#fenixtj

"Not going to work when you get home...."

"I know, mom makes me nuts... I may have to tell her one part was a personal matter... the life and death stuff she can know about. "

"You didn't know about the life and death stuff til after you got here." She points out. "It wasn't a reason to come."

"I know...so I tell her that, and then say 'sister stuff' for the rest. Mum and dad will understand, of course" a pause "Did you call mum on mother's day by the by?"

"Ahem?"

"Um. No."

"It wasn't mother's day -here-."

"Oh." A pause "boy, you're going to owe such a big card"

She sighs. "Yeah. Well. Not a news flash, I'm not the best daughter."

"Newsflash, neither am I. " She admits. "I get weasely with mom, snipish with da" A shrug

"Though I'd like to think I'm better than I was"

"Yes, but I can't do anything about how much you suck, only about how much I suck." Pragmatically.

"It's like having Mr. Spock for a big sister" She observes dryly "You'll be fine. I'll be fine. For all our worries, mum and dad ARE pretty forgiving. I think I'm more worried about being in your shadow than they are. Me? I think 'Jessica's got it figured out, jessica's the hero and the leader'. You know, if mom and da retired tomorrow and they needed a new leader? I think the order would go from Kerri, to Sylvi, to Vali to me. I'd be lucky if Lut or Tig didn't beat me out for the job because I just don't have leadership skills, atl east not when I'm not on board a ship"

"You are -so- wrong.... wait, Sylvi?"

Jessica thinks abput this, nods slowly.

"Sylvi's got the touch" SHe says "Natural busybody but honing it to real leadership."

"See, you went from 'you're so wrong ' to 'yeah okay that makes sense'"

"She's been -training- for it." Jessica stipulates.

"I meant, you are wrong about me."

"You're not like Mr. Spock?"