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craft。 Patches of forest across the valley were burning； and layers of smoke and gas hovered above the valley floor like some nefarious fog； it was as though the land itself had belched up fire and gas from its seething nether regions。 In the distance； the uppermost portion of a hemispherical hive was visible； squadrons of Invid closing on it like wasps returning to their nest。 A huge gunship crashed and burned while the team watched helplessly。
〃It's too horrible；〃 Annie sobbed； putting her face in her hands； and remembering Point…K and similar horrors。 Marlene put her arm around Annie's shoulder and pulled her close。 Lunk turned around in the front seat of the APC to stroke Annie's back。
〃I've never seen ships like these；〃 Lancer said from the seat of the Cyclone。 Rand and Rook were nearby on their mecha。 Of the three VTs； only the Beta had been moved in； and Scott was overhead now； hovering at the edge of the cliff。
〃They must be the latest upgrades；〃 said Lunk。 〃But I guess there's still some flaws in the design； huh？〃
Scott heard the ment。 〃Can that talk； Lunk；〃 he barked over the net。 〃This was only an advance group。 The admiral is probably trying to ascertain the defensive strength of the hive plex。 But he'll be back…you can count on that now。〃
Lunk grunted an apology。
〃I'm going in to check things out down there；〃 Scott continued； bringing up the Beta's rear thrusters。 〃Stay put until you receive my all clear。〃
〃Somebody wake me up；〃 Annie pleaded； rubbing her eyes。 〃This has to be just some terrible nightmare。〃
Scott's signal came an hour later； and the seven team members gathered by the river to honor the dead。 Scott had looked everywhere but hadn't found a single survivor。 The smoky aftermath of the battle was beginning to disperse； but the stench of death lingered in the cool air。
〃What now； Scott？〃 asked Lancer。
Annie grabbed hold of Rook's elbow。 〃Can't we just leave？ I hate this place。〃
Rook had turned to answer her； but the ground beneath their feet was suddenly quaking and rending open。 Everyone fell back as an Invid Pincer Ship pushed itself up out of the earth。 No blasters were drawn； however； because it was obvious that the thing was finished； it had been lethally shot and was leaking nutrient。
〃Back！〃 Rand cautioned the others。 The ship pitched forward on its face； spewing the viscous green fluid from its wounds。 〃You don't want to get any of that stuff on you！〃
They all remembered when he had been slimed and couldn't get the smell off him for a week。 Nevertheless； they were intent on watching the puddle spread and turned away only when they heard the sound of a muffled mand ring out behind them。
〃Hold it right where you are！ Don't move！〃
Scott swung around anyway； hand at his weapon； but stopped short of raising it。 The source of mand was a soldier who was aiming some sort of shoulder…mounted device at them； but underneath that shiny black helmet and gleaming body armor the soldier was Human； Scott was certain of that much。
〃Who are you？〃 the soldier demanded in a curious voice； panning the device across the faces of the team。 There was no hostility in the voice but a certain intensity Scott couldn't immediately identify。
〃Are you with the Expeditionary Force？〃 he asked。
The soldier shushed him and fiddled with the controls of the device。 Scott realized that it was a video camera。
〃Let's try it again…and no questions this time。 Now： who are you？〃 The soldier swung the camera on Scott。
〃I'm Lieutenant Scott Bernard； Twenty…first Squadron； Mars Division； but…〃
〃Teeming Tirol！〃 The soldier exclaimed； pausing the shot。 〃Mars Division？ And the rest of you？〃
〃These are my personnel；〃 Scott began。 〃We've been together…〃
〃Freedom fighters！ I got it； I got it！〃 the soldier said； remencing to shoot the team。 〃Lieutenant…Bernard； did you say？。。。Lieutenant Bernard and his ragtag band of freedom fighters； weary after their long journey to Reflex Point and disheartened by the devastating defeat suffered by the first wave of Admiral Hunter's assault group； contemplate their next…〃
〃That's about enough of that； mister！〃 Scott interrupted； taking a threatening step forward。 〃Just who are you and what the hell do you think you're doing？！〃
The soldier shut off the camera and doffed the helmet。
Scott's mouth fell open。 Not because she was that beautiful…although her long black hair and piercing green eyes had been known to stop men in their tracks…but simply because he hadn't figured on confronting a woman。
〃My name is Sue Graham；〃 the photographer was saying。 〃I'm a photojournalist attached to the Thirty…sixth Squadron； Jupiter Division。〃
〃Then you're with the Expeditionary Force；〃 Scott said excitedly。 〃When is the rest of the fleet due？〃
〃Soon；〃 Graham answered him absently； training her camera on the fallen Invid's leaking wounds。 〃Maybe I can get a shot of you and the admiral shaking hands。 That's something that should be included in the archives： Hunter congratulates one of his officers on a job well done。〃 Graham looked at Scott。 〃You have been doing a fine job； haven't you； Lieutenant？ Where are the rest of the Twenty…first？〃
〃Dead；〃 Scott said nastily。
Graham glanced at the nearby wrecks of Veritechs and troop carriers。 〃Guess that gives us something in mon。〃
Scott glowered at her。 〃I don't think so； Graham。 I didn't just stand around shooting footage while my rades died。〃
〃Oh； really？ Just what exactly were you doing while your rades were dying； Bernard？〃
Rand snarled； 〃Listen； you；〃 and started to move in； but Scott gestured for him to stay put。
Graham regarded Scott and his team。 〃Look； don't you think we should get out of here before the Invid show up？ Or would you rather stand around and argue？〃
〃You heartless bitch；〃 Scott seethed； bringing up his fists。
Lancer stepped between Scott and Graham。 〃Take it easy； Scott。 If she can watch her friends die without so much as flinching； there's nothing we can say to put a dent in her。〃
Graham snorted。 〃Bunch of soft sisters。〃
Lancer had to get Scott in a full nelson to restrain him。 But he might have broken free anyway had it not been for another of Marlene's early…warning…system headaches。
〃Scott；〃 she said； pained。 〃They're ing！〃
Rook armed her blaster and looked around for cover。 〃Let's go； boys； let's go。。。〃
〃Push over your Cyclones；〃 Graham shouted； scooping up her helmet and gesturing to the mecha。 〃Deactivate the systems so the Invid will think the pilots have been killed。〃
Rand made a face at her。 〃Jeez； space cadet； you think we need to hear that from you？ We've been fighting these…〃
〃Here they e！〃 Lunk warned。 Everyone turned their eyes west： The sky was dotted with hundreds of alien ships； black spots on the face of the setting sun。
Scott tore himself away from the scene and glanced nervously right and left； ultimately he fixed his sights on the mecha。 〃We better do as she says。 Then make for the trees； everybody！〃
More than a dozen Invid ships put down where Scott and the team had stood no more than an hour before…Pincer craft mostly； seemingly under the mand of a blue leader。 Curiously enough； they didn't fan out to sea