break 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 moving； Lancer leapt from it。 The doors shut and secured automatically behind him。 He crouched； staring at the surface of the train platform so that he wouldn't have to meet her gaze。 Lancer had to let the train take Carla to safety so that he could join the Resistance in the fight against the Invid。
Carla was gone from the sad little bridal party table by the time Yellow Dancer finished her encore set。 Yellow went downstairs to her makeshift dressing room。 What point would there have been in seeing Carla alone？ The Invid kept the two apart； no less today than on that day in the rail station。
When Yellow Dancer opened the door； Carla sat waiting。
Yellow Dancer and Lancer surged and vied in a single mind。 Carla seemed small and frail； sitting with her hands in her lap； facing the door； waiting only for Yellow's return。 〃After three years；〃 she whispered。 〃You've e back for me at last！〃
Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched Yellow sit down。 〃Time stopped having any meaning for me； do you know what that feels like？ What happened to you？ I've felt…my life has been so empty！〃
What Yellow might have said will never be known； at that moment the door slammed open and Annie rushed in。 〃Lancer！ Oops； didn't mean to interrupt； but…I'm in love！〃
〃That's all right； Annie；〃 Lancer replied； but his eyes were on Carla。
In love； Carla thought。 Lancer was looking at her now； not Yellow Dancer。 〃I…I was in love with someone once；〃 Carla told Annie haltingly； wondering if she sounded deranged。
Annie appeared not to notice Carla's despair。 〃Fall in love again； okay？ Then you'll be just as happy as l am！〃
Annie gripped Lancer's hand。 〃Eddie and his folks are getting a map； an honest one； that'll tell them how to get through the mountains to Paradise。 And they're taking me along！ They're gonna be my family！〃
It dawned on her that neither Yellow Dancer nor Carla seemed very happy for her。 She jumped off the couch and resettled her E。T。 cap。 〃I just couldn't leave without saying good…bye。 Um； well； my dreamboat's waiting…g'bye！〃 She skipped out the door； tra…la…la…ing。
〃Good…bye； Annie；〃 Yellow Dancer said softly。
〃Love；〃 Carla mused； realizing what it was that she had seen in Lancer's eyes。 〃And ours is gone forever； isn't that what you were going to say？〃
Annie caught up with Eddie where he was waiting for his father at the Central Deguello Bank。 Mr。 Truman came down the steps of the bank with a briefcase under one arm； looking up as he heard his son call out to him。
Eddie's father had been away for a few days； so Eddie said； 〃I'd like you to meet a very special friend of mine。〃
〃Hi； Mr。 Truman！ My name's Annie LaBelle！〃
Truman； a lean； stoop…shouldered man with salt…and…pepper hair and mustache； had a careworn face and wore much…repaired wire…rim glasses。 He looked weary but friendly。 〃Well； Annie LaBelle； I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance。〃
He thought he knew why Eddie had taken a liking to Annie； she was so much like Eddie's little sister； Aly…Aly； dead these eighteen months since the White Virus cut its swath through the region。
To his son； Truman said； 〃Eddie； we'll be leaving soon…just as soon as I wrap up a few things。 I found a buyer who wants the shop； and Mrs。 Perio upped her offer for the house。 Make sure everything's packed； and as soon as I get home； we'll be on our way。〃
Eddie shifted from foot to foot； hands in the pockets of his leather jacket。 〃Um； Dad； I told Annie she could e with us。 〃
Truman let show a faint smile。 〃Why； of course you did； Son。 Don't leave anything behind； Annie； we're getting out of here for good。〃
As Mr。 Truman walked off； Eddie whooped and did a little war dance； Annie pirouetted； giggling deliriously。 〃Paradise； we're on our way！〃
The ten…ounce gold bars； flat and wide as candy bars but much smaller； looked so insignificant there on the desk； Mr。 Truman thought。 And yet they had taken so much time and sacrifice and work to accumulate。 The sunlight streaming through the tall windows made them so bright that they made him squint。
Across the wide desk； Mayor Maxwell said； 〃You should be proud； Mr。 Truman。 I know what you had to go through to get this； but not one man in a hundred succeeds like this。〃
Truman nodded tiredly。 It had been explained to him； long since； why Maxwell's map cost so much。 Certain parts of the route had to be changed constantly； to reflect new Invid activities and patrolling patterns。 And there was the need for Maxwell's Lurp teams to set up safe resting places and resupply caches along the route。 The cost of maintaining the teams was high； not to mention the fact that a cut of all proceeds went to the Resistance effort against the Invid。
Or so Maxwell insisted。 There were rumors to the contrary； but there were rumors about everything in Deguello。 Reliable people swore they had heard from friends and relatives who had made it to Paradise； and that Maxwell was a trustworthy man。 Truman was too tired to hesitate anymore； too ground down by the loss of a daughter and the dead…end of life in Deguello。 He just wanted to be on his way； to get his family to the safety of Paradise。
Maxwell handed over a folded； waterproofed bundle。 〃And here's a current map showing the safe route through the mountains。 It was updated by my Lurps just this week； you'll be safe with this。〃
Truman accepted it with a trembling hand。 〃Thank you； sir。〃
〃In Paradise； you'll live a better life；〃 Maxwell said。 〃I'm glad you're the one getting this； Truman。 I know what some people think of me； asking all the market will bear for these maps； but…the traffic along the secret route has to be kept to a minimum； and there's still the Resistance to finance。 Still； I sleep better when the people I help deserve it。〃
Carla； on the other side of the ballroom； stared through the big tropical fishtank there； watching the scene played out as she had watched it played out dozens of times before。 She looked at the map Truman held； wishing…struggling with herself。
Truman was quickly on his way； eager to get a start in what was left of the day。 Carla sat in a w