Dan had been reluctant to part with Jade during their leave time on base, but he knew they couldn't spend every minute together. He knew it was just the rush of a new relationship that drove his desire to be together every moment, but they were both adult enough to keep it in perspective. Besides, he did enjoy spending time with his commander.

He wanted to tell her about him and Jade, but he wasn't sure how she'd react. He knew it wasn't against the rules, but it wasn't encouraged either. So, they had decided to keep it to themselves, at least for a while. Maybe if it ever got really serious... Of course, few people could imagine him getting "really serious" about anything but training or a fight in front of him, but he did think about these things.

"How's the family?" Andy asked as she wrapped a chalk-coated hand around one of the artificial rocks protruding from the wall they were climbing.

"Oh, they're good," Dan said with a laugh, looking down to carefully place his foot. "I got a letter when we got to Eclipse and our systems connected with theirs. My impending nephew is already a handful, I hear. He's giving his mother more morning sickness than any of the other four did."

Andy moved a couple steps higher. "So they already know it's a boy?"

Dan laughed. "Not in the least," he said. "Not medically, anyways. My brother says it's going to be a boy because they've already had four girls. He adores his daughters, but you know how men can get. They like to have sons. It's been that way forever for the human race."

Although for Dan, he wasn't sure he did. Not that he was sure he wanted any kids in the first place with his career, but if he did, he wanted girls. He knew what he'd been like as a kid, and seeing that replicated wasn't something he was keen to experience or subject the future mother of his children to.

"Of course, all his wife is saying is that if he does this to her again, he might not get to be a man anymore," Dan laughed. "She's a pistol, that one. You know, in between all the throwing up."

"Don't they have medication for that?" she asked, pausing to look down at him.