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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 the battle was taking shape； he began a series of strategic withdrawals； in order to shift the burden of the fighting over to his former captors。 He would need his own troops for other things。
On Optera the Regent； still dripping from nutrient immersion； viewed a recording of the brief fragment of message that his Spheris garrison had managed to send。
〃Under attack by…〃
Then the screen went blank； because the main munications installation had been the first thing against which Tesla directed his troops' fire。
But the Regent could hardly know that。 He could only quake with rage and fright； that an enemy could so suddenly overwhelm his most important remaining stronghold outside of Optera。
Burak barely survived his landing； crumpling the Guardian's powerful leg under it with a creaking of metal； and stoving in the radome。
〃Can you fly it？〃 Tesla demanded of Gnea。
She shook her head somewhat groggily； leakage from Tesla's mind let bits and pieces of the fierce battle through into her own。 〃Not without a helmet。〃
Tesla roared and reached out to swat her like a bug； she never even flinched。 But he stopped himself； realizing that she might be of some further use。 Burak emerged from the keeled…over Guardian hobbling； somehow contriving to carry the bundled Fruit。 The ring of flashing…eyed troops that Tesla had drawn around the area to protect himself opened for Burak。
By the time the Perytonian was dragging himself up the ramp to join him on the landing platform； Tesla was already issuing new marching orders to his usurped army。
Just then a contact signal came from the municator on Gnea's belt。 It was Lisa Hunter's voice over the mand freq。 〃Tesla； get your eastern and northern elements going in a pincer movement； do you read me？ What they're doing now is worse than useless！〃
Tesla took the set in his now…dexterous hand。 〃Oh yes！ I read you； female； have no fear。〃
He broke the contact； but continued what he was doing。 His objective now was the troopships on the other side of the city； the Brain was too well guarded； and he had sworn never to go back into Human captivity。
The VTs the Sentinels had been able to field had already hit some of the tanker ships in port； sending tidal waves of nutrient fluid washing outward。 But the troopships stationed there in long…term ground positions were； in accordance with military procedure； camouflaged against space attack…just as the Terror Weapons on Tirol had been。 They were still there awaiting Tesla's pleasure。
〃And then on to Optera！〃 he cried； shaking his fist at the sky。
〃No！〃 It was Burak； limping toward Tesla with a wild look on his face and Jack's blood still glistening darkly on his horns。 He dropped the bundles of Fruit and stepped back from them。
〃Not Optera； Peryton！ You promised！〃
Tesla； furious； sent out a mental bolt that almost flattened Burak。 How the Perytonian had slipped his mental leash； Tesla had no idea； except that Tesla's concentration was divided among so many things。
But Burak withstood t