Hicks paced around for a moment then sat down next to Ripley on the sofa. He cradled his glass, watching the amber liquid swirl around. "Yeah, maybe," he said. He wasn't sure. Sure, he tried not to take people on face value, tried to see what they were really like but he trusted people. He'd trusted every man and woman in the squad to have his back. Not Gorman. Lieutenants came and went but everyone from Apone down.
"Yeah," he said with a small laugh. "It's New York. There's smog but it's not as bad as the last time I was planet-side. And any food's better than what you get on a marine corps ship." He gave her a half-smile. "You might even like the cornbread here."
He took a long drink then said quietly, "We never made it back to Gateway."