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e looking for her so that you can use her as a peace envoy。 Don't do that； Mr。 Chairman。〃
Chairman Moran…white…haired； white…mustached； kind old Uncle Pat； as some mentators called him…frowned。 〃That's not for you to say。〃
Zand's vacuous…faced； unobtrusive aide had taken a seat off to one side。 Now Zand shot him a look。 Russo leapt to his feet。 Suddenly； instead of a vacant…eyed hound； he was once more the senator； the kingmaker and wheeler…dealer he had been back in the days of the old UEDC； despite the persona that fooled younger people。
〃'Lo； Patrick；〃 he said。 〃You know what the boss； here； wants。〃 It was as if he were still wearing pinky rings； and carrying a long Havana cigar。 〃Listen： You've gotta start following that party line； fella。〃
Zand concealed his own fascination with Russo's transformation。 In the wake of the terrible attack of Dolza； at the end of the war with the Zentraedi （but before the attack of Khyron）； Russo had simply been listed as missing and presumed dead。
It was Zand's good luck to discover him； babbling and insane； in a refugee center： the man who knew most of the secrets of the Earth's government； and had leverage against so many rulers and would…be rulers。 Zand's Protoculture powers put Russo under his control with a mere pulse of thought。
Russo was still talking in that back…room…boys voice。 〃Paddy！ Patto！ We're not asking you not to make the offer； fella！ We're just asking you man to man； to hold off a while。〃
〃We don't have a while…〃 Moran began。
〃There's time；〃 Russo said； a little more sternly。 〃Time for Doc Zand； here； to get a better deal！ But if you wanna play hardball； we can play hardball。〃
Moran was looking at him； but not saying anything。 Russo went on； 〃Those fingerprints are probably still on file in the vaults down in Rio； Pat； I think they survived the war。 And what about that prosecutor？ D'you think his skeleton is still there？〃
Zand silently congratulated himself am having salvaged what was left of Russo's brain and the body it came in。 The kingpin of prewar politics was a henchman devoutly to be grateful for。
〃How wouldja like the opposition party to force a confidence vote？〃 Russo hinted darkly。 Zand was pleased with the look on Moran's face。
〃Not now。 We could have peace； I think…〃
Russo almost pounced at Moran。 〃You still can； Pat！ We're not saying you can't！ We're just saying： Give us until tomorrow。 is that so much to ask？ The peace you make could be better than anything you ever imagined！ My friend； if you want your place in the hist'ry books； this is the time to be brave！〃 Russo subsided just the right amount。 〃But you gotta play along。〃
Moran was lost in thought for a second； his opposition would certainly be able to call for a vote of confidence if Russo's secrets were made known。 Now； of all times！ How did I get involved in such terrible things； Moran wondered a little dazedly； trying to do good？ 〃Very well； but only twenty…four hours。〃
He touched a timer function on his watch； the twenty…four hours began。
〃You'll never regret it； Paddy；〃 Russo said。 Moran made a nonmittal sound and moved for the door。
With his hand on the knob； he swung around to Zand； indicating Russo。 〃Keep that thing away… from me； is that understood？〃
Zand snapped his fingers； but more importantly； sent out a mental signal。 The thing that had been Senator Russo went blank…faced again and sat down in the nearest chair。
Moran gave a fatigued； grudging nod； and went off to stick his finger； his head； his body into the hole in the dike。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Little Protoculture Leaf；
Waiting for our palates；
Where will you take us？
Flower of Life！
Treat us well！
Ancient song of the autotones of Optera
Hovertanks were not the sort of transportation appropriate to stalking fugitives in the wilds； so the 15th took out two jeeps and got ready to go afield。
There was something like a picnic air to it； any break from bat and bat alert was to be enjoyed； and nobody really thought Dana was going to hand Bowie and Musica over to the GMP； although no one was sure what she would do。 So they loaded up the jeeps with weapons； field gear； rations； detection equipment； mo apparatus； and the rest。
At Louie Nichols's tentative inquiry as to whether or not she had any idea where Bowie might go； Dana hedged。 But she declared； 〃We play this one by the book。 Isn't that what we've always done？〃
Well； no； it wasn't…her words didn't reassure them； but her sly wink did。 The ATACs were a lot happier…except for Angelo…as they set off； just as the sun came above the horizon。
Above them； Zor watched their departure from the ready…room。 At the mand of the SCA brass； he was ordered not to acpany the hunters。 He thought about the wording of the order； as the jeeps disappeared。
From her vantage point nearby； Nova Satori studied the route the 15th was taking； and revved her Hovercycle。
Protoculture was accessible to the Masters only through the Matrices and the power…supplying masses the Matrices produced。 The germinal stage of the Flower of Life was contained in a balance something like that between fusion and gravity in the core of a star。
But eventually； the urge of the Flower of Life to bloom overcame any means of prevention ever devised； and that was happening now。 Making matters far worse was the disaster of the loss of the flagship and its Protoculture mass。
The Robotech Masters' options had all been used up； they would have to strike； all…out； at once； or lose the means to strike at all。
〃And that is my decision； approved by the council；〃 Supreme mander Leonard was saying。 〃We'll launch a final； no…quarter offensive against the alien fleet mencing at thirteen hundred hours today。〃
All preparations had been made in secret。 No one pointed out any of the hundred strategic inadequacies in the plan； at Moon Base ALUCE； Emerson heard the news through a direct mo link to the mand center； but made no ment。
〃We will drive them from our skies forever or die trying；〃 Leonard finished。
Long； slanting rays of sunlight wakened Musica。 She shivered a bit； lying on Bowie's jacket with her own dew…covered one over her； but the day was already being warm。
She heard a melodious sound and opened her eyes。 On a large open area of water nearby…a smallish lake； but much bigger than anything she had ever seen before…an egret swept in low for a landing。 Smaller birds trilled to one another in a natural symphony that delighted and amazed her。
Bowie wasn't next to her。 Rubbing her eyes drowsily； she looked around for him and saw the tree under which they had taken shelter the night before。 A thrill ran through her as she remembered what had happened between them then； the most beautiful music of all。
The clouds were all gone； making way for a clear blue sky； moisture dripped from the leaves and the air was filled with the scent of renewal。 How could I have thought this planet so awful？ It's beautiful； it's magic…oh； I have so much to learn！
Then she spied him and heard him。 Bowie was working on the Hovercycle with tools from its small kit。 〃Just about ready to go；〃 he said when she called out to him； then he stopped； taking a longer lo