high enough for the young would…be warrior to make an unfavorable impression on the ground when he hit。
He held on； hoping they would pass over the reservoir or some other body of deep water soon。 That was his only hope； and his hands were going numb。 His fingers were slipping。
Then the alien mecha flew into the middle of a hail of boulders。 The rocks bounced or broke harmlessly on the mecha。 The Shock Troopers shielded themselves with the ladybug…shaped targones mounted on their forearms。 They landed； looking around more in curiosity than in anger or alarm。
The Invid themselves didn't understand all the secrets of the Flower of Life。 For some reason； the Flowers had chosen to thrive in this valley； and it was critically important to the Invid to understand why。 Therefore； they had roofed the place； in order to control study conditions。 They left the population of atavistic Humans unbothered。
At least； so far。 The Troopers were hit by a rain of spears and arrows that shattered on or rebounded from them。 Their optical sensors swept the jungle for enemies。 Magruder managed to drag himself up。 〃Hey！ Hold your fire！〃
Silverhair shouted from the shelter of a leafy screen。 〃Quick； get down！〃
But Magruder sprang to his feet； standing on the Trooper as if it were a mountain he had just scaled。 〃Look at me； Silverhair！ I'm a man； and I'll prove it to you！〃
Magruder felt that this was his moment。 He grasped his spear and got ready to thrust it into the monster's brain。
But a figure swung out of nowhere； scooping him off the Shock Trooper's head just as the thing reached up to find out what was irritating it。 Alloy claws clashed together on empty air。
Lancer； swinging across to safety with Magruder under one arm； laughed。 〃Keep trying to kill yourself and you won't live to be a very old man。〃
Annie saw where they would land and ran to meet Magruder。 There wasn't much time left to get her plan in gear。
The Shock Troopers turned on the tribesmen； who were pelting them with arrows and spears again。 The Invid advanced slowly； hoping to learn what had caused the change in these docile primitives。
〃They've taken the bait！〃 bellowed Silverhair。 〃Hurry； back to the temple！〃
Rand； leaning on a log next to his Cyclone； tossed pebbles at a leaf aimlessly and yawned。 I hate waiting！ Let's get this turkey in the oven！
He never heard the bare feet sneaking up behind him； and he only began to turn when he heard the swish of the creeper…wrapped wooden club。 Then he was stretched out cold。
The Shock Troopers lumbered under the immense trunks of the deserted tree…city with the Regis's voice ringing within them。 〃The Robotech Rebels are somewhere in the vicinity！ Scan for traces of Protoculture activity！〃
It didn't take them long to find it and hear it。 A Cyclone revved nearby and the optical sensors swung to fix on it at once。
Straddling Rand's Cyc with Magruder behind her holding the handlebars； Annie settled her goggles and shrilled her war cry。 〃Hit it！〃
Magruder； it turned out； wasn't as primitive as he looked。 He had some experience with the two…wheeled； battery…powered putt…putts that the dam engineers had once used to get around on。 He gave the accelerator a twist； and the Cyc shot off along the wooden overhead walkway。
The Invid looked up； following the noise。 Rand； lying trussed up back where he had fallen； shrieked through his gag； Those brats stole my Cyclone！
Magruder did a daring jump from one level to the next； right above the Invids' heads； and Annie didn't seem to realize just what danger she was in。 〃Yeah； there they are！ Yoo…hoo！ e and get us！〃
The Shock Troopers rocketed after them； slowed a bit by the need to watch out for the giant trees。 Magruder zoomed down to the jungle floor and away； the aliens began making up the distance quickly。 〃Okay； remember to hold on tight now！〃 Annie yelled。
〃I will！〃 Annihilation discs began crashing nearby。
Annie seemed undisturbed as the Cyc hurtled along； finding paths through the dense foliage that only the tribes…people knew。 〃Magruder； my little Ape…Guy； we're gonna make a man of you yet！〃
Rook set her last cobalt grenade in place。 There was only one limpet mine； and Lancer was placing that to the best advantage。 The grenades and Tango…9 would have to do the rest of the job。 She didn't want to think about what would happen if it wasn't enough。
Ironically； Silverhair and his people raised no objection to the whole plan。 Deliverance in the form of the river god was what they had always looked for。 It was the reason they had defended their god's den。 It was obvious to the tribe that the freedom fighters were just messengers of the god； sent to assist him。 Rook was beginning to think the religion wasn't as crazy as it seemed。
She listened； for the two…dozenth time； for the approach of Rand's Cyc。 Don't you dare screw up this one！ she thought to him silently。 Then she wondered why she should even care about him。
Then she thought again； C'mon； Rand。 C'mon！
Lancer set the last of his charges and delicately threaded a lilylike flower in one of its adhesion legs； for an artistic touch。 He patted it； then turned and dashed for high ground。
The trooper caught up faster than Annie had calculated； jostling the Cyc with near misses in the long feeder tunnel that led to the dam。 Magruder lost control just as they shot out of the tunnel and mecha and riders all ended up plunging through a screen of fronds and leaves and spilling in separate directions over lush grass。
The Invid appeared a moment later to land and stalk closer； spreading to either side。 This Protoculture motorcycle was similar to the freedom fighters'； but its riders seemed to have no armor； no weapons。 There would have to be a little more examination before irrevocable disposition of the Humans was made。
That was the moment when Lunk blew the flares； all Invid heads turned automatically。 A dozen Protoculture mini…suns burned on the dam's concrete face。
CHAPTER NINETEEN
They were such disparate personalities…it's amazing that anyone could have believed they would e together as a result of random forces。
Crowell； Remember Our Names！ （The Road to Reflex Point）
〃Protoculture activity on the dam！〃 The Regis's voice came to her children。 〃Investigate！〃
The gleaming purple Shock Troopers boosted away； forgetting Annie and Magruder for the moment。 Lunk came dashing off the dam crest roadway； getting clear of Ground Zero。
Scott watched with satisfaction as the Troopers； joined by the others who had been bing the valley； plummeted down to the blinding…bright Protoculture flares set along the dam face。 He pushed the button。
Concrete blew out in a storm of conventional and Protoculture shaped charges； as the dam fractured and broke。 The Invid mecha were stunned by what was happening and then they were thrown backward and down by the falling concrete cliff and the freshwater sea behind it。 In a moment； a squadron of Invid were wiped away； smashed and flattened by forces that not even Robotech armor could withstand。
〃And so the river god legend es true；〃 Scott mused； looking down on the devastation from the heights。 Just lying on top of some Flowers of Life had given Rand weird visions； perhaps living in the midst of a preserve of them had given the tribe some kind of altered perception； or prescience
The water quickly pushed up dirt and trees； hunks of mecha and vegetation。 It was less a tidal wave than a moving wall of mud and solid debris that would plow down anything before it。 A lot of Flowers were doomed。 Maybe the Invid would even lose interest in the valley。
Lunk； Rook； and Lancer had e up behind him。 Lancer spoke softly。 〃Did the tribe's Visions serve us； or。。。〃
Annie pushed herself up； realizing that she had been lying on top of Magruder。 Nearby； the Cyc rested on its side； smoking； but still intact。 〃Macky！ My little Greystoke！ Are you hurt？〃
Magruder moved； then sat up； rubbing a bump on his head and knowing that by all rights he and Annie should have been torn limb from bough。 Then he heard the din of the flood。 They had barely made it high enough； a few yards away and several down； the broached reservoir had left i