First one's not always that great,especially if you're with someone who doesn't know what they're doing. Butluckily for you" - her grin widened - "I a... not in that category."I relaxed back on the couch - but then leant forward again as a thoughtoccurred. "Will we, you know, do that again some time?"She laughed at my plaintive voice, then her expression grew more serious."With you as Alannah? Probably not ... But you looked so hot, and I'dpromised you a reward after all. After this though, I. "I turned to Kirsty expecting an ab-reaction to this news but she was beaming at the prospect and I realised then that I would never understand women. The camp seemed to be most animated by this news, almost exited for me at the forthcoming nuptials. We made our way to the house to find out how Bridhe and Fiona were reacting.Bridhe was excited and very pleased that her daughter's future was going to be formalised by the marriage. Fiona seemed a little more concerned but still seemed quite. ..tears of joy...tears of relief. I'd madeit, I had been delivered from Hell...and one day, maybe a decade fromthen, maybe I'd even be able to feel good again. But anything less thanthat pristine Pain was practically hedonistic pleasure in comparison. Thenmy brain stitched itself back together and remembered how to count..."Wellthat's two...and I have to say, I didn't think you'd make it past one. Iwas looking forward to seeing the look on your face when you found outwhat hurts worse than. "Christ. I look like something from Robot Wars..." The half-machine twitched the spinnerets at the base of her neck, more for reassurance than anything. Thankfully, all the data the needle-like implements sent back said good things about their status, which was a relief. Now, if her systems could only do something about the rest of her body. The head alone looked horribly disproportioned on a human body, far too big and bulky, with its embedded, off-centre optics unit making the arrangement.