l she was there under the soft； almost loving sunlight。
〃Ooo！ That is。。。excuse me！〃 He brought the gun up and stared at it for a moment。 He whirled； with a country Forager's sense of propriety。 〃That is； I'm sorry！〃
She looked up at the strange figure； her long distraction broken。 〃Uh…mm…ahh？〃
The distraught Rand was trying to collect his wits。 In the outlands where he came from； being found with a naked woman could have all sorts of horrible repercussions； especially if one were found with her by her male kin。
He jittered； staring at the pockmarked stucco wall。 〃Didn't mean to surprise you！ But…won't you catch cold just sitting there like that？ You know…Heh； umm； don't you have any…〃 He tried not to look at her。 〃…any clothes you could put on？〃
She didn't know who or what she was。 She looked up at the creature or object that had moved and made noises toward her。 Following an ingrained program； she emulated： 〃Clothes。。。put。。。on？〃
〃Yeah； you know： anything to w…woo…〃 He was having trouble spitting it out； and he was having even more trouble keeping himself from ogling her。
〃Have any thing w…wwoo…〃 she mimicked； pletely baffled。
Just then； Rook dashed in。 〃Rand！ I thought I heard voices！〃
As she skidded to a stop； he was already waving his hands； trying to keep her from seeing the situation。 〃Um； don't e any closer！ I don't think you want to see； er…maybe we should get back to the Cycl…〃
But she had already seen the naked woman； and her open…mouthed surprise changed to anger。 〃Stop being an idiot！〃 She elbowed him aside and looked down at the young woman； who was trembling and looking up at them both； apparently in a state of shock。
Rook spun around and grabbed the front of Rand's pullover。 〃You animal！ How could you do something like this？〃
〃Hey； honest！ I found her like that！ She wasn't wearing a single piece of anything！〃 He was astounded by the anger in her eyes； astounded that she could think he would assault someone。 He was even more astonished by something else he thought he saw there。 It was partially a look of despair； as if Rand had betrayed her； betrayed some emotional investment she had made in him。
She released him and began taking off her faded yellow hunting jacket； moving toward the young woman。 〃I'll just bet she wasn't； you scuzzwad！〃 She knelt to drape her jacket gently around the woman's shoulders。
〃Tell me；〃 Rook said kindly； 〃why are you here all by yourself？〃
〃Here all by yourself；〃 Ariel repeated。
Rand told Rook； 〃That's all she does； repeat what you say！〃
Rook rose and went back to him。 〃Now slow down and tell me what you're babbling about。〃
He shrugged。 〃Maybe she lost her memory。〃
Rook considered that。 〃You mean like through some sort of trauma？〃
The young woman was staring down blankly at the straw on which she sat。 The scintillating lights playing off her were fewer now。
Rand rode point； while Rook followed along with the frightened young woman huddled in her jacket。
They were observed by the optical sensors of a half dozen Shock Troopers and Pincer Ships。
〃The Simulagent has been accepted；〃 the Regis's voice rang among them。 〃Follow and observe！ Make no attempt to contact…as yet！〃
Annie； worried about Scott； stayed behind when the others went out foraging。 Her few attempts to get him to talk met with utter failure。 As the sun climbed higher； she idly inspected the nearby hulk； and kept one eye on Scott。 He didn't move but sat beneath the gun turret； staring off into space。
Something bright in the sand caught her eye。 〃Hey； Scott； look what I found！〃 She swung it from its chain。 〃A pendant！ Isn't it beautiful？〃
But he never even turned her way。 Annie's feelings were so hurt that she threw the glittering thing back toward where she had found it； then squatted miserably in the dust； eyes brimming with tears。
But a moment later she was distracted by the approach of Scott's Alpha； still in Guardian mode。 Annie jumped to her feet； waving and smiling up at the Veritech。 〃Hey； Lancer！〃
A few seconds later； Lancer leapt down from the cockpit。 Annie trotted over to greet him。 〃Did everything go all right？ Didja find any Protoculture？〃
He beamed； throwing back the long purple tresses。 〃I found something even better！ e on； while I tell Scott。〃
She dashed after； thrilled without even knowing what the news was。 〃Scott！ Wait'll you hear this！〃
Lancer stopped in front of the young lieutenant。 〃Scott； listen…〃 He stopped because Scott hadn't even bothered to look up at him。
Scott sighed listlessly。 At last； still looking down； he said； 〃Yeah； what is it？〃
But before Lancer could speak； they heard Lunk returning； laughing and beeping the horn of his truck。 〃Hey； everybody！ Wait'll you see this！ It's terrific！〃
He was still carrying on as he stopped in a shower of gravel and sand and hopped out of the cab。 Scott wasn't any more curious about Lunk's find than about Lancer's； but Lancer and Annie were eager to hear。
〃You won't believe it！〃 Lunk chortled。 〃It's a new type of Veritech fighter I've never seen before！〃 He was waving a manual。 〃See？ It attaches to the back of the Alpha； and it'll double or triple the range and firepower！ It's called； uhh…〃
He paused to thumb through the manual。 Scott surprised everyone by saying quietly； 〃It's a Beta Fighter。〃
The other three went 〃Huh？〃 in concert； then Lunk continued。 There was barely a mark on the Beta； and he had already repaired the slight damage there was。 He unfolded one of the manual's diagrams and showed it to Lancer and Annie。
The Beta was bigger and more burly looking than the Alpha。 It was a mecha of raw power that could also assume Battloid form and a kind of modified Guardian。
Then it was Lancer's turn。 He had located two more Alphas that looked like they could be made bat ready； especially given the surplus of spare parts lying around。
Lunk was still giddy。 〃With four fighters and four Cyclones； we'll just plain knock the Invid clear off this old world！〃
Annie was picturing herself in a victory parade。 〃Scott； this is so exciting！ We're going to have enough firepower to make us a miniature army！〃
He looked at her angrily。 〃Four lousy fighters？ What difference will that make against the Invid？ The people who died here were an army； don't you understand that； any of you？ This was part of Admiral Hunter's handpicked force！ And all we can do is end up just like them！〃 He slammed his fist against the torn hull furiously。
He hated himself for saying it。 He had spent the morning hating himself for a variety of reasons： for the death of his fianc閑 Marlene in the initial attack； when Scott was the only survivor from his entire squadron。 For leading the others along on this quixotic quest across a ruined Earth； with a lunatic vision of defeating the beings who had conquered an entire world。 For the despair that had enveloped and disabled him pletely； now that all his hopes were shattered。 For the sad necessity of telling them； now； that it had all been a mistake； and they had to make their own way from here on； as best they could。。。
Annie was in tears and Lunk's big fists were balled。 He looked a little like an angry gorilla。 〃That does it。 Bernard！ All right； you feel bad about your buddies； we understand； and we do； too。 But is that any reason to take it out on Annie？〃
Lunk took a step closer。 〃Get up。〃 His ham…size； scarred fists were raised。
But Lancer intervened； almost frail and insubstantial next to Lunk； though they had all seen Lancer fight and knew differently。 〃Lunk； stop。 Take care of Annie； will you？ I'll talk to Scott。〃
Lunk hesitated； then obeyed。 Lancer went to squat next to Scott； who seemed to be asleep。
〃Don't say anything； please； just listen。 We're all with you； and we're still ready to follow you in the fight against the Invid； because you…and we…are the last chance the Human race has。 But if you give up now； the team falls apart； because you're the only one with the know…how to tackle Reflex Point。
〃Now I want you to remember what you told us： we're all soldiers； and we have to do our duty； whatever the cost； whatever happens。〃
Scott's eyes had slowly opened； but he still stared out at the aftermath of the slaughter。 Lunk； disgusted； led Annie off to begin work on the Alphas Lancer had found。 After a moment Lancer followed them； leaving Scott alone and silent once more。
There's no way to defeat the Invid。 You're insane； and now you've passed the insanity on to others。
He lost track of time until a sudden glint of light caught his eye。 It was the sun shining off the pendant Annie had tossed aside。 It was a cheap piece of jewelry； a lot of people in Mars Division and the other units had carried it or something like it。 That made him remember something suddenly； and he dug out the locket Marlene had given him when they had parted…unknowingly…for the final time。 It was a flat； heart…shaped metallic green locket with a blood…red holo…bead in the center； not very expensive but unutterably dear to him。
He activated it and it opened like a triptych。 The air above the holo…bead was shot through with distortions； then the image of Marlene hung there； a Marlene perhaps six inches tall。 Her uniform with its sh