Well she couldn't say she felt entirely happy but she no longer felt that it was the end of the world. Right now she was sitting in Mess hall, eating. She looked up to see Josie and Valerie approaching her. "We'd like to talk to you", Valerie told her.

Beka gestured that they should sit down. "What about?"

"About Melody." Josie didn't beat around the bush. "She may not have noticed but we did. Everyone could tell that you were less then thrilled. That's why we want to talk to you."

"O.K. Whatever you want to say, spill it."

Valerie did so. "We just don't want you to hurt Melody in any way. She's thrilled about all this and for her to find out that you're not would devastate her. We want to prevent that. So, if you could just pretend and not hurt her feelings, that would be cool."

Josie spoke up. "If you hurt her then we'd have to do what we'd have to do.

We're just protecting our sister, that's all."

Beka was angry at first, that they'd think she was some kind of monster. Then she realized that they didn't really know her. It was amusing and oddly touching as well. "Don't worry. I don't want to hurt Melody either. She's not that bad of a person."

Tyr had to admit that finding out that this strange Valentine begat his Valentine piqued his curiosity. He normally avoided her but now he was very interested. Finding out that she was in the rec room, he headed there. She had a game of checkers out and was playing Bleep. "Excuse me."

She looked up. "Hi. How are you?"

He crossed the room and sat down near her. "I am quite well. Yourself?"

"Oh, I'm great. I'm real happy. We're going to get home sometime, you know.

Then I can get Bleep a cheese burger like I promised." Bleep jumped up and down. She turned to Tyr. "Everybody's very nice. I like it here, even if I do want to go home. Home is nice.'

"I imagine it would be for you."

She grinned. "Yes. It wouldn't be as nice without my friends. Would you like to be one?"

Tyr wasn't sure what to say. This human was unlike anyone he'd ever met. "I suppose."

"Good. You know outer space isn't all bad. Sure we get into trouble but we always get out of it. And we always will. Besides, if we hadn't gotten blasted off I wouldn't have Bleep and I love him." Bleep flew into her arms to be cuddled.

"Well, I must be going." Tyr stood up. He had to get away from this girl. She was dangerous. Not because of genes or anything to do with that. No, it was because a part of him had begun to wonder what it would be like to that innocent and trusting, so sure that everything was going to work out. A small part of him was a little envious. So he knew he had to get away. And still the thought followed him. How different might his, Beka and Harper's lives might be if they'd had the happy family life that this girl had apparently had?