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She　tried　not　to　let　her　relief　sound　in　her　voice。　Although　she　had　insisted　on　taking　a　turn　at　riding　point；　she　was　much　more　at　ease　riding　next　to　Lunk　in　the　truck　（or　APC；　as　Lunk　insisted　on　calling　it；　since　it　was　Armored　and　was　indisputably　a　Carrier　of　Personnel）。　Annie　wasn't　even　armed。　Weapons　made　her　a　little　queasy。

But　now　she　didn't　have；　to　worry；　because　everything　was　going　well。　The　Alpha　had　switched　to　Guardian　mode　for　the　VTOL　landing。

The　cockpit　canopy　slid　back。　Scott；　armored　in　Robotechnology；　stepped　out；　walked　out　to　the　forward　edge　of　the　swing…wing's　fixed　glove；　and　hopped　down。

Annie　looked　around　at　the　trees　and　the　darkness　they　shed　in　the　waning　light；　as　Rand　pulled　up　next　to　Scott　in　a　spray　of　sand　and　gravel；　some　of　it　rattling　and　hissing　off　Scott's　armor。　〃I　guess　this　means　we're　staying　here；　huh？〃　She　was　tough　despite　her　age；　but　she　had　done　most　of　her　surviving　in　settlements　and　cities。　The　wilds　unnerved　her。

Scott　had　gone　around　to　the　rear　of　the　Guardian's　portside　leg　to　open　a　hidden　partment。　〃I'll　get　my　Cyclone　and　we'll　run　a　security　sweep　of　the　area　before　the　others　get　here。〃

He　pulled　forth　and　activated　the　pact　package　that　turned　into　his　Cyclone；　unfolding　and　reconfiguring。　He　thought　about　ordering　Annie　to　wait　in　the　cockpit　of　the　fighter；　but　she　had　a　special　gift　for　getting　into　trouble；　and　so　he　discarded　the　notion。　〃Let's　go。〃

Scott　and　Rand　sped　away；　following　the　dry　streambed；　looking　for　an　opportunity　to　leave　it　and　move　cross…country。　Scouts　seldom　learn　anything　worth　knowing　on　the　main　road；　except　when　it's　too　late。


Acting　as　a　scout　for　its　unit　just　as　Scott　had　done　for　his；　an　Invid　Shock　Trooper　closed　in　on　its　target。

Normally　the　Invid　were　slow　to　detect　Humans　unless　the　prey　had　been　specifically　targeted；　or　there　had　been　a　sizable　expenditure　of　Protoculture。　This　time；　however；　the　Regis's　fearsome　war　machines　had　been　sent　to　guard　a　specific　area　and　herd　specimens　into　the　Genesis　Pit。　The　Humans　had　e　into　their　territory。　By　some　oversight；　there　were　no　specific　orders　of　any　kind　concerning　Humans；　and　so　the　Troopers　simply　evaluated；　the　interlopers　as　they　would　any　other　life…form；　and　decided　they　too　would　be　worthwhile　subjects　of　experimentation。

The　Trooper　kept　its　distance　from　the　Humans；　but　some　trick　of　the　last　filtering　light　of　sunset　piercing　the　dense　trees　betrayed　it。　Or　perhaps　Scott　Bernard　just　had　a　feeling　that　they　were　being　followed。

Scott　slid　to　a　side…on　stop；　ready　to　trigger　and　image　the　change　that　would　meld　his　Cyclone　and　his　armor　into　a　Robotech　killing　machine。　Rand　stopped；　too；　Annie　clinging　close；　white…faced。　〃What's　wrong；　Scott？〃　Rand's　voice　came　over　the　tac　net。

Scott　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃I'm　sure　I　saw　something　moving。　Back　there。〃

But　how　could　it　be　an　Invid？　Scout　or　Shock　Trooper；　their　instant　reaction　was　to　attack。

〃Don't　tell　me　we're　being　watched！〃　Annie　snapped　at　Scott；　her　lower　lip　trembling。　〃The　Invid　can't　be　everywhere！〃　She　tried　to　get　her　arms　all　the　way　around　Rand's　armored　midsection。

Contrary　to　its　genetic　programming；　the　Shock　Trooper　drew　back…in　accordance　with　the　special　instructions　given　to　the　sentinels　of　the　Genesis　Pits。　Here　were　more　samples　from　present…day　life…forms　to　interact　with　the　Regis's　replicated　marvels。

And　an　Entrapment　intake　waited　near。

〃Calm　down；　Mint；〃　Scott　was　saying　in　that　strangely　relaxed　tone　he　took　on　when　other　people's　neck　hair　was　standing　on　end。　He　had　used　Annie's　team　nickname…〃Mint；〃　from　her　ongoing　affair　with　peppermint　candy…to　calm　her。

〃We've　got　to　make　sure　the　area's　safe　before　the　others　get　here。　Or　d'you　want　to　see　them　ride　into　an　ambush？　No？　Good。　Rand；　stay　close。　And　cover　me　on　the　left。〃

The　Cycs　moved　out；　Protoculture　engines　gunning。

The　Trooper　floated　back；　almost　delicately；　close　to　the　ground　but　leaving　no　print。　As　it　circled　it　left　its　prey　a　clear　path。　All　through　this　area；　the　Entrapments；　a　living　part　of　the　Genesis　Pits；　were　growing　in　profusion；　waiting　to　gulp　down　specimens。

Scott　suddenly　wondered　if　they　should　pull　back；　if　he　should　send　Annie　and　Rand　hurrying　for　safety　and　cover　their　retreat　with　a　barrage　of　Cyclone　firepower。

But　he　realized　that　he　and　his　panions　had　been　led　off　to　one　side。　Time　had　passed　and　Rook；　Lancer；　and　Lunk　were　already　near。　It　would　be　better　to　warn　them　first　and　then　carefully　withdraw。

He　couldn't　raise　the　other　three　over　the　tactical　munication　net；　though；　and　couldn't　tell　if　it　was　his　position　among　the　terrain　features　or　whether　the　Invid　were　jamming　the　system。　He　spied　a　spot　of　high　ground　ahead　and　headed　towards　it；　hoping　for　a　clear　mo　link。

Then　a　shadow　seemed　to　move　across　the　hilltop…a　shadow　much　larger　than　a　bear　or　anything　else　that　walked　Earth's　surface。　It　was　going　the　other　way；　apparently　oblivious　to　the　scouts…heading　for　a　point　that　would　intersect　Lancer　and　the　others。

Ambush！　Scott　had　no　doubt。　He　revved　his　superbike；　giving　Rand　a　hand　signal　so　that　the　Invid　could　not　intercept　a　transmission。　The　sand　felt　a　little　treacherous；　but　that　didn't　matter　under　the　circumstances；　the　two　Cycs　were　fully　armed；　and　for　once；　it　seemed；　the　team　had　caught　the　Invid　mecha　with　their　iron　trousers　at　half…mast。

He　was　about　to　order　Rand　to　drop　Annie　off　where　she　could　take　cover；　then　follow　him　on　a　stealthy　approach…for…attack。　But　just　then　the　ground　opened　up。

All　Scott　could　see　was　that　a　flap　of　thick；　brown…mauve　stuff…like　a　flap　of　canvas　twenty　yards　wide　and　seven　yards　thick…had　been　drawn　back。　It　was　thickly　edged　with　long　purple　hairs；　or　perhaps　they　were　feelers　because　in　that　horrible　instant　Scott　could　see　that　they　were　moving　in　different　directions。

It　seemed　as　though　a　monster's　mouth　had　opened　up　in　the　Earth；　ready　to　swallow　them。　But　although　Rand　was　extremely　frightened　and　disgusted；　he　knew　what　this　was。　A　pit！　Oldest　trap　of　'em　all！

The　Entrapment's　mouth　was　gruesome；　bending　inward　at　all　four　midspans　rather　than　from　the　corners。

All　thoughts　of　proper　mo　procedure　faded　like　dew　in　the　sunshine；　and　all　Scott　and　Rand　could　hear　over　the　tac　net　were　one　another's　terrified　howls；　all　they　could　hear　over　their　external　pickups　was　Annie's　scream。

We're　not　fated　to　win　after　all；　it　occurred　to　Scott；　as　the　Cyclones　spun　down　into　a　deep；　dark　shaft　that　gleamed　wetly　like　a　gullet。　The　Cyc　riders　kept　their　seats　by　sheer　instinct；　Annie　clutched　Rand's　waist。　They；　fell　into　blackness；　and　what　little　light　they　had　was　cut　off　as　the　quadripartite　Entrapment　flaps　above　them　closed　serenely。

〃Switch　to　Battle　Armor！〃　Scott　hollered；　too　loudly；　over　the　tac　net。　He　operated　the　gross　hand　controls　on　the　Cyc；　but　more　importantly；　imaged　the　transition　through　the　receptors　in　his　helmet。　He　knew　Rand　would　be　doing　the　same。　But　just　then　Rand　felt　Annie　lose　her　grip　and　drift　free　in　the　powerful　air　currents　of　the　pit。

Mechamorphosis。　That　was　the　name　Dr。　Emil　Lang　had　given　these　transitions　so　long　ago；　even　before　the　start　of　the　First　War…that　techno…origami　shifting　of　shape。

One　moment；　there　were　two　young　men　in　armor　tumbling　through　the　moaning　air　currents　of　the　Entrapment；　and　the　next；　there　was　something　going　on。

An　onlooker　might　have　thought　that　the　Cycs　were　leukocytes　destroying　their　riders；　sliding　up　around　them；　Cyclone　ponents　meshing　with　armor　ponents。　The　machines　broke　down　into　subunits　to　slide　into　their　appointed　places　around　the　armor；　as　certain　microorganisms　might　whip　some　critical　hurt　on　certain　other　microorganisms。

The　Cycs'　tires　were　up　high　and　out　of　the　way　on　the　Cycloners'　backs；　allowing　them　free　play　and　unlimited　fields　of　fire　with　their　Robotech　weapons。　But　even　the　thrusters　in　their　suits　didn't　help　them　against　the　enormous　vacuum　that　drew　them　down。　There　was　no　way　back　up。

Their　armor　flared　anyway；　to　cushion　the　fall；　and　then　somehow　Rand　heard　a　small；　plaintive　cry　and　realized　that　not　everybody