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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　were　going　a　little　too　well。　It　wasn't　very　many　minutes　later　that　he　found　himself　staring　through　his　binocular　at　a　Shock　Trooper　whose　optical　sensor　was　looking　right　back　at　him。

〃What　I　figure　is；〃　he　was　telling　the　others　a　minute　later；　〃it's　not　sure　yet　that　there's　anything　going　on　here。　But　I'd　be　shocked　if　the　Invid　don't　e　looking　around　very　soon。　If　we　want　the　element　of　surprise；　we'd　better　get　hopping。〃

Scott　would　have　liked　another　two　days　to　reconnoiter；　double…check　the　boats　from　stem　to　stern；　rest　up；　and　perhaps　even　do　a　short　sea…trial。　But　he　didn't　even　have　two　minutes。

Lunk　had　some　experience　with　a　Resistance　quickboat　outfit；　and　he　was　the　logical　one　to　take　mand　of　the　missile　cutter。　He　put　out　to　sea　with　Annie　and　Marlene　joining　him　on　the　bridge。　The　two　PTs　were　towed　by　hawsers。

The　VTs　lifted　off　to　rendezvous　with　the　tiny　flotilla；　but　the　minute　they　activated　their　Protoculture　engines；　Shock　Troopers　came　shooting　up　out　of　the　trees。　Annihilation　discs　hatched　infernos　all　around　them。

〃This　always　happens；　very　time　I　go　up！〃　Rand　plained。　〃Don't　those　guys　have　anything　better　to　do？〃

The　VTs　went　darting　off　on　evasive　maneuvers；　the　pilots　punching　up　weapons　and　targeting　displays。　The　Troopers　folded　their　ladybug…shaped　forearms　close　to　them　and　blasted　after　the　VTs；　firing　from　their　shoulder…mounted　cannon。　The　fighters　led　the　Invid　on　a　long　swing　out　to　sea；　to　keep　them　away　from　the　boats。　The　humans　were　breathing　heavily　from　the　g…forces；　legs　locked；　stomach　muscles　tightened　to　keep　the　blood　up　in　their　heads　where　it　was　needed　the　most。　The　tac　net　sounded　like　a　wrestling　tournament。

One　Shock　Trooper　got　a　glancing　hit　at　Rook's　ship。　Rand　heard　her　groan　of　pain　over　the　tac　net；　and　his　heart　went　cold。　He　turned　around；　thumbed　the　trigger　on　his　stick；　and　flamed　a　Shock　Trooper　that　never　even　knew　what　hit　it。　A　second　Trooper　broke　off　its　pursuit；　diving　and　sliding　to　avoid　meeting　a　similar　fate。

〃Serves　ya　right　for　fooling　around　with　the　big　kids！〃　Rand　cut　in　full　military　power　and　caught　up　with　his　teammates。

Two　more　Troopers　showed　up　but　fell　in　with　the　surviving　one；　and　turned　back　toward　the　coast。　Invid　patrol　patterns　were　a　little　inflexible；　Scott　saw。

Rand　slid　in　until　his　wingtip　was　under　Rook's　and　nearly　touching　her　fuselage。　〃Hey；　Rook？　Are　you　hurt？〃

Her　answer　had　a　clenched…teeth　sound　to　it。　〃Nothing　I　can't　live　with；　farmer。〃　He　didn't　press　her　about　it；　it　would　only　have　brought　on　another　spitting　match　over　the　tac　net。

〃But　I　owe　you　one；〃　she　grated；　taking　him　pletely　by　surprise。

In　her　cockpit；　Rook　looked　down　at　the　fizzling　avionics；　so　badly　shot　up；　and　at　the　left　thigh　and　bicep　sections　of　her　armor；　which　had　been　split　open　by　flying　shrapnel　and　Invid　force　ricochet。　Blood　seeped　from　her　wounds。

Lancer　scouted　ahead；　and　in　less　than　ten　minutes　the　VTs　had　located　a　place　to　rest。　They　stopped　in　the　midst　of　a　tiny　chain　of　islands　not　too　far　off　shore。　While　Rand　coached　Rook　in　for　a　landing；　Lancer　went　back　to　help　Scott　provide　air　cover　and　guidance；　and　convoy　the　boats　in。

Their　rest　stop　had　been　a　resort　only　a　generation　before。　A　place　where　people　came　to　worship　the　sun　to　the　point　of　melanoma；　pay　for　drinks　with　plastic　beads；　coo　and　woo　under　the　coconut　trees；　surf；　scuba。

To　make　love；　Scott　thought；　looking　around　at　the　place。　The　bay　was　translucent　blue　and　the　sand　powder…white。　Eat；　drink；　gamble。　The　team　was　doing　all　those　things　now；　he　assumed；　although　he　might　be　projecting　a　little　on　the　trysting　part。　And　the　freedom　fighters　were　gambling　with　and　for　things　a　lot　more　precious　than　plastic　beads　or　casino　plaques。

Annie　had　been　reading　manuals　and　instruction　pamphlets；　and　decided　to　play　nurse　on　Rook。　The　onetime　biker　queen　gritted　her　teeth　but　sat　still　for　it。　Annie　wound　her　upper　arm　and　thigh　in　enough　bandage　to　restrain　a　small　moose。　Rand　watched　interestedly　without