10_invid_invasion-第21部分

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〃There's　a　lot　more　to　me　than　meets　the　eye；〃　said　Yellow。

〃As　if　that　isn't　enough；〃　Rand　mented　under　his　breath　but　loudly　enough　for　Rook　to　hear。

〃All　I　see　is　an　attractive　woman　in　a　rather　slinky　outfit；〃　said　Scott。

〃Wrong　on　both　counts；〃　Yellow　answered　him；　walking　back　to　the　jeep。　〃I've　got　something　to　show　you。　〃

A　buzz　of　general　puzzlement　swept　through　the　would…be　team　as　Yellow　sauntered　off；　especially　when　she　turned　her　back　to　them　and　began　to　undo　the　rear　buttons　of　her　strapless　top。

〃Hey；　w…wait　a　minute；〃　Scott　stammered　in　protest。　〃I　appreciate　your　wanting　to；　er…show　me；　but　don't　think　for　a　moment　that's　going　to　change　my　mind。。。〃

〃Is　she　going　to　do　what　I　think　she's　going　to　do？〃　said　Annie；　gulping。

〃Sure　looks　that　way；〃　Rook　said　in　an　interested　way。

Yellow　meanwhile　had　removed　her　top　and　tossed　it　into　the　open　jeep。　She　still　had　her　back　to　them；　long　lavender　hair　falling　all　the　way　to　the　narrow　band　of　her　brassiere。

〃H…hey；　now　hold　on！〃　Rand　said　with　a　desperate　tone。

Lunk　laughed。　〃Well；　she's　right　about　one　thing…she's　not　wearin'　no　slinky　outfit　anymore。〃

Yellow　turned　to　throw　them　a　wink　over　her　shoulder；　then　reached　back　the　way　only　a　woman　can　and　unfastened　the　bra；　letting　it　slip　from　her　breasts。　She　still　had　her　back　to　them　when　she　undid　her　trousers　and　let　them　fall。　The　pink　jeep　concealed　whatever　treasures　these　moments　might　have　held　for　the　red…faced　team。

〃Now　what's　she　doing？〃　Lunk　said　as　Dancer　picked　up　a　towel　and　began　to　scrub　her　face　with　it。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Scott　responded　sternly。　〃But　I　want　an　end　to　it　right　now；　hear　me；　Yellow？　You　can　stop　this　little　game；　because　we're　not　taking　you　with　us；　and　that's　final！〃

Then　Yellow　swung　around　to　face　them。

And　something　was　wrong；　very　wrong；　indeed。

〃Oh；　no！〃　Rook　screamed；　and　began　to　laugh　hysterically。

〃Y…yellow　Dancer？〃　Rand　said　tentatively。

Lunk；　Kevin；　and　Spider　drew　in　stunned　but　disappointed　intakes　of　breath。　Annie　was　simply　confused；　Scott；　wordless。　It　was　plain　enough　to　see　that　Yellow　Dancer　was　a　man…a　tall；　rather　hairless；　lean　and　attractive　man。

〃You　can　start　by　calling　me　Lancer；〃　he　told　his　stunned　audience；　his　voice　deeper　now。　〃I　think　the　name　suits　me　a　little　better。　So；　I　hope　there　are　no　further　objections　to　my　tagging　along　with　you。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。。。〃　Scott　started　to　say。　Woman　or　cross…dresser；　what　was　the　difference？　he　asked　himself。　But　looking　down　at　Rook　now；　he　began　to　have　second　thoughts　about　all　of　this。　Earth　was　a　fascinating　but　bizarre　place　where　women　seemed　to　want　to　mix　it　up　as　much　as　the　men。　So　maybe　there　was　a　place　for　her；　er；　him。

Rand　meanwhile　was　beside　himself。　There　were　all　those　dreams　of　Yellow　Dancer　he　had　lived　with　for　months…all　those　fantasies！　〃It　can't　be！〃　he　was　saying。　〃How　could　you　do　this　to　me…your　biggest　fan？！〃

〃I　wasn't　exactly　thinking　about　you；　Rand；〃　Lancer　said。

〃Yeah；〃　Rook　chimed　in。　〃Not　like　he　was　thinking　about　you！〃

Everyone　laughed；　except　Lancer。　〃So　how　about　it；　Captain？　Do　I　make　the　team　or　not？〃

Scott　and　Lunk　exchanged　looks　and　shrugs。　〃Yes；〃　Scott　said　at　last。　〃I　guess　you　do。〃


CHAPTER　SEVEN

Mom；　who　thrived　on　adversity；　had　met　her　perfect　foil　in　Rand。　Fortunately　for　me；　they　eventually　worked　it　through。
Maria　Bartley…Rand；　Flower　of　Life：　Journey　Beyond　Protoculture

The　team　had　been　formed：　Scott；　Rand；　Rook；　Annie；　Lunk；　and　Lancer　（although　Scott　wondered　if　the　singer　shouldn't　be　counted　twice）。　None　of　them　promised　to　acpany　Scott　all　the　way　to　Reflex　Point…if　such　a　place　actually　existed；　it　was　simply　a　loose　agreement　among　six　people　headed　in　the　same　general　direction；　each　with　a　separate　purpose　in　mind。　Scott　wanted　to　see　the　Invid　defeated；　at　the　very　least　he　hoped　to　link　up　with　other　downed　fighters　from　the　Mars　Division　and　establish　an　organized　resistance。　Lunk　was　searching　for　a　redemption　of　sorts；　Annie；　for　a　family。　But　the　aims　of　the　others　were　less　clear…cut；　their　pasts　remained　unrevealed；　their　motives　somewhat　suspect。　Nevertheless；　Scott　had　himself　a　team。

All　he　needed　now　was　an　adequate　plan。

The　present　one　wasn't　working　well　at　all。　Rather　than　risk　calling　attention　to　their　latest　acquisition…the　Alpha　Fighter　Lunk　had　so　reverently　maintained　after　his　rather　hasty　departure　from　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross…Scott　and　Lancer　had　flown　the　mecha　north　under　the　cover　of　night　and　secluded　it　along　the　river　that　marked　the　border　of　the　neighboring　territory。　Lancer　was　to　remain　with　the　Veritech　while　Scott　rode　back　to　town　on　his　Cyclone　to　collect　the　others。　In　the　meantime；　Lunk　and　Annie　would　be　in　charge　of　gathering　up　what　they　could　in　the　way　of　supplies　and　foodstuffs。　Rand　and　Rook　would　secure　a　safe　route　out　for　the　loaded　APC。

Things　went　smoothly　enough　at　first；　Lunk　had　seen　to　his　assignment；　and　Scott　rendezvoused　with　the　APC/Cyclone　convoy　on　schedule。　They　had　begun　their　trek　north　and　entered　the　highlands　when　the　Invid　appeared。　It　hadn't　paid　to　leave　enemies　the　likes　of　Ringo　behind。。。

Scott　held　the　lead　up　the　rugged　mountain　road；。　Rand　and　Annie　were　a　few　lengths　behind；　then　came　Lunk　in　the　APC　and　Rook　on　her　red　Cyclone。　There　were　at　least　five　Troopers　in　pursuit；　with　annihilation　discs　striking　the　cliff　faces　above　and　below　the　roadway。

Scott　waved　for　the　others　to　pour　it　on　and　accelerated　along　the　arid　slope。

Rook　pulled　alongside　him　and　shouted　above　the　deafening　explosions。　〃They're　gaining　on　us！〃　To　maintain　their　low　profile；　they　had　opted　against　suiting　up　in　helmets　or　battle　armor。

〃We　haven't　got　a　prayer　unless　we　can　reach　the　Alpha。〃　Scott　turned　to　Rand；　who　had　e　up　on　the　inside；　and　told　him　to　take　the　lead。　He　and　Rook　would　stay　behind　to　armor　up　and　reconfigure　for　bat。

Rand　signaled　his　assent；　cautioned　Annie　to　hold　tight；　and　moved　out　front。　But　no　sooner　had　they　reached　the　crest　than　two　Invid　rose　into　view。　Rand　engaged　the　brakes；　pivoting　the　mecha　through　a　clean　180；　and　headed　back　down　the　hill。

Scott　hadn't　even　dismounted　yet。　〃Why　are　you　turning　around？〃　he　shouted。

〃They've　got　us　surrounded；〃　Rand　reported。　〃We'd　better　go　cross…country。〃　He　indicated　the　steep　grade　above　the　roadway　and　lowered　his　goggles。

〃No。　No　detours；〃　Scott　argued。　〃The　Alpha's　only　a　few　miles　down　the　road…we've　got　to　break　through！〃

Rand　snorted　and　shook　his　head。　〃You　break　through；　Captain。　I'm　heading　for　the　hills。〃　He　stomped　the　Cyclone　into　gear　and　took　off；　scrambling　up　the　rutted　incline；　heedless　of　Scott's　shouts　to　stop。　But　not　a　moment　later；　Invid　Troopers　were　ascending　into　view　at　both　ends　of　the　road；　and　Scott　saw　the　logic　of　Rand's　choice。　He　gestured　to　Rook　and　Lunk　and　screeched　off　up　the　hill。

There　was　a　barren　stretch　of　plateau　at　the　top　of　the　slope；　separated　from　twin　fingers　of　pine　forest　by　steep　crevices　too　wide　to　jump。　The　Invid　Troopers　realized　their　advantage　and　began　to　loose　disc　storms　of　energy　from　their　cannons。　As　always；　there　seemed　t