Chapter 9: The doctor will see you now....
Bialar Crais stood in Talyn's command, staring in the direction of the viewscreen, his jaw set. Carma Crais came through the doors and took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy.
Moving in front of her husband and sliding her arms around his waist as far as she could with her swollen belly getting in the way, she looked up at him. "Feeling any calmer yet?" she asked softly.
Crais looked down at her then and Carma almost cried out. There was more emotion in his eyes at that moment than she'd seen in all the time she'd known him. And the main one was hurt, which he was channelling into anger. "Bialar..." she said, almost lost for words, "I didn't know you would care so much about this."
"You do not seem as...surprised as I am."
It was a statement, almost an accusation. Carma sighed. "I knew before this," she said. Crais' eyes began to darken in anger. "She never told me," Carma explained quickly. "But I found that Marlin looked so familiar...and I realised a monen ago who he reminded me of."
Crais' shoulders sagged. "Then why did I not see it?" he said, in an exhausted voice.
Carma looked up at him, sympathy in her eyes. "Maybe because you didn't want to. I thought about telling you...but Raylani made it so clear that she didn't want us to know, I knew what your reaction would be and I *never* expected him to enter our lives like this."
Crais was silent for a few microts. "Of all the men she could have chosen...how could it be him?" he forced out, the lines of tension around his mouth deepening.
Carma gave a half-smile. "Love is never logical," she said. "Look at us. With all I have put you through, the only rational course of action would have been to leave me. But you never did."
Crais shook his head. "I...cannot accept him as a member of my family."
"I'd imagine that Braca feels the same way. But Bialar...what if you have to take him to have Raylani?" She brought one of his hands to her stomach. "Or do you intend to reject her and make do with just this child?"
Crais didn't answer.
"Sleep on it," Carma said. "Things will become clearer."
"The sleep cycle ended only four arns ago. I am not tired."
Carma grinned. "Now that," she said, sliding her hands up his chest to pull his head down to hers, "I can do something about...."
***
The studio audience burst into tumultuous applause as their host, a Mr Jury Spinger, took centre stage. The sign over him flashed from 'Clap' to 'Don't Clap' and the audience obediently hushed as Jury prepared to open the second half.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are having a very interesting show today. Our subject is 'I hate my daughter's boyfriend'. Now before the break we talked to Gary, whose daughter Jessica's boyfriend Richie tried to dismember him with a chain saw and Elizabeth who is afraid that her intended son-in-law David may be possessed by aliens. But our next story has a slightly different angle to it, because the couple in question...are parents."
The audience tittered, several disapproving sounds were heard.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome...." Jury looked down at the card he held and beckoned to his assistant, who darted to his side like a mouse. "Is this right?" he muttered, indicating the name on the card. The assistant nodded mutely. Jury waved her off, frowning at his cue card. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the slightly unusually named...Bialar."
Crais walked onto the set, feeling thoroughly self-conscious, surprised at the volume of applause that he was receiving. He stepped onto the stage and sat down awkwardly in one of the chairs provided, his back still ram-rod straight.
"So, Bialar...am I pronouncing your name correctly?" Jury asked politely.
Crais nodded sharply. Jury breathed a silent sigh of relief. "That's quite an unusual name, isn't it?" he asked.
"It is usual among my species."
"Of course," Jury said, with only a brief pause in which he decided he couldn't have heard what he thought he'd heard. "So, Bialar, please tell us your story."
Crais shifted slightly in his seat, wondering why he was going to tell all these humans about his problems. "My daughter Raylani...has a child by a man named Braca," he began.
Jury nodded sympathetically. "And you don't like him very much, do you?"
"No," Crais said shortly, irritated at being interrupted.
"And why is that?"
"He once served as my second-in-command while I was a member of the Peacekeepers...."
"The Peacekeepers? A military organisation?" Jury asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yes," Crais said, more irritated this time. "And when it looked as though I was losing power, he immediately supported the...creature...who stole my command and betrayed me. Since then he has made it quite clear that he despises me and considers me a traitor."
"A traitor? To what?" Jury asked, sensing an opening.
"To the Peacekeepers, to what I was taught."
Jury nodded, as if deep in thought. "Tell us about his relationship with your daughter."
Crais' face darkened. "It seems they recreated together while she was living on the base with him."
"Recreated meaning...they slept together?"
Crais sighed in irritation and disgust. "If they had been sleeping I would not be here today!"
The audience laughed appreciatively. Crais glared at them. "This is not a laughing matter!" he thundered.
"Of course not," Jury said hurriedly. He quickly glanced up to the booth at the back of the studio, where the in-house psychiatrist and his pharmacy lived. (It was astonishing how many of his guests needed to be put on medication. At first the 5% cut the doctor had offered hadn't seemed enough, but the studio had made a small fortune already. It had been one of Jury's better ideas). The doctor made a 'so-so' gesture, Jury nodded back. "And now...you have a grandson called Marlin. Can we get a picture of him?"
A picture of Marlin looking extra cute flashed up on the screen behind Crais.
"Awwwwww," the audience crooned as one. The ones in the front row shut up quickly when they saw Crais giving them the evil eye.
"And you have accepted him into your family?" Jury said.
"He is my grandson, I have no intention of rejecting him," Crais answered firmly.
The audience gave their first round of spontaneous applause. Crais stared at them, wondering what form of mind control these humans were under.
"But now...the situation has changed, hasn't it?" Jury added, trying to sound caring, thinking bitterly that this guy was getting more applause than he had.
"Indeed."
"Tell us about it."
"The...Captain Braca...."
"We only use first names here," Jury broke in quickly. "To protect privacy."
Crais' you-cannot-be-serious look flashed across his face. Closing his eyes for a moment and steeling himself, he forced himself to start again.
"...Llyn," he said, mentally promising himself that he could kill Jury for making him utter that name, "has now...been forced to leave the Peacekeepers and is currently in residence aboard my ship."
The audience gasped, happy for a twist.
"And..." Crais said, forcing the words out, "my daughter is...involved with him again."
A rumble of disapproval echoed through the studio. Crais started to feel a little better about being there.
"And how does that make you feel?" Jury asked, doing his best counsellor expression.
"I wish," Crais said, his expression stony, "to torture him in the Aurora Chair until he is barely conscious, shoot him and then let him bleed slowly to death."
The audience gasped again. Jury wiped his forehead on his sleeve. "Can we edit that bit?" he muttered to himself.
"Okay," he said out loud, trying to continue sounding up-beat. "Let's meet your daughter...Raylani."
Raylani came out on stage to join Crais. Her reception varied between applause and boos. She glared at the people in front, who hushed quickly, sincerely regretting their choice of seats.
"So, Raylani...another unusual name...tell us your side of the story."
Raylani shrugged, her arms crossed over her chest. "What my father told you is about right."
"Then let's talk more about your relationship with your boyfriend," Jury said. "How long were the two of you sleeping together?"
"Well, we only slept together once," Raylani said, mystified as to why he wanted to know that.
"So your son...was just the result of one night?" Jury said. "Bialar...couldn't you forgive that?"
Raylani laughed. "I said we only slept together once. We recreated...well," she said, giving Crais a quick glance, "more than once."
"Okay, I'm guessing that English is not your first language, so I'll try to keep my words simple," Jury said, tugging at his collar. "Do you love him?"
Raylani shifted uncomfortably, remembering that Braca was backstage and that Crais was beside her. "I...I know that it's not just...recreation. Maybe it's love, I'm not sure."
"You cannot possibly love Braca!" Crais exclaimed.
"Remember, first names," Jury said. Raylani and Crais both shot him dark looks, Jury nervously took a step backwards and nearly tripped on the stairs.
"He's done nothing worse than you!" Raylani shot back. "And my mother loves you. The only reason you hate Braca is because he decided to support Scorpius instead of you. He knew that you were going down so he tried to save himself. You of all people should understand that!"
"I think we need to meet your mother," Jury said, seeing the show spinning out of his control and trying desperately to hold on. "Please welcome...Carma."
Carma stepped up onto the stage with some difficulty. Crais rose to help her to her seat. The audience cheered her happily.
"I see another complication," Jury said, indicating Carma's stomach. "Raylani...does it bother you that you will be a big sister after so long?"
Raylani shrugged. "Not really. Our kids can play together."
Jury gave up on that line and tried again. "Carma, how do you feel about Raylani's boyfriend...Llyn, isn't it? Sounds Welsh."
"Welsh?" Carma asked, looking confused. "Whatever...I know him too. I don't have the same history with him as Bialar does so I don't mind as much. I'll admit that his past isn't rosy, but Raylani is right that I accepted Bialar's - which is far worse."
"So you are prepared to accept this relationship?" Jury asked, thankful to have at least one good guy.
"What choice do I have?" Carma said. "He's the father of my grandchild. As long as he doesn't hurt Raylani, I'll support them."
"And if he ever did?"
"I'd kill him," Carma replied, calmly. "Except that Bialar would probably get there first."
Jury tugged at his collar again, the boys in the editing room were going to love this one.
"Okay," he said nervously. "I think we need to meet Llyn. Come on out."
Braca walked onto the stage. The audience booed him lustily. He looked as nervous as Jury felt as he settled himself into the chair beside Raylani, as far away from Crais as possible.
"So Llyn," Jury said, fervently hoping that they could get through this one without a successful murder (attempted ones were good for ratings). "Would you tell us, in your own words, what made you pursue Raylani in the first place? Did you know who her father was?"
"I knew," Braca answered. "I thought it would be a good way to...get revenge on Crais."
The audience gasped again. "I'm assuming you mean Bialar," Jury said, trying to keep the no-last-names rule going. He turned to Raylani. "You don't look surprised by that."
She looked at him like he was mad. "Of course not," she said. "Like I said, it was just recreation then, he was the only one not in the betting pool."
"Betting pool?" Crais and Carma asked in unison.
"Can you explain that Raylani?" Jury asked.
"My mother told me I shouldn't get involved with any Peacekeepers while I was living on the base. I refused everyone, so they started a betting pool to see who could get me into bed first. Llyn was the only one not in it. Besides...I found him attractive."
Carma looked shocked, Crais looked outraged, Braca looked flattered.
"Okay, we have a question," Jury said, moving over to hold the microphone in front of the man in the row nearest to him. "What's your name?"
"It's John," Crichton said. "Hi Jerry...oops, I mean Jury."
Jury frowned. "What is your question?" he asked.
"Okay, here's what I want to know," Crichton said. "Why didn't you tell me that Braca...Llyn...was the father? I wouldn't have told Crais, you know and I could have helped you."
Jury looked confused. "It sounds like you know this family?" he said.
"I do," Crichton said. "I'm practically Marlin's godfather, I took care of Raylani while she was pregnant and we were trying to find Crais...Bialar...again."
Jury pulled at his collar. "You're not supposed to be in the audience, you should be backstage."
"But I wanted to watch," Crichton protested. "Raylani, why didn't you tell me?"
"I...didn't think you'd understand either," Raylani said quietly.
"Well, it was a bit of a shock," Crichton said. "But I can live with it. If your mom could fall for Crais anything's possible."
Crais gave Crichton a dirty look.
"And maybe...I was ashamed," Raylani said, deliberately avoiding Braca's gaze. "I knew how much my father would disapprove of my choice and how stupid it was of me to have let myself...feel something for him."
Braca looked curiously at her out of the corner of his eye.
"So let me sum up," Jury said, thinking carefully. "Raylani, you meant it to be only a one-night stand, but it became more. You became pregnant and now Llyn is back in your life. Do you want him to stay?"
Raylani shifted uncomfortably, conscious of her company. "If he wants," she said, trying to sound casual and failing.
"Llyn, do you want to stay?" Jury asked. The audience waited with bated breath.
Braca looked as uncomfortable as Raylani had a moment ago. "I...have no particular desire to leave."
"And do you intend to be a father to your son?"
"I...do not know much about children. I...could try."
"So Bialar, are you prepared to accept Llyn into your family?"
The audience leant forward in their seats, the atmosphere rife with anticipation. "I will consider it," Crais said grudgingly, his tone making it clear that that was his best offer.
"Okay," Jury said, thankful they had got through it without actual bloodshed. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're almost out of time. So, it's time for my final word."
He straightened himself and adopted his philosopher/God expression.
"What we often forget in family arguments, is what is truly important. It's not personal disagreements, or things that have happened in the past. It's the people who will be affected by continuing these arguments. And, very often, that means the children. Every child deserves a loving family around them and we should always remember to do everything we can to insure that they have one. Thank you ladies and gentlemen and goodbye."
The audience burst into applause once again and began chanting: "Jury! Jury! Jury!".
At various places on Moya, Crais, Carma, Braca, Raylani and Crichton all woke at the same instant.
"What the frell was that?!"
Bialar Crais stood in Talyn's command, staring in the direction of the viewscreen, his jaw set. Carma Crais came through the doors and took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy.
Moving in front of her husband and sliding her arms around his waist as far as she could with her swollen belly getting in the way, she looked up at him. "Feeling any calmer yet?" she asked softly.
Crais looked down at her then and Carma almost cried out. There was more emotion in his eyes at that moment than she'd seen in all the time she'd known him. And the main one was hurt, which he was channelling into anger. "Bialar..." she said, almost lost for words, "I didn't know you would care so much about this."
"You do not seem as...surprised as I am."
It was a statement, almost an accusation. Carma sighed. "I knew before this," she said. Crais' eyes began to darken in anger. "She never told me," Carma explained quickly. "But I found that Marlin looked so familiar...and I realised a monen ago who he reminded me of."
Crais' shoulders sagged. "Then why did I not see it?" he said, in an exhausted voice.
Carma looked up at him, sympathy in her eyes. "Maybe because you didn't want to. I thought about telling you...but Raylani made it so clear that she didn't want us to know, I knew what your reaction would be and I *never* expected him to enter our lives like this."
Crais was silent for a few microts. "Of all the men she could have chosen...how could it be him?" he forced out, the lines of tension around his mouth deepening.
Carma gave a half-smile. "Love is never logical," she said. "Look at us. With all I have put you through, the only rational course of action would have been to leave me. But you never did."
Crais shook his head. "I...cannot accept him as a member of my family."
"I'd imagine that Braca feels the same way. But Bialar...what if you have to take him to have Raylani?" She brought one of his hands to her stomach. "Or do you intend to reject her and make do with just this child?"
Crais didn't answer.
"Sleep on it," Carma said. "Things will become clearer."
"The sleep cycle ended only four arns ago. I am not tired."
Carma grinned. "Now that," she said, sliding her hands up his chest to pull his head down to hers, "I can do something about...."
***
The studio audience burst into tumultuous applause as their host, a Mr Jury Spinger, took centre stage. The sign over him flashed from 'Clap' to 'Don't Clap' and the audience obediently hushed as Jury prepared to open the second half.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are having a very interesting show today. Our subject is 'I hate my daughter's boyfriend'. Now before the break we talked to Gary, whose daughter Jessica's boyfriend Richie tried to dismember him with a chain saw and Elizabeth who is afraid that her intended son-in-law David may be possessed by aliens. But our next story has a slightly different angle to it, because the couple in question...are parents."
The audience tittered, several disapproving sounds were heard.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome...." Jury looked down at the card he held and beckoned to his assistant, who darted to his side like a mouse. "Is this right?" he muttered, indicating the name on the card. The assistant nodded mutely. Jury waved her off, frowning at his cue card. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the slightly unusually named...Bialar."
Crais walked onto the set, feeling thoroughly self-conscious, surprised at the volume of applause that he was receiving. He stepped onto the stage and sat down awkwardly in one of the chairs provided, his back still ram-rod straight.
"So, Bialar...am I pronouncing your name correctly?" Jury asked politely.
Crais nodded sharply. Jury breathed a silent sigh of relief. "That's quite an unusual name, isn't it?" he asked.
"It is usual among my species."
"Of course," Jury said, with only a brief pause in which he decided he couldn't have heard what he thought he'd heard. "So, Bialar, please tell us your story."
Crais shifted slightly in his seat, wondering why he was going to tell all these humans about his problems. "My daughter Raylani...has a child by a man named Braca," he began.
Jury nodded sympathetically. "And you don't like him very much, do you?"
"No," Crais said shortly, irritated at being interrupted.
"And why is that?"
"He once served as my second-in-command while I was a member of the Peacekeepers...."
"The Peacekeepers? A military organisation?" Jury asked, his brow furrowing.
"Yes," Crais said, more irritated this time. "And when it looked as though I was losing power, he immediately supported the...creature...who stole my command and betrayed me. Since then he has made it quite clear that he despises me and considers me a traitor."
"A traitor? To what?" Jury asked, sensing an opening.
"To the Peacekeepers, to what I was taught."
Jury nodded, as if deep in thought. "Tell us about his relationship with your daughter."
Crais' face darkened. "It seems they recreated together while she was living on the base with him."
"Recreated meaning...they slept together?"
Crais sighed in irritation and disgust. "If they had been sleeping I would not be here today!"
The audience laughed appreciatively. Crais glared at them. "This is not a laughing matter!" he thundered.
"Of course not," Jury said hurriedly. He quickly glanced up to the booth at the back of the studio, where the in-house psychiatrist and his pharmacy lived. (It was astonishing how many of his guests needed to be put on medication. At first the 5% cut the doctor had offered hadn't seemed enough, but the studio had made a small fortune already. It had been one of Jury's better ideas). The doctor made a 'so-so' gesture, Jury nodded back. "And now...you have a grandson called Marlin. Can we get a picture of him?"
A picture of Marlin looking extra cute flashed up on the screen behind Crais.
"Awwwwww," the audience crooned as one. The ones in the front row shut up quickly when they saw Crais giving them the evil eye.
"And you have accepted him into your family?" Jury said.
"He is my grandson, I have no intention of rejecting him," Crais answered firmly.
The audience gave their first round of spontaneous applause. Crais stared at them, wondering what form of mind control these humans were under.
"But now...the situation has changed, hasn't it?" Jury added, trying to sound caring, thinking bitterly that this guy was getting more applause than he had.
"Indeed."
"Tell us about it."
"The...Captain Braca...."
"We only use first names here," Jury broke in quickly. "To protect privacy."
Crais' you-cannot-be-serious look flashed across his face. Closing his eyes for a moment and steeling himself, he forced himself to start again.
"...Llyn," he said, mentally promising himself that he could kill Jury for making him utter that name, "has now...been forced to leave the Peacekeepers and is currently in residence aboard my ship."
The audience gasped, happy for a twist.
"And..." Crais said, forcing the words out, "my daughter is...involved with him again."
A rumble of disapproval echoed through the studio. Crais started to feel a little better about being there.
"And how does that make you feel?" Jury asked, doing his best counsellor expression.
"I wish," Crais said, his expression stony, "to torture him in the Aurora Chair until he is barely conscious, shoot him and then let him bleed slowly to death."
The audience gasped again. Jury wiped his forehead on his sleeve. "Can we edit that bit?" he muttered to himself.
"Okay," he said out loud, trying to continue sounding up-beat. "Let's meet your daughter...Raylani."
Raylani came out on stage to join Crais. Her reception varied between applause and boos. She glared at the people in front, who hushed quickly, sincerely regretting their choice of seats.
"So, Raylani...another unusual name...tell us your side of the story."
Raylani shrugged, her arms crossed over her chest. "What my father told you is about right."
"Then let's talk more about your relationship with your boyfriend," Jury said. "How long were the two of you sleeping together?"
"Well, we only slept together once," Raylani said, mystified as to why he wanted to know that.
"So your son...was just the result of one night?" Jury said. "Bialar...couldn't you forgive that?"
Raylani laughed. "I said we only slept together once. We recreated...well," she said, giving Crais a quick glance, "more than once."
"Okay, I'm guessing that English is not your first language, so I'll try to keep my words simple," Jury said, tugging at his collar. "Do you love him?"
Raylani shifted uncomfortably, remembering that Braca was backstage and that Crais was beside her. "I...I know that it's not just...recreation. Maybe it's love, I'm not sure."
"You cannot possibly love Braca!" Crais exclaimed.
"Remember, first names," Jury said. Raylani and Crais both shot him dark looks, Jury nervously took a step backwards and nearly tripped on the stairs.
"He's done nothing worse than you!" Raylani shot back. "And my mother loves you. The only reason you hate Braca is because he decided to support Scorpius instead of you. He knew that you were going down so he tried to save himself. You of all people should understand that!"
"I think we need to meet your mother," Jury said, seeing the show spinning out of his control and trying desperately to hold on. "Please welcome...Carma."
Carma stepped up onto the stage with some difficulty. Crais rose to help her to her seat. The audience cheered her happily.
"I see another complication," Jury said, indicating Carma's stomach. "Raylani...does it bother you that you will be a big sister after so long?"
Raylani shrugged. "Not really. Our kids can play together."
Jury gave up on that line and tried again. "Carma, how do you feel about Raylani's boyfriend...Llyn, isn't it? Sounds Welsh."
"Welsh?" Carma asked, looking confused. "Whatever...I know him too. I don't have the same history with him as Bialar does so I don't mind as much. I'll admit that his past isn't rosy, but Raylani is right that I accepted Bialar's - which is far worse."
"So you are prepared to accept this relationship?" Jury asked, thankful to have at least one good guy.
"What choice do I have?" Carma said. "He's the father of my grandchild. As long as he doesn't hurt Raylani, I'll support them."
"And if he ever did?"
"I'd kill him," Carma replied, calmly. "Except that Bialar would probably get there first."
Jury tugged at his collar again, the boys in the editing room were going to love this one.
"Okay," he said nervously. "I think we need to meet Llyn. Come on out."
Braca walked onto the stage. The audience booed him lustily. He looked as nervous as Jury felt as he settled himself into the chair beside Raylani, as far away from Crais as possible.
"So Llyn," Jury said, fervently hoping that they could get through this one without a successful murder (attempted ones were good for ratings). "Would you tell us, in your own words, what made you pursue Raylani in the first place? Did you know who her father was?"
"I knew," Braca answered. "I thought it would be a good way to...get revenge on Crais."
The audience gasped again. "I'm assuming you mean Bialar," Jury said, trying to keep the no-last-names rule going. He turned to Raylani. "You don't look surprised by that."
She looked at him like he was mad. "Of course not," she said. "Like I said, it was just recreation then, he was the only one not in the betting pool."
"Betting pool?" Crais and Carma asked in unison.
"Can you explain that Raylani?" Jury asked.
"My mother told me I shouldn't get involved with any Peacekeepers while I was living on the base. I refused everyone, so they started a betting pool to see who could get me into bed first. Llyn was the only one not in it. Besides...I found him attractive."
Carma looked shocked, Crais looked outraged, Braca looked flattered.
"Okay, we have a question," Jury said, moving over to hold the microphone in front of the man in the row nearest to him. "What's your name?"
"It's John," Crichton said. "Hi Jerry...oops, I mean Jury."
Jury frowned. "What is your question?" he asked.
"Okay, here's what I want to know," Crichton said. "Why didn't you tell me that Braca...Llyn...was the father? I wouldn't have told Crais, you know and I could have helped you."
Jury looked confused. "It sounds like you know this family?" he said.
"I do," Crichton said. "I'm practically Marlin's godfather, I took care of Raylani while she was pregnant and we were trying to find Crais...Bialar...again."
Jury pulled at his collar. "You're not supposed to be in the audience, you should be backstage."
"But I wanted to watch," Crichton protested. "Raylani, why didn't you tell me?"
"I...didn't think you'd understand either," Raylani said quietly.
"Well, it was a bit of a shock," Crichton said. "But I can live with it. If your mom could fall for Crais anything's possible."
Crais gave Crichton a dirty look.
"And maybe...I was ashamed," Raylani said, deliberately avoiding Braca's gaze. "I knew how much my father would disapprove of my choice and how stupid it was of me to have let myself...feel something for him."
Braca looked curiously at her out of the corner of his eye.
"So let me sum up," Jury said, thinking carefully. "Raylani, you meant it to be only a one-night stand, but it became more. You became pregnant and now Llyn is back in your life. Do you want him to stay?"
Raylani shifted uncomfortably, conscious of her company. "If he wants," she said, trying to sound casual and failing.
"Llyn, do you want to stay?" Jury asked. The audience waited with bated breath.
Braca looked as uncomfortable as Raylani had a moment ago. "I...have no particular desire to leave."
"And do you intend to be a father to your son?"
"I...do not know much about children. I...could try."
"So Bialar, are you prepared to accept Llyn into your family?"
The audience leant forward in their seats, the atmosphere rife with anticipation. "I will consider it," Crais said grudgingly, his tone making it clear that that was his best offer.
"Okay," Jury said, thankful they had got through it without actual bloodshed. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're almost out of time. So, it's time for my final word."
He straightened himself and adopted his philosopher/God expression.
"What we often forget in family arguments, is what is truly important. It's not personal disagreements, or things that have happened in the past. It's the people who will be affected by continuing these arguments. And, very often, that means the children. Every child deserves a loving family around them and we should always remember to do everything we can to insure that they have one. Thank you ladies and gentlemen and goodbye."
The audience burst into applause once again and began chanting: "Jury! Jury! Jury!".
At various places on Moya, Crais, Carma, Braca, Raylani and Crichton all woke at the same instant.
"What the frell was that?!"