"Mr. Rogers was one of the best." Uh... why don't we mingle for a bit?" asked Janice, who was blushing bright red. "Thank you, Mr. Denver. It was love...y meeting you." With that, she whisked her musicians away and they quickly found the nearest bar.For the next two hours, they mingled, sometimes together, sometimes separately. Janice tried to keep track of them — and thus keep them in line — but this task was made difficult by a sudden but insistent interest she developed in the appetizer table.. Lighting was provided by torches that stood on long poles placed around the garden. Several locations had 4 or 5 cushioned chairs where the guests could sit and converse. Dark alcoves were provided in different locations as well, in each was a reclining divan for a couple to sit and converse in privacy. Shadowy movement could be glimpsed from time to time from some of them but even up close it was not possible to see the occupants nor hear what was said in the alcove. An empty alcove was quite. .. to bat! Get the platoon melded again. I need to ... rest...”Master Chief Marconi collapsed.“Oh, shit!” Top Benson exclaimed aloud. “Form up,” he mentally commanded, not knowing what other command to give. This melding business was brand new. He didn’t know what its capabilities were, but he knew that what the Master Chief just went through was a non-starter.The minds of the platoon and their Companions flowed together in a mesh like they had been doing it all their lives.“Good job!” Top. But Lisa wasn’t satisfied, even when she tried to tell her to stop with slightly panicked noises."Don’t worry, slut," Lisa cooed, "I know what I’m doing. Just follow along. Spread them a bit wider, only a half foot, then you’re good."Reluctantly, Helen did so, but she had to lift her bum to alleviate the pressure from the cucumber."Let me help you," Lisa whispered into her ear, the tickling of her breath making her shiver.A muffled cry filled the room when two hands pushed down hard on her.