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She pursed her own； parted them； then suddenly struck at him； and struggled frantically to break free； sobbing。
Rand shook the water out of his thick red hair。 Marlene； listening to a shell； flinched a bit as the water hit her but never lost her smile。 She laughed at the water that was being sprayed at her； there was light everywhere she looked。
Rand was panting； leaning on the boogyboard he had found in the ruins of the resort。 〃Scott； you're missing a once…in…a…lifetime chance。 Quit pretending to be a sand crab。〃
〃Rand； I am not pretending to be a sand crab。 Uh； what is a sand crab？〃
〃What're you talking about？ At least take off that dumb flight suit！〃
Scott had no way of refusing Rand's demands short of physical violence。 Flight suit and all； Rand dragged him into the water。 Rook watched them； easing her aching leg and arm。 Rand seemed so young and limber and in the water； especially； he seemed slick and carefree as a pink sea otter。 What hope could she have for a life with someone like that？ He hadn't accumulated the chronicle of sins that she had。 Rook sighed。
Scott confessed that he didn't know how to swim； virtually none of the spaceborne generation did。 Rand only took that as a challenge to teach him。 About thirty seconds of Rand's instruction had Scott spitting water； and heaving； and vowing to stick to solid ground from then on。
Out where the mecha were parked； Lunk was running repairs and listening to Annie's apparently endless heartbreak stories。 〃I'm beginning to think I'll die an old maid！ I might even wind up as a librarian！〃
That ment brought Lunk's head up out of the cockpit of Rook's Alpha； where he had been working。 The only meaningful relationship he had had was a romance with a librarian。 She was a fiery young woman who knew how to handle a gun and was determined that the books would live and that they would be there when Homo Sapiens eventually started picking up the pieces。
Lunk had had to run； but he had often thought back to the dark…haired； dark…eyed librarian…so impassioned。。。
He drew a great breath and told Annie； 〃You're such a heartbreaker； you'll probably get married five or six times。 Do me a favor and invite me to every wedding。〃
She shrieked with laughter； grabbed the thick hair of his sideburns and showered his face with kisses。
Lancer thought he had spied his prey。 He dodged into a clearing； but he saw that he had been fooled by a trick of the light。 He stopped； froze； then called out； 〃Wait！ I only want to talk to you！ There may be Invid nearby！ You may be in great danger！〃
He heard a thrashing behind him； turned to see the pink along one flank as she ran； and yelled after her even as he sprinted to pursue。 〃Please stop…〃
Sera could have gotten away if she had really wanted to。 Why had she lingered？ Why had she watched him？
〃I just want to know who you are and where you're from！ It's very important to me！ Hey！〃
Lancer could hear her ahead； sobbing and stumbling。 He ran with an even breath； hopping some obstacles and ducking others。 At last he bounded into a clearing where hot； blinding light shone down on him。 He shielded his eyes with the flat of his hand and gazed up。
It was an alien mecha like nothing there had ever been before； anywhere。 The late morning sun glinted all around it； and reflected off enormously strong purple ponents and pink trim； making the machine…mountain difficult to see。
Lancer blocked the light with his hand； moving a little。
It must have landed while I was swimming； but…it didn't attack me！ It seems abandoned。 But how could that be？ According to all reports the drones are helpless eggs outside their mecha。
He heard a sound and sensed some movement。 The young woman stepped out from behind one of the machine's colossal legs。 He saw now that the color pattern of her bodysuit reiterated the colors of the alien Trooper。
He stared at her as she watched him silently。 〃Y…you can't be the pilot！ You're Human； not an Invid drone； where's the pilot； the alien？〃
Something galvanized her； she leapt； incredibly high； as the mecha bent toward her； the turret in its muzzle blossoming open to receive her。 Rather than the egg…nest described by Rand and Annie； the new Trooper's control nacelle was a padded cockpit pletely encased in armor。
Lancer was still yelling to her as the cockpit closed and the Trooper's back and foot thrusters fired up。 He was nearly blown from his feet and singed by the backwash； the invader lifted off； leaving the grass burned and smoldering where it had stood。
He blinked； coughing from the smoke and the sand she had kicked up。 By the time he opened his eyes again； the Trooper was a diminishing meteor racing to the east。
This is unbelievable！ She was the pilot of that mecha！ Does this mean Humans are fighting for the Invid？
Shaken by her encounter with Lancer； and unable to unravel the plex series of feelings and impulses that had assailed her； Sera rejoined Corg and the contingent of Shock Troopers。 But she made no mention of what had happened and that； too； confused her。
But Corg and the Troopers' sensors had detected Lunk's test activations； as he checked his repair job。 Sera had barely rejoined them when they assumed attack formation and rocketed toward the island where Humans had been sensed。
Rand eased himself into a frayed chaise longue next to Rook。 Scott threw himself down on all fours in the sand； resolving never to go swimming in a flight suit again。 As he hunched around to sit down； his hand happened to touch Marlene's shoulder。
She gasped as if she had been touched with a live wire； and seemed to go into shock。 〃Must've pinched some kinda nerve；〃 Rand diagnosed。
〃I tell you； I barely touched the woman！〃 Scott shot back angrily； face reddening at the thought of how he longed to caress her。
〃Su…uure； Scott；〃 Rook teased。 〃Probably just your sexual magnetism。〃 She looked to Marlene； who was gazing into empty air。 〃This might be a good sign； though； if she's having flashbacks or something； maybe it means her memory's returning。〃
〃I hope so；〃 Scott said； but he wondered if he really did； or if he would be sorry on the day that happened。
Marl