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A thin whine of engines caught her attention； and she looked up to see an assault ship ing in at her； flying unsteadily； seemingly about to go into a nosedive。
She threw herself flat； expecting the worst； but somehow the vessel righted itself enough for a jouncing set…down right near her。 She remembered that she was unarmed； but she had no place to run and was too tired and battered to feel fear…thought that； perhaps； she would never know it again。
But when the assault craft's hatches opened； instead of letting forth attack teams of Triumviroids； it yielded her own 15th squad； along with Nova； Musica； and a bunch of clones。
〃Damn it； Phillips！〃 Angelo Dante was seething。 〃I'd like to see you make a better landing with an XT ship！ We walked away from it； didn't we？〃
〃All I said was；〃 Sean replied in a blase voice； 〃that I could do better with boxing gloves on。 Hey； Dana！ You made it！〃
The refugees stayed back； but her squadmates and Musica and Nova clustered around her； along with Marie Crystal and Dennis Brown。 She blinked at him。 〃How did you find me？〃
〃Picked up your voice transmissions from the escape capsule；〃 Angelo said。 〃But then； all of a sudden； the engines and all the systems quit。 We had to land on emergency power。〃
〃Ya shoulda let Marie and Dennis take over；〃 Sean snorted。
But Dana was shaking her head。 〃No； Angie couldn't help what happened。 It's the Protoculture…there was nothing he could do。〃 Angelo looked at her strangely； not used to having her defend him。
There were still Protoculture power supplies on Earth； she knew； outside the radius of effect of the wraiths' transformation。 Enough to animate mecha for a transition period。 But there would be no new Matrices； no new sources。
〃The war's over； Lieutenant；〃 Bowie told her happily。 〃The enemy mecha stopped fighting； and the clones just want peace。〃
〃That's。。。that's great； Bowie。〃 He didn't understand why she sounded like she was about to start bawling。 People noticed the Pollinator； but hesitated to ask about it。 They saw the huge Flower that had been Zand； but they were used to seeing the triad plants by now； and even such a huge one was far down on the list of topics of discussion。
〃Where's Zor？〃 Musica inquired timidly； fearing to hear the answer。
Dana pointed to where the mushroom cloud of spores and petals still rose up and up； funneled into the higher atmosphere； sent on their appointed way by those strange winds。 〃He died trying to save Earth。〃
Musica was shaking her head slowly； looking at the pink petals and tiny spores that filled the sky like a blizzard。 〃But in vain。 Now the Invid e。 Oh poor； poor Zor！〃 Bowie slipped his armored arm around her。
Nova drew a deep breath and declared； 〃Well； then！ We've got to get back and report to whoever's in interim mand！ We have defenses to set up； plans to make…〃 She looked a little funny acting military with the infant still in her arms。
But Dana was shaking her head； too。 〃You do what you have to。 I'm through with war。〃 She already saw where her new course lay。
She had beheld something greater than herself； greater than the Human race or any other corporeal race。 She understood at last the Vision that had filled her dreams all her life。 She knew that there was no way to oppose or derail the Shaping； though there was much more suffering and strife ahead。 She recalled that magnificent； infinitely sad Phoenix of racial transfiguration； and the recollection took away some of her sorrow。
〃What d'you mean？ You think you can hide from what's ing？〃 Nova snapped。 〃There's nowhere to run； Dana。〃 The 15th and the others were looking at her worriedly； too； afraid that what she had been through had pushed her over the edge。
〃What's going to happen on Earth will go beyond armies； beyond Protoculture；〃 she told them calmly。 〃The next Robotech War will be the last； but I've had enough。 I'm going to find my parents； and my sister。 They're with a group that includes Admiral Hunter and Admiral Hayes； who've parted ways with the original SDF…3 expedition。 They're trying to establish a new； positive force； the Sentinels。 I'm joining them。〃
Everybody was babbling at once； but Angelo Dante held stage center by dint of his overwhelming voice。 〃Even if you weren't crazy； Dana； there's no way to get there！ All the Robotech Masters' starships were blown to smithereens； and Earth ain't got no more。〃 He looked toward the flaming remains of Monument City and Fokker Base。 〃And ain't likely to for a long； long time。〃
The Pollinator let out a playful yip and he reached out unconsciously to pet the thing； barely aware that Polly was there。
Dana puzzled for a microsecond； but her new powers offered up the answer at once； like some unfailing databank。 〃Before too long； a senior officer named Wolfe will arrive with another expedition； carrying word from the SDF…3； like Major Carpenter's ships did。
〃By then； I'll be ready with the fuel and charts and everything else I need to take one of his ships and find my family and the others。 Any of you who want to e are wele。〃
They didn't have to ask if she meant to get the starship by legal means； the world was in ruins and all chains of mand shattered。 All the military certainties were swept away。
And； somehow； nobody thought to scoff at her； not even the aloof； skeptical Nova。 The way back to what they had known was shut to them forever； within seconds they were all telling her she could count them in。 All save one。
〃Wish you the best of luck；〃 he said； then shrugged a little。 〃You follow your own instincts； Dana； but somehow I figure my place is here。 I think Earth's gonna need me。〃
She accepted that； knew that special knowledge was given where it was needed； and that she was far from unique in that regard。 〃If it's what you want； Louie。〃
Louie Nichols gave his patented clever…funny smirk。 〃There's still a lot of things I want to know； and I can only find 'em out here。 And besides； well…don't laugh！…but maybe I've got my own part to play。〃 He adjusted the big； dark tech goggles self…consciously。
Nobody laughed。 There would be months； perhaps years； of preparation yet…in a world half in ruins…and only Dana had any coherent idea of what was to e。 But somehow there was； on the crest of the little hill； a feeling very much like what the sundering of the Round Table must have felt like。
ATAC squad 15 （Hovertanks） turned to get the refugees formed up for the long hike back to Monument City； the assault ship would never rise again。 There were already the pairings of Bowie and Musica； Sean and Marie。 And now； Nova Satori stayed close to Dennis Brown； the looks they exchanged spoke eloquently。
Dana； sitting on a rock； was stripping off the armor that she hoped never to have to wear again。 The spores still drifted everywhere。 A sudden loneliness had e over her； there was so very much to do yet； and no one could possibly share her knowledge and her responsibilities…no one could ever understand her longing。 She let go a long breath。
Something blocked the low； orange rays of the sunset from her。 Angelo Dante stood there； stretching and scratching； having ditched his own armor； wearing a pack made up of most of the usable thin