o time； rusted parts freeing up with banshee shrieks。 Then we hit our jets and the car was rocketing forward； faster than it ever traveled on the Urban Transmit System； I bet。〃
〃We couldn't see； of course； because we had our shoulders to the wheel； but Scott told me later that the rail and the canisters of Protoculture just seemed to go into the rubble like an icepick。 Lunk had mounted the cells just； right； so that when they were several yards in； they went off like shaped charges。〃
〃I never found out how Lunk rigged those cells； but suddenly there was a gap in the cave…in and the car was in it。〃
〃The explosion rocked the car back and knocked Rook and me right on our butts； powered armor or no。 We pushed the car off again with our feet； to keep the way clear。
〃It turned out that Lunk had had the presence of mind to rig earplugs for himself and Marlene； none of us armored types had thought of it。〃
〃Even before we could get up； Scott was scrambling into the car； running to the forward end with armor…heavy steps that shook it。 Lancer was about a half a high hurdle behind him。 I thought they were being alarmist。 But as I was getting a hand up from Rook I heard Scott yell over the tac net； 'Invid！'〃
〃Apparently； a few personal…armor mecha had been hovering out there； trying to figure out what to do。 Maybe they had been afraid to start digging because it might bring down the roof on themselves； maybe they had some sort of time frame； so that if we didn't dig ourselves out by its elapse we would be written off as dead。 We'll never know。
〃Scott and Lancer got in the first eight or ten shots and some missile hits； and that set the stage for a rub…out。 Rook and I followed as fast as we could； but there really wasn't much to do but mop up。〃
〃The next part's a little anticlimactic； we had to wait a bit for the tunnel to cool off from the heat of the firefight and the Pincer Ships' thrusters； but clearing a way with the powered armor was a cinch。 In less than an hour； we were back on the surface； with no sign of any patrols and no hint of that big…bruiser enemy mecha。〃
〃We took off our armor。 I kept starting to put my arm around Rook's shoulders when she was looking the other way； and then deciding that she would take offense； then starting to edge my arm up again…then pulling it back； hoping nobody had noticed。 I probably looked fairly spastic。〃
〃Here's where it gets surprising again： When we finally trudged back to where we had left the VTs； Annie was standing there。〃
〃She was wearing her olive…drab army surplus； that pink rucksack； and an E。T。 cap just like the one she had lost in the fortress…a spare； it wouldn't surprise me。 She was sort of moping around； but when she saw us her face lit up like a Christmas tree。〃
〃After some reunion time； we got the story out of her…or at least； her version。 ‘Can you picture me as a jungle princess？ They expected me to gather fruit and nuts and stand in the background while the men held council！ So I said so…long！ Dumb； hmm？'〃
〃I suspected that there was probably also the problem that the tribe wouldn't rename itself in her honor。 And that Magruder expected certain matrimonial acmodations。 Annie was a lot like me： talked a better fight； in certain arenas； than she could deliver。〃
〃It was pouring down rain by then and we were all standing under the Beta； which had been hidden in a parking garage。 I had to interrupt Annie。 I told her…and everyone else…that Rook and I were pulling out because we couldn't hack it anymore。 Rook watched me and didn't say a word。 Annie was shattered； poor kid； but then Rook spoke to back me up。〃
〃Marlene said she would stay with Scott； and that seemed only as it should be。 Lunk was in for the whole nine yards； as the ancients put it； to Reflex Point。 To prove himself； he said。 （Though I thought that was the wrong reason to go on a mission like that； I kept my mouth shut。 I guess all motives and ideals were at least a little tainted； by then。）〃
〃The way it turned out was just Rook and me riding away into a curtain of icy rain； while the others prepared to go on without us。 Annie was crying her heart out on Lunk's shoulder。 The farewells had hurt a lot more than they had helped。〃
〃Some brilliant plan； Rand！〃
〃Rook was tearing along way too fast for weather and road conditions； and almost slammed me with her Cyc when I mentioned it。 So we rode on； with all of it eating at us and no possibility of talking it out。〃
〃And we were thinking the same thing： The team was going to carry on the mission。 Dropouts； losses； setbacks…none of that mattered。 Something greater than themselves had taken hold of them。〃
〃The last straw was when Scott and Lancer cruised slowly overhead in VTOL mode； a slow flyby and solemn salute。 Suddenly my adored Rook wasn't there anymore； she had made a bandit turn on the slick street； risking her neck； and was charging back the way she had e。 Back to greet Lunk and Annie； back to board the Alpha she had left behind。〃
〃I turned more slowly； I just didn't feel like talking to anybody for a while。 I was going to have to get Scott to land； because he had my Beta mated to his Alpha。〃
〃I watched Rook speed through the rain like a Valkyrie on two wheels； a War Stormqueen。 I didn't want to talk over the tac net or hear the brave words。 I was staying because Rook had stayed； I would have left if she had left。〃
〃Something greater than myself had taken hold of me。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
I suppose it's net a secret by now； though it was a long time till Pop knew it。 When the team members plained about what bothered them the most； Rand agonized over how the books and films and tapes were dying…how Human history was passing away。 And I guess sometimes he admitted he was trying to be a one…man databank/preservation society。
A lot of things happened after that； but if you want my opinion； that's when Mom fell in love for the first and the last time。
Naturally she didn't tell him right away。
Maria Bartley…Rand； Flower of Life： Journey Beyond Protoculture
The evolution wasn't finished。 It was just beginning。
The time had e for a form beyond that of the Enforcer。 It was time for a new category of mecha…a new evolutionary step。
In the Hive Center at Reflex Point； the Regis looked down on two Enforcers。 One was the one that had failed to eliminate the freedom fighters； the other had been quickened less than a week earlier。 These two were the most intelligent； capable and adaptable of the Regis's children。
〃You have been summoned here to assume your rightful place in the new order of our society；〃 she told them。 〃First you must undergo transformation to the life form most suitable to this planet。 Prepare for bio…reconstruction！〃
Jagged nets of energy whirled out from the huge globe。 in the center of the dome； to ensnare the two Enforcers and etch them in light。 They writhed as if in torment； then froze like statues。 In moments； the mecha had been stripped away； dissolved to particles。 In the midst of the Protoculture fires two figures； in fetal tuck； floated…the forms of two fully developed Humans…a male and a female。
〃My children； you now share a part of my own genetic code。 You are a prince and princess of our race； and shall be known hereafter as Corg and Sera。〃
The Regis appeared again in her almost…physical manifestation； the swirling barber…pole stripes of energy spiraling up and down around her。 The Regis poured forth a purity of Protoculture power on a scale that only an Invid monarch was capable of ordaining or controlling。 In moments； new mecha formed around the floating twins； Corg and Sera。
〃We must soon begin the mass transformation of our people to the Human life form；〃 the Regis went on； 〃the form in which I have conceived you。 The most advanced and flexible configuration for survival on this planet…this world to which the Flower of Life has led us。〃
Two mecha stood side by side now； bigger than Enforcers。 They were more humanlike in form than any of the other alien war machines。 They looked like the powered armor the Zentraedi had used long ago； but they were larger。 The upper torsos were heavy with weapon pods and power nacelles； so that the things gave a strange appea