While I have the full "Few" story in well-developed draft, I've slowed in my editing. For the Swarm Cycle, I have additional stories waiting behind "Few".
So, I decided to try something, not Something Completely Different in the Monty Python sense, but a different way of looking. A good deal of "Few" deals from my own experiences. I think many people realize that much of the weapons and systems engineering comes from knowledge of actual technology, and often minimal change to fit the Swarm Cycle. Since "Few" is early timeline, I actually have to wiggle a bit to fit with stories later in the cycle. Give Terry & Co. time to develop weapons, strategies, and tactics, and there might be incompatible "Feeling lucky, punks? Make my day."
What may be less obvious is that "Few" characters are mostly drawn from people I've known, and some of the strongest personalities come from experience in the sexual revolution of the seventies. It's not unfair to say that a good deal, although not all, of Terry is autobiographical.
This is even more so in "Green Berets", which draws from the same period but without the need to included an existential threat to humanity. Carol is a composite of actual people. There really was a strip club called Le Marquis, and I draw both from reality and what-ifs from it. Other characters also draw from reality. After finishing Chapter 2, though, I'm pleased to have Carol tapping on my shoulder and wanting to share some of her thoughts. Until a few minutes ago, I didn't know she had them. :-)