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Annie cozied up to Lunk next。 〃Oh； I can't tell you how happy I am to be here！ It's just too thrilling for words！〃 She gave him a light peck on the cheek and moved away from the table； snatching up his glass of wine。
〃Hey； wait a second； that's not fair！〃 Rand protested while everyone else laughed。 〃If a contestant kisses one of the judges； she's gotta kiss all of them。〃
Annie had backed away tipsily to clink glasses with Lancer。
〃Gee； do I have to？〃
〃Yep。 Them's the rules。〃
〃Well； pucker up then；〃 she said on her way over to Rand。 But as he stood up and offered his lips； she stuck one of the wineglasses in his mouth。 Annie dismissed the laughter and sidled up to Scott； who was leaning against the wall。 〃Now； don't anybody move； because my very favorite part is ing up next…the swimsuit petition！〃 As Scott's eyebrows went up； she reached up and shut his eyes with her fingertips。 〃But you don't get to watch； you dirty old man！〃
〃That's telling him； Annie！〃 Rook encouraged her。
Rand said； 〃Well； she's got my vote。〃
〃Yeah；〃 from Lunk； getting to his feet。
Rook seconded the vote； and everyone else said； 〃Agreed！〃
〃It's unanimous； Annie；〃 Rook announced。 〃You are the new Miss Birthday Girl！〃
Annie skipped over to the curtained window while they toasted her easy victory。 〃Jeepers； I don't know what to say！〃 Then suddenly it was her natural voice once again； full of emotion and sincerity：
〃Except that this is the happiest night of my life。〃
But far above the spirited celebration； some uninvited guests were converging on the deserted village： an Invid patrol from the nearby hive； now under the leadership of Corg himself。 He had narrowly escaped being blown to bits by the explosions that had destroyed the underground city； and the Regis had granted him a new mand ship of the same design as the original。
〃Are we approaching the site of the disturbance？〃 Corg inquired into his cockpit municator。
The source of active Protoculture readings recently received by the hive monitors had been traced to the village； and the Regis was certain that the Robotech rebels had made their way here。 She was just as certain there would be no escape for them stow。
〃Estimated arrival time： five point two minutes；〃 she told Corg through the mand net that linked her with her troops。
Corg glanced out over the landscape from the cockpit of his ship and thought： The thrill of approaching victory makes me feel almost。。。Human！
The women were cleaning up…by choice； not design。 Normally they wouldn't have even bothered to tidy up； but there was something about the house and the town itself that brought out sentiments most of them thought they had left behind。 Marlene was a little puzzled by it all； but she volunteered to help Rook clear the table and clean the glasses and plates。 The luxury of running water was more than enough for Rook； and she really had her mind on the hot bath she planned to take once the supplies were repacked。
〃I've never seen Annie so excited；〃 she was telling Marlene now。 〃This is one birthday she'll never forget。〃 Annie was peacefully asleep in a chair nearby。 〃I never thought I'd live to see her wearing a dress like a regular little girl。〃
Scott was outside the window； eavesdropping； his handgun raised。 Lancer found him there and wondered what it was all about。
〃You're concerned about Marlene； aren't you？〃
〃Well； what about you； Lancer？ Don't you get the feeling there's something mysterious about her？ And I don't just mean the amnesia。 It goes beyond that。。。like she's never had a past to remember。 Like。。。〃
〃Like what； Scott？ Go on； say it。〃
But Scott simply tightened his mouth and shook his head。
Lancer sighed knowingly but wasn't about to open up his own thoughts if Scott couldn't bring himself to do the same。 〃I don't think that she's going to murder us all in our sleep； Scott。 But I agree that she's an unusual woman。 Maybe we just have to give her some time to e out of it。〃
Scott gave him a dubious look and was about to press the point； but just then Rand broke into the conversation。
〃Hey； guys； do you really think the Invid might show up tonight？〃
There was something about Rand's tone that suggested more than his usual concern； almost as if he had other plans。 But Lancer chose to reply to his remark； not to the unsaid things。 〃There's no sign of them yet；〃 Lancer told him。 〃And believe me； that's just the way I want it。 I think I've had more than enough entertainment for one day。〃
Rand tittered； delighted。 〃Well； maybe you've had enough。 But as far as I'm concerned the party's just beginning。〃
Lancer beetled his brows。 〃Rand； what exactly do you have in mind？〃
When Rook and Marlene finished the dishes； they woke Annie up and surprised her with a bag of peppermints they hadn't brought out at the party。
〃Peppermints！〃
Rook patted her on the shoulder。 〃I knew those bags you took wouldn't last。〃
Annie was handling the bag lovingly one moment； and the next she was crying。 〃When I think that I'm having a real birthday after wanting one so badly。。。with peppermints and everything。。。〃 She buried her face against Marlene。
〃We're just glad you enjoyed it；〃 Rook said； smiling。 〃The only problem is we only get to do it once a year。〃 She yawned and stretched。 〃And now； something for the three of us to enjoy together。。。〃
The bathroom was in the rear of the house； it was a pletely tiled room with a shower stall and a sunken tub large enough for four。 Rand had been there when Rook made the discovery； and he knew it was only a matter of time before she would go back to avail herself of the pleasures of an honest…to…goodness hot bath。 So he had already stationed himself below the room's only window well before the time Rook； Marlene； and Annie entered。 He couldn't believe his luck when he realized that all three were about to take the plunge。
He had actually convinced himself that he had no idea just what the room contained。 As far as he or anyone else was concerned； he was merely standing guard out here while the rest of the guys dillydallied out front； cleaning their weapons and waiting for the Invid to home in on that device Lancer had rigged in the armory。 Therefore； it was entirely understandable that he poke his head up to that window at the first sign of any unusual noises； because who knew what was lurking around in these supposedly deserted villages？
What he hadn't figured on was the damn window being quite so high； he was forced to stand on the rather shaky woodpile underneath it in order to peer in。 And it was only then that he realized the window glass itself was frosted…not opaque but certainly a lot less clear than he would have liked。 And the steam from all that hot water wasn't helping any； either。
Nevertheless； he was able to discern a good deal of what was going on。 He knew； for example； that that was Marlene stepping out of her pants； and Annie discarding her dress； and Rook slipping off her jumpsuit and bra and panties。。。It was just the details that were left to his imagination。 And the need to know those details soon had him on tiptoe atop the woodpile； eyes and cupped hands pressed to the glass。
Annie was alrea