We move beyond the Oort cloud and all ships as one energize their 'squirt' drive. We drop into real space in a system devoid of all planets or asteroi...s or anything save a lone planet around a class 'G' star. The admiral proposes that they stripped the system to build their war machine and rely solely on what is brought in from conquered systems to support the populous. There is one other thing in this system and that is thousands upon thousands of Skree scout size ships. Both sides open fire. Now they were running away from her. ‘I don’t really think like that,’ she told herself. ‘Stan and Denise can make love and Stan can still love me. Will still love me. Does still love me.’ ‘Doesn’t he?’ ‘This anxiety is quite normal,’ she told herself. ‘Normal. Hah!’ she said aloud, and then was quiet, hoping she hadn’t been heard upstairs. ‘As if they’ll be listening out for me!’ ‘Right,’ she said aloud, more quietly, ‘I can deal with this. Like I said, music, wine, book!’ She went to Stan’s. I moved like I was going to back out of the way but instead executed a soccer kick at his knees as he got close enough to make contact. He was laying face down on the sidewalk when the security guard cuffed him.I looked at the security guard and said, "I think he tripped on something." The guard replied, "That works for me," as he smiled.I checked the cars in our slots and those in the drop-off area. Six were missing. According to the print out four were rented for several days and were not due. “You still jealous over that guy I was talking to bro?” Rita teased. “I wasn’t really jealous, more like uneasy,” I said trying to save face. “Oh please I know what jealousy looks like, now you know what I go through when mom and Aunt Lisa hit on you, I get so jealous because I know if they want you, they’ll figure out some way to get you, and I don’t want them to.” “I know what you mean. When you were talking to that guy I was getting crazy jealous, I thought you would give him your phone.