I was set!All I needed was a few tall drinks and a lounge chair to enjoy the evening near the beach. Once I had that I let the (few) vendors check me ...ut and watched the touristas stroll around. Life was good!(Not getting bored yet I hope?)The next day I went back to check-in with the boat. The captain was in a local bar getting pretty well pissed and the hippie was at another place doing the same. I let them know where I’d probably be then went aboard the boat long enough to grab some extra. Staring at Emily, I asked her, in my new liltingalto, if she liked the "new" me.She flew closer to me, examined every crevasse of my body in a quickseconds-long flight, then said, "Excellent! I can't think of a betterpearl to attract that swine." Good. I'm glad you agree. Mark, you'd better call yourself ?Marcie'while in this body. How confused do you think folks would be if Emilycalled this stunning beauty by a man's name?" Good point, Dr. Hermann. Emily, let's roll."My partner flew onto. ”“Please hold.”“Deposit five dollars and 40 cents, please.”Ding Ding Ding Ding one dollar, Fumble. Ding Ding Ding Ding two dollar, Fumble. Ding Ding Ding Ding three dollar, Fumble. Ding Ding Ding Ding four dollar, Fumble. Ding Ding Ding Ding five dollar, Fumble. Ding Ding Ding Ding forty cents. CLICK, BUZZ, “Hello?”“Hello? RK Lodges?”“Yes.”“I want to know ... do you have finished product on hand?”“We keep a stock of tipis for pickup.”“Great! I need three 18 foot lodges, two doors each ... liner. Clarke, once wrote, ‘Sometimes I think we’re alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we’re not. In either case the idea is quite staggering’,” I recited one of my favorite quotes.“Exactly, Mick. The sudden shock is going to be traumatic regardless of which side humanity falls.”“OK, how long do we have?” I asked.“About four months. Around then your military’s long-range sensors will pick it up. Another month after that the whistle blower will get the word out when the government tries to.