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The little girl was giggling。 But then she turned and raced away in the direction from which she had e。 Dana was left to yell； 〃Hey！ Please e back！ I want to know more！〃
Two more shadow…figures had appeared； a man and a woman； graceful beings whose figures were indistinct in the way of this strange half world。 A cape billowed around the woman； and there was something familiar about the way the man had his arm around her； two presences Dana had felt before。
The child went running toward them； and they opened their arms to her。 As the three apparitions looked to her； Dana heard voices she knew； speaking without speech。
The spores； Dana！ Beware the spores； and the Invid！
〃The…the what？〃 She felt dizzy。 Her own memories and old tapes of Max and Miriya Sterling told her that she was truly hearing her parents' voices…or rather； their thoughts。
Beware the Invid！ They will e in search of the spores！
She had a million things to ask them and to tell them； but the contact seemed to be growing weaker； for when the mind…message came again； it was faint。
Time grows short。 So much has happened since our last contact with Earth； so many astounding things！ Your powers are awake now； and they are growing！ Use them cautiously； we of the Sentinels are only beginning to understand the true nature of Protoculture。
The Sentinels？ Dana wondered at the sound of the words。
And then she heard was her sister's voice。 We love you； Dana！ We love you very much！
We love you very； very much； daughter； her parents added； as the voices faded。
〃Oh； I…I love you； too！ And I miss you so！〃
Them the shadow figures were gone； and she was left to hope they had heard her； as the pink petals of the Flower of Life drifted around her。
CHAPTER TWENTY…THREE
I lie down at night with my children safely asleep and my dear wife beside me and send up a…one hopes； modest…prayer to the One。 And the prayer is thanks。
But； oh！ Those days！ How I would love to have lived them； even if it were only to be slain on the first！
Isaac Mandelbrot； Movers and Shakers： The Heritage of the Second Robotech War
Zor crouched near Dana's body； glaring up at the images of the two surviving Robotech Masters。
He still held his weapon； but it would do him little good； Shaizan and Bowkaz had struck in the moment Zor turned aside to shoot down the android shock troopers they had summoned。 That had been the work of mere seconds； but in that time； as Zor stood straddling the unconscious Dana； the Masters had recovered the last Protoculture mass and made their escape； protected by the powers of the cap。
But they had sent back their mind…projected simulacra to deliver their death warrant。 Zor heard Dana begin to stir； but felt little relief； his hatred of the Masters was too all…consuming for him to feel any gentler emotion。
Dana raised her head groggily； hearing the one called Shaizan saying； 〃All those who stand against us shall perish！ Soon we will have the Matrix； and be all…powerful once more。 Therefore； surrender to us and be spared； Zor。〃
She saw the two Masters； but realized that she could see through them； as though they were made of stained glass。
Zor threw his head back and spat； 〃Your perversion of the Protoculture only proves how little you truly know about it。 Do you think such things can go unpunished？ No！ And I'll never rest until there has been vengeance。〃
Dana had hauled herself to her feet； mind still whirling with the things she had seen and heard in her trance。 But she drew a deep breath and said； 〃I'll be right behind you； Zor。〃
That seemed to bring him out of his seizure of blind rage。 He turned and put his hand on her shoulder。 〃Thank you。 Thank you many times over； Dana。 For showing me kindness and。。。for caring for me。 For helping me bee whole again； and free myself。〃
He smiled； but it was bittersweet； as he shouldered his weapon。 〃I only wish you were safely out of here。〃
He indicated the partment's hatch。 〃That's one barrier we could never burn through with hand weapons； and the Masters have sealed us in…given the ship's systemry an order through their Protoculture cap。 We're trapped。〃
〃Are you sure？ It's worth a try； anyhow。〃 She crossed to it。 〃Maybe we can short…circuit it； or something。〃
He was about to tell her that the Protoculture didn't work that way。 That there was no hope of countermanding the Masters' instruction to it； when the hatch opened to their touch at the controls。
Zor Prime looked at her； open…mouthed。 〃By the Protoculture！〃 he whispered。 〃Who are you？〃
She shrugged。 I'm only beginning to find out。 In a lot of ways； we're the same。 Now； how do we find those two and stop them？〃
He had the rifle off his shoulder again。 〃Rest assured： we will find them。〃
〃Musica's e！〃 Octavia rose from her ministrations to a dying clone； and Allegra did the same。 Already； in the Muses' minds； there were the unheard harmonies of their triumvirate。
Musica appeared a moment later； leading the ATACs and Nova Satori and Dennis Brown。 The Muses were reunited in a three…cornered embrace。 〃I'm so happy you both are still alive！〃 Musica said。 〃Many of our people have been set adrift in space。〃
Bowie had e up behind her。 〃We've got to get out of here。 The guards are headed this way！〃
The Muses turned to their people； the three voices raised in urgent singsong； beseeching them to get up； to follow and escape。
The phlegmatic clones didn't seem to hear； at first； but in moments the 15th troopers were tugging them upright。 Dante's voice came in a roaring counterpoint； getting more of the clones moving the way only an experienced NCO could； he was perfectly happy frightening and intimidating people； if it was for their own good。
Nova； too； helped roust the Masters' slaves。 She no longer looked on them as the enemy or soulless biological units； she had changed； just as the others had changed in this last stage of the Second Robotech War。 ing across the tiny infant clone that Dana had seen on the 15th's last foray aboard a Master ship； she saw no one else was looking after it and so gathered it up in her arms； calling on the adults to follow her lead。
In seconds； scores of clones who had been resigned to death were up and active。 Hope； and the example of Musica and her sisters； filled the emptiness that had afflicted the clones when the Masters discarded them。
The patchwork Terran attack fleet moved in； deploying its bat forces； and opened fire。 A…JACs； VTs； and other bat craft raked the mother ships with energy weapons and all the ordnance they could carry。 Triumviroids swept out to meet them； fighting with a furious disregard for their own survival。
The Human battlecruisers let loose their volleys； missiles and cannon blasts lit the scene。 Warheads blossomed in hideous orange…red eruptions。 The Robotech Masters' Flower budshaped guns answered； filling that volume of the void with their eerie green electric…arc effects and white…hot volleys。
With power so low； though； the Masters couldn't afford to generate their snowflakelike defensive fields； and so the battle was a slugging match。 The four remaining mother ships； drained of their Protoculture reserves； were sitting ducks fo