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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 look at her。 〃You're even more wonderful to look at in the morning than you are at night。〃
〃So are you； Bowie。〃
In another few minutes they were on the cycle and racing down the road。 Musica had never felt so free； so deliriously happy。
Bowie got his bearings； and turned his course for his objective。 Soon； the mound that was the burial cairn of SDF…1 came into sight。
Veritechs were launched from Fokker Base while A…JACs were trundled into the transports for the assault。 Hatches were run back from missile silos as ground armored and artillery units deployed to defensive positions against enemy counterattack。
〃General Emerson； you are aware that the enemy is on the move with his entire fleet； preparing to attack Earth？〃
Emerson looked at Leonard's sweating face on the screen。 〃Yes； sir。〃 Was aware of it； had expected it； and had marshaled all the moon's forces to try to help cope with it。
〃You will move at once with all units under your mand and engage the enemy； blunting his attack and otherwise bringing your total force to bear against him；〃 Leonard ordered。 〃You will under no circumstances break off contact or withdraw； you and your contingent are totally mitted； do I make myself clear？〃
A death warrant wasn't too hard to read。 〃Yes； sir。〃
When Leonard signed off； Emerson turned to Colonel Green。 〃Find Rochelle； please…oh； and Lieutenants Crystal and Brown…and meet me in my office。 Pass the word to stand ready； we'll be launching in ten minutes。〃
Sean was at the wheel； Dana in the 90％ seat； lost in thought。
Louie pulled up even with them so that Angelo could yell； 〃You can stop worrying about what you wanna do with them when you find 'em！〃
He was holding a pair of pu…binoculars and he jerked a thumb toward the road behind。 〃We got a little tail with GMP plates on it。 Hovercycle。〃
〃Nova！〃
Sean didn't seem disturbed。 〃Want to lose her？ Fasten your seatbelt； ma'am。〃 He tromped the accelerator； and Louie did the same。
At the base of the mound； Musica said； 〃Are you sure this is the right one？ The one where you saw the Flowers of Life？〃
There were two others。 Under one rested the SDF…2； and under the other the remains of the battlecruiser of Khyron the Backstabber。
〃This is the one； I'm certain；〃 Bowie said。 Somewhere deep within were the remains of Admiral Henry Gloval； enlisted…rating techs Kim Young； Sammie Porter； and Vanessa Leeds； and Bowie's aunt； mander Claudia Grant…five names that rang in Earth and Southern Cross history。
〃Bowie； this place frightens me。〃 The mound was a high； Human…made butte scraped together from the surrounding countryside to cover the radioactive remains of Earth's one…time defender。 The short half…life radiation was safer than it had been fifteen years before； but it still wasn't a place in which to linger long。 Still； they had to do what must be done。
〃Trust me；〃 he said； taking her hand again。 They entered the cave…tunnel he and Dana had found some weeks before。
A few yards in； they made their way over a rock and into an underground corridor。 It was a prefab walkway that had been dropped in along with so many tons of rubble and building materials in the frantic effort to seal up the radiation。
It took several reassurances from Bowie to make her believe the bats； spiders； and other creatures rustling around her or scuttling overhead wouldn't hurt her。
The burial material that had been piled here so long ago had been originally slated for installation in a new government building。 Ageless； round Buddha…like faces gazed out at the explorers from each pour…formed block。 Mushrooms； moss； and fungus were in abundance。 Water seeped from the ceiling and walls； to form brackish； vile…smelling pools。
Bowie felt his way along one wall； fingertips brushing through the slime； as Musica clung to his elbow。 In time； they spied a light ahead and quickly went toward it。
It was an exit to the space in the center of the mound。 Just as they were about to go through； a gust of golden dust； fine as fog； hit them。
〃Wha？〃 Bowie's head reeled and he went to one knee。
〃Bowie！ What's wrong？〃 She knelt next to him。
He shook his head； clearing it。 〃Just dizzy for a second。〃
〃The Flowers！ It must be the Flowers of Life！〃 She looked out at the open space in the center of the mound。 〃Bowie； we've e too late！〃
Something was strobing and gleaming up ahead； she ran toward it； leaving it for him to catch up。 He tottered through the doorway and stood reeling as if he had taken a punch。
Above them glowed something that reminded him of a kid's diagram of an atom…a plex assemblage of ring orbits that glistened in rainbow colors。 It was two hundred feet across； hanging unsupported near the ceiling of the place； it seemed to be playing notes like a delicate carillon。
But he only had a moment to gape； Musica gave a woeful cry。 〃It's just as I feared！ We're too late！〃
They were looking down into a vast circular pit like a transplanted rain forest； in a shallow soup of nutrient fluids。 There the Flowers of Life flourished in their triads； some open to show their triple structure。 Most of the buds were still closed in shape like a twisted； elongated teardrop； a shape that made Bowie think at once of the shape of the mother ships' cannon。 Among them； too； blew the golden pollen。
As they watched； more of the buds burst open； spewing forth the golden smoke。 But sporangial structures in the Flowers also cast forth seeds like miniature parasols； which drifted toward the ceiling； defying gravity and air currents。 It was like a gentle rain of glowing dandelion seeds in reverse。
Bowie tried to remember his botany classes and make some sense of it。 The Flowers looked like some kind of angiosperm； producing the golden pollen； and yet they cast forth spores； like gametophytes。 He couldn't guess what their alien life cycle might be like； or how it fit in with this Protoculture business。
She pointed to the tiny； drifting parasols； which looked like seeds to Bowie； but which she insisted on calling spores。 〃The Invid will sense this； no matter where they are。 They're probably on their way here even now。〃
〃The Invid？ Who're they？〃
〃The enemies of your people and mine！〃 That was true enough； though it didn't tell the truth； but it was all that she had been taught。
There was a rustling and a series of shallow little sounds； as if something alive was moving around somewhere in the mass of Flowers。 Bowie strained to see what it was； or hear it again； but could detect nothing。
Musica went down closer to the vast growing place； sandal heels slapping。 He followed； calling for her to be careful。
He had never been sure of exactly which part of the SDF…1 this open space corresponded to…hangar deck； or Macross City partment？…but he was beginning to suspect he knew。
The plants were growing so thickly that their stems were pressed into a mass that seemed to move and twist of its own volition。 He looked up and saw that； while the quickened spores drifted