”“True, but I suspect to the Orcs it’s a strategic asset, it’s keeping their base quite safe ... or at least they think,” I chuckled.‘Repo...t!‘ Crnnch demanded of the Omniscient over his internal communicator.‘There has been no attempt to breach security in the last 37 cycles, ‘ came the reply.‘Is it possible they can fool your systems?‘‘Anything is possible, Adept, but certainly no Yr’ch biotech could.‘Crnnch thought hard. He was fairly sure the Yr’ch were more advanced than whoever was. I wish them all well, hope they’re always on smooth ice and enjoying themselves.” For some reason they were both getting philosophical.“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Carol responded, “I’m not wishing bad luck on them or anything. I’m just jealous, I want to feel the way they do, I just can’t anymore.”John had no response, he looked up at the huge Christmas tree, lost in his own thoughts. He did, however, feel the need to say something.“It’s one hell of a tree. I think you’d have to see it at night. Moments later after he passed through to the garage the lawn mower started up. It seemed wrong to hear normal Saturday sounds around the house. But maybe he was right, maybe because of her time spent beating herself up she never really thought about the “why” as he posed it to her.Several hours later, he returns into the kitchen all sweaty and hot. She is still sitting in the same spot and still in her short nightgown. Grabbing a couple of diet Cokes he sits back down across from her. “Tell. I also promise never to travel abroad again, without you at my side. With this ring, I thee wed.” He slipped the ring onto her finger.Gloria opened a box, removed a ring and handed it to Constance. “Arthur, I willingly and eagerly take you to be my husband. I will walk with you, sharing life and its experiences be they good or bad, easy or trying, in sickness and in health, until death parts us. With this ring, I thee wed.”Alan reached into his other jacket pocket and handed a ring to his son..