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Burak was tucking her dropped pistol in his gunbelt。 〃I'll get the Fruit。 Make sure she's secure。 And don't forget to bring her helmet。〃
Jack removed the helmet； but then stood looking down at her uncertainly； weighing his Badger。 〃Jack； Tesla's making you do this； isn't he？ Jack； don't listen to him！ Stop and think what you're doing； before…〃
〃Silence！〃 Burak was back。 〃Be grateful that Omnipotent Tesla directs us to spare you； or…〃
Then his expression became a little vague； as did Jack's； as they both listened to something she couldn't hear。 Burak glanced down at her with a devilish grin； his horns silhouetted against the entrance。
〃It seems you're not indispensable after all； Penn。〃 He turned to Jack。 〃Finish her； while I load the Fruit。〃 Burak had no punctions about killing Karen…not under Tesla's coercion。 But he was much more concerned that the Fruit stay in his possession； giving him some minimal leverage with the Invid。
〃Jack； don't do this；〃 she whispered。
He bolstered his gun like a man in a trance。 His forehead was covered with rivulets of sweat。 Hooking his hands in her bonds； he began pulling her up。 A part of him felt that he couldn't simply leave her body there； that he must move it further into the darkness to hide his terrible crime。 Another part simply wanted to lift her up and bear her away…away from the danger。
Her infighting moves were severely limited： ankles and knees were strapped together； her hands bound behind her at elbows and wrists。 But as he lifted her up； she made her play； it had nothing to do with knocking him unconscious。
Lurching against him； she pinned him between the wall and herself； putting her mouth to his。 The zombielike dullness slipped from him； and after a surprised instant； he kissed her back； arms going around her； supporting her。 He buried his fingers in her hair and hugged her tight。 Time stopped for both of them。
〃What are you doing？〃 Burak's footsteps clicked on the floor。
Jack could only release her and turn to go for his gun in a desperate contest。 Karen tucked her chin in and managed to avoid having her head cracked open as she toppled over backward in a painful fall。
Jack didn't have time to unholster his pistol； because Burak was practically on top of him； though one of the man's groping hands blundered open the retaining strap that held his set in its pouch。 But he managed to grab Burak's wrist and give it a practiced twist； sending the Perytonian's handgun bouncing across the floor。 Then Jack hit him with a right cross； sending him staggering into the wall。
Tesla sensed what was going on and strove to reassert his dominance over Jack； sending a mental bolt at him just as he went to grapple with Burak。 Jack somehow endured the attack； but he was off balance。
Knocking aside Jack's clumsy defense； Burak used an instinctive attack； one the Sentinels hadn't seen from a Perytonian yet； and that Jack wouldn't be looking for。 Rather than use hands or feet； Burak faked； then lowered his head and gored Jack Baker。
The long； dart…keen； tapered horns ripped through the tough fabric of the man's uniform and through flesh and muscle； opening twin channels across his midsection。 One horn hung up on a rib； and Burak was pulled off balance。 Jack managed to land a hammer blow to the base of Burak's neck with his fist； but the Perytonian lifted him from his feet and dropped him like a bull tossing a matador。
As Jack fell； Burak looked around dizzily for his gun。 But a burst from a Badger made him duck； and he rushed madly for the bunker's entrance。 Karen fired again； but with no way to aim； she was lucky she just stitched a line of shots across the ceiling。
Lucky I didn't shoot my own young tush off！ she told herself。
As it was； she had through some miracle managed to squirm over to Burak's gun； rolling over it backward to get it。
As Burak fled； he kicked something that skittered ahead of him。 He instinctively scooped it up as he ran； barely breaking stride： Jack's set； which had bounced loose in the struggle。
Karen fired one more burst blindly； then let Burak go and set the Badger aside。 She went back to work on the makeshift bonds。 By the time she had her wrists loosened up a bit； the rumble of her ascending VT shook the air。
Burak didn't have the flight helmet； but with luck and a little skill he could get back to Tesla using sheer manual controls。
Other hands； slick with blood； fumbled to help Karen free herself。 In seconds she was kneeling by Jack； and he curled back on the floor。 The goring had been savage； and he was losing blood fast。 But she could see that he had shaken off Tesla's influence。
She looked around for her flight helmet to call for a medevac but saw it lying in pieces； an inadvertent victim of one of her own unaimed bursts。
Jack managed a pale ghost of one of those maddening grins。 〃Isn't Prince Charming supposed to awaken Sleeping Beauty with the kiss？ Penn； can't you get anything right？〃
Armed with all the non…Protoculture weaponry they had been able to muster； the Sentinels dropped into Beroth to throw themselves in on the side of the blinking Invid。
If the Brain had been more devious； it might have had its troops imitate Tesla's strobe signals and confuse things again。 But； an aging and somewhat obsolescent organism； it practiced only the standard； brute tactics of Invid warfare。
The Sentinels had e in armed with everything from Karbarran pneumatics to Garudan slingshots； but most were carrying REF…style non…Protoculture weapons。 Even the Praxians had put aside their polearms and swords and dart…throwers willingly for submachine guns loaded with explosive bullets； heavy machine guns that fired discarding…sabot rounds； and portable recoilless rifles。
There were also mortars； flame guns； Garudan things that squirted molecular acid； blowtorches； and a lot more。 The VTs and the few remaining Hovertanks couldn't use Protoculture weapons either； of course； but there had only been time to retrofit a few of them with old…style autocannon and rocket pods。 Still； even lacking firearms； a multi…ton mecha throwing armored punches or swinging a superalloy club as long as a utility pole could do a lot of damage。
It was easy to sort out friend from foe； Tesla's new subjects' cyclopean eyes flashed brightly。 The Sentinels launched themselves into the fray with that same hunger for revenge and victory that they had brought to other battles。
But Tesla was beginning to feel misgivings。 Burak was already on his way back with the Fruit…slowly； because he wasn't used to handling a VT； and certainly not without the special thinking…cap flight helmet…but the Sentinels might discover Tesla's treachery at any time； if Baker or Penn could get word back somehow。
Was it luck or was it the Shaping of the Protoculture that Penn's helmet had been shot up and Baker's set taken by Burak？ Tesla steeled himself against doubts。 Though every Inorganic he could mand was sorely needed in the battle； he detached several and sent them toward the bunker； to do away with two troublesome Humans before they could interfere any further。
In the meantime； sensing the deployment of the Sentinels and the manner in which th