" She spoke softly and in a low tone of voice. I took the curry brush from her hand, and lead her over to the bench along the wall and we sat down."Of...course not, I would not think that at all," I replied and listened intently as she continued."Well, Thursday nights, mom always went to her bridge club, leaving Aiden and I, alone with Dad. We went to bed very early while young, always at 8:00. We were told to get our pajamas on and come say goodnight to dad before we went to our rooms to sleep.. Laughing inwardly,I went to see the doctor, stripped, and without so much as his fingertouching me, I was accepted. They had no idea. The scene backstage waspure bedlam, then, when it was my turn, I walked on stage in my gown,answered the few inane questions posed to me, and later, during theswimsuit portion, I did what I had to do, smiling as I walked down thestage and onto the small promenade, turning so that everyone could seeall of me, and when it was done, I never felt so cheap. I came in. Where you two come in is that I'm going to be on the ground sort of directing things and I need someone to watch my back. It looks like you two have been given the job."Yvonne swallowed and David looked shocked."How it's going to work is this," explained Bert, "You're going to be made to look like Marines." He waved towards the med tubes, "Physically at least. After that it's down to uniform. Yvonne will get a rifle and you'll get a stinger, David. When we go down to the planet you'll follow me. It didn’t appear that they ever spoke.The old guy went to the entrance to the wide stairwell beside the elevators, and went in only when Mary appeared. She watched him go to the stairs and slowly followed, glancing once around and seeing no one else, she disappeared from my view into the murky stairwell. Now I had a decision to make and my mind was a flurry of thoughts. I could not let her catch me here again but was ready with the excuse that my client had cancelled. But if I was caught in.