ate charge to make them remember what the fight for liberation was all about。 Re…inspired； VT pilots and Hovertankers let loose their own shadow selves； and swept like avenging angels through ruptured sky and forests infernal。 Shock Troopers； soldiers； Optera trees； the farms themselves…nothing was to be spared their wrath。
With total abandon； Wolff urged his mecha deeper and deeper into the madness； destroying； crippling； killing。 For one instant he rejoiced at hearing Miriya Sterling's voice over the tac net…she was presently riding tandem in Max's Alpha/Beta fighter…but that was no more than a fleeting reminder of a past life。 He considered himself one of the dead now； in no world's hell but his own。 And from that hollow center came a murderous intent that knew no bounds。 He could only hope that some of the Sentinels would live to see victory that day。
〃Behind you！〃 Janice shouted。
But Jack had already seen them and was halfway through his turn； the rocket launcher atop his shoulder。 Three Invid soldiers were advancing up the corridor； their forearm cannons booming。 Jack triggered his shot and caught one of the XTs dead center。 The explosion was enough to drop the other two； but only momentarily； they were back on their feet in an instant； resuming their advance while Jack reached for the grenades clipped to his web belt。
〃We've got them！〃 he heard Lron； or possibly Crysta； growl。 The Karbarrans were positioned on either side of the corridor terminus； grenades in their outstretched mitts。 〃Now！〃 Lron said； and the two pivoted and released。
Jack flattened himself against the floor and covered his head； the roar and concussive heat washed over him and he rolled to one side； running through a quick check of everyone's position。 Janice was behind him； kneeling over the quivering mass that was Tesla； Gnea and Bela were off to the right； along a section of curved； featureless wall just short of a second corridor terminus。 Learna was opposite them； near the tubestand and sphere arrangement Tesla had called a municator。 The four Invid soldiers who had greeted them after the 〃elevator〃 ride were sprawled on the floor； dead； two with arrows sunk inches deep into their thick necks。 Close by two more were dead or dying； dropped by high…speed projectiles from the Karbarrans' air rifles。
〃Get him up！〃 Jack yelled； scrambling to his feet and motioning to Tesla。 〃Gnea； Bela； check that corridor！〃
The Praxian women had crossbows and swords held low as they moved in； Crysta came up behind them with her rifles ready to mete out additional force。 Tesla was up now and dusting off his robes。
〃Barbarians；〃 he said； looking around at the dead soldiers。
〃Save it；〃 Jack spat； giving him a nudge in the gut with the launcher。
Tesla looked down his snout at the Human。 For small and primitive beings； he decided； they were possessed of an incredible ferocity at times。 And while this in itself was not unmon； it was pletely at variance with the sympathetic； caring traits they were so fond of displaying。
Tesla； Jack； Janice； and Learna were nearing the municator sphere when something suddenly charged the air…a resonant； bone…rattling hum that carried a peculiar odor with it。
〃An alert；〃 Tesla announced； fingers on the sphere's activation controls。 〃Seems you've succeeded in calling attention to yourselves。〃
〃Anything？〃 Jack called out to Gnea。 She shook her head； then offered him a perplexed shrug。
〃Ahh； there's the reason they're leaving us alone。。。〃
Jack turned around in time to see an image e to life in the heart of the sphere。 It took a moment to make sense of the scene； and Learna was the first to gasp。
〃Looks as though we've a rebellion on our hands；〃 Tesla ventured。
The sphere showed a virtual army of Garudans pouring into the basin。 Invid soldiers were butchering them from dug…in positions close to the base of the hive。 The Optera tree forest was ablaze； giving the crater the look of a devil's cauldron。
〃It's suicide！〃
Janice put her arm around Learna's soft shoulders。
〃Then let's make it count for something；〃 Jack said in a determined voice。 He nudged Tesla into motion again； and the Invid began to lead them along one of the corridors。 Shortly they were standing before a shimmering portal similar to the one at the hive entrance。 Once again； Tesla's hand or voice 〃unlocked〃 the portal； and the team found themselves in a kind of control center； filled with 〃furniture〃…strangely contoured chairs and fairly conventional tables and countertops…wardrobe closets； instrumentality columns； municator spheres of various size and design； and what looked to be Tiresian Robotech devices。
The team fanned out to search the space and Lron made an important discovery behind one of the long counters： two cowering white…robed Invid scientists。
The Karbarran pulled them up by their necks and shoved them toward the center of the room。
〃Tesla！〃 one of them seethed； following up with what Jack imagined to be a few choice Invid epithets。 Janice translated： 〃He called Tesla a traitor。 Said it was true what they'd heard about him。〃
〃Meaning what？〃 Jack asked。
〃Why； my leading you here；〃 Tesla said too quickly。
〃Where is Kami？〃 Learna demanded。
Tesla put the question to them； then grunted when the scientists had replied。 〃They refuse to say。〃
Jack grabbed Crysta's rifle and held it to the head of one of the scientists。 〃Ask him again。〃
Tesla listened to the reply and shook his head。
〃All right then…〃
〃Hold it a moment； Jack；〃 Bela interrupted。 〃Perhaps they crave a lungful of Garuda's fresh air。。。〃
Tesla told the two what the Sentinels had in store for them； even Jack could see their snout sensors blanch at the prospect。 No one really needed the translation。
〃They've changed their minds；〃 Tesla announced with a snort of disapproval。
And with that the scientists began to lead the Sentinels on a circuitous tour through the dome； descending always； via tractor tubes and spiral drops where there should have been stairs； past conveyor systems and vat after vat of Fruits or pulverized stem and Flower； in and out of corridors and rooms； mo stations and rotundas； all recently vacated by soldiers and worker drones who had ceased their tasks to protect the farm。 Within minutes of leaving the control center Jack felt pletely lost； he had no idea where they were in relation to the hive entrance； and began to wonder whether the scientists were leading them into a trap。 But his concern faded by the time they reached what he guessed to be the lowest； perhaps underground level； they had passed numerous places where ambushes could have been sprung； but not a single soldier had been seen。 Then at last they reached the end of the line…or so it seemed until one of the scientists actually walked the group right through a wall。 The chamber beyond was a kind of membranous sac； veined and pulsating like something one might find in an unhealthy lung； and there； heaped together in the center of the floor； were Rick； Lisa； Karen； and Kami。
Fearing the worst； Jack hung back while everyone else ran to them…everyone but Janice； who positioned herself near the sac's osmotic gate where she could keep an eye on Tesla。 Learna immediately slipped a transpirator over Kami's muzzle and hugged him to herself for all it was worth。 Kami stirred some after a moment； but the three Humans were another matter； sickly pale and disheveled； they languished in a deathlike stupor； whimpering every so often。
〃。。。subjected them to the atmosphere； then performed some sort of mind…probe experiments；〃 Janice could hear Tesla translating。
Janice saw the two scientists take a step back as Jack and the others swung around to them。 She pretended to preoccupy herself studying the chamber's portal； furnishing Tesla with a bit of illusory breathing space。 At the same time； she sharpened her eyes and ears in his direction。
〃Don't worry about a thing；〃 Tesla was telling his rades in a low but reassuring tone。 〃Now that the Regent has been。。。killed； Tesla will rule in his place。 I will make peace with these beings and…〃
〃Tesla； what are you saying？〃 one of the Invid cut him off。 〃The Regent killed？ We just spoke with him。 In fact； it was he who told us to expect you。〃
〃What？〃 You spoke。。。But； but what you said； what you said about it being true…〃
〃Yes；〃 the other scientist sneered。 〃That you had taken up the Sentinels' fight； and that we should beware your treachery！〃
〃No！〃 Tesla said too loudly。 He caught himself and risked a glance at Janice； but she kept her eyes averted from him。
Jack； Gnea； and Lron were storming up to him when he swung back around。 Lron took hold of each of the scientists by the fronts of their robes。
〃Ask them what they did with Rem。〃 Jack barked。
Tesla peered over at the rescued group； noticing for the first time the Tiresian was not among them。 Absently； he put the question to the two he had hoped were to be his first subjects； still stunned by what they had told him。 The Regent alive？ How could it be？
〃Well？〃 Jack shouted。 〃What's he saying？〃
Tesla waited for the scientist to repeat it； nodding as he listened。 〃Rem is Tiresian。 His dreams were less； shall we say； monplace。 So he was sent elsewhere for further tests。〃
〃Where？〃 Janice asked； walking over to him。
Tesla listened for a moment。 〃To Haydon IV。 In fact； the Regent himself is on his way…〃 Tesla eyes went wide and the words caught in his throat。
〃Go on。。。〃
He swallowed and found his voice…raspy as it was； all at once。 〃The Regent is on his way to Haydon IV as we speak。〃
〃Then that's where we're bound；〃 Bela said evenly； her eyes narrowed to slits。
Tesla gulped； loud enough for everyone to hear。
〃We've got to get them to Jean's med team；〃 Learna announced； still holding on to her mate。
Bela lifted Lisa from the floor。 〃We have no time to lose。〃
Lron and Crysta moved in to take hold of Rick and Karen。
Max and Miriya received Cabell's good news/bad news update over the net： Rick and the others had been rescued； but they were still under the effects of the planet's microbe…laden atmosphere and delirious with fever。 Moreover； the mission had gone smoothly with no casualties among the team； but Rem was n