Vasily was plainly nervous, fidgeting in the back seat as they approached the glass and steel edifice that was CareGiver’s Orlando facility. The heat as they stepped out into the sun was an oppressive blast in the face even though it was still early in the day and He found himself adding to his nervous perspiration with genuine sweat as the foursome entered the building and strolled across the lobby to find Anne at her usual post.

“Two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.” Her father’s voice echoed down the long years and she silently thanked him for that stupid little piece of wisdom while she cursed herself. It was true that she hated him and the things he had put both her and her sister through but it was equally true that she felt grateful to him, grateful that he had taught her the things she needed to know in on order to exact vengeance upon those who had wronged both her and her sister so horribly.

Sean stood for a moment, her violin hanging from her fingers. She was terrified, shocked, unable to move or even swallow for an instant of time that seemed to her to last forever. She finally lifted her instrument and almost aggressively clamped her chin down on the pad. She held her bow over her violin as though she was ready to beat the instrument, so it was a surprise when the first notes she wrung from it were so soft as to be almost inaudible.

Sean was unsure exactly how to proceed, as the atmosphere on the other side of the hatch seemed almost chilly to her. The captain of the ship stood there, a tall blond Nordic type of man, no readable expression on his face. She decided to just go with being a businesslike spacer, presenting both of their papers to the man. “Captain Thorssen?” Her warm contralto seemed to just crack the surface of his icy demeanor as he reached for the proffered papers. “Sir, Sean and Charlie Barber reporting for duty.” The three of them stood there while he seemed to study their papers intently.

We reported for training almost on time. I had spent almost my entire life being afraid of skin cancer, so it was the first time I had ever had a decent tan. I was a sort of medium brown, but Charlie was an even deeper olive color, I guess it had something to do with her genetics. We had both had a great deal of adjustment to do over the month. I mean I had to deal with the fact that my hunk of a husband(okay, my potbellied , Hairy hunk of love) had become this delicate, blue eyed hottie! Truth be, I think she had a lot more to deal with than I did. I had been the male provider for my love far longer than anything else, and even though my physical form had changed, she found it hard to shift back to our original format, with me being the maiden in distress and her being the strong rescuer.

A new beginning, a new hope, and a party.

“People will never cease to amaze me”. Sean was muttering to himself, quickly getting back into one of his favorite work-oriented rants, but without any real rancor. “Damn Gates and all his unholy minions anyway!”
 

Anne looked up and brushed a stray bit of hair out of her eyes, a little surprised at the sight that confronted her. Two dapper gentlemen, one quite elderly, but both a bit long in the tooth, stood there proffering completed applications. It was obvious they were both nervous and equally obvious that they were a couple from the way the younger both clung to the older and supported him.
 

Grace was not the usual Caregiver, and certainly not someone they would choose for their poster girl. She was crude, a brawler and a drinker. In short, she was still the Irish fisherman she had been before the DeCorvin process. But what happens when you run out of chances? What happens when your career turns on your ability to change? Could the brash Irish lass turn away from all she had been to embrace who she had become? Could you find joy in duties you despised? Her future in the company depended on it.