Since a sudden pain could cause me to lose my balance, I moved about even more carefully than usual.The orthopedist told my last visit a couple of mon...th before, that a new hip replacement was called for. After that I didn’t make any appointments with her again. When I refused the even more invasive hip replacement, she offered me a stronger pain medication. I also refused that. I explained to her that I got really screwed up easily. I knew better than to take opioids.“So far the Tramadol works. They were incredibly heavy, being made of collapsed/condensed battle-armor steel. They were design intended for a team of fifteen to twenty Spec For personnel to be able to operate from them, for extended periods of time.No one who was a PABS operator was without at least three years military experience, if they were enlisteds. Officers had to have at least one year of 'line officer' experience, at a minimum of Platoon Leader level-of-duty, prior to serving in a PABS unit. All of them had to. But then again, maybe not. Still, I figured it was better to take the safer route and remain gentlemanly. She took another gulp of coffee, set her cup down and leaned forward saying to me in a near whisper, ‘Look, don’t think me too forward here, but I’m farther away from home than I’d like to be, I have only the clothes I’m wearing with me and despite the nice, warm coffee, I’m freezing. Is there someplace nearby where I can get out of these wet things and dry off a bit?’ ‘Well, um, my. Oh, she greets the news enthusiastically and shares the emotion but to do more would invite a disaster that neither of us could withstand. It would be so much worse to be parted from her by the powers that be than to be frustrated by our inability to consummate our love. Maybe one day we will return to a world where we are safe to show our affection. Until then, we will abide as we are.Emily surprised the shit out of me Monday morning when she pounded on my door half an hour early and yelled.