this wasn't some dumb jungle movie where all you need is a couple of vines and a coconut。
Things began to turn into one of the team's signature free…for…alls。 Lancer rose； stretched； and paced away toward the river。 〃Since I don't know the first thing about marine engineering； I volunteer for lookout duty。〃
〃Probably afraid he'll break a fingernail；〃 Lunk grunted。
Rand was agreeing； 〃The guy's just a lazy bum；〃 when something heavy tapped his shoulder。
Scott was handing him the ax。 〃Country boy； it's time you showed us your stuff。 I know this thing's a little primitive； but at least it works without Protoculture。 Just think of a raft as a very large ski。〃
Lancer drank in the quiet beauty of the place。 He found himself in a very quiet； serene world。
ing to the shore of a fast…moving stream； he decided the current was too swift for predators and elected to bathe。 In a moment； he had stripped； taken soap and personal articles from his belt pouch； and plunged in。
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 weapon heads were of metal。 They wore beads and feathers and shell jewelry。 Nothing made sense。
〃W…whoever they are； they look like they're honked off about something；〃 Annie observed。
An older fellow with snow…white hair and beard gestured up at them with a warclub whose head had been set with flakes of sharpened steel。 〃Bring them to the temple！〃
The way he said 〃temple〃 had Rook expecting something from one of the venerated oldtime movies； but she was wrong。 The natives marched them at spearpoint downriver to an aging； massive； hydroelectric power dam that looked to be in disrepair。
They were soon disarmed and standing out on a platform of lashed timbers on one of the dam crest piers。 The green river valley seemed to stretch out forever； and the waters of the spillway basin fought and swirled far below them。 All gates appeared to be open； and water fell in huge； white cascades； filling the area with mist。
Their hands had been tied； and each captive had been fitting with an ankle shackle rivetted to a heavy weight。 Scott was looking around for some sign of Lancer； hoping that he had gotten clear and could e to their rescue。
〃Now you will pay for your sacrilege！〃 the white…haired leader said。 〃You are outlanders and your presence in this place has offended the river god。〃
He gestured to where the open taint…or gates and lowlevel outlets were letting the level of the reservoir fall。 〃It is because of you that the river god has turned his back on us and is leaving the valley！〃
〃Oh； e on！〃 Rand shouted； and some of the spearheads wavered close to his chest。 〃You're not telling me you're going to kill us just because this friggin' dam's had a malfunction？〃
Scott already saw that that was exactly what the locals had in mind； but could make little sense of the matter。 How could such a tribal society； such a primitive belief system； spring up in a single generation？
The only answer he could think of was the fact that the team was now in the region that had bee a Zentraedi control zone； back when Khyron took refuge af