gs； or other clues。 We even blew open the ground and lasered down nearby trees； they were solid。
〃I'm splitting you into search units。 Battlepods and Quadronos will deploy on the ground； Battloids will fly recon and cover。 I'm hoping the Garudans' extended senses； the Karbarrans' hunting and tracking skills； or the Praxians' scouting procedures turn up something we missed。〃
He looked to Baldan。 〃And I was thinking…maybe if there's some equivalent of the Crystal Highways here 。 。 。〃 Baldan nodded his gleaming head。 〃I'll do what I can do； Admiral。〃
Rick began calling off assignments。 The mixed contingents sorted themselves out to move back into the target zone。
〃Aw； sca…rew！〃
Angelo Dante knelt with the stock of his rifle pressed to his cheek； swinging the muzzle this way and that in the milkwhite mist。 Not that there were any targets around； it was just something to do while he tried to sort things out。 〃Not again；〃 he grated。
Like most of the younger Amazons； Gnea had developed a preference for modern； high…firepower weapons over the traditional arms of her Sisterhood。 Now； though； for reasons she could not quite pin down； she reslung her submachine gun and took her halberd in hand； giving it a preparatory spin； the long curved blade leaving a silver trail in the air。 〃You mean you've encountered this phenomenon before； Sergeant？〃 Like his； her voice brought no echoes。 She wondered if they were outdoors。
〃Naw。 It's just…weird stuff like this； ma'am。 It simply ain't military。〃
And it always sounded so goddamn lame in an after…action report。 Like when Angie and the other ATACs went through all that crap in the Masters' spade…shaped mother ship。 Living energy nexuses and mindmusic and alien horticulture。 Try writing those up without having some G…staff chairborne mando laughing at you！
It was all too involved to explain to some dame from another planet。
Gnea pivoted； spinning her polearm to hold it at high port； and kept watch in the opposite direction。 〃What's the last thing you remember？〃
〃Uh 。。。 We were moving through that open area； and I felt something kinda strange； like the way electricity makes your hair stand up； only it was inside my head。 So； that…〃
He hated to hurt a woman's feelings； but… 〃So I gave you the signal to pull back； only you didn't do it。〃 He was making a circular motion with one hand。
She took a quick glance at it over her shoulder。 〃Oh； yes； your UEG field signal。 It took me a moment to remember what it meant； in our army that's the gesture for close intervals。〃
It's what you get mixing different services together； he thought sourly； but kept it to himself。 〃So whatever that tinsael blizzard was； it got you； too。〃 He began trying to raise somebody on the tactical freq。
Gnea sensed nothing nearby； visibility looked like it might be several dozen yards； but it was impossible to make an accurate estimate； lacking any point of reference。 She set the spiked butt of her halberd on the； floor by her feet （at least； she assumed it was a floor； it was glossy and smooth； like a single white tile）。
〃Sergeant； I think it would've gotten us no matter what。 And I don't think something's gone to all this trouble just to harm us。〃
Well； she was a cool one； he had to give her that。 All frequencies were silent； and so Angelo came to his feet； rifle leveled at waist height； covering his field of fire。 〃Maybe not。 Even though some aliens I've known like to collect specimens。〃
He slipped a pencil flare out of his belt pouch； struck it alight； and dropped it to the ground。 〃What we'll do is work out as far as we can； keepin' the flare in sight； and run a circular search pattern。〃
She frowned。 〃You mean split up？〃
〃Hell no！ What d' ya think this is； a slasher movie？〃
〃Excellent。〃 She whipped the halberd around again； bringing it en garde。 Angie thought； If this is a movie； at least the slasher's on my side。
〃Only；〃 Gnea went on； wetting a forefinger and holding it up； 〃I seem to feel an air current ing from that direction。 Shall we start there？〃
〃Good as any other。〃
They both moved to take the point at the same moment； then looked at each other。 There was no telling who out ranked whom。 Gnea topped Angelo by half a head and more； from her looks and reputation and what he had seen of the Praxians already； he was prepared to believe she could handle herself。 But still； she was carrying that frog dissector while he had a rifle with its selector switch flicked over to continuous fire。 〃Look； if y' don't mind？〃
Gnea nodded with reserved grace。 〃By all means。〃 She knew that some human males still harbored strange attitudes about females。 But at least this one was quick to react； willing to shoulder a dangerous job。 Perhaps he was even as petent as he seemed to think。
Angelo found himself staring into those inhuman eyes of hers； eyes that belonged in a bird of prey。 He forced himself to look away from them。 The two moved out with Gnea watching behind； going in a sort of sideways crab step。 Their footfalls sounded lonely and small。 In thirty paces （fewer for Gnea） the flare was getting dim behind them； but the current of air was stronger。 〃How long will it burn？〃 she asked。
〃Fifteen minutes； anyway。 Let's keep goin'。〃
〃Yes； but drop another flare。〃
He did； not that there was much to go back to。 Another thirty paces and the air had a distinct cold tinge to it。
〃An exit； maybe；〃 Angelo muttered； striking a third flare。 Before he had to reach for a fourth； something loomed up in the mist before them。 With scale so tough to judge； he thought at first that it was a city or at least a building。
They drew close enough to make out details。 When they finally had a clear look at it； they stopped in their tracks。 Angie's jaw was hanging open。 〃Well； tug my gearshift and call me Five…Speed。〃
Gnea shouldered her halberd： 〃I think you might as well got your weapon up； Sergeant。 Whatever did this； I doubt a leer means much to it； and we definitely don't want to offend it。〃
Angelo had never been very enthusiastic about taking orders from women except when they made overwhelming sense。 Like now。 He slung his piece； and they continued on； walking side by side。
〃Y' know； this qualifies as theft of gov'ment property；〃 it occurred to him to observe。
Gnea smiled unexpectedly。 〃And have you brought proof of ownership？〃
That one gave him pause。 〃I don't think they put serial numbers on spacefold drives。〃
The Protoculture drives…or rather； the casing that held them； what the engineers called the housing…bulked before them； big as a building。 Somehow； out in the open likethat； they were less overpowering than in the SDF…3's drive section。 Nevertheless； the two could not see the far end from where they stood。
Of course； the trillion…dollar question was how the hell the drives had gotten there…wherever 〃there〃 was…and who or what had done it。 Angelo figured the answer to that one would go a long way toward explaining what had happened to the SDF…3 and what the newspace stuff was all about。
〃They're ours； all right；〃 Gnea said。 〃You see that multiphaser？ Doctor Lang's work。〃
Hot for the first time since they had gone on…line； the fold drives were pletely dark； inert。 Like so many other Robotech devices； the housing had had all Protoculture drained from it。 Only unlike the rest； the physical structure had been stolen； too。
〃Maybe there's another around here someplace；〃 Angelo mused as he and Gnea began a slow tour around the huge drives housing。 To him it resembled a great sealed city of domes； megablocks； and manifold roadways。
〃Another fold drive array？〃
He clicked his tongue。 〃Yeah。 The one the old SDF…1 lost back in 'oh…nine； near Pluto。 Maybe something around here collects 'em。〃
They pleted a cautious circuit of the fold drives housing without finding anything else。 Gnea pointed to a stairway leading to the service catwalks。 〃We might be able to see something from up there。〃
〃Worth a try。〃
They made their way to the little mesa that was the top of the primary containment casing。 But there was nothing to see； they could not even spot the flares。 Angelo yelled into the wintry mist through cupped hands； and Gnea fired three spaced shots； but there was no response of any kind。
〃I suppose we could reconnoiter further；〃 Gnea ventured。 〃Huh uh；〃 Angie said firmly； seating himself tailor fashion with his rifle across his thighs。 He dug for his canteen。 〃Now that we found 'em； I'm sittin' my butt right here on top of 'em till they take us home。〃
〃Yes； I thought you might feel that way。〃
Oh； yes； la…de…da。 Like she's got everything doped out。 He stopped himself before taking the swig of water； though； automatically offering her the first drink。 〃Thirsty？〃
Gnea canted her head at him。 〃I have water of my own； thank you。〃 She swiveled her hip around to show him the canteen on her belt。 It was an exquisite hip； in keeping with the rest of her。 〃Did you think a Praxian would be unequipped？ 〃
〃No。 Who cares？ Suit yourself。〃 He slugged at the canteen in an evil temper。
She hunkered down； holding her halberd upright。 Males were so difficult to understand； especially human males。 She recalled the infatuation between Jack Baker and herself。 Of course； that had had a lot to do with the pulsion Tesla had worked on them both。 But it had taught her something of the confusing； unsettling； and not always controllable； nature of relationships between the sexes。
〃If I've offended you somehow； Sergeant； I ask your forgiveness。〃
Sweet Baby Jesus cookies on Christmas！ Now he really felt like dirt！ 〃Naw； y' didn't do anything wrong ma'am…uh； Gnea。 〃
She nodded sagely。 〃I'd heard you were heartsick over the officer Dana Sterling。 Such things can be troublesome。〃 Angelo's face turned purple。 〃What'd they do； announce it over the PA？〃
Actually； he had made some inroads with his former CO on the trip out from Earth。 They had always had a sort of feuding friendship； and when Zor Prime died in the final explosion that released the Flower of Life across the planet； Dana and her senior NCO seemed to e together as natural as magnets。
Then； of course； they had arrived at Tirol； and Dana had met Rem。 Seeing what was between the clone and Minmei； Dana had forced herself to stay away from them。 Things between her and Angie were never the same again； though。 He figured that part of the reason she had stayed behind with her folks was because he…and Rem and Minmei； for that matter…were going on the SDF…3。
So； now that was general gossip； huh？ Angelo considered Gnea； squatting there in that getup of hers…part armor； part uniform； mostly skin…and realized morosely what truly had him bristling at her。
〃Hai！〃 she said； making it sound like a swear word。 〃Now I've done it again！ I didn't mean to get you upset。〃
But he shook his head。 〃Drop it； okay？ It's not important。〃 He stood up just for something to do。
Gnea stood； too； and they were face to face。 Almost touching…he could see the pulse beat in her throat and feel his own。 She smelled exotic and exciting。
Looking into the avian eyes； he heard himself say； 〃I don't want to think about 。 。 。 about 。 。 。〃
She made a raptor's hissing sound and clutched the harness at his shoulder。 Angelo re