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Rick　was　already　giving　hand　signals。　〃Okay；　get　ready　to　board。　We'll　all　have　to　squeeze　onto　one　shuttle。〃

〃Are　we　going　home；　Daddy？〃

He　reached　down　and　gathered　up　his　son。　〃Yes；　we　are。〃


CHAPTER　THIRTY？FIVE

How　hot　a　pilot　was　Max　Sterling？　Perhaps　this　simple　observation　makes　the　point　best：　Among　the　VT　fighter　jocks；　his　modest；　upbeat　middle…American　manner　of　speech　replaced　the　Chuck　Yeager　drawl　that　had　dominated　among　pilots　for　decades　and　sifted　down　among　other　fliers　as　well。
If　you　don't　understand　how　very　much　that　meant；　go　ask　any　old　stick…and…rudder　hand。
Theresa　Duvall；　Wingmates：　The　Story　of　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling　

All　his　training；　experience；　and　remarkable　skills　came　to　nothing　in　that　critical　moment　after　Max　was　struck　by　the　Black　Knight。

But　blind　chance　stepped　in　to　fill　the　gap；　if　only　for　a　half　instant。　A　springy　hawser　of　vine　had　bee　looped　around　his　Battloid's　foot；　and　it　served　the　dual　purpose　of　swinging　him　around　to　where　he　could　get　a　grip　on　the　immense　tree　trunk　from　which　he　was　suspended　and　allowing　him　to　lash　out　with　his　foot。

But　most　importantly；　it　bobbed　him　out　of　the　line　of　fire　of　his　foe's　dory…shaped　hand　weapon。　The　purple　lightning　snapped　and　discharged；　blowing　a　distant　limb　to　vapor；　before　the　enemy　could　correct　its　aim；　the　massive　metal　battering　ram　that　was　the　Battloid's　foot　connected。　The　Battloid…scale　hand　weapon　went　flying。

At　the　same　time；　Max　was　firing　thrusters；　righting　himself。　He　rose　on　full　back　and　leg　blasts　to　grapple　with　his　enemy；　pounding　the　weapon　out　of　its　fist。　Locked　together；　they　fell　to　bend　down　a　stout　branch　that；　even　though　it　cracked　somewhat；　sprang　back　like　a　diving　board　to　flip　them　into　empty　air。　They　left　behind　a　trail　of　smoldering　foliage　and　a　few　fires；　but　the　vegetation　was　too　wet　to　burn　easily。

Again　they　fell；　but　this　time　Max　had　both　hands　fast　at　the　Black　Knight's　right　wrist。　Both　fired　thrusters；　heaving　this　way　and　that；　kicking　and　flailing。　Max　saw　the　ground　ing　at　him　and　twisted　to　cushion　his　landing　with　blaring　power　bursts。　The　black　mecha　wasn't　as　alert；　and　he　managed　to　land　on　top　of　it。

They　had　e　down　in　a　large　clearing；　branches　and　leaves　and　lengths　of　vine　raining　down　after　them；　along　with　burning　bits　of　debris。

The　enemy　lay　there　stunned　and　partially　staved　in；　shorted　power　leads　crackling　and　throwing　off　sparks。　Max　seized　a　hold；　planted　his　feet；　twisted；　and　pulled　with　all　the　might　he　could　focus　through　the　thinking　cap。　With　a　shower　of　sparks　and　the　tearing　loose　of　strangely　designed　linkages；　the　right　arm　came　off。

While　the　foe　thrashed　and　bounced　about　the　clearing　in　spasms；　Max　jumped　clear　to　lay　the　globe　aside　carefully。　He　wanted　more　than　anything　to　make　sure　Dana　was　all　right；　but　there　was　no　time。　The　living　demon　that　was　the　black　mecha　might　e　at　him　again　at　any　moment。

There　wasn't　even　time　to　answer　as；　amazingly；　he　heard　Kazianna　Hesh's　voice　e　over　the　net；　though　he　thought　his　corn　equipment　had　been　knocked　out。　〃Max！　Where　are　you？〃

Even　more　strangely；　he　thought　he　heard　Miriya's　voice；　too；　and　strangest　of　all；　Aurora's…for　Aurora　seemed　to　be　speaking　directly　into　his　mind。

Father；　no！　No！

It　was　no　time　to　give　in　to　hallucinatory　voices；　though；　the　Black　Knight　was　back　on　its　feet；　ing　his　way　in　a　tittering　run　that　covered　a　dozen　yards　at　a　time。　Max　imaged　and　his　rifle/cannon　slid　into　his　grip；　the　thought　that　his　laughter　might　even　now　be　lying　there　dead　made　it　that　much　easier　to　draw　a　bead。

〃Max！　Freeze！〃

He　had　no　idea　why　Kazianna　would　be　yelling　that　in　his　ear；　and　so　in　the　end　it　was　confusion　rather　than　discipline　that　made　him　hesitate　for　the　telling　split　second。　In　that　moment　the　Quadrono　powered　armor　suit　came　barreling　through　a　curtain　of　thick…leaved　branches　and　interwoven　vegetation；　throwing　itself　on　the　Black　Knight　from　the　left。

Max　held　his　fire　and　watched；　astounded；　as　Kazianna　sought　not　to　terminate　the　enemy　but　to　subdue　it　without　harming　the　occupant　and　to　shield　it　from　Max's　fire。

The　Black　Knight　fought　wildly；　but　Miriya　had　e　into　battle　fresh　and　uninjured；　armor　operating　at　peak　levels；　with　the　advantage　of　surprise。　Moreover；　the　viragos　of　the　elite　powered　armor　units　in　effect　fought　exclusively　in　what　the　REF　would　term　Battloid　mode；　the　contest　was　on　Kazianna's　chosen　turf。

Kazianna　called　into　play　all　the　tricks　of　close…in　mecha　brawling　that　she　had　picked　up　in　a　long　Quadrono　career。　Though　the　interloper　was　clever　and　savage；　in　the　end　Kazianna　held　it　immobilized　and　forced　it　to　one　knee；　standing　behind　and　maintaining　a　plicated　arm…bar　hold　on　it。

Max　expected　her　to　deliver　the　coup　de　grace　or　at　least　disable　the　thing　utterly。　But　to　his　shock；　Kazianna　freed　one　hand　for　a　moment；　made　a　quick　move；　and　dropped　a　hand　weapon　of　her　own　onto　the　forest　floor；　almost　within　reach。

Max　made　a　decision　and　raised　the　rifle/cannon　again；　hoping　he　could　avoid　hitting　Kazianna　but　determined　to　blow　away　the　black　mecha。　His　Battloid's　finger　was　squeezing　the　trigger　when　Miriya's　voice　came　to　him　again。　〃Max；　don't　shoot！〃

And　Aurora's　voice　spoke　in　his　mind：　We　have　to　break　the　spell；　Father！　Don't　you　see　what's　happened？　She　sent　a　vivid　image　into　his　mind；　the　clearest　mental　link　he　was　ever　to　have　with　his　confounding　younger　daughter。

〃Oh；　my　God；〃　he　whispered。

His　Battloid's　hand　lowered；　the　rifle/cannon　falling　from　its　lax　grip。　He　waited　as　Kazianna　slowly　released　her　hold　on　the　Black　Knight。　The　thing　reached　out　slowly；　almost　unwillingly；　taking　up　the　gun　Kazianna　had　thrown　down；　and　began　to　e　to　its　feet。

The　war　queen　of　the　Quadronos　waited；　tensed；　to　pounce　on　the　strange　mecha　again…if　it　seemed　about　to　fire　on　Max；　but　such　a　contest　might　e　out　either　way。　The　thing　was　moving　uncertainly；　as　if　in　a　trance。

Max　could　feel　Aurora's　thoughts　pouring　toward　it；　Miriya's　voice　came　over　the　　net　to　it。　〃This　isn't　what　you　want。　e　back　to　us。〃

Max　stood　looking　into　the　weapon's　muzzle；　arms　hung　at　his　sides；　in　the　profoundest　torment　he　had　ever　known。　〃Whatever　happens；　please梐lways；　always　know　that　。　。　。　that　I　love　you。　We've　always　loved　you　with　our　whole　hearts。〃　Then　he　stood　up　straight；　the　gun　barrel　centered　on　him；　waiting。

The　Black　Knight's　aim　wavered；　and　after　what　seemed　like　a　lifetime　it　dropped　the　weapon　with　a　cry　of　utter　misery　in　a　voice　they　all　knew。　The　mecha　staggered；　and　Kazianna　caught　it；　already　working　at　the　unfamiliar　lock…downs　to　crack　it　open。

Max　dashed　to　them；　reconfiguring　as　he　went　so　that　he　sprang　down　from　a　kneeling　Guardian　whose　huge　metallic　hands　helped　keep　the　supine　Black　Knight　steady。　As　he　got　down；　Aurora　and　Miriya　were　emerging　from　Kazianna's　open　helmet；　Miriya　helping　Aurora　lower　herself　to　the　ground。　They　had　ridden　in　the　powered　suit；　which　had　been　retrofitted　back　during　the　monopole　mining　operations　on　Fantoma　to　carry　Micronian　observers。

Kazianna　had　gotten　the　soot…black；　alien…contoured　chest　plate　open。　Max；　Miriya；　and　Aurora　scrambled　up　and　raced　to　gather　around　the　pilot's　seat；　Max　fumbling　to　remove　from　her　a　thinking　cap　that　looked　more　like　an　instrument　of　torture。

Dana；　ing　out　of　whatever　spell　it　was　the　Regis　had　used　to　throw　open　her　dark　side；　blinked　up　at　them。　〃Dad；　I　uhhh。　Don't　hate　me；　I　didn't　want　to？

〃Shh！　We　know；　everything's　all　right。〃

〃Dana；　we　love　you；　oh；　sister　。。。〃

Then　all　four　Sterlings　were　weeping；　trying　to　talk　at　once；　hugging　and　kissing　each　other。　At　the　same　time　they　struggled　to　get　Dana　out　of　the　pilot's　seat/iron　maiden　into　which　she　had　been　transferred　somehow　from　the　globular　prison　out　at　the　end　of　the　Black　Knight's　arm。　Aurora's　emanations　of　grief　and　joy　bathed　them　all；　Kazianna　included。　Kazianna　eased　back　a　bit　once　Dana　was　down　on　solid　ground　again　to　give　the　four　some　room　and　privacy。　She　thought　of　the　strange　interludes　that　had　e　upon　the　newspace　castaways；　and　some　abrupt　instinct　made　her　look　straight　up　into　t