ur of the Invid personal…armor mecha were falling in whirling； flaming fragments。 The team spent its missiles prodigally； their kill score climbed。
Lunk's truck； bounding and slewing across the open snowfield； attracted other attention。 He saw cannons in a half…dozen niches in the cliff face open fire； and he began dodging and juking。 Invid annihilation discs began Frisbeeing all around him。 Snow was melted and earth blown high in fountains of flame and smoke。 As was his habit； Lunk froze from his thoughts the image of what even one hit would do to him； Marlene； and the truck； in view of the ordnance and Protoculture they were hauling。
But Scott had seen what was happening； and dove in； loosing more missiles。 The gun emplacements were knocked out in cascades of snow and broken rock； leaving only smoking holes like horizontal chimneys。
Rook and Lancer had vanquished the last of the opposition； the VTs made an attack run and blew open the main gate of the Invid fortress。 The fighters slowed； moving on hoverthrusters； sailing into the colossal main corridor。 Lunk's APC brought up the rear； his finger on the autocannon's steering wheel trigger。
They had little time to observe the fortress； with its bizarre and unnerving bination of alien technology and XT organics。 Following Annie's tracer beam； they came to the Hive Center at last。 The aircraft had been forced to slow down in the maze； so that Lunk pulled to a stop just as they grounded VTOL style。
The VTs knelt in a Hive Center of twisting； still…burning Controller mecha。 The place was filled with thick smoke； the stench of incinerated organic material； and the reek of the disintegrating matter that had been the Sensor。 The pilots jumped down； as Lunk and Marlene both coughed from the foulness around them。
At last they spotted the mound of pinkish stuff that had been the Sensor。 Then they saw the dim flashing ing from its summit。 Scott dashed toward it。 〃Gimme a hand here！〃
The Sensor…stuff was beginning to melt； in another moment； Scott and Lunk had pulled two bodies free。 Rand was barely breathing when they got him out； but he had shielded Annie in a little air pocket he had formed with his own body。
Rook stood to one side； staring down； not moving。 She seemed about to speak； then was silent。 But she never took her eyes off of Rand。
At last Rand's eyes opened。 〃W…what took you so long； pal？〃
Rook let out a breath and pulled her features back into their normal unconcerned； uncaring expression。 And so when Rand eagerly looked at her； she gave him a casual look。 He still managed a smile； grateful that she was alive； though he would have crawled back in under the Sensor offal before admitting it。
Lunk called over； 〃Annie sez she'll be all right once she brushes her teeth！〃
Rand was already pushing Scott away from him； ing to his feet； clearing the last of the goo out of the H90； weaving a little。 〃I've had it！ I'm gonna slaughter those walking tin latrines！〃 He steadied himself and lurched away。 By the time Scott caught up with him； Rand was standing at a lower entrance to the huge dome where empty mecha waited in fetal repose。
Scott whistled low。 〃What is it； an incubator？〃
Rand brought up his pistol。 〃Whatever it is； it's history！〃
Something inside him knew he should be off somewhere ferreting out the place where the drones themselves were created…that he should be wiring that place up with all the explosives in Lunk's truck。
But he just wasn't made that way。 The drones； for all their grotesqueness； were living things。 And without their mecha； they were nothing。
Rand fired into the hemisphere in the middle of the dome…the thing that looked so much like the first instant of a nuclear explosion。 He didn't know quite what would happen； but it turned out that the thing was fragile as stained glass。 Sections of it geysered； then caved in； and black smoke roiled forth。
Rand was watching it in stonefaced satisfaction when； suddenly； Marlene's screech echoed to them down the alien halls。
They raced back to find the others trying to help； without any effect； as Marlene knelt； clutching her head。 She wept that she couldn't stand it…though she didn't say what it was。
When Lunk wondered aloud what could be the cause of Marlene's seizures； no one answered until Scott said softly； 〃I wish I knew。〃
〃Bad news； guys；〃 Rook cut through their unease。 She was standing by Lunk's truck； examining its beeping displays。 〃That Invid patrol that left the hive this morning is on its way home！〃
Scott didn't take the time to wonder if it was because the raid had taken too long or because the destruction of the Sensor had alerted the mecha。 〃Okay； people： let's get out of here on the double。 Rand； take the Beta Fighter。〃
Rand was already off and running。 When the VTs hovered in the Hive Center and Lunk was racing his engine； Scott said over the tac net； 〃Listen up： you either break out of this rat's nest now； or you spend the rest of your lives as sharecroppers on an Invid Protoculture farm。〃
〃What d'you mean ‘you'？〃 Rand challenged。 〃What's Bernard gonna be doing while we're busting out？〃
Scott tried to sound matter…of…fact。 〃I'm the one who got us into this。〃
〃Nobody's arguing；〃 Rand shot back。
〃As you were！ So； it's my place to take some of the heat off you。 I'm going to block the front door for a while； don't lollygag getting out the back。〃 His thrusters lit like blue novas； and his Alpha sprang away into one of the huge elevated conduit…passageways。
〃Lancer； we should back him up；〃 Rand said slowly； pulling on his thinking cap。
〃Let him go； country boy； he'll be fine！〃 Rook snapped。 〃We've got enough problems of our own！〃
Scott mechamorphosed to Battloid mode as he zoomed toward the shattered main gate。 He met the first of the returning Pincer Ships with blasts from the mecha's massive rifle/cannon； a weapon with a muzzle as wide as a storm drain。 The enemy flight was ing head…on； and Scott had little chance to dodge them。 He blasted the first ship out of the air and scattered the ones near it。
But they came at him anyway； Frisbeeing their annihilation discs。 He ducked into a side passageway； an upright Battloid； back and foot thrusters gushing blue。 The Invid dove after him。
Then it was a game of evade and hide； ambush and run。 The Invid were unrelenting； attacking him even though he had the advantage of standing or fleeing as he chose。
At last he darted like a huge wasp into a corridor that led to an intense light。 At its mouth stood two Scout guards； so surprised at his appearance that they were slow to react。 Scott knocked them off their feet； and they plunged backward； unable to attain a useful flying attitude。 They tumbled and thrashed to their doom。
Scott found himself in a place that was miles wide。 In its center was a tremendous globe that reminded him of the ancient ones in dance halls； the ones that reflected light。 Only； this one was wired up with Invid Robotech hardware and organic wetware。
This must be the central power core for the fortress！
Pincer Ships entered the spherical vastness from three different conduits； and he felt the sweat run down his face。 He eyeballed the power core quickly； spotting a glowing circular opening or access port a hundred yards across。 Through it； he could see the scintillating mysteries of Invid Protoculture technology。 His puters told him it was the alien equivalent of a main control matrix。
Scott made his decision； and the Battloid roared toward it。 Invid noted his presence； drove toward him at full acceleration； claws outstretched to grip and rend； since they didn't dare fire there。 Scott fooled them by hitting the core's outer hull； absorbing the impact with the Battloid's mighty legs； and springing away again。
The personal…armor mecha couldn't fire； but Scott felt no such punctions。 He whirled in midair and dispatched six air…to…ground Bludgeon missiles from his right and left shoulder pods。 The Pincers dodged； thinking the missiles were meant for them。
One of the Bludgeons detonated on the rim of the access opening； but the rest lanced through into the power core's innards。 Scott had already turned his Battloid on its heel to run like all hell。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Homer posited two kinds of dreams； the 〃honest〃 one of Horn； and the 〃glimmering illusion〃 of Ivory。 So Dad shot for Ivory； what else？
Maria Bartley…Rand； Flower of Life： Journey Beyond Protoculture
The core's vitals suddenly turned white…hot； and the whole miles…wide spherical chamber lit up like the interior of an arc furnace。
Although her Sensor was gone； the Regis spoke to her remaining children。 〃Control Matrix breeched！ Reflex furnace overload！〃 All she could do was tell them that they were all going to die； but at least they would hear her voice in their final moments。 Gargantuan sheets of electrical discharge played all through the place。
The core came apart at its seams； like a soccer ball full of Tango…9 explosive。 The Pincers were vaporized； the explosion raced outward。
Scott had turned and turned again； hurtling along at max thrust； praying the walls and turns would muffle some of the blast。
Then it caught up with him。
The Beta and the other two Alphas； shepherding Lunk's truck； arrowed toward the titanic triangle of the alien stronghold's rear gate。 Beyond it； a snowy Earth shone。
〃Nice of 'em to leave the back door open；〃 Rook smiled。 Then she felt her flesh goosebump as she saw that the light was dwindling； the two halves of the giant triangle's door were sliding in from either side。
〃But not for long！〃 cried Lancer。 〃Lunk； hurry！〃
Lunk gritted his teeth； floored the accelerator； and hit a few buttons。 〃Can't make it；〃 he muttered； but the APC leapt ahead in a way that disputed that。
The VTs had to e through standing on one wingtip； the APC almost got its tailpipe caught。 But they all made it； as the massive door halves ground shut。
〃I think that one took some paint off my baby； here；〃 Rook said cheerily； patting her instrument panel。
Lunk just tried to control his trembling； Annie was either meditating； praying； or passed out。 Marlene looked atose。
Rand glanced back over his shoulder at the fortress。
C'mon； Scott！
Somehow； being slammed against walls and dribbled along the deck for a bit hadn't destroyed the superstrong Battloid。 Even though the blast from the reflex furnace had shaken the whole mountain and had fissured walls； floors； and ceilings； it had somehow been relatively contained。 But he was registering secondary explosions； and there was every chance that the core was going to explode again with an even more spectacular Big Bang。
Then it was on his tail； a fireball even bigger than the first。 His sensors picked it up even while he was jetting for a secondary reargate； unable to find the main。 Fast as it was； the Battloid had no chance of outrunning the flashflood of utter destruction for long。
And the bad news was that the gate he was headed for was closed。
He let the gate have everything he had left； his only hope being to break through。 No room for explosives； he fired pumped…lasers。
Well； Scott： make…it…or…break…it time！ he thought； all in an instant； as the valve before him disappeared in a wash of dem