War。
〃Climb in；〃 said Lunk。 〃She's ready to fly。〃
〃Who's been maintaining it？〃 Scott asked as he struggled out of the reconfigured Cyclone。
〃Listen； I'm not as stupid as you might think；〃 Lunk said； raising his voice above explosive volleys from the Invid。 Discs were striking the fields nearby； loosening dirt and debris from the exposed rafters。 〃I was a certified bio…maintenance engineer。 Trust me； this baby will fly like a dream。〃
Scott climbed into the barn loft and gave the Veritech's radome an affectionate pat。 He threw himself up to the open canopy； got a good handhold； and slipped into the cockpit。 He hadn't bothered to change out of the Cyclone armor； but now he exchanged his helmet for the Veritech's own 〃thinking cap〃 and began a run…through of the systems。 It was so long since he had piloted a VT in atmosphere； he wondered if he could bring it off now。
〃Everything seems in order！〃 he called down to Lunk as an explosion tore out a huge section of wall。
Lunk's hands went to his ears； and he threw himself to cover。 Through the breach in the wall； Scott glimpsed the three Troopers land and begin their approach on the barn。 I'll never be able to power up fast enough to get out of here！ he thought。
But just then Rand and Rook arrived to check the aliens' advance。 The red Cycloner launched herself like a projectile straight into one of the Trooper's optic sensors； while Rand fired two Scorpions against a second。 It was all the time Scott needed to bring up the Protoculture levels of the Veritech； and a moment later； much to Rand's consternation； the radome of the VT was punching through the barn's roof。
Scott threw the VT into a steep climb； luring the Troopers away from their swipe attacks against Rook and Rand。 Rand watched the fighter accelerate through a sweeping arc and head back into the faces of its pursuers； destroying one with a missile too swift for his eyes to track。 But that was only the beginning。 Now the fighter was reconfiguring to Battloid mode and leading the two remaining Invid on a high…speed chase over the countryside。
Scott thought the ship upright…a techno…knight standing in thin air…while salvos of annihilation discs beamed past him。 He reached out； throwing levers that opened the missile partments built into the Battloid's forearm； shoulder； and lower…leg armor； and thought the systems through to launch。 It was all ing back to him now…it had to！ For a moment； the techno…knight was enpassed in energy balloons； then dozens of missiles tore from their launch racks like so many red…tipped arrows of death。 The Troopers took the full storm and were all but disintegrated by the force of the blasts。
Down below； Kevin and Spider were running toward the barn； a few steps ahead of Annie； who had just leapt from Yellow's jeep and was calling out for Lunk。 Rook and Rand had already reconfigured their Cyclones and were doffing the hot and cumbersome battle armor when Scott brought the VT down； cut the engines； and threw open the canopy。
Lunk stepped from the barn unharmed and caught Annie midair as she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck。 〃There you are！〃 she gushed。 〃I knew they wouldn't get you； I knew you'd e back to me！〃
Lunk held her away； offering a miffed but understanding grin。
〃I've decided you're the only one for me！〃
〃Well； thanks；〃 said Lunk。 〃I wish I could say the same。〃 He smiled tolerantly and gently lowered Annie to the ground。 〃You're a little young for me。。。And besides； I've got other plans。〃
Annie stared up at him； despondent； and asked what those other plans might be。
Lunk threw his massive shoulders back。 〃Join the resistance；〃 he said to all of them。 〃See if I can make up for past mistakes。〃
〃I'd be glad to join forces with you； Lunk；〃 said Scott。 〃If you mean what you say。。。〃
Kevin looked from one to the other。 〃He's not serious； robby。 Are you； Lunk？〃
Lunk nodded。 〃I'm sick of sneakin' around like a frightened little weasel。 Face it； Kevin； I'm a soldier； after all。 And it's time I started acting like one。〃
〃Use your head； Lunk；〃 Kevin countered。 〃This war's a lost cause。 What can two； ten； or even two hundred do against the Invid？〃
〃We can try；〃 said Lunk。
Annie made a disappointed sound and turned her back to Lunk； hands behind her head。 〃And I thought you were special。。。〃
Lunk bent down； perplexed； to ask： 〃But a minute ago I was the man of your dreams； remember？〃
Annie's lips tightened； and she shook her head。 〃A long time ago I decided I'd never marry a soldier。 They don't last long enough nowadays。〃
Kevin and Spider laughed。
〃The kid's no dummy； that's for sure；〃 Rand offered。
Yellow stepped down from the jeep and approached the VT。 〃I'd like to sign up for the team； Scott。〃
Rook sent a knowing elbow into Rand's ribs at the same time Kevin sent one into Spider's。 But Scott's answer disappointed all of them。
〃Thanks；〃 he said from the cockpit。 〃But we don't have enough troops yet to hire an entertainer。〃
〃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 a