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ng skulls and bones and the ash piles of ten thousand cremations。 Only to be rescued from her exile by a black…eyed sprite of a girl； who was wearing a short； flowing garment of gold and white； cinched at the waist by a broad belt。 A garland of woven Flowers of Life in her hair； the sprite had introduced herself as the other child of Max and Miriya。
Dana's sister。
〃Oh； Mother and Father will be so glad to know that I've finally made contact with you；〃 she had said。
And Dana could recall thinking； Finally？
Around them were low crystal domes； and arching overhead was a purple sky hung with unrecognizable constellations。 Faint music filled the air； reminiscent of the ethereal strains that emanated from Musica's Cosmic Harp。 The sprite pressed a bouquet of Flowers into Dana's hands and hurried away to join two shadowy figures that had appeared on the scene。
Time grows short； one； or perhaps both of them； had sent to Dana without speaking。 So much has happened since our last contact with Earth； so many astounding things。 Your powers are awakened now； and they are growing。 Use them cautiously。 We of the Sentinels are only beginning to understand the true nature of Protoculture。
Okay。 She had known about the Sentinels since Major John Carpenter's bumbling return from Tirol； months earlier。 But was she supposed to accept that the hallucination's two shadows were her parents； who had apparently thrown in with that ragtag band of alien freedom fighters？ Sounded like more of that nonsense about the Shapings。 Even so； the sprite had given voice to a warning that was still ringing in Dana's ears。 〃Beware the spores； Dana。 Beware the spores and the Invid！〃
Dana had still been in the throes of the Protoculture…induced vision when Zor Prime had kissed her； scooped her up in his arms； and sealed her inside an ejection capsule； like she was some Lisa Hayes Hunter surrogate。 Astounded by his actions； she sat frozen while he had secured the latch of the little； superhard alloy sphere and tasked it for launch。 〃I will allow no harm to e to your people；〃 he had assured her。
But Dana had wondered during her slow descent to Earth； had Zor Prime been referring to Humans or Zentraedi？
The capsule had landed on the crest of a low foothill； atop which sat the Macross Scenic Overlook。 It had puzzled her that Zor Prime should send her there； of all places； but then it dawned on her that she was meant to bear witness to his self…sacrifice and to the death of the Robotech Masters。 And she had： curling herself into a ball when the flagship exploded； then railing at Zor Prime and the falling sky when the Protoculture Matrix had released the Flowers of Life from bio…stasis and seeded the world with their spores。
But she did so only for a moment。 Because Lazlo Zand and Napoleon Russo had suddenly appeared on the scene； pletely out of their skulls。 Zand； who had had a fixation on Dana since her infancy； was vampirelike； displaying some sort of high…tech Dracula device； babbling about Dana's matchless powers； how they went beyond Protoculture； and how he would have them。
〃First the power of Protoculture fills me；〃 Zand had raved； 〃then the power of Dana Sterling。 The Masters promised me that I would be wed to the Flower and I will not be disappointed！〃
Polly； Dana's Cheshire cat of a pet； had shown up shortly after Zand had activated the device； but could do nothing as he trained it on Dana。 The Protoculturist's own form enlarged； vibrating and contorting； while Dana stood paralyzed and rotund Russo cowered like the little creep he was。
Across the plain； the Masters' flagship was ing apart and the genetic messengers of the Flower were gushing into a hellish June afternoon。 Dana felt the tap of Death's bony hand on her shoulder and was on the verge of turning into the Reaper's embrace； when Zand loosed a howl of such agony and fright that even the Reaper retreated。
Zand had perhaps underestimated the dosage the device was feeding him； or somehow underestimated Dana's contribution to the influx of power。 But either way； the net result was his transformation into a short…lived burst of radiant energy。 And regardless； Dana wanted to believe that the outsize Flower of Life that took root where he had stood was actually himZand； wed to the Flower 。。。
Arriving in a hijacked alien assault craft； the members of the 15th had found her there； stripped of her armor； Polly under one arm。 Dana doing her own babbling about Zor Prime； the spores； the Invid； and a starship that she would someday pilot to wherever her parents were。 But everyone had been patient with her； figuring that the nonsense she was spewing was the result of bat trauma。 It was Dana's cry for Mommy； the orphaned generation's cry for all that had been denied them。
Nova Satori had brought her around。 〃Invid or no Invid； we have to report to whomever is in interim mand；〃 the intelligence officer had said。 Plans had to be made； defenses set in place。 No matter that Nova was cradling a clone infant in her arms。
Dana had posed herself and had ordered that the escape capsule and the bottle…shaped assault craft be emptied of all rations and emergency supplies； and then she had grabbed Angelo's side arm and assigned herself the point position。
Renewed hope had eased the burden of the first couple of miles； but as the sky darkened and Monument's fire glow suffused the horizon； Dana felt herself sliding into despair。 The brooding silence of the march told her that her squadron mates and the Tirolean clones were experiencing the same sense of loss。
〃The war is over；〃 Bowie had announced when he had stepped from the assault craft。 And at the time she had been prepared to believe him。 But now she wanted to respond； 〃This waronly this war is over。〃 And suddenly there seemed so much to do 。。。
But it would get done； Dana decided。 The way all things got done： one step at a time。 So she gritted her teeth； straightened her shoulders； and concentrated on planting one foot in front of the other。