"Yes, thanks Steve, it went quite well."

They all sat around the table and fell silent. Steve and Clare were itching to ask, but didn't have the courage.

"So," Tris said, "Kay's the new leader then."

"Yes, she is." replied Steve.

It went silent again. Hope knew what they were up to, so she just stared silently at her shoes letting them stew a bit. Tris was getting somewhat embarra.s.sed, but his first attempt at making conversation had gone down like a lead balloon, so he thought he'd just wait and see what happened. Thankfully, the kettle boiled, and Tris jumped up saying, "I'll make it." He went to do his domestic thing and Clare mouthed silently, 'Are you two an item?' Hope mouthed back, 'Wouldn't you like to know.' They both ended up laughing which broke the ice.

"It's good to see you Tris," Clare said, warmly, "are you and my daughter an item?"

Tris turned every shade between pink and purple.

"Mother, really," Hope jumped in, "of course we're an item!"

"I knew it, I knew it!" Clare said, very excitedly.

Tris beamed on hearing it too, as this was the first he'd heard of it himself. Steve, who had been watching all this, saw what had just happened.

"You'll get used to the female Foresters eventually Tris, but don't hold your breath."

They had good company after that. Tris was accepted into the family, and he himself became much more comfortable with them. It was a good start.

Steve knew that this was Hope's time, but he couldn't resist asking Tris how the work was coming along.

"I think the answer to that Steve is, slow but steady, at least the speed side of it is. The other modifications are all but done, you should come and see if everything is as you want it."

"Thanks Tris, I'll do that tomorrow if I may."

With that, the ageing juveniles got up to leave. Clare was thinking of saying something like, behave yourselves, but after being caught rolling around on the floor belting her husband with a cushion, she thought better of it.

"Goodnight both," she said, closing the door behind her. Steve and Clare made their way to bed, it had been quite a day.

"So," Tris said, when they had gone, "we're an item." Hope smiled at him knowing that she was in control of this situation.

"If we're to go off with mum and dad traipsing around the galaxy for who knows how long, it seems like being an item is unavoidable, so we may as well start now."

Tris ignored the possible insult and just looked at her for a moment. She certainly was good looking.

"That makes perfect sense to me," he said, "how shall we begin?"

Hope, being full of fun made for a cushion, but was only teasing. Tris was all but ready to duck when she turned to face him grinning from ear to ear.

"Steve said you take after your mother, I like that. Your mom is brilliant, you can be as much like her as you like."

Now it was Hope's turn to ignore the subtle dig.

"OK," she said, "you can give as good as you get, I like that."

The sofa beckoned, and they both heard its call. Sitting close to one another, they leaned back and she snuggled into his chest, his arm naturally finding its way around her shoulder.

"So," he said, "here we are, loves young dream. I wonder what it'll be like out there. Have you wondered what we'll find?"

"I haven't really thought about it," she answered, "I'm much more interested in the present than the future. What's important to me is how we get on together, in a way, that will decide the future for us."

He had to admit she was right. "I can see this is going to be an interesting time," he said back to her, "we've a lot of growing up to do."

They fell silent for a time, just enjoying being so close to one another. Hope eventually spoke. "Tris...Have you had a berry?" The question shocked him a little.

"Hasn't everybody?" he answered, a little hesitantly.

"I haven't," she said, "I thought I'd enjoy my youth and do some growing up before I had one."

He was amazed. "Me too," he said, "are we a pair or what?"

"You mean you haven't had one?" She asked.

"No, I haven't, I feel like you, I'm too young yet, maybe when I'm past twenty."

She giggled, "You make twenty sound old."

"Well, isn't it?" He replied, laughing too.

"Come on, it's late," she said, "I'll show you out."

They got up and went to the door.

"I've enjoyed our first time as an item," he said, stepping outside.

"Me too," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Why don't you come and see the ship with your dad tomorrow."

"OK I will," she said, smiling warmly at him, "I'll see you then. Good night Tris."

"Good night Hope," he replied, and turned to leave.

She watched him for a moment then shut the door. Tris walked home as though treading on air, and Hope ran up the stairs three at a time, and jumped onto her bed from her bedroom doorway, saying, "Yes!" as she landed.

Morning came and Sam was up early making breakfast. Kay came into the kitchen, "I'll do that if you like," she said.

"I wanted to surprise you," he answered, "I was going to bring it up to you."

"Oh, how sweet." She replied, hugging him from behind. "Is this because I'm your leader?" She said, chuckling.

"No, it's because I love you," he answered without any hesitation. He turned to face her and kissed her to prove it.

"It doesn't get any better than this," she sang out, "Have I got a life, or have I got a life!"

They sat at the table to eat.

"I've had an idea Sam," she said, "we need to explore this Moon we're living on. After all, it's a big place, and we've only seen this one little corner."

"Remember the sea," Sam reminded her.

"That's just what I mean, we didn't even know it was there. It took someone from Earth to point it out to us. There may be other new things out there to discover, who knows what we'll find? We need to explore that sea," she went on, "but I think we'll start with the lake. Especially after those reports of movement."

"We need a submarine then," Sam said.

"Yes, we do, but it shouldn't be too difficult for our boys in engineering, after all, we can go into s.p.a.ce, how hard can it be to go under water."

Hope was up early, she'd had trouble sleeping, thinking about the days ahead, and what they might bring. She and Steve walked arm in arm on their way to the ship.

"What do you think we'll find out there dad?" she asked him, thoughtfully.

"To be honest Hops, I don't know, but I'll be surprised if we don't find something special. It's a big universe, and we have a big G.o.d; who's to say He hasn't created other beings in other solar systems. I know I have to make this trip, and I think He has inspired me to do it."

"Wow," she said, "that's exciting. I hope we do find someone out there. I wonder if they'll be like us."

"Well, we're made in G.o.d's image, so maybe He did the same with them, I don't see why not, this form works very well."

They arrived at the ship, and Hope gasped at how big it was.

"It affects me that way too Hops. Every time I see it, it fills me with awe, no bad thing when you think it's going to be our home for heaven knows how long."

Tris met them on the launch-pad.

"Morning Steve, hi Hope."

His voice was somewhat softer for the second greeting. Hope smiled back at him, which confirmed that he hadn't been dreaming.

"This way folks," he said, marching in front of them. Tris led them to the main hatch and entered.

"Wow," Steve said, slowly, "you have been busy."

The interior of the ship had been transformed from its former self into a s.p.a.ce age version of a mobile home. The pa.s.senger cabin had been divided into living quarters and had four main rooms. The biggest was the main living area, now fully furnished, with a kitchen area off to one side. There were three bedrooms, one double, and two singles. These were small rooms as it had been felt that the s.p.a.ce would be better used elsewhere. The bathroom was interesting, to say the least, and very small.

"Zero gravity does present certain problems," Tris said, when he showed them how it all worked. Hope looked on, more than a little bemused by it all.

"Don't worry Hops, you'll soon get used to it."

"I'll take your word for it daddy, but right now it looks more like a torture chamber than a bathroom."

They made their way through into the cargo bay. This was mainly taken up with the smaller ship, and the rest was given over to supplies.

"The main problem is water," Tris said, "it's bulky and heavy, we won't be able to take as much as I'd like, but there's nothing I can do about it. We have the latest in filtration and recycle systems, so a little will go a long way, but I'd still like more."

"It's most impressive Tris," Steve said, "you've done a great job."

"Actually, John did most of this. I've been concentrating on the Trion drive. There's not as much progress there I'm afraid, I can't seem to get the breakthrough I need to achieve light speed. I'm getting closer, but I'm not there yet."

"Don't worry about it Tris, I'm sure it'll come, just keep at it, and remember the small things." Steve smiled, knowing how many times he had missed something simple because he was looking for something big.

"That just leaves the c.o.c.kpit." Tris said, and led the way. "We've greatly simplified the controls. It behaves much like a big Keracraft now, you can do most things with one joystick. Phil says just a couple of lessons will get you up and running, he suggested we all have them."

"Good idea," Steve agreed.

"Even me?" Hope said, excitedly.

"Yes, even you Sweetheart," he answered her. "Of course, you'll have to fight your mother to get in here..."

They all laughed, but it seemed to Steve that their departure date had moved a little closer.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

Chapter 3.

It's The Little Things Steve and Hope walked slowly back to the settlement, leaving Tris to continue working on the ship.

"He really is rather sweet dad," she said.

"I know Hops, that's why I chose him."

"But how did you know he was the one?"

"Oh, it came to me-"

"From G.o.d you mean?" she interrupted him.

"I'm not sure about that Sweetheart, but somehow, I knew he was right for you. It may be the berries and that sixth sense, I don't know, but I do know that he's a good kid, and bright too, and one day, he'll be a great man in Eden."

Tris had taken on board what Steve had said, and deliberately went back over his work looking for something so small that he might have missed it the first time. It was going to be a big job, his work had been extensive, but really, he had no other course of action open to him. He had tried all the things he could think of and had come up empty, he knew that somewhere, there had to be an answer to this. Technically it was possible, but like all things that have never been done before, the first breakthrough is the toughest. Tris decided to find his favourite corner and settle down for the rest of the day.