to a phoenix of psi…essence…and saw； too； where the phoenix flew。
Both were also silent watchers of each other's memories； like visitors to alien screening rooms。 Their/her consciousness was wrenched this way and that by the unimaginable forces grappling at the sphere ship； between torment and joy they attenuated her 。 。 。
Until there came a moment of profound trauma； the cessation of external influences…the ship's emergence into new…space。 With an almost physical jolt； the two halves of her were snapped together； fully integrated for the first time。
She opened her eyes and saw Scott gaping at her。 She looked down and saw that her body was pletely material once more。 She felt a tranquillity and quiet triumph。 She was healed and whole。
He breathed； 〃Marlene。〃
Marlene。 Yes； that was the name that fit her best； even though Marlene's memories and identity were only a ponent of what she was now。 Ariel was a name the Regis had given her capriciously； and she was not Invid anymore。
She lay on a pallet spread directly on the ship's deck。 Scott came to her side on one knee； hesitating to take her hand but wanting to。 〃You're alive。 Thank God。〃
He was haggard and drawn； not from the passage to new space； she knew； but from self…torture over what he'd done to her。 With the disparate parts of her mind and psyche integrated； she understood what he had done and what external pressures it must have taken for him to do it。
His sense of duty； his fealty to his oath of service； his feelings of obligation to those on the SDF…3： those were human things； and Marlene understood them now。
〃Yes； Scott。 Alive。〃 Her hand covered the last bit of distance to grasp his。 His expression swung from astonishment and doubt to relief and the beginnings of rapture。
Before he could answer； though； a face appeared over his shoulder； long and pale with insect goggles； wearing an irrepressible smirk。 〃Back in action； huh； Marlene？ Aces！ Scott； didn't I tell ya this little jaunt would give her a new lease on life？〃
There stood one of the main pressures that had forced Scott to treat Marlene as he had back on Ark Angel。 Scott didn't know if Louie Nichols realized how lucky he was that all this had worked； had Marlene been put through all her anguish for nothing and perished； somebody would've paid。
Scott only grunted in answer to Louie's promptings and put his other hand on Marlene's。 〃Lie back； now； you've been through a rough time。〃
〃Scott； I know what I'm saying。 I've made a full recovery。 Besides； I presume Doctor Nichols has some more questions for me。〃
She looked at Louie slyly。 She still had that otherworldly strangeness to her； but there was a certain human knowledge behind it now。 Louie found himself realizing what a dish she was。 〃You said it； gorgeous！〃
Scott shot him a jealous glance； and Louie reined in a bit。 Marlene rose to her feet without any difficulty； shaking back the waves of crimson hair。
〃Um。〃 Scott smiled awkwardly。 〃Wele aboard the REF prize…of…war vessel Peter Pan。〃 He shrugged。
Marlene stepped forward to look out over the inner globe of the ship。 There was no shortage of space； a fairly healthy piece of legendary Macross could have been rebuilt inside the yawning sphere。
Improvised bridges； ladders； and catwalks connected the various levels and platforms； and human furnishings had been fastened to its decks with adhesives and strapping； the techs and engineers could find no way to drill or bend the stuff of the ship。 〃‘Peter Pan？'〃
〃Yeah。 ‘Second star from the right； then straight on till morning'； and all that；〃 Louie supplied with one of his quirky shrugs。 Marlene watched people laboring over the interface equipment required to run the ship or setting up living facilities on unused platforms。 It was odd to see portable sanitary booths side by side with modules of Haydonite technology and to smell heated rations there where Protoculture had been intended as the only sustenance。
There were parked mecha； too； and piles of weapons； ammunition； and ordnance； but no weapons had been mounted as the ship itself； since it was impossible to penetrate its hull for firing ports and anything mounted externally would have been annihilated in the passage。
〃We're sure bombin' along now。〃 Louie scratched his hen璦ed hedgehog of hair： 〃Thing is； we're not all that sure where we are。 I hoped you could give us a clue； Marlene。〃
As she stood there gazing out； she wore the expression Scott had seen that day when she had first cast eyes on a mountain lake； not long after his team of irregulars had found her。 Her beauty and her delight in nature's beauty had simply taken hold of him and never let go。
She smiled faintly； 〃What's the matter； Doctor？ Afraid the others will think you're crazy if you tell them yourself？〃 She turned to Louie； who was for once speechless。 Scott had the feeling that behind the goggles； byte buckaroo's eyes were starting from his head。
〃You're in what some call new…space；〃 she told them。
〃Is the SDF…3 here？〃 Louie's levity had left him。 〃Is the Regis？〃
Marlene turned to see what effect it would have on them both。 〃New…space is the Regis…is the entire Invid race； in a way。 We're outside the province of spacetime。 You might say we've entered the mind of the transubstantiated Regis herself。〃
Louie was quick to get in the next remark while Scott was still making choking noises and trying to shift mental gears。 〃Marl！ Babe！ Hey！ Work with me； here！ How do we talk to her？〃
The corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly。 〃1 think you're about to learn。〃
The two men followed her gaze and saw what others were being aware of。 On a platform near the center of the ship's interior； Aurora stood； a blue glimmer growing up around her。 Max Sterling； standing near； had started toward his daughter； but Miriya was holding him back。 As they watched； Jean Grant； too； put a restraining hand on him。
All through the ship people stopped working and turned to watch Aurora as they became aware of a chant impinging on the very fringes of their perception。
Au…ro…ra； Au…ro…ra； Au…ro…ra 。。。
The rest of the ship's plement seemed to freeze； as if they were playing statues； listening to the cadence。 Vince Grant； listening to some report； Shi…Ling； at the interface helm； Dana； poised on a maintenance job on her hovertank all eyes went to Aurora。
All at once Aurora was not alone。 Seated in a ring around her were what looked like transparent holograms of children large and small。 They sat repeating their mantra； eyes lambent with eldritch fire。
Jean Grant breathed； 〃Roy！〃
〃Drannin！〃 Miriya added。
But neither they nor the others in their circle gave any sign of having heard。 They were focused on Aurora； and she on them。 Louie； hypnotized by it； too； almost jumped in the air when Marlene spoke at his shoulder。 〃‘Straight on till morning；' Doctor。〃
Kazianna landed on streamers of fire； her weapons ready； as mecha and running ground troops closed in on the open field from every side。
It's back； the message had been； yet there was no sign of the sparkling rain that had spirited away Gnea and Dante。 But there were two figures in the middle of the field； scrambling around animatedly。
There were confused transmissions overlapping each other on the nets； but at last Rick got some order on the tactical freq。 〃Hold your fire； I say again； hold your fire！ The swirling lights came back just as our point elements were entering the field； then disappeared。 We have a visual on what appear to be Gnea and Angie。 All elements stand fast and hold fire unless otherwise ordered。〃
With the field covered from all sides and other elements watching for a trap or sneak attack； Rick selected a recon team and elected to walk point。 Jack Baker； Karen Penn； Lron； and Crysta checked their weapons； then spread out in a skirmish line； moving forward。 Baldan came； too； carrying munications gear patched to the SDF…3's TIC and bridge。
No doubt about it； the sergeant and the Amazon were there once more。 Rick was not sure what the flurry of activity had been when they had first reappeared； but it sure looked like some hasty clothes donning。
He and his team went carefully； testing the ground a