s 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 and Veidt。 You and Teal will go up with me。〃
Bela acknowledged； and Rick hurried off to the Guardian…mode Alpha； which was sitting at the edge of the GMU's bubble mountain like some diminutive bird…of…prey。 He threw himself up into the cockpit and brought the mecha's engines to life。 Beside him the mountain was lifting off； while Praxis continued to rumble its ominous farewells。
In Fantomaspace； meanwhile； the pirated shuttle carrying Wolff and pany from the SDF…3 was closing fast on the anchored dreadnought Lang had been instrumental in procuring。
〃They're warning us to e about and return to the fortress；〃 Janice told Wolff from the mand seat。 〃Scanners show two gunships on our tail。〃
Wolff leaned forward to study a monitor； straining against the chair's harness。 Elsewhere in the small mand cabin； Sarna and Burak were similarly strapped in。 Too large for any two of the shuttle's acceleration couches； Tesla was in the cargo hold； shackled but free…floating。
〃Any word from the cruiser？〃 Wolff asked in a determined voice。
〃Negative。 They're not even responding to the SDF…3 bridge。〃
〃Good。 Now if we can just get there in time。。。〃
A blaring sound began to wail from the control station's external speakers； and Janice swung to an adjacent console。 〃We're being targeted。〃
〃Ignore it；〃 Wolff snapped。 〃The first one will be a warning shot。 With a little luck we'll be too close to the cruiser for them to risk a second。〃
〃Steady。。。〃 Janice cautioned； and a split second later a bolt of angry light strobed into the cabinspace through the forward viewports。 A second burst followed； singeing the shuttle's radome。 Displays and monitors winked out； then revived。
Wolff showed the others a roguish grin。 〃Now we couldn't answer them if we wanted to。〃
〃Cruiser's docking bay is opening。 The bridge is patching into our guidance system。 The SDF…3 thinks they're assisting in our capture。〃
〃Let them take us in；〃 Wolff ordered。 He turned his head to take a final look at the SDF…3； suppressing a wish to see the fortress holed and derelict。
Janice straightened in her chair to obstruct his view。 〃The fortress is repeating the warning。 Admiral Forsythe…〃
〃To hell with them；〃 Wolff barked。
Four crewmembers were on hand to meet the shuttle in the docking bay。 〃We were attached to Major Carpenter's mand；〃 one of the young officers explained as Wolff stepped out。 〃Wele aboard； sir。〃
Sarna hovered alongside Wolff； Janice was last out； keeping a watchful eye on Burak and Tesla。
Wolff accepted the proffered hands。 〃Carpenter； huh？ Good man。 Sorry he can't be with us。〃
〃Dr。 Lang has other plans for him； sir；〃 an ensign supplied。
〃So I understand；〃 Wolff said。 Then； as if remembering： 〃Listen； we've got to do something about those gun…〃
〃All taken care of； sir。 We put a few shots across their bow and they showed their bellies。〃
Wolff returned a weak smile。 〃You know what that means； Captain…you're mitted。〃
〃We were all along。 Now we can act on it。〃
〃All right；〃 Wolff said； nodding； his smile broadening。 〃Let's get under way。〃
As they left the bay； the ensign added； 〃Course is set for Praxis。〃
〃What's our ETA？〃 Janice wanted to know。
〃Two days relative。〃 The captain saw their surprise。 〃We've made some improvements since you left。〃
〃I guess you have；〃 Wolff enthused。 And he began to think about those improvements as the captain hurried him to the bridge。 Carpenter was one lucky soul； getting a shot at returning to Earth。 Wolff never would have believed he could be envious of such an opportunity； but the events of the past thirty…six hours had punched a lot of holes in his former thinking。 Things have changed； he seemed to hear both Lang and Minmei say； and indeed they had。 He would be the next to return Earthside； he decided。 One way or another。 And for the first time in a year he thought about the family he had left behind； and the love he would try to reawaken。
The orbs had lifted the GMU to an altitude of almost twenty miles by the time Rick and Max brought their Alphas aboard。 Below； hidden beneath a swirling； agitated pall of cloud cover； Praxis was fractured beyond recognition； the molten stuff of its core geysering to the surface and boiling away the planet's oceans and fragile atmosphere。 Microclimates and cyclonic storms added to the fury； unleashing blinding bolts of lightning and torrents of black rain； while volcanoes answered the skies with thunderous volleys of their own making。 Praxis bellowed and roared like some tortured animal； rattling the GMU with its clamorous cries。
In the base's pressurized ordnance bay； Rick and the others began to wonder whether they would make it after all。 Veidt had told them that the orbs could only remain clustered for a short time once they reached the outer edge of the planet's envelope； but with Praxis seemingly entering its final phase； the base would need to be hundreds of thousands of miles out…at least as far as the planet's primary satellite。 The way Cabell saw it； the Sentinels had one recourse： to use the most fully fueled VTs and Logans I to reach the far side of the moon。 A preliminary count of the available mecha； however； had already pointed up the cruel truth half the Sentinels would have to face； and even so； what would the rest have acplished outside of prolonging the inevitable？ Were they to throw together a bivouac on the moon's frozen surface； or simply wander the wastes like some misguided flock until the mechas' power and life…support systems failed？
In another part of the bay； Gnea and Bela were asking Teal why she had gone back to the cave。 Neither of the Praxians knew much about Spheris or the ways of its crystalline life…forms； but the women guessed that Teal would have been just as happy to have remained on Praxis with her dead rade。
〃But we've all endured losses and hardships；〃 Bela was telling her； trying to be helpful。 〃Recall how Lron and Crysta suffered when the Farrago met its end； and how Gnea and I grieved for our Sisterhood。 Now our very world。。。〃
Lron； who was standing within earshot； made a kind of mournful growl。 〃Death is the way of the world；〃 he muttered in the usual Karbarran fashion。 〃We do not mourn the loss of our friends； we are resigned to such things。〃
〃I'm not mourning for Baldan；〃 Teal said； looking up at him and Crysta。 〃I'm upset about the child。〃
〃The dead child；〃 Gnea started to say。
〃It's not dead；〃 Teal said harshly； standing up and walking away from them。
〃It lives？〃 Bela said； catching up and spinning her around by the arm。 〃And you would knowingly abandon it？〃
〃Let her be； Bela；〃 Lron cut in。 〃You know nothing of their ways。〃
〃I know what it means to leave a being to die；〃 she answered him。 〃Why； Teal？〃 she asked。
The Spherisian gazed at her coldly。 〃Because I will have to care for the infant。 That is our way。〃
Teal snatched her arm away and Bela threw back her broad shoulders。 〃I will return for the child。 I will raise it； if you won't。〃
Teal whirled on her； pointing a hand accusingly。 〃What do Praxians know of motherhood？ I forbid you！〃