Tashana passed out from the shock of meeting Irillith again. John had Rachel heal all her injuries, restoring her body to the state it had been in before her banishment. He carried the unconscious woman in a bridal carry, keeping her close. "You okay?" he asked Irillith.

"I had that one coming," Irillith sighed, wiping her bloody lip. "I'll survive. Is she going to be okay?"

"Rachel fixed up her body, but her mind is in a dark place. Waking up on a Progenitor's ship, not knowing I'm the one good one, isn't going to help," John warned.

"We'll make her see you're nothing like Mael'nerak, Baen'thelas," Irillith said with intensity.

John's Lionesses saved 6 women that Hades' pirates had been raping from their cells, escorting them back towards the Invictus. John walked through the floor of Underworld, finding a Trankaran trader looking at all the bodies with wide eyes. "Excuse me. I'm John Blake. Have you heard of me?"

The Trankaran gasped. "The Great Protector?"

"Yes, that's me," John nodded.

The Trankaran bowed. "Queen Niskera has spread your legend amongst our people, Great Protector, but I confess I had some doubts. Seeing your handiwork firsthand, they're long gone."

"I'll make this quick. I'll pay you 2 million credits to escort all the survivors back to a major trading post so they can find their ways home," John said kindly.

The Trankaran blinked. "Your generosity is most appreciated, Great Protector."

John made sure that the Trankaran had the money and then returned to the Invictus. He laid Tashana in what would be her room if she joined. Irillith, having gotten unarmored, took a vigil watching her unconscious sister. John gave her a kiss and then went to the Medical Bay. The six rape victims were on beds, looking at Rachel with awe as she finished spreading a healing mist, curing all their injuries.

"Hello," John said, making his presence known. 5 of the girls were tense at seeing a man, but the sixth had the wide-eyed look John associated with a fan.

"Who are you?" asked one of the victims.

The fan spoke up. "He's Commodore John Blake, the Lion of the Federation! He's a hero!"

"It's Rear Admiral now," John corrected gently. "I'm a bit famous in Terran space," John explained to the other girls.

"Thank you for saving us!" the fan said brightly.

"Happy to help. Now, there's something you should know. Rachel has healed your physical trauma. But you all still have mental trauma from how the pirates treated you. I'm able to fix that, but my powers are… sexual in nature."

"You want to fuck us!" one of the girls snarled accusingly.

"No, I don't, let me finish," John defended himself. "For me to work my powers on your minds, you have to swallow my semen. That's just the way it works. If you agree, I can strip the emotional pathways from the memories of the rapes. They'll feel like a bad dream, like they happened to someone else. But there's a side effect to drinking my cum. You'll imprint on the first man you're with. You'll want to be very careful who you have sex with the first time after drinking, because you'll love him until his or your dying day."

"Wouldn't the first man we're with be you?" asked one of the girls.

"If you feed from me directly, yes. If you drink from a container, you'll imprint on someone else," John clarified.

"So, what, you jerk off into a cup and we all take a sip, and just like that you can make the pain go away?" one of the victims asked skeptically.

"Yes," John nodded.

"I'll do it," said the fan. The other 5 looked at her, and eventually agreed as well.

"Great. Now, we just need our 'cup'. Jade?" John called.

His Nymph walked in the room, naked as a jaybird. She smiled warmly at the girls, and then knelt at John's feet. She took out his cock, ignoring the cries of shock from the girls, and began to blow John lovingly. He blew after about 5 minutes, and she funneled his cum into her hollowed out breasts. She tucked him back in and turned to the girls. "You can nurse from me or I can just pump it into your mouth through my fingers. Your choice."

The 6 girls all nursed from Jade, passing out for 14 hours from their first taste of a Progenitor's spunk. John made an active connection to each of them and began to strip the emotions from their memories of the pirates.

*I don't suppose I could tempt you to add them to the network?* Alyssa thought to him.

*Not without their consent. I'll offer when they wake up,* John replied.

*Leena has made the arrangements for her flagship to meet you at the border. You can add Nymaleth and transfer those poor girls so they can be transported to Genkiri,* Edraele told him.

*Excellent,* John grinned. He went to the Bridge, settling into his Command Chair. He waited as the Trankaran trader finished loading all the freed slaves into his Freighter and left the docking bay. Alyssa provided them a flightpath that used her warp tunneling back to Terran space. When the Trankaran ship had left, the Invictus leapt into hyperwarp. "We'll reach the border tomorrow, then it's 2 days to Valaden," Alyssa announced.

"Dinnertime," John called.

They went to the Lounge, and John cooked dinner for everyone with some help. Irillith ate quickly and left to return to looking after Tashana. John let her go, focusing on Dana. "So, you've got 3 days to plan out a major refit. Up to it?"

"This ship is going to be so badass by the time we're done with it!" Dana said excitedly. "We'll be on the level with a Thrall Battleship! Of course, Larn'kelnar will still be able to shoot us right out of the sky, but we'll be a fleet killer by Galactic League standards."

John talked with his crew over the meal, until Alyssa sat up. *Irillith says Tashana is starting to stir.*

John moved at psychic speed to Tashana's room, not wanting to leave one of his Wards alone with a violent Pyrokinetic. He stood by the door keeping an eye on everything as Irillith hovered over Tashana. The woman who was Irillith's mirror image opened her violet eyes. Her beautiful face twisted in hate. "YOU!"

"Tashana, I'm sorry! For everything!" Irillith said fervently.

Tashana's fists burst into flames.

John cast a Null-Zone, canceling out all psychic powers in the room. "None of that, now. No fighting," he said sternly.

Tashana took one look at him and screamed in abject terror. She sprinted to the corner, curling into a ball and huddling in fright.

John took a calculated risk and lifted the Null-Zone. He reached for his Empathy power and projected calm at Tashana. He felt heavy resistance, she was a remarkably strong psychic, stronger than Edraele had been before John had started to enhance her. But he was stronger, so he forced the feelings of peace through Tashana's mind-shield to make her calm down. "Tashana, I'm not going to hurt you."

Tashana looked up, her glare defiant. "I know your kind, Progenitor! I won't be your slave! I'll die first!"

"No one said anything about making you my slave," John said gently.

"That's what your kind do!" Tashana snarled. "You want to make me your Thrall and use me as a soldier and breeding mare in your wars!"

"That's what most Progenitors do with a Thrall race like the Maliri. But I'm different," John countered.

Tashana scoffed. "Prove it, then. Stop using your powers on me!"

John stopped the Empathy.

Tashana blinked. "... Why did you do that?"

"Because you asked," John said honestly.

"Tashana, Baen'thelas is nothing like Mael'nerak. Please, listen to what he has to say," Irillith pleaded.

Tashana stood. Her stance was wary, but she wasn't panicking out of her mind anymore. "Where am I?" she asked.

"My ship, the Invictus. We're headed to Genthalas, we'll arrive in 3 days," John answered.

"So you've already enslaved the Maliri?" Tashana asked, her shoulders slumping.

"I don't enslave anyone. And no, I haven't claimed the Maliri in full yet. Your mother is my Ward, and she has gathered an alliance of Houses Loraleth, Aeberros, Naestina, and Ghilwen. We'll work on adding the other 14 Houses when I get there," John told the Maliri archeologist.

"Why must you 'claim' the Maliri at all?" Tashana demanded.

"Because if I don't, another Progenitor will. And they're all just as bad as Mael'nerak, if not worse," John fired back.

Tashana considered that. "So, it's the Maliri's fate to serve a Progenitor?"

"You were genetically designed as a slave race, there's no getting around that. The best I can do is try and be a benevolent master for you," John nodded.

Tashana sighed. "What's going to happen to me?" she asked.

"You have 3 options," John told her. "Option 1: you can refuse to have anything to do with me, and live out the rest of your life as a noblewoman on Valaden. Option 2: you can agree to become my Ward, and join my psychic network. I'll heal your mind and I'll be able to use you as a psychic battery for the rest of your life. Otherwise, you'll still live as a noblewoman on Valaden. Or option 3: you join my crew. I could use a woman of your skills. You'll be given peak fitness, a genius IQ, your psychic potential will be enhanced, and you'll become effectively immortal. Though you'll also be part of my harem. The choice is yours."

Tashana eyed him. "You'd really let me go, not use me at all?"

"I would never force a woman to do anything she didn't want to do. Even if I make every other Maliri woman in the Regency my Ward, you could still refuse. And I'd accept that," John confirmed.

"What do you mean, that you could heal my mind?" Tashana asked.

"I can strip the emotional pathways from every negative memory since your banishment, make them feel cold, distant. I can introduce positive energy into your psyche, make you happier. And I can make you stronger, able to face the horrors without flinching, stop the nightmares," John explained.

Tashana glanced at Irillith. She reached up to feel her face, and blinked. "What… what happened to my scars?"

"I had my medic heal you after you passed out on Underworld. Physically, it's like the last 13 years never happened," John told her gently.

"I need a mirror!" Tashana said desperately.

"There's one in the bathroom," John pointed.

Tashana rushed to look at herself. She gasped, tears coming to her eyes. "I'm back," she said to herself. She came out and looked at John with uncertain eyes. "Why would you do that?"

"Why not?" John shrugged. "You were in pain, I had the power to fix it, so I did."

"Do I have to decide right now?" Tashana asked.

"Of course not. Take as much time as you need," John nodded. "Are you hungry? We were finishing up dinner when you woke up."

"Yes, please," Tashana said.

John led Tashana to the Lounge, Irillith a silent shadow. "This is my crew. The Kitchen is right there. You can cook for yourself, or we can whip something up for you," John told the smuggler.

"I'll cook for myself. Do you have Maliri ingredients?" Tashana asked.

"Yes, we do. Irillith will show you where everything is," John said. The twins went to the Kitchen. John retook his seat at the head of the table. He resumed eating like he'd never left. "So, what I miss?"

"I was giving everyone a play-by-play," Alyssa explained.

They all finished eating but stayed seated. Tashana came out carrying a plate and glass of water, sitting next to Irillith when her twin pulled out the chair. Tashana looked at them all watching her. "Who are you all? We haven't been introduced," Tashana said, falling back on her manners.

"My Terran name is John Blake, my Maliri name is Baen'thelas, and my true Progenitor name is Kyth'vindathys. I prefer John, but you can call me whatever," John said.

"I'm Alyssa Marant, the Matriarch of John's crew," Alyssa said with a smile at the potential member of the crew.

"Calara Fernandez, Tactical Officer," Calara told Tashana.

"Dana, but my friends can call me Sparks. I'm the Grand Engineering Overlord on this ship," Dana announced.

"John named me Jade. I forgot my original name over the years. I'm a Nymph, created by Mael'nerak as a spy, but John lets me serve as Pilot," Jade explained.

"I am Lirrash. I was a member of the Ashanath High Council, but I volunteered to become John's Ward to secure his alliance with my people. I'm the Comms Officer," Lirrash stated.

"Rachel Voss, the Medical Officer. I hope you're feeling alright after I healed you," Rachel grinned kindly.

"You know me," Irillith said gently. "I'm the Intelligence Officer."

"I'm Sakura Honami. We call me Security Officer, but I'm basically John's combination assassin and bodyguard, like Luna is to your mother," Sakura told the Maliri.

"I see," Tashana said, logging all that. She began to eat. "So, Alyssa, what do you mean, Matriarch of the crew? I thought Progenitors only had 1 Matriarch."

"Most do, but as in so many things, John's different. Just to be clear, a Matriarch maintains a Progenitor's psychic network. John divided his network. I focus on the crew, Edraele manages all the Maliri Wards," Alyssa explained.

"How does a psychic network work? The videos I found of Valada weren't too clear," Tashana asked. She'd dedicated her life to the study of Mael'nerak and the Progenitors before her banishment; she had many questions she was dying to ask.

"For whatever reason, when a woman drinks my semen, I can work my powers on her body and mind directly. I can forge a psychic connection with them, allowing me to tap them for energy when I need it. My Matriarchs, Alyssa and Edraele, can feel the emotions of every Ward in their portion of the network and send one-way telepathic messages. There's a way for a Matriarch to bond with a Ward and make it a two-way connection, though. I'd never do this, but a Progenitor can draw so much energy from a Ward that she dies," John laid out.

"Why do you call them Wards, not Thralls?" Tashana wondered.

"Thrall is basically a synonym for 'slave', and I don't treat my women like that. A ward is a person under one's care or protection, and I feel that suits me much better," John said.

"Why are you so different?" Tashana asked. Nothing about John matched up with the picture Valada's warnings had painted of Progenitors.

"For one thing, I was born and raised in the Terran Federation by loving, supportive grandparents. I was taught right from wrong, good values and ethics, and I took them to heart. For another, I haven't made a deal with Xar'aziuth," John revealed.

"The Devourer," Tashana said, translating the name from ancient Maliri. "Who is that?"

"The man who created the Progenitors and the Thrall races," John sighed. "This is truly ancient history, millions of years old. The first interstellar civilization in the Milky Way was the Kyth'faren. They colonized the whole galaxy and then turned inward, genetically engineering themselves to be psychic. It was a golden age, until Xar'aziuth came along. He turned into a psychic vampire, sucking the life out of his victims to increase his own reserves. He grew and grew in strength until he was unstoppable. He hunted his entire species to extinction to feed his hunger for power. For some reason, he left the Material Plane to live in the Astral Plane, but not before making the Progenitors and the Thralls. Every time a Progenitor recruits a woman, his mind is pulled into the Astral when he falls asleep. Every other Progenitor in history was forced by the nightmares to make a Faustian deal with Xar'aziuth. The Progenitor got a power boost, but became Xar'aziuth's slave. The Progenitors have waged war for millions of years, and every time a Thrall died their life force went to Xar'aziuth. He's feasted on trillions over the years."

Tashana was shaking. "That… that's the most evil thing I've ever heard. How did you resist the nightmares?"

"Pure luck, until I learned how to shield myself before I go to sleep. Now when I recruit someone, I get pulled into the Astral but I'm invisible. Xar'aziuth and the souls of Fallen Progenitors look for me, but they've yet to find me before they give up and I can wake up again," John told Tashana.

"So, what, you'll do that for the rest of your life?" Tashana asked.

"Hell no," John shook his head. "Once I have enough power, I'm going to create a sub-plane. It'll be like my own personal corner of the Astral that no one can find unless they already know where it is. I'll be safe there. But we're still a long way from having enough energy. We'll be a lot closer once I get to Genthalas and can do some heavy recruiting among the Maliri."

Tashana frowned but nodded. She focused on eating, asking the occasional question of the crew. When she finished, John stood, lifting all the dirty plates and cutlery with Telekinesis and taking them to the Kitchen to wash. "Do you want a drink?" Irillith asked.

"What do you have?" Tashana asked. She still hated her sister, but she remembered John's warning that there would be no fighting.

"A fully stocked Terran bar. No House Holaris wine, sadly," Irillith answered.

"I'll take a White Russian," Tashana ordered.

Irillith and the rest of the crew got their drinks and settled on the couches. Tashana sipped her drink, noting how John sat down and was cuddled by Alyssa. "So, what are your long-term plans? What would I be signing up for, if I joined your crew?" Tashana asked.

"We'll spend a month at Genthalas, upgrading the Invictus with Progenitor technology while I focus on recruiting the Maliri, including claiming the other 14 Matriarchs as my wards and uniting the Maliri," John replied.

"You'll be our King," Tashana realized.

"And heavy will be the head that wears the crown," John sighed. "I'll take the responsibility of leading your people very seriously."

"What happens after that?" Tashana asked.

"I'll focus on cleaning up Larn'kelnar's mess," John said grimly.

"Soul Reaver… another Progenitor?" Tashana asked, eyes wide.

"He came to the Galactic League months ago. For whatever reason, he hasn't just launched a direct assault and conquered every empire. Instead, he's using proxies, playing us like puppets. He snuck Drakkar into Ashanath space, enthralled a Trankaran and had her start a civil war, and enthralled a Terran Admiral and had her start the war with the Kintark. I've dealt with all that, but he's not going to stop there," John explained.

"Why hasn't he just destroyed you? You're the only real threat to him," Tashana wondered.

"I guess he gets a kick out of a baby Progenitor as an opponent. He could have claimed the Maliri himself, but instead he allowed me to have them. This is all a sick game to him," John reasoned.

"Tashana… Mael'nerak had an AI named Nexus. I managed to download some data from his server before it was destroyed. We have videos of Mael'nerak, would you like to see them?" Irillith asked.

Tashana's face lit up at the idea of getting to see such ancient history. "Please!"

"Sure. Nia, Obi? Pull up everything we have on Mael'nerak," John ordered his AI.

Tashana watched the vid-screen as the files played. She witnessed the creation of Nexus, the Ashanath, the Trankarans, and the Terrans in Mael'nerak's lab. "That was amazing," she sighed as the last video ended.

"Did you find any data cubes during your digs? We have the tech to read them if they were encoded with Progenitor code," Irillith asked.

"Yes!" Tashana gasped. "Oh, that would be incredible! Did Mother leave my stuff untouched?"

"She left everything in storage," Irillith confirmed.

John yawned. "Well, time for bed."

They walked out the Lounge. Tashana went into her room, but she watched as all the rest walked down the hall into John's quarters. She went to sleep, her mind heavy as she thought over her options.

The next morning, Tashana joined them at breakfast. "I'd like to call my mother," Tashana requested.

"Sure, we can do that from my Ready Room, we should be in range of Maliri comm beacons by now," John agreed.

John took Tashana to the Command Deck and his office. She sat at his desk, pulling up the comm interface. She found the comm code already saved in John's contacts, not surprising. She made the call, and was almost instantly answered. "Oh, my special girl! I'm so happy to hear from you!" Edraele beamed.

"Hello, Mother," Tashana said, shocked at getting such a positive reaction from the mother she remembered as a monster.

"I know this will mean less than nothing, but I'm sorry for banishing you. Irillith's false evidence was damning and I hardly needed an excuse to believe my own family would betray me. But that's no excuse. I can't undo the past, but I hope I can be the mother you deserve going forward," Edraele said emotionally.

"You're so different. So's Irillith," Tashana said quietly.

"Baen'thelas heals his wounded little birds, body, mind, and soul. I'm who I would have been if I'd never been tortured by my mother and sisters as a child," Edraele told her daughter. "It's nothing nefarious, unless you think it's a bad thing that I'm happy and sane instead of a sadistic bitch now."

Tashana burst into laughter. "That's putting it mildly, Mother."

"I know," Edraele said solemnly. "I would never regret my decision to join Baen'thelas, but the greatest burden has been growing a conscience. I have over a century of horrors to bear. But luckily, I have eternity to make up for them.

"Can… can he really make the nightmares stop?" Tashana asked.

"Yes, Tashana," Edraele said, understanding perfectly.

"I'll see you in a couple days, Mother," Tashana said, needing time to think.

"I'll be waiting with a hug," Edraele grinned.

Tashana ended the call. "Can I go back to my room?"

"Sure," John agreed. He escorted Tashana back to her room, and then left her to think over the course of her future. He went to the Medical Bay, where Rachel was checking on the sex slaves. "Morning, ladies."

John was mobbed, each girl rushing to give him a hug. "You were telling the truth! The memories, they just don't hurt anymore!" one of the girls said, a beaming smile on her face.

"I try not to lie," John chuckled.

"Is there anything we can do to repay you?' asked his fan.

John paused. "Well, yes, actually. In case this wasn't obvious, I'm not Terran. I'm a Progenitor, a race of psychics from beyond the Galactic League. Our power is based on our psychic networks, a series of women we can tap for psychic energy. If you're up for it, I'd like to add you to my network. You'll be able to help me with energy for the rest of your lives."

"Sure, no problem!" they all agreed.

John called Jade and she fed the girls a second dose. They passed out for 4 hours, and he added the 6 of them to his network under Alyssa. That done, he went to the Gym to train with Calara.

They had lunch, and then they went to the Bridge for the moment they reached the Maliri border. They pulled into the same system as the House Ghilwen flagship. John had Lirrash hail them. A bridge full of armored Maliri women appeared on the vid-screen. They all froze and began to stare at John when they got a good look at him.

"My name's John Blake. Thank you for meeting with us, I really appreciate it," John said with a grin. The woman in the most resplendent armor stepped forward. "I believe you must be Fleet Commander Nymaleth?"

"Y-y-yes, that's me," she stuttered, tongue-tied by her genetic programming.

"I believe your Matriarch asked if you could help escort some friends of mine to Genkiri station?" he asked, gently reminding her of her purpose there.

She nodded mutely. John grinned. "I'll come over to dock to transfer them personally. I'd also like to speak with you, if that's alright?"

"Of course! I'll meet you right there in the docking bay. I'll be waiting for you as soon as you step foot on my ship!" Nymaleth said desperately.

"Thank you, Nymaleth, I'll look forward to meeting you," John gave his most charming smile. Then he had Lirrash end the hail.

"That was disturbing," Tashana said from where she'd been sitting. "Valada was right, the Maliri are helpless at the mere sight of a Progenitor."

"Xar'aziuth designed you that way. The Eldritch Bloodline makes you immune," John explained. Then he went to the grav-tubes. He went to the Medical Bay, gathered his 6 newest Wards, and took them down to the Raptor. Nia flew them to the Maliri Battleship. John walked out the airlock, gave each of the 6 Terran girls a hug, and turned to Nymaleth and another armored Maliri. "Hello, Nymaleth. And who is this?"

"I'm Darana! Captain of this ship!" the armored Maliri said quickly.

"Hello, Darana, it's nice to meet you. Could the three of us go somewhere private? One of your quarters, perhaps?" John asked.

"Follow me, I'll take us to mine!" Nymaleth said, eager as sin. John followed the two through the ship, every Maliri they passed practically drooling through their helmets. Nymaleth let them into her chambers, and John went to sit on the bed.

"It must be uncomfortable in that armor. Feel free to take it off, I won't tell anyone," John smiled.

Nymaleth and Darana got unarmored as fast as physically possible. John eyed their bodysuits, hugging their Ward bodies underneath. "We can get even more comfortable if you want. I'll start." John took off his shirt and pants, revealing himself in all his glory. He thought the poor women might have heart attacks. They tore themselves out of their bodysuits, staring at him like he was the god of all alpha males. "Can you two help me with this?" he asked, gesturing at his erection.

They almost came to blows over who got to have him first. John fed the two of them, rounding their bellies and adding them to his network. He got dressed again and retraced his steps to the Raptor. Nia took him back over and they were soon in hyperwarp back towards Valaden.

Tashana walked up to John on the Bridge. "Baen'thelas… could we speak in your room?"

"Of course, Tashana," John agreed. He took Tashana to his quarters. She eyed the bed, before focusing on John.

"I'm leaning towards joining your crew. Only… what would I do?" Tashana asked.

"You're a potent psychic, you're very skilled with twin pistols, and you've picked up some tricks from smuggling that could come in very handy. And you'd be my lover," John said gently.

"I'd help you go up against Larn'kelnar and all the other Progenitors? I'd be going into war, essentially," Tashana mused.

"Exactly. If you want, you can stay safe on Valaden," John nodded.

Tashana looked down, thinking everything over. She looked up and met John's eye. "I'll join your crew, if you'll have me."

John cupped her face and leaned in slowly. Tashana didn't pull away. John kissed her. "For the rest of time," John promised. "I need a little while to recharge, though. I just recruited Nymaleth and Darana."

"I understand. Perhaps you can give me a tour?" Tashana suggested.

John led Tashana through the Invictus deck by deck. By the time they got to his Ready Room, he was ready. John sat on one of the couches and pulled out his cock. Tashana knelt and, committing to a life with him, took him into her mouth. Her mind-shield protected her from the daze, and though she'd been forced to have sex against her will, she'd learned a few things about pleasuring a man. John blew, filling Tashana's belly.

Tashana rubbed her rounded out tummy. "This feels a lot better than the last time I was pregnant," she mused.

John added Tashana to his network under Alyssa. He used his active connection to her to reach into her mind. He began to strip the emotional pathways from every negative memory she had in the last 13 years.

Tashana gasped. "I… I can feel it. The pain, the darkness… it's going away."

"It might take a few doses for me to get them all," John warned.

"I was planning to stick around anyway," Tashana grinned. She blinked, realizing that an incredible feeling of love and comfort was coming from her heart. "What… is this you?"

"I didn't mention I'm from the future. And part of being my Ward is feeling my emotions regarding you. That's what I felt for the Tashana in my time," John explained.

"Time travel… sure, why not? And if you love me this much, I'll do my best to return it in due time," Tashana promised.

By dinner, Tashana's hair was white. She got a second dose from John and sat down next to her twin. She talked with the girls over the course of the meal and then afterwards over drinks. By the end of the night, her mane reached her lower back and she was identical to Irillith. But it was easy to tell them apart, they carried themselves differently. Tashana followed them to John's quarters, she was fed a nightcap, and then she fell asleep cuddled in John's arms. John endured an Astral dream for adding Tashana and the 6 Terran girls, and then slipped into sleep with a grin on such a good day.