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This time the team was principally XT…Lron and Crysta； Gnea and Bela； with Learna as guide。 That Jack would acpany them had been taken for granted； and； after Tesla's plan had been given the okay； Janice signed on。 The Praxians felt more fortable with their one…handed crossbows； shields； and shortswords than anything else the Sentinels could offer in the way of weaponry； and Gnea wouldn't part pany with her spearlike naginata。 But the others carried Karbarran air rifles； satchels of mand…detonated explosives； conventional fragmentation grenades； and rocket launchers。 Shortly after Garuda's midnight； the eight…member team was inserted by Garudan flitters to within twenty miles of the crater； allowing them ample time to reach the farm…hive before sunrise。
At the same time； Wolff and the Sterlings met back at the shuttle to coordinate plans for their joint diversionary raid against two neighboring farms。 It was decided that the Veritechs and Hovertanks would mence their strikes at sunrise； when the Garudan slaves would still be in the camps。
〃We're going to concentrate our fire against the orchards； here and here；〃 Max briefed his squadron later on； pointing to areas on the maps Learna had provided。 The hives themselves…processing plants really…were almost certainly protected by energy shields like the one the Invid had thrown over Tiresia's Royal Hall during the battle for Tirol。 But since the Sentinels' main objective was to draw out the enemy mecha； Max saw no reason why targeting the precious Optera tree plantations couldn't achieve the same result。
〃Colonel Wolff's tankers will position themselves along this ridgeline and move in after you've pleted your initial runs。 Then you're to pulverize that hive。 If we dump enough into that shield we might be able to punch through。〃 Similar all…out bursts had worked against the Karbarran hives。 Max scanned his small audience。 〃Any questions？〃 When all the headshaking was over； he added； 〃All right then； let's saddle up。〃
Outside the shuttle； he caught sight of Miriya； who had been off briefing the Skull's Red contingent； and hurried over to her just as she was scampering up into the Alpha's cockpit。 She had seemed preoccupied during the meeting with Wolff； and absent even now when he asked her if everything was all right。
〃Yeah； fine；〃 she said； offering him a weak smile beneath her transpirator。
〃You don't look fine；〃 he told her； touching her hair。 〃Maybe you should sit this one out。〃 She laughed at the suggestion； more out of surprise； he suspected； than anything else。 A former Quadrono sit out a fight？
〃Max； I'm just a little tired。〃 She donned the thinking cap； climbed the notch ladder； and settled herself in the cockpit seat。 〃Now wipe that concerned look off your face；〃 she told him before lowering the canopy。
He forced a smile her way； readjusted his mask； and ran to his own mecha。 In five minutes both squadron teams were up； tearing through Garuda's crimson predawn skies。
The farms they had chosen to hit were some fifty miles southwest of the crater farm； surrounded by extensive forests of Optera trees； which from Max's point of view resembled outsized melon patches； the hive itself was a freeze…frame shot of a hydrogen bomb's first…stage canopy。
He took hold of the stick and ordered the Skull to follow him in； loosing a dozen napalm torpedoes from the Alpha's undercarriage pylons at treetop…level。 Angry plumes of liquid fire fountained above the ground fog behind him as the VT went ballistic； Max turned to look over his shoulder as the rest of the squadron dove in for their runs； each explosion spreading dollops of burning stuff from tree to tree。 Skull One rolled over and went in again； incinerating a patch of forest west of the hive now； while Miriya's team gave the east quadrant hell。 Then all at once there were Invid Shock Troopers in the air； rising out of the leaping flames and black smoke like a swarm of angry hornets。
〃We've got pany； Skull Leader；〃 one of Max's wingmen reported。 〃Multiple signals at eight o'clock。〃
Max turned his attention from the ascending mecha and twisted around to his right： twenty or more Pincer Ships were approaching from the direction of the crater farm。
〃ing around to zero one zero；〃 Max said into the tac net。 〃Help me engage； Blue Danube。〃
〃On my way； Skull One。 Rolling out。。。〃
Max went for missile lock on the lead Pincer and thumbed off two heat…seekers； they found the ship as it climbed； quartering it and a second Pincer in the process。 But the Invid were answering the challenge； and Max was forced to break high and right as streams of annihilation disks screamed into the pocket he had vacated。 His wingmen split and boostered out in the nick of time； chased by clusters of Shock Troopers from the Invid's counteroffensive group。
Max imaged the Alpha over to Battloid mode at the top of his climb； targeting data scrolling across his display screens now； and the net a tangle of requests and mad shrieks。 A hail of missiles tore from the VT's open shoulder racks and dropped into the midst of the Invid pursuit group； wiping out five of their number。 Max went to guns with the remaining two； hands clenching the HOTAS； trapshooting the Invid with the Alpha's rifle/cannon as they streaked by him。
Elsewhere in the field； Miriya's team was holding its own against the mecha born in that inferno below。 Half the trees were on fire now； thick smoke roiling in Garuda's dawn； while Humans and Invid exchanged salvos of death。 Battloids and Troopers grappled gauntlet to claw。
〃Guess we succeeded in getting their attention；〃 Max said to no one in particular。 He chinned Miriya's frequency and asked for an update； he repeated the request when she didn't respond； then reconfigured his ship and dropped down to have a look for himself。
Miriya had gone to Battloid and was executing her own version of a Fokker Feint when Max caught up with her。 There were four Shock Troopers hovering around her mecha； pulling sting…and…runs。 He smiled as he watched her ace one of them with the autocannon； but that look collapsed when he realized how slow she was to react to follow…up energy Frisbees delivered by the remaind