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Fiera waited for Kuen to join her before she started breaking down the rocks with the sledgehammer. “I want to kill her, Kuen,” Fiera said, slamming into the rock with such force it split into several pieces on the first strike.

“You’re not the only one, Fury,” Kuen said, his voice tight with suppressed rage.

“I want this to be her head. I want to hear her scream as I split her skull with one strike,” Fiera said as she broke another rock.

“I want to snap her neck like I did Lakshmi’s,” Kuen said. “Neither of us is going to get our wish though if we can’t get off Sorus.”

“The fact that Teigue thought we were being self-centered really started getting to me,” Fiera said, slamming into another rock.

“He doesn’t understand. I don’t think Flicks understands even now. Gaspare is the only one who truly does, but he’s dealt with her. He knows what she’s like,” Kuen said. “Your family has been sheltered from her because she didn’t know how to find them. I’m grateful but right now it makes it hard to explain why we know what we do.”

“I think maybe my ma will understand, but she knows more of what happens off of Sorus because of my da,” Fiera said, breaking another rock.

“Flicks is going to be blaming himself for this,” Kuen said. “And right now, I hate to say it, but I do blame him. He shouldn’t have left the littles alone outside and even if Nickel was coming the defense grid should have stayed up.”

“I don’t blame him at all. The Devas disabled the grid, Kuen. You heard Keo verify that. It wouldn’t have mattered if it had been on or not,” Fiera said. “And the Devas used a stun grenade. That meant they expected at least one of us adults to be here. Can you imagine how much damage it would have done if they’d tossed it in the middle of the play area compared to where it landed outside? Gael could have been killed.”

Kuen paled. “I didn’t think of it that way.”

“I did. I don’t want them to lose their littles just because ours are gone, Kuen,” Fiera said.

“I don’t either,” Kuen said.

“Then don’t blame Flicks for trying to do what he thought was best. He’s going to be kicking himself without our help,” Fiera said. “I know my twin. He’s probably in there talking to Gaspare about how it’s all his fault our girls were taken. Gaspare is going to have to talk him through it, but it won’t stick.”

“You and Flicks are still really close,” Kuen said.

“We always will be. We’re twins. That bond won’t change even if we’re married,” Fiera said. “Nafi and Lao will take care of each other. It’s what twins do in my family, no matter what.” Slam went the sledgehammer and another rock splintered. She passed the sledgehammer to Kuen. “Here. You smash a few.”

Kuen’s strength wasn’t at her level, but he splintered quite a few rocks before she took back over and broke several more. Gaspare came out. “Fury, Flicks wants to talk to you,” he said. “He’s being very insistent.”

“I need a rest anyway,” Fiera said, handing the sledgehammer back to Kuen. “You stay out here with him. He doesn’t need to be alone.”

“I was planning on it,” Gaspare said. “I need to talk to him.”

Fiera went inside. Phelix looked terrible where he was sitting on the couch. Both of his children were pressed up against him. “Pascal, make room for your aunt,” Phelix said.

Pascal moved and after Fiera sat down, he crawled into her lap. Phelix switched to twinspeak. “I’m sorry, twint. I shouldn’t have left the littles alone.”

“Flicks, if you hadn’t, those ketches might have tossed the stun grenade dead center of the play area. It could have killed Gael,” Fiera said, also using twinspeak. “I’m not angry at you.”

“Kuen probably is. He’ll blame me for the loss of the girls,” Phelix said.

“I can’t say he’s not angry, but I tried to get him not to be mad at you,” Fiera said. “I don’t know how well it worked. Gaspare’s out there now. Maybe he can talk some sense into my husband. I don’t think Kuen realizes it, but he treats Gaspare like a brother and listens to him like I listen to you.”

“I’m hoping he can get through to Kuen. Getting glared at during every meal is going to make me feel a lot worse,” Phelix said.

“Da, I’m hungry,” Pascal said suddenly.

“Speaking of food, we’d probably better feed the littles,” Fiera said. “But I want to make a call first.”

“Who’re you calling?” Phelix asked. Switching to normal speech, looked at his son. “We’ll fix some lunch soon.”

“I’m calling Jacin. I don’t trust the CAF to find my babies. There’s only one person left I know of who’ll find them for me, but I don’t know how to reach him,” Fiera said, still in twinspeak.

“Who – you’re trying to reach da,” Phelix said.

“Da won’t let the Nakano ketch have our girls. I know he won’t,” Fiera said. “And Jacin is the only person I know of who’d know how to reach him.”

“What makes you think Jacin wouldn’t turn da in like he did everyone else?” Phelix asked.

“He’s not afraid of everyone else. He’s terrified of da,” Fiera said. She lifted Pascal up and set him back on the couch as she got up. She went over to the comm and put in a number she really hoped to never have to use again.

Jacin Andreasan answered his comm on the third chime. “Fury, what do you want?” he asked.

“Jace, I know you know how to reach him. I need to talk to him. Something’s happened and I need his help,” Fiera said.

“Fury, I’m legit now. I don’t have anythin’ t’do with anyone from the rebellion,” Jacin said.

“I know. You turned in most of the others,” Fiera said. “But Jace, you didn’t betray him, and I know it’s because you’re too scared of him to do it. I also know that da would have given you a way to contact him if something came up. Either you need to call him and tell him to call me, or give me a way to call him.”

Jacin glanced over his shoulder. “You didn’t get this from me. I know nothin’ about anythin’,” he said, transmitting a comm code to her. He ended the call.

“He’s nervous,” Phelix said.

“He’s probably still being watched,” Fiera said. She put the comm code in and waited. “Come on, you skybrained bastard. I know you’re curious. You’re going to want to know who’s calling you.”

Just as she was about to end the call, her father’s face appeared on the comm. “Fury? What the hell are you doin’ callin’ me?”

“Da, the Nakano ketch took my girls,” Fiera said.

“What?” Eire asked, his expression showing that was not what he’d expected to hear.

“Me and Kuen have twin girls – Nafisa and Laoise. They just turned five. They were playin’ out with Flicks and Gaspare’s littles when the Nakano ketch’s agents came in, hurt Flicks and his littles, and stole my girls right out of their play yard,” Fiera said. “I want them back. I’m stuck. A law got passed trappin’ everyone on their worlds without CAF permission, and no one with the name Rezouac is goin’ anywhere. They say it’s ‘cause of you, but I know it’s ‘cause she doesn’t want me and Kuen comin’ after her t’get our girls back.”

Eire’s fists clenched. “Damn that woman,” he said. “Fury, I swear t’you. Even if I have t’go into the Core and hunt that woman down, I’ll bring yer girls home.”

“You’ve never broken a promise to me yet, Da. I’m trustin’ you t’do this. I can’t trust anyone else. Kuen thinks the CAF can help us, but I don’t trust them as far as I can throw one of their big ships,” Fiera said.

“I know I’ve done a lot of rotten things, Fury. But I don’t break my promises t’you, and I won’t break this one,” Eire said. “I’ll find yer girls and bring them home.”

“Thanks, Da,” Fiera said. “I’d better go before Kuen finds out I called you. He won’t understand.”

“He can’t. He’s never had a family like ours,” Eire said. “See you quick as I can, phoenix girl.” He ended the call.

“Kuen wouldn’t understand you trusting da,” Phelix said. “I do, and while I don’t like what he’s done I agree that he’s one of the best people to help bring the girls home.”

“Speaking of the littles, we’d probably better feed them,” Fiera said. “Come on. Between the two of us I think we can manage not to burn lunch.”

“Sounds good. Let me put Gael in her chair,” Phelix said.

“Pascal, you can’t tell your da or your Uncle Kuen that I called anyone,” Fiera said, looking at her nephew. “They don’t like who I called, and they’d get mad at me.”

“I won’t tell them,” Pascal said.

Fiera put Pascal at the table. “You nibble on this while we work on lunch,” she told him, handing him a cookie. She started chopping vegetables. Fiera realized that right now Phelix was the only one she’d let help her cook. Not because she didn’t want the help, but because Kuen was as broken as she was, and Gaspare didn’t quite see the situation the same way as she did. Phelix was the only one who could see it the way Fiera did – an attack on the core of their family.

Then again, neither Kuen nor Gaspare had the same sense of “family” the twins had. “What’re you thinking now, twint?” Phelix asked, still using twinspeak.

“Something da said. He’s right. Our boys, they don’t know what it’s like to have a family like ours,” Fiera said as she continued chopping vegetables. “That’s why Gaspare isn’t able to understand why you’re taking this so badly. I mean, he knows I’m not taking it well because I’m their mother. But taking Nafi and Lao, she didn’t just attack us. She took on the entire Rezouac family and she’s tied all our hands with that law.”

“I know, and I can’t explain it to him because he doesn’t have the kind of relationship with his mother and sisters that we have with ma and the Roughlings,” Phelix said. “Let’s not talk about the vapor brained idiots we both have for fathers, even with da agreeing to help you.”

“Da did what he thought was right for his family,” Fiera said. “In the beginning, I mean. Near the end I don’t think da knew what he was doing.”

“I don’t think he did either. I think he got so wrapped up in what was going on that he lost sight of his original goals,” Phelix said.

“Asking him for help doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven him for shooting Kuen and almost getting me blown up,” Fiera said. “But…I find I miss him.” She touched the bracelet on her wrist. It was the Gaiteran eternity heart that her father had left for her on her wedding day. Neither she nor Kuen had taken them off, not even when they bathed. “He tried to do right by me in the end.”

“He did, and while that doesn’t make up for anything he did at least he tried. What’re we making?” Phelix asked.

“Soup. It’s quick and filling,” Fiera said. “Plus it’ll be easy on little stomachs made queasy by the stun grenade and pain killers.”

“I’ll get the broth boiling then,” Phelix said, reaching for one of their many jars of homemade broth.

“Better use two. I have a feeling we’ll be eating it for dinner as well,” Fiera said. “Maybe I’ll just toss some dumplings in tonight and thicken it a little.”

“Okay,” Phelix said. “You think the other two will ever understand this the way we do, twint?”

Fiera shook her head as she turned to the various meats they had stashed. She decided on the poultry mix and pulled some out. She started chopping it up. “No, I don’t. They’re a part of the family but they aren’t family, if you get what I mean.”

“They don’t understand because they didn’t grow up with our tangled mess of a family life,” Phelix said. He got the pot on the heat and waited for the broth to heat up. He sipped it. “We’ll need to add salt. I remember this batch. We under salted it.”

“Toss a few pinches in,” Fiera said. “Then scrape the vegetables in. Let’s get them going. And no, they didn’t. Kuen was an only child raised by the CAF and Gaspare had several sisters but let’s be honest. He was pretty much raised by the CAF too, the way High Admiral Benoit was. The CAF doesn’t teach you how to deal with the kinds of situations we saw growing up.”

“It doesn’t teach you how to be a family, no matter how they try to say that your unit is your family and that you become closer than siblings to those you fight alongside,” Phelix said. “Trust me, I’ve seen the CAF recruitment propaganda.”

“I’m sure in some cases you do. But Kuen and Gaspare never really got that chance. Gaspare was the son of a High Admiral. No one dared get too friendly with him,” Fiera said. “And Kuen’s name would prevent people from wanting to get too close to him, and then with the fact that he’s so…single-minded when he wants to be I can imagine he didn’t really have time for friends as he went through the Academy. Gaspare and Nafisa, the woman we named Nafi for, were the closest he had.”

Kuen came inside with Gaspare. “We were getting hungry,” Gaspare said. From the look on Kuen’s face, he and Gaspare had spent most of their time talking. Fiera hoped that Gaspare had gotten through to him.

“Lunch will be ready soon. We’re having soup,” Fiera said.

“Is there enough time for me to go sluice off?” Kuen asked.

“Go for it. The vegetables have to soften anyway,” Phelix said. Kuen went upstairs without another word.

“Fury, he’s not going to be in a good mood for a while,” Gaspare said.

“You think I’m in a good mood, Gaspare?” Fiera asked. “I’m cooking because I’m like my ma when I’m stressed. Let me make food and shove it in someone’s face so I don’t accidentally – or on purpose – kill anyone. I’m probably going to bake more cookies or a cake or something after dinner tonight. After we eat, we’ve got to go back to the fields.”

“The fields can survive without us for half a day, Fury,” Gaspare said.

“No, they can’t,” Fiera said. “Not with our farm and Gael at risk if we don’t meet our obligations. We can’t risk it.”

“Fury,” Gaspare said.

“If you want to be lazy, fine. I’m going back out to the fields after I finish eating,” Fiera snapped. “Just remember that the less work we do today the more we have to do tomorrow, and the farther behind we get the more likely the ISRS will take Gael because we won’t meet our obligations.”

“Fury, focus on the food,” Phelix said, turning her back around to look at the pot.

Fiera took a deep breath. It didn’t help. She stirred the pot to make sure nothing was sticking to the bottom. Phelix was over talking to Gaspare in a low voice. Fiera glanced out the window. “Nickel’s here. Gaspare, go make yourself useful and bring in the supplies.”

“Yes Fury,” Gaspare said.

“Twint, stop being such a ketch,” Phelix said in twinspeak.

“I’m not going to lose Gael too just because he thinks we should be lazy after losing Nafi and Lao,” Fiera snapped back. “I won’t let someone come in here and take either of your littles.”

“I appreciate that. And I know better than he does how much hard work means for you to help you, and probably Kuen, to keep your cool. But stop behaving like a raging ketch and let me deal with it, okay?” Phelix asked.

“Fine,” Fiera sighed.

Kuen came back down and went out to help Gaspare bring in the supplies. “Gaspare says you want to work in the fields after lunch,” Kuen said as they brought in the last of the boxes.

“Yes. Farm work can’t wait, especially since we had to cut down our fields this year,” Fiera said.

“I agree with you. After lunch we’re going back out,” Kuen said.

Fiera finished up the soup and served it alongside some of her homemade bread. The kids ate a little but soon just wanted to go lay down. Gaspare and Phelix got them tucked into bed. Fiera ate another bowl of soup before grabbing her tools. “I’m going out now. Drag Gaspare out as soon as he’s done eating,” she said to Kuen. She jammed her hat onto her head and went out to the fields.

It wasn’t long before Kuen and Gaspare joined her. They worked in silence, Gaspare occasionally casting looks at the other two. “Gaspare, pay attention to which plants you’re pulling. You almost pulled one of the corn stalks instead of a weed,” Kuen snapped.

“Yes Kuen,” Gaspare said. After that there were no more surreptitious glances at either of them.

Phelix rang the bell calling them in a few hours later and they headed back to the house. Fiera dropped off her tools and went upstairs to sluice off. She came back down, whipped up a batch of dumplings, and dropped them into the remaining soup. Ten minutes later they had the rest of the soup for dinner.

“How’d it go?” Phelix asked quietly in twinspeak.

“Your husband almost got himself murdered,” Fiera replied in the same language. “Kuen had to get on him to pay attention so he wouldn’t pull up the crops instead of the weeds.”

“I was afraid of that,” Phelix muttered. “It’s my turn to talk to him tonight.”

Gaspare finished eating and took Pascal upstairs without a word. “He’s angry with us,” Kuen growled. “For telling him to do his slagging job and not stare at Fury and me while we worked.”

“I’ll deal with him,” Phelix said, getting Gael out of her chair.

“Ow,” Gael whimpered.

“Does your head hurt, Gael?” Phelix asked.

“Head,” Gael agreed.

“Okay, let’s have a bath and I’ll give you something to make the pain go away,” Phelix said. “Then I’ll have to deal with your da because he’s being an idiot.” Phelix sighed. “I’ll see you two in the morning.”

Fiera started cleaning up. Kuen helped her. As they finished, Kuen wrapped his arms around his wife. “I want them back, Kuen,” Fiera whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I know. So do I,” Kuen rumbled. He just held her there and let her cry.

They went upstairs and changed into their nightshirts before curling up together. Kuen held her close though neither of them immediately went to sleep. “What are we going to do, Kuen?” Fiera asked when the silence became unbearable.

“I don’t know, my phoenix,” Kuen said, using his favorite pet name for her. “Lt. Coltrin is helping us. I would hope we could find other allies to aid us…but I don’t know. I don’t have many contacts left in the Core, and most of those are tied to my business interests here in the Colonies. I don’t know what Gaspare can do since he doesn’t have the connection to the Intel division that he used to, or his sisters since he was disowned. His contacts could be as limited as my own, or he could have several that he is just waiting for the right time to talk to in order to get information from them.”

“We’re trapped on Sorus, our girls are on their way to Michi Nakano, and there’s not a slagging thing we can do,” Fiera said, her voice breaking.

“We’re doing what we can, my phoenix,” Kuen said. “We’re making sure there’s a farm for them to come home to when they are retrieved.”

“But what if – what if she twists them against us?” Fiera asked, voicing one of her worst fears.

“I don’t believe she’ll be able to,” Kuen said. “Since she won’t have them long enough to be able to do anything.”

“You really think that?” Fiera asked.

“My phoenix, our girls are not going to stay in that woman’s hands any longer than it takes for Darkling and the others working with him to find them. I trust my old unit to get them out for us,” Kuen said.

Fiera could tell he was saying this as much for his own sake as for hers. “I don’t know if I trust the CAF to bring my babies home,” she said.

Kuen kissed her forehead. “Trust me, my phoenix. I will find a way to bring our daughters home before that woman can do anything to them.”

“I do trust you,” Fiera said, pressing up against him. Kuen tightened his grip on her, and they fell asleep twined together.

Fiera spent a restless night, constantly waking up. While she was awake, she’d go in and check on Pascal and Gael. Phelix caught her checking on them twice. He smiled as he saw her come out the second time with the pain killer. “Which one?” he whispered.

“Pascal. He woke up with a really bad headache and I didn’t want to disturb the two of you since I was already awake,” Fiera told him.

“I was coming to check on them because I was worried about the aftereffects of the stun grenade,” Phelix said. “Want some tea?”

“I’d love some. I’m not getting back to sleep any time soon,” Fiera said.

The twins went downstairs, and Phelix put the water on to boil. “How’s Kuen?” Phelix asked.

“Sleeping, but I won’t say peacefully. I know that wrinkle he gets when he’s having a nightmare. He’s going to be tired in the morning,” Fiera said.

“So are you,” Phelix said.

“Yeah, well, I’ll push through. I usually do,” Fiera said.

“I know you do. Why don’t you watch the littles today? That’ll give you a chance to nap with Pascal and Gael,” Phelix said.

“I might just do that,” Fiera said. “I don’t know that I can handle being in the fields with Gaspare right now.”

“I had a long talk with him before we went to sleep last night,” Phelix said. “He’s worried that you and Kuen are going to hurt yourselves because of this.”

“We’re not stupid, Flicks. We do know how to take care of ourselves,” Fiera said. “Even if I am a slagging vapor brain who gets up fifty times in the night.”

“Oh, that’s your nerves and I figured you’d be that way,” Phelix said. “It’s why I was going to suggest you watch the littles even if I didn’t catch you up.”

“Thanks, twint,” Fiera said.

Phelix got up and put some tea in the teapot. He poured the hot water over the leaves. The sweet and spicy scent flooded the tiny corner of the kitchen. “I thought, since we’re both up, we may as well get our wake-up tea and just start our day. It’s only a couple hours before the boys will be up anyway.”

“It smells so good,” Fiera said, grinning. “I love tea but coffee just packs more of a punch when you’re headed to the fields.”

“That it does,” Phelix agreed. “I’ll start the coffee in a bit. It’s nice to have a quiet moment with you though.”

“I agree,” Fiera said. Five minutes later he poured them both some tea and the two talked over their concerns while they drank their tea.

When Kuen and Gaspare got up, Fiera and Phelix already had breakfast made and the coffee poured. “Fury’s going to watch the littles today,” Phelix said.

“Okay,” Kuen said.

“I won’t argue with that,” Gaspare said.

The men finished their breakfast and headed out to the fields. Fiera put Pascal to work on one of his puzzles and gave Gael her shape ball before getting to work on cleaning the kitchen. She baked more cookies and then cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom. When she finished that it was time to change Gael and start lunch. She made a quick meal, her restless night already catching up to her.

She rang the bell and called everyone in. “Aunt Fury, where are Nafi and Lao?” Pascal asked.

Fiera swallowed hard. “A bad lady sent someone to take them far away from us. But we have nice people trying to find them and bring them home, Pascal. Don’t worry. Nafi and Lao will be home soon,” she said, smiling at her nephew.

“Okay,” Pascal said. He let her put him in his chair. Gael settled into her seat and the men came in. Lunch was eaten and Kuen kissed her before heading back out.

“So, who wants to nap with Aunt Fury today?” Fiera asked.

“In your bed?” Pascal asked.

“Yes, in my bed,” Fiera said.

“Me,” Pascal said.

“Me,” Gael echoed.

“Then let’s get you two cleaned up and we’ll all go lay down together,” Fiera said. “No squirming and you have to go to sleep. No playing.”

“Yes, Aunt Fury,” Pascal said.

She got the children cleaned up and soon all three were dozing in the big bed Fiera usually shared with Kuen. Pascal was curled up at her back. Gael fell asleep with her hand wrapped around Fiera’s fingers. Fiera dozed off, tears trickling down her cheeks.

She was woken up by the incessant chiming of the comm. She disentangled herself from the sleeping children and walked downside. She answered the comm. Her blood ran cold as a doll like female stared at her. “Where is my son?” Michi Nakano demanded.

Fiera swallowed past the bile that rose in the back of her throat. “Out working in the fields. What do you want, ketch?”

“I want to talk to Kuen,” Michi said.

“So you can gloat how you were able to steal our daughters from us?” Fiera asked. “I’m not calling him in for that one. There’s a lot of work in running a farm and you don’t rank high enough in our lives to interrupt him with that.”

Michi’s eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t the loss of your daughters have left you prostrate with grief so you can’t work? I’d have thought learning you were trapped on that dust ball planet of yours would have been almost as heartbreaking as my Devas taking them,” she sneered.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Michi,” Fiera said. “You won’t keep our daughters long anyway. We’ll have them back with us soon and we’ll see you taken down.”

Michi smirked. “How can you do that when I trapped you on Sorus?”

Fiera laughed, letting scorn fairly drip from her words. “Do you think physically coming after them is our only method for retrieval? You have consistently underestimated the Colonies in general and my family in particular. Please, keep doing it. It’ll be your downfall in the end.”

“You have no allies or friends in the Core that can help you. I made certain of that before I ever sent the Devas to extract my granddaughters,” Michi said.

Fiera did her best secretive Blue Butterfly smile. “If you say so,” she said.

Michi looked worried. “I will not let you take your daughters back. You stole my son from me. Your daughters are mine.”

“That’s not how this works, ketch. You don’t get to trade your son for my daughters,” Fiera said.

“I will have what I want, as I always do,” Michi said, and she ended the call.

“Aunt Fury? Who was that?” Pascal asked from the bottom of the stairs. Gael was slowly making her own way down behind him.

Fiera got up and hurried to scoop Gael up. “That, Pascal, was the mean lady who took Nafi and Lao from us.”

“She looked icky, like she wasn’t real,” Pascal said.

“She had people do surgery on her to make her look that way. But I agree, she doesn’t look real, does she?” Fiera asked. She glanced at the time. “Well, we napped longer than I intended. What should we make for dinner?”

“Potry nugs,” Gael said, wrapping her arms around Fiera’s neck.

Fiera swallowed hard against the lump that formed, missing her own little girls. “Then poultry nuggets it is, Gael. Would you like some potatoes with those?”

“Taytoes,” Gael agreed.

“Can we have crunchy vegetables too, Aunt Fury?” Pascal asked. “The ones we dip in the green sauce?”

“Oh, the vegetable sticks that go in the avocado sauce? Of course, Pascal,” Fiera said. “Want to help me make dinner?”

“Yes,” Pascal said, his face lighting up.

“Let me change Gael and put her in her chair. Then we’ll get started,” Fiera said.

Gael was put in her chair with some fruit leather to chew on while Fiera cooked. Fiera set Pascal to mashing the avocado for the green sauce she made with citrus and garlic and a little cream that everyone loved dipping things in. She glanced at the green mushy fruit and wondered – not for the first time – who came up with the idea to eat it in the beginning.

While Pascal happily turned the crank that mashed the avocado, Fiera chopped up the garlic and tossed it in with the avocado so it could get mashed up too. She took some of the ground poultry mix and formed it into nugget shapes, dipping each one in egg and then in breadcrumbs so they could be baked off. The citrus went into the masher and the nuggets went into the oven.

Fiera chopped up the potatoes and put them on to fry before taking the avocado mash and putting it into a bowl. She poured the cream in and started mixing it before giving Pascal the spoon and showing him how to stir it. Pascal focused in and really tried hard to mix it just like she’d shown him. “Very good, Pascal,” Fiera said.

“I like making the green sauce,” Pascal said. Fiera added a little salt and pepper and had Pascal taste it. “Not right.”

Fiera tasted it. “You’re right. It needs a little more citrus and a little more salt. Here, take a pinch of salt and toss it in. Hm, maybe two pinches. There we go. And I’ll squeeze in some more citrus. Now stir it up really well while I chop some vegetables.”

After the vegetables were ready, they tasted the sauce again. “Tastes almost right,” Pascal said.

Fiera sampled it. “I think it needs just one more grind of pepper.” She did what she suggested, and Pascal stirred it like crazy. They tasted it again. “What do you think, Pascal?”

“Yum,” Pascal said, grinning.

“Good. Do you want to go ring the bell?” Fiera pulled the nuggets out of the oven and slid them onto a huge platter.

“Can I?” Pascal asked.

“Yes. Remember, count five rings only. We don’t want to scare them,” Fiera said.

“Right,” Pascal said. He went out on the front porch and slowly rang the klaxon five times. He scampered back inside with a huge grin on his face. “Only five times.”

“Very good. Now, do you think you’re a big boy and can go wash your hands by yourself? Or do you need me to help you?” Fiera asked.

“I can do it,” Pascal said.

“Here, do it in the kitchen sink so you’ve got your step up,” Fiera said. “I don’t think we’ve got one in the bathroom.”

Pascal climbed up on the stepping stool and washed his hands properly. The men wandered in a few minutes later. “Was that Pascal who called us in?” Gaspare asked.

“He wanted to help, so I let him,” Fiera said.

“Very well done,” Phelix told his son. Pascal beamed.

“He helped me make dinner too. He mixed up the green sauce,” Fiera said, putting the bowl on the table. “He even taste tested it and told me when it wasn’t quite right.”

“Oh, he’s learning a lot about cooking tonight,” Phelix said. “Same as we did at that age.”

“He’s better at it already than I was,” Fiera said with a sad smile.

The men went upstairs to clean themselves up and then they sat down to eat. “Daddy, did you know there’s a woman who looks like a doll?” Pascal asked, looking at Phelix.

Gaspare and Kuen looked at Fiera. “How does he know about her?” Kuen asked.

Fiera sighed. “She called while we were napping, and Pascal happened to walk down at the end of our conversation. She wanted to gloat, but I didn’t give her the opportunity. I think I might have even made her a little nervous.”

“Good. Making her nervous means she’ll make mistakes,” Kuen said. “Did we get any other calls today?”

“No,” Fiera said. “We napped most of the afternoon but the comm would have woken me up.”

“Shall we put the littles to bed and watch another holo?” Gaspare asked.

“I think I’m going to do some reading tonight,” Fiera said. “I’ve been meaning to finish my current read through of Art of War for a while now and it just seems like a good time to do that.”

Kuen smiled at her. “It is helpful in situations like these,” he said. “I’m up for another holo. Flicks?”

“Yeah, so long as it isn’t a sappy one. I only enjoy those if Fury’s down here sobbing her eyes out,” Phelix said.

“I’ve got a good one in mind,” Gaspare said.

“Okay, Fury and I will do the dishes. You two run the littles through their baths,” Phelix said. “Then we’ll meet down here to watch our holo while Fury reads.” “Sounds good,” Kuen said. Everyone split off to do what they needed.