**Buck Bradley - MEC - Farren/Dean/Robert/John/Victoria**

Buck stood silently for a few minutes.

He observed the interactions between Farren, Dean and Robert.  He listened with heartbreak to Robert's story, finally mumbling, "Sorry for your loss."  He truly was.  Losing people never got any easier.  He did his best to evade Robert's inquiry about how long they'd been out there and where he was from.  He wasn't ready yet to talk about what had happened before he met Farren.  Instead he tried to make light of the situation by joking, "Well I just ran across these two yesterday.  Till then I was holed up in the nicest shed you've ever seen.  Just mindin' my own business."  Buck was eager to ask more questions of his own.  Robert seemed like he might be willing to share some important details.  He held his tongue, though, as John and Victoria arrived on the scene.

Buck managed to greet John with a curt nod.  That was as friendly as he would start this morning.  Let's hear what the big shot had to say in the light of day.

Victoria was another matter, however.  Buck was no expert in psychology, but it was obvious that she and John were close.  If he could win her over maybe he could improve the odds for he, Farren and Dean.  "Well good mornin' Red," he said with a wide smile, ignoring her command to not call her that from last night.  "I think we got off on the wrong foot last night."  He turned his head to Farren and winked discreetly.  "I'm not really what you'd call a people person, see?  Just ask Farren here, she can vouch for that.  But I can tell that I really upset you and I want to make that right." He stuck out his hand.  "What do ya say?  Can we start over?"