December 1st, 1996

Charisa had to admit she was impressed with how smoothly everything had fallen into place for the first International Tribunal held on the continent, and how well it was working. It had only taken them four days to get through the hearings on the people who had been responsible and directly involved with the attack on just the Cretan train. A couple of those people had been Cretan themselves, and their life sentences put them in Cretan prisons. Which was fine with Charisa, as the Amestrian prisons, particularly around Central, were abnormally full after the massive attack on the city. Only one person from that lot had been sentenced to death, and the sentence would be carried out in Creta.

Today, they had begun the trials regarding those involved in the attack on the Drachman train, the one on which she had been. As there had been several major survivors of that attack who also happened to be present in Central, several of them had been called to testify. There had been no way to get immediate news coverage on the event, and while there were now plenty of official statements, the judges wanted to hear from people directly impacted. The Drachman ambassador who had survived was present, along with two of her aides. They had also heard testimony from herself, Sara and Franz Heimler, and Ted Elric.

Aside from Vera, whose trial was the most complex, as she had been involved personally in planning elements of all of them, and had been directly present at two, there were nearly a dozen members of Arsenic that had survived the miniature avalanche that had been set off that had ended the standoff at the cave. Which Charisa remembered very little of, given she had been fevered and often unconscious down in the cave.

She, and the remaining major authority figures who had been leaders, would be tried last. That included the additional trial of Volkhart. Apparently, the attempt to take over the Amestrian government from inside, and assassinate Anastas, had caused some righteous anger among the leaders of the continent. They wanted to make it clear that no such behavior would be permitted in any country. Her guilt was not in question, only a reconsideration of the sentence.

It would likely be a couple of weeks before they finished everyone. As it was, Charisa had already found the information uncovered and revealed to be enlightening.

For one thing, Arsenic as a group, had never officially had a name, only the ancient alchemy symbol itself as an identification. Nor, it seemed, had they ever had a single leader. There had always been a handful, and as it had grown, the different sections had different authorities, so that even if someone took out a single authority figure, it did not hamstring the entire operation.

The original plan had begun with discontent with the state of the military, and the plan to gain control from within that Tore had thwarted at the very last minutes. They had taken in anyone willing to help with the cause, eventually growing to include survivors of the Hashman Syndicate, as well as other smaller dissident groups, and disenfranchised or jaded alchemists. Through that, they had grown outside of Amestris' borders to include small groups in Creta and Drachma, and even Aerugo though they had little traction there. A third attack had been planned for Aerugo, but had been delayed in favor of Vera's plan to attack Central directly.

Vera who, by various reports already, and the statements given by the accused in recent days, had derailed a large portion of the plan by gaining popularity and loyalty from within the group on her own. The split had grown more divisive after Volkhart's failure. Without a subtle, political plan B, Vera had enacted her own plan with the attack on the Drachman train, to convince the rest of Arsenic that it was necessary and beneficial.

Given that the attacks on Central might have worked, if not for countermeasures on the military's part, Charisa couldn't say the attacks were ineffective. Too many people had died to believe otherwise.

Though it was becoming clear that Vera's own goals had been much more personal. At least on some level. Destruction was her primary goal, even alongside her irrational grudge against State alchemists, Ted in particular.

It was a long, emotional day; reliving those moments the train had been attacked, and making it outside, injured, trying not to panic in the darkness until she'd been found, and brought along with the rest of the group. Charisa's own report did not identify anyone by face, but it did illustrate the danger they were in, and she knew that was as important. Listening to Ted's story in detail was eye-opening. She had been too sick on the train ride back to Amestris to hear it on the train, and she hadn't asked anyone for the details since.

Ted had dueled an alchemist in the mountains. One who turned out to be Vera though, from the details, either she had not used or did not yet possess her homunculus abilities at that time. Otherwise, she certainly might have won that battle. Did she attack the train specifically because Ted and his family were on it? The more evidence presented, the more it seemed like the primary motive for Vera's first target, even if it did have other uses in convincing Arsenic to do things her way.

Charisa made herself return to the tiers and her seat and watch the rest of the day's proceedings. She did not have to be in any other meetings today, and watching the courts at work, given her own focused interest in international law, was fascinating. She needed to see it for herself.

It also made it conveniently easy to find her husband at the end of the day, as all of the government leaders in attendance were there for most of the proceedings. Only something of vital importance would pull Tore out of this room during the next several weeks. Most of his work was being done in the mornings before they started or—unsurprisingly—in the evening.

Charisa caught Tore in the back halls as everyone was released for the day. "What's left on the agenda?"

Tore looked over at her, and his serious expression softened. "A post hearing meeting with a pre-briefing on tomorrow's agenda, and then a late budget meeting. Then, if it's not too late, I might hit the gym before coming home. All this sitting this week is making me edgy. That is… if you don't mind."

It would mean a very late evening, but Charisa had known that would be the norm when she encouraged him to accept the position. "As long as you promise me that you'll find time to eat in there if it gets too late. That or tell me now, and I'll have something waiting at home."

"Definitely at home," Tore promised without hesitating. "I won't have time to grab anything substantial. Besides, I'd rather have beautiful company while I eat." He flashed her a small grin. "Food tastes better that way."

"Well, I can't argue with that." Charisa smiled back. "Just be safe, okay."

Tore paused as they stepped around a corner and found themselves briefly alone. He turned to her, giving her a warm hug, "I won't take any risks, and Sensation will be my shadow for everything, as usual."

It felt silly, but Charisa felt better knowing Tore was never alone. He was fully recovered from the wreck the poisoning attempt had made of his system, and from his fight against Vera, but he was still being pulled in all directions. Even the best warrior could be caught off guard. So, while there had not been a single attack or incident since the battle, she didn't entirely feel like they were safe. She had come to appreciate having her security escort. While most people would no longer need them, they were possibly a semi-permanent staple in their lives now, in a way they had rarely been when her father was President of the Military. Or at least, she hardly remembered them except on specific occasions. "Good. Then I'll see you at home."

"I'll be there," Tore promised before letting her go with obvious reluctance. "Now, don't you have another meeting this afternoon as well?"

Charisa nodded. "Just a committee meeting. It shouldn't run too late."

"It had better not. You've promised me a dinner date."

December 2nd, 1996

It didn't matter how insane things were at Headquarters with international matters, family would always be Ted's priority. So, he had made it clear to Tringham that he would not be available today unless another war broke out, because he needed to be with his brother. Not that the Genesis Alchemist had argued the point. He'd approved the time off without a second thought.

So now, Ted was sitting in a hospital waiting room with Reichart and Deanna. Callie would be over in a bit, when she got off work. Anika and Bonnie had offered to handle dinner, though Ted thought that a little nuts with seven children to juggle between them, but Anika had simply given him a withering glance and told him it would be fine. In favor of not getting in trouble with his wife, Ted had not argued the point further.

Coran and Gale were both in the surgery ward with Hrafn, the surgeon, and an alkahestrist. Ted did not know which one, but there were quite a few in Central now, and they did not all work for his uncle. Though many of them had started at Ethan and Ren's clinic. Having an alkahestrist there, however, made the surgery easier, as well as the recovery. Not only did they help re-engage the nerve endings, but they could start the healing process for the attached ports, saving days or weeks off the earliest parts of the healing process. As long as everything went well, Hrafn would be allowed to go home this evening. It wasn't as if he wouldn't have the best care possible with Coran and Gale right there, and his parents.

Ted was definitely getting tired of waiting to hear about family members in hospitals, however. They'd all been in them far too much of late, himself included. Though he finally felt normal again, physically anyway. He had healed up fine from the battle, and had finally stopped feeling like he was constantly starving.

Still, it was always interesting to see how different people dealt with waiting. Deanna had brought a book, and while she didn't look like she was deeply into it, every so often she did turn a page. She was quiet, contemplative, patient.

Reichart was a watch spring wound just shy of breaking. He sat there looking tense, back rigid, and seemed to radiate anxiety. It was concerning, because it was not at all how Ted was used to his brother behaving. They were all different, but Reichart had always been the calm, patient one. The one who soothed others with his presence. He'd been a great buffer and balance to Coran, when their oldest brother was too authoritative or pushy when they were kids. Despite the age difference between Ted and his oldest brothers, Reichart had always been easy to be around. But the events in Resembool had rattled him.

Ted had suggested a game of cards, and while Reichart was playing, it was clear his mind was anywhere but on the hand he held. He had already lost three rounds terribly. Every time anyone went in or out the door to the surgical ward, he looked up quickly.

It did not matter that auto-mail surgeries were considered fairly safe, and at minimal risk for complications or rejection these days. All the work Granny, Uncle Ethan, and Coran and Gale had put into upgrading materials to minimize reactions and make them easier on the body over the decades had paid off. They weren't the only auto-mail engineers to have done so, of course, but the alchemical edge had made them the first in almost every major improvement. Ted had seen the partial arm and hand that would soon be part of his nephew, and it was as attractive as it was functional. Impressively sleek, light-weight, and the joints were so fine-tuned they didn't look much different than natural ones. It made Ted wonder why Grandpa still preferred auto-mail that didn't look all that different from what he had worn decades ago, even though the materials were definitely the upgraded ones, except for the ports themselves.

He hoped Hrafn liked it.

The surgery must have gone without complications, because it was only about two hours after Ted's arrival that Coran himself came out the door, still in scrubs, but smiling.

Reichart was immediately on his feet, and Deanna closed her book.

"Everything went perfectly," Coran said without waiting for the obvious questions. "Attachment was smooth as can be, and with alkahestry he didn't have to feel the port attachments, just the reattachment of the nerves. He did great, and you'll be able to see him in a few minutes."

Deanna gave a smile of relief, one hand resting on her heart. "Thank you, Coran."

"Anything for family." Coran shrugged. "Let me show you to his room."

Ted started putting up the cards. When he looked up, he was surprised to find them still standing there.

"You waited with us this long," Reichart pointed out. "You're coming right?"

In all honesty, Ted had figured they would want a private moment. Still, he wouldn't object to seeing how Hrafn was doing. He stuffed the cards quickly into his jacket pocket and joined them as they went down the hallway, through another set of doors, and then to a room about halfway down that hall.

Hrafn was wide awake, and while he was laying in the bed, he was propped up into more of a sitting position. Ted would not have said he looked comfortable, but the young man smiled weakly at the group as they entered. The only other person in the room at the moment was Gale.

"How are you feeling?" Deanna asked without waiting for anyone else to say a word. She crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I didn't scream," Hrafn said proudly, even as he winced a little. "It… well it didn't hurt worse than when I lost it." The auto-mail arm, exposed by the sleeveless hospital gown, lay above the sheet, palm up. The hand opened and closed a couple of times. "It's kind of amazing. I don't have to think hard for it to move. I just want it to work, and it does."

"He was very brave through the whole thing." Gale's smile was relaxed and pleased. "And the signals between the brain and his hand are still strong, so the attachment was as simple as we could make it. Only now, instead of a ghost limb, you have real responses again."

"It'll be amazing when it stops hurting." Hrafn looked down at the hand, then up at his parents, and the rest of them. "It's weird but… it already just feels like I have an arm again, even if I'll have to relearn how to use it."

"That's because Coran and Gale are the best at what they do." Reichart was smiling, though there were tears in his eyes. His voice held a lot of unexpressed emotions. "And you're strong. You'll probably have it mastered in record time."

"Thanks, Dad." Hrafn looked a little surprised at his father's conviction. "I'm definitely going to try."

"Just don't push too hard," Deanna insisted, reaching out and putting a hand on her son's flesh arm. "There's no rush. Just go at the pace that works for you."

"I've got it, Mom." Hrafn looked a little frustrated.

"I told them you were tough and they shouldn't worry," Ted spoke up from just inside the door, grinning. "But you know how parents are."

Hrafn looked at him then, and his eyes lit up. "Uncle Ted! Yeah, I do."

"Don't pull that," Coran nudged Ted with an elbow. "You're one of us too, you know."

"Yeah, but my kids aren't old enough to think I'm uncool yet." Ted chuckled. That day would probably come eventually. He had to admit, he found his parents much cooler now that he was old enough to really appreciate and know them as people. But as a kid, he would not have called most adults cool. Well, except alchemists of course.
The comment had done what he had intended though, and broken the bit of awkward tension in the room. Hrafn was grinning now, and even Reichart and Deanna looked more relaxed.

"It comes earlier than you think," Reichart quipped in return, before turning back to his son. "Hope you're hungry. There's quite a dinner planned tonight."

Hrafn nodded. The boy hadn't been allowed to eat for the several hours prior to surgery, so Ted would bet that, even if he hurt, he would be hungry by dinner. "Starving," he admitted. "Or at least, I will be. I still feel a little nauseated at the moment."

"You can be both," Deanna assured him. "By the time we get back to the apartment this evening there will be plenty for everyone."

"When can we go?" Hrafn looked at Coran.

"The doctor said if everything still looks good in a couple of hours, we can check you out and take you home," Coran promised. "Ethan said he'll be happy to drop by later or tomorrow if we want, but there's no reason you can't recuperate in comfort instead of here at the hospital."

"Good, cause I'm really tired of hospitals."

Ted knew that feeling. "You're not the only one."

December 5th, 1996

It turned out not to take nearly as long to try and sentence the members of Arsenic involved in the Drachman train crash either, and before Ted knew it, it was the day before the final deliberations would start, regarding those directly and primarily involved in the attacks within Amestris itself. Which meant that the final two to stand for sentencing, and be heard from, would be Marjorie Volkhart, and Vera.

Ted had already been asked to speak regarding the specific fight with Vera and his experiences on the train back from Drachma, but he would be called in to testify more directly regarding the conflict in Central, especially the fight with Vera at the zoo and what it had brought to light.

Before he did though, he got permission to make one visit. Ted wasn't sure why he felt he needed to do it, but he wanted to speak with Vera one more time. After tomorrow, there was a good chance he would never see her again. The probably of her joining the small number who had been sentenced to death, instead of life in prison, was high. Ted could not imagine how they would let a homunculus live. He wasn't sure he wanted to consider what would be necessary to carry out a death sentence. There were only a couple of ways to do so, and that almost certainly meant an alchemist would be necessary.

Ted arrived at the maximum-security military prisoner holding facility where they had Vera in deep containment. He showed his watch, was proven to be on the list for visitation, and was escorted to the center of the complex, then down several sets of stairs, underground, to the deepest, most solitary cells.

Guards were posted at every intersection, and outside the thickest door Ted had ever seen. Clearly visible transmutation circles were inscribed around and on the door. He recognized the circle; it was the one that rendered transmutation ineffective. Vera would not be able to use alchemy, but then neither would he.

"You've got five minutes," the guard told him as he unlocked the door. "If you need assistance before then, shout. We'll hear you."

"Thank you." Ted didn't try and say anything about not needing help. This was not the time for bravado. Even though he knew she was bound, her poisoned tail and glands removed, and she could not transmute, he didn't trust her to be harmless.

Inside, Vera sat on the edge of the flat metal bed attached to the wall, facing the door. Her hands were chained behind her back, her legs bound at the ankles. Her violet-dyed hair looked wan and washed out in the eerie light from the bulbs high in the ceiling. Most of the room had a washed out, coppery blue-green feel to it. Still, Vera's eyes were bright, and there was no fear in her expression, only amusement. "And what brings you to my lovely home?" she quipped. "Come to stare at the beast before her demise?"

Ted shook his head, though his eyes never left her. "I just wanted to talk to you before tomorrow."

Vera smirked. "Good thing then. After tomorrow there won't be anything left of me to talk to."

"It's not too late for a plea bargain," Ted objected. "There's no guarantee you'll get a death sentence. Not if you're willing to concede… to provide information that will help finish cleaning up this mess."

"Well look at that? Now the show-off cares about someone. If you're just here to assuage your guilt and clean up your mess, Proteus, don't expect me to comply."

His temper flared, and Ted had to fight to keep it under control. "My guilt? Care to elaborate?"

"Well, now you've got more than just Larry's death on your hands, don't you?" Vera tilted her head coyly, though some of the impact was lost in the setting. "Driving poor, sweet, forgiving Clarina to turn against the State. Too bad she still had such a conscience. In the end, she sacrificed herself to save your bitch."

How dare you call her a…. "I don't know what you're talking about." He made himself smile instead. "Clarina was our double-agent, or didn't you ever figure that out? The whole affair thing was a set up to convince your underlings to give Clarina information about how to join, and because we knew you'd believe it. Anika knew all about it from the start. Clarina only joined to protect the people of Amestris."

Vera shook her head, disbelievingly. "No. She was playing you. She was my friend long after you'd ditched us and gone on to brighter skies and higher ranks. Clare might have been my only real friend."

"And you killed her," Ted finished mercilessly. "Clarina gave us all the information we needed to beat you, not because she didn't care about you, but because she did. She was one of the most considerate people who ever lived, and the entire mission was her doing. If she had just wanted to change sides, she wouldn't have needed my involvement. We would have all just kept trusting her until we were dead, because no one would ever have believed it of her, and you know that. You're who she wanted to save, Vera. She was worried about you, after you cut off communications. She was afraid of what you'd gotten involved in, and who you'd become. Clarina was the one who figured out it was you!" She had even forgiven him, as it turned out, and didn't blame him for the loss of her arm. "Maybe she was too good for all of us. All I know is, I owe her my life, and Anika's, and our baby's. Clarina died to make this world better. If, or when, you die, it will be because you tried to destroy everything she cared about."

Vera rolled her eyes. "Enough with the lecture. You're starting to sound more like someone's grandpa. Get to the point. What do you want? Begging? A tearful confession? An apology? Get over it."

"I just want to know what happened to my friend." Ted admitted. "We were all there when Larry died, Vee. None of us stopped that explosive. We can't take back what happened, but the only one really responsible for Larry's death is whoever shot it off in the first place. We all chose to be there. We knew, at least I thought we knew, what we were getting into. No one ever tried to pretend we wouldn't be put in harm's way as State Alchemists. Do I feel guilty? Of course, I do. I wasn't able to do it; none of us were. I don't even blame you for blaming me. You loved him, and he died. That's a horrible pain to have to live with and grief isn't about logic. But most of us don't become mass murdering homunculi."

"Judgy." Vera shook her head. "You want to know what happened to me? I left. I moved out west. I fell in love again. That guy? He was killed in the military. My jobs were dead ends. Then I was offered a lab job that was… atypical. When they recruited me, it was an easy enough sell. They wanted to take over the military and reform it from the inside. That was all fine and dandy, I didn't much care. They were willing to pay me to make all sorts of things with my alchemy, and they needed a skilled alchemist who could outdo State Alchemists, who could out-think them. The opportunity to get revenge on you was simply a nice perk."

When she spoke like this, calm, cold, she didn't sound crazy. But she had still chosen to make herself a homunculus at the risk to her own existence. There was still something behind her eyes that was definitely not sane. All of this for revenge that she called a nice perk. "So… why become a homunculus?"

"Oh, please, you already heard this part. Ultimate Vengeance, on you, on the State, on the entire system that throws our lives away. It's not my fault that instead of destroying everything, my colleagues naively thought they could play it save with some secret coup. If Shock managed to stop it, it was a shitty plan."

Apparently, she didn't feel respect for any of the State Alchemists, or anyone else for that matter. Ted managed a casual shrug. "He stopped yours, so what does that make you? All of this work, Vera. All this hatred and pain… so many deaths, and in the end, what have you gained?" He had every right to hate her, but all he found himself feeling…was pity.

"Oh, don't give me that face." Vera's expression turned frustrated, then angry. "The last thing I want is sympathy from you. You can go choke on it. I'd already lost everything. I gained a purpose. I gained power, and in the end, I will get the satisfaction of knowing that every one of our deaths is on your head, and I hope you suffer with that knowledge for the rest of your days."

Ted had to admit he was torn. Part of him wanted to give her something…. Some closure… but part of him very much just could not bring himself to give in to her delusions either. Tell her yes, he would, or rub it in her face and tell her he wouldn't because he still didn't feel it was his fault? Either would prove her right in her twisted, broken mind. She had made him the enemy, made the State the enemy… everyone was the enemy, and there was no reasoning with that. Not anymore. Maybe, if someone had gotten to her sooner, she could have been healed, or saved, but she had shut him out. He had respected that distance, and let her go. It was too late now. "Good bye, Vera." With that, he turned, and went to the door.

"What, that's it?" Vera called after him with a snort. "All of that for goodbye? Disappointing Proteus!"

The door opened, and he stepped out, letting them close it between them.

Ted felt uneasy the whole way out of the building and then on the drive home. There had been nothing satisfying about the visit: no closure, no redemption, no understanding. Vera did not regret what she had done, but it was regrets and pain that had driven her down that path. Had she always been that unstable? Had they missed something? He would never have expected it of her, until Clarina had approached them to tell of her suspicions. Yet, alchemists were not always the most reasonable. You had to be a little crazy to do what they did, and to change the very nature of elements in the world.

He was still mulling it all over when he got home. Dinner was over, but Anika had known not to wait for him, that he would be seeing Vera before tomorrow's hearings. He could hear sounds upstairs, that sounded like she was reading a bedtime story to the boys.

Ted hung up his uniform jacket and went into the kitchen to get see what was left over.

There, on the counter, sat a bottle of Xingese pear sake, and a note. Ted picked it up, recognizing Anika's handwriting.

Open in case of need for fortification. Make sure you leave some for tomorrow. Please brush your teeth before bed. Love you.

Ted couldn't help smiling. Despite her family owning a vodka company, they didn't drink much at home, especially when Anika was expecting. The fumes tended to make her nauseated when she was carrying. He could only appreciate that she understood how difficult tonight's visit was, and how much worse tomorrow might be, and had the forethought and compassion to offer comfort. Though with the sensible reminder that if he wanted to snuggle tonight, he had better not come in smelling of sake.

Ted opened the bottle, and poured a small measure. He might want more tomorrow, depending on how the day went, but a little tonight definitely would not go amiss. He sipped it, enjoying the crisp, soft sweetness on the tongue and in his nose. It went down smoothly, and he let it linger, gave it time to take effect. Then he put the bottle up, and went upstairs.

The boys were asleep when he went by their room. At least, the door was closed and only the glow of the nightlight was visible under the door. Also, it was quiet. Which meant he would probably find Anika waiting for him in bed.

Ted stepped in and saw that he was right. Anika was already tucked in, though she was leaning back against her pile of pillows, reading. While there were always several pillows on the bed, at the moment it was more like a nest. He grinned at her, and pointed to the bathroom when she glanced up.

Anika smiled and looked back down at the pages.

Ted slipped across the room into the master bathroom, where he brushed his teeth thoroughly, before going back in to join her, getting under the covers on his side, and then edging closer. "Thank you."

Anika slipped her bookmark into place, and closed the novel. "This has been difficult, for both of us, but she was your friend once. Do you want to talk about it?"

Ted shrugged, and slipped an arm around her shoulders. Anika nestled into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his chest. "I'm not sure what to say," he admitted. "She's insane. There's not much of anything really left of the woman I knew. She wasn't like this before, and she still blames everyone else, but I think really, deep down, she blames herself and she could just never face it. It was hard, and I'm not sure I even know what I thought I might get out of it. Except, I know now that there's no saving her from herself. She doesn't regret what she did, and after tomorrow… well she won't do anything to try and get her sentence lessened."

"I'm sorry." Anika spoke softly. "This seems worse than losing a comrade in combat. It's like a long, slow death you see coming, but cannot stop."

A very apt description. Ted nodded. "That's it exactly. Tomorrow, I'll have to testify, and all that will do is bring this to its inevitable, but unsatisfactory conclusion. You know, she told me that the only thing she was getting out of this was knowing I would carry the guilt of all of their deaths forever."

"You didn't kill any of them," Anika pointed out, eyes widening as she looked put out by the very idea. She was adorable when she was angry on his behalf.

"I know I didn't. What she doesn't understand is that the guilt I will feel is that none of us made the effort to maintain connection afterwards, except Clarina, who tried to be a friend to Vera. And I can't blame her for that. Vera needed a friend more than I did, and I hurt Clarina's feelings. But I think, we could have mended things much sooner than now, years too late. I will regret what could have been, even if I don't feel like their deaths were on me."

"She does not win, no matter how it ends," Anika said after a moment's quiet. "No matter what you feel, her view is flawed, and she has lost everything. I would feel sympathy, if she had not turned her own pain to ruining the lives of so many. She did not choose loss, but she let it consume her, and become hatred. She was willing to destroy for her own ends. Those were choices she did not have to make. They were not inevitable. This ending… it is also her choice."

"I hope you know I appreciate your brilliance." Ted tilted his head and kissed her cheek. "You put things in perspective when my head is a jumble."

"I do what I can." Anika smiled. "We should sleep now. Tomorrow's outcome has not, in fact, been predetermined, and you need rest to meet it."

Author's note 12/13/23: A second chapter this week as I missed last week. Life has been a wee bit crazier than planned. Thank you for the very kind words received in reviews!