ior！〃 He pushed his narrow chest out proudly。
Rook got the distinct impression that Magruder was more excited about the prospect of being a warrior than about having a wife。 Typical for his age； she decided。
Just then the duffel bag heaved and fell open。 Everyone there gasped。
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Protoculture Garden： Eden or Gethsemane？
Samizdat Reader's Digest article； November 2020
Rand found himself looking down at a familiar mass of purple hair。 〃Lancer！〃
Lancer； gagged； glared up at Rand and at the rest of the world。 Scott turned to Magruder with a rare smile。 〃I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you； kid。 Y'see； your fianc閑 is a man。 And not one that I'd like to have mad at me； if you catch my drift。〃
Magruder looked stricken。 〃It can't be！ That's my wife！〃
The tribesman were beginning to guffaw； and Annie was giggling a bit hysterically。 〃Is this the missing brother you were talking about？〃 Silverhair asked。
Rand nodded； 〃Yeah； his name's Lancer。〃
Magruder had knelt to undo the gag。 〃Uh…oh。〃
Lancer looked at him mildly。 〃It was an honest mistake； little man。 Now…〃 He drew a deep breath。 〃Get me out of this thing！〃
Scott and some of the others stooped to help； Magruder being too paralyzed。 Everyone was united in laughter now； at the expense of woebegone Magruder。 Rand was having trouble catching his breath。 〃I…I guess you haven't had much experience； huh； little guy？〃
Annie was among the loudest； until she saw how hurt and mortified Magruder was。 She stopped in mid…laugh； realizing that here was a mind of kindred spirit； another runt of the litter trying to make a place for himself and be accepted on equal terms。
The chief was ruffling the kid's hair； plainly； he was a sort of pest/mascot。 〃I hope you will forgive him； my friends。 Magruder； these are our guests。〃
But Magruder broke free； grabbed up a spear； and ran fleetly for the jungle。
Annie made a stop at the truck； then followed Magruder's trail。 She caught up with him in a little clearing at the edge of the stream where he had ambushed Lancer。 She could hear him crying； so she backed up some distance； then made a lot more noise。 〃Yoo…hoo！〃
He brought his spear around； swiping quickly at his eyes with the back of his hand。 〃Who is it？〃
She struggled through the undergrowth into the clearing； trailing the long skirt she had scavenged back in New Denver。 She was wearing a diaphanous top； and in her hair was a flower garland she had made that afternoon。
Annie struck a glamour pose； one hand behind her head； and batted her eyelashes at him。 She sang； 〃Hi…ya。 Magruder！〃 He gasped and dropped his spear； she sauntered over and sort of nudged her shoulder up against him。
He struggled to say； 〃Wh。。。what are you supposed to be？〃
She smiled coyly。 〃You poor thing！ You've got such a lot to learn about the opposite sex！ Y'need a real woman to show you what makes the world go round； hmmm？〃
He pulled away so fast that she almost toppled over； letting out a squawk。 〃And I suppose you're a real woman？〃
Annie's lower lip thrust out and she made fists。 〃Hey； listen； buster： don't forget your last girlfriend！ I'm a damn sight closer than he was！〃
He crossed his arms on his chest。 〃That's none of your business！ Why don't you go away and leave me alone？〃
〃You'll never get a wife； you lamebrain！〃 she bawled at him。 〃A woman'd have to be nuts to hook up with a dippy squirt like you！〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃
〃Yeah！ You're hopeless！〃
They were snarling at each other； when Annie reminded herself why she had e out there。 Hold your horses； Annie！ If you play your cards right； this guy could make you a jungle princess。 Or a queen。 Who knows？ They might even make you a goddess！
She turned from him； hands clasped to where her bosom was due to appear any day now。 〃I'm really sorry for shouting at you； Magruder；〃 she sniffed。 〃It's just that…it's so difficult when a woman bees emotionally involved。〃
Magruder looked like he'd been sandbagged。 〃Uhh！ You're not crying； are you？ Hey； don't do that！〃
Everything was going just swell； Annie figured。 In a week or two she would be running the valley。 But then her schedule was thrown out the window： with a low rumbling； a trio of Shock Troopers flew by overhead。 〃Yikes！ Invid！〃
Magruder looked up at them stonily； as the flight of Troopers disappeared in the distance。 〃The Overlords have e back to their nest here in the valley。〃
Annie turned to him。 〃‘Overlords'？〃
He nodded。 〃My people hate them。 Ever since they first came here； and made the great roof over this valley； hunting has been bad； they frighten the game。〃
He pointed downriver。 〃The strange three…in…one flowers grow thick down there； and so the Overlords built the great roof over the valley； to make this place their garden。 The legends say that someday the river god will rise up to smite them； but〃…a shrug…〃so far that day hasn't e。〃
He turned and reached for his spear。 Annie frowned； 〃Um； Macky； you're not gonna try something stupid； are you？〃
He hefted the weapon。 〃It's time I became a man！〃 he said。 〃I'll prove myself in battle！〃
Hollering at him to use his head didn't help。 He sprang away into the trees； nimble as a squirrel。 Annie stumbled after him； tugging to free the hem of her skirt from some thorns。 When she saw Magruder next； he was poised on a branch near a wide trail…a trail that had been beaten down by something a lot bigger than any wild game in the valley。
She hit the dirt as she heard the tread of mecha。 When she lifted her head again； Magruder was swinging at the lead Shock Trooper on a vine； clutching his spear； yowling a fierce battle cry。
He landed with remarkable skill； on top of the lead alien's head canopy。 〃Now they'll stop laughing at me！ I'll show all of them that Magruder is a man！〃
Annie was prepared to see the spearpoint bounce off and Magruder either fall to his death or be plucked to bloody shreds。 But instead； just as he struck； the Invid； apparently oblivious to him； fired its thrusters。 Magruder lost his balance； caught his spear with both hands and fell。 The spear lodged sideways in the grooves at the back of the cranial canopy； Magruder clung to it。
The next thing Annie knew； her new flame was being dragged away through the air； feet kicking； atop a Shock Trooper。
It took her a while to get the tribesmen and her own teammates to believe it。 The LaBelle lower lip was thrust out again。 〃That's right！ This place is some kind of Invid hothouse！ Magruder took them on all by himself！ He's convinced the only way he'll get you to stop laughing at him is bee a macho sexist Tarzan！〃
Silverhair shook his head。 〃That boy will be the death of me。〃
〃The Invid are probably looking for us；〃 Scott said。
〃The tribesmen are going after Magruder！〃 Rand shouted。 〃Scott； we've got to help these guys； the Invid'll wipe out every last one of 'em。〃
〃We've barely enough Protoculture left to light a match；〃 Lancer pointed out； 〃let alone fight a battle。〃
Scott was lost in thought； staring off at the dam。 〃Then； we'll have to improvise and maybe get a little hand from the good old river god。〃
Rand and Lancer began to get the idea； looking at their leader skeptically。 It was funny how Scott wasn't very flexible until it came to fighting off the Invid。
〃The trick will be in getting the Invid close enough to the dam。 We may have to risk the last of our Protoculture reserves to lure them there。〃
Rand added； 〃Leave it to me。 Those big boys just love to follow my Cyclone。〃
〃Good。 The rest of you； I want enough explosives planted on that dam to blow the whole business through those holes in the roof。 Cobalt grenades； Tango…9…the works。 And we're going to need Protoculture flares。〃
Lunk and Rook were smiling； though Marlene looked apprehensive and unprehending。 Annie was off to one side； thinking。 I don't like this！ Macky and me're being left； out in the cold！ My jungle darlin's just got to prove himself； or…ahh！ Eureka！
The Shock Troopers had been flying a slow spiral pattern； like searching wasps。 They weren't flying very fast； but they were more than high enough for the young would…be warrior to make an unfavorable impression on the ground when he