Then I smiled, raisingone gloved arm and revealing the lovely little lavender buttons at mywrist, and began to wave at the assembled parade watchers.W...at had happened to me this morning, anyway? It was all a deliciousblur... just a few short hours ago I had rolled out of bed, hopped intothe shower, sucked down a cup of coffee, yanked on a pair of jeans and at-shirt, and dropped off my girlfriend Lisa at the local communitycenter so she could get dressed up in antebellum finery to march in. She was with a group of Japanese teachers here to study the American method of teaching."Margie clasped her hands to her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh, my Gawd!" Tell her! Tell her!" Lisa chanted. "How did you?"And I realized Sully had prepped her. "The truth is I didn't know who was in the room. My buddy..." and I pointed to Sully, dared me to stick my butt through the curtains in the auditorium and drop my pants." And being one to accept the challenge..." Sully put in, "he bared his best features. A very pretty young wom... " I am a boy." Pardon me?" I am a boy," I said looking up through my tears at a face thatlooked concerned and puzzled at the same time.She looked at her papers and then looked up at me again."Are you transgendered?"I nodded, not able to speak."Well, silly. Why didn't you tell me, letting me blunder on likethat." I tried to tell your receptionist, but she didn't give me a chance." Yes, sorry about that. She's agency. I've only had her a few daysand she's driving me. The troops on the east side can see a lot more, but here the shadow of the fort still shrouds the road, so Kyle and his people are still in darkness. It’s been a few minutes since the drums stopped so Kyle figures the parade ground should have quite a few troops in it. Keeping his voice low Kyle asks, “Gunners, are you on your targets?”Both men respond, “On target, Sir. Ready to commence firing.”Kyle takes one more look around him, despite his good night vision it’s still too dark to see much..