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The　Sensor…stuff　was　beginning　to　melt；　in　another　moment；　Scott　and　Lunk　had　pulled　two　bodies　free。　Rand　was　barely　breathing　when　they　got　him　out；　but　he　had　shielded　Annie　in　a　little　air　pocket　he　had　formed　with　his　own　body。

Rook　stood　to　one　side；　staring　down；　not　moving。　She　seemed　about　to　speak；　then　was　silent。　But　she　never　took　her　eyes　off　of　Rand。

At　last　Rand's　eyes　opened。　〃W…what　took　you　so　long；　pal？〃

Rook　let　out　a　breath　and　pulled　her　features　back　into　their　normal　unconcerned；　uncaring　expression。　And　so　when　Rand　eagerly　looked　at　her；　she　gave　him　a　casual　look。　He　still　managed　a　smile；　grateful　that　she　was　alive；　though　he　would　have　crawled　back　in　under　the　Sensor　offal　before　admitting　it。

Lunk　called　over；　〃Annie　sez　she'll　be　all　right　once　she　brushes　her　teeth！〃

Rand　was　already　pushing　Scott　away　from　him；　ing　to　his　feet；　clearing　the　last　of　the　goo　out　of　the　H90；　weaving　a　little。　〃I've　had　it！　I'm　gonna　slaughter　those　walking　tin　latrines！〃　He　steadied　himself　and　lurched　away。　By　the　time　Scott　caught　up　with　him；　Rand　was　standing　at　a　lower　entrance　to　the　huge　dome　where　empty　mecha　waited　in　fetal　repose。

Scott　whistled　low。　〃What　is　it；　an　incubator？〃

Rand　brought　up　his　pistol。　〃Whatever　it　is；　it's　history！〃

Something　inside　him　knew　he　should　be　off　somewhere　ferreting　out　the　place　where　the　drones　themselves　were　created…that　he　should　be　wiring　that　place　up　with　all　the　explosives　in　Lunk's　truck。

But　he　just　wasn't　made　that　way。　The　drones；　for　all　their　grotesqueness；　were　living　things。　And　without　their　mecha；　they　were　nothing。

Rand　fired　into　the　hemisphere　in　the　middle　of　the　dome…the　thing　that　looked　so　much　like　the　first　instant　of　a　nuclear　explosion。　He　didn't　know　quite　what　would　happen；　but　it　turned　out　that　the　thing　was　fragile　as　stained　glass。　Sections　of　it　geysered；　then　caved　in；　and　black　smoke　roiled　forth。

Rand　was　watching　it　in　stonefaced　satisfaction　when；　suddenly；　Marlene's　screech　echoed　to　them　down　the　alien　halls。

They　raced　back　to　find　the　others　trying　to　help；　without　any　effect；　as　Marlene　knelt；　clutching　her　head。　She　wept　that　she　couldn't　stand　it…though　she　didn't　say　what　it　was。

When　Lunk　wondered　aloud　what　could　be　the　cause　of　Marlene's　seizures；　no　one　answered　until　Scott　said　softly；　〃I　wish　I　knew。〃

〃Bad　news；　guys；〃　Rook　cut　through　their　unease。　She　was　standing　by　Lunk's　truck；　examining　its　beeping　displays。　〃That　Invid　patrol　that　left　the　hive　this　morning　is　on　its　way　home！〃

Scott　didn't　take　the　time　to　wonder　if　it　was　because　the　raid　had　taken　too　long　or　because　the　destruction　of　the　Sensor　had　alerted　the　mecha。　〃Okay；　people：　let's　get　out　of　here　on　the　double。　Rand；　take　the　Beta　Fighter。〃

Rand　was　already　off　and　running。　When　the　VTs　hovered　in　the　Hive　Center　and　Lunk　was　racing　his　engine；　Scott　said　over　the　tac　net；　〃Listen　up：　you　either　break　out　of　this　rat's　nest　now；　or　you　spend　the　rest　of　your　lives　as　sharecroppers　on　an　Invid　Protoculture　farm。〃

〃What　d'you　mean　‘you'？〃　Rand　challenged。　〃What's　Bernard　gonna　be　doing　while　we're　busting　out？〃

Scott　tried　to　sound　matter…of…fact。　〃I'm　the　one　who　got　us　into　this。〃

〃Nobody's　arguing；〃　Rand　shot　back。

〃As　you　were！　So；　it's　my　place　to　take　some　of　the　heat　off　you。　I'm　going　to　block　the　front　door　for　a　while；　don't　lollygag　getting　out　the　back。〃　His　thrusters　lit　like　blue　novas；　and　his　Alpha　sprang　away　into　one　of　the　huge　elevated　conduit…passageways。

〃Lancer；　we　should　back　him　up；〃　Rand　said　slowly；　pulling　on　his　thinking　cap。

〃Let　him　go；　country　boy；　he'll　be　fine！〃　Rook　snapped。　〃We've　got　enough　problems　of　our　own！〃


Scott　mechamorphosed　to　Battloid　mode　as　he　zoomed　toward　the　shattered　main　gate。　He　met　the　first　of　the　returning　Pincer　Ships　with　blasts　from　the　mecha's　massive　rifle/cannon；　a　weapon　with　a　muzzle　as　wide　as　a　storm　drain。　The　enemy　flight　was　ing　head…on；　and　Scott　had　little　chance　to　dodge　them。　He　blasted　the　first　ship　out　of　the　air　and　scattered　the　ones　near　it。

But　they　came　at　him　anyway；　Frisbeeing　their　annihilation　discs。　He　ducked　into　a　side　passageway；　an　upright　Battloid；　back　and　foot　thrusters　gushing　blue。　The　Invid　dove　after　him。

Then　it　was　a　game　of　evade　and　hide；　ambush　and　run。　The　Invid　were　unrelenting；　attacking　him　even　though　he　had　the　advantage　of　standing　or　fleeing　as　he　chose。

At　last　he　darted　like　a　huge　wasp　into　a　corridor　that　led　to　an　intense　light。　At　its　mouth　stood　two　Scout　guards；　so　surprised　at　his　appearance　that　they　were　slow　to　react。　Scott　knocked　them　off　their　feet；　and　they　plunged　backward；　unable　to　attain　a　useful　flying　attitude。　They　tumbled　and　thrashed　to　their　doom。

Scott　found　himself　in　a　place　that　was　miles　wide。　In　its　center　was　a　tremendous　globe　that　reminded　him　of　the　ancient　ones　in　dance　halls；　the　ones　that　reflected　light。　Only；　this　one　was　wired　up　with　Invid　Robotech　hardware　and　organic　wetware。

This　must　be　the　central　power　core　for　the　fortress！

Pincer　Ships　entered　the　spherical　vastness　from　three　different　conduits；　and　he　felt　the　sweat　run　down　his　face。　He　eyeballed　the　power　core　quickly；　spotting　a　glowing　circular　opening　or　access　port　a　hundred　yards　across。　Through　it；　he　could　see　the　scintillating　mysteries　of　Invid　Protoculture　technology。　His　puters　told　him　it　was　the　alien　equivalent　of　a　main　control　matrix。

Scott　made　his　decision；　and　the　Battloid　roared　toward　it。　Invid　noted　his　presence；　drove　toward　him　at　full　acceleration；　claws　outstretched　to　grip　and　rend；　since　they　didn't　dare　fire　there。　Scott　fooled　them　by　hitting　the　core's　outer　hull；　absorbing　the　impact　with　the　Battloid's　mighty　legs；　and　springing　away　again。

The　personal…armor　mecha　couldn't　fire；　but　Scott　felt　no　such　punctions。　He　whirled　in　midair　and　dispatched　six　air…to…ground　Bludgeon　missiles　from　his　right　and　left　shoulder　pods。　The　Pincers　dodged；　thinking　the　missiles　were　meant　for　them。

One　of　the　Bludgeons　detonated　on　the　rim　of　the　access　opening；　but　the　rest　lanced　through　into　the　power　core's　innards。　Scott　had　already　turned　his　Battloid　on　its　heel　to　run　like　all　hell。


CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

Homer　posited　two　kinds　of　dreams；　the　〃honest〃　one　of　Horn；　and　the　〃glimmering　illusion〃　of　Ivory。　So　Dad　shot　for　Ivory；　what　else？
Maria　Bartley…Rand；　Flower　of　Life：　Journey　Beyond　Protoculture

The　core's　vitals　suddenly　turned　white…hot；　and　the　whole　miles…wide　spherical　chamber　lit　up　like　the　interior　of　an　arc　furnace。

Although　her　Sensor　was　gone；　the　Regis　spoke　to　her　remaining　children。　〃Control　Matrix　breeched！　Reflex　furnace　overload！〃　All　she　could　do　was　tell　them　that　they　were　all　going　to　die；　but　at　least　they　would　hear　her　voice　in　their　final　moments。　Gargantuan　sheets　of　electrical　discharge　played　all　through　the　place。

The　core　came　apart　at　its　seams；　like　a　soccer　ball　full　of　Tango…9　explosive。　The　Pincers　were　vaporized；　the　explosion　raced　outward。

Scott　had　turned　and　turned　again；　hurtling　along　at　max　thrust；　praying　the　walls　and　turns　would　muffle　some　of　the　blast。

Then　it　caught　up　with　him。

The　Beta　and　the　other　two　Alphas；　shepherding　Lunk's　truck；　arrowed　toward　the　titanic　triangle　of　the　alien　stronghold's　rear　gate。　Beyond　it；　a　snowy　Earth　shone。

〃Nice　of　'em　to　leave　the　back　door　open；〃　Rook　smiled。　Then　she　felt　her　flesh　goosebump　as　she　saw　that　the　light　was　dwindling；　the　two　halves　of　the　giant　triangle's　door　were　sliding　in　from　either　side。

〃But　not　for　long！〃　cried　Lancer。　〃Lunk；　hurry！〃

Lunk　gritted　his　teeth；　floored　the　accelerator；　and　hit　a　few　buttons。　〃Can't　make　it；〃　he　muttered；　but　the　APC　leapt　ahead　in　a　way　that　disputed　that。

The　VTs　had　to　e　through　standing　on　one　wingtip；　the　APC　almost　got　its　tailpipe　caught。　But　they　all　made　it；　as　the　massive　door　halves　ground　shut。

〃I　think　that　one　took　some　paint　off　my　baby；　here；〃　Rook　said　cheerily；　patting　her　instrument　panel。

Lunk　just　tried　to　control　his　trembling；　Annie　was　either　meditating；　praying；　or　passed　out。　Marlene　looked　atose。

Rand　glanced