ully； almost adoringly。 Outside； the rumble of Shock Trooper thrusters came over the wind； as the aliens went to search elsewhere。
Rand couldn't help smiling back； losing himself in those mysterious eyes； even chuckling to himself。 But the others weren't laughing； they accused him…absurdly…of keeping the information about cactus moisture to himself。
He jumped to his feet； fists cocked。 〃A guy just can't win around you people； can he？ Any Forager knows that trick； I guess I just assumed you weren't so dumb you'd just die of dehydration when there're cactus all around out there！〃
He started for the cave entrance。 〃Did you see me holding out？ No！ I gave what I had to Marlene； or are you all blind？〃
〃Rand； wait！〃 Rook spoke to him sharply； and yet there was a note of alarm in it。
〃You want cactus？ You'll get it！〃 She would have gone with him； but his hate…mask expression made it plain that he was in no mood for pany。 Rook watched him go； then turned to study Marlene； who had fallen back into a fitful sleep。
Even with his goggles on； Rand found himself all but blinded by the storm。 He counted his steps and tried to remember the layout of the area。 He had barely gotten thirty yards before he fell off the lip of a deep sandpit。 He rolled and tumbled down its side； scraping skin and having the wind knocked from him。
Back in the cave； Marlene's eyes suddenly opened wide； though the others were busy making plans and didn't notice。 The howl of the wind blotted out her one soft cry； 〃Rand！〃
Rand was doing fine until an outcropping of sandstone grazed his head。 Then he was seeing stars； and there was no desert； no earth； no nothing around him。
There were in fact cactus and other plants near where his body lay。 The Invid Flower of Life took root where it willed； with no predictable pattern or limitation。 Rand lay； out cold； in a miniature garden of them； with several of the tripartite Flowers crushed under him。
The sandstorm had stopped； and the beat of great； leathery wings； and the sound of a very special voice crying his name； roused him。 He opened his eyes to a night sky； and saw that a dragon was passing overhead。 And in its right forepaw； amid gleaming claws like sabers； it held。
〃Marlene！〃 He was on his feet in an instant。
What the flamin'； flyin'…〃Stop！〃
Then his Cyc materialized next to him and he was off to the rescue。 The mechabike took to the air； and suddenly he was in armor； riding across a rectilinear landscape。 He went to Cyclone Guardian mode； only to discover that the dragon had turned to fight。
Rand couldn't shoot without risking hitting Marlene。 The dragon faked him out with a snap of its jaws； making him dart back。 He managed to recover as Marlene yelled for him to save her。
His back burners ignited as he climbed back at the dragon for Round Two。 〃I don't know what's going on； but I'm ing； Marlene！〃 He bulldogged the dragon； assisted by the powered suit。 The monster's saliva ate at his armor like acid。 〃Let 'er go； ya oversized iguana！〃
Then it did； and she was falling； wailing。 Rand went after her like a meteor and caught her； but the dragon was hot on their trail。
But all of a sudden； somehow； it was Rand and Marlene on the Cyc again； no armor； dodging and evading； while the beast blew flamethrower shots at them。 Marlene； arms around his waist； cheek pressed to his back； called out； 〃Rand； listen： maybe this isn't happening。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃Maybe you're dreaming all this。〃
〃I like that idea better than being crazy as a restroom rodent！〃 Still； it was nice to feel her arms around his middle。
The firedrake stayed in their six o'clock position over a Frazetta…scape of crags； peaks； and dire moors。 It birddogged them through a long cave with a bright light at the other end。 Rand wondered if he was supposed to be reliving his birth trauma or something； even though all he felt was scared。 It chased them under an impossibly big； bright moon； and Rand wondered if the Cyc's silhouette resembled a certain oldtime movie production pany logo。
Then it was daytime； the desert； and the pursuit was still on。 Rand realized that Marlene was giving him the adoring look that said it all； and revised his opinion of the dream。
Next thing； somehow； they were back in the Hive Center； and Marlene had another one of her strange attacks； and Rand； staring at the Sensor； made the connection。 〃It's like a telepathic link with all the other Invid；〃 Rand said slowly； eyeing the Sensor； 〃but why would you be so strongly affected by it； Marlene？〃
No time to wonder； the dragon was back。 Rand was on the Cyc and turned around to tell Marlene to get on； and then realized she was naked and unspeakably beautiful； as he had seen her by the lake。
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A trillion light…years high；
Expanding primordial fireball；
Your Universe is still
Your body
Mingtao； Protoculture： Journey Beyond Mecha
This isn't gonna be one of those numbers where I find myself in school with no pants on； is it？ Rand wondered。
Suddenly Marlene； clothed； was behind him on the Cyc。 But he saw that he was back in the Lizard Lounge。 Appropriately enough； the dragon showed up。 At least the Cyc wasn't mired in mud； he accelerated away past dueling dinosaurs。
Then he had to dodge some Shock。 Troopers。 I told Scott there were Invid here！ 〃I get the feeling this is some kind of laboratory；〃 he told Marlene； whose hands pressed him tighter to her。 〃That the Invid are experimenting with the evolutionary processes of Earth。 But why？〃
A ridge of rock rose up to send Rand and Marlene head over heels。 When he had crawled to her； to cradle her head； she groaned； 〃You mustn't fight with Scott。〃
Scott？ What's she telling me； here？ 〃The two of us just don't see eye to eye。 I honestly don't think our lives…any of us…mean a thing to him。〃
〃Rand。。。water； please。。。〃
But when he fetched it from a pool； she couldn't sip。 He brought some in his mouth； pressed it to her lips。 Then he was kissing her； and her eyes opened。
He laughed and tried to joke。 〃Um； in some places； that would mean we were engaged。〃
But the roar of the dragon filled the cave as it came at them like a bomber； and they were off again on the Cyc。 Off to one side was Annie； leering over the flames once more in the Genesis Pit； speaking in the voice of the Regis。
〃Look； Human； into the flames of truth and tremble； for it is your doom that you will see there。 Even now the final chapter of your people is being written in the great Book of Time。〃
Annie wasn't finished。 〃Once the Invid were a simple race； content with our own existence。 But with our world destroyed； our Flowers stolen； we were changed forever。 And once we have conquered the Universe we shall rise； rise…we shall ascend beyond the physical。 We shall rule the higher planes of existence； as a race of pure intellect； pure spirit！〃
Rand saw again those mindshapes in the flames called up by the possessed Annie。 Somehow he saw Reflex Point； and the very dwelling place of the Regis herself； though he could not see her。
She said； 〃So we have e here； to regenerate； to take Earth from the dying hands of Humanity。 From the ashes of your people we shall arise； reborn； like the Phoenix！〃
There was a lot more to the dream； and it got even weirder。 The dragon snatched Marlene again； and Rand found himself riding to the rescue with his teammates； all of them dressed in bination Wagnerian…R。E。 Howard getups； but using mecha。 And even Lunk's truck could fly。 Rand noticed that Rook seemed very displeased with him。
Couldn't I just click my Ruby Slippers three times and call it a night？
Still； it was great to have a team to back him up； great to have friends。 He realized that it was still a new thing to him； but he also realized that he had felt a little lonely back there； facing the Leaping Lizard all alone。
Somewhere along the line even the VTs got swords； gleaming silvery ones as big as telephone poles。 When that dragon came at bay； the team pureed him。
But when demigoddess Marlene had thanked the warriors for saving her； and they were following the Eagles of Light homeward； after having been assured that a new day was dawning for the Human race； Rand could still hear the voice of the Regis。 From the ashes of the Humans； the Invid would rise like a Phoenix。
What happened subsequently seemed dreamlike； but it hurt so much that he decided it wasn't。 The sandstorm had passed and he was being helped back to the cave by Rook； who had e looking for him； and his scalp was matted with blood。
But when he saw the look of concern on her face； Rand reconsidered the possibility that he was still unconscious。
When the team…except for Lancer and Marlene…ran out from the cave demanding answers； Rand found himself slurring； 〃Listen； a new day is dawning； for the Dragon is slain at last。 Shut up and listen！ The； the day of oblivion's e f'r us all。 Who th' hell were we； t'believe we could rule the Earth forever？〃
There was a lot of crosstalk and some friction； some of them mad at Rand； others…especially Rook…telling them to lay off。 But Rand plowed on； 〃The Invid have e here from across the Cosmos to regenerate themselves into a new form。 They want to rule the physical Universe