Roy snorted softly at the discussion of different types of stupidity...but didn't argue the point.  If anything, he seemed a little amused by it.

When Billie asked whether she should keep it secret, he paused for a moment, in thought, before answering.  "Well...it's kind of an open secret that we police our own, and sometime ruthlessly.  We don't really talk much about it, but we don't actively try to conceal it, either.  Truth is, there are some who will blindly accept the official story, even as incredulous as it is that the entire senior staff would be involved in a tour like that and lost in a single accident...although it IS true that none of them took any safety precautions beyond putting on helmets.  Most in the Fleet, at least at command levels, have seen this cycle of mediocre officers achieving command grade and turning out to be traitors, that they'll know at least some element of the truth as soon as they hear the story.  And I suspect that there will be a rash of desertions...hopefully, only a small one...as people who had Kush's help getting positioned in the Fleet realize that we found him and their connection to him is a liability...because we WILL be fact-checking personnel records for anyone who got a hand up in their career from Kush."

He sighed, then grinned ruefully as he realized he was straying from the question.  "I would say, you don't need to keep it a tight secret...but I'd be selective about who I discuss it with, if I were you.  Most folks on the Hermes are safe enough, but beyond that, you're setting yourself up as a target for reprisals if the wrong people find out you were involved.  And if you discuss it with someone who likes to tell stories, they could potentially become targets, as well, if they talk about it in front of the wrong people.  I'm not so concerned about operational security...it's too late for enemy personnel to do anything about it and they already have multiple bounties posted for both Shadow and myself, so another horror story isn't going to change things much.  But letting it be known that you were involved can focus some dangerous attention on you.  Be prudent about who you discuss it with...and where."

 Meari smiled and nodded, then replied," Yes of course, I just can not miss getting back to the Hermes it would show great dishonor to my people and my Granmod Warlord Lilith."  When the father told her and Skiffle to sit together that made Meari smile. She went and talked with Skiffle, " You just be you ok Skiffle, I will always be your friend no matter what ok." Meari will eat and talk with Skiffle and closely watch her comms.

 Lizzy smiled when Izzy said the boots would look amazing on her. Lizzy was happy plus this helped so much in trying to bury her Father forever. Lizzy then replied," Thank you Izzy glad you like them, they will look amazing cant wait, thankyou again." Lizzy was bubbly again it made her feel good and alive inside. " Yes you where right they are awesome and very inexpensive."

 Then Izzy talked about getting wine for Zob and Melia and something for the party and Lizzy went into bubbly overdrive. " Oh yes Izzy wine for Zob and Melia but it needs to be strong for those two. Yes Izzy lets go quickly if we see a jewelry store maybe a quick look for green earrings on the green planet. " Lizzy noticed Izzy winching from her arm wound, and followed Izzy too the wine shop.

"Don't worry Shoey, I'll be on board just want all the sun I can get first."

At the mention of her father and whether he would be unhappy to know that she was still out here, her smile would falter a bit as she replied in an uncertain voice "I...I don't know...I killed my own half-sister Nic, his youngest daughter...would you want me around if you were him?" she replied already suspecting the answer to that question. Before it would have just been a case of swallowing her pride and apologising for all the things she said and done but now she didn't see anyway back from this.

As Nic spoke of his own childhood memories she'd smile and try and picture the scene of them sat upon the mountainside watching the lights and the stars as they made their way across the nights sky "That sounds nice...I think I'd have liked to have seen that" she softly said, snuggling in a little closer to him and asking "So what do you think of Bura?"

 Sam did more research into want happened with Can, the Village took him in not a loving family and Sam felt so bad for him. Sam knew how it was to grow up with no one Sam would see if maybe Doctor Christie and Val might bring Can with them and adopt him. Sam could easily transfer all the paperwork she would just need Sarah's signature and considering the situation and how sad Can really was Sam thought Sarah would also approve.  She worked to get things together just in case Doctor Christy and Val would like to adopt Can. Sam would wait until they talked to Can she figured they should have found Can by now.

 Sam got a text together and sent it to Doctor Christie, Comm Text Message: " Doctor Christy Can wasnt adopted officially he is a ward of the Village , and all reports he is very sad and stays alone a lot. I have the ability to transfer him to you and Val if you wish we would just need Commodore McKeon's approval. Please let me know what you wish to do, Can deserves to be happy and I am not sure he can find that on Bura."

Henry could feel tears welling up. Blinking them away he looked over at Val and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her nod.

"This isn't what was promised... not what... never mind. Can, I have an important question for you."

Now or never. Do or die. Chance favours the prepared mind.

"Can, would you like for me and Val to adopt you? Give you a real home with parents to love and raise you? And Mila around too..."

“I mean…it’s not like I have a huge group of friends that I talk to…the only person I really talk to about anything like this is Arnie and I think that he is a safe person to do so.” The other girls just made her feel more awkward…like she didn’t know how to really connect with them. A few she liked more than others but she was going to keep her opinions on that matter to herself. Oddly enough, she seemed to get along fairly well with Machins but he was also someone that she didn’t really confide in with personal stuff. “I am just that quiet book nerd who generally keeps to herself with a huge love for dancing.” She gave a shrug.

 Can looked up  with  big eyes,  he was sort of frightened...in a very small Voice he  asked....I won't get 'serted...will I? I....like   The  fuzzy larg... I like  Miss Val.. and I like you..but i don't want to get 'serted...

.......

The Chief looked  around,  Shadow  and SI-CO  left the Med tech  tent, SI-CO sporting a Derplast form on his nose  and some  Patches,  Shadow sleeve had  been  cunt off  and  his  arm  was heavily plasted.

 Red Water  and  Jumping Lion were  showing some of the Village  folks dances from thier reservation.

 there were several  crewman passed out on the  grounds... They were being carried to  APVs  to be sent home, after trying the  Villages' 'special drink"

............

 Shoey looked up at the trees,..it gets  darker here, faster, then it  does in the fields  and   such.. Damn think forests they have, that's why they have such clean air  and  rich O2.

  the server came over  with a  cart that had  some thinly sliced meats  and  an array of   yellow, green and blue vegetables

 there  were   drinks  on the cazrt, including  cold bottless burian soft drinks.

 Skiffle point to the   vegetables and one slice of meat and  got a dark green soda...I like most of the foods, but i miss pizzqa..

 Meari smiled and ate with Skiffle, noting to Skiffle's parents about about and maybe surprise her with it sometime. Meari took food but nothing to excess and had as much fun as the time allowed for her to have with Skiffle and Meari soaked up and enjoyed every second of it. Meari smiled and replied," Well if you are good, and be the best you can be, maybe your parents will treat you with some human pizza." Meari smiled then enjoyed Skiffle's company.

Leading them down the street to where the liquor store was Izzy would giggle at Lizzy's comment about the wine needing to be strong to have any real effect on the pair, or to be more precise Zob "oh it's strong enough, remember what happened after we had half a bottle of the stuff?" she said with a smile as she recalled how they'd discovered that the shopkeeper hadn't been kidding when he'd said it was an aphrodisiac and the resulting night of passion the two of them had shared. As far as party stuff went she wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for with her kind of hoping she'd know it when she saw it with Lizzy also saying she would like to try and find a jewellery store "sure there's one a little further down from the liquor store, it's where Sam got my necklace from" she said pointing a little further down the street.

Once they'd found the shop in question in wouldn't take Izzy long to find the pink wine in question along with a pair of nice looking wine glasses, which she had gift wrapped, before heading back outside so that Lizzy could peruse the nearby jewellery store for the earrings she was looking for.

Roy grinned.  "Yeah, you can trust Arnie with it...just be careful who else is around when you do."  Even if Arnie hadn't been Lights Out, he kept secrets better than almost anybody on the ship.  And I know there are those that would debate it with me, but having a lot of friends is over-rated.  You need enough to keep you sane, and I feel like most people abuse that 'friend' label, anyway, and apply it far too casually.</blue>"  For his own part, out of all the people aboard the Hermes, there were perhaps a handful that he would call his friends, although there were many that he was friendly with.

He smiled at her response to what he and his father had done. "We can if we ever get back to Earth. I would love to take you there. Maybe you meet my family someday."

At the question, he looked around and chuckled. "Its a bit rustic but I like the fact there isn't wall to wall city here. Its nice to see some things grow because you only saw that in gardens or the parks."

Nic had pulled her closer at the mention of her half sister, thinking over what she said before answering her. "I can't see you doing it for the laughs Harry. This is something that has bothered you since it happened. Do you think your father would have approved of what your sister was doing?"

He didn't know the whole story still and it was hard to comfort her. So he ended up reaching up to turn her head gently towards his. "Either way, I am here for you Harry."

 Shadow     walked throught eh Village,  trying to talk with every villager he was able to, warriors, craftsman, cooks, Kids ,  dancers and  music  folks.

  The edge  was going off his  eyes  as he seemed  to be slowly , getting in a better  mood.

  Stopping by  Roy and  Billie, he  had  a yellow berry drink...I'm going to stay about 30 more  minutes after recall sounds, make up for the time we wasted taking out the garbage?... you guys want to stay, you can come up with me?

.....................

   Younger   Village   women and  men were  slipping into the trees  with crew folks for  some  alone  time

 The Chief  saw   Mila and approached the  people  who were Can.. How  do you like  Village?

...........

  Shoey looked at his  COM and told  John,well? Guess we   should hop on the Next APV  to the airfield, so we're ready for recall.

Roy shrugged.  "A half-hour more isn't going to improve my life any," he said, matter-of-factly.  A grin crept across his face as he added, "Nobody's naming villages after me, so I don't feel a particular need to run around glad-handing the locals.  You've always been better at that kind of thing than me...just makes me feel awkward."

He gave Billie a look.  "But don't rush back on my account, either.  Coming off shoreleave is often my busiest point, with Security...nobody else should have to cut their leave short just because I'm more at home on the ship than down here."

  Shadow chuckles,well, these folks have been real nice to me. I want to be the 'hero' they want. They deserve to be proud  of the idiot  that named thier Village after.

 ..you get back to the ship, Make sure  beth has  everythign from the Run logged.

 Lizzy giggled when Izzy brought up the wine, Lizzy replied," Yes very true they will love it." Lizzy was so happy for Zob and Melia and she was going to try and throw them the best party she could. Lizzy  smiled even more when she said there was a jewelry store close she just needed a few minutes to look. " That is great Izzy, I just need a few minutes too look."

 They got to the wine store and Izzy found the wine in question quickly and came out very quickly with also a gift wrapped present as well. Lizzy smiled and followed Izzy to the close Jewelry store, she saw the store and walked in and headed for the earrings she would give it a shot that the perfect green earrings would be on Bura as she looked at what they had.

"After you." West said following him to the vehicle. "Did you bring your shuttle down? I prefer first class." he joked as they walked.

Henry dropped to his knees and took Can's hands.

"Can, you will never be 'serted as long as I have breath in my body. I apologise for letting you come to Bura in the first place, I wanted you to stay then, now I have a second chance to take you in and give you the love and security you deserve. Val and I are to be married, and we'd like for you to come and be our firstborn, the eldest child in what I hope will be a large family."

He waited, not daring to breathe, for Can's answer.

She liked the idea of going to Earth with Nic and visiting his home, with her also quietly agreeing with him about it being nice that they were somewhere that wasn't wall to wall city, which was strange considering that before she'd joined the navy Harry had been a die hard city girl viewing the countryside as something that other people went to. Perhaps living in a tin can had taught her to appreciate things like fresh air, grass and sunlight a little more?

However what was more surprising was Nic's offer to introduce her to his family, with the statement very obviously catching her completely off-guard with it probably being the first time a guy had ever offered to take her home to meet his parents with not even Will with whom she'd been rather close making that offer. However as much as she liked the idea of meeting and perhaps even being welcomed into Nic's family she was still rather cautious about their relationship with her not wanting to rush in like she usually did and risk getting hurt again.

On the question of her father and whether he would have approved of Abby's actions she would quietly sit there for a few moments as she mulled over what she knew and thought she knew about him before quietly answering "I don't think so, the man I knew wouldn't have condoned anything the EDT stood for, he was kind, generous and down to earth...but then again I've been away for a very long time and money has a way of corrupting even good men...and no I didn't do it for fun" she said recalling how she'd tried getting out of doing it by leaving her unconscious on an exploding planet only for the Gava to bring her back to the Hermes anyway "...if I hadn't of shot her down she would have killed Higgins, which is something everyone seems to forget...that I killed my own sister to save a crewmate I barely knew, all they seem to care about is the fact that I lost my wing in the process" she continued with a weary sigh as she gently rested her head upon his shoulder.

She would sit like this for several minutes, enjoying the feel of his arms around her as she listened to the sound of birdsong as the sun slowly started to set before quietly speaking again "Nic...Is that offer for me to spend the night at your place still open?"

  The Little  guy looked at Henry, his lips  quivered, his eyes  watered... in a very tiny voice he said.....you won't  'sert me...ever?

 The Chief  stood  back and smiled  as he watched, not  saying word to interrupt.

 then  Can   leaned into henry and gave him a hug... and   the little fellow   cried  as he hugged  Henry  tight.

......................

   Shoey  grunted  as he  walked, his  arm  still in the sling,Its getting to be like the Dark Ages?.. Stefi said  i'd have to wait   2 days for  my leg to feel right?.. Two days!!!..next thing you know she'll be giving  us  herbs bags and chicken feet to hang around out necks!

..........

  The horns sounded on the COM units  of Delta   Fleet  people. with the  'Hermes Voice' saying   This  Now  recall..report to your  ships...Cast of in 1:58:37.... it will continue  like that until the COM was   acknowledged ......

.....................
.....................

   At Skiiffles House Merai's COM went off... The  new Parnest moved to  Merai   and  smiled,Our Driver  will get you to the airfield... You have Skiffles   COM  number now, as well as  ours.... Be carful out there.

 They walked  Meari to the   front  and the car was waiting,  Skiffle  gave a   strong hug to Meari. her  eyes  wet, but smilign as she waved  when Meari  entered the car.

Henry hugged Can close, reaching out and pulling Val in too.

"Listen here, Can. The only way you'll be rid of us is if YOU do the 'serting."

Some immeasurable time a few moments later the hug was interrupted by both Henry's and Val's COMs sounding recall.

Henry looked round.

"Lieutenant Robertson, could you expedite the necessary paperwork please? Can has made up his mind, he's coming with us."

He returned his attention to what was now his son (!).

"Right, Can. Get your stuff and say whatever goodbyes you need to. Drawback about living on a ship, they move on, and ours is about to head off into the Black."

 Can   smiled  and  gave  Val  and  Mila  hugs as well.....i have some thingsd... and he ran off to the lodge.

 Ther Chief  approach he had a  smile and said,villages  such  as ours, we have ...not many children. when hunting  or  gathering, or working with the military, we may come across  small onbe who are lost, or    thier people were  killwed by enemies or creatures... we bring them with us, so they might know the safety  of trhe village....times  come, when a pair of mates  will choose from the lodge of trhe lost....and they will have a true  family..... we brought this little one with us, because he would be sent to another town to see if anyone wanted to take him in?..but he would have
been far from his 'pack' with out knowing if  mates would take him in.... it is good..you take him..he seems  to know you..and love you..that is the way, of the lodge of the lost...

 Can cam back a small  hide covered bag with some  village green clothing and a long knife..  he looked shy and handed  Val a paper..she showed it to  Henry, it was the picture he drew of them all.

 Meari's comm went off and she acknowledged it, she gave Skiffle another big hug. Meari smiled at Skiffle's parents gave them a warriors hand shake. " Thank you very much and I will send you messages Skiffle and if you ever need to talk tome send me a message. Thank you for inviting me Skiffle means a lot too me, the little human got too me." She smiled and real smile then leaned down on her bad knee it hurt but it was worth it.

 She said to Skiffle," I am so happy you found a good family, things will be different but you will be safe and loved. I will always be your friend, and I will be careful Skiffle." Meari gave her another hug then wiped Skiffle's eyes. The smile and wave Skiffle gave her made her all warm and happy inside. Meari got into the car and was happy the whole ride to the sirfield to catch a shuttle to the Hermes.