will be assured； and we will need the Human race no more； and Earth will be the homeworld that will replace our beloved Optera。 But we must pass that triggerpoint； we must have more Human slaves to spread the Flower of Life to every corner of the Earth。
〃And to increase our supply of slaves； we must have more mecha； as rapidly as the Evolving makes that possible。 Prepare now for the arrival of the retrieval droid； and the quickening of a new Scout ship！〃
One of the Controllers began making stiff…armed gestures to the others； like some ancient Roman military salute sequence。 The other Controllers moved to their places； and in moments the hulking Scout ship； standing immobile on one of the lighted circles； began descending into the floor。 In a moment it was gone and the aperture closed。
〃I guess that thing there is the brains of the outfit；〃 Rand whispered； where he and Annie poised in concealment behind two fibrous columns。
〃Yeah； well； it may have it in the brains department； but…〃 She made a face。 〃Ugh！ It gives a whole new meaning to ‘ugly'！〃
The thing that Rand thought was a Sensor was a huge mass of wetly glistening； sickly pink coils。 It looked like someone had knotted a length of enormous small intestine beyond any unsnarling。 Its stench clogged the warm； humid air of the hive center。
A retrieval pod entered； bearing aloft the hatchling it had fetched。 〃Scout Trooper ready for quickening；〃 the Regis announced。 The saucer set its burden down exactly where the previous one had stood； the hatchling booming as it landed。 The lifting field disappeared as the saucer's underside dimmed。 The retrieval pod whisked away。
The hatchling's optical sensor opened； exposing the vertical row of three lenses。 〃Activate canopy；〃 the Regis manded。 Long segmented metal tentacles extended from somewhere above； their articulated fingers working quickly。 The Scout's cranial area was opened and a broad plate or hatch swung up。
Rand could see a softly lighted area within the cranial partment； but he couldn't tell much more about what was going on。 〃Insert drone Nine…X…Nineteen；〃 the Regis's eldritch voice said。
From a conduit high in the wall； there came another egg； this one far smaller than the mecha's。 Clusters of gracefully…waving tendrils； like undersea plants； floated at the top and bottom of the embryo。
Within the embryo was something curled up that looked shrunken and wizened even though its skin had the moist； hairless look of the unborn。 It appeared to be mostly head； its arms and legs degenerated and vestigial。 Its dark eyes were bottomless； liquid black slits； Annie couldn't decide whether they were as unseeing as a seconds…old kitten's； or windows to some all…observing intellect。 Drone Nine…X…Nineteen's nose was a bony button。
A crest of hard plate made a ridge from its massive； convoluted brow back across its skull。 Its skin seemed to be a lusterless gray…green； its brow and skull mapped by a craniological nightmare of bulges and eminences。 It was all but chinless； its mouth seemingly a tiny bud。
Rand and Annie looked at the face of the enemy。
Drone Nine…X…Nineteen； still in its egg； was wafted by unseen forces； to nestle in the dimly lit womb of the Scout's head。
〃Drone in place；〃 the Sensor reported to itself。
〃Bad place；〃 Annie muttered。 Rand nodded。
The tentacles closed the canopy of the quickened Scout； the optical scanner came alight； glowing red。 〃Transmutation pleted；〃 the Regis declared。 〃Prepare next Scout Trooper for quickening。〃 The Scout that carried…or had bee…Nine…X…Nineteen sank out of sight like its predecessor。
〃Rand；〃 Annie said plaintively； 〃I'm scared。〃
〃So'm I； Mint。 Let's get this thing over with and get out of here。〃 A retrieval pod was bringing in another Scout。 〃Dammit！ We must've gotten here right in the middle of Motherhood Week！〃
Annie swallowed。 〃Then let's blow that Sensor thing and get out of here！〃
〃Fine with me； but we have to find it first； remember？ And it could be anywhere in this maggot factory。〃
She looked at her watch。 〃That means it's time for Contingency Plan B； huh？〃
Rand nodded； checking his own watch。 〃I hope Scott and the others aren't napping。〃 He looked around him。 〃I'd hate to be stuck in this neighborhood at night。〃
Scott was wide awake and swearing； looking at his military chronometer。 He and the others were gathered under snow…covered firs behind a line of drifts； watching the pass from the shadows。
〃They're late with their signal！〃 And he had no idea whether Annie and Rand were in trouble or had simply； in their sloppy civilian way； forgotten the timetable。
If they're goofing around up there。。。
But Lancer grabbed his armored shoulder。 〃There they are。〃 He pointed。
Three quarters of the way up one of the peaks that flanked the fortress； light was flashing from one of the many niches or tunnel openings or launch bays or whatever they were。
Scott and Lancer trained their puter…coupled binocular on the spot。 The binocular showed Annie； sitting on the edge of one of the niches； angling a mirror from her pack； using it as a crude heliograph。 It would be impossible to answer by the same code； since the Invid might have picked up the flashes。 He turned to Rook； who stood with Marlene and Lunk。
〃Just as I figured： they need a decoy。 Okay； Rook； get moving。〃
She nodded； snowflakes glistening in her long； strawberry…blond waves。 〃Wish me luck。〃
Annie continued her signaling； hoping the team had noticed it。 It only made sense not to use a radio inside the fortress； but she would have felt better hearing Scott say； 〃Affirmative。〃
She heard the heavy tread of mecha round a corner； ing her way unexpectedly。 Annie fumbled with the mirror and lost it as she dove for cover。 She had no choice but to hang from the brink by her fingers； as two towering Controllers marched by。
〃Unidentified intrusions registered along Perimeter Sixteen；〃 the Regis's voice warned。 〃Investigate！〃
After they had passed； Annie hauled herself back up again。 But she felt a sinking unease。 Suppose her signal hadn't been seen？ She looked around for some other reflective surface that would serve； but could find none。
Maybe Rand and I are on our own？ Maybe we'd better start improvising？
Rook activated a control； and her Cyc's tires extruded heavy snow studs。 She left her thinking cap off； letting her hair blow in the wind on the chance that the aliens might think her less of a military threat if they didn't see that she was a Cyclone warrior。
She jumped from ridges and traveled under the tree canopy as much as she could； hoping that the enemy couldn't follow her back…trail through the snow and find signs of her teammates' presence。 Then she howled out into the open； making the treacherous approach uphill toward the fortress。 It wasn't long before a flight of Pincer Ships dove at her； their shadows flickering across the snow。
Rook gave a wild； scornful laugh； elated by the thrill and risk of it all。 〃e on！〃 she called up。 〃I'll race you to the mountain top！〃
The Pincers swooped close but held fire for the moment； trying to determine just what kind of threat they faced。 Their scanners studied the racing cyclist。
In the Hive Center； sheets of light and electrical discharges raced across the heaving； visceral mass of the Sensor。 〃Patrol reports bio…energetic activity in the approaching vehicle。 Protoculture emanations registered！ All available units converge and intercept！〃
Rand； watching from concealment； held Annie well back。 〃Keep your head down！〃
〃But…what's happening？〃
Rand checked his watch again。 〃It all hit the fan just at the time Rook was supposed to start her diversionary run！〃
As the Invid closed the distance； Rook hit a switch on her right handlebar and tensed herself like a coiled spring。
A change in the din and the Saint Elmo's fire along the Sensor made Annie point and tug Rand's arm。 〃Look； it's stopping！ Is that bad？〃
Rook！ he thought。 He felt a stab of despair and loss so powerful that it nearly staggered him。
〃Intercept and neutralize！〃 the Regis manded； as the Pincers raced to obey。
Rook concentrated everything on her timing。 Calculations meant less now than instincts and years of experience in evading the Invid。 At a certain moment she slewed around a stand of pine and laid down the bike in a spume of snow； throwing herself clear of the on…purpose grounding； diving into a snow bank。
The Cyc lay dead； its Protoculture engine off。 Rook lay doggo as the Pincers rounded the trees and went on past； following their Protoculture detectors； suddenly confused。 They raced on； splitting up； casting about like bloodhounds for a scent。
Rook pulled herself up a little and smiled at the receding Invid personal…armor mecha。 〃Ciao！〃
An instant later the smile disappeared。 Rand； get busy！ Get out of there！ She was frowning at the fact that she was worrying so much over him…and Annie； of course。。。
She hadn't let anybody mean anything to her since she had quit her old biker gang。 This caring for someone…especially a dumb country boy…was making her angry with herself and with him； too。
〃It can't be a coincidence；〃 Rand said tightly。 〃That heap o' guts out there…that thing is the Sensor we're looking for！〃
Annie gripped his shirt。 〃D…d'you think it knows we're here？〃
〃If it does； we're in a lot bigger trouble than I thought。〃
The obscene loops of the Sensor were dark and quiet。 Still； the quickening of Scouts went on。 Rand watched as more Controllers went to take up positions near the stinking mass of the Regis's local embodiment。
Something occurred to him； and he gazed at Annie apprehensively。 She had been possessed by an alien intelligence once before； in the Genesis Pit。 What if it should happen again？ But no； she seemed to be behaving normally…quaking with fear。
Rand tried to calm himself and take in the situation。 〃The place is crawling with guards。〃
〃M…my skin's crawling； too！〃
He picked a route and led the way from cover to cover。 The Controllers were all concentrating on the quickening； gathered to one side of the Sensor。 Then the two reached the opposite side of the monstrous mound of alien bowels。 Annie skittered after Rand； quiet as a mouse； bu