongholds grew thicker and thicker。 In order to avoid them； a sea…cruise seemed the only hope。 The mecha were low on Protoculture again； and the ordnance was practically gone。 But they had made it to the sea。
From here； anything was possible。 Scott was thinking along the lines of a low； slow swing out over the ocean by night； leaving Lunk's truck and most of their other baggage behind…perhaps even abandoning one of the VTs。
That was when Annie pointed to her discovery。 The team just stood there staring； while Annie asked them what in the world it was。 Lancer answered。
〃Abandoned Southern Cross base； Annie。 bination Navy Division/Jungle Forces installation； I'd say。〃
The place was a cluster of piers； radio towers； hangars； domes and quonset huts； barracks and operations center structures。 Everything was decayed and overgrown with jungle plant life； and several of the roofs had collapsed。 It was nothing new to the team； a gleaming town in good repair would have surprised them； but this was just one more pocket of earthly decline。
They were instantly thinking about food； weapons； maps； and charts； perhaps even equipment or a boat。 in another second they were racing back to their mecha； eager to explore。
What pieces of mecha there were in the base were useless； but all other news was good。 There was a fair amount of Protoculture； ordnance that was patible with their VTs； sealed ration containers that had withstood the test of time； and a desalination plant that was still up to supplying a trickle of fresh water。 But best of all； there were three boats。
Two of the boats were missile PTs； heavily armed for their size and extremely quick and maneuverable。 The third was a cutter mounting missiles and a large pumpedlaser battery。 Finding the boats confirmed Scott's decision： The best way to make the run to Baja was by sea。 It would save Protoculture and they would be able to stay below the Invid sky sensors。 The VTs could take turns hitching a ride on the cutter； and the boats could carry a wealth of supplies and materiel。
Whatever had made the Southern Cross troops abandon their base； it had left them time to put their boats and other equipment in mothballs before they went。 In no time； the team was getting everything in working order again。 Aerosol cans' spray peeled off the sealant layers over the boats' engines and a lot of the other gear； special treatments had kept the hulls free of barnacles and such growth。 They were immune to rot； and as ready to go as when they had been laid down。
Lancer； standing his turn at watch in the tower； a binocular raised to his eyes； couldn't help but feel that chill he got whenever things