row。
Laako City； largest settlement in the southern wastes； saw its fair share of these nameless drifters； and Ken was usually the one who weled them with open arms。 He was a tall； gangly streetwise eighteen…year…old with a reputation for dirty tricks； mean…spirited by nature but a charmer when he needed to be。 His long hair was a pewter color； save for the crimson forelock that was his trademark。
His most recent conquest was a young girl named Annie； who claimed to be fifteen。 But Ken had grown bored with her； besides； he had his eye fixed on a pretty little dark…haired urchin who had just arrived in Laako； and the time had e to kiss Annie off。
The trouble was that Annie didn't want to go。
〃Don't leave me like this！〃 she was pleading with hum just now； alligator tears coursing down moon…face cheeks。
〃Hey；〃 he told her soothingly； disengaging himself from her hold on his arm。 〃You knew from the start you'd have to leave someday。〃
This was and was not true： Laako did maintain a policy of limiting the time outsiders were allowed to spend in the city； but well…connected Ken could easily have steered his way around the regs。 If he had been so inclined。
The two of them were standing at the causeway entrance to the city in the lake； the tall albeit ruined towers of the Laako's twin islands visible in the background。 Sundry trucks and tractors on their way to the causeway checkpoint were motoring by； kicking up dust and decibels alike。
〃Please； Ken！〃 Annie tried； emphatically this time； launching herself at him； hoping to pinion his arms with her small hands。 It was push and pull for a moment…Ken saying； 〃Annie！。。。Cut it out！。。。Stop it！〃 to Annie's 〃I can't！。。。I won't！。。。I can't！…〃 but ultimately he put a violent end to it； bringing his arms up with such force that Annie was thrown to the ground。
Which was easy enough for him to do。 She was a good foot shorter than Ken； with a large mouth； long； straight； carrot…colored hair； and what some might have termed a cherublike cuteness about her。 Her single outfit consisted of an olive…drab double…breasted military jumpsuit she had picked up along the trail； set off by a pink frameless rucksack and a maroon visored cap emblazoned with the letters E。T； a piece of twentieth…century nostalgia that dated back to a popular science…fantasy film。 It was difficult to tell…as it was with many of the lost…whether Annie was searching for a friend； a father； or a lover。 And it was doubtful that she could have answered the question either。
〃I told you to cut it out；〃 Ken started to say； but the sight of her kneeling in the dirt crying her eyes out managed to touch what meager tenderness he still possessed。 〃Don't you see I have no choice？〃 he continued apologetically； walking over to her and placing his hand on her heaving shoulder。 〃This whole thing is just as hard for me as it is for you； Annie。 Please try and understand。〃
She kept her face buried in her hands； sobbing while he spoke。
〃Nobody who es from the outside can stay for more than a little while； remember？ And if I left here； I wouldn't be allowed to return。。。〃
Suddenly the tears were gone and she was looking up at him with a devious grin on her face。 〃Then run away with me； Ken！ We'll start our own family； our own town！〃 She was up on her feet now； tugging on his arm； but Ken didn't budge。
〃Quit giving me a hard time；〃 he told her harshly； angry at himself for being taken in by her saltwater act。 〃I'm not going anywhere…you are！〃
Annie's face contorted through sorrow to rage。 She cursed him； using everything her vocabulary had to offer。 But in return he proffered a knowing smile that undermined her anger。 〃You're heartless；〃 she seethed； collapsing to the ground once more。 〃Heartless。〃
Rand had led Scott to the site of the downed transport； the Mars Division mander held little hope that anyone had survived the crash but thought there might be an Armored Alpha Veritech still aboard。 He was thankful for the Cyclone； but with perhaps thousands of miles separating him from the Invid Reflex Point； the journey would be a long one indeed。
Fearing a visit from Invid reinforcements…Shock Troopers this time…the two riders didn't remain long at the wreck。 There were neither survivors nor Veritechs； but Scott was at least able to procure additional Scorpions for the battle armor launchers； several canisters of Protoculture fuel； and a sensor…studded helmet for Rand。 Thus far the redheaded rebel had demonstrated no inclination to form even a temporary partnership； but Scott hoped that the helmet and battle armor would entice him somewhat。 Scott would have been the first to admit his sense of helplessness； he was a stranger to this world and its ways。 And if the unthinkable had occurred…if he alone had survived the atmospheric plunge…he was going to need all the help he could get。
Rand wasn't sure what to make of the offworlder。 He was a good man to have on one's side in a fight and no doubt…a capable enough officer in his own element； but he was a fish out of water on Earth； and a relic besides…a throwback to a time when humankind functioned hopefully and collectively。 In any case； Rand was a lone rider； and he meant to keep it that way。 You joined up with someone； and suddenly there were promises that had to be made； plans and decisions a single Forager wasn't caught up in。
Rand lived for the open road； and he was grateful that the offworlder hadn't lingered too long at the crash site； glad to have it behind him now。 The two had ridden as far as the hills together； then Rand had waved Scott off and lit out on his own； the Cyclone throbbing beneath him。 He was enchanted with the mecha； but there were a few other priorities that needed tending to： food； for starters。 The tasteless stuff Scott had liberated from the wreck might be all right for spacemen； but it wasn't likely to catch on among down…to…earth Foragers。
Once again he had decided to pass on Laako City； it would be easy enough to get something to eat there； but the results probably wouldn't justify the paranoid garbage he would have to put up with。 Rand had never visited Laako； but what he had heard from other Foragers was enough to give him second thoughts about the place。
Even so； he was headed in the general direction of the island city； putting the Cyclone through the paces on the twisting mountain road that connected the wastes with the grasslands and lakes of the central plateaus。 The only such road； it was usually heavily trafficked and dangerous in spots…little more than a narrow ledge with deep ruts and steep drop…offs。 But most of that was still ahead of him； and he was cruising along； oblivious to the fact that Scott was not far behind。 Then Rand heard the roar of the second Cyclone and looked over his right shoulder； surprised to find the offworlder scrambling along the embankment above the roadway。 Scott gave a nod and piloted the cycle through a clean jump that brought him alongside Rand。
〃What's the problem？〃 Rand shouted； raising his goggles。 〃You got nowhere to go； or what？〃 He saw Scott smile beneath the helmet's wraparound chin guard。
〃I want to head up toward that city you mentioned；〃 Scott called back； maintaining his speed。 〃We might be able to get some information。〃
〃What's this we stuff； spaceman？〃 Rand barked。 〃I go my own way。〃
Scott smiled again。 〃e on； I'll show you how to convert to Battle Armor mode。 Or maybe you're too frightened of the Invid； huh？〃
〃Hey； pal； you go ahead and wage your one…man war。 This Cyclone's fine as is；〃 Rand snapped。 〃See you around；〃 he added； giving a twist to the throttle and pulling out ahead of Scott。
In a moment Scott came up alongside again。
〃Make up your mind…you headed to the city or not？〃
Scott made a gesture of nonchalance。 〃I'm just headed where I'm headed； that's all。〃
〃Well； get off my tail！〃 Rand shouted； lowering his goggles。 He popped the front wheel and accelerated out front。
Scott did the same； and the two of them toyed with each other for several minutes； alternating the lead。 By now they had entered the shoulderless downhill portion of the highway； and Rand was nursing some misgivings about playing chicken with a dude who was decked out in armor。 Nevertheless； he stuck by the offworlder； racing him into a wide turn where the roadway disappeared around the shoulder of the mountain。 Neither of them saw the convoy of trucks headed for the pass until it was almost too late。 The driver of the lead vehicle…an opencabbed eight…wheeler…leaned on his horn and locked up the brakes； throwing the transport into zigzags。 The Cyclones； meanwhile； were also locked up； sliding sideways down the narrow road。 Rand； on the inside； saw a collapsed portion of an earthen wall and went for it； ramping his bike up to the high ground。 Scott； however； kept to the road； dangerously close to the drop…off now； and brought the Cyclone to a halt a meter from the truck's front grille。
The driver； a long…haired rube wearing a tall brimmed hat； waved his fist in the air。 〃Ya rogue…somebody coulda got killed！〃
〃Sorry about that；〃 Scott told him offhandedly。 〃Look； we need some information…〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 the driver cut Scott off； eyeing him up and down。 〃You're a