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+Kral carried the paper with him on his way to the Barns on the east side, ignoring the odd stares his uniform attracted, until he reached his childhood home.
+He let himself in, and stepped inside.
+
+―Hello? he heard his mom, Rowena, call out.
+
+―Hey mom, it's me, Kral said.
+
+―Oh how lovely, I'm in the kitchen, come in come in.
+
+When he came to the kitchen, he found her finely cutting broccoli and potatoes.
+
+―Sorry I didn't come to the door, was just finishing this up.
+	Going to cook some a little bit for me, leave it raw for your father, mix in some alfalfa and clover.
+	Human food, but I hope it will cheer him up a bit, you know?
+
+Kral nodded.
+
+―Are you staying for dinner?
+
+―No, sorry mom.
+	Gotta go back soon, will have a guard shift tonight.
+	Just wanted to see dad, see if he's alright.
+	How's he doing?
+
+―Well, you know your dad. He doesn't want to make any sort of fuss.
+	But honestly, I think his company's going to run into trouble if they lose clients.
+	He said even a couple projects downtown are getting a bit skittish.
+	Not that they mind farm animals, but they're worried about getting targeted.
+
+Kral nodded.
+The Hierarchy could be vicious, even to other yaks.
+
+―Don't let it get you down, okay hon?
+	We've been here a while.
+	My grandpa, Grandpa Pete's dad, told me when he came to Galvarelli they wouldn't even let farm animals work for pay.
+	We've come a long way.
+	This is just nasty politics.
+
+―I know, mom.
+	I'm just a bit worried.
+	You know, I don't really get to see what goes on that much at work, but it always seems like there's Hierarchy people coming and going, talking to the President.
+
+Rowena smiled.
+―Kral, President Calvin is the reason we got to adopt you.
+	He's been campaigning for us since he was still a kid himself.
+
+―I know, I know.
+	Still.
+
+―Be patient.
+	Change takes time.
+	Government is always hard, and the fact that we won the election is a good sign for us, okay?
+
+Rowena finished with her dicing, and washed her hands before coming over to give Kral a hug.
+She wasn't particularly tall for a sow, and Kral was particularly tall for a yak, so her hugs barely reached above his waist.
+But especially when Kral was worried, they felt like they enveloped him in warmth.
+Her prep done, Rowena sat by the dining table, and waited for Kral to join.
+
+―So what else is going on at work.
+	Still a Sergeant?
+	What happened to Lieutenant?
+
+Kral flushed with mild embarrassment and shame.
+
+―I told you mom, there really isn't a Lieutenant vacancy open.
+
+―What about Hermann?
+	He got promoted, right?
+
+―Yeah, but there was an open spot then.
+
+―Adrienne trusted him over you?
+	You know her mom works at the hospital with me, right?
+	Want me to talk to her?
+
+The mild embarrassment grew a bit stronger.
+
+―No mom, I promise.
+	Hermann deserved it, and I'll be next up.
+	But I'm doing good, Captain Adrienne likes me.
+	And my squad does too.
+	We just recruited someone else under me, so the Guard's still growing.
+	It's all going great.
+
+While he was talking, Rowena had started to pull some documents out of her work bag.
+She started to look at whatever work she'd brought home.
+
+―You tell Hermann how you feel about him yet?
+
+Embarrassment was no longer strong enough to describe what that question made him feel.
+
+―No mom, it's not like that.
+	We work together, and anyway, he's just a good friend.
+
+Rowena looked up from her papers long enough to give Kral an infuriatingly knowing look.
+
+They sat in silence for a bit, while Rowena worked.
+
+―Dad's home late, right?
+	Should I go out and look for him.
+
+―No, I think it's just this project.
+	And especially now I think it's just keeping him there a bit longer.
+
+Kral nodded, but it didn't entirely reassure him.
+
+―What are you working on?
+
+―Well, not totally sure yet.
+	There's been a bit of a spike in costs recently in a couple departments, which is why accounting is involved, but a few of us think it could be a latent epidemic.
+	Grim, I know, she said in response to Kral's wince.
+	It's minor for now, hopefully.
+	We're just trying to do the statistics on it to see what's going on.
+
+―What kind of epidemic?
+
+―It's basically a low-level insomnia, with some auditory hallucinations.
+	They've been calling it malacusis so far.
+	But it's been hitting the Northside so far, which is why we think Old Imperial noticed first.
+
+―Makes sense. Not a lot of Hierarchy types going down to Grove.
+
+―Right. 
+
+Another short silence, until eventually Bovril finally came in.
+He looked rough, with patches of dirt and a tiredness Kral hadn't seen in him much.
+For the first time, Kral had a real sense of how old his father was.
+
+He nodded at Kral once he noticed Kral there.
+
+―Kral.
+
+He gave Rowena a hug, holding her while she sat.
+
+―Hey, darling, he said.
+
+―Hi, she said back, giving him a huge smile, along with a quick kiss.
+
+―How are you doing, dad? Kral asked.
+
+―You heard all the protests?
+
+―Yeah, we had a security briefing about it.
+	And it was in the papers, he said, pointing at the newspaper he'd brought with him.
+
+―Well, I'm doing alright, kid.
+	These protestors have a problem, their right to express it.
+
+―Dad you look like hell, what actually happened.
+
+―Kid, we're building buildings.
+	It's tough, dirty work.
+	I'm going to come home a bit worse for wear sometimes.
+
+Kral stared at him, trying his best to copy his mom's knowing look.
+
+―Okay, okay.
+	Some of the protestors tried to break the line and rough our crew up a bit.
+	But seriously, it's nothing.
+	Most of this is just dirt they tried to throw.
+	Which doesn't really make sense.
+	Again, we just get dirty while working anyway.
+	I think it was just what they had.
+	But the Garrison had some guys there, trust me, it's all okay.
+	Now let's talk about dinner.
+	Broccoli?
+
+―Yep, and potato, Rowena replied.
+	Let me know when you're ready, I'll cook my part in about five minutes.
+
+―Dad, I wanted to talk a bit more, Kral said.
+	I was talking to some of the guys in my squad.
+	You know Kari, right?
+	Met her once, I think.
+	She said she knows a few Guards looking to do private security stuff on their free days.
+	We could get them to work security for your crew―
+
+―Absolutely not, Bovril interrupted.
+
+―Let me finish at least.
+
+―No, Kralvin, I told you before.
+	Drop it, I'm not interested.
+
+―Seriously, just hear me out.
+	I'm not talking about any kind of force.
+	We could just join counter-protests as they happened.
+	Those already happen, and you're fine with it.
+	Kari and I, a couple other Guards in my squad, we'd be able to cover the full week.
+	And she has some other friends outside the Guards.
+	Even Hermann said he was supportive.
+
+Bovril shook his head.
+―Anything else?
+
+―No, that's it.
+	Seriously, it'd be easy.
+	And everyone will volunteer, won't cost anyone anything.
+
+―Still a no, son.
+
+―Dad, c'mon! Kral found himself yelling.
+	I just want to make sure you stay safe.
+
+―Kralvin, I'm telling you, I don't need it.
+	Even those hateful Hierarchy bastards have the right to protest without armed guards trying to come down to stop them.
+	And I don't want to you to risk your job or anything, got it?
+
+―It's fine, we checked that it'd be okay with the Captain.
+	And besides, dad, it's our job to protect people.
+
+―No, your job is to protect the President.
+	Not to show up at protests at construction sites.
+
+―Why are you fighting this?
+	People have security, it's fine.
+	And I asked around if anyone was there to hear what they were chanting.
+	They're talking about driving everyone out of the Barns.
+	It's scary.
+
+―Kralvin, I told you, drop it.
+	I didn't come here because I wanted to have to hide behind people with weapons, got it?
+
+―Is that what it's about?
+	What, you're ashamed of me?
+	Ashamed of my job?
+
+―Kralvin! Rowena barked.
+
+She was glaring at him from her seat.
+Kral felt how angry he was, and how close to tears he'd found himself.
+And then he felt ashamed of letting his emotions come out so strongly.
+
+―Son, I love you.
+	But I'm disappointed that you think that people can't protest without bringing weapons and violence into it.
+
+―Bov, Rowena interjected.
+
+Kral's chest buzzed with anger.
+He stormed out of the house, and walked down the street a ways, then headed back and sat on his old chair on the porch.
+
+After stewing a few moments, when he'd started to calm himself down, his mom walked out with some water for him.
+He drank it gratefully.
+
+―Are you okay, Krally?
+
+Kral nodded.
+
+―Don't mind what he said, okay?
+	There's been a lot of stress recently.
+
+―Am I wrong, mom?
+	I'm just trying to help him out.
+	I want to make sure he stays safe.
+
+―Kral, your father's lived a tough life.
+	He's about as brave and strong as they come, but he's got pride too.
+	I think he just wants to get through these protests his own way.
+
+―That's what I'm worried about though.
+	What if they don't ease up anytime soon, or if they get worse?
+
+―Then we'll deal with it as it happens.
+	But don't forget to let people surprise you, okay?
+	As I said, we've been here a while, even your dad.
+	Sometimes, people don't understand us.
+	Or they're angry at us.
+	But overall, we've been accepted more and more.
+	And by the way Kral, I'm scared too, okay?
+	I worry about him every day, every time I hear about anything going on, every time someone at the hospital mentions a cow.
+	And same with you.
+	But I have to trust you, and you have to trust your dad.
+	Now gone on home, you have to work, right?
+
+Kral nodded.
+Rowena gestured for a hug, and Kral nuzzled against her back.
+
+―Bye Kral, have a good day at work.
+	Love you.
+
+―Bye Mom, love you too.