At least there's always Milliways.
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"If I leave the ship somewhere and walk there will they hurt my kids while I'm gone?"

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"Your kids? You know what, I'd better come talk to them for you. They're tense, everyone is, they might do all kinds of stuff... But they've seen me before. Unless you want to skip 'em entirely?"

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"Their kids, whatever. Would you coming be worth the travel time or would we just be throwing away other lives for these people?"

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"...I don't know. I honestly don't. I can't tell in advance if being four hours faster will save someone, let alone more people than are living in that hospital. I just know that I don't want to abandon 'em without trying to reason with them."

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"You won't be abandoning them. They'll get one of the heat cores when you're done in Milliways."

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"But they deserve a chance to see Milliways - even if you won't let them into Ira Sani after that threat, which I wouldn't really blame you for... What if they've been robbed before and are paranoid now? What if they have a bunch of sick people who need help, it is a hospital after all..."

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"It's your world, I guess it's your choice how long to leave the door open. Want me to take the other people's kids, who aren't mine, back to Milliways now or wait for you near here?"

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"Airship's much faster. Come get me. I'll buy the fuel."

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To Milliways.

After a while he asks her to translate an explanation for the passengers.

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"Oh, good idea. The scout decided it would be better to come back with her to talk to the hospital people, just in case. That seem okay?"

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He repeats it for the passengers.

He looks at the kids to be sure they're all alive. Not that there's any reason they wouldn't be.

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They're holding up, yeah. A five-year-old comments, "So they don't shoot us down, right?"

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"So they don't shoot us down. Right."

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Nod, nod. The idea of getting shot at is scary, but not new.

(The cripple mutters something about the French that Liane declines to translate, but tells Valanda to tell him to mind what he says around kids.)

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"I'll relay your message if you tell me what he said."

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"It was... A vile insult. Something kids shouldn't hear. That's all."

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"I can lend him the headset and you can tell him yourself."

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"It was only the one comment, anyway. I'll give 'im an earful when you get here."

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"Okay."

Onward. Such depressing ruins. Valanda gets in some nice silent sulking on the way back.

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The airship is a pretty quick little thing, though. For an airship. Liane gives the man the promised earful, to which he replies,

"He was wearing a Napoleon hat. I fought those-" He glances at the kids walking off and Liane's unhappy expression, "People fer eight years. Ain't a good soul among 'em."

"Regardless of whether that's true, leave off the swearing around little kids. It's not proper."

Old Cripple mutters some more and heads inside Milliways. Liane sighs. "...This is turning into a very long day. Good day, great even, but long."

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"Want me on the airship with you? I can stay with it when you land in case it's just a trick to steal it."

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"Yeah. If someone comes for it, take off, I can run and you come pick me up."

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"Should we decide now on a place to meet back up if that happens? Since even with the headset you can't tell me where you're going once you run."

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"Bet I could figure it out, but planning ahead is usually better."

She points out a spot on the map. Old church, spire and cross still above the ice.

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"I'll meet you there if something happens."

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