On Darling Downs, Erica is still accurate, but the Sa'arm were getting too many warriors through the ranged fire and once they got close the tanks wer... at a huge disadvantage. Worse, the tanks often had to try to hold territory to protect wounded. The Sa'arm have been winning the battles. The armored suits Erica and Willow wrote about help a lot, but there might be three thousand troops on the ground. They are facing over a million Sa'arm and the three hundred to one odds are hardly fair. I. The pavilion of Lord Daeron Tallond, last Elfen High Lord and Royal Consort to Her Royal Majesty, Queen Lara Elvenstone, was empty save himself and his two personal guards. The tent-like structure was identical to his private chambers in Duinmoor, the home city of the Elfen, and was tastefully appointed in whites and browns, the colors of his wife, the queen and his young daughter, the princess, and heir apparent.One half of the room held several comfortable couches arranged in a semi-circle,. For some reason the two of them had always gotten along really well and Gabby had confided many of her troubles and secrets to John over the years. John still remembered the day Gabby had pulled him aside to the family room and talked to him about her first crush. Gabby was almost trembling with nervousness and so cute and adorable as she talked to “uncle John” about her growing interest in boys. John knew at that point that Gabby’s sixteen-year-old hormones were in full gear and things were. I was glad she didn’t seem to mind. She never wore those Mary Janes to work again, though. Six months later, and they hadn’t made an appearance. I mean, I loved seeing her in any heels, but those, well, for some reason they’d really made an impression. In fact, I often found myself thinking about how she looked that day and how I would love her to show up to work dressed like that again. As time went on, we found ourselves flirting with each other more at work. Nothing serious, just mild.