r upper arm and thigh in enough bandage to restrain a small moose。 Rand watched interestedly without seeming to； Rook had certain soft spots； like the one for Annie； and he was determined to learn them。 Then Rook scowled at him； and he turned his attention elsewhere。
Stripping to his shorts； Rand took the swim he had been thinking about since he had listened to the chorus of the gulls that morning。 Lunk had promised Scott that he could patch up Rook's Alpha and the other damage the VTs had suffered； with minimum delay。 But meanwhile； all they could do was wait。 Rook rested her chin on her fist and squinted balefully at Annie and Rand； who were frolicking in the surf。
Marlene； in a white mini bikini made of knotted lengths of parachute silk； went running and yelling into the water。 The wet silk made Rand gape； and then he looked away； swallowing with a loud noise。
Scott appeared to say that everything would be ready when Lunk was done。 Rand came out of the water sniffling and laughing and dripping…and happy。 Rook's jaw muscles jumped a bit； but she held back her temper。
Then Rand was holding his hand out to her； more serious than she was used to seeing him。 〃I'm sorry you were injured； but…c'mon down to the water and enjoy yourself。 Otherwise I can't be happy。〃
It shocked her so much that she didn't quite know what to say； but she saw that Rand suddenly wasn't smiling； he was just watching her。
She practically stuck the back of her hand in his eye。 〃I guess it can't hurt。 Well？ Aren't you gonna help me up？〃
Marlene and Annie stopped splashing each other and shouted happily for Rook's recovery as Rand gallantly helped her up and led her down to where the waves were foaming。 Rand called triumphantly； 〃Hey； look who finally gave in and decided to have some fun！〃
Scott saw Rook's fingers； the ones on her free hand； curl into a fist and then open again； away from Rand's sight。 It was like some quick debate。
Scott watched Marlene's lithe grace in the spray and surf。 Maybe they're right about this place。 We should enjoy it while we can。
Corg and Sera and the mecha they led split up to search the chain of islands for the rebels and for the Simulagent； Ariel。 Sensor triangulations indicated that there was a strong possibility she was near。
They understood their orders。 If possible； they were to contact Ariel。 If not； they were to observe her interaction with the Humans in order to determine the cause of her malfunction。 Failing any of the above； they were to destroy her utterly； and the outcasts who had swayed her。
Lancer grew despondent looking at the pointless destruction the Invid had inflicted on the island。 He followed a stream he had spotted from the air and found a small waterfall in a grotto a few hundred yards up an overgrown trail into the jungle。 He tried not to reflect upon all the people who had e that way before him； and what their eventual fate had been。
This time he put aside the Musume persona。 He waded in and began washing the sweat of fear and battle and the rankness of too many hours in the cockpit from him。 He sang loudly in Lancer's voice。 He sang as if he were trying to drown out some other tune； perhaps a funeral dirge。。。
It might have been memory of the Magruder ambush that kept him alert。 Even though the little waterfall was splattering； he heard foliage parting and swinging back； and caught the movement of a shadow out of the corner of one eye。
Sera had picked up those strange auditory impulses through the superattuned senses of her mecha。 The Regis had given her crowned offspring the means to know what it was to be a demigod； to soar over oceans and continents…to see each movement of the blades of grass； hear each bend of a leaf。
But the Regis never guessed what a trap that could be。 The strange sonic input kept Sera from firing on its source。 It kept her from contacting her brother Corg； or the Pincer Ships。 The only thing she could do was stalk closer。 She had heard the music of the spheres； but she had never heard Human singing before。
Before she realized what she was doing； she was out of the all…embracing armored safety of her mecha； padding through the strange smells and sights and sounds of the island； the terrifying intimacy of it。 She was drawn by the siren song。
She couldn't put a name to what she felt。 She knew that not all of her genetic coding came from the Regis； of course。 Some of it was Human。 Was that what was forcing her to this aberrant activity？ She repressed any doubt； she must see what was making these pelling； beautiful sounds。 Information wetware input told her that it was what the Humans called 〃singing〃 but that word was a mere cipher。。。
The Human had long purple hair and was a male。 He was standing under a precipitation runoff as some sort of an ablutionary function or perhaps a superstitious rite。 The Human sang； and Sera hunkered down to listen。 But her hand pressed frond to frond； which made slight noise and changed the silhouette of vegetation against the westering sun。
She saw him tense and look around； and she drew back。 When she edged one eye up for another look； he was pressing into the heavier part of the waterfall； off to the right； where the view was screened from her by the thickness of the foliage and the weight of the water。
This was madness。 She should kill him； summon her brother Corg； and eradicate all the rest of them。 But there was something about the sounds he made。 His 〃song〃 was so haunting； so soft and knowing； as if he had been given instruction in the things most intimate to her。
The feelings that stirred in her had no name。 Sera pushed forward a little in the undergrowth to hear more before she would be obliged to still that voice forever。
She could hear nothing。 She waited； standing on the rim of the waterfall's pool； looking this way and that。 With the song ended； a measure of sanity returned。 Better to kill the Human now and forget the aberration of his singing。
Two hands closed on her ankles； pulled； and Sera screamed。 Then she was swallowing water。
CHAPTER TWENTY…TWO
There were all these escapist books （as Rand called them） at the resort…I couldn't make out the name of the joint too well from the sign； but I think that for some reason or other it was called 〃Club Mud。〃
These books were all about what fun。 everybody was gonna have living action…packed lives after some global disaster。 They didn't mention radiation sickness and self…aborting children and plagues and famine and pillagers and…oh； you jaded oldtimers！ I'm sick of you！
Escapist？ From hot showers and hot meals and dentists and intercontinental airline flights and inoculations and a planet that belonged to the Human race？ Escape me there！
Annie LaBelle； Talking History
Sera opened her eyes and saw a pale face and purple hair riding the water lazily； before her。
Lancer saw an indistinct figure in some sort of body suit。 This certainly wasn't an Invid。 That didn't mean it couldn't be another turncoat。 The person squirmed； blowing breath in silver bubbles of alarm； thrashing to the surface。
Lancer held his captive by one wrist； shaking the water out of his own hair。 〃All right； pal！ You're not going anywhere until。。。until。。。Um。 You're a woman。〃
She seemed transfixed； a slim Human female； medium…tall； with short…trimmed blonde hair and the strangest red eyes…the kind of thing you see in a bad flashphoto。 Her hairstyle was； even wet； some short； green…blonde upswept thing： Peter Pan Meets the Razor and Car Vacuum People。 She was dressed in a bodysuit of colored panels of black； purple； and pink。
Lancer's nerveless fingers had gone limp on her wrist。 〃Ah wo…mahn？〃 she repeated back at him； breathing quickly； as nervous as…as someone he remembered。 They were knee…deep in the pool now； and she just stared at him。
She lurched to get away from him； but Lancer cuffed his hand around her wrist again； more astounded than alarmed。 〃Sorry； but we'll have to know where you're from。〃
He looked over her dermasuit； a second skin。 〃At least you're not armed。 Or is beauty your weapon？〃 His lips were close to hers。
She pursed her own； parted them； then suddenly struck at him； and struggled frantically to break f