I knew that anytime they were busy with common sense projects the less concern they would have about getting their hair lifted by some rage-addled sav...age.I went back inside and checked the level of preparedness in the higher ranks and discovered most of the field grade officers seemed content to just sit back and let “General” Custer do all the planning and set the field of battle. He seemed to have only one mission and that was to force a “meeting engagement” as soon as possible and not allow. “No.”“Cliff, you know better.”Dad didn’t respond.“Cliff.”“I think I can sleep without it.”“You’ll fidget around and keep me awake,” Mom complained.“No I won’t ... If I do, I’ll take one.”“Promise?”Promise.More time passed in silence, Dad reading, me braiding, and Mom sitting calmly on the bench not looking at either of us. I had completed four long braids and thought I was finished but Mom indicated the sides of her head, toward the front where her hair was shorter. I began doing a couple of. I recognized their leader as he looked into a devise that must be their sniffer. Two of the Cariss cried out when they became stuck to vines. While everyone was looking at them, I shot the leader.The patrol reacted by throwing themselves down and waving weapons around. Unfortunately for them several more had landed on vines. I stayed behind the trunk of the tree, glancing around it to watch as they tried to organize themselves. What they did not do was look up. When the descending vines finally. Mark took a chair by the dressing table and turned it towards the bed, where he sat, watching carefully.Now completely naked, Julia knelt on the bed alongside Sophie, and pulled off the tatty plimsolls that the girl wore, discarding them at the side of the bed. Then she kissed her on the lips gently, and tugged at the girl’s t-shirt. Sophie obediently lifted her arms allowing the older woman to lift it up and off. Julia went to work on the jeans next, unbuttoning the waistband, pulling down the.