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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 free； sobbing。
Rand shook the water out of his thick red hair。 Marlene； listening to a shell； flinched a bit as the water hit her but never lost her smile。 She laughed at the water that was being sprayed at her； there was light everywhere she looked。
Rand was panting； leaning on the boogyboard he had found in the ruins of the resort。 〃Scott； you're missing a once…in…a…lifetime chance。 Quit pretending to be a sand crab。〃
〃Rand； I am not pretending to be a sand crab。 Uh； what is a sand crab？〃
〃What're you talking about？ At least take off that dumb flight suit！〃
Scott had no way of refusing Rand's demands short of physical violence。 Flight suit and all； Rand dragged him into the water。 Rook watched them； easing her aching leg and arm。 Rand seemed so young and limber and in the water； especially； he seemed slick and carefree as a pink sea otter。 What hope could she have for a life with someone like that？ He hadn't accumulated the chronicle of sins that she had。 Rook sighed。
Scott confessed that he didn't know how to swim； virtually none of the spaceborne generation did。 Rand only took that as a challenge to teach him。 About thirty seconds of Rand's instruction had Scott spitting water； and heaving； and vowing to stick to solid ground from then on。
Out where the mecha were parked； Lunk was running repairs and listening to Annie's apparently endless heartbreak stories。 〃I'm beginning to think I'll die an old maid！ I might even wind up as a librarian！〃
That ment brought Lunk's head up out of the cockpit of Rook's Alpha； where he had been working。 The only meaningful relationship he had had was a romance with a librarian。 She was a fiery young woman who knew how to handle a gun and was determined that the books would live and that they would be there when Homo Sapiens eventually started picking up the pieces。
Lunk had had to run； but he had often thought back to the dark…haired； dark…eyed librarian…so impassioned。。。
He drew a great breath and told Annie； 〃You're such a heartbreaker； you'll probably get married five or six times。 Do me a favor and invite me to every wedding。〃
She shrieked with laughter； grabbed the thick hair of his sideburns and showered his face with kisses。
Lancer thought he had spied his prey。 He dodged into a clearing； but he saw that he had been fooled by a trick of the light。 He stopped； froze； then called out； 〃Wait！ I only want to talk to you！ There may be Invid nearby！ You may be in great danger！〃
He heard a thrashing behind him； turned to see the pink along one flank as she ran； and yelled after her even as he sprinted to pursue。 〃Please stop…〃
Sera could have gotten away if she had really wanted to。 Why had she lingered？ Why had she watched him？
〃I just want to know who you are and where you're from！ It's very important to me！ Hey！〃
Lancer could hear her ahead； sobbing and stumbling。 He ran with an even breath； hopping some obstacles and ducking others。 At last he bounded into a clearing where hot； blinding light shone down on him。 He