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Annie was already in the sunken tub when the first logs began to slip under his feet。
〃It sure is warm enough；〃 she was saying。 〃I feel like a lobster。〃 Naked； Rook and Marlene were laughing playfully but not loud enough to cover up the sounds from outside the window。
Rand gripped the windowsill； held his breath； and tried to will the logs silent； but they just kept rolling off the top of the pile and crashing against the side of the house。 At first he wasn't sure if the women had heard anything； nor could he be sure they were looking his way。 But the bathroom was awfully quiet all of a sudden。。。
I'm just investigating these strange sounds； Rand said to himself over and over。 I'm just investigating these strange sounds
〃Hey； is there somebody out there？！〃 Annie asked。
Rand heard her and started to back off； but the pile gave way again and sent him down on his butt to the ground。 By the time he turned around； the window had been thrown open； and in addition to clouds of steam came a bucketful of ice…cold water that caught him squarely on the back and seemed to lift him right off the ground。
〃That oughta cool you down； Rand；〃 he heard Rook saying。
〃That's what I get for trying to be helpful？！〃 he shouted in return； running off toward the front of the house。
Overhead； the Invid squadron closed in on the village； a constellation of evil moving across the heavens。
〃Estimated three point seven three minutes to objective；〃 Corg told his troops。 〃Focus scanning systems on Protoculture activity。 And remember： These are Robotech rebels。 They are not to be neutralized for the farms； they are to be destroyed。〃
Scott and the others had moved indoors by the time Rand entered； towel…drying his hair and trying to work some warmth into his scalp。 Lunk was spreading out the sleeping bags； and Scott seemed to be spit…polishing the muzzle of one of the assault rifles。
〃I'm starting to think maybe the Invid aren't as stupid as we thought they were；〃 Lancer was saying from the window。
〃Don't worry； they won't let us down；〃 Scott told him。 〃Just keep your eyes peeled。〃
Shivering； Rand draped the towel around his neck。 〃Whew！〃 he said loudly enough to capture everyone's attention。 〃I've never been able to figure women out。 They go on and on about how men don't appreciate them； and when we do go out of our way to appreciate them； they start screaming bloody murder like it was all news to them。〃
Lancer threw him a disapproving look。 〃There's a big difference between appreciating them and leering at them； Rand。〃
〃Ah； what do you know about it？〃 Rand countered angrily。
Scott ignored the two of them and asked Lunk about the so…called Roman candles he had set up outside。
〃It's just my part of the surprise for Annie's birthday；〃 Lunk explained。
Meanwhile； the birthday girl was back in the tub having her hair washed by Rook。 She asked Marlene if she had ever been in love。
〃Scott asked me the same question；〃 Marlene said； soaping herself up； 〃and I have to give you the same answer I gave him： I know it must sound strange； but I honestly don't remember。〃
〃How can you not remember if you were in love？〃 Annie said in amazement。
Marlene shrugged。 〃I've forgotten everything。 I'm a living； breathing； walking blank…I can't even remember what my purpose in life is。〃
〃Your purpose in life is to find a man；〃 Annie told her with certainty。 〃Everyone knows that。 Rook has found herself a man。〃
Rook stopped massaging Annie's hair and gently twisted her head around。 〃If you're talking about Rand；〃 she said into Annie's face； 〃let me enlighten you about a thing or two。 First of all； about this business of needing a man…huh？！〃
Marlene was staring at them in stark terror。
〃They've e！〃 she screamed。 〃The Invid are here！〃
Inside the armory the bio…emulator continued its false siren song。
The men were also aware that the Invid had arrived； and the ships were doing just what the plan called for： forming a circle around the building。
〃Remind me to congratulate the wise guy who invented that bio…emulator；〃 Lancer said； arming his blaster。 〃It's working like a charm。〃
Scott was the first through the open window。 〃Lunk； stay with the women。 And Rand； grab those detonators on your way out。 Time for this evening's next surprise。〃
While Scott； Lancer； and Rand were stealing away from the house； Corg was issuing orders to his troops。 They had put down in formation fifty yards from the circular structure and were spreading out to take up positions。 The voice of the Regis came across the munications net。
〃You have reached the focus of the disturbance。〃
〃Deploy for plete encirclement of the Robotech rebels；〃 Corg ordered。 〃None of them must be allowed to slip through our grasp。〃
〃Scanners indicate the Protoculture emanations are definitely Robotech in origin。。。〃 the Regis updated as the bat units fanned out。
〃We will not fail you this time； my queen；〃 Corg started to say； but the Regis had something to add。
〃However； the nature of your readings is disturbing。 The Protoculture activity is unusually steady in its dispersal pattern。 We detect no modulations or fluctuations of any kind…almost as if the matrix waverings were being synthetically produced。〃
〃Nonsense！ Humans are incapable of such deception！〃 He already had the cannon arm of his ship raised。
The cockpit displays in Corg's ship began to flash as new data was received and transmitted。 〃Our bio…detectors register no sign of Human movement within the structure；〃 the Regis continued。 〃Probability cortex indicates likelihood of a trap； increasing by a factor of one hundred for every five seconds you remain in present situation。。。〃
Corg reached out and shut down the audio signals。 〃Open fire！〃 he manded。
Streams of annihilation discs began to tear into the circular walls of the armory； and explosions erupted across the face of the dome； filling the cool air with the sound of thunder and throwing pyrotechnic light into the night sky。 Corg continued to scream 〃Fire！ Fire！〃 urging his troops on to greater heights of destructive catharsis； pouring out all the misunderstood feelings and frustrations that were part of the life the Regis had given him。
But outside the circle of pincer…clawed ships； the Humans had some feelings of their own to express。 And suddenly there were explosions ing from the trees that surrounded the building； explosions Corg could not understand。 He watched as his Troopers were hurled violently against one another and sent smashing into the building's stone walls。 Others were lifted off the ground by the force of the blasts。 Claws； scanners； and pieces of hardware became fiery…hot projectiles blown from his decimated squadron。 The hull of his own ship was holed with shrapnel and pieces of airborne debris； and all at once he felt himself overturned； felled by a storm of enemy fire。 Shock Troopers were taken out while they attempted to lift off； erupting like brilliant balls of flame； raining pieces of themselves throughout the field。
〃Easy as shooting fish in a barrel；〃 Rand said from the perimeter。
Lunk； too； was yahooing from the window of the house。 The women had joined him in the front