”Cadet Sada glanced over her shoulder, pulled her pistol, and fired at the snake. It had moved to within two feet of one of the soldiers in line. Sh... returned her pistol to her holster.“What in the hell did you do that for?”“One of your idiots was about to get bit by snake,” Cadet Sada said pointing at the dead snake without looking at it.The soldiers, unable to resist turning their heads to look, suddenly jumped forward about five feet, screaming, and pointing at the dead snake. Sergeant Rao. It was instinctive.Cotton's hands knew Lucy Jane's breasts. His mouth knew hers and the soft, white heat of her neck. And he knew there was a time or two or three as they petted in the front seat of his father's pickup on a dark and lonely country road that Lucy Jane's virginal resolve had crumbled and all he needed to do was lay her back to receive her eager surrender.He didn't. Boys like Cotton didn't push girls like Lucy Jane to go all the way. In places like Flatland, those were the rules.. " Whatever..." Clare waved her hand as Phip moved.Phip sat at a com with Morg's permission and dialled in her frequency and encryption, selected a tight beam and sent a pulse on the setting indicated by the screen's analysis of the holo."Station using this com, identify."Phip transmitted"Encrypt alpha nine seven two.Go!"The voice which responded had metallic overtones,"Identify" Panty Hose, this is Central Halo three; got a message from your merchie, clear the line of fire. Over." Halo three, I. Would you care to share what that was about?”Matt gestured to Rose.Rose said, “I really like Toby a lot. I love him, too, but not as deeply as I feel about Matt. Several times we’ve gotten together with Toby and Danica. We swapped I guess you might say and speaking for myself I really enjoyed myself.” She gave a slight smile but didn’t sound embarrassed.Matt rapidly added, “I think of Danica the same way. I really like her but she’s no replacement in anyway for Rose. I felt our times together.