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But now； alone at her table at the Club Inca； she watched Yellow Dancer's every move。 She couldn't be wrong！ Lancer must have e back for her at last！
Yellow wore one of her most stylish outfits； a feminized version of the Cabaret MC's costume； plete with vest； bowtie； derby hat； and spats。 Very Marlene Dietrich。
As promised； the song was an old Minmei number； sung for the mayor and the new Mrs。 Maxwell。 The alluring chanteuse broke into song； acpanied by recorded music because the house band just wasn't up to her level of performance。
How could it all have turned out this way？ Carla wondered； staring into her champagne glass as though the answer were there。
Her memory strayed again； back to a time just after the Invid destroyed the planet Earth。
The brunt of the conquest was over in hours。 Striking with beam weapons and energy effects that humanity still could not prehend； the Invid exterminated over eighty percent of the Human race。 Many more died as the Invid mecha descended to ravage and slay。
The remnants of the Army of the Southern Cross rose to fight； were thrown back in defeat； regrouped； tried again against any sane hope； and were shattered beyond repair。
Still there were those who refused to surrender； as the aliens established themselves and began their pacification of the planet。 One of these was a young aviator reservist named Lancer who had just begun to explore his love with a woman named Carla when the hordes from the stars struck。
Even as the Invid established their network of quislings； informers； and assassination squads； Lancer and a few others were plotting for a final attempt to strike at the heart of the Invid beachhead。
But the raid was a final disaster。 Wounded； attempting to get back to her； Lancer had crash…landed his Veritech less than a mile from her door。 Somehow； Carla had gotten him to what was left of her home。
By then； most of the people still alive were those willing to submit to the Invid。 Some even served them…hunted down their enemies and offered them up to the triumphant invaders。
Lancer had barely e to in Carla's bed when the sounds of the hue and cry drifted up from the streets。 Rifle butts were bashing at doors； hounds bayed。
In time； the manhunt came to Carla's house。
CHAPTER TEN
If you hold it against me that I was a little theatrical in what I did； and you don't care to consider The Scarlet Pimpernel or Zorro； be kind enough to keep in mind what I acplished； and let the record speak for itself。
Of if not； either walk on by or step out back。
Remark attributed to Lancer
That time seemed so remote； Carla thought； and yet it remained so crystal…clear in her mind。
Lancer had a fine record as a military officer； but he had left the Southern Cross sometime before the Invid attack because he had been unable to fight the urge he felt to be a performer。 His soft； intimate way with some songs； his brassy； crowd…pleasing style with others； made him a natural； but there was another side to his art。
An interest in theater had led him to investigate the Japanese traditions of No； Bunraku； Bugaku； and especially Kabuki。 He found that he loved to perform clownish Saruwaka antics more than he liked any Aragoto swaggering heroic lead； and in somewhat the same way； the martial juggling/acrobatics of the Hoka possessed him。
And he came； in time； almost against his will； to a fascination with the revered craft of the Onna…gata…the tradition of female roles portrayed by specializing male actors…and the gentle Wagoto style of acting。
Lancer found a strange understanding of himself through the Musume； the ingenue role； and dramatic masters encouraged him to study the art。 In the West there was still； in many quarters； a horror at the blurring of gender lines。 But in the Kabuki his talent was applauded； by men and women both； for its triumph of art over stereotype； and for its submersion of self in role。
Lancer returned to the Americas with new thoughts in his head。 He began to revive the type of gender…blending pop music figure that had disappeared with the outbreak of the Global Civil War。
When he met Carla； she seemed immediately to understand everything。 Carla became his co…conspirator； his lover； his confidant； his fianc閑。 She became a mainstay of his life； showing her affection for his Musume persona； joining him in a world where conventions and Western narrowness had no hold。
Everything was fine until the Invid came。 While Earth passed into the flames； a young reserve aviator named Lancer lay listening to the tread of Shock Trooper mecha and the sound of rifle butts and hobnailed boots breaking down doors in the alley outside。
Carla was already nearly as adept at some parts of his craft as he。 〃There's only one way you can survive； and that's as Yellow Dancer；〃 she said； even as she was setting out makeup。
When the Invid manhunters came in they found only two frightened women。 Their insistent search turned up nothing…Lancer's VT armor having been left behind…and they went away grumbling； the Shock Trooper's optical sensor indicating nothing as the hulking war machine turned to go。
Carla leaned to kiss her lover longingly。 〃You're Yellow Dancer now。 You must be； every moment； or we're dead。〃
In retrospect； it seemed a happy time but sitting at the table in the Club Inca； Carla knew that it had been filled with fear and travail。 By foot and ox cart and stolen bike and a half…dozen other means that they took as the occasion arose； she and Yellow Dancer moved toward some hoped…for safety。 Yellow even began singing for their supper； when the opportunity came up。 Not only did Yellow Dancer's persona submerge Lancer's； Yellow and Carla came to meld； in a way。
Then there came a day in a huge rail terminal； both of them clutching forged documents from the Resistance that would get them to a possible place of safety。 The region they were in was somewhat neutral； and Carla's lover was Lancer once more。 Dark thoughts seemed to have overtaken him once his male persona reasserted itself； the halcyon days of the escape were over； and aliens strode the Earth； exterminating Human beings at will。
And as the bullet train began mo