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gn…one in which she； too； did little more than play out a role。 And that role。。。that role demanded she accept that what she sought was not the Flowers of Life； but the stuff that had been conjured from them by Zor himself…the Protoculture。
As she saw it…as she wanted to see it…Protoculture was a malicious energy； a malignancy that did nothing but fuel the war machine of the Masters and her deluded ex…husband。 To see it as more would be to admit she had been wrong after all； that the Regent's course was the truer one； the predestined one。
And suddenly he had sent her some sort of gift。
She was pacing the floor like a caged beast now； waiting for the unsolicited thing to be brought up to her。 Finally； two of her husband's 〃scientists〃 were admitted to her quarters； she recognized one of them as a master she had herself evolved for the express purpose of overseeing Flower gathering on Garuda…another of the cursed worlds Zor had for some reason seen fit to cultivate。
〃Your Grace；〃 the scientist directed up to her； bowing。 〃The Regent regrets that he could not be here in person to bestow his gift。〃
The Regis made a scoffing sound。 〃If he had e in person； I wouldn't be here to receive him。 Now； have the thing brought in and take your leave； underling。〃
〃Of course； Your Worship；〃 the scientist said； bowing once more。 〃Only it is not so much a 'thing'。。。〃
〃What then？〃 she asked him； arms akimbo。
〃More in the way of a live presentation…but one that will surely prove most enlightening。〃 The scientist shouted a few quick mands over his shoulder； and two Invid soldiers marched into the room。 Sandwiched between them was a small Tiresioid male； narcotized； so it appeared。
Puzzled； the Regis reduced her stature some to get a better look at him。 One of the soldiers tilted the Tiresioid's face up for her inspection。
It was Zor。
A tight scream worked its way up from the very depths of her being； and she came close to losing consciousness； falling back from the soldiers and their terrible trophy and crashing against a municator sphere。
〃A clone； Your Grace； a clone！〃 the scientist was shouting； aware of the Regis's distress。 〃We meant you no ill。〃
〃How dare you！〃 she bellowed； frightfully enough to send both soldiers and scientists to their knees； and Rem face…first to the floor。
〃We subjected the clone to the Garudan atmosphere and discovered that his dreams spoke of things we were certain you would find…〃
〃Silence！〃 the Regis said； cutting off the scientist's rush of words。 〃I know what you thought；〃 she added； more posed now。 〃And I know what the Regent meant by sending me this。。。clone。 On your feet！〃
Hesitantly； the four Invid did as instructed； leaving Rem where he lay。 〃Your Highness；〃 the master scientist began on a sheepish note； 〃Haydon IV's devices will permit us to gaze even deeper into the clone's cellular memory。 Perhaps some clue regarding the Masters or the missing Protoculture matrix。。。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered him； looking down at Rem as he groaned and rolled over。 It took all her strength to keep from reaching out to touch him。 Would he remember her？ she wondered。 Would the clone's cellular memory reveal what Zor had been thinking when he seduced her； when he returned to Optera for the seedlings； backed by an army of warrior giants？ Would that same memory reveal the path the matrix had taken； the course she would follow？。。。〃Conduct your experiments；〃 she told the relieved group。 〃Show me the future of our race！〃
Jonathan Wolff was beyond believing in miracles； but he was hard…pressed for a better word to describe the sight of several hundred Garudans charging onto the scene to rescue their enslaved brethren。 They were cresting the hilltop now…armed with everything from war clubs and bolos and grapnel…shaped things to Karbarran air weapons and antimecha rockets…and dropping down on the Invid soldiers who were keeping the slaves hemmed in。 A dozen or so Bioroids on Hoverplatforms were providing them with air support； employing their stem…mounted cannons to rain destruction on Hellcats and Cranns alike。
Countless defenseless Garudans had been killed in the Inorganics' genocidal attack； but that didn't stop the survivors from rallying once they realized that their world had mitted itself to an all…or…nothing stand。 They rushed the Invid lines； which were already strained to the breaking point； and fell upon the offworlders with a violence only blind fury could release。 It took five； ten； often fifteen Garudans to bring down a single armored soldier； but one by one the enemy fell。 Some were pummeled to death； others disintegrated by their own weapons； and still others were stripped of their masks and respirator tanks and left to run amok； crazed long before the spores could work their effect…crazed by the naked fear of that end。
Spurred on by this reversal； the Wolff Pack and Skull Squadron pulled out all the stops。 Until this moment； concern for the well…being of Rick and their other captured rades had to some extent weakened their resolve； and it took the Garudans' desperate 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 spra