”“Thanks, Dad,” smiled Toby. “Nell didn’t do a bad job either.”Edward put an arm round her shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Patronising...younger brothers,” he said softly.“Dead right!” replied that young lady.“More importantly, Nessa my love, have we got time for a drink before sups?”“If it’s wine that you can go on drinking with it.”That is what the parents had. The young stuck to water. They were not given any option.“Nell sweety,” said Nessa after they had sat down, “Mrs Pettigrew asked. ..I am sorry for being here without permission. I justneeded to find someplace safe, and the door was unlocked."Sarah rocked Violet in her arms gently, to calm her down. "Violet,kitten, it's ok. I am not mad at you. I am actually glad it was akitten, and not someone trying to rip off my momma's theater. Or, Iguess I should say, my theater." Your theater, miss?" Yes, my momma was the fourth member of our family to own it. She leftit to me when she passed away a few months ago."Sarah gently. It was on one of these evenings that she ran out to get a sandwich and bring it back to her desk. Waiting for her, huddled back in a niche formed by the huge pilasters that made part of the façade of her building, was... oh god, is it really her? Laura wondered. It was Charise.She was hunched back in the shadows, wearing her big blue parka. She was scanning the sidewalks almost mournfully and did not see Laura approach."Charise," Laura murmured above the traffic noise, trying not to. I didn't see the point but after We left the Sol system, I think they're right. The Explorers Guild I mean. So a little bit about myself, I'm John Smith and I am a Human male aboard my ship the Salamander. Myself and my crew of two other friends from Mars have left the supercity there in order to find our own way about the galaxy.Kaylee is an old friend, born on Mars to a couple engineers that helped build the spaceport there. She's about my height, lithe, blonde, and way smarter than I am when.