. I've got to take med's the rest of my life,but yeah considering what could have happened? Yeah I'm fixed..." Isilently repeated the mantra 'better t...an the alternative' I hope itwill be at least.Thankfully conversations went back to normal things, mostly sports stuffsince I was at the jock table. Even though I haven't played in a fewyears, thanks to the internet I've kept up with my friends the best thatI could. I used to get upset that they quit visiting me after I gotpulled out of school.... You’re going to get pneumonia. I’ll close my eyes.As I stripped down to my underwear it dawned on me that I was about to get into a one person sleeping bag with my naked stepmother. I wasn’t sure if it was the cold that was making me shake or the thought of getting next to her naked body. I looked down and saw her staring up at me, “Hurry up and take those wet shorts off, too! The only way we’re going to survive this night is with our body heat.” I knew that she was right. We were both. Mum, Dad and Branwyn went into the pods, a technician going in with each of them for a few seconds, then coming out and closing the doors.I looked at Susan. “What’s the Swarm?” I asked her.“The Sa’arm? Imagine them as the little green aliens coming to eat the planet from all that sci-fi on TV and film. Except that they’re not small, and they’re not green. They are, however, very dangerous.”“And they’re coming here?” asked Huw.She nodded. “The Confederacy is a, well, a group, a large group, of. The girl beside him lightly elbowed his side with a smile. “What? Oh. Sorry dear.“Mark, I would like you to meet my fiancé Yalla, Second Force Wizard of the Sentry Corps of The High People.”“Pleased to meet you.” Mark smiled with a bit of a bow.“Though we haven’t met, I’ve seen you, for I helped scout you, before Yazadril spoke to you the first time. You ... You are ever so much more handsome, now.” Yalla smiled nervously.“Thank you. And while we are about introductions, who is this lovely lady.