"No. It's really dumb. I think, from what history I know, it's because we haven't had a big war for a while. So these people don't really know what it would be like, and think it's all glory and excitement, like a game."

"It's not," Kira's mother said, her voice gone low but very hard.

Jason eyed her, curious and wary. "You fought in a war. You were a really big hero."

"I wasn't a hero," Mari said. "I did what needed to be done, and I fought because I had to. And I would do it again, if I had to in order to protect others. But war is ugly and terrible, and it eats lives. There's no glory in it."

Jason stared at the ground. "I didn't say that. Other people do."

"That is so," Kira's father said. "I hope you tell these others they are wrong."

"Nobody cares what I think," Jason grumbled so low that Kira barely heard it.

"We care," Mari said. "Please tell Talese of Groveen that we will speak with her again as she requests."

"It's, uh, Talese Groveen," Jason said hesitantly. "No of."

"What's it mean?" Kira asked. "Isn't Groveen where she's from?"

"No, it's her last name. It might have meant something else a long, long time ago, but now it just means she's part of the Groveen family." Jason grew more animated, looking around at them. "I was trying to figure out why you guys don't have last names, family names, and I think it's because when the crew decided to take over and rule everybody they didn't want people working together against them. If you had big families or clans those could have formed natural alliances among their members and challenged the crew, or the Mechanics I guess they became."

Mari raised her eyebrows at Jason. "That's an interesting theory. The Guild tried to instill in Mechanics the idea that it was our family, and did its best to break up any personal allegiances outside the Guild."

"And the Mage Guild sought to break all ties between acolytes and their former families. You could well be right," Alain told Jason.

Perplexed, Jason stared back at him. "Really?"

"Have you spoken with others on your ship about this idea?"

"Nobody listens to me." Jason abruptly closed down, scowling. "They think it's stupid."

"Why? You ask questions that are of value," Alain said. "All questions are of value."

Jason stared at them. "But…I'm just me. And, you know, that's not saying much."

"You sound like Kira," Mari said.

"Mother!"

Jason looked at Kira and then quickly away. "I'm…I'm nothing like her," he said, sounding depressed.

Mari nodded to Alain. "We should give you two some time alone to talk," she said.

Kira watched her parents enter the house, then turned a wary eye on Jason, who was once more focusing on the air in front of him as his fingers moved slightly before him.