Und nun huschten Bilder meines Bruders durch meinen Kopf. Er war jung, sportlich, gutaussehend und allem Anschein nach sportlich sehr fit. Wäre er ni...ht mein Bruder gewesen, hätte er bestens in mein Beuteschema gepasst.Irgendwann hatte ich ihn auch mal nackt gesehen, mit einem Halbsteifen, den er unter einem Handtuch versteckt hatte, das er sich um die Hüfte geschwungen hatte. Es war uns beiden damals aber eher peinlich gewesen, als dass es für eine erotische Atmosphäre gesorgt hätte.Konnte ich. "Grandmother, what's wrong? With us. Why?" Fifty years ago," she began, "I was a radio operator in the Air Force." Grandmother, you built radios. You weren't actually in the Air Force." Shush. I was in the Air Force, Sean. You have your version of our family history. I know the truth and you should too." I don't get it," the young man said."Sean, you must remember your first time. Young teens maybe? Perhaps your mother used to let her underwear drip-dry in the back yard. Maybe it was the. Our arrival drew a crowd of fishermen at the dock, so I encouraged the ladies to discuss their experience with the Swordfish while I spoke to the warehouse scribe. The scribe had the hanging lanterns we wanted, so an indentured man delivered them to my boat. We still had a few men that preferred the life at the warehouse rather than the dangers of living in the wilderness at Juniper Hills.I gave the scribe a message for Derwen confirming my visit to her on the Red Moon Rising. Also, ordering. ]Without my in-built friend, the bullying would have been intolerable, but he made a world of difference. As bad as being a smart student made the bullying, all things considered, I was much happier than I had been pre-merge, for several reasons:I had some excellent, self-contained companionship, which was a wonderful cure for loneliness.The mere fact that I had an in-built companion made me special and - I thought - unique. That made me feel much better about myself.I was enjoying being smart..