I went to our living quarters, and presently Ven joined me. "They're all in for the night, Eu," she said.
"That's good. How are they coming along?"
"Splendidly. Another week should see the end of the training. Edith was a good experience for me in handling these. I'm not making the mistakes I did. I'm finding the blocks and removing them. One of them, the one called Grace, should be even better than Edith."
"As a mount?" I asked with faint humor. "Or as a working proxy?"
"Both," Ven said promptly. "She's stronger and more intelligent. Yet even so I think I shall always like Edith best."
"One's first dependent is always one's fondest memory," I replied sententiously, "But you'll forget them all when we're back on Thalassa."
"I won't," Ven said. "I'll never forget Edith."
"Never is a long time," I said gently. "I shall even forget the pain of killing Donald some day."
"Then you've decided to eliminate him?" Ven said.