.. couldn't be ... could it?"Grace?" Yes dear." When did you stop taking those pills?" What pills?" she goggled just for a second, "Shit ... I forgot...." She started to cry..."I'm sorry ... I didn't mean ... you still love me, anyway?" Well ... It looks like there's more than one reason for this party," I said.Hineahuone got it right off the bat. She hugged Grace, "Way to go ... mom."She stepped back and shook my hand. "Your boys work ... Grace ... no more booze."Jeanine slapped my hands away. No, it’s OK. Yes. One moment.”She handed me the phone.“Hi, Al.”“OK. It sounds like you were lucky that second time. You could easily have fallen.”“I know. But I didn’t.”“All the same, I’m still worried. I’d prefer you went to the hospital, but I know you well enough that you won’t. Call your friend, please.”“Thanks, Al. I need to call Jess and let her know.”“Yes, you do. Tell her I OK’d you staying with someone. Otherwise you’ll get no end of grief.”“You’re a pal, Al!” I chuckled. “Thanks.”“One. A length of rope, a roll of cotton bandages, a vial of salt. There was a packet from one of the Borealan MREs that she must have swiped at some point, probably back on the Courser, along with a flameless ration heater. She had her firestarter, a packet of salted chips, her alien coins, and her ‘I heart Pinwheel’ keyring.“Can ... can she have a rope?” the Marine called to his buddy, who shrugged his armored shoulders and checked his wrist display for a few moments.“It’s not on the list of. She alone had confronted the Queen. And then..."And then, my darling, you discovered that your own mind, your own desire, is your greatest weakness. The pendant captured your gaze, just as it did earlier today, and you submitted to me." No..." Asiara felt tears trickle down her cheeks as all of these memories came back to her – not only of her failure a month ago, but of her life before that campaign. She had had a home, friends, and several lovers. She had had a whole life that, for the past.