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Several　miles　downstream　from　the　team's　landing　spot；　another　Invid　stronghold　straddled　the　river　on　five　asymmetrical　legs。　It　looked　like　a　bulbous　insect　with　a　glowing；　low…hanging　belly。

Inside　was　a　Hive　Center　like　and　yet　unlike　that　of　the　fortress。　The　Sensor　there　was　identical　to　the　other　in　its　physical　shape；　but　its　color　was　a　putrid；　lit…from…within　green。　But　in　one　particular　way；　this　was　a　very　different　scene：　The　Regis　had　manifested　herself。

An　oval　energy　flux　surrounded　by　a　blue　nimbus；　its　long　axis　vertical；　hung　over　the　Sensor。　The　mauve　flux　gave　off　solar　prominences　of　light。　Within　it　were　swirling　lights　and　within　the　swirl；　barely　discernible　in　the　brilliance；　was　the　female　form　of　the　Regis。

〃Our　Matrix　is　now　approaching　the　bio…energy　level　needed　for　transmutation。〃

Regis　and　Sensor　were　attended　by　several　Shock　Troopers。　One　of　these　the　Regis　instructed；　〃Trooper；　step　forward！〃

The　Shock　Trooper　obeyed；　somehow　seeming　subdued　despite　its　immense　size　and　armaments。　The　incandescence　played　across　its　armor　as　it　stared　at　its　ruler…deity；　the　Regis。

〃You　have　proved　yourself　time　and　again；〃　she　told　it；　〃as　both　a　soldier　and　a　shape…changer。　In　both　these　capacities　you　have　helped　ensure　the　survival　of　our　race。　Your　outstanding　achievements　won　you　the　honor　of　engaging　the　enemy　in　the　Shock　Trooper　armor　that　now　enfolds　your　being。〃

Her　face　was　little　more　than　a　blank　mask　with　shadowed　eye　sockets　and　the　ridge　of　a　nose。　〃Now　the　time　has　e　for　you　to　continue　your　evolution；　to　take　the　next　step　upward　in　the　spiral　of　Protogenetic　progress！　Are　you　ready？〃

The　Trooper；　watching　her　with　its　single　optical　sensor；　made　a　biotechnic　gurgling　and　a　kind　of　hunching　bow　of　obeisance。

〃Very　well！　As　I　have　spoken；　so　it　shall　be　done！　Prepare　yourself　for　disembodiment　and　transmutation！〃　The　Regis　flung　her　arms　wide；　and　the　green　Sensor　was　aglow。　Energy　crackled　and　sizzled　through　the　Hive　Center。

Vines　of　living　Protoculture　power　snaked　out　from　the　Sensor　to　envelope　the　Trooper。　In　another　moment　it　seemed　to　be　in　a　rictus　of　agony；　its　superhard　armor　crumbling　from　it　like　plaster；　as　it　stood　in　the　center　of　a　globe　of　transplendence。

Abruptly　the　armor　was　gone；　and　a　pulsating　egg　hung　in　the　center　of　the　solar　fury。　〃The　disembodiment　is　plete；〃　the　Regis　decreed。　〃You　are　yourself；　unadorned；　without　identity；　awaiting　transmutation　into　the　shell　that　will　make　you　invincible！〃

The　egg　beat　like　a　heart。　What　it　held　was　like　the　drone　Rand　and　Annie　had　seen；　and　yet　unlike　it；　the　product　of　a　long　evolutionary　progression。

The　Regis　gathered　her　indistinct　hands　to　her　blank　breasts；　palm　to　palm。　〃Behold　the　final　stage　in　your　evolution！　Behold　the　Enforcer！〃


CHAPTER　SEVENTEEN

They　had　moved　so　fast　they　had　forgotten　something。　They　were　racing　to　save　a　world；　and　particularly　the　Human　species；　but　nobody　had　ever　said　anybody　was　going　to　be　grateful。　It　was　just　as　well　that　they　started　getting　used　to　that　fact　then。
Xandu　Reem；　A　Stranger　at　Home：　A　Biography　of　Scott　Bernard

The　Invid　anome　hung　before　the　Regis；　a　minor　sun　throwing　off　streamers　of　starflare。　She　threw　her　hands　out　wide；　and　the　sunlet　was　swallowed　up　in　a　roaring　pillar　of　ravening　power。　It　burned　upward　like　a　huge　searchlight　beam；　as　something　took　shape　within。

The　light　died　and　it　was　revealed。　Twice　the　size　of　the　Shock　Troopers；　it　mounted　a　shoulder　cannon　like　theirs　but　had　a　suggestion　of　the　Controller's　long　muzzle。　Its　claws　were　proportionately　smaller；　adapted　for　finer　work；　but　much　more　powerful　than　those　of　the　mecha　standing　around　it　paying　homage。　It　held　all　the　power　of　the　Matrix　outpouring　that　had　created　it。

Its　optical　sensor　fixed　on　the　Regis；　the　Enforcer　awaited　her　mand。


The　cool；　clean　water　felt　so　good　that　Lancer　could　almost　believe　he　was　back　at　the　o…faro；　the　bath。　When　he　had　lathered　and　rinsed　himself；　he　began　a　little　Musume　exercise；　like　the　ones　his　masters　used　to　give　him。

Using　a　theatrical　depilatory；　he　removed　the　hair　from　his　chest；　legs；　armpits；　and　so　on。　Then　Yellow　Dancer　performed　a　maiden's　bathing　ritual；　abandoning　self　for　role。　Each　stylized　gesture　and　movement　would　make　an　audience　believe　in　the　demure　young　girl；　each　pose　and　motion；　handed　down　for　centuries；　contained　a　hundred　subtleties。

But　Yellow　had　bee　so　clumsy；　so　out…of…practice！　Surely　Master　Yoshida　would　have　broken　three　sticks　upon　Lancer　by　now！　Still；　the　exercise　brought　a　feeling　of　calm　serenity；　a　reminder　of　gentility　and　the　frailty　of　beauty…a　renewed　faith　in　the　high　value　and　evasive　exquisiteness　of　life　itself。

Yellow　emerged　from　the　bath；　still　moving　with　the　grace　of　the　art。　She　held　a　towel　close　for　modesty；　even　in　that　solitary　place。　She　bed　her　long　purple　hair　out　carefully　with　her　free　hand。　Then　Yellow　Dancer　stretched　out；　stomach　down；　towel　wound　around　middle；　to　nap　in　the　warm　sunlight　that　found　its　way　down　through　gaps　in　the　jungle　roof　and　the　forest　canopy。

Gradually；　Lancer　reemerged；　working　on　the　problem　of　how　to　carry　on　the　mission　to　Reflex　Point。　Had　Scott's　single…mindedness　blinded　him　to　the　drawbacks　in　his　rafting　scheme？

A　sudden　sound　made　him　look　up；　all　freedom　fighter　now。　He　couldn't　believe　someone　had　managed　to　steal　up　on　him；　it　had　never　happened　to　Lancer　before。　But　it　was　too　late；　a　knobby　branch；　padded　by　windings　of　creeper；　thumped　across　the　back　of　his　skull。


〃Tim…ber…rrr！〃

Rand　stepped　back　as　the　tree　went　down；　dragging　vines　and　creepers；　branches　from　other　trees　with　it。　It　sent　up　leaves　and　dust　and　all　sorts　of　sounds　as　the　creatures　living　in　the　tree　fled　in　panic　or　anger。

〃I'm　gettin'　pretty　good　at　this　Paul　Bunyan　stuff；　huh？〃　he　asked　his　teammates　proudly。

But　nobody　seemed　very　impressed。　Annie；　looking　up　from　where　she　and　Rook　and　Marlene　were　making　cross…members　for　the　raft；　snarled；　〃Whaddaya　want；　a　standing　ovation？〃

Marlene　giggled；　and　everyone　stared　at　her。　〃Looks　like　our　patient's　finally　starting　to　loosen　up　a　bit；〃　Scott　smiled。

But　inside；　he　was　trying　to　sort　out　his　feelings。　If　Marlene　was　improving…if　she　began　regaining　her　memory…that　might　mean　she　would　go　her　own　way　soon。　He　had　tried　not　to　think　of　that　other　life　that　she　had　obviously　left　behind。　He　tried　not　to　think　about　the　lover　or　even　the　husband　who　might　be　waiting　for　her；　but　now　that　was　less　and　less　possible。

In　the　midst　of　Scott's　thoughts　about　Marlene；　a　long　spear　with　a　gleaming；　machined…metal　head　suddenly　arced　out　of　the　treeline　and　buried　itself　in　a　forest　giant　right　next　to　him。　The　long　shaft　of　stripped；　dried　wood　bobbed　slowly。

More　spears　followed；　as　Scott　roared；　〃Follow　me！〃　and　led　the　way　back　toward　the　mecha。　The　rest　of　the　group　pounded　after　him。　Miraculously；　no　one　had　been　hit。　They　had　to　veer　from　a　direct　course；　as　a　virtual　hedgehog　of　spearpoints　was　thrust　through　a　wall　of　undergrowth。

Scott　detoured；　hoping　he　wouldn't　lose　his　bearings；　gun　in　hand。　He　yelled　for　Lancer；　but　got　no　answer；　and　feared　the　worst。　Scott　had　no　idea　who　was　attacking；　but　it　clearly　wasn't　the　Invid；　and　he　had　no　wish　to　hurt　any　Human　if　he　could　help　it。　As　the　team　members　sprinted　across　a　clearing；　leaves　and　dirt　flew　as　ropes　of　braided　grass　creaked；　and　all　six　travelers　were　hoisted　aloft　in　an　enormous　net。

They　were　squashed　in　together　against　each　other　every　which　way；　Scott　losing　his　pistol；　the　others　too　tightly　pinned　to　get　to　theirs。　The　world　spun　and　swayed　below　them；　but　after　a　moment　Scott　saw　people　e　out　of　concealment　and　into　the　open。

The　spears　had　Rand　expecting　some　lost　tribe；　a　bunch　of　Yanamamo；　perhaps；　who　had　somehow　survived　the　Wars　and　left　their　traditional　territory。　But　instead；　the　team　was　looking　down　at　men　in　factory…produced　shoes　and　boots；　albeit　tattered　and　decaying　ones；　and　trousers　made　from　machine…woven　fabric。

But　the　men　were　a　bearded　and　mustached　and　headbanded　bunch；　carrying　homemade　bows；　arrows；　and　spears；　although　the