*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
"Full house." said Lennier, as he place the cards on the table.
"Four of a kind, beats a full house." said Gideon from across the table as he reached for his winnings.
Lena placed her cards on the table. "I believe you would call this a Royal Flush."
Gideon's eyes just about popped out his head. "How the hell....." he started to say.
A sudden gust of wind blew into the room.
"Who won this time?" asked Jason.
Lena's mouth opened, but Gideon beat her to the punch. "Young lady, I would choose my words carefully, remember you're on my ship."
Lena smiled, "You would not dare."
Another gust of wind blew into the room.
Galen appeared next to Jason. "Who won?"
"My daughter." stated Lennier.
"Ahh, yes." replied Galen. "He always getting upset when she beats him at cards lately."
"Thanks for the reminder Galen." said a gruff Gideon.
"Lena, it is getting late. You and your father need some rest." said Jason.
"An excellent idea." said Lennier getting up. "Good night."
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
"Really Matthew, you shouldn't get so upset over losing to her." scolded Galen.
"Besides, Admiral, she's just as good as you are. How many people can say that they've beaten the famous Admiral Gideon at his own game?" continued Jason.
"You mean besides Dureena?" said Gideon.
"Its not helping." said Galen.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to see Lena before I turn in." Jason excused himself.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
Lena met him at the door. "How are you feeling?" she asked as he came into her quarters.
"Fine, and you?" Jason leaned against the wall and thought carefully about the words he was about to speak.
"Lena, I am remaining with Galen." Her heart sank.
She expected this, Jason could tell. No other words were spoken, he kissed her on the cheek and left.
The next morning he and Galen were gone.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
She found her father in meditation when she arrived back on Minbar. Lennier's eyes opened and waited for her to speak.
"Father, Vir is leaving soon," she paused, "will you be leaving with him?"
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
A few months later, Lena was alone in one of the training areas. She had just finished a night class for new recruits.
"To be honest, " she said aloud, "with you Valen, they are very undisciplined, selfish and rude."
She crossed her arms as she heard foot falls behind her. "Good evening Father." she replied.
"The class did not go well?" he asked.
"No, Father it did not." she sighed, "My patience wears thin with them. They seek only glory and fortune."
"They will learn." replied Lennier.
"Will they?" she asked.
"I wish Marcus had been allowed to stay. He would know what to say to them."
"Sounds like a challenge to me." said a cheerful voice from behind them.
"Ranger Jason, you have been gone far too long." said Lennier.
"I have missed you." she said as they embraced.
"As have I. Ranger Lennier." Jason and Lennier shook hands.
"I have learned many things. More things then I ever could have imagined." Jason was excited.
"If you will excuse me..." spoke Lennier before he left.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
"They grow up so fast don't they?" Galen remarked to Lennier outside.
"Yes." Lennier replied.
"For now he has decided to remain here." said Galen.
"The time will come when he must choose between his own kind and his life here." said Lennier.
"Yes. I believe that time will be soon. When they come, it will not be pleasant." replied Galen.
"You will not be far when this happens?" asked Lennier.
"No."
They stared up at the stars and listened.
"Full house." said Lennier, as he place the cards on the table.
"Four of a kind, beats a full house." said Gideon from across the table as he reached for his winnings.
Lena placed her cards on the table. "I believe you would call this a Royal Flush."
Gideon's eyes just about popped out his head. "How the hell....." he started to say.
A sudden gust of wind blew into the room.
"Who won this time?" asked Jason.
Lena's mouth opened, but Gideon beat her to the punch. "Young lady, I would choose my words carefully, remember you're on my ship."
Lena smiled, "You would not dare."
Another gust of wind blew into the room.
Galen appeared next to Jason. "Who won?"
"My daughter." stated Lennier.
"Ahh, yes." replied Galen. "He always getting upset when she beats him at cards lately."
"Thanks for the reminder Galen." said a gruff Gideon.
"Lena, it is getting late. You and your father need some rest." said Jason.
"An excellent idea." said Lennier getting up. "Good night."
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
"Really Matthew, you shouldn't get so upset over losing to her." scolded Galen.
"Besides, Admiral, she's just as good as you are. How many people can say that they've beaten the famous Admiral Gideon at his own game?" continued Jason.
"You mean besides Dureena?" said Gideon.
"Its not helping." said Galen.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to see Lena before I turn in." Jason excused himself.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
Lena met him at the door. "How are you feeling?" she asked as he came into her quarters.
"Fine, and you?" Jason leaned against the wall and thought carefully about the words he was about to speak.
"Lena, I am remaining with Galen." Her heart sank.
She expected this, Jason could tell. No other words were spoken, he kissed her on the cheek and left.
The next morning he and Galen were gone.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
She found her father in meditation when she arrived back on Minbar. Lennier's eyes opened and waited for her to speak.
"Father, Vir is leaving soon," she paused, "will you be leaving with him?"
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
A few months later, Lena was alone in one of the training areas. She had just finished a night class for new recruits.
"To be honest, " she said aloud, "with you Valen, they are very undisciplined, selfish and rude."
She crossed her arms as she heard foot falls behind her. "Good evening Father." she replied.
"The class did not go well?" he asked.
"No, Father it did not." she sighed, "My patience wears thin with them. They seek only glory and fortune."
"They will learn." replied Lennier.
"Will they?" she asked.
"I wish Marcus had been allowed to stay. He would know what to say to them."
"Sounds like a challenge to me." said a cheerful voice from behind them.
"Ranger Jason, you have been gone far too long." said Lennier.
"I have missed you." she said as they embraced.
"As have I. Ranger Lennier." Jason and Lennier shook hands.
"I have learned many things. More things then I ever could have imagined." Jason was excited.
"If you will excuse me..." spoke Lennier before he left.
*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*
"They grow up so fast don't they?" Galen remarked to Lennier outside.
"Yes." Lennier replied.
"For now he has decided to remain here." said Galen.
"The time will come when he must choose between his own kind and his life here." said Lennier.
"Yes. I believe that time will be soon. When they come, it will not be pleasant." replied Galen.
"You will not be far when this happens?" asked Lennier.
"No."
They stared up at the stars and listened.