In the midst of all of the screaming and running kids Xan noticed Dae walk off with Zac. 

  What the hell is that all about

  What he didn’t notice was Cindy sitting next to him.  Sure, she was attractive in that ‘I’ve-got-a-nice-body-but-my-conversation-will-make-you-contemplate-suicide way’, but she was damn annoying.  She didn’t get the hint that Xan was not interested. 

  “What ‘ya thinking?” she asked in a way too perky voice.

  “Nothing, just the proper way to field strip and clean an E-11 under heavy fire.” He stated in the driest tone he could muster.

  Cindy stared at him absolutely lost.  Half a heartbeat later she moved on to the next transient thought. 

  “Hey, let’s get away from these kids.  There’s a really cool place to see the moon rise not too far from here.” She added.

  Xan brushed her off, “Nah, I’m ok right here.”

  “Aww, C’mon.  It’ll be fun.” She pestered as she stood and pulled on his arm.

  Xan sighed in a resigned tone. Maybe if he went with her she’d leave him be for a while.  He got up and let her drag him by the arm into the brush. Anyone watching the display could tell she was far more into it than he.  They walked for about five minutes and came into a clearing.  He could see the dome of the night and a large flat rock, nothing else.  Cindy dragged him over to the rock and sat down.  Xan flopped down next to her.

  “So, how long till moonrise?”

  Cindy snuggled up to him, “Silly that was just to get you here alone.”

  In a move that would impress most martial arts instructors, Cindy pushed him back on the rock and jumped on top of him.  Xan was now pinned down by forty-six kilograms of horny bimbo.  She was deceptively strong and persistent in her attack.  She sat on his pelvis and leaned in, nuzzling his neck and grinding on him.

  “C’mon baby, I promise I won’t say no.” she purred.

Xan had had enough.  Cindy had succeeded in finding his last, damn nerve and getting on it.  He sat up, taking her with him, and stood.  He then, not too gently, removed her form his person and stood her off to the side.  Cindy stood there rumpled and completely confused.

  “What…don’t you want some?” she asked in an almost pleading tone.

  “No. Not from you.”  He stated as coldly as he could.  He had not wanted to hurt her, but it seemed the only way for her to get the message.

  Cindy looked as if she’d been struck. 

  “What?! Oh, its Daesha isn’t it?” she snorted back, venom dripping from every word.

  “No, it’s not. I have a girl on Concord Dawn. Daesha is a friend, and a fellow Trooper. I would never cross that line.”

  “Sure.” She replied icily as she attempted to straiten herself.

  “Believe me or not, it is the truth.  That coupled with the hard fact that your obviousness and willingness to throw yourself at me turn me off completely.”

“You son of a bitch!” Cindy snapped as she walked up to Xan and slapped him – hard.  She stormed off into the night.

  Xan rubbed his cheek and chuckled.  That was the second time he’d been slapped in less than 24 hours.  This was beginning to become a habit he didn’t particularly like. He’d hated being that harsh with Cindy, but it seemed the only way she’d leave him be.  The lie he’d told about the fictitious girlfriend on CD wouldn’t have stopped her, but the glaring insult seemed to do the trick.  He wandered back to camp in time to see Dae herd a group of giggling girls into the cabin.  She did not look happy.

  What the hell happened to her

“Yah know, when you put it like that, I don’t think I want to.  What’d he do?” he inquired, his eyes turning to hollow slits in the moonlight.

  Dae hesitated, briefly, and then related the story of Zac’s less than successful attempt at seduction.  Xan was very quiet. Too quiet for Dae’s tastes.

  “He didn’t get far. He got nowhere as a matter of fact.  If he’d tried, he’d be in the camp infirmary nursing a broken something.”

  Xan continued his silence, this time turning away. 

  “Really, nothing happened.  He tried, badly and I nearly took his head off.  I restrained myself and came back to camp.” She said, frustration rising in her voice.

  “Not a damn thing happened… will you look at me, Damnit!” she barked.

  Xan turned to her. She saw the tears in his eyes, and for the briefest moment she thought she’d hurt him.  She then saw the stifled grin on his face and noticed the barely contained shudder of suppressed laughter. 

“You bastard.” She said as she punched him in the arm.  The blow broke all of Xan’s control and he broke out in convulsive laughter, rolling over on his side on the dock.

  “This is not funny.”  She said in a serious tone.

  Xan gasped for air in between guffaws, “Yes, yes it is…I’m trying to visualize that boy kissing you and you damn near killing him for it.”

  “I did not nearly kill him, I just pushed him a little.” She pointed out in a mock serious tone.

  Xan dried his eyes and kissed her forehead, pulling her in to his chest, “He ain’t got a lot of sense, but I’ll give him the fact that he’s at least got the good taste to hit on the best woman in camp.”

  Dae snuggled back, “And, for all of Cindy’s failings in the decorum department at least she chose the best man.”

  Xan sighed, “Can we come here every night?  I like this.”

  “Maybe, I’ll have to check my calendar.”

  “Hot date with Zac?”

  “Possibly.”

  “I’m gonna have to kill him, you know?”

  Dae reached up for Xan’s lips, “Later, my big tough warrior, later.”

They didn’t talk much after that.