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y the remainder of the group。 Max was close enough now to throw himself into the fight； but the sight of her sloppiness had left him shaken； and he almost got himself dusted。
〃Miriya； what's wrong？〃 he said when the last of the four had been dispatched。 〃Miriya！〃
〃I。。。don't know； Max；〃 she answered him after a moment。 〃Dizzy spell。〃
〃I want you to return to base。〃
Miriya's face came up on Skull One's mo screen。 〃I'll be all right。 It's better now。〃
〃Forget it…〃
〃Max！〃 Wolff's voice suddenly boomed through the net。 〃We've got troubles！ Inorganics…hundreds of them！〃
Max looked away from Miriya's image and chinned the freak。 〃Your Pack should be able to handle those things； Wolff；〃 he said。
〃It's not us they're after； mander；〃 Wolff said； just as gruffly。 〃The sons of bitches have turned them loose on the camp…they're attacking the Garudans！〃
A short distance from the besieged orchard； Wolff's Hovertank team was well into the forests surrounding the second farm。 From the ridgeline above the dome…shaped hive； where the Pack had been Guardian…configured； Wolff had been able to observe the Skull's fiery treetop passes。 He had then given the order for his tankers to open fire。 They hadn't lobbed five minutes' worth of projectiles into the forest when the first wave of Inorganics had appeared…Hellcats； galloping across Garuda's tundra and heading straight for the ridge。 They were followed a minute later by ranks of the bipedal demonic…looking Robo…trolls known as Cranns and Odeons。
Wolff had hated the things ever since he went up against them on Tirol； and had been looking forward to engaging them…anything to get Minmei off his mind for a while； to keep his hand from reaching out for a bottle。。。So he had ordered the Pack over to standard mode and led the charge down the rocky slope； only to find that the Inorganics had changed course。 And it had only taken a moment to figure out the reason behind the tactic： the Invid were planning to use the Garudans as the Sentinels had the Invid's life…giving trees…for diversion。 The XT labor force was strung out for more than a mile along a sparsely wooded hillside guarded by a pany of armed and weapon…wielding Invid soldiers。 It was then that Wolff had opened the net to Max。
The Skull fighters were overhead now； Wolff could see them through breaks in the trees' clustered； billiard…ball canopies。 Shock Troopers and Pincer Ships were right on their tails。
Wolff's Hovertanks broke out of the forest a moment after Skull One Touched down； the Alpha was in Guardian mode； with the rifle/cannon gripped in one gauntlet； stammering its harsh greeting to the Hellcats。 Dozens of Inorganics burst apart as armor…piercing rounds ripped into the pack； but five times that number made it through the VT's still…forming line； bounding over the mecha and continuing their mad rush for the Garudans。 Aware of the situation now； the helpless slaves had broken ranks and were attempting to flee； most of them were cut down instantly by bursts from the soldiers' forearm guns； while others fell to the first wave of Inorganics； torn apart by Hellcats or roasted by bolts from the Cranns' orifice…dimpled weapons spheres。
Wolff ordered the Pack to spread out and form a second line； the Hovertanks reconfigured and began to fire at will； decimating much of the second sortie wave； but suddenly forced to deal with the Shock Troopers as well。 Annihilation disks stormed into the tankers' midst； tearing up the land and overturning two of the mecha。 Wolff could see that members of Max's blue team were going over to Battloid and repositioning themselves opposite the Pack to form the second leg of a V formation。 Wolff called for a cannonade as the Inorganics rushed into the notch。 Pounded with explosive rounds the tundra shook and bellowed； the ridge trapped the concussive sounds and hurled them back； as Inorganics and Shock Troopers alike were reduced to gobs of white…hot metal； geysers of fire in the already superheated air。
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 frenzy； battering it with downward blows of their armored heads。