。〃
She tried not to let her relief sound in her voice。 Although she had insisted on taking a turn at riding point； she was much more at ease riding next to Lunk in the truck （or APC； as Lunk insisted on calling it； since it was Armored and was indisputably a Carrier of Personnel）。 Annie wasn't even armed。 Weapons made her a little queasy。
But now she didn't have； to worry； because everything was going well。 The Alpha had switched to Guardian mode for the VTOL landing。
The cockpit canopy slid back。 Scott； armored in Robotechnology； stepped out； walked out to the forward edge of the swing…wing's fixed glove； and hopped down。
Annie looked around at the trees and the darkness they shed in the waning light； as Rand pulled up next to Scott in a spray of sand and gravel； some of it rattling and hissing off Scott's armor。 〃I guess this means we're staying here； huh？〃 She was tough despite her age； but she had done most of her surviving in settlements and cities。 The wilds unnerved her。
Scott had gone around to the rear of the Guardian's portside leg to open a hidden partment。 〃I'll get my Cyclone and we'll run a security sweep of the area before the others get here。〃
He pulled forth and activated the pact package that turned into his Cyclone； unfolding and reconfiguring。 He thought about ordering Annie to wait in the cockpit of the fighter； but she had a special gift for getting into trouble； and so he discarded the notion。 〃Let's go。〃
Scott and Rand sped away； following the dry streambed； looking for an opportunity to leave it and move cross…country。 Scouts seldom learn anything worth knowing on the main road； except when it's too late。
Acting as a scout for its unit just as Scott had done for his； an Invid Shock Trooper closed in on its target。
Normally the Invid were slow to detect Humans unless the prey had been specifically targeted； or there had been a sizable expenditure of Protoculture。 This time； however； the Regis's fearsome war machines had been sent to guard a specific area and herd specimens into the Genesis Pit。 The Humans had e into their territory。 By some oversight； there were no specific orders of any kind concerning Humans； and so the Troopers simply evaluated； the interlopers as they would any other life…form； and decided they too would be worthwhile subjects of experimentation。
The Trooper kept its distance from the Humans； but some trick of the last filtering light of sunset piercing the dense trees betrayed it。 Or perhaps Scott Bernard just had a feeling that they were being followed。
Scott slid to a side…on stop； ready to trigger and image the change that would meld his Cyclone and his armor into a Robotech killing machine。 Rand stopped； too； Annie clinging close； white…faced。 〃What's wrong； Scott？〃 Rand's voice came over the tac net。
Scott shook his head slowly。 〃I'm sure I saw something moving。 Back there。〃
But how could it be an Invid？ Scout or Shock Trooper； their instant reaction was to attack。
〃Don't tell me we're being watched！〃 Annie snapped at Scott； her lower lip trembling。 〃The Invid can't be everywhere！〃 She tried to get her arms all the way around Rand's armored midsection。
Contrary to its genetic programming； the Shock Trooper drew back…in accordance with the special instructions given to the sentinels of the Genesis Pits。 Here were more samples from present…day life…forms to interact with the Regis's replicated marvels。
And an Entrapment intake waited near。
〃Calm down； Mint；〃 Scott was saying in that strangely relaxed tone he took on when other people's neck hair was standing on end。 He had used Annie's team nickname…〃Mint；〃 from her ongoing affair with peppermint candy…to calm her。
〃We've got to make sure the area's safe before the others get here。 Or d'you want to see them ride into an ambush？ No？ Good。 Rand； stay close。 And cover me on the left。〃
The Cycs moved out； Protoculture engines gunning。
The Trooper floated back； almost delicately； close to the ground but leaving no print。 As it circled it left its prey a clear path。 All through this area； the Entrapments； a living part of the Genesis Pits； were growing in profusion； waiting to gulp down specimens。
Scott suddenly wondered if they should pull back； if he should send Annie and Rand hurrying for safety and cover their retreat with a barrage of Cyclone firepower。
But he realized that he and his panions had been led off to one side。 Time had passed and Rook； Lancer； and Lunk were already near。 It would be better to warn them first and then carefully withdraw。
He couldn't raise the other three over the tactical munication net； though； and couldn't tell if it was his position among the terrain features or whether the Invid were jamming the system。 He spied a spot of high ground ahead and headed towards it； hoping for a clear mo link。
Then a shadow seemed to move across the hilltop…a shadow much larger than a bear or anything else that walked Earth's surface。 It was going the other way； apparently oblivious to the scouts…heading for a point that would intersect Lancer and the others。
Ambush！ Scott had no doubt。 He revved his superbike； giving Rand a hand signal so that the Invid could not intercept a transmission。 The sand felt a little treacherous； but that didn't matter under the circumstances； the two Cycs were fully armed； and for once； it seemed； the team had caught the Invid mecha with their iron trousers at half…mast。
He was about to order Rand to drop Annie off where she could take cover； then follow him on a stealthy approach…for…attack。 But just then the ground opened up。
All Scott could see was that a flap of thick； brown…mauve stuff…like a flap of canvas twenty yards wide and seven yards thick…had been drawn back。 It was thickly edged with long purple hairs； or perhaps they were feelers because in that horrible instant Scott could see that they were moving in different directions。
It seemed as though a monster's mouth had opened up in the Earth； ready to swallow them。 But although Rand was extremely frightened and disgusted； he knew what this was。 A pit！ Oldest trap of 'em all！
The Entrapment's mouth was gruesome； bending inward at all four midspans rather than from the corners。
All thoughts of proper mo procedure faded like dew in the sunshine； and all Scott and Rand could hear over the tac net were one another's terrified howls； all they could hear over their external pickups was Annie's scream。
We're not fated to win after all； it occurred to Scott； as the Cyclones spun down into a deep； dark shaft that gleamed wetly like a gullet。 The Cyc riders kept their seats by sheer instinct； Annie clutched Rand's waist。 They； fell into blackness； and what little light they had was cut off as the quadripartite Entrapment flaps above them closed serenely。
〃Switch to Battle Armor！〃 Scott hollered； too loudly； over the tac net。 He operated the gross hand controls on the Cyc； but more importantly； imaged the transition through the receptors in his helmet。 He knew Rand would be doing the same。 But just then Rand felt Annie lose her grip and drift free in the powerful air currents of the pit。
Mechamorphosis。 That was the name Dr。 Emil Lang had given these transitions so long ago； even before the start of the First War…that techno…origami shifting of shape。
One moment； there were two young men in armor tumbling through the moaning air currents of the Entrapment； and the next； there was something going on。
An onlooker might have thought that the Cycs were leukocytes destroying their riders； sliding up around them； Cyclone ponents meshing with armor ponents。 The machines broke down into subunits to slide into their appointed places around the armor； as certain microorganisms might whip some critical hurt on certain other microorganisms。
The Cycs' tires were up high and out of the way on the Cycloners' backs； allowing them free play and unlimited fields of fire with their Robotech weapons。 But even the thrusters in their suits didn't help them against the enormous vacuum that drew them down。 There was no way back up。
Their armor flared anyway； to cushion the fall； and then somehow Rand heard a small； plaintive cry and realized that not everybody