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d。 And with our superior abilities； we will succeed in carrying out your。。。your orders。〃 Somewhat more mechanically； she added； 〃Nothing will stop us。〃
Had the Regis heard her falter？ Sera asked herself。 She waited for some suggestion of displeasure； but none was forthing。 It was only then that she allowed herself to increase the magnification of her scanner and zero in on the Human whose face had caused her lapse of purpose。
It's him！ she thought； once again taking in the fine features of the one whose strange； seductive； and achingly beautiful sounds had drawn her to that jungle pool； the one who had surprised her there； stood naked before her； holding her in the grip of his strong hands and assaulting her with questions she could not answer。 And it was this same Human she had glimpsed later during the heat of battle when her own hand had betrayed her。。。
〃Sera！ You're waiting too long！〃 the Regis shouted through the bio…construct's link。
Sera felt the strength of the Queen…Mother begin to creep into her own will and force her hand toward the weapon's trigger stud； but one part of her struggled against it； and at the last moment； even as the weapon was firing； she managed to swing the ship's cannon aside； so that the shot went astray。。。
Lancer was just menting on the beauty of the snowfall when the first enemy blast struck； flaring overhead and erupting like a midnight sun in the snowfields near the grounded VTs…a single short burst of annihilation discs that had somehow missed their mark。 Scott was the first to react； propelling himself out of the circle into a tuck…and…roll； which landed him on his knees in the perimeter snow； his MARS…Gallant handgun raised。 But before he could squeeze off a quantum of return fire； a second Invid volley skimmed into the team's midst； sending him head over heels and flat on his face。 He inhaled a faceful of snow and rolled over in time to see a series of explosions rip through the camp； brilliant white geysers leaping from plasma pools of hellfire。 On the ridgeline he caught a brief glimpse of an Invid Trooper before it was eclipsed by clouds of swirling snow。
The rest of the team had already scattered for cover。 Scott spied Lancer hunkering down behind an arc of moraine slide and yelled for him to stay put as Invid fusillades swooshed down into a gully below the ridge； throwing up a storm of ice and shale。 Rand； meanwhile； was closing on the Alpha Fighter； discs nipping at his boot heels from two Invid Troopers who had positioned themselves just short of the saddle。 Running a broken course through the snow； he clambered up onto the nose of the Veritech and managed to fling open its canopy。 But the next instant he was flat on his back beneath the radome of the fighter； a Shock Trooper towering above him。 Frantically； Rand brought his hands to his face； certain the Trooper's backhand pincer swipe had opened him up。 But the thing had missed。
Now； he thought； all I've gotta do is keep from being roasted alive！
Radiant priming globes had formed at the tip of the cannon muzzles； as these winked out； platters of blinding orange light flew toward him like some demon's idea of Frisbee。 Rand cursed and rolled； thinking vaguely back to that deer he had killed down below。。。
Two hundred yards away Scott was on his feet； blasting away at the Invid mand ship positioned on the ridge。 Unless his eyes betrayed him； it was the same ship that had been sent against them during their ocean crossing to the Northlands。 And that was a bad sign indeed； because it meant that the Regis had finally gotten around to singling the team out as a quarry worthy of pursuit。 He squinted into the storm and fired； uncertain if the ship was still there。 The wind had picked up now； and icy flakes of biting snow were adding to the chaos。 From somewhere nearby he heard Lancer shout： 〃Behind you； Scott！〃 and swung around to face off with a Trooper that was using the Veritechs for cover。 Scott traded half a dozen shots with it before a deafening explosion threw him violently out of the fray； he felt an intense flashburn against his back and was eating snow a moment later。 ing to； he had a clear view of the ridge； of the pastel…hued mand ship standing side by side with a somewhat smaller Trooper。 The Trooper had lifted off by the time Scott scrambled to his feet； it put down in front of him； sinking up to its articulated knee joints in the snow。 Scott stumbled backward； searching for cover； while the Invid calmly raised its clawed pincer for a downward strike。
A short distance away； Rook sucked in her breath as she witnessed Scott narrowly escape decapitation。 Fortunately； the snow beneath his feet had given way and he had fallen backward into a shallow ravine at the same moment the Trooper's claw had descended。 But now the thing was poised on the edge of the hollow； preparing to bring its cannons into play。 Rook turned her profile to the ship； the H90 long gun gripped in her extended right hand； and fired two blasts。 Given the near…blizzard conditions； it was too much to ask that her shots find any vulnerable spots…although her second burst almost made a hole through the ship's eyelike scanner。 The Trooper swung toward her； almost the impatient turn one would direct toward a mischievous child； and loosed two discs in response； one of which tore into the earth twenty yards in front of her with enough charge to blow her off her feet。
By now； five Invid Troopers had put down in the cirque； their colorful mander was still on the ridge monitoring the scene。 The team； meanwhile； had been herded toward the steep glacial slope at the basin's edge。 Scott leapt up out of his hollow after Rook took the heat off him and waved everyone toward his position。 〃Everyone over the side！〃 he yelled into the wind。 〃Slide； down the slope back to the tree line！〃
〃But the mecha！〃 Rand returned； gesturing back to the basin。
〃Forget it！ We've gotta make for the woods！〃
Scott saw Annie go over the side and ride down the chute on her butt； trailing a scream that was half fear； half thrill。 Lancer and Marlene took to the slope next； then Lunk and Rand。 Scott waved them on； yelling all the while and triggering the handgun for all it was worth against the Invid who had nearly taken his head off a few moments before。 He managed a lucky shot that blew the thing's leg off； and it settled down into the basin snow and exploded。
Only Scott and Rook remained in the cirque now； along with the four undamaged Troopers that were moving toward them with evil intent。
〃Rook！ Are you all right？！〃 Scott yelled。
She gave him the okay sign and started to make her way toward his position； pivoting once or twice to get a shot off at her pursuers。 The Invid were pouring a storm of discs at them； so they had to flatten themselves every so often as they attempted to close on the chute。 Scott continued to send out what his blaster could deliver and wasn't surprised to see the enemy split ranks and head off for a flanking maneuver。 Rook was a few yards in front of him when the two of them went over the side。 Scott tried to dig his heels in； then realized why the rest of the team had disappeared so quickly。 Under a thin layer of snow the chu