The good news was the bullet appeared to have gone completely through his body; the bad news was he had no idea if the wound was infected or if there ...had been any internal damage. All the first mate knew was the pain was too intense to move his right arm so he held it as close to his body as possible. Looking down he noticed his shirt was nothing but a tattered rag, but at least the stream had washed out the blood.By now, the sun had slipped again into the sea and the first mate stomach. “It is not money that I am lacking, true.”“But family. I understand. My dear Thomas, you can always count on me as an aunt of sorts. Now, enough of this. When will I meet your lovely cousin?”“I shall bring them ashore presently, now that I know that you are willing to offer them your hospitality. I shall of course leave them with sufficient means to cover their needs. They will need one or two maids I fancy and I must contribute to their costs of living here.”“Tsk, tsk! Elias and I may not be. ” She gyrated her hips, just a little, sending a sliver of pleasure through my body that only made me ache for more. “And sometimes, I like to tease them.” Another gyration, another tantalising moment of pleasure. “Mmm, I love feeling the way your body rises to it, wanting it, and then its sigh of disappointment when it vanishes again.” I practically burst out sobbing in frustration as she lifted herself from me, my whimpers at my teased denial pathetic even to my own ears. In that moment, all. " She went offline to contact the crew inside,then:"Opening now, Ms. Larranti." And the door slid back, familiar palegreen lights revealing the interior I hadn't seen in over forty years.We glided through the small opening and settled to the floor slowlywith our magnetic boots. The departing crew, also in orange and white,filed out, two of them giving me and Barbara a final hug."Good luck," the last remaining woman said to me through helmetconduction, her clear blue eyes carrying a trace of.