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Annie looked up at her two friends； then over at Scott； Lancer； and Lunk。 〃But it's not fair to break us up like this just 'cause you guys were soldiers。 We're still a team…a family！ You can't just tell us to split up！〃
Rook tried to soothe Annie while she cried。 〃I suppose this is good…bye； then。〃 She had packed away all her snide ments。 〃Good luck； Scott。〃
Harrington gave orders for the attack to begin before Scott could answer her。 Veritechs configured in Guardian mode lifted out of the woods to direct preliminary fire against the hive； filling the air with thunder and felling scores of Optera trees。 And as fiery explosions fountained around the hive； awakened Invid Shock Troopers emerged from the ground to engage the Earth forces one on one。 Scott rushed to his fighter； but Lancer stopped to say a farewell to his friends； even as Veritechs roared by overhead。
〃I can't say it's always been fun； but it's certainly been terrific；〃 Lancer yelled over the tumult。 〃You three take care of yourselves； okay？〃
〃You take care；〃 said Rand。 〃Remember； I expect to see Yellow Dancer perform again。〃
Lancer smiled coyly。 〃Don't worry； you will。〃
〃You promise？〃 Rook asked。
Lancer leaned over to kiss her lightly on the cheek。 〃Till we meet again。〃
It was a little too sweet and fatherly for her liking； but Rook said nothing。 Lancer behaved the same toward Annie。
〃Now； don't go and get married behind my back。〃
〃I won't；〃 Annie said tearfully。
Lunk pulled up in the APC to wave good…bye as Lancer headed for his Alpha。 〃I'm a soldier again；〃 he shouted； gesturing to his spotless battle armor。 〃I'll be seeing you guys！〃
Rand watched his friend drive off。 〃A soldier again？ What the heck does everyone think we've been doing this past year？〃 He frowned at Rook。 〃They're all riding off into battle； right？ So how e I feel like we're the only ones without invitations to a party？〃
A short distance away； Scott waved good luck to Lunk and threw a salute back to his former teammates。
〃That tears it！〃 Rand cursed。 〃I should've figured he'd say good…bye like that。 A robby； through and through。〃
〃Would you want it any other way？〃 Rook asked him； returning Scott's salute and smiling。
Rand thought it over for a moment； then brought the edge of his hand to his forehead smartly。
Scott turned to his console and displays； lowering the canopy and activating the VT's rear thrusters。
Good…bye； my friends； he said to himself。 Whatever happens now； at least I'll know the three of you will get out of this alive。
Veritechs and Invid Shock Troopers were clashing throughout the field now。 Hundreds of Pincer Ships had joined the fray and were buzzing around the hive in clusters four and five strong。 Only a few Cyclone riders had reconfigured their mecha to Battle Armor mode； most of them were riding against the hemisphere in a kind of cavalry charge； pouring all their fire against the hive's flashing barrier shield。
Bursts of blinding light strobed across a sky littered with ships and crosshatched by tracer rounds and hyphens of laser fire。 Rand watched from the edge of the woods as Veritechs swooped in on release runs and booster…climbed into the sunlight。 The sounds of battle rumbled through the surrounding hills and shook the ground beneath his feet。 He could see that the battalion was meeting with heavy resistance； despite what Captain Harrington had said about underplaying their hand。 The Invid knew exactly what was at stake； and they weren't about to be tricked。
I can't do it； he thought。 I can't just stand here and watch them go！
Without a word to Rook or Annie； he donned his helmet and made for his Cyclone。 They called out after him。
〃I'm not going to sit it out after ing this far；〃 he told them。 〃I figure the time has e for a little well…meaning insubordination。〃
Rook tried again to stop him； to talk some sense into him； but her words lacked conviction…even she didn't believe what she was saying。 〃That idiot's going to get himself killed without somebody to look after him！〃
Annie saw what was ing but didn't bother to try to stop her other than to shout a halfhearted； 〃Wait！〃…and that was only because she didn't want to be left behind。 She began to chase after them； leaving the woods and risking a mad unprotected dash across the battlefield； but it was Lunk she ultimately caught up with。
He had been riding escort to various Cyclone squads； adding his own missiles to the riders' laser…array fire； when an Invid mand ship he had finished off with heat…seekers almost toppled on him； sending the APC out of control。 Suddenly he was flung into the shotgun seat； and the vehicle was skidding to a halt in the thick of the fighting。 And the next thing he knew Annie was in the driver's seat； practically standing up to reach the pedals and shouting： 〃I'll show you how to handle this thing！〃
〃What the heck are you doing here？〃 he demanded； grateful and concerned at the same time。
Annie accelerated； pinning him to the seat。
〃What's it look like I'm doing？！〃
〃e on； Mint； gimme the wheel〃
〃Forget it！〃 she yelled into his face as he made a reach for it。 〃I'm not gonna be left behind anymore； Lunk！〃
Lunk backed off and regarded her。 She was a trooper； he had to admit； a regular workout。
Deep within the hive； the instrumentality sphere glowed with images of the battle…a Cyclone charge； an aerial encounter； death and devastation。 A living flame of white energy now； the Regis beheld the spectacle and understood。
〃The Earth people have risen in great numbers against us；〃 she addressed her troops； in position elsewhere in the hive。 〃And now they dare to attack our very center； to threaten all that we have labored to achieve。 But this time we will put an end to it。 Corg； I call upon you to defend the hive。 Destroy them； as they would us； for the greater glory of our race！〃
〃It will be my pleasure and my privilege；〃 Corg answered her from the cockpit of his mand ship。 Behind him； his elite squad of warriors readied themselves as the hive began to open； the subatomic stuff of the barrier shield pouring in to fill the drone chambers with white radiance。
But Corg was suddenly aware of a Human…sized figure silhouetted against that blinding light。 〃No； wait！ You mustn't！〃 it shouted。
Ariel； in her Human guise and garb； was below him； searching for sight of him in the cockpit。 〃So； you've returned。。。What do you want？〃
〃I want to speak to the Regis。 Let me through…this madness must be stopped！〃
〃Madness？！〃 he shouted； stepping his ship forward menacingly。 〃What are you saying？
Ariel gestured to the outside world。 〃They're only fighting to regain the land that is rightfully theirs。。。the land we've taken！〃
〃You've lived among them too long； Ariel；〃 Corg told her。 〃Or should I call you Marlene？。。。Now stand aside！〃
Corg leapt his ship over her head； nearly decapitating her； but she had ducked at the last instant and was on all fours now； weeping； Sera's pink and purple ship towering over her。
〃Sera； you must listen to me；〃 Marlene pleaded； getting to her feet。 〃Have we forgotten our past？ You yourself opened my mind to these things。 Have we forgotten that our own planet was s