now； and prove yourselves worthy of your heritage！〃
As the morning sun rose； the team stood on a cliff looking out at the Pacific。 Scott was calculating the variables and the absolutes involved in a run for Baja California； but the others were just enjoying themselves。 They were watching the crashing waves and the plaintive gulls； and enjoying the sight of the blue water and the broad beach。
From here on； according to fragmentary reports； the Invid watchposts and strongholds grew thicker and thicker。 In order to avoid them； a sea…cruise seemed the only hope。 The mecha were low on Protoculture again； and the ordnance was practically gone。 But they had made it to the sea。
From here； anything was possible。 Scott was thinking along the lines of a low； slow swing out over the ocean by night； leaving Lunk's truck and most of their other baggage behind…perhaps even abandoning one of the VTs。
That was when Annie pointed to her discovery。 The team just stood there staring； while Annie asked them what in the world it was。 Lancer answered。
〃Abandoned Southern Cross base； Annie。 bination Navy Division/Jungle Forces installation； I'd say。〃
The place was a cluster of piers； radio towers； hangars； domes and quonset huts； barracks and operations center structures。 Everything was decayed and overgrown with jungle plant life； and several of the roofs had collapsed。 It was nothing new to the team； a gleaming town in good repair would have surprised them； but this was just one more pocket of earthly decline。
They were instantly thinking about food； weapons； maps； and charts； perhaps even equipment or a boat。 in another second they were racing back to their mecha； eager to explore。
What pieces of mecha there were in the base were useless； but all other news was good。 There was a fair amount of Protoculture； ordnance that was patible with their VTs； sealed ration containers that had withstood the test of time； and a desalination plant that was still up to supplying a trickle of fresh water。 But best of all； there were three boats。
Two of the boats were missile PTs； heavily armed for their size and extremely quick and maneuverable。 The third was a cutter mounting missiles and a large pumpedlaser battery。 Finding the boats confirmed Scott's decision： The best way to make the run to Baja was by sea。 It would save Protoculture and they would be able to stay below the Invid sky sensors。 The VTs could take turns hitching a ride on the cutter； and the boats could carry a wealth of supplies and materiel。
Whatever had made the Southern Cross troops abandon their base； it had left them time to put their boats and other equipment in mothballs before they went。 In no time； the team was getting everything in working order again。 Aerosol cans' spray peeled off the sealant layers over the boats' engines and a lot of the other gear； special treatments had kept the hulls free of barnacles and such growth。 They were immune to rot； and as ready to go as when they had been laid down。
Lancer； standing his turn at watch in the tower； a binocular raised to his eyes； couldn't help but feel that chill he got whenever things were going a little too well。 It wasn't very many minutes later that he found himself staring through his binocular at a Shock Trooper whose optical sensor was looking right back at him。
〃What I figure is；〃 he was telling the others a minute later； 〃it's not sure yet that there's anything going on here。 But I'd be shocked if the Invid don't e looking around very soon。 If we want the element of surprise； we'd better get hopping。〃
Scott would have liked another two days to reconnoiter； double…check the boats from stem to stern； rest up； and perhaps even do a short sea…trial。 But he didn't even have two minutes。
Lunk had some experience with a Resistance quickboat outfit； and he was the logical one to take mand of the missile cutter。 He put out to sea with Annie and Marlene joining him on the bridge。 The two PTs were towed by hawsers。
The VTs lifted off to rendezvous with the tiny flotilla； but the minute they activated their Protoculture engines； Shock Troopers came shooting up out of the trees。 Annihilation discs hatched infernos all around them。
〃This always happens； very time I go up！〃 Rand plained。 〃Don't those guys have anything better to do？〃
The VTs went darting off on evasive maneuvers； the pilots punching up weapons and targeting displays。 The Troopers folded their ladybug…shaped forearms close to them and blasted after the VTs； firing from their shoulder…mounted cannon。 The fighters led the Invid on a long swing out to sea； to keep them away from the boats。 The humans were breathing heavily from the g…forces； legs locked； stomach muscles tightened to keep the blood up in their heads where it was needed the most。 The tac net sounded like a wrestling tournament。
One Shock Trooper got a glancing hit at Rook's ship。 Rand heard her groan of pain over the tac net； and his heart went cold。 He turned around； thumbed the trigger on his stick； and flamed a Shock Trooper that never even knew what hit it。 A second Trooper broke off its pursuit； diving and sliding to avoid meeting a similar fate。
〃Serves ya right for fooling around with the big kids！〃 Rand cut in full military power and caught up with his teammates。
Two more Troopers showed up but fell in with the surviving one； and turned back toward the coast。 Invid patrol patterns were a little inflexible； Scott saw。
Rand slid in until his wingtip was under Rook's and nearly touching her fuselage。 〃Hey； Rook？ Are you hurt？〃
Her answer had a clenched…teeth sound to it。 〃Nothing I can't live with； farmer。〃 He didn't press her about it； it would only have brought on another spitting match over the tac net。
〃But I owe you one；〃 she grated； taking him pletely by surprise。
In her cockpit； Rook looked down at the fizzling avionics； so badly shot up； and at the left thigh and bicep sections of her armor； which had been split open by flying shrapnel and Invid force ricochet。 Blood seeped from her wounds。
Lancer scouted ahead； and in less than ten minutes the VTs had located a place to rest。 They stopped in the midst of a tiny chain of islands not too far off shore。 While Rand coached Rook in for a landing； Lancer went back to help Scott provide air cover and guidance； and convoy the boats in。
Their rest stop had been a resort only a generation before。 A place where people came to worship the sun to the point of melanoma； pay for drinks with plastic beads； coo and woo under the coconut trees； surf； scuba。
To make love； Scott thought； looking around at the place。 The bay was translucent blue and the sand powder…white。 Eat； drink； gamble。 The team was doing all those things now； he assumed； although he might be projecting a little on the trysting part。 And the freedom fighters were gambling with and for things a lot more precious than plastic beads or casino plaques。
Annie had been reading manuals and instruction pamphlets； and decided to play nurse on Rook。 The onetime biker queen gritted her teeth but sat still for it。 Annie wound her upper arm and thigh in enough bandage to restrain a small moose。 Rand watched interestedly without seeming to； Rook had certain soft spots； like the one for Annie； and he was determined to learn them。 Then Rook scowled at him； and he turned his attention elsewhere。
Stripping to his shorts； Rand took the swim he had been thinking about since he had listened to the chorus of the gulls that morning。 Lunk had promised Scott that he could patch up Rook's Alpha and the other damage the VTs had suffered； with minimum delay。 But meanwhile； all they could do was wait。 Rook rested her chin on her fist and squinted balefully at Annie and Rand； who were frolicking in the surf。
Marlene； in a white mini bikini made of knotted lengths of parachute silk； went running and yelling into the water。 The wet silk made Rand gape； and then he looked away； swallowing with a loud noise。
Scott appeared to say that everything would be ready when Lunk was done。 Rand came out of the water sniffling and laughing and dripping…and happy。 Rook's jaw muscles jumped a bit； but she held back her temper。
Then Rand was holding his hand out to her； more serious than she was used to seeing him。 〃I'm sorry you were injured； but…c'mon down to the water and enjoy yourself。 Otherwise I can't be happy。〃
It shocked her so much that she didn't quite know what to say； but she saw that Rand suddenly wasn't smiling； he was just watching her。
She practically stuck the back of her hand in his eye。 〃I guess it can't hurt。 Well？ Aren't you gonna help me up？〃
Marlene and Annie stopped splashing each other and shouted happily for Rook's recovery as Rand gallantly helped her up and led her down to where the waves were foaming。 Rand called triumphantly； 〃Hey； look who finally gave in and decided to have some fun！〃
Scott saw Rook's fingers； the ones on her free hand； curl into a fist and then open again； away from Rand's sight。 It was like some quick debate。
Scott watched Marlene's lithe grace in the spray and surf。 Maybe they're right about this place。 We should enjoy it while we can。
Corg and Sera and the mecha they led split up to search the chain of islands for the rebels and for the Simulagent； Ariel。 Sensor triangulations indicated that there was a strong possibility she was near。
They understood their orders。 If possible； they were to contact Ariel。 If not； they were to observe her interaction with the Humans in order to determine the cause of her malfunction。 Failing any of the above； they were to destroy her utterly； and the outcasts who had swayed her。
Lancer grew despondent looking at the pointless destruction the Invid had inflicted on the island。 He followed a stream he had spotted from the air and found a small waterfall in a grotto a few hundred yards up an overgrown trail into the jungle。 He tried not to reflect upon all the people who had e that way before him； and what their eventual fate had been。
This time he put aside the Musume persona。 He waded in and began washing the sweat of fear and battle and the rankness of too many hours in the cockpit from him。 He sang loudly in Lancer's voice。 He sang as if he were trying to drown out some other tune； perhaps a funeral dirge。。。
It might have been memory of the Magruder ambush that kept him alert。 Even though the little waterfall was splattering； he heard foliage parting and swinging back； and caught the movement of a shadow out of the corner of one eye。
Sera had picked up those strange auditory impulses through the superattuned senses of her mecha。 The Regis had given her crowned offspring the means to know what it was to be a demigod； to soar over oceans and continents…to see each movement of the blades of grass； hear each bend of a leaf。
But the Regis never guessed what a trap that could be。 The strange sonic input kept Sera from firing on its source。 It kept her from contacting her brother Corg； or the Pincer Ships。 The only thing she could do was stalk closer。 She had heard the music of the spheres； but she had never heard Human singing before。
Before she realized what she was doing； she was out of the all…embracing armored safety of her mecha； paddin