Too many cooks

..spoil the soup they say. In the case of the soup over in Fook Yoo's, they must have had at least a dozen or more cooks. It is the most awful thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. And, I made the mistake of saying so to the cook - LilyBell Snoodle - who looked more angry than hurt. If she only knew how it is for me to look at her, and just continue about business as if everything is the same. Nothing is the same. Nothing will ever be the same.

Mindo is on the loose, who knows where, but last I heard he was seen on a freighter heading for Prosperity. What he thinks he will do there I have no idea. True, he's not wanted for anything. He's broken no law. He's got no warrants out for him. Even if he did, I'm sure he'd manage to get them "taken care of". He seems to always manage, somehow. But just the fact that he's out there, planning and scheming some way to "fix" ...well. it just makes my blood run cold, and it takes a lot to accomplish that.

Aurora, minus Blue, made it safetly to Ariel. I plan to visit her right soon, as I need to make sure everything is working right. She's carrying a very important piece of technology, although to her its just a shiny pretty thing with her baby picture engraved on it. She's only what...maybe six years old physiologically now, and psychologically probably about the same. The coin only ranges to somewhere in early puberty, so there is time....if nothing happens to push things in a bad direction. All the biotech experiments in the world couldn't have anticipated what's happened here. Aurora is actually "loved".

That has the potential to change everything.

I've hired Emma, a local girl, to keep an eye on things for me. I've got Lily digging - mostly just to keep her busy and out of trouble and stop her sneaking around and spying on me - and building some rail track which I'll likely replace before the train is even completed. She's strong, and never tires, so something that keeps her good and busy is a good thing. I saw her walking through the town with a young Alliance officer last week. That concerns me. But, she's not really my concern. She's Seana's. Thats just the way it is.

Nack has put a pleasure bot chip in his warbot, which brings to mind images I could just as well do without. He's a stubborn one, Mister Barnes, a very stubborn one. Good thing he's got his girls to keep him in line. That does remind me, I saw the old scavenger Tarlek was camped back outside Firefly's. Something about him troubles me. I don't think he's a bad man, but I don't think he's the most stable man and for some reason, Lily has taken to inviting him to come over for "tea parties". So far he hasn't come, but what if he does? Next thing you know he will be piling his "scraps" outside BlueSun, and won't that just be peachy.

I need to talk with the local doctor, Gallagher, about Dharma's continued involvement in the Rail project. I need some actual physical labour, and seems a lot of local folks don't really want to work over here on the BlueSun Corporate Holdings. Maybe that will change as we expand into the main town. The recreational area is on hold, because I simply can't find anyone to work here. I suppose I can bring people in, but I really didn't want to do that.

Personal life ways, Nene and me ain't no closer to resolving our differences now than we were before I took up residence here. I ain't even shown him the house I had put up. My girl Emma is living in it mostly, I'm spending most nights in my office. She seems like a good sort, so I've put in a few things I would have waited on - hot water for the bath, special medically equipped soft cozy bed. Just hope she doesn't have occasion to use it.

Transitions

If anyone asks me, AuroraBlue LittleBoots is doing just fine. She comes and goes like any child might, and isn't showing any signs of being 'different' other than the spots - like her mother's - that come and go. She is growing a bit more at a small acceleration compared to children per se, but all in all, nothing out of the ordinary.

She is just fine.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Now, time to find Mindo and put him away where he can't contradict me. Or hurt anyone else. It's time for him to get the help he needs, and if he fights me, I will take him down. I'm not going to dance around him any longer. No more trying to convince, coddling, reasoning with the criminally insane.

His reign will end.

When it rains...

The stage is set. All the players are in place. The only question is, will good win over evil?
I hope so.

I don't know them well but I have come to see goodness in the citizens of Hale's. Oh, they are an interesting lot to be sure. But good people. Things are happening fast. Faster than I thought they would. A young girl from Hales, name of Jai, told me AuroraBlue had said "xyz". Several times. She said it. I can't believe she said it. I never thought she would say it.

Mindo escaped as I hoped he would. And, he ran for the mines, as I knew he would. And he disappeared - something that would worry me if I had not injected him with a tracking device prior to bringing him in.

Seana knows. She knows. She took Lily on as her own daughter. She has the legal right to make the decision. But the moral right? That's less clear.

I know this. I won't let Mindo make the decision. I won't. I'll kill him first.

Killing. All this killing. Lily wants to end AuroraBlue. It wants to end her, and Mindo. Mindo, he wants to be God. And me? I just want the noises in my head to stop.

Lily ....You have grown into such a beautiful young woman. You really have. You.. Really...Have.

Back to business. Mindo has the key. He *will* give it to me. And we'll take it from there.

Where is wisdom?