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There was a sudden scuffling behind him and Kyle whirled； rising。 Edwards's eyes flickered that way at the same time； to see Adams grappling with Minmei； the bright edge of a bat knife reflecting the light。
〃Kill her！ Kill her！〃 Edwards screamed； not because he thought Adams would necessarily follow orders； but rather because it would keep Lynn…Kyle diverted。 It was no surprise that Kyle unthinkingly sprang to Minmei's aid。 Edwards was digging for his gun； even as he thought； Kyle must know I'm armed！ Why。。。
Adams's eyes opened wide； the edge of his blade drawing a trickle of blood from Minmei's neck。 Kyle came at him； unstoppable and almost too fast to see； with a strength like something out of Robotechnology。
Adams felt himself horribly hurt and sent pinwheeling； but there was nothing he could do about it； he was propelled into a corner； black…red blood bubbling on his lips； knowing he had only a few moments of life left。 Minmei was safe； except for the shallow cut on her throat。
Kyle spun on Edwards； but the general already had his derringer in his hand。 It didn't make any difference； Kyle leapt at him anyway。
The gun was small； only good for two rounds； but graphically effective at short range。 Edwards shot Kyle twice while he was in the air； the body that landed on the general was almost dead。
Edwards pushed Kyle off； while Minmei came to her cousin's side； knelt； and brushed his raven's…wing forelock out of his eyes。 She took his head into her lap tenderly； as Edwards labored to regain his breath and get to his feet。
Kyle's eyelids fluttered。 〃Minmei。。。〃
〃Shh…hh。〃
There was no saving him； she kept her trembling hand at his chin； so he couldn't see the melted fabric and bloody mess that was his chest。 Kyle coughed； 〃The war was almost over。 We'd won。〃
〃We'd won。〃 She nodded。 〃You won it for us； Kyle。〃 She was about to faint； holding a human body that was half blown open； but she found reserves of courage from someplace she had never delved into before； and smiled down at him instead。
There was a final； galvanic bit of life to him。 〃Tell me you love me； Minmei。 Let it be the last thing I hear。 Please。〃
Once； she would have hung back from conceding that； but she had suffered so much since joining the Sentinels。。。it seemed that last words were all she knew anymore。
〃I love you； Lynn…Kyle。 Now and forever。〃
Minmei locked her mouth to his； and felt Kyle go cold and lifeless。 She held him close； rocking as she embraced his head； crooning a little children's song he had taught her a thousand eons ago。
There was the sudden grip of bloody hands； and Edwards dragged her away from Lynn…Kyle's corpse。 He was speaking into a rover mo unit through his smashed face。 〃Rally here！ Rally here！ Make pickup at this location at once！〃
There was a burst of static as someone acknowledged from the assault units。 Minmei knew she was still a captive and that Edwards might still win the day； but all of that was unimportant to her now。
I'm not a prisoner anymore。 I have my own part to play now。
She glanced around the room； and everything she saw seemed to be an edged weapon or a bludgeon。 Edwards； still trying to arrange for a rendezvous； was suddenly troubled when he saw Minmei's slow smile。
CHAPTER TWENTY…TWO
Strange； that the 〃Loki〃 of the Sentinels campaign should have a namesake so renowned in Earth's scientific history。 But the Human Tesla invented polyphase systems； dynamos； oscillators； and so much more； whereas there is no record of his Invid counterpart making any contribution whatsoever…beyond the abominations that are already so notorious。
Simon Kujawa； Against All Worlds： A Biography of Tesla the Infamous
〃What's your hurry； Jack？〃
Karen tried to make it sound joking； but some of her concern slipped through nevertheless。 Jack paused； there in the Ark Angel passageway； to face her。
〃Tesla's due to speak to the leaders；〃 he said in an emotionless voice。 〃I'm making final arrangements； and I'm very pressed for time； so if you don't mind…〃
〃What are you now； that big slug's errand boy？？she sneered。 〃Does he keep you busy kissing his feet？ Is that why you and Gnea are holed up down in that partment with him all the time？〃
Wrong tone； girl； she told herself。 But she couldn't help it。 She was angry at him for avoiding her； she was suspicious of all the time he was spending together with Miss Teenage Amazon； and she was worried about what Tesla might be cooking up。 And she was PO'd at herself for caring so much about Jack Baker。
He had that same distant； dispassionate look he had been wearing lately； studying her like she was something on a microscope slide。 〃You're an idiot；〃 he said； and about…faced and marched off on his way。
She fought the urge to go after him and put his lights out。 Violence never solves anything unless you happen to live in certain parts of New Jersey； as someone…W。 C。 Fields？…put it。
There was some slight reassurance in the fact that Tesla was about to make his long…postponed appearance before the Sentinels elite。 Rick Hunter had decided he wasn't going to put up with any more stalling； and had in fact been in the process of organizing an armed contingent to drag the Invid before a board of inquiry…even if it meant clapping Gnea and Burak and Jack Baker in irons and giving the alien scientist a taste of the business end of a cattle prod。
But Tesla's relayed announcement…that he had something of great importance to lay before the leadership forestalled all that。 There were a hundred different scuttlebutt theories about what was about to happen； and some of them were awfully disquieting。
But apparently Jack Baker wasn't about to clarify anything。 Karen Penn found that she had curled her hands into fists。 Idiot； huh？ She went after him with every intention of dumping him on his keister。
It surprised her almost as much as it did Jack Baker when； grabbing his elbow and dragging him around on his heel； she kissed him instead of belting him。 She put one hand behind his head and the other on his cheek and went toil。
It wasn't the first time they had kissed； but Karen made it something that said a lot more than the friendly/petitive necking they had occasionally done in the past。 She knew then that Jack definitely wasn't his normal self； it was like kissing some unyielding stranger。
But then the kiss changed； and for a moment Jack felt stirrings of his true self and his own free will。 He put his arms around Karen and kissed her back； as astonished crewmembers of various species detoured around the two or stopped to stare。 A few whistled and cheered and applauded。
Tesla's mindlock reasserted itself； though； and Karen felt Jack go distant and emotionless。 He held her at arm's length； his hands on her shoulders。 The kiss had left her breathless； but he was behind some strange emotional barrier once more。 The interplay of his features told her that there was a struggle going on somewhere inside。
〃Let's see you shrug that one off； Jack；〃 she whispered to him； her hands pressed to his cheeks。 He lurched free； staggering a bit； and continued on his way。 There were a few sniggers from the sidelines。 Karen spun to face the onlooker