some diversion。〃
Still； the ranks of huge eggs reminded him unfortably of an old…time space flick he had seen as a kid； and he had no intention of having something leap up and give him some interspecies mouth…to…mouth。 He held Annie back and kept his gun level as he pulled a coin out of a slit pocket over his midsection and tossed it。
The coin glittered in the red…orange…yellow light and bounced off the top of one egg。 Rand was expecting a gelatinous quiver； but instead the coin bounced with a metallic bonk！ and skipped； to land on the floor with a faint chiming。 Nothing moved； nothing happened。
〃My last quarter；〃 Rand said ruefully。 A 1/4…Cid piece from the city…state of Espana Nueva back down south。 True； it wouldn't be much good on the road to Reflex Point； but still。。。
〃Maybe they're in suspended animation；〃 he considered； rubbing his jaw。 〃And maybe they won't wake up until they're supposed to。〃
He disregarded the idea of using his gun to experiment further； most likely； it would set off alarms and draw the enemy straight to him。 Then Annie was crooning； 〃Uhohh…hh。〃
A saucer…shaped air…vehicle whose underside was all glowing honeyb…hexagons had e floating silently from among distant dendrites。 Its curved； mirrorlike upper surface showed four equidistant projections like knobbed horns。 It came directly at Rand and Annie。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
So？ I thought you country boys could rub your psoriasis together and start a fire？ Where's that pioneer spirit？
Rook； to Rand
The flying saucer was fifty feet wide。 When it had covered most of the distance separating it from the intruders； it halted。 It remained motionless； lying dead still without sound or motion。
Suddenly the honeyb…cells began shedding harsh light； the saucer's underside solid convex of brilliance。 One of the embryo…mecha began to glow。 Its egg expanded and rose into the air toward the saucer。 Rand and Annie stopped their withdrawal and watched what was happening。
Again there was the regal female voice； reverberating from the saucer； the cross…echoes making it difficult to understand。 But Rand thought he heard； 〃Nine…X…Nineteen has been selected for transmutation。 The quickening will begin。 Retrieve a Scout pod and transfer it to Hive Center。 〃
The egg had disappeared and the unborn Scout was enclosed in a larger globe of light； some sort of lifting field。 It looked similar to the ones Rand and the team had fought。 It was slowly unlimbering； its contours still curved to its confinement； the way a baby bird's are to its shell for the first few moments after it breaks free。
Rand and Annie watched the mecha borne away by the saucer。 He's being promoted？ Rand tried to puzzle out。 He didn't know much about how Invid society really functioned； nobody did； or at least nobody who was talking。
Annie shook him and he realized that time was wasting away。
In the Hive Center lay one of the bio…constructs that was the Regis's direct contact with each installation and every individual of her far…flung realm。 It was the center of the hive's reverence； obedience。。。adoration。 It spoke to the hive members； and with them； and for them。
It was situated in a shallow nutrient pool about five or six yards wide； filling two…thirds of it。 A half…dozen mature light…stalks blossomed around it； beaming down nourishing rays…radiating flowers like the Flower of Life and yet unlike it。
The darker chocolate…orange of the Hive Center's floor was broken across its entire span by large and small dark pink circles。 It looked as if a hundred spotlights of various sizes shone there。 But the only visible path of light was the incandescent beam that shone down on the Sensor； the coordinating intellect…clearinghouse of the hive。
Mecha stood by as the Regis spoke。 Listening to her were a single looming Scout unit and a half dozen and more of the smaller； more highly evolved； trumpet…snouted Controllers。
〃The proliferation of the Flower of Life on Earth has reached a critical phase； a triggerpoint；〃 it said。 〃Soon the mass thriving of the Flower will be assured； and we will need the Human race no more； and Earth will be the homeworld that will replace our beloved Optera。 But we must pass that triggerpoint； we must have more Human slaves to spread the Flower of Life to every corner of the Earth。
〃And to increase our supply of slaves； we must have more mecha； as rapidly as the Evolving makes that possible。 Prepare now for the arrival of the retrieval droid； and the quickening of a new Scout ship！〃
One of the Controllers began making stiff…armed gestures to the others； like some ancient Roman military salute sequence。 The other Controllers moved to their places； and in moments the hulking Scout ship； standing immobile on one of the lighted circles； began descending into the floor。 In a moment it was gone and the aperture closed。
〃I guess that thing there is the brains of the outfit；〃 Rand whispered； where he and Annie poised in concealment behind two fibrous columns。
〃Yeah； well； it may have it in the brains department； but…〃 She made a face。 〃Ugh！ It gives a whole new meaning to ‘ugly'！〃
The thing that Rand thought was a Sensor was a huge mass of wetly glistening； sickly pink coils。 It looked like someone had knotted a length of enormous small intestine beyond any unsnarling。 Its stench clogged the warm； humid air of the hive center。
A retrieval pod entered； bearing aloft the hatchling it had fetched。 〃Scout Trooper ready for quickening；〃 the Regis announced。 The saucer set its burden down exactly where the previous one had stood； the hatchling booming as it landed。 The lifting field disappeared as the saucer's underside dimmed。 The retrieval pod whisked away。
The hatchling's optical sensor opened； exposing the vertical row of three lenses。 〃Activate canopy；〃 the Regis manded。 Long segmented metal tentacles extended from somewhere above； their articulated fingers working quickly。 The Scout's cranial area was opened and a broad plate or hatch swung up。
Rand could see a softly lighted area within the cranial partment； but he couldn't tell much more about what was going on。 〃Insert drone Nine…X…Nineteen；〃 the Regis's eldritch voice said。
From a conduit high in the wall； there came another egg； this one far smaller than the mecha's。 Clusters of gracefully…waving tendrils； like undersea plants； floated at the top and bottom of the embryo。
Within the embryo was something curled up that looked shrunken and wizened even though its skin had the moist； hairless look of the unborn。 It appeared to be mostly head； its arms and legs degenerated and vestigial。 Its dark eyes were bottomless； liquid black slits； Annie couldn't decide whether they were as unseeing as a seconds…old kitten's； or windows to some all…observing intellect。 Drone Nine…X…Nineteen's nose was a bony button。
A crest of hard plate made a ridge from its massive； convoluted brow back across its skull。 Its skin seemed to be a lusterless gray…green； its brow and skull mapped by a craniological nightmare of bulges and eminences。 It was all but chinless； its mouth seemingly a tiny bud。
Rand and Annie looked at the face of the enemy。
Drone Nine…X…Nineteen； still in its egg； was wafted by unseen forces； to nestle in the dimly lit womb of the Scout's head。
〃Drone in place；〃 the Sensor reported to itself。
〃Bad place；〃 Annie muttered。 Rand nodded。
The tentacles closed the canopy of the quickened Scout； the optical scanner came alight； glowing red。 〃Transmutation pleted；〃 the Regis declared。 〃Prepare next Scout Trooper for quickening。〃 The Scout that carried…or had bee…Nine…X…Nineteen sank out of sight like its predecessor。
〃Rand；〃 Annie said plaintively； 〃I'm scared。〃
〃So'm I； Mint。 Let's get this thing over with and get out of here。〃 A retrieval pod was bringing in another Scout。 〃Dammit！ We must've gotten here right in the middle of Motherhood Week！〃
Annie swallowed。 〃Then let's blow that Sensor thing and get out of here！〃
〃Fine with me； but we have to find it first； remember？ And it could be anywhere in this maggot factory。〃
She looked at her watch。 〃That means it's time for Contingency Plan B； huh？〃
Rand nodded； checking his own watch。 〃I hope Scott and the others aren't napping。〃 He looked around him。 〃I'd hate to be stuck in this neighborhood at night。〃
Scott was wide awake and swearing； looking at his military chronometer。 He and the others were gathered under snow…covered firs behind a line of drifts； watching the pass from the shadows。
〃They're late with their signal！〃 And he had no idea whether Annie and Rand were in trouble or had simply； in their sloppy civilian way； forgotten the timetable。
If they're goofing around up there。。。
But Lancer grabbed his armored shoulder。 〃There they are。〃 He pointed。
Three quarters of the way up one of the peaks that flanked the fortress； light was flashing from one of the many niches or tunnel openings or launch bays or whatever they were。
Scott and Lancer trained their puter…coupled binocular on the spot。 The binocular showed Annie； sitting on the edge of one of the niches； angling a mirror from her pack； using it as a crude heliograph。 It would be impossible to answer by the same code； since the Invid might have picked up the flashes。 He turned to Rook； who stood with Marlene and Lunk。
〃Just as I figured： they need a decoy。 Okay； Rook； get moving。〃
She nodded； snowflakes glistening in her long； strawberry…blond waves。 〃Wish me luck。〃
Annie continued her signaling； hoping the team had noticed it。 It only made sense not to use a radio inside the fortress； but she would have felt better hearing Scott say； 〃Affirmative。〃
She heard the heavy tread of mecha round a corner； ing her way unexpectedly。 Annie fumbled with the mirror and lost it as she dove for cover。 She had no choice but to hang from the brink by her fingers； as two towering Controllers marched by。
〃Unidentified intrusions registered along Perimeter Sixteen；〃 the Regis's voice warned。 〃Investigate！〃
After they had passed； Annie hauled herself back up again。 But she felt a sinking unease。 Suppose her signal hadn't been seen？ She looked around for some other reflective surface that would serve； but could find none。
Maybe Rand and I are on our own？ Maybe we'd better start improvising？
Rook activated a control； and her Cyc's tires extruded heavy snow studs。 She left her thinking cap off； letting her hair blow in the wind on the chance that the aliens might think her less of a military threat if they didn't see that she was a Cyclone warrior。
She jumped from ridges and traveled under the tree canopy as much as she could； hoping that the enemy couldn't follow her back…trail through the snow and find signs of her teammates' presence。 Then she howled out into the open； making the treacherous approach uphill toward the fortress。 It wasn't long before a flight of Pincer Ships dove at her； their shadows flickering across the snow。
Rook gave a wild； scornful laugh； elated by the thrill and risk of it all。 〃e on！〃 she called up。 〃I'll race you to the mountain top！〃
The Pincers swooped close but held fire for the moment； trying to determine just what kind of threat they faced。 Their scanners studied the racing cyclist。