“There is absolutely no need to thank me. You guys have done so much for me the last couple of weeks. I feel like a completely new woman, and it’s...exhilarating. I used to feel ashamed for liking this sort of thing, and scared to death that if I did ever try it, I would get arrested. Now I know there are safe options, if you are just discreet, and have people who will watch out for you. I can never thank you enough. And I meant what I said, anything you guys ever need, ever, just ask. Now I just. Like where it comes from. Where it's going. Stuff like that." I thought it was just kinda ... out there." Ronald had sort of a thin scrappy beard, but not a full one, just some hair on his cheeks and chin like he'd never shaved in his life. It was hard to see, even though it was black like his long hair, and it gave him a dark complexion more than anything else. He rubbed his jaw and I could hear it scratching."Well, yeah," I nodded."Hey, there it is," Ronald held up his blue toothbrush. "See?. Back home we found Fay and Kim in our apartment with spuds baking and they were making a salad.Three of us had a beer, Fay had a diet coke. I left the steaks to marinate and Stuart and I went back outside. It was kind of boring trying to converse with the nerd but I was pleasant to him.We had more beer, Fay brought them out and asked me to light the grill, the spuds would be well baked in thirty minutes. Kim and Stuart guzzled their beer, I like to sip mine slowly. I sent Kim in for two more. Then I get pulled off the street by thatarsehole Cunningham, after which you tell me that basically the MoD aregoing to control everything I do for the rest of my life. And what's myreward for playing along? Framed for blackmail and lured to a kuzkardeshgara hive, where because of some 'gift' I didn't even know I had they makeme their queen. I get one break, and even that came with a sting in thetail 'cause now I've got to go through the whole adjustment thing again.You can add to that a crime.