Chapter 1
The room was dead quiet. Tru Kirk stood before the neatly packed suitcase on her bed and hesitated before closing its lid. Her soulful eyes went to the little dreamcatcher that hung from a nail above her pillow. There was no one to notice how her expression softened or wonder at the reason for it.
Lame Wolf's dreamcatcher could stay, she decided. In California she wouldn't need the circle of rawhide and its trailing feathers to make him feel closer. Knowing that she would see him every day brought a smile to her face and made her heart beat a little faster. But by the time she carried the suitcase downstairs, her mouth set in a straight, determined line.
Tossing back her reddish-blonde hair, she looked at her parents seated together on the sofa and said, "I'm ready."
Her mother sat stiff and silent, not out of disapproval, but because she knew an unpleasant scene was coming. Sure enough, Dad rose with a quick motion that meant he was still annoyed. Tru had recently graduated from high school and would turn eighteen next month. She had always thought of herself as an artist, painting birds and flowers and landscapes in watercolor, but to appease her father she had applied and been accepted for the upcoming term at Starfleet Academy. And now, since he knew that her heart wasn't in it, he wanted her right here at home where he could keep the pressure on. It didn't matter that she had been spending the better part of each summer at the Dreamcatcher Boys' Ranch since its founding.
His hazel eyes sliced into her. "I thought you'd reconsider, at least for your mother's sake. Once you're in the Academy, we won't be seeing much of you."
Holding onto her temper, she said, "At Dreamcatcher, I'll be giving the boys art lessons and teaching them to ride. I'll be training horses, too. It's useful work, Dad, and I enjoy it." On inspiration she added, "It's the sort of work that teaches responsibility and command skills."
"You'll be working for your brother. That doesn't look good on a resume."
Tru sighed. "Lame Wolf is only part owner, and the fact that you were once his guardian doesn't make him my brother."
There was a clatter of feet on the stairs, and ten-year-old Sam burst in. "What's that about your brother?"
Like Tru, Sam strongly resembled their father, but Mom's Latin blood made their skin a shade darker.
Tru ruffled Sam's auburn hair and gave him a hug. "Promise and I are heading out for the summer. Want to see us off?"
"Sure," he said, and they went to the stable to get her horse.
oooo
Tru came out of the transporter beam face to face with her father's Vulcan-looking namesake, James S'chn T'gai. They were standing by the Dreamcatcher barn. At her side, Promise reared up and kicked his heels in protest at finding himself suddenly whisked from Idaho to California.
Jamie came forward and caught the big white gelding by the halter. Then he smiled a welcome at Tru and said, "You made it."
"Yes, thank God," she smiled back. It was a relief, getting away from the tension at home. Thinking of the pleasant weeks ahead made her feel gloriously happy. Maybe the summer would go on forever and she would never have to leave for the Academy. As they unsaddled Promise and turned him out to pasture, she asked, "Where's Lame Wolf?"
Jamie flipped a hand eastward. "Down at the creek with some boys."
That was a bit disappointing, but with Jamie toting her luggage, she went inside and greeted his wife Anika, meeting several boys along the way. There were sixteen in residence now, boys of every shape, size, and color. A new wing had been added to the main house, along with a little veterinary office. Anika no longer worked in Weaverville, but handled appointments from here while caring for the ranch stock. Everyone shared cleaning chores and took turns helping in the kitchen.
By dinnertime, Tru had settled in. Lame Wolf and his charges arrived just as everyone was sitting down to eat. Two long tables ran the length of the dining room. It was a happy, boisterous group. Lame Wolf's dark eyes lit with pleasure when he saw Tru, and they shared an embrace. After washing up, he took his place at the head of her table. The room fell silent as Jamie offered a blessing, then Tru watched mounds of food disappear down the hungry boys. No wonder they had finally hired cooks; it would be a full-time job just keeping those kids fed.
After dinner the boys cleared the dishes, then those not on kitchen duty rushed out to play baseball. Lame Wolf came over and sat beside Tru. He grinned at her, his teeth very white against his smooth brown skin.
"Another summer," he said. "It's great to have you back. Now that you're out of high school…do you think you might stay a little longer?"
An ache settled in her heart, for she hadn't told him about the Academy. She hadn't dared. He knew how she felt about Starfleet and had not expected her to give in. He didn't understand how hard her father—the illustrious Captain Kirk—had made things.
"I…I can't," she stammered. "I have to go away in late August."
"College?" he asked.
A great thump saved her from answering. Lame Wolf turned toward the shatterproof window as a baseball rebounded into the yard.
"Mark's at bat!" Anika called from the kitchen.
Lame Wolf rose and said to Tru, "Want to watch?"
Glad for the reprieve, she accompanied him outside.
oooo
In the days that followed, Tru checked out all the changes at the ranch. Behind the barn, a new henhouse provided fresh eggs. Her love of birds extended even to chickens, and she delighted in the colorful assortment of breeds. On the ranch road, Jamie had erected a wayside shrine at the spot where he once ran over his son with a tractor. Now Cody was a lively eight-year-old, and he enjoyed teasing his father about the accident. The near-tragedy had deepened Jamie's religious convictions. As a reflection of that faith, he was constructing a chapel dedicated to the Good Shepherd. Not all the boys at Dreamcatcher were Catholic, but Jamie tried to impart good moral values to every youngster. Over the years, he had kept in close touch with Father Phineas O'Day from back home, and the retired pastor had agreed to come out in September and act as chaplain for the boys. In Idaho, Tru had belonged to O'Day's parish when Jamie was her neighbor, and she was very fond of the old priest. Here was one more reason why she wished she could stay, but since that was impossible, she tried to content herself with the daily round of activities. Besides helping the boys master their computer Outreach education, each member of the staff had a special area of expertise. Lame Wolf managed the operation, Jamie counseled the youngsters, and Anika mothered them. For now, Tru was the resident artist.
On the day Tru turned eighteen, her family showed up for a surprise dinner party. The Dreamcatcher boys happily joined in the celebration, crowding around her famous father, and he seemed to enjoy the attention. Tru was jittery all evening, waiting for him to "spill the beans". And then it happened.
The cake had just been served when her father stood, raised his glass of iced tea, and proposed a toast. "To my own Starfleet cadet, Elena True Kirk."
There were murmurs of astonishment, then a burst of applause. Tru's face burned with embarrassment and shame as she glanced over at Lame Wolf. He was not clapping. His handsome features were set like stone.
As soon as her family left, she went out into the night, but there was no escaping Lame Wolf's displeasure. Suddenly the crickets fell silent and she heard his footsteps approaching. Her heart began to pound wildly. Turning toward him, she saw the moon reflected in his solemn eyes.
"Starfleet," he said in a pained voice. "Is that what you want? Or is that what your father wants?"
"It's what I'm going to do," she hedged. "For a year, anyway."
"A year! Do you really think it will end there? Do you think he'll be satisfied with one year? He'll keep on pushing you, making you feel guilty. I can't believe you gave in to him!"
Tru's fingers clenched. "So it's all my fault? You don't know what it's been like; you don't live there anymore."
"He pressured me, too. He had my life all planned, but I stood up to him. Why can't you?"
Overcome with anger, Tru shouted, "This is none of your business! Leave me alone! It's my life and I'll do whatever I want!" Then tears came and she ran all the way to her room.
oooo
Early the next morning, Lame Wolf took six boys into the mountains on horseback. The camping trip could not have come at a better time. He sorely needed to get away from the ranch, but the sting of Tru's words followed him through the canyons.
Had he been too hard on her? He always thought of Tru Kirk as strong, but now he remembered those terrible days when everyone thought her father had died in space. Her strength had failed then, and when Jim came back, she had suffered ever more, thinking that he no longer loved her. Now it seemed that she would do anything to keep her father's love. But what loving parent would manipulate a daughter that way? Lame Wolf owed Jim Kirk for providing a home when he needed it, but his concern for Tru outweighed any sense of gratitude. She had always been his "Little True Friend" and he could not bear to see her in pain. But now even he had hurt her.
oooo
Tru felt utterly miserable, and with Lame Wolf gone, she tried to distract herself with the daily round of activities. A new boy had arrived. Fair-haired Hunter was ten like her brother Sam, but painfully withdrawn from years of abuse. His empty blue eyes watched her help a teenager train a yearling filly. Later, he sat staring dully at his blank paper while the rest of her art class sketched the big red barn. Before dinner, Tru took him out to pick some wild roses for the tables. Butterflies danced over the pink mounds of flowers, but Hunter showed no interest. All day long, the boy never spoke a word.
"Some kids are like that," Jamie said later. "They retreat deep inside themselves so nobody can hurt them anymore. Other boys come to us angry and rebellious. In time, they all learn that it's safe here. Once they see that we love them, they start to relax."
The next day dawned still and bright, but as the sun rose, a searing wind began to blow out of the north. The air grew hazy from the Mount Shasta volcano, which was still belching a little smoke and ash. Tru conducted her art class indoors and showed the boys how to paint their barn scenes with watercolors. She sketched a barn for Hunter, but despite every encouragement, he sat with his hands in his lap.
When it came time to dismiss the class, Tru went into the office and found Jamie quietly talking with Anika, phone in hand.
Turning to Tru with a serious expression, he told her, "There's a fire up north."
Tru's heart seized. Jamie's father had installed a fire shield for the ranch, but Lame Wolf and his boys were out of its range. Unless a structure was threatened, the Forest Service let these seasonal fires run their natural course. The long established policy resulted in fast burning fires that spared the mature trees and cleared brush from the forest floor. But fast fires were unpredictable and dangerous.
Jamie had called Lame Wolf to check on his location. For now the group was safe, but with the blaze tearing through canyons, he decided to fly out in a ranch skimmer and pick up the boys.
"But what about Lame Wolf?" Tru asked.
"He'll try to bring the horses in. You know how beaming frightens them, and two of the mares are pregnant." He started for the door.
"Hold on, don't leave yet," Tru told him. Before he could speak a word, she rushed to her bedroom and stuffed a few items into an overnight bag.
She caught up to him at the skimmer, and seeing that she meant to go along, he said, "Tru, I'm sorry, there's just no room. It will be tight enough bringing back six boys, and I don't want to make two trips."
Tru's chin lifted with determination. "I'm going to stay with Lame Wolf and help bring back the horses. You said he's safe, didn't you? Well then, I'll be safe, too."
oooo
Lame Wolf was shocked to see Tru alight from the skimmer and declare her intention to stay. As the disappointed boys climbed aboard with their gear, he told her, "No, you have to go back with them."
Her brows drew together with annoyance. "You said I shouldn't let people tell me what to do. And besides, there's no room."
They were still arguing when the skimmer rose from the little clearing and flew out of sight. Smoke hung in the air. A restless wind stirred the pine trees and made the horses tug nervously at their leads. Lame Wolf felt uneasy, too. The ride home would not be peaceful with Tru here.
"You should not have come," he insisted in a stubborn tone.
Wordlessly she drew her wavy hair back into a loose braid. Then she chose a black and white pinto and slung her bag from the saddle horn. Tightening the cinch, she mounted and looked down at him.
Lame Wolf stood his ground. "Why are you doing this?"
Beneath thick lashes, her eyes suddenly grew gentle. Softly she said, "Because you're alone. Because I want to be with you. Because…because I needed to say that I'm sorry."
The unexpected apology moved him deeply and he told her, "I'm sorry, too. I only want you to be happy." But he added, "James should never have let you come here. It's too risky."
"Help is only a phone call away," she reminded him.
"You rely too much on technology. What if it fails?"
Her lips stirred into a smile. "You won't let anything bad happen to me. You've always kept me safe. Remember when I got half-frozen hiking out to your cave? Remember when I fell through the ice at Little Kirk Lake?"
The old memories tugged at his heart. Either time, she could easily have died, had he not been there to save her. One way or another, he would keep her safe now.
Lame Wolf strung the remaining horses together and they set out. It was rough going. The game trails were busy with wildlife fleeing the blaze, so rather than encounter a cougar or bear, Lame Wolf forged his own path and phoned James at regular intervals. By sundown they were halfway home.
oooo
Tru was more tired than she was willing to admit. Gladly sliding from the saddle, she helped Lame Wolf tether the horses and dole out grain. Their camp was on high ground, with a clear view of the fire line. Distant flames glowed in the twilight as they sat quietly eating cold beans and leftover cornbread. It was almost dark when they finished. Tru laid a bedroll near Lame Wolf's spot. The wind had changed direction and the air was clean. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched out and closed her eyes.
Sometime later she awoke with a start. The sky was full of stars. Over by the trees, the horses were snorting and tugging at their leads. She looked toward Lame Wolf and saw that he had raised up on one elbow and was listening with a stun weapon in hand.
A deep hair-raising cry echoed in the canyon below. Then something large moved in the woods beyond their clearing. Tru scrambled over to Lame Wolf and held on tight. For the first time in memory, she found herself terrified by the outdoors.
"What is it?" she whispered.
The eerie wail sounded again. Nearby, something cracked loudly, wood striking wood. The restless wind swung around and carried a foul stench.
"What is that?" Tru said again.
Lame Wolf lowered the weapon and Tru could feel some of the tension leaving his body as he answered, "Sasquatch."
Sasquatch! Long ago, scientists had proven that the legendary Bigfoot creatures exist, and had mapped their habitat with biosensor technology. But in the mountains of Idaho, Tru had never set eyes on one or even come across any sign of them. Normally the creatures stayed far away from people, but now the fire had them on the move and their paths were crossing.
Tru shivered with fear.
"They shouldn't harm us or the horses," Lame Wolf said, "but we better sit back to back and keep an eye out."
After they positioned themselves, Tru checked the time on her wrist phone. It was almost four o'clock. Lame Wolf began to play his Indian flute, and the soothing notes helped relax her. The air felt pleasantly warm as they awaited daylight. Dreamcatcher Ranch lay just beyond the next ridge. By tonight they would be home, safe in their beds. Home. Yes, California was beginning to feel more like home than Idaho. Listening to the mellow tones of the flute, she became acutely aware of Lame Wolf's back pressing against hers. His nearness created a pleasant ache that was becoming all too familiar.
She knew what it meant. Deep down, she had felt it coming for a long time, though she had never dared call it by its rightful name. And suddenly there on the mountaintop she realized that this was why she had given in to her father and applied to the Academy. Hot tears pricked her eyes and her throat tightened. Her body shook with each thump of her heart, and she wondered if he could feel it.
"Duncan," she said thickly. When had she last used his legal name? But it seemed to fit this moment perfectly. "Duncan…I have to leave Dreamcatcher."
The flute went silent. All but a handful of stars had faded, and a blush of dawn tinted the eastern sky.
"In August?" he asked.
"No. Tomorrow."
It seemed to her that he was holding his breath. Then he said, "Why?"
She bowed her head and began to cry.
The sound of her tears tore at Lame Wolf. Rising, he gently helped her to her feet. Tru's eyes gleamed as he gripped her slim shoulders.
"Little True Friend," he said tenderly, but she was no longer Jim Kirk's little girl tagging along like a puppy. A memory came to him—a visit back to the Kirk Ranch. He had exchanged gifts with Tru. He had told her she was beautiful, and then she startled him with a kiss on the cheek. She had been just short of thirteen, part child and part woman.
Now her lips trembled, and at eighteen she was clearly more woman than child.
"Leave?" he repeated with emotion, for he did not want her to go away, now or ever. The truth was, he did not want her to leave him.
Now he understood why he remembered her kiss so vividly, why her gift of artwork had always seemed so precious. In itself, the rendering of Kirk's ranch was not important. What mattered to Lame Wolf was the hand that created it. Only Tru mattered.
Pulling her body close, he said, "Don't go."
For a wonderful moment she held onto him. Then crying harder, she pushed back, seemingly angry. "I have to go! Can't you see? I'm sorry…but I love you. I think I've loved you for the longest time…"
Lame Wolf stared at her, hardly believing what he had heard, thinking that her words meant something other than he imagined. But the look of misery on her face gave him hope—that she did love him, not as a little sister, but as a woman loves a man. Though his heart was slamming, time seemed to stand still. Reaching out, he swept her back into his arms and kissed her soft cheek. Tru's lips moved to his and their mouths touched…gently at first, then with a mutual passion that set his blood aflame. Now there was no longer any question. His True Friend had become his True Love, and all the world seemed beautiful.
oooo
The days passed like a strange but marvelous dream. After the boys were in bed, Tru and Lame Wolf went out walking where only the stars heard their secrets. Clearly trouble lay ahead, but they never spoke about her father. Nothing must spoil this sweet interlude of newfound love.
A month after the fire, they took all the boys berry picking. Down in the lower pasture, the thickets were heavy with blackberries. The boys happily set to work, dodging thorns, eating as many berries as they put into their pails. Only Hunter's fingers remained unstained. Silent as always, he stood in the shade of an oak tree, dangling his empty pail.
Tru looked out across the brambles and found Lame Wolf gazing at her. His black braids glistened in the sunlight. She smiled at him and as he smiled back, she longed to touch his smooth brown skin. Resuming her work, she picked berries in his direction and he steadily picked his way toward her. Most of the boys had moved to another thicket. Their cheerful voices drifted in the warm, fragrant air.
"Look," Lame Wolf said, pointing to an orange and yellow bird perched on a pine branch.
Tru had never lost her girlhood thrill of sighting a colorful bird. "It's a tanager!"
As she walked over to get a closer look, Lame Wolf went with her. They were ten feet from the tree when the male tanager took flight.
Tru said, "I wonder if he has a nest nearby."
Turning, she found herself inches from Lame Wolf. His unexpected nearness made her wish they were alone, so she could kiss him. But the pails were full of berries, and Cook needed them for tonight's pies.
"Okay, boys!" Lame Wolf called out. "Let's get these berries to the kitchen!"
They were halfway to the residence when Tru realized that Hunter was missing. She told Lame Wolf and their eyes met with a shared sense of guilt. They both knew they had been negligent.
"I'll find him," Lame Wolf said, and ran back toward the pasture.
Sick at heart, Tru took the other boys home.
Lame Wolf made a quick sweep of the berry patch and found Hunter's empty pail, but the boy was nowhere in sight. He fought a rising sense of panic as his shouts went unanswered. There was no reason for alarm. Tru would bring a tracking device that would quickly direct them to Hunter, but this should never have happened. New boys needed special attention. Lame Wolf had let his feelings for Tru distract him from his responsibilities and had not even taken a head count before starting home.
"Hunter!" he called again.
The horses in the pasture pricked their ears and stared at him. He stopped to study the animals. A horse's hearing was acute and their behavior might offer some useful clue. Sure enough, first one and then another horse turned its attention on a section of forest beyond the fence. Soon Lame Wolf was searching among the trees, calling Hunter's name again.
He came upon the boy suddenly. Hunter stood with one hand on the withers of an old roan mare. The horse's front legs splayed and her head hung low. Patches of hair had been burned away, leaving raw oozing flesh.
Hunter looked at Lame Wolf and uttered his first words. "She's hurt bad, Mr. Redfern. Please, you gotta help her."
oooo
The fact that Hunter had finally spoken created as great a stir as the broken-down horse. It was assumed that the old mare had been caught in the forest fire. She had no I.D. chip, and no reports had been issued about her. Perhaps she had been abandoned and was living wild until Hunter noticed her head poking out between some trees. He named the horse Blaze and stayed at her side while Anika treated her burns.
That evening, Jamie called a staff meeting to review the incident. As Lame Wolf sat down beside Tru, her icy fingers gripped his under the table. There was no excuse for their carelessness today, and they both said so. By ignoring established procedures, they had put one of their young boarders in danger.
"None of us is perfect," Jamie responded kindly. "There are bound to be lapses, but today we all learned the importance of staying alert, when something as simple as a bird can distract us."
Tru swallowed hard and admitted, "It wasn't just the bird."
All eyes were on her. Blushing, she glanced at Lame Wolf in silent appeal. They had already discussed the matter, and now he nodded to reaffirm his consent.
She turned to Jamie and Anika. "There was something besides that bird distracting us. You see…" her voice faltered.
Lame Wolf brought their joined hands into view. "This is the little bird who distracted me. Tru and I are in love…and she's consented to be my wife."
Anika's jaw dropped. Jamie stared, a furrow forming between his slanted Vulcan brows. Their thoughts were so apparent that they did not need to say a word. Like everyone else, they had always viewed Lame Wolf and Tru as siblings. Lame Wolf knew he had done nothing immoral, but for the first time it occurred to him that his love for Tru might cause problems for James and Anika. Tru was more than an employee at Dreamcatcher; she was a family friend, barely eighteen, and her father expected everyone at the ranch to look out for her.
Each time Lame Wolf thought of Jim Kirk, he went cold inside. The man he called "Uncle" was going to be furious. Tru would not be attending his beloved Academy, but it was more than that. A ragged Shoshone boy had come into his fine home and stolen his only daughter.
Anika got up and hugged each of them, relieving the tension.
Across the table, Jamie recovered enough to offer a weak smile and say, "I never dreamt…but why not? You two belong together. Congratulations."
oooo
The golden days of August arrived. Tomatoes ripened on the vines, and boys ate their fill of fresh-picked melons. Blaze recovered from her burns and followed Hunter around the property like a big ugly dog. In the youngster's eyes, she was magnificent. It was truly beautiful to watch Hunter speak to her tenderly and see him start to participate in ranch activities. Tru didn't want to miss a single day of his growth, but a painful task awaited her in Idaho and she could not put it off any longer. Lame Wolf wanted to come along, but one warm morning she kissed him goodbye and stepped into the Weaverville transporter alone.
Mom met her in Pinehaven, Idaho. Knowing what was coming, Tru settled into the family skimmer with a churning stomach.
They were in the air when her mother said, "So Promise is staying in California. But why didn't you bring your luggage?"
"I have everything I need," Tru answered vaguely.
The countryside swept below them. After a few moments Mom remarked, "You're awfully quiet. Are you having second thoughts about the Academy?"
Tru took a deep breath and admitted, "I'm not going."
Mom cast a troubled glance her way. She knew that the peace of her home was about to be shattered, but she also knew that Tru didn't belong in Starfleet. Finally she said, "What made you change your mind?"
Tru gave no reply, for they were already landing at the ranch. Dad and Sam came out of the paddock. Tears sprang into her eyes as she left the skimmer and hugged them.
"I love you," she told her father.
He gave her an affectionate squeeze and proudly asked, "How's my prize cadet?"
With a wan smile, she drew back. A horse nickered by the stable, and familiar mountain birds were calling. In a moment all this will be lost to me, she thought, and as her heart flailed in her chest, she found herself wishing that she had brought Lame Wolf along, after all.
Her voice tremored as she said, "Dad, Mom, let's go inside. I have something to tell you."
Once in the house, only Sam took a seat, for he was too young to sense trouble coming. But Mom was stiff with concern and Dad looked wary.
All in a rush, Tru said it. "I'm not going to the Academy. Lame Wolf and I are getting married."
Both her parents were clearly stunned.
Even Sam sat up and took notice. "Marry Lame Wolf? But he's our brother!"
"He is not my brother," Tru said forcefully. "He has never been my brother. I love him and we're going to get married."
She watched the anger building in her father, but it was her mother who spoke first. "Tru, this is very sudden. What's the hurry? You're so young. Why not give the Academy a chance?"
Startled, Tru turned on her. "Mom! The Academy? Whose side are you on?"
"The side of reason," she replied.
"Oh, so I'm being unreasonable? Look, Mom, I know you want to make Dad happy, but I have a right to some happiness, too. This is my life."
"Young lady, that's enough!" snapped her father.
Tru gathered her courage and faced him. "Starfleet is your dream, not mine. Dad, I'm an artist."
"Then study art! I'll send you to the best damn art school on Earth. But marriage…to Lame Wolf? Tru, you're nothing but a kid."
"No, Dad," she said levelly. "I'm not a kid anymore. You can't tell me what to do."
His face went stony. "Tru, Sam—go upstairs."
Tru matched his glare and didn't move.
Her mother pleaded, "Tru, honey, give us a moment alone. Won't you?"
For her sake, Tru followed Sam. On the way upstairs, she heard Dad say to her mother, "Did you know about this?"
She went into her bedroom and left the door ajar. Sitting on her bed, she heard the sound of her parents arguing and it was as if the years had fallen away and Dad was just home from the Nexus.
His voice raised another notch. "I should have seen this coming! I should never have taken that Indian into our home. I should have listened to you."
"I was wrong then," Mom answered, "and you are wrong now. Duncan is a fine young man—you've said it over and over."
"Yes. But he's not…"
"Not good enough? Not educated enough? Not white enough? Jim, listen to yourself!"
"I'll never give my consent! That girl isn't running off to live with an Indian in the wilds of California. She's going to college. She's going to make something of herself."
Mom's voice came back. "Tru has already made something of herself. 'That girl' is a talented young woman who knows her own mind, her own heart. Remember the stories you've told me about Spock's father? How stubborn and manipulative Sarek is? Well, keep it up, and Tru will see you the same way. You'll lose her, Jim."
"That's up to her," he countered.
Sick at heart, Tru gazed at the little dreamcatcher on her wall. She had heard enough. There was nothing else here that she really needed. Taking the dreamcatcher, she walked out of her childhood bedroom and went downstairs. Her father glared at her as she used her wrist phone to call for a direct transport.
"Oh, no you don't!" he declared with a step toward her.
Choking back tears, she said, "Goodbye, Dad." And to her mother, "I'll be in touch."
Then the transporter beam caught her and she was gone.