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Rand stood up。 〃Yeah； and if the Regis hadn't decided to leave when she did； your precious fleet…〃 He pointed toward the ceiling。 〃…your precious fleet would have irradiated the lot of us！〃
〃You'd rather let the Invid have this planet？〃
〃I'd rather none of this happened； Scott。 But I don't see how dragging Marlene back into it's going to serve any purpose now。 She's living a normal life； Scott。 Let her be。〃
〃Where is she； Rand？〃 Scott pressed。 〃It's possible she knows where my friends are。〃
Rand regarded him。 〃The SDF…3？ How do you figure？〃
Scott forced out his breath。 〃The ship didn't emerge from hyperspace。 Relatively speaking； it vanished at the same moment the Invid left Earth。〃
〃So you figure what？〃
〃That they may have ended up in the same place。〃 Scott held Rand's gaze。 〃It's possible Marlene is still in rapport with the Regis。 That's why I need to talk to her； Rand。〃
The smaller man shook his head。 〃You're putting me between the proverbial rock and the hard place； mano。〃
〃Just tell me where she is； Rand。〃
Rand took a long pull from his mug。 〃She's with Lunk and Annie。 They're in Roca Negra。〃
Scott tried to place it。
〃Remember the book Lunk tried to deliver to Alfred Nader？〃
〃Of course；〃 Scott said in sudden realization。 〃That's where you'll find them。〃
〃Thanks； Rand。 〃
Reluctantly； Rand accepted the proffered hand。 〃One thing； Scott；〃 he said when they were seated again。 〃Lunk's not going to be as easy on you as I was。〃
CHAPTER FIVE
TO： NILES OBSTAT EYES ONLY
FROM： SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE RE： PROJECT STARCHILD
DNA ANALYSIS OF BLOOD AND TISSUE SAMPLES TAKEN FROM INVID SIMULAGENT （A。K。A 〃MARLENE；〃 〃ARIEL〃） PROVE UNEQUIVOCAL MATCH TO ON…FILE DNA PROFILES OF MARS DIVISION E。R。 TECH MARLENE RUSH （SEE APPENDED NOTES）。 SUGGEST THAT REGIS EXTRACTED RUSH TISSUE FROM WRECKAGE OF MARS GROUP AND USED FIND AS TEMPLATE FOR HER HUMANOID CREATIONS。 IT IS YET TO BE LEARNED WHETHER USE OF RUSH TEMPLATE WAS DELIBERATE OR COINCIDENTAL。 QUERY： IS COLONEL BERNARD TO BE INFORMED？ SUGGESTION： WITHHOLD ALL KNOWLEDGE OF CLONING UNTIL FULL DISCLOSURE IS WARRANTED OR DEEMED ADVISABLE。
G2 dispatch； quoted in； Sara Lemole's Improper Council： An Analysis of the Plenipotentiary Council
〃She's got the right dynamic for the New Frontier。〃
Twentieth…century song lyric
Under Reflex power； the Ark Angel left geosynch and inserted itself into orbit where the Robotech factory satellite had once played the role of Earth's inner moon。 The departure point for the trial jump to Luna's far side was the very same spatial coordinates the SDF…3 had used in its fold to Fantomaspace。
Vince had been elsewhere when the SDF…1 had jumped from Macross； but he was well acquainted with the accounts of that fateful day logged by Henry Gloval； Emil Lang； and countless others。 The far side had been targeted for the position jump； but the fortress had missed the mark by what amounted to the radius of the solar system。 Gloval had given the mand； but Lang had borne the burden of the blame。 Inexperience； pilot error 。。。 An official inquiry was never performed。 Years later； though； while Breetai's ship was undergoing its face…lift in the factory satellite's null…g core； the then…micronized Zentraedi mander had shown Lang where he had gone wrong。 Yet in spite of that； the feeling remained that Lang was innocent of any technical oversight or wrongdoing。 Human control was considered a moot point where Protoculture was involved。
So； cinched into the Ark Angel's mand chair…a well璸added motorized affair similar to the one he had had designed for the GMU a lifetime ago…Vince Grant had to ask himself just what Protoculture might have in mind for the day's fold。
Seated at duty stations to the left and right of him； techs and bridge officers were running through a final series of system checks as the ship counted down from double digits。 Jean； steadfast in her refusal to remain planetside for the test； was with her med group elsewhere in the ship。 Vince was on file as insisting on a skeleton crew for the test； but he was secretly thankful that the Plenipotentiary Council members had overruled him。 When it came right down to it； no one wanted to be left behind。
Even if the Protoculture had a surprise destination already picked out。
In truth； the Ark Angel's drives were Sekiton…fueled…a peat derived from Karbarra's abundant Ur…Flower crop。 Vince supposed the distinction was a minor one； but that belief was not shared by the half dozen Karbarrans who headed up the ship's engineering section。 Protoculture； the ursinoids were fond of pointing out； could be handled by almost anyone； but Sekiton responded to Karbarrans only； a condition Haydon the Enigmatic had been responsible for； or so Vince had been given to understand。
〃Ten seconds and counting； General Grant；〃 a young female tech reported。
Vince's hand elongated the noble features of his broad brown face。 He considered the recent transmission the ship had received from Cabell。
〃Seven 。。。 six 。 。 。〃
Exedore； still on Haydon IV； was of the opinion that the Awareness held some key to the SDF…3's disappearance。 〃Five 。。。 four 。 。 。〃
Dr。 Penn； Jean； and several others were of the same mind。 〃Three 。。。 two 。 。 。 〃
Now if the Ark Angel could only get there。 〃One。 Fold generators engaged。〃
Vince sent a silent prayer to the ship's drives and their Karbarran overseers。
A lunar crescent suddenly filled the forward viewport。 The bridge crew applauded wildly。 Exuberant cheers filtered in from distant quarters of the ship。
〃Yirrbisst has blessed on us this day； mander； 〃 one of the ursinoids gutturally announced over the …line； invoking the name of his homeworld's primary。 〃Praise Haydon。〃
Vince thanked everyone for a job well done。 Two or three Council members had suggested a second trial jump； to Mars perhaps； if the first succeeded； but Vince had renewed confidence in the ship and saw no need for further tests。
Earth ascended into view as the Ark Angel's attitude thrusters repositioned the ship for the return jump。
Vince turned to his munications officer。 〃Inform Cabell that we'll soon be folding for Haydon IV。〃
Lunk was standing in the center of a small patch of cleared ground a kilometer east of Roca Negra proper； attacking a stump of hardwood with a heavy ax。 He was shirtless in the morning heat； long black hair tied back； brutish features determined； barrel…chested torso glistening with sweat。 He checked his swing momentarily to monitor Scott's approach…ax handle resting on his shoulder and a hand to his brow…then resumed his work； putting increased effort into each blow。
〃Good to see you； Lunk；〃 Scott said； keeping what he determined to be a safe distance。
The former Southern Cross soldier stopped only to mop his face with a Paisley bandanna。 〃I guessed it was you when I saw the jet e down；〃 Lunk grunted after the blade bit wood。 〃The way I read it； you must be on leave or undercover。 You land on the old highway？〃
〃Just。〃
Lunk took another swing。 〃A Lear； isn't it？〃
Scott's boot tip drew a shallow trench in the tilled ground。 〃I suppose so。 Pre…Wars。 But I almost lost it this time。〃
〃Yeah； well you'll be