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engeance against the overwhelming power of Corg's war machine。
The Earth rebel who has caused so much disturbance within me！ she kept saying to herself。 But Lancer's presence meant that Ariel must be nearby。 Sera leapt from the dais and headed straight for her mand ship。
If Sera had continued watching the projecbeam a moment longer； she would have realized that Lancer's shots were not to be so easily dismissed。 True； an H90 seemed insignificant when pared to Corg's mobile arsenal； but Lancer and Rand had nevertheless managed to clear the streets of more than a dozen Urban Enforcers。
〃That's that；〃 Lancer was saying now as number fifteen fell； its chest plates laid open and oozing green nutrient fluids。
Annie； Jorge； and Simon stepped out from cover to join them in the street。 Most of the ground troops had moved further south； but in their wake the city crumbled and burned； turning night to day。
〃At least no one in the pany got hurt；〃 said Jorge。 〃Everyone made it into the subway tunnels in time。〃
〃I wish the rest of the city was that lucky；〃 Annie added； stifling a sob。
Lancer checked the blaster's remaining charge and frowned。 〃We better get underground ourselves。〃
Suddenly Annie raised her arm and let out a bloodcurdling scream。 Two Trooper ships had dropped to the street out of a slice of orange sky； their cloven hooves ripping into the pavement。
Lancer and Rand raised their weapons at the same moment and fired； instinctively finding the same target。 The Trooper caught both blasts just above its scanner and ruptured like a lanced cyst； spewing thick smoke and sickly fluids。 The second turned to watch its panion go down； then swung back around； its cannon tips aglow with priming charge。 But out of the blue something holed the thing with a perfectly placed shot to the midsection； and it too dropped； almost crushing Rand and Annie on the way down。
Simon； Jorge； and the freedom fighters looked up in time to see three Veritechs swoop through the canyon formed by the buildings and fade into the glow。
〃It's Scott！〃 Rand shouted； amazed。 〃How the hell did they find us？！〃
〃I don't think they did；〃 Lancer said； watching the VTs bank out of sight。 〃Just be glad that they chose to zero in on that particular Trooper。〃 He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned。
〃Lancer； I've got an idea；〃 said Simon。 〃I want you to help us go ahead with the show。〃 He paid no attention to Lancer's look of disbelief。 〃I know it's a lot to ask； but we're going to need help if this city is to survive：〃
Lancer thought it over； over Simon's shoulder he could see Annie and Rand nodding their heads in encouragement。 〃Sure；〃 he said at last。
Jorge fucked his fingers together with an audible snap。 Ejole！ 〃This'll be the show of a lifetime！〃
The three Veritechs flew north to the edge of the worst conflagrations and split up to double back。 The thruster fires of Invid Trooper ships were just visible in the southern skies。 〃Let's make sure the streets are clear of any ground units；〃 Scott told the others over the net。 〃Then we'll go after the ships。〃
〃Nothing on my scanners；〃 Rook reported a moment later。
〃Mine either；〃 added Lunk。
Scott looked out over the city and shook his head in despair。 The Invid had cut a north…to…south swath of death four blocks wide along the west side of the island。 Searching for any signs of Enforcer activity； he dropped down into the canyons again and was almost at street level when his radar displays suddenly came to life。
〃Hold on； I've got something！〃
By the time he realized what it was a blast had seared the upper sections of his fighter； nearly destabilizing it； but he managed to pull the Beta up and out of its plunge and soon had a visual on the enemy ship even as the displays were flashing its signature。
〃mand ship；〃 said Scott； staring down at the orange and green crablike thing that was hovering below him at rooftop level。 〃It's that damn mand ship！ Let's take it！〃
Corg； as though reading Scott's designs； chose that moment to loose his first stream of annihilation discs。 Scott banked sharply and fell； the Invid ship shot up at the same time； and Human and alien ended up exchanging places； discs； and laser…array fire in an aerial duel。 Rook streaked in from behind and landed two heatseekers； but Corg's ship shook them off and stung back； igniting a row of rooftops with its misplaced shots。
Scott and Rook went wingtip to wingtip to launch a salvo of missiles； but again the Invid outmaneuvered them； diving down into the city's hollows； where Lunk almost fell victim to the mand ship's wrath。
〃That thing is dangerous！〃 he shouted over the net as explosive light lit up the inside of his cockpit。
〃All right； let him go for now；〃 said Scott。 He turned to make certain the Invid was willing to give it a rest and exhaled with relief when he saw the ship arrow off。 〃We've got to find Lancer。〃
〃Yeah； but where do we start looking？〃 asked Rook； disheartened by the inferno below； to say nothing of the plexity of the city's intact landscape and terrain。
〃Just keep your external receivers open；〃 Scott told her。
Hopeless； she thought。 Just what kind of sign does he expect us to see from up here？
Two hours later； the three Veritechs were still circling。 They were all running dangerously low on fuel； and there had been no sign of Lancer； Annie； or Rand。 Or the Invid； which was a lucky break。 Then Rook picked up something on the receiver and reported her coordinates to Scott and Lunk。 She supplied them with the frequencies as they came into view on her display screen。
〃Tune in and tell me who that sounds like。〃
Lunk fiddled with his controls； listened for a moment； and heard the strains of 〃Look Up〃 ing across the cockpit speakers。
〃Hey； that sounds suspiciously like an old buddy of mine。〃
Rook laughed shortly。 〃Scott； you wanted a sign； huh？ Well； how's that one down there at three o'clock？〃 She tipped the VT's wings once or twice over the source of the transmissions： a tall； squeezed pentagon of a building whose rooftop was currently the scene of some kind of concert or show。
Scott pleted a flyby and signaled Rook in a similar manner。 He could discern the words PAN AM at the top of the building； above a huge lightboard sign that was flashing the word HERE。
〃That's Lancer all right；〃 Scott started to say。 Then he noticed that his radar display was active once again： The mand ship had returned with reinforcements。 〃Follow my lead to the street；〃 he told his teammates。 〃And activate cluster bombs on my mark。〃
The Invid ships pursued them just as he had hoped they would； and when the three VTs were properly positioned； he called for a multiple missile launch。 Warheads streaked from the fighters； arcing backward and detonating in advance of the Invid ships； several of the Troopers were destroyed； and even the mand ship was brought up short by the force of the explosions。
〃I'm going back for Marlene；〃 Scott reported as the Veritechs climbed。 〃I'll rendezvous with you at the source。〃
Rook and Lunk kept their fighters airborne until the concert ended； then they hovered down in Guardian mode； just as Scott was returning from the Jersey si