Her eyes quickly ran over him again, this time a bit more appreciatively. Quietly she said to the men restraining him, ‘Take him to my ship and lock... him in a cabin.’ She then turned on her heel and left them, striding easily over one of the planks linking the two ships. Several hours later she was in her cabin, reviewing the cargo list of the Themis. She had been carrying gold and tobacco back to England. She was very happy with the outcome of this raid. Plus the Themis was a fine ship. Since. .. Do you remember that one night??? I was numb, you were lost. WE got drunk on wine and each other. We told our secrets in a hopeless place, you told me about those nights you spent as an escort and how sometimes you loved it. Or maybe that time we were teenagers and we discovered how hot the flames of lust can burn when you're young and foolish. Take care when you play with fire...Can you still remember our first kiss on the Roebling Bridge that hot Summer night over the Ohio River? Hopefully. " I know someone who could take it all," he said, winking."C'mon, George, you know how I feel about that." As soon as George had learned I was unrepentantly straight, he'd stopped making passes at me and passed the word to the other queers. Generally, nobody came on too strong.But George still kidded me from time to time. "Can't blame a guy for trying." He laughed and grinned again. "Anyhow - congratulations, kid." Thanks."I dried off, got into my civvies, signed out and went shoreside. At the. Tom dropped his gun, tears in his eyes for his fallen comrade and leader. “Do as it says.”Except for Hal, who was still frozen, they all complied. As soon as the barriers deactivated, the Skitters poured in and confiscated their guns - they pried Hal’s from his hands. The three snipers, Isabella, Dai and Wilson were forced out of their hiding places by the Skitters and brought to the rest of the group.Fuck, not again!!! Hal was in extreme distress at having been caught by the Espheni again....