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more to antagonize than to inflict any damage。 But more than that； Scott's short burst was aimed at keeping the Troopers at bay for just the few seconds Lunk needed to send the boulder crashing down toward them。
〃Hurry！〃 Lunk heard between H90 reports。 〃They're in position！〃
Lunk shoved his bare shoulder to the stone； boots trying to find purchase in the snow。 Down below； one of the Troopers opened fire on Scott。 The anni discs threw up a fountain of snow that momentarily buried him； but Lunk saw Scott shake himself out of it。 And perhaps it was the sight of his friend's peril that gave him the extra push he needed； because all at once the boulder was toppling over and mencing its slide and tumble toward the pack。
Scott heard the rock impact the mass and decided to help things along by training his weapon on the ledge itself。 The charges from his MARS…Gallant did what sheer momentum alone couldn't； and in a moment the whole mass was avalanching toward the bottom of the ravine with a ground…shaking； deafening roar。 Scott threw himself up the opposing slope； figuring the Invid would blast free of the ravine； giving him and Lunk a chance to reach the VTs。 He never hoped they would actually catch the Troopers unaware； but that was exactly what happened。 They had both tried to lift off； but the bounding rocks had shattered the ships' sensors； and in the confusion the things got caught up in the slide and were overturned and buried。
When the snow settled； Lunk appeared at the top of the ravine； a triumphant look on his face。
〃Not bad； eh； mander？！〃 he yelled down。
Scott surveyed the damage they had wrought and could only regard it in wonder。 〃Yeah； great； pal；〃 he called back。 〃Just like we planned。〃
Lancer and Marlene had run clear through a finger of woods。 They were not far from Rand and the others； but their trail had led them to the edge of a deep gully； with a river of snow several hundred feet below them。 They had no way of knowing that the one Trooper on their tail was the last of the four。
Marlene seemed unaware of where she was or what it was they were running from。 Lancer had simply pulled her along like a helpless child； often shielding her with his body from debris flung up by the Trooper's discs。 But now all he could do was gaze hopelessly across the ten feet of empty space that separated them from the gully's opposite face。
〃Maybe if we hurry we can double back around；〃 Lancer told her； trying to make it sound feasible。
But as he took hold of her thin wrist again and prepared to set off； he saw the Trooper emerging from the woods； closing in on them fast。 Marlene understood that they would have to jump across the abyss。 She nodded to Lancer； her forehead wrinkled up in apprehension。
They gave themselves several yards of runway and made a mad dash toward the ledge； hand in hand as they soared across the chasm。 And they almost made it。 But they fell short by a foot； catching hold of the edge…which was really little more than snow…and falling backward to what they thought would be the chasm bottom。 Instead； however； they landed on a narrow ledge approximately ten feet below the lip。
Lancer was thinking that things couldn't get much worse； but of course they could。 Above them； the Invid mand ship came into view。 But to his surprise； he watched as the control nacelle sprang open and a Human pilot jumped down from the padded cockpit。 It was the same brainwashed captive he had seen on the island： a slim female of medium height with punked out greenblond hair and eyes as red as a Trooper's scanner。 She wore a bodysuit of colored panels that emphasized the body's major muscle groups in swaths of black； purple； and pink…like the colors of the mand ship itself。
〃I know you；〃 Lancer called to her as she peered down at them。 〃Why are you fighting for the Invid？〃
The woman's only response was to mock him with a short laugh。
Lancer pointed at her accusingly。 〃You're a traitor！ Answer me： Why are you fighting for them？〃
Sera continued to stare at the Human； angered and confused at the same time。 I should destroy this thing called man； she thought。 But for some reason I cannot。
The Trooper who had pursued Lancer and Marlene through the woods appeared on the opposite ledge now； but it； too； held its fire。
Lancer regarded the ship warily； then swung back around to confront the woman； who was obviously in mand of the situation。 〃Can't you understand me？！〃 he demanded。 When he failed to get a response； he altered his tone to one of cynical surrender。 〃Then get it over with。 But spare this woman。 She's done no wrong。〃
Marlene and Sera met each other's gaze。 And during the exchange； which Lancer thought brief； a wealth of racial memories was transmitted。
That face。。。thought Marlene。 It's as though time has stopped and I can look into my past and my future simultaneously。。。
Sera's face had dissolved； but Marlene seemed to follow those flashphoto eyes on a journey through space and time。 Cosmic vistas opened up before her； stains and weblike filigrees of brilliantly hued clouds； swirls and spirals of galactic stuff strewn like diamonds on velvet。 She beheld a vision of Optera through Sera's eyes； of the Invid as they were before the ing of Zor； of the Flowers before the Fall。 Then Sera's unconscious unlocked for her the horrors of days since。 Marlene saw the quest for their stolen grail； the transmutation of the race to an army of relentless warriors； burdened with a need for mecha and Protoculture that rivaled the Masters' own； the trip across the galaxy to this planet they now called their own； and the dispossession of its indigenous beings； just as they themselves had once been dispossessed。。。
And there was a voice in Marlene's mind…one that she could not identify but that at the same time seemed to be her own：
〃Reach into the cosmic consciousness of your race； Ariel；〃 the voice told her。 〃And although you feel you are dreaming； watch send observe the beauty of your home。 For we are a race of powerful beings destined to control the universe with our intellect and power； and you； Ariel； are a part of that power。 e back to us； my child； e back； Ariel； and rejoin the hive。。。〃
Marlene stared at Sera as her face took form once again； the journey through space…time concluded； and thought： I know her： we're like sisters somehow。。。
Then without warning； explosions were rocking the ledge and erupting around the base of Sera's mand ship。 Scott and the rest of the team had positioned themselves on the ridgeline above the gully and were firing bursts against the mand ship and its sole minion。
Momentarily confused by the renewed fighting； Sera broke off her contact with Marlene and returned to the cockpit of her ship； lifting off at once and joining her charge on the opposite side of the chasm。 But no sooner did she touch down than the ledge gave way and the two dropped together； impacting rocks and outcroppings as they fell。
Lunk and Rand pulled Lancer and Marlene to safety。 It seemed unbelievable that they had all survived and that all their crazed plans had worked。 But even more unsettling was the Human pilot who had once again demonstrated a bewildering ambivalence。 Scot