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Miriya's　Red　team　came　in　just　then　to　add　their　deafening　movement　to　the　score。　Pincer　Ships　and　VTs　went　face…to…face；　hammering　away　at　one　another；　while　missiles　and　projectiles　corkscrewed　through　the　firestorm　and　smoke。

Wolff　told　his　B　team　to　hold　their　ground；　at　the　same　time　he　and　the　other　A　tankers　battled　their　way　over　scorched　terrain　and　through　flaming　stands　of　trees　toward　the　Garudans'　march　of　death。　Prevented　from　ascending　the　hillside　by　rows　of　Invid　soldiers　and　vulnerable　below　to　the　Inorganics'　unchecked　advance；　the　vulpine　XTs　were　being　slaughtered。　Wolff　thought　he　could　hear　their　wailing　clear　through　the　tank's　canopy　and　the　tac　net's　cacophony　of　calls。　The　Pack　couldn't　fire　for　fear　of　killing　even　more　of　them；　so　instead　Wolff　led　the　tankers　on　a　flat…out　collision　course　straight　to　where　the　Inorganics　had　bee　bunched　up　at　the　base　of　the　hill。　The　tanks　smashed　their　way　into　the　thick　of　the　slaughter；　down…swept　deflection　bows　cutting　Cranns　and　Odeons　in　half。　Hellcats　leaped　on　the　hovering　mecha；　only　to　be　blasted　to　smithereens　by　in…close　guns；　or　crushed　by　hand　when　some　of　the　Pack　reconfigured　to　Battloid　mode。

Meanwhile；　at　the　edge　of　the　forest　Max's　VT　teams　were　getting　the　upper　hand。　Pincer　and　Shock　Trooper　ships　were　falling　out　of　the　sky　like　ducks　on　a　bad　day　at　the　marsh。　Miriya's　Reds　accounted　for　most　of　those　kills；　Wolff　could　just　discern　them　overhead；　flying　circles　around　the　enemy　pilots。　He　caught　sight　of　one　VT　in　particular　as　it　was　pleting　some　sort　of　aerial　pirouette　that　had　left　three　Pincers　in　ruin；　he　was　thinking　that　it　must　have　been　Miriya's；　until　he　saw　the　VT　sustain　a　shot　any　cadet　could　have　dodged。　Wolff　watched　it　plummet　toward　a　ravaged　area　of　woodland。


〃That's　the　place　they　got　jumped；〃　Jack　said；　pointing　out　a　damaged　row　of　Optera　trees　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope。　The　hulks　of　the　three　Scout　ships　had　been　removed；　but　there　was　evidence　of　the　fires　the　explosions　had　touched　off。　〃Then　they　were　dragged　into　the　hive。〃　Jack　handed　binoculars　up　to　Lron；　once　again　indicating　the　direction。　〃You　can　just　make　out　the　entrance　or　whatever　it　is。〃

Tesla　gave　him　the　Invid　word　for　the　portal；　mumbling　something　Jack　found　unintelligible。

〃Like　I　said：　whatever　it　is。〃

Careful　not　to　disturb　his　transpirator；　Lron　took　a　look　through　the　armored　glasses　and　passed　them　along　to　Crysta。　She　was　upping　the　intensity　some；　when　Learna's　trill…like　signal　reached　them　from　somewhere　in　the　trees。　A　moment　later；　the　Garudan　appeared　at　the　base　of　the　slope；　motioning　the　team　down。　Gnea　and　Bela　were　crouched　behind　her；　masked　and　vigilant；　looking　more　than　ever　like　barbaric　gladiators　lifted　from　some　Roman　arena。　Jack　tapped　Janice　on　the　shoulder　and　got　everyone　under　way。

They　had　reached　the　crater　well　before　dawn；　without　incident　despite　the　presence　of　stepped…up　Inorganic　patrol　teams。　Not　just　Hellcats；　but　Cranns　and　Odeons…bizarre　enough　creatures　by　daylight；　and　positively　frightening　in　the　predawn　ground　fog。　Even　these　hadn't　deterred　the　free　Garudans　from　putting　in　an　appearance；　though；　only　this　time　it　was　more　than　curiosity　that　motivated　them：　many　had　armed　themselves　with　Karbarran　air　rifles；　hoisting　them　in　a　display　of　support　as　the　team　passed。　Just　before　sunrise　at　the　crater　rim；　Jack　had　seen　flashes　of　explosive　light　in　the　southwestern　skies；　rolls　of　distant　thunder…the　Skull's　bombing　run　against　the　neighboring　farm。　Shortly　thereafter；　scores　of　Shock　Troopers　had　risen　from　the　basin　and　flown　toward　the　sound　of　the　guns。

〃Any　activity？〃　Jack　asked　when　he　reached　the　base　of　the　slope。

〃Nothing　so　far；〃　Learna　told　him。　〃We　went　as　far　as　the　hive。〃

Jack　turned　to　Tesla。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　said　angrily。　He　had　no　patience　left　for　the　Invid's　malingering。　Keeping　Tesla　concealed　on　the　trail　had　led　to　more　than　a　few　hairy　moments；　and　on　the　slope　he　had　behaved　less　like　a　sentient　creature　than　an　out…of…control　boulder。　But　now　the　time　had　e　for　Tesla　to　earn　his　keep。　〃What's　their　routine？〃

Tesla　glanced　at　what　could　be　seen　of　the　hive　through　the　trees。　〃Difficult　to　say；　what　with　all　the　activity　you've　stirred　up。　Normally；　the　slaves　would　be　arriving　any　minute　now。〃　Tesla　looked　up　at　one　of　the　trees'　vine…encrusted　globe　canopies。　〃Pity；　too；〃　he　mused。　〃All　this　ripe　fruit　going　to　waste。〃

Jack　brandished　a　long…bladed　dirk　as　Tesla　reached　out　to　pluck　a　particularly　succulent…looking　piece。　〃You　haven't　earned　it　yet；　Tesla。　Besides；　you　don't　really　want　to　take　off　the　mask；　do　you？〃

Tesla　thought　it　over。　There　was　no　reason　he　couldn't　lift　the　mask　for　the　time　it　would　take　to　gobble　down　some　fruit；　but　he　decided　not　to　bother　arguing　the　point。　So　he　simply　left　the　fruit　to　rot　Instead　of　adding　it　to　the　samples　he　had　already　stuffed　into　the　pockets　of　his　robes。

〃No；　I　suppose　not；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。

Jack　ordered　him　to　take　the　point；　and　in　ten　minutes　the　team　arrived　at　the　hive's　entrance。　It　was　faintly　lit；　a　half…moon…shaped　tunnel　twenty…five…feet　high　and　posed　of　what　looked　like　solidified　sea　foam。　There　seemed　to　be　a　slight　shimmering　to　the　air　inside；　but　this　ceased　when　Tesla　identified　himself　to　the　scanner。　A　voiceprint；　Jack　thought；　but　he　couldn't　be　sure。

The　tunnel　was　deadly　hot；　evil…smelling　even　through　the　masks'　filters；　and　reminded　Jack　of　fiber…optic　vids　he　had　seen　of　the　human　body's　arterial　system。　It　terminated　in　a　rotunda；　whose　enormity　and　crepuscular　illumination　Jack　found　disorienting。　Dozens　of　corridors　emptied　into　the　area；　like　detonator　horns　on　an　old…fashioned　naval　mine。

〃We　can　dispense　with　these　contraptions；〃　Tesla　was　saying；　pulling　the　transpirator　from　his　snout。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　smiled　at　everyone。　Jack　could　see　that　he　was　taking　obvious　delight　in　their　amazement。

〃This　is　our　foyer；〃　Tesla　said；　with　an　elaborate　wave　of　his　arm。

Jack　checked　the　display　on　the　biosensor　Jean　had　strapped　on　his　wrist。　Satisfied；　he　slipped　the　filtration　mask　from　his　mouth；　determined　to　keep　a　straight　face。　Still　wary；　he　sniffed　at　the　air；　found　it　slightly　dank　but　breathable；　and　gave　the　all…clear　for　the　others　to　follow　his　example。　〃Which　way？〃　he　demanded；　leading　with　his　chin。

Tesla　pointed　to　the　circular　shaft　directly　overhead。　〃There。〃　With　a　theatrical　gesture；　he　motioned　the　team　to　gather　round　him。　No　sooner　had　they　done　so　than　they　found　themselves　imprisoned　by　some　sort　of　tractor　beam　that　was　lifting　them　en　masse　toward　the　overhead　shaft。　Gnea　brought　the　tip　of　her　lance　to　the　ribbed　underside　of　Tesla's　neck。

〃No；〃　he　told　her；　up　on　tiptoes　to　ease　the　contact。　〃You　have　it　all　wrong。　This　is　simply　our。。。elevator　system。〃

Jack　and　Janice　were　down　in　a　bat　crouch；　weapons　drawn；　searching　the　beam's　translucent　circumference　for　any　sign　of　danger。　Lron；　Crysta；　Bela；　and　Kami　were　similarly　postured；　Karbarran　air　rifles　at　high　port；　crossbows　armed。　Tesla　continued　to　protest　for　the　duration　of　the　thirty…second　ascent　into　the　dome's　upper　reaches。

Slowly；　the　tractor　field　began　to　de…rezz。

Jack　had　relaxed　some　by　the　time　the　beam　shut　down；　then　all　at　once　he　saw　four　Invid　sentries　swinging　around　to　face　them；　forearm　cannons　raised。


Max　had　seen　Miriya's　Alpha　go　down。　He　had　his　own　VT　in　Battloid　mode　now；　and　was　running　it　toward　the　crash　site　through　a　section　of　burning　forest。　Two　of　his　team　were　dead；　at　least　that　many　of　Miriya's　had　died　as　well。　He　wasn't　sure　how　Wolff　was　doing；　but　he　had　seen　more　than　one　Hovertank　overturned　by　Shock　Trooper　anni　disks。　Max　didn't　even　want　to　think　about　the　Garudan　slaves。　And　suddenly　there　was　Miriya　to　worry　about。

The　mecha's　scanners　caught　sight　of　something　up　ahead；　and　Max　called　for　increased　intensity；　studying　the　biosensor　data　displays。　A　minute　later　he　had　visuals。　It　was　Miriya's　Red　Alpha　alright；　in　lopsided　Guardian　configuration；　radome　tipped　to　the　ground…a　wounded　bird。

Then　Max　spotted　the　Hellcats…four　of　them；　attacking　the　VT's　canopy　with　a