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Rand could feel the blaster's priming charge grounding on his skull。 He wished he could see the man's eyes； know just what he was thinking。 〃I've seen it before…everyone out to save their own necks； trading lives。。。But why you； Wolff？ Why？〃
Wolff retracted the blaster。 〃Because they can't be beaten。〃 He sneered。 〃Because it's better to have a few safe towns than an entire planet of slaves。。。And because。。。because of things you wouldn't understand； kid。〃
Rand scowled。 〃You better kill me； Wolff； because I'm gonna see to it that you're stopped。〃
Wolff stepped back and holstered his sidearm。 〃Go ahead and tell the town。 See if they believe you。〃
Wolff turned and hurried off。
Rand unfastened the scorched battle armor from his forearm while he watched Wolff leave。 Relieved that his burns weren't as serious as he had feared； he began to search the tall grass and brush for his blaster； wondering if he might be able to catch up with Wolff before he reached the Cyclones。
Go ahead and tell the town； Rand recalled Wolff telling him。 See if they believe you。
Suddenly he heard Rook's voice and looked up。 Scott was with her； one arm draped over Rook's shoulders for support。 His battle armor was blackened in places； but he looked otherwise intact。
〃I can't believe my eyes；〃 Rand said； extending his hand to Scott。 〃Is it really you？〃
〃Barely；〃 Scott returned。
〃I found him in a hole in the ground。〃 Rook laughed。
〃And I miss it already。〃 Scott disengaged himself from Rook and started to say something about a prehistoric…looking creature he had seen while in hiding； when he spied Wolff several hundred yards off。 He tried a shaky step in that direction and said to Rand； 〃Is that Colonel Wolff？ He came back to look for me？〃
Rand put a hand out to restrain him。 〃Let him go； Scott。〃 Scott looked over his shoulder； puzzled。 〃I've got something to tell you； and you're not going to like it。。。Wolff。。。Wolff's a traitor。 He's got an arrangement with the Invid…he's been trading soldiers' lives for Protoculture。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Scott's eyes were flashing。
〃He's a traitor！ I saw him with my own eyes。 And an Invid； Scott； not a ship but…〃
Rand didn't see the punch ing。 Now； lying facedown in the grass； he couldn't even remember feeling it。 〃You're lying； you little coward！〃 Scott was yelling。 Rand rolled over and sat up； feeling a slight numbness beginning to spread across his jaw。 〃When I confronted him； he didn't deny it。 I'm telling you； we were both led out here to be killed。〃
Scott roared something and launched himself； but Rook stepped in his way。 In his weakened state he was no match for Rook and was easily held back。 But she could do nothing about the curses he was hurling Rand's way。
All at once a fiery explosion effectively erased all traces of the struggle； the concussive force of it flattening Rook and Scott to the grass on either side of Rand。 Through the smoke the three could see Trooper after Trooper issuing from the ground around them； blinding globes of incipient fire at the tips of shoulder cannons。
In a moment； annihilation discs were zipping into the area； pulverizing rocks and roots and whatever else lay in their path。 Rand helped Scott make it to the safety of the stone outcropping； while Rook laid down cover fire with her hand blaster。
〃The Cyclones…where are they？！〃 said Scott。
Rook indicated a direction。 〃I'll see if I can slow these things down some。 Swing back around and pick me up。〃
Scott and Rand signaled their assent and rushed off； crouching as they ran。
Jonathan Wolff watched them from another part of the forest。 He was surprised to see that Bernard had lived and was strangely relieved。 Nevertheless； his escape had been but a minor stay of execution； for there were at least six Troopers going up against the three freedom fighters。 Wolff could see that the woman was remaining behind to buy time for her rades。 But even if the other two were fortunate enough to make it to their Cyclones； it would just be a matter of time。
Unless someone came to their aid with the appropriate firepower。
An Alpha fighter； for instance； Wolff said to himself。
Rand got to the Cyclone first and doubled back to pick up Rook and convey her to the waiting red。 Afterward he launched and went to Battle Armor mode； neatly disposing of one of the Troopers with a single shot to the thing's sensor。
Rook and Scott were similarly reconfigured now and going after a second alien。 Scott dazzled the Trooper with in…close fancy flying； then boostered up and away from its pincer swipes to loose a Scorpion； which the creature blocked with its claw armor。 In return the Invid pilot loosed a volley of annihilation discs against Scott； but in so doing had overlooked Rook and the missile she launched straight to its vulnerable scanner。 The Trooper was blown to pieces； and the three teammates regrouped on the ground。 The woods around them were crawling with Invid。
〃We're surrounded；〃 Rand thought to point out； his back to Rook and Scott。 〃Now what do we do？〃
〃What we always do；〃 said Scott； almost laughing。 〃Fight our way out。 Now； look alive。〃
Rand launched first； but critically misjudged his trajectory and ended up snagged by a Trooper's claw。 Scott heard his desperate cry through the net； but even before he could think about how to free his friend； a bolt out of the blue took the Invid's pincer off at the elbow。 An instant later； Scott saw the Alpha streak overhead。 He was confused until he heard Rand yell； 〃Wolff！ It's gotta be him！〃
Wolff had the VT in Guardian mode。 Missiles tore from undercarriage launch tubes； detonating like geysers of fire around one of the Troopers。 But the creature survived the storm and struck back。 Wolff rolled and tumbled the fighter through a steady stream of discs and dropped in to knock the troublemaker off its feet。 He then switched to Battloid mode and came back down at the rest of them； the rifle/cannon discharging white death from its high…port position。
There were two Pincer ships in the skies now； and Wolff propelled the Alpha up to deal with them。 One of the Invid had barely arrived in the arena when it was disintegrated by a flock of heat…seekers Wolff launched from the Battloid's shoulder racks。
On the ground； Scott was saying； 〃A traitor wouldn't handle an Alpha like that。〃 He and the others had followed the fight and were now in the arid heights west of the base escarpment。
Wolff came on the net a moment later。 〃Just thought I'd give you a few pointers； flyboy。〃
〃Be my guest！〃 Scott enthused。
Wolff kept the VT in Battloid configuration to take out the second Pincer ship before moving against the remaining Troopers。 He literally stomped one of these senseless by bringing the mecha down full force on the alien's head。 But the acrobatic act ended up costing him a precious few seconds： Wolff pivoted the Battloid in time to deal with the final Invid； but not before the Trooper succeeded in holing the techno…knight with an energy bolt that passed clear through it like a flaming spear。
Scott watched the crippled Battloid go down on one knee； then reconfigure to Guardian mode； seemingly of its own accord。
〃Colonel Wolff！〃 he yelled； running over to the fighter。 〃Are you all right？〃
The canopy went up； and Wolff managed to clamber out of the cockpit； one hand pressed to his side wound。 He lowered himself to the ground； collapsing into Scott's arms。 Gently； Scott laid Wolff on the ground； his own hands now awash in the colonel's blood。 〃You're bleeding； sir；〃 he told Wolff hurriedly。 〃We've got to get you back to the base。〃
Wolff reached up and removed his dark glasses。 〃Too late； Bernard；〃 he answered weakly； eyes closed。 〃Get yourselves out of here on the double。〃
〃I won't let you die like this；〃 Scott objected。 〃You're ing back with us！〃
Wolff forced his eyes open and looked hard into Scott's own。 〃I'm a traitor； mander…〃
〃Colonel…〃
〃And a traitor should be left to die out in the open。。。〃 Wolff shivered from a cold that began deep down in his guts。 〃When I think of the lives I traded to save my own skin。。。〃 Wolff screamed as something seemed to e loose inside him。 Scott watched him blanch and felt t