at pride。
At the local Bureau HQ； Annie and Lunk filled us in on all the strides genetic engineering had made since contact with the Local Group…and especially； of course； with the Tirolians。
Even fossilized genetic models could be revived； and existing ones cloned and varied； differentiation being so important to species survival。 Not only were pandas； snow leopards； and whales thriving； so were passenger pigeons； giant sloths； and woolly mammoths。
And of course； the biggest debate at that time was whether it would be immoral to bring Neanderthals back from extinction （or； to put it another way； leave them extinct）。 Annie and Magruder…both of whom had advanced degrees in neogenetics were passionate about opposite sides of the argument； as ready to punch it out as they were to kiss and make up。
At any rate； Scott and Marlene's strike force reunion turned gut well； but I had my first real exposure to the fact that an aging SDF skipper wasn't exactly in demand anymore in this brave new world。 I was out of phase； bereft of background data。 There were more shocks waiting for all of us。
What hit Scott and Marlene hardest； I think； was news of he death of the freedom fighter named Lancer； also known as Yellow Dancer。 But something bore them up when they beard how he died flying a disaster relief mission。 I think it was the insights of the Intersection； where we all saw the big picture a little more clearly。
That； plus the fact that his music lives on after him； as popular now as Minmei's。 People started to talk about slipping in fingers of the two…recreation artists for 〃The Concert That Never Was。〃 The idea was almost universally ignored。 Perhaps the slimy…souled people who came up with it would feel differently if they'd gone through the Intersection。
The effects of that passage and its insights were pointed up electrifyingly when a few of us were flown out for a tour of a big reforestation program in Alaska。 It was an especially affecting trip for Rick and me； since we weren't so far from where the Grand Cannon installation once was。
We were shown to where people worked； patiently reseeding the restored and prepared slopes with tiny firs。 I didn't notice anything in particular； walking past a bent figure that seemed to be giving all its attention lovingly to what was being done。 It was Dana； a few paces behind； who let out a yell。
Rick and I turned to see the Sterlings and our guide looking on in horror as Dana； hauling at the worker's faded coverall； prepared to deal him a blow to the side of the temple with the heel of her cocked…back hand。 No question about it； she was out to kill。
Part of our astonishment； too； was the appearance of the worker。 I have never seen such a gnarled； pitifully scarred； frightened creature in my life。 He dropped his little tray of seedlings； and all he could do was cringe and whimper。 Yet Dana； eyes bugging from her head； wasn't deterred a bit。
Rick and I were revving up； trying to get to her to stop； like cartoon characters having trouble getting into motion。 Max and Miriya； who'd been looking the other way； were kind of tangled up with each other。
But there was someone else to intervene。 Not that Dana was overpowered…a tough proposition at any time。 Still； when Aurora's gentle hand came to rest on Dana's tensed； heelshot one； the action froze。
〃You don't want to do that。 Sister…〃
And with that； Aurora went up on tiptoes to whisper something into Dana's ear。 The rest of us had stood rooted； and we saw Dana's hand relax as she released the man cowering in her grip。 Dana looked around the reseeded slopes； the life that was ing back to a devastated wasteland； and turned away。
As Dana walked back toward our shuttle； one of the program supervisors gently got the man back to work； saying reassuring things； calling him 〃Alf。〃
I ran a check and found out about the assassination of Milicent Edgewick and the disappearance of her familiar。 Dana's instincts were correct； and the brainwiped； hollow wretch she'd been about to kill was Farnham； once known as Senator Alfonse Napoleon Russo； though now he only answered to the name Alf。 How he found his way into a custodial rehab program for marginally functional war casualty types； no one was able to say。
Heaven knows； Dana had good cause to execute him； all of us did。 But seeing what he'd e to in the end； we dropped the matter。 I've never presumed to ask Aurora what it was she whispered into her sister's ear； but I imagine it was to the effect that there had been enough death； part of the revivifying process we and the planet are undergoing has to do with putting certain things behind us。
SDF…3's returnees scattered to all corners of the world in those weeks。 Louie Nichols and his team were quick to start snooping into the Post…Protoculture technologies； and they were weled with open arms by the Earth's top researchers； then castigated for their heretical approach to things。 Nothing new there。
Nevertheless； Louie & Co。 became the driving force toward this new grail called Instru…Mentality。 Implants that will give every intelligent being powers of teleportation； psychokinesis； telepathy； and the rest would be the next logical step…a new dawn； to be sure…but I can't help wondering if we're ready for it。
But as Cabell pointed out； no one was ready for Robotech； either； when you e right down to it。
Anyway； the Robotech Age； with its mechamorphosis and Protoculture； has passed away forever； and something else must now e onstage。
The experiences of various others have been set down elsewhere； by themselves and third parties。 Of the rollicking group （Dana； Sean； Marie； Jack； Karen； and several more） who became the Crazy Eights Exploration and Development Co。； Unlimited； much has already been written…a good deal of it on indictments。 And why they took on Lunk as their head wrench wrangler and mojo hand； I cannot guess…but it's probably one of their few sources of good karma。
Still； they're young and carefree； and they keep claiming they've got the galaxy by the bustle。
If you've been lucky enough to get a seat at Bowie Grant's Blue Harp Lounge to hear Musica and Allegra sing and play along with him or have caught them on tour； you know how well they're doing and why。
One of the tenser moments occurred as Angelo Dante set off to introduce Gnea to his parents。 He was so nervous that she offered to change into more conservative Earth garb （and a lot of us were all set to pitch in）； but Angie said no； quite an independent move for him。 We all heaved a sigh of relief when they fell in love with her。
The visit was rather hasty； though； since Gnea was being rushed back to New Praxis （Optera） by special courier ship璱ncluding the penalty weight of the fruitcake from Angie's folks…to brief Bela on all that had happened…
…and； of course； to help take care of all those little Invid they've got running around once more。
Jean Grant once spoke of pieces of the puzzle fitting together； and there's probably no more prominent example of that than New Praxis。
For some reason the Regis didn't suffer the delay in time that we did； and when the altered Shapings permitted her/his Race to return to spacetime； I suppose it's no surprise； they came full circle…and； from what we can tell； took on the original state in which Zor found them。
The Second Gen Flowers of Life bloom there now； with hordes of little Pollinators to make sure they bloom。 （Dana keeps insisting that one in particular is hers and hers alone； and the critter seems to feel the same way。） Anyhow； everybody's happy the Pollinators are sacred beasts on New Praxis these days； protected by the brawny arms of warrior women； because the galaxy has had enough of Protoculture。
Riding herd on all this is a graying Bela； with Gnea taking up the reins bit by bit。 And their fighters； women who've lost a world； now posting guard over creatures whose only desire is to be left alone： there's a higher symmetry to that。
Because； surely； this is the fate we all felt the Regis cry out for back there at the Intersection。 We don't probe into the Invid hive life； but I suspect She lives there someplace inside Optera； more happily now than at any time since Zor came。
I do not ask； though； for anyone to pursue these questions。 And yet there e reports； fourth…and fifth…hand； that a new entity is being brought to life down there in the hive。 From what little the Intel officers…kept conscientiously at bay on the surface…can tell； it is a male who will have the capacity to erase or perhaps refurbish certain chemical/energy memory systems。
A new and better Regent？
On another front； Gnea promised to build quarters in Zanshar just for Angie's parents so that they can visit whenever they please。 And feel guilty about not being there。 I suspect Gnea's figuring on a few daughters to keep Angie busy and perhaps give him a new perspective on women。
The Sentinels see each other infrequently now； not because we're sedentary but rather because so much more is happening everywhere。 The Zentraedi； of course； are based on Fantoma but can be found anywhere heavy…g operations are going on； especially in monopole ore mining。 Their numbers increase at a far； far slower r