r the door。
〃e on； Rand。 I'm dry enough to spit cotton。〃
Rand exhaled forcibly and dismounted wondering just how he had let things get so out of hand。 Just one more town； he had told himself。 A place where he could feel all right about leaving Annie and saying a final farewell to Scott。 Then it was going to be back to solo riding and the open road。 But that had been three days and several towns ago； not one of which suited his needs。 Nor did he have especially good feelings about this one。 Two rows of ruined high…tech prefabs split by the northern highway and squeezed between the stone walls of an arid canyon； the place had a filthy； forlorn look to it。 It seemed as though the town had surrendered long before the Invid's arrival。
〃They could at least clean the place up；〃 Rand said to Scott now。 〃Bunch of lazy slobs。。。〃
〃You country boys do things differently； I suppose；〃 Scott said in a patronizing way。
Rand scowled。 〃At least we have enough self…respect to keep our homes from being pigsties。 You wonder why I'd rather five off the land； Scott？ Well； look around。〃
〃Oh； quit arguing； you two；〃 Annie said； stepping through the barroom's swinging doors。 〃This dump isn't so bad。 What do you think they do for fun around here？〃
Inside； the first thing that greeted their eyes was a knife fight。
An attractive young woman in a red bodysuit was squaring off against a mean…looking youth wielding what looked like a hunting knife。 Onlookers were cheering and offering words of encouragement to both parties。 On the room's stage； a tall； lean female and a white…haired old man yelled for the fight to stop。
Scott stopped short。 〃It's her！？〃
〃Who？〃 said Annie。
〃She's the one who helped us out the other day…the girl on the Cyclone！〃
Rand's eyes went wide。 〃The girl on the Cyclone？ Now you tell me！。。。Well what are we waiting for？ Let's go…〃
〃No； hold up a minute。〃 Scott put his arm out to restrain Rand。 〃I'm sure she can handle herself all right。〃
〃But they'll kill her；〃 said Annie。
Scott shook his head。 〃No； I don't think so。〃
Rand decided that Scott might be right。 The woman moved like a dancer； dodging the youth's every thrust and overhand； her blond hair twirling about her face。 One of the other men in the crowd was urging the knifer on with threats of his own。
〃Stop your prancin' around！ Stick her； man！ Stick her！〃
But the woman wasn't about to let that happen。 She backed away with calculated deliberation； turning and folding at just the right moments。 Rand could see that the rogue was losing patience and getting sloppy with his cover； he also noted that this was not lost on the woman in red。 She set herself； legs wide； and waited for him to e in。 Sure enough； the youth tried an over…the…top reverse and left himself wide open； the woman spun out from under it and pleted her turn with a roundhouse kick that nailed him across the face； throwing him against one of the tables。 The knifer went down as the table collapsed under him； but a second man； a large； dark…skinned tough wearing an earflapped cap； caught the woman from behind in a full nelson。 She tried to struggle free but found herself overpowered。 At the same time a third member of the gang sauntered in and took the knife from his fallen rade。 He tapped the tip of the blade menacingly against the woman's cheek。
〃You can say good…bye to that pretty face of yours； sister；〃 Rand heard the man say。
Scott was already stepping in； as was the female singer； who had started to grab for the knife stuck in the wall behind the stage。 But Rand moved quicker than both of them。 He swept up a heavy half…empty goblet from a nearby table and hurled it； knocking the knife from the gang leader's hand。 As the youth screamed and dropped； holding his struck hand； Rand yelled； 〃Duck！〃 and launched a second glass。
Rook saw this one headed her way and stretched herself thin in the larger man's hold； arms fully extended as she slithered down。 The glass hit the man in the face； and his hold on her collapsed； he was holding his nose and moaning when Rook brought her boot down onto his instep and turned away out of reach。
〃I'm gonna kill you for that！〃 the man yelled。 But when he took his hands away from his face； he found himself staring at Scott's drawn blaster。
〃Get moving…all of you！〃 Scott told them。
Weapons were a mon enough sight in the waste； but a blaster was seldom seen。 Taken by surprise； the gang members began to back toward the swinging doors。 〃You win this one； soldier；〃 the leader threw over his shoulder。 〃But the war's not over yet。〃
In a moment the sounds of revving and departing cycles filled the bar。
Rook looked disdainfully at her rescuers； she recognized them as the three she had saved from an Invid setup in Laako three days before。 The redheaded one named Rand was eyeing her appreciatively。
〃Why'd you have to butt in？〃 Rook said harshly； and left the bar。
〃Guess there's no pleasing some people；〃 Rand threw after her。
〃Swelled head！〃 said Annie； making a face and gesturing。
〃Well； I'm grateful for your help；〃 said a lilting voice。
Rand turned and nearly fell over。 It was Yellow Dancer！ He hadn't recognized her before and could hardly believe his eyes now。 〃It can't be；〃 he stammered； unable to control his excitement。 〃I've seen you at least twenty times； but I never thought I'd get the chance。。。〃 He turned and made a desperate lunge for a napkin and shoved it toward Yellow。 〃I know it's silly； but。。。it's for my kid sister； you know？〃
Yellow smiled knowingly。 The bar owner took a pen from his jacket pocket and passed it to her。 〃To your kid sister；〃 said Yellow； chuckling。 〃As always。。。〃
Annie saw Scott's look of bewilderment and said； 〃It's Yellow Dancer。 Haven't you ever heard of her？〃
Scott smiled thinly and shook his head。
〃Boy； you're really out of it； Scott。〃
Scott ignored the ment and turned to the owner。 〃That gang； who are they？〃
The man shrugged。 〃The usual riffraff。 Their kind seem to be just about everywhere nowadays。〃
〃Yes； but what about the local authorities…have you thought of asking them to do something？〃
Rand raised his eyes to the ceiling in a dramatic gesture and turned away embarrassed。
The manager stared at Scott a moment； then said； 〃Mister； those are the local authorities。〃
CHAPTER SIX
Tirolian society…that is； the generation of Terrans that grew to manhood and womanhood under T。R。 Edwards； Dr。 Emil Lang； and to some extent （by proxy； as it were）； Admiral Rick and mander Lisa Hunter…took a decidedly different course than its counterpart on Earth （under Chairman Moran； Supreme mander Leonard； et al。）。 Thanks to Edwards's chauvinism； bigotry； and undisguised misogyny； one would certainly have been hard pressed to encounter the likes of a Dana Sterling or a Marie Crystal among the Tirolian contingent。。。Scott Bernard had been raised in such a milieu； and there were things； as well as attitudes； on Earth that he had never dreamed possible。
Xandu Reem； A Stranger at Home： A Biography of Scott Bernard
Ringo and his boys roared away from the bar and regrouped at the edge of town。 Their cycles； one outfitted with a sidecar； were well equipped with weapons； and it would have been simple to blast and torch the bar； but that wasn't really an option： Pops' had the coldest beer within three hundred miles。 So they decided to turn their frustrations against any newers who might wander into town； a bit of the old ultraviolence； as it had once been called。 Instead； however； they soon found an even more suitable target in the form of the ex…soldier named Lunk； who had been in town on and off for the past two months。 More than once Ringo had attempted to goad the man into a fight with less than satisfying results。 The attempts had increased in frequency once Ringo found out something about Lunk's recent military past； but still he was unable to push the man into a hand…to…hand confrontation。
But now； after his humiliating run…in with the strangers in the bar； Ringo was in no mood for subtlety or verbal provocation。 No sooner had Lunk's battered six…wheel personnel carrier lumbered by the gang's edge…of…town position than Ringo ordered his men into pursuit。 There was nothing like a little manhunting to pick you up when you were feeling down。
Lunk was twenty…five； a huge； barrel…chested man with almost brutish facial features： a wide； prominent chin； heavy…lidded； soulful eyes； and a broad； flat nose。 He had let his hair grow long these past few months and kept it out of his face with a yellow elastic headband。 His size alone would have given most men pause； but there was something soft and secretive about him that often allowed smaller aggressive types to feel they could have a free hand with him。
One look at Ringo's impromptu roadside gathering and Lunk knew that he was in for it； he told his panion； Kevin； to hang on and began to push the ancient APC along the town's main street for all it was worth。
He could see four cycles in the carrier's circular outboard rearview mirrors now； Ringo's men were opening up with handlebar and faring…mounted weapons； toying with him as he swerved the heavy vehicle left and right。
〃How many of them are there？！〃 Kevin asked in a panic from the shotgun seat。
〃Too many！〃 Lunk yelled back as machine…gun rounds fractured the mirrors。
Two rockets exploded in the street in front of the APC； and Lunk braked hard； losing control。 The vehicle slid off the roadway and crashed into an enormous pile of debris that had been 'dozed away from a fallen storefront。 The impact left Lunk and Kevin momentarily stunned； but they quickly shook themselves out of it and scampered out of the carrier's open top； taking careless and crazed giant strides down the back side of the heap。
Ringo and his boys threw their bikes into the pile with equal abandon； launching themselves over the top only to careen down the rear face； laughing maniacally all the while。 Lunk and Kevin had taken an alleyway that led to the main street； so Ringo ordered his gang to split up； sending the sidecar cyclist one way and instructing the others to form up on his lead。
Lunk wasn't aware of the trap until he saw the sidecar skid around a corner and head his way。 Turning； he heard Ringo and the rest of the bikes behind him。 He shoved Kevin toward the debris…strewn sidewalk； hoping they would be able to make it into one of the abandoned buildings； but at the same moment the sidecar driver gunned it and came down on them。 One of Ringo's gang…a dark…skinned dude every inch as big as Lunk…leaned out from the sidecar seat and made a grab for Kevin。 Lunk flattened himself against the street； but Kevin sidestepped too late。 Ringo's man managed to get a handful of shirt and shoulder； and by the time Lunk looked up； Kevin was being dragged down the street by the cycle。
Lunk heard him scream for help but could do nothing； Ringo's men were accelerating toward him now； shouting and yahooing。 Lunk spun around and ran toward Pops' bar。 Halfway there； the sound of the cycles ringing in his ears； Lunk noticed that a group of men and women were gathered out front。 And one of them was raising a weapon of some kind。。。
He dropped himself into a tuck…and…roll seconds before the weapon fired。 T