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〃 Jack took up his position at the head of the main body； keeping Janice in sight as she picked out their route。
He had thought about walking point； but he was in mand and responsible for looking after his tiny unit from a more appropriate place。 Besides； Jan had proven herself to be amazingly capable…adept at military sciences； mecha piloting； small arms； and hand…to…hand。 She even excelled at the archaic weapons of the Praxian amazons。
These excellent military abilities； ing from a woman whose former claim to fame was as a female vocalist； didn't make a lot of sense to Jack； but just now he was grateful to have her there。 Jack watched as； far overhead； the last of the opening in Haydon IV's surface closed out the last few rays of Briz'dziki。
The VTs waded up from the underground reservoir； shedding waterfalls； as the last of the bubbles rose from Crysta's VT。 Jan found a route through a thing that they took for a spillway； some twenty yards in diameter。 Though there were some light sources in the labyrinth of living instrumentality； the Veritechs brought up all their wing…lights and spotlights to cut through the gloom。
Jan scouted several conduits and accessways。 Twice； the team pulled back to the brink of the sea to start over again because the route had narrowed to a squeeze so tight that the Battloids couldn't get through。 The third try was a washout due to extremely high radiation levels； the VTs would protect their occupants for quite a while； but Jack had no idea how long the journey would take； and had no desire to end up as a human night…light。
The fourth try brought them into a sort of pipeline all aglow with the colors of the rainbow。 The sensors couldn't determine what the light effects were； but they didn't seem harmful； and time was wasting。 〃Let's do it；〃 Jack decided。
The team moved along like infantry； or SWAT officers； Lron covering the rear in a kind of crabstep； the enormous rifle/cannon of the Beta held at high port。 The pipeline's diameter was about thirty feet； not much higher than the Battloids； and so the mecha moved cautiously。
In some places； the route was lined with pulsing bundles of filament as thick as a mecha's leg…like brilliant gatherings of unshielded optical fibers。 In others； intertwinings of mysterious ducting and hoses resembled an incredible Robotech root system。 Stupendous struts and support members were the geology of the underground world。
Gradually； though； the 〃terrain〃 started changing。 The pipeline widened again； and the Battloids had as much room as foot soldiers moving along a highway。 A world of dazzling； inprehensible supertech plexity surrounded them。 Light danced and tremendous loads of power surged and hummed。
It was a technological reflection of the nearby Arabian Nights cityscape in Glike。 But； the manifestations were above； as well as around and below。 Ziggurat power…management terminals bigger than any Egyptian pyramid； enigmatic things that looked like Van de Graaff generators the size of the Monument City Sportsdome； megastructures of warped； prismatic light that on closer inspection turned out to be mountains of contoured instrumentality。
As their route opened up into a kind of open countryside； they began to lose the oppressive feeling of being underground。 That is； until Jan's voice came over the net。
〃I'm picking up readings。 I think these immunosystems； or whatever they are； are beginning to detect and respond to us again。〃
〃What？ Where？〃 Jack was punching buttons； searching frantically。 〃I don't see anything。〃 Don't tell me she's a sensor wizard； too！
〃Trust me； Jack。〃 Her voice was so steady that he believed her。 〃There's something big ahead； something very big。 Perhaps the nexus of everything that Haydon is； and now that we've stumbled so close to it； whatever it is； it's got a line on us again。〃
Jack didn't have time to ask her what she was jabbering about； because just then Kami yelled； 〃Snakes； snakes！ Millions of em！〃
Jack whirled even as Kami fired； forgetting the lessons about short； accurate bursts； the Garudan's Battloid hosing its rifle/cannon back and forth like a Robotech fireman。
The others were blazing away； too。 Jack could see that whatever Kami spotted wasn't really snakes； but the undulating； crackling flows of green and yellow streaming toward the VTs would put that image in the mind of almost anybody…especially a Garudan in the hin…altered reality。
Not that Jack had much time to think； Janice Em was right。 Whatever it is we're getting close to； it's got a line on us。
Like all the other Battloids； he brought his rifle/cannon up； hoping the stress on Crysta and the captive Invid in the backseat of her cockpit hadn't harmed them。
〃Security wheel！〃 he bellowed over the din of their cannonfire。
The vast space under Haydon IV was lit by stroboscopic bursts brighter than all the pulses of its power routing； as the Battloids formed a security wheel； backing up until their mighty shoulders grazed one another； firing outward to all points of the pass。
A sustained burst usually blew one of the energy snakes to dispersing sparks； and the Battloids soon cleared a ring of death around them。 But more serpentines of energy were pouring from every crevice。 The things massed； too numerous for even Robotech weapons to deal with； and closed in from every quarter like a worldscape of angry vipers。
CHAPTER FOUR
It would be fair to say that I have been less than sensitive to the plight of the soldier in the past…have held military types in utmost contempt。 I had my reasons； which I have set down elsewhere in these pages。
But it's just as fair to point out that since I have bee one of them…shared their privations and sufferings and rare moments of success； seen their despicable vices and their noble virtues up close…I am a man chastened。
From the journals of Flight Officer Isle； L。； REF Service # 666…60…937
Minmei had been to REF Base Tirol many times； but never via dark alleys and elevated roadway foundations like some escaped convict。
She would have been curious about this flight officer…Isle； his nametag said…except that she was feeling sick again and was exhausted after the harrowing