When he returned he would join his friends for dinner, have a few drinks afterwards, talk about the news faxes reports, local and galactic, and then e...cuse himself to his room. To his friends, he had lost a little bit of his humanity and they couldn't reach him.A com came for McCock mid afternoon last day. Rowan and party would be arriving at "Trader's" No 5 hatch mid first watch. He excused himself to his friends simply saying he was needed at "Trader". Rowan and party arrived in a Fleet. I was a bit concerned because from somewhere in the back of my mind I recalled that being in this position for too long, that is with hands up high, could cause breathing difficulties. I let her down so that her weight was on her feet. She immediately tried to kick me, but fell, putting a sudden strain on her arms. She grimaced.“We’ve plenty of room for a woodland burial,” I said to Diana, “But not just yet.”“Right,” I addressed Ruth, “I want to know where the tape you made is.”She shook her. Thank heavens your father's home this afternoon - that will end all this." She said.I wasn't waiting for Dad's return with my usual eager anticipation as I could see my new found freedoms and privileges coming to an end. In fact I was actually dreading his homecoming.I slid over in the seat and reached down to the hem of Mothers dress and pulled on it in an attempt to bare her lower half."Stop that now!" she ordered, putting her free hand down and trying to stop my manoeuvres, "this will have. I was wary but didn’t refuse it. Jenn went to climb in, but was asked to leave me alone for a while. I vaguely heard her whine a little. She gave me a kiss on the cheek.Five hours later, I woke up hungry and feeling stronger, so I climbed out of bed and walked to the kitchen.“Hey Tiger,” Katie said. “Are you feeling rested?”“Yeah! I sure do feel stupid, fainting like that. I thought only girls fainted.”“As sexist as that remark is, you are mostly right. Are you hungry?” she asked.“Yeah, maybe.