After only four hours of sleeping in each other's arms, the couple reluctantly got out of bed to tend the babies once again. Shalt and Caser tended them while they got a shower. Somehow they behaved in such close proximity to each other. Lana always had a full day.
As they were drying each other off, Sil informed Lana, "I need to head back to the ship soon. I want to be there when Quinn wakes up. He's going to be devastated."
"Are you going to actually sit in the room with him or hang back like you usually do?"
Sil chuckled, "probably hang back. I don't know those other people as well."
Lana nodded, "do you think you can hang out long enough to spar with me with my sword? See where I can improve?"
Sil smiled brightly, "I'm so proud of you. You know that, right? Fighting your fears and getting stronger."
Lana's expression changed to a bashful smile, "I'm proud of you as well. You've come so far."
Sil smiled, "to answer your question, I would be honored to spar with you. Now, let's get to your Qi class so we can eat breakfast!"
They chuckled, picked up the babies, and everyone headed to the training center to begin their day. At breakfast, Sil so enjoyed the food he had seconds. He said he needed the extra fuel to teach his wife on the sparring mat. There was a bit of laughter at his comments. Others had a questioning expression. Was he challenging their leader? Lana smiled at the small interaction. Baby steps. He's growing slowly but I'm so very proud of him!
After breakfast, Lana assisted with the martial arts class correcting form and such while Sil played peek-a-boo with the babies and recited the next chapter of the book.
Lana asked the girls to do their own thing after so she could train with Sil for the following hour then she would work with them so he could get back to the ship.
Sil, in his usual habit of touching people to get their ability, used telekinesis to select a sword from the training hall's weapon wall.
Lana grinned, "show off!"
Sil chuckled, "gotta show off for anyone who has the wrong idea what your husband is capable of."
Lana laughed and lunged in, swinging her sword which he easily intercepted.
"Your hip movement is off," Sil said as he lowered his sword. He walked up behind her and held her hips, "swing again."
She did as he asked while he moved her hips and she felt the motion was more of an extension of her arms than a swing.
"Better?"
Lana grinned, "much."
"Let's try again." Sil swung his sword toward her neck and she flash-stepped around the other direction to get behind him but he was faster and was already blocking her next move. She followed through with her swing and the weapons clanged. For an hour the couple took one swing after the other with him correcting her form where applicable. Lana was drenched in sweat having been pressed like never before. Sil looked like he could go a few more hours.
"Do ye yield, mi lady?" Sil asked with a bright smile.
"Humbly, mi lord," she smiled and offered a curtsy. She giggled as she looked up into his eyes and got lost.
Sil kissed her tenderly. "I need to go."
Lana nodded. "Walk you to the teleporter?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way," as he strolled over and picked up Owen. He then sent the sword back to the wall it belonged on while Lana sheathed hers.
Lana got Olivia picked up and the rest followed them out. She let the girls know she'd like to do training out of the shelter anyway.
At the teleporter, they kissed tenderly and he reluctantly went through. It was always hard for them to part. Once her husband disappeared from sight, she cleared her throat. "Okay, let's go outside."
"It's hard for you, isn't it?" Lana heard from behind. She turned to see it was Fiza. Lana nodded to her and said no more.
Lana cuddled Olivia closely as she walked back to the surface. Sil had passed Owen off to Shalt. Our goodbyes are hard on him as well. Lana was lost in her thoughts as she walked on autopilot.
Once they were outside, babies passed to Salt and Caser, Lana had the girls gather around her.
"Today, you're going to spar with each other but I want you to go all out. You don't know anything lethal yet so this exercise should be fine. Which of you wants to spar with me?"
They all looked at each other. They had chosen to watch her learn the sword against her husband and they were intimidated. She had not been using that sword for long and they saw how quickly she was learning the techniques.
Finally, Fiza stepped forward. "If I want to be elevated to assistant, I need to act the part." She chuckled, "I just don't like pain…"
Lana chuckled as well. "Think you have what it takes?" Lana cast her whip and swung before Fiza had the chance to notice the boss was armed. Fiza jumped back and put her level 1 armor on then brought out her whip. Lana was nice and allowed her to get ready with a smirk on her face. "Speed," speaking loud enough for all three to hear, "is vital. It only comes through practice and pushing yourself."
"Speed drills can be done by yourselves or with others timing you or even against each other. This includes competitions to arm yourselves, armor, or even, who can grow a plant fastest. If I have you out on a mission to gather information, a few seconds to put on your armor may end your life. Now, let's spar."
Lana sparred with each one for an hour. When not sparring with her, they were sparring together. They were exhausted by lunch time. After a huge lunch, Lana took them to the lab and showed them how to grow some herbs and some cacti. She tasked them to practice for an hour or two then head upstairs to study some more.
Lana, on the other hand, had an idea on how to improve her energy bars. After six attempts to grow the plants she wanted, she gave up and went inside to consult the book only to find that was in a book she didn't own that the Graylash destroyed.
Lana ran upstairs, grabbed the notebook she wrote about the plant in and headed to the Traveler's Center grumbling something about extinct plants.
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