"I want to be sure you've learned yourlesson, and I need to know you won't slip back into your old ways whenyou stop being a girl and go back to being...a boy. Yes, you are nicer nowthan you used to be, but I still see flashes of the horrible, naughtylittle boy you once were. The idea behind getting you to become a goodgirl is to make you forget how to be a naughty boy." But I can't help being naughty, mummy," I said. "And anyway, girls canbe just as naughty as boys, can't they?" Yes they can,". Erica and I figured we might be able to help and we are still looking for another young man to compliment Larry. It was a bit surprising. Wadi has received one full Kilo class transport and then some assorted reinforcements, but the maximum population on the planet has been about eleven hundred. I hadn't realized that it still meant there have been over four hundred warriors killed in action on the planet. Most have been infantry, but we've seen quite a few tanks destroyed or damaged, and I. That's what we do."He sighed. "I know, ma."The family came with him to the airport in Pittsburgh."Be safe, Jay," his mother said. "You're not going to Juarez, are you?I saw something on Dateline about that."He smiled, thinking that this had to be the hundredth time they hadcovered this. "No, ma, I'm going to be far south of there." You're sure?" He could see the look of concern in her eyes and feltbad."Yes, ma," he said. "I promise I'm not going to Juarez." This was apotential lie. If. A self-satisfied smile settled on her face as she saw his look of pure hunger when he beheld her before him in just boots and breeches. She replayed their entire converse from first to last. Saw the easy, rather careless arrogance with which he had commenced the encounter. Saw his impossible attempt at escape. Good God! How had he lived to reach the age of – what? – she paused, decided on thirty years, with the impetuosity of an 18 year old? He must have wits or luck, or both. Now she.