Once the Invid find a form that they figure will let them dominate the Earth； there'll be no more need for…uh！'〃
〃At least； I think that was the sound I made。 We had both stopped in midsyllable； mouths open； because the voice we heard then seemed to e from everywhere。 It was female； and there was something slightly familiar about it。 It was mostly alien and cold； yet with an arrogant undertone to it。〃
〃I also got the feeling； somehow； that its words were being transmitted to and echoed by some multitude that spoke with a single voice； subordinate to the main one。 And I know this is strange； but…it sounded like a stage voice to me； like somebody doing Lady Macbeth through a lot of voice…processing equipment。〃
〃It said； ‘Humans； your time on this planet is almost spent！'〃
〃We were both looking around for the source of the voice。 And then I felt cold night air on my neck； because the hair there was standing up； because Annie came to a sitting position； arms folded across her chest。
〃She was still facing away from us； the firelight playing over the hair that looked so straggly after a day of roughing it in that sweaty theme park。〃
〃Scott began； ‘Um； Annie； are you feeling all…'〃
〃That voice came again。 ‘The age of Humans is ing to an end！' What sat on the ground turned toward us； but the features we saw weren't Annie's anymore。 It was something old and malign； using her face and form。〃
〃‘Now；' it gloated； ‘a new era begins on Earth！'〃
〃‘What's she babbling about？' I said； but I didn't mean Annie。〃
〃'Rand； she…sounds possessed；' Scott swallowed。 And I had been hoping he would have some idea what we should do。〃
〃The thing using Annie's body rose to its feet； standing across the camp fire from us。 ‘Humans； you do not know the extent of our power！'〃
〃With that； the fire expanded； the flames leapt high above our heads。 Scott and I backed off a step or two； shielding our faces。〃
〃We saw Annie across the flames from us as she let them die down a bit； her hair floating as if windblown； her hands making passes as if she were a sorceress。〃
〃‘Humans are merely a dead end in the great scheme of evolution！' Annie gestured； and all of a sudden； so help me； we were seeing a moving form silhouetted in the blaze； a female form that didn't look quite Human。 It threw its arms high in triumph； while that chilling voice went on exultantly。〃
〃‘The Earth is entering an era of domination by a different form of life； which has traveled a different evolutionary path。' The thing laughed evilly。 ‘Be warned。。。'〃
〃But then the voice trailed away； until it was Annie's； moaning； and the expression on the face was one we recognized。 Annie slumped； and we rushed to her。〃
CHAPTER FIVE
Those which we call monsters are not so with God
Montaigne； Essays； Vol。 II； XXX
The team's search patterns turned up nothing。 Exhausted； they stopped for a few hours' rest before they would continue with a night…sweep。
Lunk couldn't seem to stop himself from repeating the same thing over and over： 〃What coulda happened to em？〃
〃I don't know where else to look；〃 Lancer admitted tiredly。 〃Our best hope is that they just…show up。〃 He ran his fingers through his long purple hair。
Lunk sat down next to him； leaning against the same boulder in the firelight。 He gnawed noisily on a drumstick that they had scavenged from Wolff's supply depot。 〃I suppose that's all we can do。〃
He looked to where Rook was curled up； a lithe form in a blanket。 There was only a single stray curl of strawberry…blond hair showing； brilliant in the firelight。 〃Isn't she even worried about them？ How can she sleep at a time like this？〃
Without turning over； she said； 〃I can't sleep； if you sit there blabbing and gorging yourself all night。 How can you eat at a time like this？〃
Lunk wore a hurt look。 Lancer told him in a whisper； 〃The real reason she's awake is because she's worried； too； Lunk。〃
Rook lay watching the moon； listening to Lunk plain about how spooky it all was。 After riding as a loner for so long； she was feeling again that special torment that she had promised herself she would always avoid…fear that harm had e to a loved one； an all…consuming concern for people who had bee； though she had never meant to let it happen； family。
Annie came around again in a second or two； but when Rand and Scott told her what had happened； she claimed that they were both imagining things。 As far as she was concerned； she had been having some crazy dream in which she married an Invid who looked like her old boyfriend。
That was Annie； mind never too far from the marriage that would； she was sure； let her live happily ever after。 What the two men were telling her was upsetting her； and she gave them a wounded look； asking if they couldn't just drop the whole issue。 Scott and Rand backed off。
But they would have had to stop talking about it anyway； just about then； a battle of the bipeds started up。 In the dim nightlight glow from the haze overhead； they could just make out some big meat…eaters tangling with each other； probably over a kill or some carrion。 Rand thought it was between two Ceratosauruses and a larger Allosaurus； but couldn't see for sure and wasn't interested enough to stick around and find out。
Dangerous as it was traveling at night； the men snapped on their armor； started the Cyclones； and the moved out。 They found the dry water course they had been traveling on； but they had no sooner increased their speed than the air was full of pterosaurs of all sizes and shapes； swooping and diving； beaks napping。 Scott couldn't figure out if they had been stirred up by the blood and noise of the fight； or if the Invid were somehow sending them at the Humans。
Luckily the flying things were getting in each other's way； so that evasive maneuvers saved the Cyclone riders for the moment。 And lucky was the word； Rand saw one that had a fifty…foot wingspan。 Scott's voice came over Rand's helmet phones； 〃You and Mint find cover！ I'll fight them off and catch up！〃
Rand couldn't argue； the armor gave the men a lot of protection； but Annie was pletely vulnerable。 Rand rogered and increased his speed； peeling away and heading for some tree cover。 The soaring hunters concentrated on Scott。
Scott switched to full Battle Armor mode； rising on thrusters； Cyclone ponents being part of his powered suit。 One blast from the H90 sent a small Pteranodon tumbling to the ground。 With the flock hesitating； surprised at the blast； Scott landed in a blaring of backpack thrusters； to fight from the ground。
He blasted the wing off another as it stooped； but then had to duck and roll aside as a third came at him from the left。 Its beak and wicked teeth would have taken off an unprotected arm； but the Robotech alloy saved him。 He rolled onto his back； holding his H90 in both hands； firing at any pterosaur that came near。
The things shrieked as the blue bolts quartered the air； seeking them out。
〃Scott's doing okay；〃 Rand said； from the shelter of the trees； dividing his time between watching Annie and keeping an eye out for strays。 〃I don't think he needs our help。〃
〃I。。。I kind of feel sorry for those creatures；〃 Annie confessed。
〃Aw； Mint； gimme a break！〃
Scott was back on his feet again； shooting this way and that with a high degree of accuracy。 Dead and dying soarers； whole or in pieces； lay all around him。 As Rand and Annie watched； he nailed one that was ing straight down at him with folded wings； he got it dead center and its head exploded。
Then Rand noticed； from the corner of his eye； a glow ing from the foot of the nearby cliff…wall。 It pulsed brightly； waned a bit； and brightened again。
〃Hang on； Annie； we have to check something out。〃
High on a cliff ledge overlooking the savage battle； an Invid Shock Trooper mindspoke to itself and its panion。 It was the Regis's voice； the same voice that was heard through Annie。
〃The Human life…forms are most determined！ Their will to survive is strong！〃
Like the Zentraedi and the Robotech Masters； the dinosaurs were discovering that Humans weren't as easy prey as they looked。 Yes； it seemed all this experimentation with life…forms from Earth's past and mutations of various ones from its present was pointless。
There would have to be further study of the Humans； to find out if their form would suit the Invid despite its aberrant behavioral patterns。 But as for the ones below； they had done enough damage in the Genesis Pit。 It was time to rid the place of contaminants。
Rand stopped some distance from the tunnel； which was at ground level。 From the mouth of the tunnel； the light and heat pulsed so strongly that Annie hid in the lee of his armor except for an occasional peek。
〃I knew something like this had to be here！〃 Rand cried。 Heat； light； the energy field…perhaps even the force that kept the stupendous stone ceiling up…they had to be powered by some source。 Some Invid source。 Rand armed his forward Scorpions。
〃Rand； what are you doing？〃 Annie asked sharply。
〃It's time for ‘Last Call at the Lizard Lounge；〃' he said。
Eventually the pterosaurs broke off their attack； the slaughter having been too much even for them。 Scott stood on the battlefield； the smoki