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e in the city's twilight。
〃I'll draw its fire；〃 Scott told Lancer。 〃Get above and do some damage！〃
The Enforcer's cannon muzzles came to life； spewing two deadly beams； which converged and struck the base of the building； sending shock waves through the streets。 Glass was now raining down from everywhere； along with snow that was avalanching through the dome's ruptured skin。 Both freedom fighters jumped aside； but Lancer stayed in the air while Scott attempted to lure the enemy onto a wider boulevard。 He dug in at the end of the street and waited for the Enforcer's approach； then； with the thing scarcely two hundred yards away； he launched two time…charged Bludgeons from the right forearms tubes of his battle armor。 The missiles detonated in the air over the Invid's back； with a collective force great enough to throw the thing face…first to the street。 Lancer was in position now； and on Scott's mand he activated nearly all his suit's launch tubes； missiles arced from the open partments and racks and fell like a fiery hail on the immobilized alien ship； destroying it even while its own cannons were blazing away。 To add insult to injury； Scott launched another missile into the dome overhead； loosing a fall of massive ice chunks； which sealed the Enforcer's fate。
Rand and Rook were still being pursued by the first ship； whose pilot was obviously the more experienced of the two。
〃Boy； this high altitude's beginning to affect me；〃 Rand told his teammate； fighting for breath。
They had stopped to go face…to…face with the ship after realizing that Scott and Lancer were ing in to outflank it。 Now all four of them opened up at once； throwing everything they had against the Enforcer and what was left of the devastated dome； burning and burying it much as they had its panion ship。
But suddenly there was another ship in the arena： a drab gray…green mand ship with orange…tan highlights。 They had seen this one before and had hoped they wouldn't see it again。
〃Scott； behind you！〃 Rook warned。
The team scattered； but the mand ship stuck with Scott； pursuing him through several blocks…literally through the buildings； although Scott was using the doorways and the alien was simply making his own。 Ultimately they squared off； the giant insectlike ship and the diminutive Cyclone； and Scott flicked on his externals to say： 〃I had a sick feeling you would show up again。〃
The Invid raised its cannon arm and would have slagged him then and there had it not been for Lancer and the others； who distracted it with rooftop fire。 Scott seized the moment to leap away； but the mand ship continued to stalk him…probably angered by the earlier ment； Scott had the temerity to say to himself。 Even Lunk； Annie； and Marlene had joined the fray by this time； they were packed into the APC； riding circles around the Invid's feet while spraying it ineffectually with machine…gun fire。 Down on his butt with the alien looming over him； Scott wondered how they had gotten the vehicle down to street level； but he didn't dwell on it for long； because the Invid was ignoring the trio and raising that handgun again。
Just then Annie somehow succeeded in angering the thing with some silly ment； the Invid switched targets； reangled its handgun； and fired off a rapid burst that nipped at the carrier's tail。 The APC was unscathed； but something had been thrown from the rear seat…something pink and soft…looking。。。
Scott realized it was a dress of some sort but couldn't believe his scanners when he saw that Marlene was running back to retrieve it！ Lunk had brought the APC to a halt and was yelling at her to forget about it。
The Invid ship swung around and took one giant step； aiming menacingly at its defenseless prey。 In the cockpit； Corg stared down at the sister his race had lost to the Humans and could not bring himself to fire。
Scott； meanwhile； had launched himself straight up； crying out Marlene's name and launching half a dozen Scorpions straight into the Invid's back。 Leaking fire from its seams； the alien whirled on him and raised its cannon； but Scott was again quicker to the draw with two more missiles that managed to sever the ship's right arm。
The cannon hit the floor with a thunderous crash； but Corg wasn't about to retreat just yet。 He turned and stomped after Scott； shouldering the ship through the walls of the building and out into the street。
There； the reunited rebel team ganged up on the mand ship； paralyzing it with missile fire and opening up the rest of the dome。 It was as though a dam had collapsed： hundreds of tons of snow and ice were pouring into the city。 The Invid struggled against the slides but eventually succumbed to the sheer weight of the fall。 It went down on one knee； systems sputtering and shorting out； then tipped to its side。
〃To the Alphas； everybody！〃 Scott manded。
〃Well； there goes the world's shortest vacation；〃 Rand said in response。
Lunk； Annie； and Marlene were waiting for them on the roof。 Once more； Scott couldn't figure out how the APC had managed it； but he didn't stop to ask。 He reconfigured his mecha to its two…wheeled mode and told Lunk to stow the four Cycs in their Veritech partments。 Marlene was frightened but unhurt。 Scott wanted nothing more than to hug her； his battle armor notwithstanding； but he contented himself with simply touching her shoulder。
Shortly they had the Veritechs in the air； the APC slung from the undercarriage of the Beta。
〃Sorry about the acmodations；〃 Scott apologized to Lunk； Annie； and Marlene； 〃but the fresh air will do you good。〃
Lunk swung himself around in the driver's seat of the APC to look back at the massive holes in the ice dome that had kept the city a secret from its surroundings for the past twenty years。 In his hand he held an electronic detonator he had rigged to the puter control system of the city's thermal furnaces。
〃Now or never；〃 he said out loud； and thumbed the trigger button。
Five minutes later the city exploded with near…volcanic force； a swirling pillar of fire shot up into the winter skies； vaporizing snow and ice and capturing the resultant thaw and clouds of steam。 The sound of follow…up explosions echoed in the mountains； catching the Veritechs in their roar。 They fought to stabilize themselves in the shock waves and newborn thermals； the jeep rocking to and fro like a pendulum beneath Scott's fighter。
〃What the hell happened？！〃 Rand's panicked voice boomed over the net。
Lunk flipped on the APC mike。 〃I rigged the main generator to feed back on itself；〃 he explained。
〃Bu…but why？！〃
〃Because that city had no place in this world。〃 There was a kind of anger in Lunk's voice。
〃Well； it sure doesn't anymore；〃 Rand said。
〃Some fireworks； though；〃 Rook mented。
〃Well； golly gee； Miss Rook； sure glad we were able to bring some excitement to your day。 Least you won't have to be bored anymore。〃
〃Who asked you？！〃 Rook returned。
Scott listened to them go at it； then reached out to lower the volume in his cockpit。 He craned his neck to see if he could get a glimpse of Marlene； below him in the personnel carrier。 She knew they were ing； he told himself。 But what was the strange link they shared？ What chann