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No　visitor　had　failed　to　be　astounded　at　the　sight。　Maxwell　drew　a　certain　sensual　pleasure　from　seeing　the　sculpted　brows　of　the　renowned　Yellow　Dancer　raised　high。　〃Mr。　Mayor…these　planes　still　fly；　then？〃

He　basked　in　the　impact　his　collection　had　made。　〃They　haven't　in　many；　many　years；　but…of　course；　or　what　would　be　the　point　of　having　them？〃

He　indicated　the　way　with　a　slight　bow；　Yellow　fell　in；　walking　between　the　gleaming；　sleek…lined　sky　hunters　while　he　went　on。　〃I'm　no　aviator；　you　see；　they　were　refitted　to　fly　by　auto…pilot；　the　very　last　word　in　Human　guidance　systemry；　before　Robotechnology　changed　all　that　forever。〃

They　had　walked　beneath　the　open　landing　gear　bays；　the　poised　wings。　Yellow　could　see　that　the　external　hardpoints　and　pylons　were　loaded　with　what　seemed　to　be　real；　functioning　ordnance；　and　that　the　jets　looked　fully　operational。

〃The　planes　basically　flew　themselves；〃　Maxwell　was　saying。　〃These　were　my　father's　prized　possessions；　they're　dear　to　me　as　he　was　dear　to　me。　They're　all　I　really　have　left　of　him；　really。〃

They　had　e　to　two　easy　chairs　over　by　the　high　windows；　some　distance　from　where　Carla　sat。　Maxwell　pointedly　made　no　introductions。　〃Please　sit　down。　Your　note　said　that　you're　seeking　employment？〃

Yellow　Dancer　nodded；　a　purple　wisp　of　hair　falling　across　her　cheek。　〃Yes；　and　I　hear　you　are　the　owner　of　a　fabulous　nightspot　here　in　town；　correct？〃

Maxwell　nodded；　his　eyes　searching　Yellow's；　drinking　her　in。　Lancer　had　heard　through　resistance　sources　that　Maxwell　was　a　collector　of　Yellow　Dancer's　performance　tapes　and　sound　recordings。　In　fact；　the　mayor　had　made　tentative　inquiries　with　an　eye　to　getting　the　legendary　Yellow　Dancer　to　perform　in　his　mountain　domain。

〃I　am　indeed。　And　if　the　magnificent　Yellow　Dancer　were　to　perform　there；　it　would　help　my　people　by　boosting　the　town's　economy…and　my　own；　of　course。〃

Yellow　Dancer　chuckled　slyly。　Unnoticed；　Carla　suddenly　broke　her　sad　reverie；　her　head　snapping　up；　eyes　going　toward　where　the　two　sat。　〃I'd　be　thrilled　to；　Mayor　Maxwell；〃　beamed　Yellow　Dancer。　Carla's　breath　caught　in　her　throat；　and　she　put　one　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　chair；　feeling　faint。

It　can't　be！　But…I've　got　to　be　sure！　She　forced　herself　to　her　feet。

The　mayor　was　saying；　〃A　bravura　performance　by　Yellow　Dancer　will　lift　people's　spirits。　Certainly　it　will　help　in　my　reelection　campaign。〃　It　didn't　look　or　sound　like　Maxwell　was　very　worried　about　being　unseated；　though。

Yellow　Dancer　looked　up　amiably；　ready　to　greet　the　mayor's　fianc閑。　A　sudden　astonishment　came　across　the　fine…boned；　androgynous　face。

Carla　could　only　stare　down　at　Yellow。　It　is　Lancer！

Maxwell　hadn't　noticed　Yellow's　expression；　because　he　was　reaching　up　to　take　Carla's　hand。　He　made　the　introductions　and　added；　〃I　have　a　splendid　idea！　We'll　have　ourselves　a　deal；　Yellow；　if　you　promise　to　sing　a　ballad　for　our　wedding！　And　I'll　move　the　date　up　to　tomorrow　afternoon。　Now　how's　that？〃

Yellow　barely　heard　what　the　mayor　was　saying。　Like　Carla；　Yellow　had　the　feeling　that　the　gold　of　the　sunset　had　engulfed　the　whole　room；　whisking　them　to　some　other　time　and　place。


Maxwell's　Club　Inca　was　the　finest　spot　in　the　region；　but　it　was　still　a　sad　place；　more　of　an　echo　of　a　bygone　era　than　an　evocation　of　it。

Carla　sat　watching　Yellow　Dancer　move　across　the　stage；　dedicating　the　first　number　to　the　bride　and　groom。　The　groom　was　off　somewhere　attending　to　more　of　his　seemingly　endless　business；　and　the　bride　was　trying　to　hold　back　her　tears。

The　noontime　wedding；　at　Maxwell's　mansion；　had　been　a　joyless　affair　attended　mostly　by　his　attendants　and　a　few　local　notables。　Carla　had　refused　an　elaborate　wedding　gown；　insisting　on　wearing　a　simple　blue　frock。　She　had　gone　through　the　motions　like　a　zombie；　barely　aware　of　what　she　was　doing；　knowing　only　that　Lancer　hadn't　e　to　her。

She　had　thought　he　would　seek　her　out；　and　save　her　from　the　wedding。　And　then　in　time　she　realized　that；　for　some　reason；　that　wasn't　going　to　happen。

But　now；　alone　at　her　table　at　the　Club　Inca；　she　watched　Yellow　Dancer's　every　move。　She　couldn't　be　wrong！　Lancer　must　have　e　back　for　her　at　last！

Yellow　wore　one　of　her　most　stylish　outfits；　a　feminized　version　of　the　Cabaret　MC's　costume；　plete　with　vest；　bowtie；　derby　hat；　and　spats。　Very　Marlene　Dietrich。

As　promised；　the　song　was　an　old　Minmei　number；　sung　for　the　mayor　and　the　new　Mrs。　Maxwell。　The　alluring　chanteuse　broke　into　song；　acpanied　by　recorded　music　because　the　house　band　just　wasn't　up　to　her　level　of　performance。

How　could　it　all　have　turned　out　this　way？　Carla　wondered；　staring　into　her　champagne　glass　as　though　the　answer　were　there。

Her　memory　strayed　again；　back　to　a　time　just　after　the　Invid　destroyed　the　planet　Earth。

The　brunt　of　the　conquest　was　over　in　hours。　Striking　with　beam　weapons　and　energy　effects　that　humanity　still　could　not　prehend；　the　Invid　exterminated　over　eighty　percent　of　the　Human　race。　Many　more　died　as　the　Invid　mecha　descended　to　ravage　and　slay。

The　remnants　of　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross　rose　to　fight；　were　thrown　back　in　defeat；　regrouped；　tried　again　against　any　sane　hope；　and　were　shattered　beyond　repair。

Still　there　were　those　who　refused　to　surrender；　as　the　aliens　established　themselves　and　began　their　pacification　of　the　planet。　One　of　these　was　a　young　aviator　reservist　named　Lancer　who　had　just　begun　to　explore　his　love　with　a　woman　named　Carla　when　the　hordes　from　the　stars　struck。

Even　as　the　Invid　established　their　network　of　quislings；　informers；　and　assassination　squads；　Lancer　and　a　few　others　were　plotting　for　a　final　attempt　to　strike　at　the　heart　of　the　Invid　beachhead。

But　the　raid　was　a　final　disaster。　Wounded；　attempting　to　get　back　to　her；　Lancer　had　crash…landed　his　Veritech　less　than　a　mile　from　her　door。　Somehow；　Carla　had　gotten　him　to　what　was　left　of　her　home。

By　then；　most　of　the　people　still　alive　were　those　willing　to　submit　to　the　Invid。　Some　even　served　them…hunted　down　their　enemies　and　offered　them　up　to　the　triumphant　invaders。

Lancer　had　barely　e　to　in　Carla's　bed　when　the　sounds　of　the　hue　and　cry　drifted　up　from　the　streets。　Rifle　butts　were　bashing　at　doors；　hounds　bayed。

In　time；　the　manhunt　came　to　Carla's　house。


CHAPTER　TEN

If　you　hold　it　against　me　that　I　was　a　little　theatrical　in　what　I　did；　and　you　don't　care　to　consider　The　Scarlet　Pimpernel　or　Zorro；　be　kind　enough　to　keep　in　mind　what　I　acplished；　and　let　the　record　speak　for　itself。
Of　if　not；　either　walk　on　by　or　step　out　back。
Remark　attributed　to　Lancer

That　time　seemed　so　remote；　Carla　thought；　and　yet　it　remained　so　crystal…clear　in　her　mind。

Lancer　had　a　fine　record　as　a　military　officer；　but　he　had　left　the　Southern　Cross　sometime　before　the　Invid　attack　because　he　had　been　unable　to　fight　the　urge　he　felt　to　be　a　performer。　His　soft；　intimate　way　with　some　songs；　his　brassy；　crowd…pleasing　style　with　others；　made　him　a　natural；　but　there　was　another　side　to　his　art。

An　interest　in　theater　had　led　him　to　investigate　the　Japanese　traditions　of　No；　Bunraku；　Bugaku；　and　especially　Kabuki。　He　found　that　he　loved　to　perform　clownish　Saruwaka　antics　more　than　he　liked　any　Aragoto　swaggering　heroic　lead；　and　in　somewhat　the　same　way；　the　martial　juggling/acrobatics　of　the　Hoka　possessed　him。

And　he　came；　in　time；　almost　against　his　will；　to　a　fascination　with　the　revered　craft　of　the　Onna…gata…the　tradition　of　female　roles　portrayed　by　specializing　male　actors…and　the　gentle　Wagoto　style　of　acting。

Lancer　found　a　strange　understanding　of　himself　through　the　Musume；　the　ingenue　role；　and　dramatic　masters　encouraged　him　to　study　the　art。　In　the　West　there　was　still；　in　many　quarters；　a　horror　at　the　blurring　of　gender　lines。　But　in　the　Kabuki　his　talent　was　applauded；　by　men　and　women　both；　for　its　triumph　of　art　over　stereotype；　and　for　its　submersion　of　self　in　role。

Lancer　returned　to　the　Americas　with　new　thoughts　in　his　head。　He　began　to　revive　the　type　of　gender…blending　pop　music　figure　that　had　disappeared　with　the　outbreak　of　the　Global　Civil　War。

When　he　met　Carla；　she　seemed