ReaderPaul

Couldn't if be both? You are correct, @P. E. Knapp.

Thank you for explaining that. I appreciate that.

I noticed in the chapter the word "consist" is used in a way I do not recall seeing before. Does it mean "train"?

Really good chapter. I look forward to learning more about the dragons. AND the rest of those which inhabit Ever North.

This is going to be a good tale, I can tell. Thank you.

I agree with @Butcher56. I look forward to new chapters. Fascinating concepts.

Very good chapter, @R. Eric. I am not so sure I agree with giving them FTL (Faster Than Light) technology yet. But you are writing the story. I like the idea of some from Elysia going back to Gaia. It will be interesting to see who volunteers to go, or who "gets volunteered." Many times parents can overreact to kids exploring sexuality. Joel and Sarah Beth gave good advice.

It is not that Peter is unattracted to Rebecca, it is that he is attracted to Aaron MORE. Rebecca's reaction is understandable, if regrettable. The mother is her own person. I await the reactions of Aaron, Sr. Perhaps he is bisexual, as are so many of us.

Unfortunately, I think you are right. While I hope there is a seismic attitude shift, I think the conservative-outlook persons will, in many cases, dig in their proverbial heels on non-acceptance. In many cases, the worst opposition to someone being gay or bi has been from the feminine gender. We can hope Aaron's father is secretly bi.

@P. E. Knapp, I'm interested in Marc's mate. @akascrubber is not the only one. But what if Marc's mate turns out to be an identical twin with the same personality? (I know, I know, highly unlikely. Would you say more about the CONFED Navy? How many sectors and/or families make it up? What powers or capabilities do they have? Is there a CONFED army?

Thus far, you have NOT named Ricky's sister and brother. And Max simply called Kiernan's sister "your sister" when speaking to Kiernan about his talent and her talent for seeming invisibility. You rejected the idea of naming Rick's brother Ronyx or Rayon, remember. (But you didn't rule out Robert, or Robin, or Reese.) But if Rick's younger sister was a star runner in track, and her name was Rhonda, spectators could yell "Run, Run, Rhonda" as she ran. (A pun on the Eddie Rabbitt song "Rhonda," where the lyrics are actually "Rhon-Rhon-Rhonda, don't look back...." but Eddie sings it like Run, Run, Rhonda.) Or the Beach Boys song, "Help Me Rhonda." What ever you come up with, I know we who are reading will really enjoy it!

@Geron Kees -- another question in addition to what is immediately above. Of Charlie, Kip, Rick and Adrian, who is tallest and who is shortest? I don't recall you ever saying, but I have the impression that Ricky and Charlie are the tallest, and Adrian slightly shorter, and Kip perhaps an inch shorter than Adrian. Please correct the order if I am wrong. Also, when will we be allowed to know the names of Ricky's younger sister and his even younger brother? For that matter, what is the name of Kiernan's sister? Does Durapar have any relatives living on Engris?

I have really enjoyed this series, and look forward to more, @P. E. Knapp. I do hope Lt. Astray gets at least a mention somewhere in one or more of the future books. I also agree with @centexhairysub -- Janek will always be one of my favorites. I am guessing ice mining is profitable because, as the human population expands, water is needed for drinking, agricultural purposes, and industrial purposes. Also, some of the water would be lost during various processes, in spite of excellent recycling of the future. Possibly other mining materials are sought, as well -- various metals, possibly organic compounds, minerals. You have mentioned almost no planets so far in this series. Do most persons live in space? What about non-human intelligences? Are they going to appear in this set of stories? You might put some of the answers to these questions in your discussion forum as well as answering some of them here. Thanks, from Paul.

No problem on the delay. I am not writing stories -- yet -- for lack of time, taking care of a very disabled spouse, and juggling various other responsibilities. I would really like to be writing. Perhaps Robin and Ragal and Ronja and Uncle Bob Travers could work with Ricky on his teleportation. Robin is an accomplished teleporter, and very adaptable, as we have seen before. Ragal has expert adaptation skills, and has helped many with various things. Uncle Bob has a bit of Ricky's magic mechanic skill, being able to understand and reproduce Ragal's ability with the inky blackness, AND Uncle Robert (Bob) Travers is an accomplished teleporter. Ronja's skwish talent of reconciliation would pair well with Ragal's adaptation to help Bob and Robin boost the speed of Ricky learning to teleport. The four Rs -- Robin Ragal, Ronja, and Robert (Bob) should be able to work with the fifth R (Ricky) on this -- at least in theory. And what could the K-team (Kip, Keerby, Kontus, and Kiernan) achieve together? Or the M-team (Max, Mrs. P [Max's wife], Max2 from the alternate earth visited when Robin investigated the money trail, and Maxine, the shop supervisor for Nicklus) arrive at together? Not to mention the A-team of Adrian, Auggie, and Amy. And the AI team -- Illia, Murcha, Onglet, and Irving -- in another Pacha'ka adventure, with Big Irv serving as Earth liaison with the guys? As always, @Geron Kees -- you are freely given these ideas, should you ever decide to use one or more of them.

Raymond is a proverbial stuffed shirt type who thinks his version of things is the only one that can possibly be right.