Over a simple farm dinner, Matt offers T’mari the ancient welcome of his family’s land—guest right at his hearth and table. Between shared histories, cultural respect, and talk of futures under open skies, a bond begins to form, rooted in hospitality and the promise of sanctuary.
T’monn stared out the window, the Missouri night rolling past in streaks of dark and light.
“If you told them to leave,” she said, “they would. But most would rather stay.”
Matt didn’t answer right away. The red demon called Pickup growled beneath them, chasing its own headlights through the gravel dark.
“They’re not going anywhere,” he said. “This is home now.”
Alone in her quarters at day’s end, T’mari records a private message to W’ren. She admits her first-contact misstep, reflects on Matt’s quiet gravity, and shares her worries for L’tani. Between the Missouri twilight and her own sleepless thoughts, she resolves to do better—for her people, and for Earth.
Matt and T’mari face the cameras for the first time since the V’ren’s unplanned arrival. She offers grace, he offers grounded reassurance—and when the first silly question lands, he sighs, answers, and moves on. It’s diplomacy, Freehold-style: do the work, absorb the nonsense, keep the mission on track.
At noon local time, V’ren medics announced two new vaccines—one for their crew, one for humans. Matt Marmaduke took the first dose personally. A public Q&A is scheduled for later this evening.