”Captain Si had a question, “Sir, what is this?” Si was pointing to a different pin on his collar.“God says you are a Major. So, we will recog...ize you as a Major.” John smiled and shook hands with Si.John also counted three with new captain’s bars. Some had a first unit, some second unit and some with the third unit. Three units of a hundred and four each with a Captain in charge with Major Si in charge of the Brigade. There was one ship left out. John had the sense to send it to Lockheed or. This is John. John, this is my friend Amy, and I see you have met her mother.”“Hello, Sir. Wow, you sure are lucky, Annie. I sure do miss my Daddy, and Mom hasn’t found a new one yet.”“So, did you have a ‘special’ relationship with your daddy, Amy? Like the one that Annie had with hers?”Amy blushed bright red and nodded.“Hey Amy, don’t be embarrassed. Mr. John knows exactly what our daddies meant to us.”“Annie, are you disappointed that we have company this afternoon? Didn’t you expect to have. 'Please, be seated'An arrow pointed to a spot on the floor in front of where Lela sat, and I did as asked. Her eyes were still closed, and I wondered what was going to happen now.'Close your eyes'My eyelids dropped, and suddenly I found myself on a beach with red sands, azure waves lapping at the shore under a sky with two moons."This is my home planet," Lela's voice said right behind me. I spun to look at her, and noticed a glow to her skin I hadn't seen before. "I am sorry that I have worried. I had a few words with him when he knew his time was coming. "Sam, look after Mary Eustis for me when I'm gone. You have been a son to me and a man couldn't have had a better one."Samson calls me father, but he is your son in every way. So much of life is about saving face and not once have I ever been shamed since I first met you. I think Samson is the most intelligent person I have ever known or had under my tutelage. I have no idea what the future holds for him. He is man grown at seventeen.