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was going； and that was all that mattered。 She was at the controls of her pink and purple mand ship； he was alongside her in a Cyclone he had taken from the VT； reconfigured in Battle Armor mode。
〃I consider it an honor to be fighting side by side with you；〃 Sera told him over the link。
Yes； we're both fighting on the same side now； he thought。 And in a sense they were a nonallied counterforce； separated from the Human as well as the Invid cause。
〃You know； I've been thinking about how we met。。。 〃 he said leadingly。
〃Lancer； would it be possible for you to love one of my race？〃
He thought back to Marlene。 And Scott。 〃I think I could。 And what about you？〃
She sighed over the net。 〃I only hope we have time to find out。〃
Two Shadow Battloids were fast approaching them from the corridor terminus。
〃T minus ten seconds and counting；〃 the tech reported。
Reinhardt was standing at the control center now； Earth's beautiful oceans and clouds filling the bridge viewpoints。 Short…lived explosions flashed across the field； and off to port a holed cruiser floated derelict in space。 He had already inserted the override key into the console lock； he gave it a quarter turn and menced arming the main switches as the countdown continued。
〃Seven； six； five； four。。。〃
Reinhardt hit the secondaries and slammed home the final crossover； now the S missiles were beyond anyone's control； no matter what followed。
〃Three； two； one； zero！〃
Reinhardt could discern bursts of white light below him against the seemingly tranquil face of the planet。
〃God forgive me；〃 he said under his breath。
The Regis's voice boomed out； omnipresent。 It was as if she had bee the entire hive now； and each part of it her。
〃The final attack has begun。 And a terrible error has been made。 But in seeking to reach our own goal we shall see to it that these creatures have a chance to reach theirs as well。 The shadow of the Robotech Masters has been allowed to rule this world for too long。。。Now it will be dispersed！〃
Sera's ship took a hit to the shoulder from one of the Battloids in the corridor； but she rallied and returned fire； taking out not only the one who had shot her but two more。 Lancer hovered clear off to one side； unable to assist。 But he had already done his part by destroying the first two； and it pained him even now to think about those Human lives he had taken。
Suddenly two more Shadow Fighters streaked into view。
〃We'll never be able to stop all of them！〃 he shouted to Sera。
She was about to reply when unexpected fire from behind them devastated the intruders。 Lancer twisted around to find Scott's VT behind them in the corridor。
〃Figured you could use some help；〃 the lieutenant said flatly。
〃You're a wele sight； Human〃 Sera told him。
〃Yeah； well I'd love to stay and chat about that；〃 Scott said after a moment； 〃but I suggest we get ourselves out of here on the double。〃
Lunk and Annie made it out of the hive before the three pilots。 Rook and Rand and Marlene were also in the clear； a few miles off when the hive began to undergo the first changes。
In the shotgun seat of the APC； Annie gulped and found her voice。 〃Lunk；〃 she said； pointing； 〃tell me what's happening！〃
As if he could explain it。
The hive had gone from a crimson； almost blood…red color to steely blue。 It was also more transparent now； and some sort of huge spherical nodes had been made visible in the deep recesses of the dome…perhaps those same round mo devices Lunk and Annie had stood beneath only minutes before。 With the barrier envelope disappeared； the Shadow Fighters had direct access to the Regis's lair； but they couldn't get near it because of the intense electrical discharges that were surging up throughout the area。
And somehow the voice of the Invid queen was reaching all of them where they fought； died； or waited。
〃Hear me； my children；〃 she intoned。 〃When we sensed the first faint indications of the Flower of Life resources on this world； we thought we had at last found the home for which we searched。〃
The hive was barely visible now。 It was engulfed in a kind of swirling storm of blinding yellow light from which rays of raw energy poured into the sky； while a crazed network of lightning and electrical groundings danced overhead。 It was more like a contained explosion than anything else； as though the hive had bee an epicenter for all the world's random energy； as though the very processes of universal creation were gathering together and being run through at an extraordinary pace。 The hive had bee the vessel for the Great Work； the merging of opposites…the pleroma。 Here was the meeting place of the red and white alchemical dragons： the point of transcendence。 The air was crackling； local storms unleashed and billowing clouds tearing through darkened skies as though in a time…frame sequence。 And the land was changing and reconfiguring。 The trees surrendered their leaves as an intense chill swept in from all sides； minitornadoes swirling around the sunlike fires that glowed within the hive。 Invid ships…Scouts； Troopers； and Pincers…were streaming into it like insects drawn to the flame that annihilates them。
〃We had called together all of our children scattered throughout the galaxy to begin life anew on this planet。 We began rebuilding a world that had nearly been destroyed by evil。 And we constructed the Genesis Pits in order to pursue the path of enlightened evolution。 But it was not enough。〃
Suddenly light and shadow seemed to reverse themselves； and the world drained of color。 Where the hive had stood there was now only an impossible tower of radiant amber light； launching itself through hurricane clouds with blinding determination； a pillar of raw but directed energy。
It was a mile…wide circular shaft of horrific power that erupted from the hive； mushrooming up with a rounded； almost penile head into that feminine void above； a million blast furnaces in concert。
Overhead； at the edge of the envelope that was Earth's protective shield； the neutron missiles were falling toward their target； but now that target was now ing up to meet them； with a face as different as any could be； a face only the once…dead would recognize。。。
Reinhardt and his bridge staff saw it ing and would not have been able to move away from it had they had the power to do so； they were transfixed； in awe； in some sort of splendiferous； almost holy； reverie。 Before their eyes the light was changing shape even as it pierced through Earth's atmosphere and entered the vacuum out of which it had been born。 It was anthropomorphic here； contorted into a dragon's face there； with its fanged mouth opened wide； its tongue a lick of solar fire； ready to engulf all that dared stand in its way。 It struck like a serpent； twisting and flailing about as though charmed by its own…existence； charmed by its own imminent swan song。
Reinhardt saw the creature…for that's what he termed it to be； a living light： energy and life bined on some new and unimaginable scale…encounter the warheads he had launched against it； and he saw those alloyed death machines slag and melt away in the creature's wake。 And he realized that this was to