The first thing Beth was able to perceive was some strange noises that seemed to be coming from…somewhere…she couldn't tell. For that matter, she didn't even know what was happening or where she was. Everything was dark and there was nothing to perceive. But the noises began to echo stronger in her consciousness. And as they did, her mind began to clear more and more until her ears were more attuned to the now-familiar sounds.

"Mooooommm-eeeeeeee, Moooommmeeeeee," came the soft, graciously-sweet voice of a little girl whispering right before her face. "Good morning, mommy," came another girl's voice that had to be on the other side of her.

All of a sudden Beth realized who and where she was!

Her sleepy eyes snapped open so suddenly that the petite, cherubic strawberry-blonde standing at her bedside yelped and stumbled back a few steps. "…h-h-h-hi-hi…mom-mmy," poor Samantha stammered in her state of fright.

Beth just blinked repeatedly and stared blankly for a few moments at the startled blue eyes of her youngest daughter.

But then, a tender smile stretched out upon her rose-red lips and a look of warm love came to her earth-brown eyes. Slowly, she stretched her arms straight out in front of her. "Come here, Samantha," she spoke softly as she raised her head off her pillow slightly. But Samantha just stood with her chubby hands bunched in front of her mouth. "Don't be afraid, Sweetie. Mommy just wants to say 'good morning'."

At this, Samantha dropped her hands and tottered forward into her mother's arms where Beth enveloped her and swept her into the bed. Placing her right hand behind Samantha's long sand-colored hair, Beth enfolded her closer and gently, lovingly kissed her little girl all over her cheeks, nose, forehead and eyes.

"Heyyyy," came Faith's voice, "Samantha, you have to share mommy with me too." Beth just giggled happily. "You come here too," she said coyly as she reached out her left hand towards Faith who climbed up and towards her mommy. Beth 'captured' her too and pulled onto her chest so both girls were atop her.

Between kisses and snuggles, Beth cooed sweet nothings in their ears. "Do you-smooch-girls know-smooch-just how much-smooch-I love you both?" Then, before either could answer, Beth instantly turned over and 'dumped' them flat onto the mattress. "This much!" she giggled loudly and started to tickle them silly on their bellies, their feet and their necks.

Faith and Samantha started to squeal and shriek, twist and turn—do whatever to get away from their mother's 10-fingered barrage. "Mommy-Mommy-Mommy, HAHAHAHAHA, Stop, stop, Stop, STOP, that—oh-ho-ho-ho-oh-ho-ho, that-that, ah-haha-haha, THAT TICKLES!" "Shhhhh," Beth immediately ceased and put her finger to her lips, "Not so loud, Samantha, Faith. There are people sleeping here so we've got to be quiet." The two calmed down now that the 'terrible torment' was ended and brushed away the hairs in front of their eyes.

Just then, there came a short knock on the bedroom door. "Stay here, I'll get it," eth said before hopping off and stepping over to open it. "Morning Beth," Jim answered with his small smile and warm blue-eyes. "Oh Jim," Beth exclaimed softly, "I didn't see you last night. I'm sorry if, well…me and the girls…if we made so much noise we woke you." "Huh? Oh, no, You didn't," Jim replied with a shake of his head as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

Beth's sharp eyes caught this action and she smiled; she absolutely L-O-V-E-D it when her husband was this bashful—He was so cute.

"So, uh…" Jim mumbled, "What was all the noise about?" "Ohhhh," Beth rolled her eyes so playfully that Jim had to chuckle, "Me and the girls were just sharing a very warm and tender moment together." "Oh," Jim answered with raised chin and eye-brows, "Well, could…You Know…You and I—?" "Oh Jim, Of Course you may!" And with that, She opened the door further with a flourish and arms fully outstretched.

As he entered, she leaned up and gave him a big one on the lips as both their eyes closed on contact. "Mmmmm," Jim breathed huskily as he drank her deep, sweet, red and delicious skin. "Eeeuuuuuwwwww," Samantha whined and submerged under the bed comforter. "Yyyyyyyuck," Faith stated as she jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Jim and Bethany came down the stairs arm-in-arm, looking very much like a royal couple (albeit Beth alone was of Monarch lineage). The two exchanged sweet and happy looks of Agape love that was tried, true and unconditional.

As they entered the massive dining room, those who looked up to see the young spacer and his princess-bride also were quick to see the deep and strong affection they shared. And it was a scene that could only soften the most hardened soul and make glad the most somber heart.

But then, Jim realized something: most of the dining guests were the council members of the Interstellar High Realm Command. And he'd forgotten to stand at attention first—a cardinal and basic rule since the beginning of the Academy! But then again…this was his home and not Interstellar property. And who, out of all 25 council members, would know him here?

"Ahhh," came a deep, baritone voice from across the room, "Lieutenant James Hawkins." Jim looked around to find the voice but the owner came ambling right around the tables and over to him and Beth where they stood. The, Jim recognized the voice's owner and stood at rapt attention as Beth assumed her best royal dignity.

"Good Morning, Admiral Sir," Jim spoke with a crisp salute. "And to you as well, Lieutenant." The Grizzly bear-like Fleet Admiral Terrence Creed, Commander-in-Chief, Interstellar Naval Command had known much about Jim and his abilities since the adventure to and from Treasure Planet. It was he who'd assigned Jim the covert and deadly mission by which Jim had found and rescued Bethany (and she, likewise, rescued Jim), reunited her with her (Royal) family and eventually led to their marriage. Thus, Jim was ever grateful and more intimate to his highest-ranking (after his parents and parents-in-law, of course) superior officer.

"Good Day to You as well, Admiral Sir," Bethany spoke humbly as she curtsied elegantly and sweetly. The ursid bowed at the waist to her in reply. "And a most blessed day to You too, Your Highness." "Thank-You," she answered with a most charming smile.

"With your permission, Sir," Jim began matter-of-factly and respectfully, "I was going to take the day off of work…and, uh, spend it with my wife here." Bethany turned her tiara-rimmed head to face Jim with complete surprise in her sweet brown eyes. But Admiral Creed just nodded with a broad smile. "Permission granted…Jim." "Thanks…very-much, Sir."

"Oh Jim, there you are," came Sarah's voice as she appeared from the kitchen and moved to intercept him and Bethany. "I need your help today: Silver and I still need meat for the next several days but the butcher's in town didn't have enough even though we purchased all they had. So I want to ask if you could, you know, go hunting today, somewhere anytime, and get at least 17 pounds of …well…just whatever game you can get. I'll leave it to you."

"Oh, uh…okay Mom. We'll get it." "We?" asked Beth a little puzzled. "Yeah, 'We'. Let's all of us go hunting to today—as a family. What do You say, Beth?" "Um, well," she muttered as she ran her hand under her chin while thinking. Just then, the triplets came clomping down the stairs. "Hey Kids, want to go hunting today?" "Jim!", Beth exclaimed as her eyes flew up to her husband's face, "You can't be serious: Take the children hunting!" "I wanna go!" replied the ever eager Samuel. "I don't know," Samantha said timidly as she clutched her large, porcelain-head doll in her arms. "I'm scared of…big animals." "Do we get to shoot your guns, daddy?" Faith spoke curiously, being braver than her sister. "Oh Yeah," answered her daddy coming over and squatting down in front of her. "I'll show you all how to hunt with a gun and other weapons. But I'll get the meat that grandma needs, okay?" "Okay, Daddy," Faith answered as she clasped her hands in front of her. Jim smiled at her as he and Samuel went back upstairs to retrieve Jim's firearms from the gun safe in his room.

But Samantha, still nervous, clung to her mommy's forest-green velvet gown and said, "Mommy, I don't wanna go, I'm scared." But Beth just knelt down and held her daughter close. "Shhhh, Be brave, little one. Daddy and I are Always with you to protect you and your brother and sister. And who knows—you may actually like it when you see what its like."

4:37 PM that same day….

"Mom, we're home!", Jim called anxiously as he burst through the back door of the inn kitchen, dusty, muddy and bloody—along with Faith, Samuel and a very confident and beaming Samantha! But it was not his mom they found removing several roasts from the large oven: it was Silver himself. "Ahh, Jimbo! Samuel! Samantha! Why, 'n ev'n yeh too, 'lil Faith!" the big, old cyborg exulted as he wiped off his hands with his apron and ambled over to greet his friend and "godchildren". "Hey Silver," Jim answered his old mentor with a big side hug which the affable cook returned. "You got to see what we got you, Uncle Silver!" Samuel almost shouted with excitement as he grabbed Silver's mechanical arm and tried to pull him towards the still-open kitchen door. "No, Samuel, wait," Jim said intervening, "Let' s you and I bring in the meat and 'Uncle Silver' can prepare it while he's making tonight's dinner." "Ah-Nahhh, Its already done there, Jimbo," Silver motioned towards the cooling roasts on the stovetop. " 'Sides, this 'ol cyborg could use a bit 'o movement," he added as he ambled on past them and out the doorway.

"Oh Beth, There you are," called Leland softly to his daughter-in-law who'd just entered through the front door. "I haven't seen you or Jim all day," the tall, rugged spacer said further as he came over and helped her remove her sun bonnet and traveling cape. "Thank-You, Father," she answered with a tired-yet-warm smile and sweet brown eyes, "I've been out with Jim and the children hunting." "Hunting, eh?" "Mm-hmm." "Well," Leland replied with his hands on his hips, "I certainly know how tiresome that can be." Oh, No-no-no, It was quite invigorating and very wonderful. Why, I even bagged 6 wild turkey's myself!" "Turkeys, eh?" Leland replied with an upraised brow. "Oh Yes! For that matter, we all got a lot of animals—all different kinds too!" she exclaimed with arms outstretched for emphasis. "I assume you filled the skiff with them all?" her Father-in Law guessed. "Oh Father, You just have to see them all. Please, let me show you," she urged and pulled him out the front door.

Two hours later, the Hawkins family all sat down at their own private 10 seat table as three of the waitresses—Jenna, Leisha and Natalie—served them. Jim began by recounting for Leland and Sarah the incredible troves and hers of game they encountered and hunted.

But what was even more astounding was the breath-taking numbers they all "harvested".

Jim being the most experienced and most firearm-savvy, was able to bring down 4 bull elks, 2 Bison, 3 White-tail deer and 5 wild hogs.

Beth, more quick of finger and sight, dropped 3 elks, 4 pronghorn antelopes, 6 geese, 2 snipe and 8 rabbits besides her 6 turkeys.

Samuel got himself 3 pheasants, 4 wild hogs, 16 quail, 3 deer, 8 ducks and even 5 snipe.

"Did the girls get to shoot anything?" Sarah wanted to know eagerly.

"Oh Yes—and that's the Best thing, too!" Bethany proclaimed with well-pleased smiles for her daughters. "Faith shot 14 rabbits, 3 woodchucks, a hog and one 8-point white-tail. And Samantha—why, this morning she was deathly afraid of even using a gun. But Today…oh my goodness!" "How did she do?" Leland asked.

With a slight indication of fear in her countenance, Beth drew in a deep breath. "Well...it went like this: We had just completed hunting Coldwell Meadows, where Samuel got his upland birds and waterfowl. Jim and Samuel had gone down to a creek to help him retrieve one of the pheasants. All of a Sudden, Samantha said she saw two enormous brown bears coming straight towards us. I turned and saw them coming straight out of the woods bordering the meadows."

"And they were humongous: the smaller had to be about 650 pounds at least! They must have been attracted by the scent of the animals we already killed and gutted."

"And Mommy told me to aim 'n shoot," Samantha piped up, not wanting to let her side of the story go untold. "So I lifted Daddy's slug gun to my shoulder and looked at the bears through the sight. Author's Note: a slug gun is a shotgun with a grooved or "rifled" barrel for shooting large bullets called "slugs". And," here she halted and resumed her story more slowly. "I shot the first bear…and it fell down dead. And the other bear almost stopped but I shot it in the head. And the first bear was still alive…but Mommy gave me her gun and I killed it. Thanks, Mommy."

"Oh Samantha," Beth leaned over to kiss her blonde-haired girl on the forehead, "You're welcome. And THANK-YOU for being so quick with your aiming; you really saved us all. And I'm so proud of you." "Me too," Jim added as did Leland and Sarah. "You didso well today, Samantha," Jim went on." You see, you're so strong and brave already. You're going to be someone greater and brighter than a whole galaxy of stars."

And as they all watched, a smile appeared and grew bigger on Samantha's lips and her Prussian-blue eyes twinkled bright as a white star, making her look absolutely radiant with Life and Joy.