The Kahjohngi survivors numbered three hundred forty-three, most wounded. I spent the first part of the morning dealing with our wounded and then thei...s. It gave me something to do to stay busy so I didn’t dwell about the fate of our men who died last night. I hadn’t expected to win the battle unscathed, but these were the first deaths among troops I had fought with and I was the one who had led them into battle.Karela’s father was my military studies teacher and one of his admonitions repeated. They seem to like me, too. In fact, part of me is seriously tempted to try to lure at least one or two of them into bed with my jailbait self.The only reasons that I haven’t so far are that it could be perceived as leverage for some kind of blackmail on my part and it would perhaps turn me from a teacher’s pet into a mortal enemy of them. Perhaps I’ll just wait and seduce them when I’m eighteen instead. I’m not sure. Time enough to decide on that.In any case, I’ve got some new friends. That is. " Ouch. So, Alan. I have to ask. Why are you here? What brings you to theFlamingo?"He looked across the room. The drag queens of the joint were gatheredaround the jukebox, picking out a Beyonce song. Single Ladies."I wanted to check it out," he said. "I'm afraid she wants me to be oneof them. I'm afraid she wants my dick."* *When I thought about it, Alan and I didn't talk that long. Ten minutes,maybe. He could not get over the fact he was wearing panties, and Ilacked the depth to comfort. "I asked her. Believe me, I did. She didn't know. Mother told me because her mother had, and her mother's mother before her. It's ... just something we had to do." And none of you others heard this?" The soldier looked around at the other women. Ruta shook her head. Felek saw the others do the same. Cyla, though, hesitated. Felek pushed himself to his feet."Cyla?"The soldier took a deep breath, hands in the process of unstrapping her breastplate. She cast a worried glance towards Anelie..