umed a semblance of sexually differentiated humanoid form。 It was that one who had identified the race by the name Invid and first used the term 〃Flower of Life。〃 This one who led the landing party to the overlook and told Zor about the Queen…Mother they called Regis。
Zor！ Are you ing； Zor？ Vard had shouted once more； and； reluctantly； Zor had begun to follow him down the steep slope； along a path strewn with velvety Flower of Life petals。
And so had menced a marvelous journey of two Tzuptum days through Flower…crowned hills and bustling hive settlements that weled them with silent chant and delivered them finally to the lair of the Queen…Mother。 。 。
Zor stood gazing at her now； eyes next to closing from the soporific warmth of the hive's central chamber。 She had conjugated herself in an approximation of humanoid female form in his honor。
In his honor。 The phrase she had sent to him。
〃We have anticipated your return to Optera for so long； Bringer of Life。 Forgive me if I am not yet adept at fully mimicking your present form。〃
You anticipated our ing？ Zor had asked her； confused。
〃The memory is ancient but deep within me。 The Flowers were your gift to us。〃
Zor realized that he was being mistaken for someone who had visited Optera in the dim past and was about to correct the Regis when a sudden paralysis gripped his thoughts。 The Flowers of this world contained a form of novel bio…energy。 They endowed life…indeed； nature and matter itself…with the power to shift and reshape； to wrestle from the gods themselves the ability to control the course of evolution。
Then consider； Zor found himself thinking； what the result might be if the plant's bio…energy could be harnessed and directed。
Would the power to light a thousand worlds seem too much to ask？ The power to drive a thousand ships across the sweep of stars？ The power to shape and reconfigure the very continuum itself？ The extension of life 。。。
And yet the secret of municating with the Flower and harnessing that energy lay with the unknown being that had brought it to Optera。 And with this Invid shape changer who had fallen heir to the Flower's fortunes。
Zor was intrigued。 He realized that the Regis was the key unlocking Optera's mysteries； and in an instant of mad inspiration he decided to set himself the goal of possessing that key…if he had to seduce this queen to make that happen！ 〃Yes； your highness；〃 Zor said to her at last。 〃I have finally returned。〃
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I knew Lisa was serious the moment she stepped out of the vanity； dressed…barely！…in that revealing black camisole Karen Penn gave her for her thirty…ninth birthday。 I was surprised； even though I shouldn't have been。 I mean； I remembered the look in Lisa's eye when she saw Kaziana with Drannin that first time； and； after all； we had talked over the idea some。。。Well； Lisa must have caught the look on my face （that night on the Ark Angel）； because she laughed and started to accuse me of backing out。 But I told her no way。 And； well； let's just say I put my whole heart into what naturally followed。
The Collected Journals of Admiral Rick Hunter
There was a girl in Rick's past； a gamine； honey blond California free spirit named Jessica Fisher； the eldest daughter of Alice Fisher； an old friend of Pop's。 Rick had met her shortly after Pop had taken the flying circus to Sacramento in search of spectators with a bit of extra wartime scrip in their pockets。
Rick had just turned nine； and he and Jessica were introduced to one another as cousins。 It had not taken long； however； to understand that there was no actual blood bond between them； especially after Pop and Alice had decided to bring their own romance out from behind closed doors。 Rick； in fact； had been there when things had gotten started between his aging dad and the independent Alice； the night the four of them had gone into San Francisco and 〃the Visitor…the SDF…1…had made its grand appearance。 Of course； very few people realized they had seen a ship in the skies that night； and Russo's government had managed to keep the Macross project under wraps for the next five years。 But Pop and Alice seemed to have been touched by something in the air； because their relationship had changed from that night on。 Rick； too； had been transfigured by the event。 Youthful flying ace that he was fast being； he had liked to think the sky as his property…even though Neasian and other military pilots might have argued the claim…and suddenly in that same sky he had glimpsed a power that surpassed all。 The impact on his young mind was as devastating as it was exhilarating； for while Pop had done his best to keep his only child sheltered from the disputes that had plagued Earth at the time； 〃the Visitor〃 had made it clear there would be no hiding from war's long reach。
Jessica； ironically； had guessed the truth about what they had witnessed。 I'll bet it was an alien spaceship； she had told Rick。 And it's e down to show everybody on Earth that war isn't the only way that things get changed； that there're all kinds of powers in the universe we'll never understand if we keep thinking war's the answer。
She was almost three years older than Rick and a lot more concerned about such things。 And after Pop decided to remain in California instead of taking the circus elsewhere； Rick would often sit at Jessica's feet for hours； listening carefully to what she had to say about hatred and injustice and greed； and he would pay close attention to the things she read aloud from novels and texts and some of Alice's books on philosophy and religion。 Outside the year of high school he had attended in Sonoma； the time with Jessica came as close to a standard education as Rick had received； by the time he had turned fourteen； he was pletely infatuated with her。
That she was still almost three years older than he made things extremely plicated； because by then older boys had begun to show up at the Sacramento farmhouse； guys who would stop by to visit with Jessica and fill her head with a lot of talk about what they were going to do when they joined the war。
Rick had already tried on countless occasions to express his feelings…he had even gone as far as writing her a poem…but the words just couldn't make it past his lips。 At the same time he had tried unsuccessfully to corner her into confessing her undying love for him。 There had been a bit of hand holding and quick kisses but nothing that approximated the passion Rick had decided the two of them were meant share。 So； invariably； when any of Jessie's prospective boyfriends were on hand； Rick could be found retreating to his room； where he would sulk for an hour or two or stare at all the trophies and medals his flying skills had earned him and wonder why they were not doing the trick。 But he certain was not about to sit out there on the porch and spew a lot of nonsense about how many enemy planes he planned to down when his turn came。 And what was Jessie doing listening all the lies those characters were feeding her； anyway？
The truth； as it would unfold； was that she had not been listening。 One night she had followed Rick back to his room to tell him just that； and damned if she hadn't been aware of Rick's feelings all along！ But how could you even think for minute I'd be impressed by all that war talk？ she had asked him。 I don't want that kind of hero in my life； Rick。 I want to fall in love with someone who isn't afraid to look for different answers。 Someone like you。
Over the next six months Jessica had led him slowly in the joys of love and sexual discovery； but by the time winter had rolled around it was plain they were not meant to be lovers； that it was more important that their friendship survive than anything else。 So Jessie had moved on to the sensitive hero of her dreams； and Rick had thrown himself in stunt flying with renewed fervor。 But lord； how his hormones had raged for those six too…brief months！ Not even Minmei or Lisa would inflame him the way Jessie had。
And oddly enough； it was Jessie he was thinking about now； laser…cutting a path through the verdant foliage of a new world； staring at Marie Crystal's shapely； jumpsuited deriere。
What the hell's ing over me？ Ric