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ne was spoiling for a fight； it always made discipline secondary。 No doubt they would settle down as soon as blood began to flow。
Now the only problem was to find someone to fight。 Down below； at the level of Kazianna's lower shins； Rick Hunter was finding out just how determined the Praxian furies could get。
〃As you were！〃 He bellowed it with veins standing out in his temple and neck； it finally shut them up。 〃I didn't bring you down here so you could go charging off in all directions and end up missing； too！ You're here to observe and advise； so anybody who can't follow orders is going back upstairs in a pod！〃
That quieted them。 Brudda； their section leader； drew a deep breath and saluted。 〃Understood； sir。 We place ourselves at your mand。〃
Rick forced himself to calm down； too。 〃Thank you。 Lron； Baldin； over here； please。〃 There was no point going over the whole business twice。 〃Kazianna； let me know if you can't hear me。〃
Zentraedi and Sentinels gathered before him； Jack； Karen； and the rest of the remaining recon party formed a semicircle behind。 The mecha； weapons ready； took up a circle around the group； keeping watch in all directions。
〃You know the main facts。〃 Rick pointed out the route his recon party had followed。 〃We were advancing through a densely wooded area about a mile and one…half along that valley； with Sergeant Dante on point。 Gnea moved up to walk the slack position； some six yards or so behind him。
〃As we entered an open grassy area； both the sergeant and Gnea were enveloped by what appeared to be a somewhat different version of the luminous phenomena that…〃
Jeez。 Been talking bureaucratese in the TIC too long； Rick！ He started in again。 〃From what we could see； this hail璼torm of light swirled down on them； and we lost them from sight。 At the same time； sensors picked up an enormous life reading； but there were no large organisms in sight。
〃The light was gone in a couple of seconds； and so were Angie and Gnea。 We searched the area…no trapdoors； camouflaged openings； or other clues。 We even blew open the ground and lasered down nearby trees； they were solid。
〃I'm splitting you into search units。 Battlepods and Quadronos will deploy on the ground； Battloids will fly recon and cover。 I'm hoping the Garudans' extended senses； the Karbarrans' hunting and tracking skills； or the Praxians' scouting procedures turn up something we missed。〃
He looked to Baldan。 〃And I was thinking…maybe if there's some equivalent of the Crystal Highways here 。 。 。〃 Baldan nodded his gleaming head。 〃I'll do what I can do； Admiral。〃
Rick began calling off assignments。 The mixed contingents sorted themselves out to move back into the target zone。
〃Aw； sca…rew！〃
Angelo Dante knelt with the stock of his rifle pressed to his cheek； swinging the muzzle this way and that in the milkwhite mist。 Not that there were any targets around； it was just something to do while he tried to sort things out。 〃Not again；〃 he grated。
Like most of the younger Amazons； Gnea had developed a preference for modern； high…firepower weapons over the traditional arms of her Sisterhood。 Now； though； for reasons she could not quite pin down； she reslung her submachine gun and took her halberd in hand； giving it a preparatory spin； the long curved blade leaving a silver trail in the air。 〃You mean you've encountered this phenomenon before； Sergeant？〃 Like his； her voice brought no echoes。 She wondered if they were outdoors。
〃Naw。 It's just…weird stuff like this； ma'am。 It simply ain't military。〃
And it always sounded so goddamn lame in an after…action report。 Like when Angie and the other ATACs went through all that crap in the Masters' spade…shaped mother ship。 Living energy nexuses and mindmusic and alien horticulture。 Try writing those up without having some G…staff chairborne mando laughing at you！
It was all too involved to explain to some dame from another planet。
Gnea pivoted； spinning her polearm to hold it at high port； and kept watch in the opposite direction。 〃What's the last thing you remember？〃
〃Uh 。。。 We were moving through that open area； and I felt something kinda strange； like the way electricity makes your hair stand up； only it was inside my head。 So； that…〃
He hated to hurt a woman's feelings； but… 〃So I gave you the signal to pull back； only you didn't do it。〃 He was making a circular motion with one hand。
She took a quick glance at it over her shoulder。 〃Oh； yes； your UEG field signal。 It took me a moment to remember what it meant； in our army that's the gesture for close intervals。〃
It's what you get mixing different services together； he thought sourly； but kept it to himself。 〃So whatever that tinsael blizzard was； it got you； too。〃 He began trying to raise somebody on the tactical freq。
Gnea sensed nothing nearby； visibility looked like it might be several dozen yards； but it was impossible to make an accurate estimate； lacking any point of reference。 She set the spiked butt of her halberd on the； floor by her feet （at least； she assumed it was a floor； it was glossy and smooth； like a single white tile）。
〃Sergeant； I think it would've gotten us no matter what。 And I don't think something's gone to all this trouble just to harm us。〃
Well； she was a cool one； he had to give her that。 All frequencies were silent； and so Angelo came to his feet； rifle leveled at waist height； covering his field of fire。 〃Maybe not。 Even though some aliens I've known like to collect specimens。〃
He slipped a pencil flare out of his belt pouch； struck it alight； and dropped it to the ground。 〃What we'll do is work out as far as we can； keepin' the flare in sight； and run a circular search pattern。〃
She frowned。 〃You mean split up？〃
〃Hell no！ What d' ya think this is； a slasher movie？〃
〃Excellent。〃 She whipped the halberd around again； bringing it en garde。 Angie thought； If this is a movie； at least the slasher's on my side。
〃Only；〃 Gnea went on； wetting a forefinger and holding it up； 〃I seem to feel an air current ing from that direction。 Shall we start there？〃
〃Good as any other。〃
They both moved to take the point at the same moment； then looked at each other。 There was no telling who out ranked whom。 Gnea topped Angelo by half a head and more； from her looks and reputation and what he had seen of the Praxians already； he was prepared to believe she could handle herself。 But still； she was carrying that frog dissector while he had a rifle with its selector switch flicked over to continuous fire。 〃Look； if y' don't mind？〃
Gnea nodded with reserved grace。 〃By all means。〃 She knew that some human males still harbored strange attitudes about females。 But at least this one was quick to react； willing to shoulder a dangerous job。 Perhaps he was even as petent as he seemed to think。
Angelo found himself staring into those inhuman eyes of hers； eyes that belonged in a bird of prey。 He forced himself to look away from them。 The two moved out with Gnea watching behind； going in a sort of sideways crab step。 Their footfalls sounded lonely and small。 In thirty paces （fewer for Gnea） the flare was getting dim behind them； but the current of air was stronger。 〃How long