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 slightly dank but breathable； and gave the all…clear for the others to follow his example。 〃Which way？〃 he demanded； leading with his chin。
Tesla pointed to the circular shaft directly overhead。 〃There。〃 With a theatrical gesture； he motioned the team to gather round him。 No sooner had they done so than they found themselves imprisoned by some sort of tractor beam that was lifting them en masse toward the overhead shaft。 Gnea brought the tip of her lance to the ribbed underside of Tesla's neck。
〃No；〃 he told her； up on tiptoes to ease the contact。 〃You have it all wrong。 This is simply our。。。elevator system。〃
Jack and Janice were down in a bat crouch； weapons drawn； searching the beam's translucent circumference for any sign of danger。 Lron； Crysta； Bela； and Kami were similarly postured； Karbarran air rifles at high port； crossbows armed。 Tesla continued to protest for the duration of the thirty…second ascent into the dome's upper reaches。
Slowly； the tractor field began to de…rezz。
Jack had relaxed some by the time the beam shut down； then all at once he saw four Invid sentries swinging around to face them； forearm cannons raised。
Max had seen Miriya's Alpha go down。 He had his own VT in Battloid mode now； and was running it toward the crash site through a section of burning forest。 Two of his team were dead； at least that many of Miriya's had died as well。 He wasn't sure how Wolff was doing； but he had seen more than one Hovertank overturned by Shock Trooper anni disks。 Max didn't even want to think about the Garudan slaves。 And suddenly there was Miriya to worry about。
The mecha's scanners caught sight of something up ahead； and Max called for increased intensity； studying the biosensor data displays。 A minute later he had visuals。 It was Miriya's Red Alpha alright； in lopsided Guardian configuration； radome tipped to the ground…a wounded bird。
Then Max spotted the Hellcats…four of them； attacking the VT's canopy with a frenzy； battering it with downward blows of their armored heads。 He could see that one Inorganic had managed to get a claw inside； and was waving it around； presumably hoping to slice Miriya to shreds。 The four turned at the same moment to show Max their gleaming fangs and sword…edged shoulder horns； two hunt…mates leaped for the VT straightaway； but he already had the rifle/cannon locked on them。 They came apart in midair like clay pigeons。 Max holed a third where it stood glaring at him； and now the final 'Cat snatched its paw from the punctured canopy； reared up； and came at him。 Max tried to sidestep the Battloid when the Hellcat jumped； but his timing was off； the Inorganic latched on to the mecha's ablative head shields and began to ram its snout against the permaplas visor。 Reflexively； Max pressed himself back into the cockpit seat； he had a larger…than…life view of the crazed thing's snapping mouth and false gullet。 The 'Cat was snarling； trying desperately to slice open the Battloid's belly with the churning motion of its razor…sharp hind claws。 Max shut down the external pickups and armed the head lasers。 The angle was almost too oblique； but the Hellcat's back was heaving in and out of the targeting brackets and Max thought he might have a chance。 He raised the Battloid's left arm； gripped the 'Cat around the waist； and tugged it into the lasers' field。 Then he triggered the in…close guns。 The Inorganic brought its head up as the light beams seared into its backside； it took Max's follow…up pulse right through the eyes and dropped to the ground； lifeless。
Max stomped the thing twice。 He imaged over to Guardian mode and pulled his mask tight as he popped the media's canopy。 Miriya had yet to show herself。 Scampering up along the Red's downswept wing； he peered into the shattered cockpit and began to fumble with the manual…release levers。
〃Miriya！〃
He called her name twice more before he succeeded in springing the ship's protective blister。 She appeared unharmed； but unconscious。 More troubling； however； was the fact that the Hellcat had ripped off her mask； she had been breathing Garuda's atmosphere for a dangerously long time。
CHAPTER TWELVE
Several mentators have felt pelled to point out that Jonathan's Wolff's 〃slip〃 ＇sic： see Mizner's Rakes and Rogues； The True Story of the SDF…3 Expeditionary Mission＇ was perhaps the pivotal event of the Third Robotech War。 The reasoning goes something like this： If Wolff had fired on the Invid ship； Rem would never had reached Haydon IV； and without Rem； the Regis would not have been as likely to instruct her Sensor Nebulae to search the Galaxy's outermost arms for evidence of the matrix； and would not； therefore； have found Earth until years after the Expeditionary mission returned。 The reader must decide for him or herself whether anything is to be gained by such speculation； but I would point out that ＇Mizner's＇ reasoning can be made to apply in both directions。 It is as easy to blame Lynn…Minmei as it is Jonathan Wolff。
Footnote in Zens Bellow's The Road to Reflex Point
An Invid ship； a small shuttle； had