[uncledaddy]

Randy cooed and kissed his head. "There is nothing wrong with being scared," he assured him. "Pain and fear come naturally to all of us, no matter what our backgrounds. Do you think I didn't cry when my parents died, or when I had to leave my son behind? Do you think I was not afraid to start life on another planet and live in secret among creatures that I barely understood? I have seen my children grow up and move out on their own, some of them going into the military and even out into space, knowing that they could be killed during even a routine mission. I have witnessed the deaths and tragedies of many who were close to me. None is any less painful or frightening than the last, and I know that there will always be more, whether I am prepared for it or not. Today I learned that two of my children have very uncertain futures... and I am afraid. But I know that my boys are strong, and they will carry on and learn from life's experiences just as I will, and just as we always have."