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while others fell to the first wave of Inorganics； torn apart by Hellcats or roasted by bolts from the Cranns' orifice…dimpled weapons spheres。
Wolff ordered the Pack to spread out and form a second line； the Hovertanks reconfigured and began to fire at will； decimating much of the second sortie wave； but suddenly forced to deal with the Shock Troopers as well。 Annihilation disks stormed into the tankers' midst； tearing up the land and overturning two of the mecha。 Wolff could see that members of Max's blue team were going over to Battloid and repositioning themselves opposite the Pack to form the second leg of a V formation。 Wolff called for a cannonade as the Inorganics rushed into the notch。 Pounded with explosive rounds the tundra shook and bellowed； the ridge trapped the concussive sounds and hurled them back； as Inorganics and Shock Troopers alike were reduced to gobs of white…hot metal； geysers of fire in the already superheated air。
Miriya's Red team came in just then to add their deafening movement to the score。 Pincer Ships and VTs went face…to…face； hammering away at one another； while missiles and projectiles corkscrewed through the firestorm and smoke。
Wolff told his B team to hold their ground； at the same time he and the other A tankers battled their way over scorched terrain and through flaming stands of trees toward the Garudans' march of death。 Prevented from ascending the hillside by rows of Invid soldiers and vulnerable below to the Inorganics' unchecked advance； the vulpine XTs were being slaughtered。 Wolff thought he could hear their wailing clear through the tank's canopy and the tac net's cacophony of calls。 The Pack couldn't fire for fear of killing even more of them； so instead Wolff led the tankers on a flat…out collision course straight to where the Inorganics had bee bunched up at the base of the hill。 The tanks smashed their way into the thick of the slaughter； down…swept deflection bows cutting Cranns and Odeons in half。 Hellcats leaped on the hovering mecha； only to be blasted to smithereens by in…close guns； or crushed by hand when some of the Pack reconfigured to Battloid mode。
Meanwhile； at the edge of the forest Max's VT teams were getting the upper hand。 Pincer and Shock Trooper ships were falling out of the sky like ducks on a bad day at the marsh。 Miriya's Reds accounted for most of those kills； Wolff could just discern them overhead； flying circles around the enemy pilots。 He caught sight of one VT in particular as it was pleting some sort of aerial pirouette that had left three Pincers in ruin； he was thinking that it must have been Miriya's； until he saw the VT sustain a shot any cadet could have dodged。 Wolff watched it plummet toward a ravaged area of woodland。
〃That's the place they got jumped；〃 Jack said； pointing out a damaged row of Optera trees at the bottom of the slope。 The hulks of the three Scout ships had been removed； but there was evidence of the fires the explosions had touched off。 〃Then they were dragged into the hive。〃 Jack handed binoculars up to Lron； once again indicating the direction。 〃You can just make out the entrance or whatever it is。〃
Tesla gave him the Invid word for the portal； mumbling something Jack found unintelligible。
〃Like I said： whatever it is。〃
Careful not to disturb his transpirator； Lron took a look through the armored glasses and passed them along to Crysta。 She was upping the intensity some； when Learna's trill…like signal reached them from somewhere in the trees。 A moment later； the Garudan appeared at the base of the slope； motioning the team down。 Gnea and Bela were crouched behind her； masked and vigilant； looking more than ever like barbaric gladiators lifted from some Roman arena。 Jack tapped Janice on the shoulder and got everyone under way。
They had reached the crater well before dawn； without incident despite the presence of stepped…up Inorganic patrol teams。 Not just Hellcats； but Cranns and Odeons…bizarre enough creatures by daylight； and positively frightening in the predawn ground fog。 Even these hadn't deterred the free Garudans from putting in an appearance； though； only this time it was more than curiosity that motivated them： many had armed themselves with Karbarran air rifles； hoisting them in a display of support as the team passed。 Just before sunrise at the crater rim； Jack had seen flashes of explosive light in the southwestern skies； rolls of distant thunder…the Skull's bombing run against the neighboring farm。 Shortly thereafter； scores of Shock Troopers had risen from the basin and flown toward the sound of the guns。
〃Any activity？〃 Jack asked when he reached the base of the slope。
〃Nothing so far；〃 Learna told him。 〃We went as far as the hive。〃
Jack turned to Tesla。 〃What do you think？〃 he said angrily。 He had no patience left for the Invid's malingering。 Keeping Tesla concealed on the trail had led to more than a few hairy moments； and on the slope he had behaved less like a sentient creature than an out…of…control boulder。 But now the time had e for Tesla to earn his keep。 〃What's their routine？〃
Tesla glanced at what could be seen of the hive through the trees。 〃Difficult to say； what with all the activity you've stirred up。 Normally； the slaves would be arriving any minute now。〃 Tesla looked up at one of the trees' vine…encrusted globe canopies。 〃Pity； too；〃 he mused。 〃All this ripe fruit going to waste。〃
Jack brandished a long…bladed dirk as Tesla reached out to pluck a particularly succulent…looking piece。 〃You haven't earned it yet； Tesla。 Besides； you don't really want to take off the mask； do you？〃
Tesla thought it over。 There was no reason he couldn't lift the mask for the time it would take to gobble down some fruit； but he decided not to bother arguing the point。 So he simply left the fruit to rot Instead of adding it to the samples he had already stuffed into the pockets of his robes。
〃No； I suppose not；〃 he said after a moment。
Jack ordered him to take the point； and in ten minutes the team arrived at the hive's entrance。 It was faintly lit； a half…moon…shaped tunnel twenty…five…feet high and posed of what looked like solidified sea foam。 There seemed to be a slight shimmering to the air inside； but this ceased when Tesla identified himself to the scanner。 A voiceprint； Jack thought； but he couldn't be sure。
The tunnel was deadly hot； evil…smelling even through the masks' filters； and reminded Jack of fiber…optic vids he had seen of the human body's arterial system。 It terminated in a rotunda； whose enormity and crepuscular illumination Jack found disorienting。 Dozens of corridors emptied into the area； like detonator horns on an old…fashioned naval mine。
〃We can dispense with these contraptions；〃 Tesla was saying； pulling the transpirator from his snout。 He took a deep breath and smiled at everyone。 Jack could see that he was taking obvious delight in their amazement。
〃This is our foyer；〃 Tesla said； with an elaborate wave of his arm。
Jack checked the display on the biosensor Jean had strapped on his wrist。 Satisfied； he slipped the filtration mask from his mouth； determined to keep a straight face。 Still wary； he sniffed at the air； found it