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Kendrix eyed her two friends sitting moodily around the bar table and smiled brightly. “Why the long faces guys? Having some regrets about leaving Mother Earth?”
“No,” Kai said immediately, looking appalled at the very idea. “It's an honor to be selected for Terra Venture.”
Kendrix smiled at his enthusiasm, but “You can be honored and still have regrets,” she prodded gently.
Kai looked away but nodded, probably the only acknowledgement she would get out of him tonight. That was okay. They’d have plenty of time to talk about it once they were underway.
She turned her attention to Mike. “What about you? Are you too honored to be sad?” she asked with a smile.
Mike smiled in return, but it was a dull thing that didn’t reach his eyes. “No. I’ll miss this planet.” He paused, took a long pull on his beer, and added, “I‘ll miss my brother.”
“You couldn’t get him a passport?” Kendrix asked gently.
Mike shook his head. “Didn’t even try. He was pissed, but he’s safer here. I just wish…” Mike trialed off and visibly shook off his melancholy. “It doesn’t matter. We should celebrate, not sit around whining about things we can’t change.”
“Mike…” Kendrix lay a hand on Mike’s shoulder. He shook her off with a forced-sounding laugh.
“I’ll be fine, really. Let’s have one last toast before we call it a night. To last nights,” Mike called out, raising his glass in salute. “And new beginnings.”
“To Terra Venture and the Galactic Space Alliance,” Kai chimed in, joining Mike’s toast.
“To Earth and friendship and the families we create,” Kendrix added.
The three friends tapped their glasses together with a soft clink and drank to their bright future together.