rose out of the chasm with them； flashing past。
〃Invid Shock Troopers！〃 Scott shouted。 Rand couldn't quite find the time to say； Toldja。 In the distance； a thin； incandescent pillar of light suddenly stretched from the floor of the Genesis Pit up to its ceiling and beyond。
The Invid mecha swept out and around for an attack。 〃We'll have to take 'em on；〃 Scott said grimly。 Rand zoomed off to one side； to drop Annie off to safety on some rocks。
As Scott landed； one of the big； purple alien mecha came his way； firing annihilation discs from the bulky cannon mounted on either shoulder。 Scott leapt clear with an assist from his thrusters； rolled； and came up with his H90 in his hand； firing。 The Invid dodged his shots and came in at him。
Rand was standing shoulder to shoulder with Scott by then； the two trying to aim their shots while the ground heaved and jostled under them。 Scott jumped off to the right and Rand launched himself high； barely eluding a swipe by a colossal metal pincer on a forearm the shape of a ladybug。 Rand put more rounds into it； but the trooper crouched in a defensive posture beneath him； shielding itself with the thickest parts of its panoply。
Annie was screaming； pointing to the pillar of light。 〃Look； look！ There's the exit； but it's disappearing！〃
The energy field that had blocked the way out was gone。 But the opening was shrinking； and the pillar of light was getting narrower。
〃It's our only chance！〃 Scott called to Rand。
Rand was so distracted that he was nearly mashed into the ground by a blow from an Invid。 As it was； the mighty forearm got a piece of him； sending him sprawling。 Rand managed to drive it back with wild shots from his sidearm； but the second Shock Trooper was angling for a shot of its own。
Rand back…flipped as Scott rushed in； the trooper getting off near misses； sending both men reeling back。 Scott's targeting module deployed from its external shoulder mount and swung into place before his eye； he was staring at the Invid through a sighting reticle。 He released a pair of Scorpions that missed； but drove the Invid back。
Suddenly； the invaders broke off the fight； turning and zooming off into the air； ignoring the Humans。 〃They're heading for the opening！〃 Rand saw。 〃We've gotta stop them； before they close it behind them！〃
〃Take care of Mint；〃 Scott called back； already aloft。 〃I'll go after them。〃 As he rocketed after them； he saw that the exit was closing quickly。
The Shock Troopers apparently realized they couldn't outrun their pursuer and turned to fight。 Scott dodged another pincer swipe； just as Rand caught up； having dropped Annie off again。 Scott evaded the swipe and vaulted to land atop the second Invid's crablike head。 The first Trooper was so caught up in the battle that it swung again； missing Scott； who hurtled clear； but struck its rade instead。
Scott dispatched another missile just as the first Trooper prepared to unleash its annihilation discs。 He blasted it right through the optical sensor that was its cyclops…eye。 The warhead was a dud； but the missile penetrated the glassy circle； shattering it。
Green； thick nutrient fluid poured from the Shock Trooper； and it went flailing back like a falling scarecrow and hit the ground。 The second Trooper charged at Scott； but Rand； in a close pass on raving thrusters； lashed out with his feet and smashed that one's eye； too。
〃Hurry up！〃 Annie shrilled。 〃The exit's almost closed！〃 The entire place was shaking； raining boulders and dust； cracking apart； as monsters roared and bleated。
Rand lifted her up； and the three blasted through the air toward the shrinking ray of light。 As they entered it； they were seized by the force that had drawn them into the Genesis Pit earlier； only this time it pulled them upward。
Within the Genesis Pit； the roof began to give way。 The shallow waters churned； throwing up waves and living things that would soon be dead。 The great beasts of land and sea threw their heads back and bellowed their agony to the world that had obliterated them once and was now doing it again。
The cliffs and ceiling gave way； the floor of the Genesis Pit fissured open； letting forth the magma the Invid had diverted to heat the place。 A surge of molten fury gushed up the exit shaft behind the three Humans； threatening to overtake them。
Then the two armored figures and the little girl in her oversized battle jacket were flying upward under the moonlight。 The magma stopped its upward motion and spread； igniting fires； and then it began draining down into the Pit once more。
All three Humans were laughing and cheering。 Scott and Rand flew far away from the site to a distant hillside。 The moon was full； but it looked to Rand as if rainclouds were moving in。 Good； those fires wouldn't last long。 〃Isn't that a beautiful moon？〃 Rand said wonderingly。
But Annie's attention was elsewhere。 〃Look at the mountains！〃
〃The whole mountain range is sinking into that Pit；〃 Scott said quietly。
The ground rumbled and moved again； clouds of dust obscuring the mountains； as a huge area went into subsidence； filling in the Genesis Pit。 〃That one was close〃 was all Scott could find to say。
Annie said mournfully； 〃But what about the poor dinosaurs？〃 She looked at Rand。
〃The Invid created them；〃 he told her。 〃And I think it's just as well that they left the dinosaurs down there to be destroyed。 Conditions up here aren't right for them； there's just no place for them to survive anymore。 Time simply passed them by。〃
Annie intertwined her fingers behind her back and scuffed the ground with one toe。 〃Y'mean； it's the same as when the Invid talk about the Human race being all finished？〃
Rand was starting to nod when Scott interrupted。 〃No！ Earth belongs to us； it's the Invid who are going to be extinct！〃
He sounded ferocious。 Rand knew all about Scott's fierce hatred of the species that had killed his fianc閑 and wiped out his unit； but this was no time for propaganda speeches。 〃All right； Scott； all right…〃
〃Hey！〃 Annie blurted。 〃Y'hear that？〃
It was the sound of large engines。 In a few moments mecha came into sight； seeking the source of the vast disturbances their instruments had detected。 In another moment； the survivors spotted an aircraft。
〃It's the Alpha Fighter！〃 Scott said。 〃And there's the rest of the team！ It's about time。〃
Annie was dancing from foot to foot。 〃Wait'll I tell Rook what happened to me！ Oboyoboy！'
〃Y'better make sure she's sitting down；〃 Rand said dryly。 He wondered if Rook would care to hear his story。 There was just no telling how the young lady would react sometimes。 Still； maybe it would be worth the risk。
CHAPTER SIX
The grand themes of the Robotech Wars are so dominant that the lesser ones are sometimes ignored。 But those lesser themes； I insist； are more instructive。
The matter of Marlene Foley's ultimate destiny is a primary case in point。 Surely Protoculture is a force to be reckoned with in our every thought。
Jan Morris； Solar Seeds； Galactic Guardians
The five Invid mecha cruised slowly across the night sky； navigating with care； surveying the terrain below。 They brought with them a sixth Robotech construct。 Within it was a cargo of critical importance。
Two Shock Troopers brought up the rear； and a partially evolved Invid in personal battle armor…the so…called 〃Pincer Ship〃…led the way。 In the center of the flying convoy were two more Pincer Ships。 Between them they carried a hexagonal canister。 The canister was like a Robotech setting for a cosmic gemstone； inside its crystal cocoon there throbbed and shone a fantastic； translucent egg。 The thing was luminous in deep corals； gentle reds； and flesh tones。
〃We must know more about these new enemies；〃 the Regis had decreed； in the wake of the Genesis Pit catastrophe。 Her servants had been quick to act。 Soon； a Simulagent； a triumph of Invid biogenetic engineering； would be in the enemy's midst。 And before obliterating them； the Regis would know whether the Humans posed any possible danger to her grand scheme for her race。
The Simulagent was code…named 〃Ariel。〃 Ariel had been replicated； with certain alterations； from a Human tissue sample that had been recovered while the Invid were examining the debris of the Human strikeforce they had destroyed weeks before。 It was inconceivable that anyone on Earth would recognize Ariel as a clone； since the source of most of her genetic design was a dead woman from the long…gone SDF…3 expedition。。。
The Invid flight leader's optical sensor scanned the area for any sign of Human presence； but there was none。 The timing of the drop was important。 The Simulagent's placement must be unseen； so that its origin would remain secret； and yet Ariel must not be left unprotected for long。
But the Invid had a recent fix on the Humans' route； which made things easier。
As the Invid formation neared its dropoff point； the crystal cocoon began to crack like an eggshell being pushed open from within。 The strobing light from its center shone brighter。
Just as the formation flew low over a deserted； devastated village； the crystal shattered。 The egg fell； lighting the night and the landscape below。 It bounced from a tree branch to a half…demolished roof to the ground。 Light and resilient and yet astonishingly strong； it suffered no injury。 The flight of alien mecha turned around and started back toward Reflex Point。
The egg rested under a tree； casting its flesh…tone light all around。 Soon it sensed the approach of its targets。 Its glare grew； and it pulsed with the rhythm and sound of a quickened heartbeat。 Darker colors swirled among the lighter ones now； and the egg stretched against the confines of its own skin with each beat。
This time Scott was flying directly over the rest of his team； keeping close in case of trouble； easing along in Guardian mode。 The Veritech fighter looked like a cross between an armored knight and a robotic eagle。
The subsidence of the mountains into the Genesis Pit and the aftershocks had made the terrain dangerous and their maps useless。 It had taken days to blaze a new trail through。 They traveled at night； both to make up for lost time and because； at last； they had found a major highway。
Rand； Rook； and Lancer were all riding close to Lunk's APC。 Like Scott； the Cyc riders had shed their armor； they all needed a chance to get out of its confinement after days of travel； and the scans and scouts indicated no Invid presence anywhere nearby。 Scott flew his Alpha without his control helmet…the 〃thinking cap；〃 in Robotech jargon…controlling it with the manuals alone。
Furthermore； it took Protoculture to power the armor； and they had used up a lot of their reserves in traveling the difficult mountain terrain。 Several times； Scott had been forced to ferry the APC across unavoidable gaps； which was something he hated to do。 By acting as a transport； the fighter was left highly vulnerable to sudden Invid attack。 Also； since this task demanded very slow； deliberate； painstaking maneuvering； it ate up a lot of Protoculture。 It was a workhorse role the fighter wasn't built for； and one that strained its autosystems。
At times like those Scott cursed the truck； but when he had to land and replenish his Proto