Malbess passed Obba Tkarro at the door, who gave her the eye and said,"Forgive me, but you look better with hair. Just my own opinion. See you at the armory." She nodded and went in. Kriff Riesen was part way into some armor she didn't recognize. "Orange and green? You're dressing up like a pumpkin for this tactical situation?" She was more curious than sarcastic. Then she noticed. "HEY! You have hair,too! DAMN!" He gave her a look that fired her soul. The penetrating warmth of the look made her heart beat faster and stole her composure and breath. He said quietly,"Yeah, but I still meant what I said to you last night. Bald chicks turn me on. It's just a little kink. You look spectacular, now. Softer, maybe even younger. More vulnerable?" "Maybe." She stamped a foot. NOT what she wanted to say. She regrouped in her mind. She said," Just wanted to wish you luck. Izkabell is dangerous. We can NOT know what she is capable of doing." He nodded with a smile. "I agree! That's why I'm trying out Slicey-Dicey's invincible 'Pumpkin' reactive body armor. Narchi came by to tell us NOT to repair the cameras and pick-ups for the comm-system down here. I think he's worried that she might hack into them." She blinked and asked,"That's a good idea. Reactive armor? For humanoids?" "She said she figured out a way to make it work. I just wanted something that Izkabell has never seen. Unknown versus unknown. Unplanned variables have advantages on the tactical field. Slicy figured a way to blunt any energy hits by using a VERY compressed reactive gas under pressure in honeycombed cells in the armor. It'll stop even microwave weapons! Pretty creative woman." Malbess flushed with anger and turned away suddenly. She was overwhelmed with jealousy. that was very uncommon for her. She bit off,"The Cyclops are very adaptive and imaginative." He came over and put a hand on her shoulder and smelled her hair. He said,"What is it? You smell wonderful, by the way." She laughed at the sudden turn he took in conversation. She said,"I talked with Toxic. My hair--YOUR hair suddenly growing in...Izkabell doesn't know what she was doing. I didn't really put it all together until a couple of minutes ago." "Follow along? Izkabell is from the Triangulum Galaxy, where those ancient builders of Shalmiraine went to hide after a great war. Girtset's people worshiped them like gods. HE said so! If so....WHY didn't they take one of HER people's ships to escape the Scourge and their Asuran allies? They'd HAVE to be better than HIS! His ship was only slightly more advanced that ours, and we JUST discovered FASTER-THAN-LIGHT travel!" Malbess turned triumphantly to him, almost coming nose-to-nose with him. Kriff grinned at her and rubbed noses with her and whispered, "Unless the hidden lost all their magic level tech, and had NONE when Girtset's folks found them where they hid for millions of years?" She nodded, slipping into his arms,"Exactly! If I was an ancient, I couldn't use technology. Too distracted!" She couldn't help it. She kissed him. She never enjoyed a kiss so much in her long life. She was fully aroused by the time he broke away suddenly. "Love! We don't have time for this! Help me get dressed in armor. I don't need to go into battle with a huge hard-on!" He broke off with a sudden idea,"Maybe with some 'Shock and Awe' grenades! They flash and scream on all frequencies when they go off!" She punched him on the arm and growled,"You better survive, you bastard. Victory sex is the best sex! Wait...WHAT did you call me?" He smiled at her and said," 'Love', as in I think I might fall in love with you, Malbess. You are one hell of a woman." She swallowed as her heart skipped a beat. She replied lamely,"Ah...that's NICE!" She blushed for the first time in her long life and smiled in joy. --TO BE CONTINUED!--