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〃It's； ah； part of an experiment； Latell。〃
They were at one of the pool tables。 Latell was gazing down at the shapes there； brow furrowed。 The shapes began changing； multiplying； going do…si…do。 〃I'm afraid I must confess： my reprogramming efforts haven't been entirely successful…oh！〃
He was staring disappointedly at the lightshapes。 〃The trainer is having no effect。 I still have individual thought patterns。〃
She looked him up and down。 〃What's so bad about that？〃
〃You know as well as I。 Unstable minds cannot be tolerated…〃
He was interrupted as a nearby female slumped against her pool table…trainer and fell to the floor。 Dana rushed to her； trying to revive her without success。
She looked around。 〃Somebody give me a hand； here！〃
A female who was twin to the one Dana cradled said frostily； 〃That is forbidden。 Her body will have to be replaced。〃
So； when one member of the triumvirate got out of whack by the Masters' standards； he or she was either fixed； or replaced。 And the triumvirate went on。
Dana showed her teeth in a snarl。 〃What are you； Human beings or cattle？〃
Human？ She could hear the word ripple through them with a shiver of disgust。 The clones left their trainers and began to converge on her。 Latell dragged Dana to her feet； though she fought him。
〃You've gone too far；〃 he said。 〃You must leave。〃
〃Idiots！〃 she was screaming。 〃Can't you see what they're doing to you？〃 Was this how Zor would end his days？ But he had been a freethinking Human！ To e to this。。。
The nurse had reappeared； with a twin。 〃This one requires a body replacement。 Yes。 You； e with us。〃
The clone grabbed her and Dana let out her rage in the form of a quick footsweep and a shoulder block。 The nurses went flying in either direction。
She seized Latell's wrist。 〃C'mon。 I'm getting you outta here。〃 He didn't resist。 He was doomed； whatever he did； and in addition found her fascinating。
Angelo and Sean had guard uniforms to wear over their Southern Cross outfits （though Angelo's was strained to its limits； to say the least）； and guns and a runabout； but with the action over； they were at a loss as to what to do next。 Parked in a deserted upper…tier plaza； they worried and debated。
A plate on the runabout's dash came alight and a voice said； 〃Unit thirteen； return to Main Control。 Prepare for Override Guidance to return you to Main Control。〃
Sean checked over his stolen weapon。 〃Get ready； Angie。 We just got our ticket to the target。〃
Stolen vehicles were the order of the day； only natural for a stranded Hovertank unit。 Bowie and Louie had heisted themselves a vanlike craft； and techmaster Louie had quickly figured out how to drive it。
They cruised slowly； hoping to spot one of the others and to get their bearings on either the control center or the tanks。 Bowie； riding shotgun； abruptly yelped； 〃Louie； pull over！ Stop！〃
〃Hah？ Whatsamatter？ Whatsamatter？〃 But he did as the other asked。 Bowie leapt out and went running after Musica； who had been wandering along as if in a daze。
Louie shrugged。 〃Why not？ We got nothin' better to do。〃
At Musica's direction； the three drove to the weirdest place they had yet seen in the mother ship。 It was like some underground grotto or an ant's orchard。
Glowing spheres； some of them fifty feet across； were growing there…at least that was what it looked like。 The spheres were held by a network of vinelike growths； alien lianas four and five feet thick； which sprouted dense crops of translucent hairs the width of hawsers。
The vines traveled up to the roof and down to the floor in clusters； where they were rooted in the soil。 There； smaller spheres sprouted on single vines； with spores of the mature forms growing in the middle。
Bowie sat and Musica knelt； each looking off in the opposite direction at the tree…broad base of one of the rootvines。 Louie waited in the van； some distance off。
〃Everyone is looking for you；〃 she was saying。 〃I was so afraid you'd been hurt or captured。〃
〃It almost happened。 It still could； but now I don't care。〃
She turned to him。 〃Why do you say that？〃
Without looking at her； he reached out to close his hand around her pale； slender forearm。 〃Now that I've found you again； nothing else matters to me。〃
She said haltingly； 〃It's very strange to me； but I feel the same way。 And the odd yearning…that peculiar disquiet in me is no longer there when we are together。〃
〃We belong together。〃
〃I would be happy to remain this way for the rest of time； Bowie。〃
He was about to reply in kind when a harsh voice cut through the peace。 〃Do not move； Micronian！ Stand slowly！〃
Bowie found himself gaping at Karno and two others more or less just like him； and the big dark muzzles of their guns。
CHAPTER TWELVE
When the Robotech Masters first appeared； Earth sent its only mecha factory off on a far； SDF…style orbit。 It went to Code Red and manned battle stations。 It issued heartening war bulletins。
No wonder the situation got so crazy。 Southern Cross had forgotten the lessons of terrestrial wars； and nobody had warned us that we might see the enemy as Human beings。
Louie Nichols； Tripping the Light Fantastic
〃Musica； move away from the alien at once；〃 manded Darsis。 More guards with their guns leveled appeared from among the massive vines。
〃He is an enemy of our people；〃 Karno stated。 But Musica defied him； moving to stand between Bowie and the Guards； arms spread。
〃You mustn't hurt him； Karno！ I forbid it！ He's done you no harm！〃
She forbids？ The insanity of it boggled Karno's brain。
Darsis frowned。 〃Anyone shielding an enemy of the state will be punished！ Now； stand aside； Musica！〃
The Guards were in a quandary； though； Musica was far too vital to the Robotech Masters and their hold over the population of the ships to simply shoot； and she knew it。 It was a situation the Guards had never encountered before。
They were saved from the inconvenience of thinking by the revving of a van engine。 Louie came hot…tailing at the Guards； yelling for Bowie to make a break。 Karno and his men got a few rounds into the van； but then had no choice but to hit the dirt or scatter。
They were up again right away； firing into the vehicle's stern； and it arced toward the ground leaking smoke into the distance。 Louie managed to get out of the van and saw the Guards racing after him。 He turned to go； but realized there was a beeping in his pocket。
He pulled forth one of his gadgets； studied it； smiled broadly； and raced off to make his escape。
Bowie； going for cover in the midst of a tangle of the colossal vine…roots； skidded to a stop。 More guards emerged from it； hemming him in against those pursuing him。
Louie shook off his hunters and followed his gadget； it didn't take very long to find what he had detected。 Some sixth sense prehension of systemry and Robotechnology led him to a vaulted partment in what had to be the center of the flagship。 To his amazement； it was unguarded。 What he found there left him speechless。
In the center of the vastness was a device the size of an upright shuttlecraft。 Top and bottom wire sawtoothed halves； as if a cylinder of taffy had been sawn apart and stretch