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The orbs had lifted the GMU to an altitude of almost twenty miles by the time Rick and Max brought their Alphas aboard。 Below； hidden beneath a swirling； agitated pall of cloud cover； Praxis was fractured beyond recognition； the molten stuff of its core geysering to the surface and boiling away the planet's oceans and fragile atmosphere。 Microclimates and cyclonic storms added to the fury； unleashing blinding bolts of lightning and torrents of black rain； while volcanoes answered the skies with thunderous volleys of their own making。 Praxis bellowed and roared like some tortured animal； rattling the GMU with its clamorous cries。
In the base's pressurized ordnance bay； Rick and the others began to wonder whether they would make it after all。 Veidt had told them that the orbs could only remain clustered for a short time once they reached the outer edge of the planet's envelope； but with Praxis seemingly entering its final phase； the base would need to be hundreds of thousands of miles out…at least as far as the planet's primary satellite。 The way Cabell saw it； the Sentinels had one recourse： to use the most fully fueled VTs and Logans I to reach the far side of the moon。 A preliminary count of the available mecha； however； had already pointed up the cruel truth half the Sentinels would have to face； and even so； what would the rest have acplished outside of prolonging the inevitable？ Were they to throw together a bivouac on the moon's frozen surface； or simply wander the wastes like some misguided flock until the mechas' power and life…support systems failed？
In another part of the bay； Gnea and Bela were asking Teal why she had gone back to the cave。 Neither of the Praxians knew much about Spheris or the ways of its crystalline life…forms； but the women guessed that Teal would have been just as happy to have remained on Praxis with her dead rade。
〃But we've all endured losses and hardships；〃 Bela was telling her； trying to be helpful。 〃Recall how Lron and Crysta suffered when the Farrago met its end； and how Gnea and I grieved for our Sisterhood。 Now our very world。。。〃
Lron； who was standing within earshot； made a kind of mournful growl。 〃Death is the way of the world；〃 he muttered in the usual Karbarran fashion。 〃We do not mourn the loss of our friends； we are resigned to such things。〃
〃I'm not mourning for Baldan；〃 Teal said； looking up at him and Crysta。 〃I'm upset about the child。〃
〃The dead child；〃 Gnea started to say。
〃It's not dead；〃 Teal said harshly； standing up and walking away from them。
〃It lives？〃 Bela said； catching up and spinning her around by the arm。 〃And you would knowingly abandon it？〃
〃Let her be； Bela；〃 Lron cut in。 〃You know nothing of their ways。〃
〃I know what it means to leave a being to die；〃 she answered him。 〃Why； Teal？〃 she asked。
The Spherisian gazed at her coldly。 〃Because I will have to care for the infant。 That is our way。〃
Teal snatched her arm away and Bela threw back her broad shoulders。 〃I will return for the child。 I will raise it； if you won't。〃
Teal whirled on her； pointing a hand accusingly。 〃What do Praxians know of motherhood？ I forbid you！〃
Even Gnea had misgivings about the idea； and risked a step into Bela's path。 〃Think twice； Sister。 Besides； it is too late…Halidarre rests and our Praxis is out of reach。〃
〃I'll take you；〃 a female voice rose up from the group of mecha pilots that had gathered round。 Miriya Sterling eased her way her way through the group； until she was toe…to…toe with the amazon。 〃I'll take you；〃 she repeated。
〃A Praxian and a Zentraedi sharing the same small space？〃 Gnea scoffed。 〃Even such a mission of mercy…〃
〃No matter what you may think of me；〃 the former Quadrono ace responded； 〃I know as much about the sanctity of life as any of you do。 Give it a try； Bela…for the infant's sake。〃 She thrust a helmet into Bela's hands。
Bela held on to the thing for a moment； then donned it； and raced with Miriya for one of the Skull's red VTs。
Rick didn't even consider trying to stop them…not that Bela or Miriya would have listened to him in any case。 He had noticed a kind of latent xenophobia surfacing among the Sentinels…something stress had brought out…and reasoned that a rescue mission could provide just the rallying point everyone needed。
Bela and Miriya were suited up by the time Rick came over to wish them luck； and minutes later the bay had been cleared for the VT's launch。 Miriya entered course headings as the mecha dropped down along the GMU's substantially reduced orb cluster and into the dark night of the planet's soul。
Once through the shroud； the two women witnessed for themselves the final； tormented moments of Praxis's tectonic death。 Great； furious rivers of molten stuff coursed across the planet's surface now； burying forests and villages in liquid fire。 Here and there； where the rivers were abruptly dammed by ground swells； were crater…sized lakes of lava； flailing white…hot tendrils into an equally hellish sky。 Praxis seemed to be expanding while they watched； bursting its geological seams。
Miraculously； the region around the caves was practically unchanged； except for an expanding flow of lava that had sealed the entrance to the central cavern。 The artificial chute； however； remained open and accessible。
〃We'll have to go in through the top；〃 Miriya shouted； struggling to keep the VT stabilized in the face of intense updrafts from the liquified valley floor。
Miriya imaged the VT over to Guardian mode and dropped the mecha into a controlled fall through the wide chimney the Sentinels had blasted through fifty feet of porous rock。 With external temperatures registering in the red； there was no leaving the Veritech for a personal rescue； but years of experience in handling the mecha allowed Miriya to acplish something even more extraordinary： foot thrusters holding the mecha motionless only inches above a pool of lava that had seeped in through the mouth of the cave； she utilized the radome to rake the throbbing crystal away from the wall where Teal had dropped it。 Then； when the Spherisian infant was within reach； she took it gingerly into the VT's metal…shod hand； brought up the thrusters； and took the Guardian up the chimney； in a kind of stork reversal。
All the while； Bela was offering words of encouragement； and free of the chute now； she reached forward to give Miriya an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder。
Praxis did all it could to ground the tiny craft； hurling plumes of fire at its tail and chasing it to the edge of space with savage stabs of lightning； but there was no stopping Miriya； no way she would permit the planet to reclaim the child they had rescued from its unharnessed evil。
Once more through the pall； the VT reached the deceptive safety of the planet's stratosphere。 Locked on to the GMU's frequency now； Miriya and Bela began to relax some； but as they approached the ten…wheeled battlewagon and its support cluster； they saw something that delivered them to the edge of panic： both the vehicle's launch doors were wide open； and local space was littered with VTs and Logans； even half…a…dozen reconfigured Hovertanks。 Miriya and Bela thought for a moment that t