； littered with legless or pincerless Invid mecha； bits of Hovertank and Veritech； Bioroid and Inorganic。 An entire hillside was covered base to summit with Hellcat husks and Invid and Garudan corpses。 Hundreds； perhaps thousands had died。 And from what Max was hearing over the net； the same scene had played at each and every Invid farm and installation throughout the planet's equatorial belt。 But Garuda had freed itself from the offworlders' yoke。
Good news。。。bad news。
Max said as much to Miriya as the VT covered the fifty or so miles to the crater。 She was still in the Beta module and apparently all right； in spite of her ordeal。 Max was cautiously optimistic； he had yet to quiz her about how her fighter had been brought down in the first place。
The crater hive was for the most part intact； but Max didn't expect it to last much longer。 Fires encroaching on it from all sides。 Skull One dropped out of the smoke and clouds onto a battleground much like the one they had just left； dead and wounded strewn across the field； a palpable mingling of triumph and loss。 Those Invid who had survived were seeing the Garudan's barbaric side； but Max didn't suppose he could fault Kami's people for the day's bloody aftermath； this requisite catharsis。
Masked again； Jack； Gnea； and Bela directed Max and his wingmen in； and got Rick and the others into the VTs as fast as they could。 Lron； Crysta； and Janice were keeping Tesla and a few Invid scientists under guard inside the hive…protected from the Garudans' bloodlust for the time being。 Kami； still weak but ambulatory now； was off somewhere sharing the bittersweet taste of victory with Learna and their fellow warriors。 Mopping up； Max ventured； much as the Wolff Pack was doing in other quarters。
Max caught a brief glimpse of Rick as he was being lifted into the cargo space of Blue Danube's Beta module。 The transpirator prevented Max from being able to see his friend's face； but Rick looked as though the Invid had robbed him of his bones。
The three VTs raced for Kami's village； where Jean's team took over and carried Rick and the others to the safety of the geodesic med dome。 Max couldn't help but see it as a miniature version of the Invid hives they had just destroyed。
He and Miriya entered on Jack's heels； doffed their masks； and took in a lungful of the dome's artificial atmosphere。
〃Sweet； isn't it？〃 Max said； trying to sound cheerful。 Miriya gave him a weak smile； but said nothing。 He was reaching for her hand when she suddenly stumbled and collapsed into his arms。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Use your discretion； but try to have your men hold off until you're certain that at least half of them ＇ed。 note： the Zentraedi＇ are inside…that includes Breetai and that kingsize bitch； Kazianna。 Instruct the demo team to use more charges than they think necessary； I don't want any of them ing out alive。 In fact； it might be worthwhile to sabotage as many of their environment suits as possible beforehand。 Neither of us believe in accidents； Adams； but we're going to call it that no matter what。
A 〃Code Pyramid〃 muniqu？from T。 R。 Edwards； as quoted in Wildman's When Evil Had Its Day
A tight cluster of lights was descending out of Fantoma's perpetually brooding skies。 Breetai watched them for a moment； then turned away from the mand center's blister viewport to face his lieutenant。
〃They've arrived； my lord。〃
〃So I see；〃 Breetai said soberly。 He glanced back over his shoulder； snapped the faceshield that sealed his pressurized armor closed； and moved to the hut's airlock。 The lieutenant and two armed soldiers followed him out into Fantoma's night。
A constant debris…filled wind had been scouring the ringed giant's surface for the past three days； and Breetai instinctively raised an arm against it as he marched in lumbering high strides toward the landing zone's illumination grid。 Nearly all of the Zentraedi cadre had turned out for the confrontation； and Breetai spied Kazianna Hesh among them。 Nearby were a dozen or so Micronians in environment suits…some of Lang's Robotechs。 Edwards's Ghost Riders were reconfiguring their Veritechs now； imaging over from Guardian to Battloid as they touched down。
〃He apparently has more on his mind than a friendly chat；〃 Breetai said to his lieutenant while the last of the squadron was snapping into upright mode。 As murmurs of discontent reached him over the tactical freq； Breetai instructed his first officer to pass the word along that he wouldn't tolerate any incidents； no matter what Edwards said or did； his troops were to keep silent。
Edwards stepped his Battloid off the grid and began to move across the field in Breetai's direction。 The Zentraedi knew better than to regard this as some gesture of promise。 Four of the Ghosts flanked Edwards； with a kind of threatening casualness to the way they cradled their rifle/cannons。 Breetai threw his lieutenant a knowing glance。 The show of force came as no surprise； Dr。 Lang had already given him an idea of what to expect。
〃New Zarkopolis weles General Edwards；〃 Breetai said with practiced elaborateness。 〃We're sorry we couldn't provide the general with better weather。〃 He could hear a few Zentraedi snicker。
〃Very thoughtful of you；〃 Edwards returned over the mecha's external speakers； mimicking Breetai's tone of voice。 〃And I'm sorry I can't bring you better news。〃
The two men fell into an uneasy silence； the wind came up； howling and pinging gravel against Breetai's armored suit and the Battloid's alloy。 The Zentraedi mander narrowed his eyes and grinned； picturing Edwards in the mecha's cockpit； nervous hands on the controls。 When one of the VT's gauntlets came up； Breetai almost made a grab for it； but restrained himself at the last moment。 Edwards caught the gesture； however。
〃A bit nervous today； are we； Breetai？〃
Breetai snorted。 〃This wind has put me in a foul humor。〃
Edwards inclined the ultratech knight's head。 〃Well then； maybe this won't seem like bad news after all。〃 The mecha's hand held out an outsize audio device for Breetai's inspection。 〃You and your。。。crew are relieved； mander。 New Zarkopolis is now under REF jurisdiction； and I'll be assuming personal control of this facility。 Tomorrow's cargo run will be your last。 You can hear it straight from the council； if you wish。〃
The Zentraedi began to grumble among themselves； and Edwards's sentries took a step forward。 Breetai motioned his cadre silent with a downward wave of his massive hand。 He accepted the playback device and regarded it for a moment。 〃No need for that。 But I should warn you； General； that you're going to find the conditions here somewhat harsh。 This is； after all； Zentraedi's work。〃
Edwards's short laugh issued from the speakers。 〃We'll manage all right。 Of course； you're all wele to stay on…as laborers； you understand。〃
〃I'll consider it； General。〃
〃Good； Breetai； good；〃 Edwards said； pleased with the oute。 〃I like a man who can follow orders。 Could be that you and I will see eye to eye yet。〃
Breetai nodded； tight…lipped。 Peripherally； he noticed Kazianna stepping deliberately into his restricted field of view。
Edwards went on to inform him that within a week's time several hundred men and women would begin arriving from Tirol； along with the new mecha Lang's teams had designed。 Until then； Edwards was leaving behind six of his troops to oversee the transfer of mand。 Six or six hundred； Breetai said to himself； it wouldn't matter now。
When Edwards and most of his squadron had lifted off； Breetai swung stiffly into the wind and made for the mining colony's Quonset…style headquarters。 On the way； he asked the lieutenant if his men had pleted their task。
〃Almost； my lord。〃
〃And the fool's ore？〃
〃Loaded for tomorrow's delivery。〃
Breetai grunted。 〃See to it that the last of the monopole is placed aboard the ship。 The delivery will go as scheduled； but the monopole remains our property。〃
The lieutenant raised an eyebrow。 〃About Edwards's soldiers； mander。。。〃
Breetai came to a halt short of the headquarters hatchway。 〃Invite them along to 'oversee' the delivery。 Afterward； we'll give them the option of joining us。〃
〃And if they refuse？〃
〃I leave that up to you；〃 Breetai said； stepping inside。
〃Pregnant？〃 Max asked； as Rhestad's morning rays touched the med team's geodesic shelter。
Vince shrugged his huge shoulders。 〃That's what Jean says。 And Cabell concurs。〃
〃That's right； my boy；〃 Cabell affirmed。 〃It is most remarkable； but true。〃 The Tiresian was all smiles for a change； his concern for Rem momentarily eclipsed。 〃I thought her first pregnancy the exception that proved the rule。 But this…this is nothing short of。。。〃
〃Remarkable；〃 Max finished for him； shaking his head in disbelief。 〃Yeah； tell me about it。〃
Vince laughed。 〃What's with you？ It takes two； if I'm not mistaken。〃
Max looked up into Vince's brown face。 〃Yeah； but Vince； you don't understand。 Remember； Miriya's。。。different。〃
〃She had Dana；〃 Vince started to say。
〃Yeah； and Dana's different。〃
〃How is she different？〃 Cabell wanted to know。
Max and Vince traded looks； but left the question unanswered。 〃Can I see her？〃 Max said suddenly； getting up。
Vince laughe