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Sean's holding action back in the 〃senate〃 chamber wasn't keeping all the guards pinned down。 More showed up； from the other direction； with a clear line of fire。 But before they could cut down their prey； a sustained burst from a Hovertank's secondary batteries felled them all in a squall of blazing rapid…fire bolts。
Bowie and the others turned and； stunned； saw Dana drift her Valkyrie to a stop； its quad…barrels sending up shimmering heat waves。
Bowie was momentarily confused。 Hadn't Re…Tread and Dana's tank been parked in the other direction？ He hadn't seen her slip away while Emerson lay dying； to make an almost suicidal dash for her mecha。
Now she jumped up in her cockpit and fired with her carbine； afraid that the heavy guns might hit friend as well as foe。 A last guard pitched from a ledge just above her friends' heads。 Then she whirled and fired into a guard runabout that was bearing down on her from the opposite side； the runabout's windshield melted and the little vehicle rolled； throwing guards every which way； and plowed to a stop。
Sean fought his way free and caught up； as Angelo； Nova； and Louie came to a stop with blaring retros。 While Dennis Brown and Bowie supported Sean in holding back the guards who had chased them from the 〃senate；〃 Marie Crystal jumped into the runabout and got it started up。
Musica； Bowie； and Brown piled in。 Marie gunned away； convoyed by the four Hovertanks。 It was only then that Dana realized Zor was missing。
The decision had been made to strike； the Humans' determination to fight notwithstanding。
〃We must consolidate our strength；〃 Dag declared。 〃Eliminate all clones functioning beneath an efficiency factor of eighty percent。〃 The other four mother ships and most of the bat vessels were almost useless for bat now； depleted as they were； the flagship was the only remaining hope。
Jeddar started to object。 He knew that the Master didn't mean simply denying the clones Protoculture； but also to eject them from the flagship。
〃They may not submit to elimination； m'lord；〃 Jeddar pointed out。
〃Then confine them for the moment！〃 Shaizan lashed out。 〃And get ready to dispose of them。 Begin the assault on the buried Matrix below！〃
Even the fanatic loyalty of the guard clones failed before the massed firepower of the tanks； in time the running firefight became an unchallenged withdrawal。 Dana couldn't believe the Masters didn't have more of their Triumviroids around…but why weren't they using them？
The ATACs had lost their bearings； and even Musica couldn't tell where they were。 They burned through hatches； and came at last to a hangar deck where whiskbroom…shaped assault ships were ranked side by side。
There was only time for brief kissing and hugging…passionate between Sean and Marie； more reserved but plainly heartfelt between Nova and Dennis…before the question of how to get out alive took center stage。
Marie and Dennis weren't sure if they could fly an assault ship； planetary approaches in an unfamiliar spacecraft were a lot different from joyrides in a guard runabout。
〃See what you can do；〃 Dana said； revving Valkyrie。 〃I'm going back for Zor。〃
Angelo felt like tearing out his hair。 〃Lieutenant； this just ain't fair！ It ain't army！〃
〃I'm not working for the army anymore； Angie；〃 she threw back the tank pivoting on its thrusters。 〃If I'm not back in twenty minutes； go on without me。〃
She was scarcely gone When Bowie and Musica went to stand before the sergeant hand in hand。 〃I'm going back； too；〃 Bowie announced。 〃Musica says her people are in terrible danger。〃
〃I can sense it；〃 she explained。 〃My sisters and I are linked…are one。〃
Bowie touched her shoulder gently。 〃It's all right； we'll find them。〃 Perhaps this was part of the teaching that Rolf Emerson had said he and Musica must do； in any case； Bowie knew he couldn't abandon Musica's people。
Suddenly； Nova stepped forward； letting go of Dennis's hand。 〃I'll go with you。 Dana's right： we're not working for the army anymore； and it's time for the dying to stop。〃
Then Brown joined her； and Marie； Angelo Dante surrendered to the inevitable。 The flying officers outranked him； but that meant nothing since this was a Hovertank operation。 〃Sean； you 'n' Lieutenant Crystal stand pat here with Bad News and hold this position！ See if you can figure out how to fly these things。 Rest of ya； do me a favor and try not to screw up。〃
The Southern Cross had rallied everything it had； mobilizing reserves and arming any willing civilian； no questions asked。 Cops； students； robots； convicts； bureaucrats； homemakers； kid gangs…the Human race readied its remaining resources for a last…ditch stand。
What regular forces there were would go out and meet the approaching flagship head…on； the rest would wait； to fight it out on home soil if that was what it came to。
Supreme mander Leonard heard details of the hasty preparations； then dismissed his staff for a moment to see to a matter of personal readiness。 Opening his desk drawer； he checked to make sure that the charge in his pistol was full。
He burned again with his loathing of the aliens。 Leonard tucked the gun into his tunic and closed the drawer。 He had no intention of letting those monsters take him alive。
It smashed its way through a stone partition and came face to face with three red Bioroids。 Perhaps they recognized Zor's mecha as that of their onetime battle lord； or perhaps not； it made no difference。
Even if they had been operating at peak efficiency； the Triumviroids would have found Zor a formidable opponent。 But they were depleted…scarcely any kind of match for him at all。
He dropped them with fast； accurate shots from the thick； discus…shaped handgun his Bioroid carried； its muzzle bigger than a howitzer's。 But as he stepped into the partment； three more reds dropped from above； springing their ambush。
Zor proved how experience counted； his Bioroid held up a great slab of stone to shield itself from the ambushers' fire； then blazed away in response； leaping high。 He dropped one； two； three； holed through at the point where their operating clones sat curled in the control spheres。
Zor broke into yet another partment only to see a high ledge lined with Triumviroids； dozens of them； waiting for him。 Here and there were armed guardsmen； looking like insects among the mecha。
〃Take me to the Masters！〃 he manded。 〃I mean you no harm； my business is only with them。〃
He saw Karno； standing to one side； drop his arm in signal。 Zor's Bioroid's external sound pickup caught the shouted order； 〃Fire！〃
Zor's red ducked aside； as the blasts volleyed in all directions； ricocheted from bulkheads or penetrated them； lanced through the deck and overhead。 A secondary explosion from a weakened power routing system knocked the mecha sideways。
He was momentarily in the cover of the hatchway frame； rolling and about to surge to his feet again； his red's armor striking rooster tails of sparks from the deckplates。
Karno reached out to pull a long lever nearby。 〃We knew you would e。〃
There were carefully planned explosions； and the overhead gave way； tons of metal and conduits and organic…looking Protoculture