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The travel capsule began to slow。 〃Game time；〃 Jan said。
〃Are you sure you've got the terminus pinpointed？〃 Jack asked； taking up a firing position just before the doors； the submachine gun raised。 The others were kneeling or standing behind him； readying Karbarran pneumatic rifles and Garudan clawguns and dart…throwers； and grenades and all the rest； in a hedgehog of conventional fire…power。
〃Just as I said；〃 Jan went on； reading signs none of the others could even perceive。 〃The Central Slavepen mand post。〃
To the astonishment of Enforcers and Armored Officers who hadn't even been aware it was movable； the central pylon in the middle of their mand post swung open。 They were preoccupied with the first reports of a slave uprising and mystified by the fact that they couldn't get any response from the slave headbands。
But every Invid there heard it when the first Armored Officer to spot the raiders squealed an almost ultrasonic peal of alarm。
Kneeling and standing in two ranks； Jack and his party began hosing fire all around the mand center。
Although the weapons of the fallen Enforcers were outsize by normal Human standards； they were not too unwieldy for the robust amazons。 The guns were appropriated at once。 With piercing yells； many of the women took great pleasure in ripping off the inert headbands and hurling them to the ground and stomping them flat； or twisting them into junk； or； among the brawnier； simply snapping them in two。
By that time； a flying carpet was settling nearby； carrying the Tiresoids who were robed as locals； but flown by a real Haydonite。
Rick had intended to make a quick announcement to get things on track； but Lisa beat him to it。 She flung off her robe and leapt to the shining pavement while the carpet was still a yard above the road； holding her pistol high and firing it twice to get their attention。
〃Warriors of Praxis！ We are Sentinels； allies of your great fighter Bela！ We've broken free of the Regent and we mean to raise rebellion！ Are you with us？〃
Some of the liberated slaves fired into the air too； to signal their intent； while the rest cheered Lisa and those whom the amazons naturally assumed to be Lisa's followers。 The rest of the Sentinels were also shedding their disguises； and though several of them had the obvious drawback of being male； the Praxians hailed them。 At least the big dark…skinned fellow with the rifle was amazon size…and more…and looked encouragingly tough。
〃The power to the slavebands is out； but we're not sure how long that will last；〃 Lisa went on。 〃We have to strike at once！ Your queen and your sisters are right there in the Central Slavepen。 Here's how we're going to get them out。〃
It was basically the plan the Sentinels had thrown together while waiting for the slaves to pass by； but she had inserted a few refinements of her own。 Rick had to admit he was impressed。 The amazons； all drilled in the disciplines of warfare； split up into squads and moved out with little confusion or delay。
Inside the slavepen mand post； things had begun going disturbingly wrong。
A short time before； the power…relay system that energized and controlled the slave headbands had simply gone dead。 Almost immediately； reports had begun ing in from the working parties at various Invid installations and en route that the Praxians were in revolt。 The cages where the captives were quartered had bee a bedlam； too； and the amazons were apparently trying to bend the bars apart with their bare hands。
Word had been sent to the Regent； and troops were already being deployed to trouble spots from elsewhere in the city and the countryside。
〃At least one bunch is still under control；〃 an Armored Officer observed in his single…sideband voice。 A remote screen showed a column of returning prisoners shuffling through the main entrance of the plex； heads bent in dejection and exhaustion。
〃Perhaps the malfunction isn't systemwide；〃 another suggested； then the two turned their attention to deploying reinforcements。 But no one in the mand center had noticed that the instrumentation on the slaves' headbands was dark。 And they had turned away before realizing there were no Enforcers or Officers driving them along。
Nor were any Invid looking at the screen as the women turned not toward the cargo elevators that would take them down to their cages； but rather toward the building's arsenal。
Invid dashing around to respond to the emergency took no notice either； and the slaves' dejected heads helped with the deception。 That is； until the Praxians reached the door of the arsenal itself。
An Armored Officer barred their way。 〃Stop！ Where are your overseers？〃
Zibyl； the round…faced； olive…skinned one who had shown defiance outside the plex； led the line。 Now she looked around in feigned surprise； saying； 〃Why； I don't know； Great Master； they were there not a moment ago。 Perhaps they stopped to speak to another Master。 Shall I go look for them？〃
She took a step back the way she had e。 〃Stand where you are；〃 the Officer shouted。 It automatically took a few steps in that direction； too。 〃Slaves aren't supposed to be in this area unacpanied！〃
As it did so； several of the women slipped past； behind its back； silently entering the arsenal。
〃I see no overseers；〃 the Officer was saying。 〃And I see no function lights on your headbands。 In fact； some of those women back there have no headbands at all！ All of you； line up with your hands against that wall while I contact…〃
The Invid got no farther。 From the tattered remnants of her fighting costume Zibyl pulled the pistol Lisa had given her。 The Officer was just facing back toward her when she squeezed the trigger。 The beam was set at minimum dispersal； a star…hot line no wider than a pencil's lead。
Zibyl was wearing a fey smile。
The Officer went windmilling back as green goo and little meteor sparks spurted from the rupture in its helmet。 Zibyl shot it again； dead center in the chest； and twice more； the Invid flopped to the floor with a deafening clang of heavy metal。
Just then there was a yell from the rear of the column； 〃Enemy fire…team ing！〃
〃Stand clear！〃 yelled Zibyl； planting her bare feet more firmly and raising the heavy Invid pistol with both hands。 She stood her ground； her jaw set； as her sisters dove or dropped or sprinted out of her line of fire。
Four Enforcers lumbered around the corner like walking tanks； their steps resounding up and down the corridor like lootives being hit with battering rams。 They were un…limbering their rifles。
Zibyl took careful aim at the leader； determined to buy time and ferally willing to die just so long as she could take some of the more hated slavemasters with her。 She thought she might get one or； with extraordinary luck； two； before they cremated her on the spot。
Zibyl got off the first shot but missed with the unfamiliar handgun。 The Enforcers were bringing their heavy weapons to bear； muzzles the circumference of stovepipes zeroing in on her； when Zibyl heard a rich contralto behind her bark； 〃Sister！ Hit the deck！〃
Zibyl did。 The three Praxians who had womanhandled the Enforcer assault weapon out of the arsenal and into the corridor h