but one never knew what to expect from Tesla。 There was no time to investigate the release order that had freed them； either； but Lang promised to look into the matter later on。
It was Exedore who discovered Burak lurking in one of the corridors near the ship's designated Invid sector。 It occurred to him that the fortress seemed unusually deserted； but he barely gave it a second thought。 He was explaining the need for urgency to the Perytonian when Tesla showed up all in a rush； looking like he had just seen the face of the Creator。
〃Where have you been？〃 Exedore said； toe…to…toe with the towering Invid。
Tesla began to stutter a response； then remembered himself and said； 〃I don't have to answer to some Zentraedi clone。〃
Exedore bristled at the ment； but decided against engaging in what would be a useless argument。 Instead； he drew a handgun； informed the two of Wolff's departure plans； and hurried them along to the hold。 Wolff； Janice； and Sarna were already there； anxious to get under way。 The guards…some of whom were part of the plan…had already been dispatched； so it was safe for the moment for both Lang and Exedore to be on the scene。
〃I guess this is good…bye for a while；〃 Wolff was saying while Sarna and an armed Janice escorted Burak and Tesla aboard。 〃I don't know what to say； Lang。〃
〃Just pray we're not too late；〃 Lang said soberly。 He offered Wolff his hand。 〃Godspeed； Colonel。〃
Wolff stepped back and saluted Lang and Exedore； gave one last look around the bay； and hastened up the ramp。
Lang said； 〃Have we done the right thing； Exedore？〃
〃We do what we can；〃 the Zentraedi told him。
They didn't wait around to watch the launch。
〃They're on their way； General；〃 Colonel Adams reported to Edwards a short time later。 〃Your orders？〃
〃Your men are to give pursuit； but tell them to keep their enthusiasm in check。 Just be sure it looks good； and make certain that the ship is allowed to fold。 I don't want any slipups now。〃
〃Roger； sir；〃 Adams said； and signed off。
Edwards collapsed onto his bed； weary from the choreographing the plan had entailed。 Freeing the aliens； supplying them with what they needed to know； keeping the corridors clear； instructing the guards in confinement and in the shuttle bay how to behave。。。It was more than most men could have handled。 But then again； Edwards reminded himself； he was not most men。
And so far things had gone off without a wrinkle； the Invid imposter was surely dead； and Wolff was a criminal。 The council could not help but see things his way from now on； and the threat of a stepped…up war with the Invid would result in the construction of the fleet he needed to carry out his more important plan： the eventual conquest of Earth。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Miriya Parino Sterling's rescue of the Spherisian crystallite ＇sic＇ was an act of derring…do worthy to stand beside the infamous 〃costume change〃 that had earned her husband such plaudits during the early stages of the First Robotech War。
LeRoy La Paz； The Sentinels
〃I want someone to sweep the caves；〃 Rick said into his helmet pickup。 〃Then we're out of here！〃
Bela volunteered。 Rick looked around and spied her down below； waving to him from the area the GMU had occupied before Cabell's desperate plan had been set in motion。 Rick chinned the helmet stud again and told Bela to make it quick。 He saw her； Kami； and Learna scurry off toward the mouth of the cave and disappear inside。 Rick called up a display on the helmet's faceshield； then； satisfied that he had sufficient oxygen remaining； he scrambled up the steep slope toward the relocated vehicle。
Praxis's atmosphere had grown superheated and unbreathable； forcing everyone but Veidt and Teal into helmets and environment suits。 From the high ground above the caverns； where the GMU was maintaining its precariously angled position； Rick glanced back at the wrinkled terrain。 Eruptions of volcanic light could be seen through the dense shroud that stretched from the hills all the way to the base of a distant escarpment。 And out of this storm came two lone Veritechs； returned from a final reconnaissance flight。 Rick tuned into the mand freak； only to have his worst fears confirmed： there wasn't a safe region to be found anywhere on the planet。
The Alphas whooshed in overhead； reconfigured； and maneuvered into the open maw of the GMU's ordnance bay。 The Hovertanks and the Skull's VTs were already aboard； only two mecha remained outside…the VTs Rick and Max would pilot up once Vince Grant gave the go signal。
Rick dug his toes into the ground and pleted the climb； out of breath when he reached the rim of the chute the Sentinels had blown open in the roof of the cave。 The front end of the GMU overhung the rim； elevated now by the hundreds of orbs that had streamed from the cave after the chute had been opened。 It was Cabell's idea； and Veidt's peculiar talents； that made the plan workable。
As a last resort the Sentinels had decided to enlarge the diameter of the cave's internal passageways to acmodate the huge creatures stuck for want of an egress suited to their size。 That way； Cabell reasoned； they could at least raise a few more Alphas before the planet blew itself to smithereens…providing of course that the orbs could be made to understand that the Sentinels weren't trying to destroy them； as they had those spiderlike monstrosities。 And assuming for the time being that Wolff and Janice； or someone； would be ing to their rescue。
Rick couldn't recall just who had pointed out that some of the larger orbs were still going to face difficulties reaching the entrance； but it was Veidt who proposed boring an artificial chimney through the roof of the cave。 Additionally； the Haydonite maintained； the Sentinels were wasting their time airlifting individual mecha； when the increased supply of globe…beings would allow them to raise the entire GMU…if the mobile base could be positioned in such a way that the orbs could get underneath。 （Even with its one…hundred…foot tires； the thing was still too low to acmodate the largest of the orbs。） Vince； Rick； Lisa； and some of the others had determined that the GMU could sustain itself in orbit for a limited time； thanks to the modifications the landcrawler had undergone during its stint with the Farrago。 It would mean a dangerously unfortable existence for as long as Praxis held together； but even weightlessness and privation were preferable to the death they were bound to suffer on the surface。
So after Veidt had relayed the details of the scheme to the orbs （who were in his words 〃thankful〃 and more than willing to reciprocate）； and firepower had opened the chute； the GMU was repositioned at the rim of the opening to catch the creatures as they levitated from the cave。
As Rick regarded the all…but…floating vehicle now； he decided it was the most bizarre sight he had ever seen： the GMU looked as though it were sitting atop a mountain of unburstable bubbles。 Veidt was hovering nearby directing the flow。 And in spite of the scale and the incredible size of some of the orbs； the end result of the Sentinels' partnership with the creatures had rendered the GMU almost toy…like in appearance。
Rick continued to watch in amazement as more and more orbs attached themselves to the cluster。 The GMU's massive wheels were fully off the ground now； and Rick was anticipating Vince Grant's words even before they issued through the helmet speakers。
〃The ride's starting； Rick。 You better get the Alphas up。〃 Grant's tone was one of excited disbelief。
Rick turned in time to see Veidt give him a knowing nod； signaling that he had 〃heard〃 Grant's message。 When the Haydonite began to move off in the direction of Max's Alpha； elevating some as he hovered along the rim of the chute； Rick chinned Bela's frequency。
〃A moment more；〃 the Praxian told him。 〃Teal is with us。〃
〃What's she doing down there？〃 Rick asked； surprised。 〃Everyone was supposed to be aboard by now。〃
〃You will hear it from her own mouth；〃 Bela told him shortly。
Rick understood that it had something to do with Baldan's death； and thought better than to press for details。 〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Tell Kami and Learna they'll be riding with Max