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s agonized summons。 Baldan rose at last； taking his mother's arms and dragging her off the other way。 She dropped her rifle and clung to him。 They tottered away as the hive shook on its foundations。
The bend in a corridor brought them up against a sealed security door； the sound of the Inorganics came closer。 Baldan backed off and fired at the door over and over； even though he knew it would do no good。
As the biped mecha came lumbering around the corner； Teal saw the method to Baldan's madness。 The floor quaked and shifted； and a prow of icy crystal thrust itself up into sight。 Spheris was reacting against its source of pain。
The upthrust had cut the Inorganics off from their quarry for the moment。 Baldan threw down the rifle； took his mother's hand； and veered at the crystal as the hive tilted again。 They melded with it and were safely away。
Churning in its nutrient pool； nearly insane with the pain of its wounds； the Brain lost all control。 If the slave races were going to use Protoculture weapons； Protoculture weapons it would be！
Tesla； too； nearly lost his balance as the planet convulsed。 The Brain demonstrated its ire a moment later。 Weapons pods set on tall masts around the hive opened up。 The blasts were highly accurate； hitting Tesla's blinking…eye Inorganics and blowing them part。
〃To the ships！ The ships！〃 he howled； an echo of his mental mand。 The disguised troop transports were only yards away； but most of his loyal troops were still covering his retreat。
He dithered； racked by indecision。 To flee without the army he had gathered would leave him a wretched outcast once again； but to stay was to be killed； either by the Brain； the Sentinels； or the very planet！ Better to live to fight another day。
〃We raise ship immediately！〃 he screamed； so loud that Burak and Gnea winced。
The Crystal Highways themselves spasmed。 The planet bid fair to tear itself apart。 The Spherisians who had trusted the safety of the underground looked at one another。
〃Get everybody back！ Disengage！〃 Rick was nearly hoarse from shouting his mands over the tac net。 〃Prepare for pickup！〃
It felt as if Spheris was going to e apart at the seams； and the only thing to do was try to get his Sentinels to safety。 He had no idea what the upheavals meant for the Spherisians themselves； but there didn't seem to be much he could do for them； except…
He switched to mand freq。 〃Lisa！ Do not use Protoculture weapons！ It'll only make things worse down here！〃
That didn't seem to bother the Invid Brain； though。 Rays and annihilation disks streamed from the hive's defensive batteries； wiping out every mecha that flashed the signal of Tesla； and whatever Sentinel targets they could find as well。
The tide of the Inorganics' battle had definitely turned； with Tesla's mecha fighting dispiritedly or simply turning to run； while the Brain's war machines came on relentlessly。 Still； for some reason none of the Inorganics were using Protoculture weapons。 Some programmed proscription？
The Brain's gunners were really pouring it on now； and the planet rocked。 Rick despaired of ever getting his troops…or himself…out alive。
Around the perimeter of the hive one head rose from the living rock as if being born from it。 Then another emerged； and another。 Soon scores were there as the planet swayed and bucked under them。 They exchanged looks and unspoken words； then sank back out of sight。
Tesla wailed as a sudden tremor knocked him from his feet and overbalanced a Crann that toppled across him。
He fought to keep hold over his troops； to maintain dominance over the transport crews he had taken under his control； and to ward off the Brain's mental attack。 But in this latest setback； something had to give。
Gnea felt her mind pried loose from Tesla's bond。 She shook her head； hearing a ringing and seeing lights before her eyes。 A voice in her mind said； 〃Gnea！ Quickly！ Over here！〃
She spun around and saw Veidt poised not twenty feet away； on a flying carpet。 His robes were blackened and punctured where shrapnel or bullets had plucked at them。 〃Make haste！ There are only seconds！〃 She realized that he had freed her from Tesla's grip。
Other Inorganics were trying to separate Tesla from the one that had sprawled across him。 Gnea grabbed Burak's shoulder。 〃e！ We're leaving！〃
Burak tried to shake her loose。 〃Let me be！〃
She knew nothing about the unholy alliance into which Burak had entered with Tesla…how much deeper the Invid's hold was over the Perytonian than over Jack and herself。 She just assumed Veidt hadn't been able to wrench Tesla's mental grip off both victims at once。
So； with Praxian directness； she yanked Burak back around and swung a roundhouse right that tagged him precisely on the chin。 His knees buckled but she had him up and over her shoulder in one move。 Legs driving like pistons； she crossed the space between herself and the hovering carpet in three bounds； nearly overturning it when she landed on it。
Veidt kept it steady； however； and it zoomed off toward the approaching Ark Angel； keeping low because of all the conventional firing still going on； and the blasts from the hive。 Gnea noticed with interest that the carpet was actually the resilient floor matting from Veidt's cone…flier…a novel way of making an emergency escape conveyance serve double duty。
Evidently； Haydonites could survive falls from considerable heights； she decided。
Firing from the hive was getting heavier； and all Spheris was straining and shaking。 〃It seems the Regent's forces will have their revenge no matter what。〃
Veidt shook his head serenely。 His mental powers had given him a glimpse of the latest developments。 〃I think not。 See there？〃
Gnea looked where he was pointing and the breath caught in her throat。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
At least Kyle had victory in his grasp and died with a certain serenity。 I guess I just don't deserve either one of those things。
Minmei
Two glittering figures stood； hand in hand； gazing at the vast hive of the Invid。
All around the place； a ring of thousands upon thousands of Spherisians was rising； head and shoulders； from the body of their planet。 As that wa