I really enjoyed reading that, Matt.
Reading the subsequent discussion, it occurs to me that it might lend itself to a trilogy of POVs - Beaver's - expanded or not as thought necessary - Virginia's and Straker's all exploring a back story that might be centred around Beaver's or might be centred around whatever is preoccupying each of them at that moment.
Straker's preoccupation is sure to be what happened on Moonbase, Beaver's as above and Ginny's... what might she have been focussed on as she came out of the lift? Then their points of view would coalesce. Or even include a subsidiary character like Cooper - the "attitude" that he seems to give Beaver might have a story attached but what is in Cooper's head (good or bad!) might be quite different to what Beaver perceives. If you see what I mean.
Anyway, it was nice to get a minor character's role fleshed out a bit. Nicely done.
Erm - as I don't write, I know I can't set challenges but has anyone ever set out to write a sympathetic
"in the mind of" for Rutland? Always in the shadow (snigger) of The Husband Who Went Before Him, always seeing the father in John, perhaps John indicating that Rutland can never match up to Dad. Then watching Mary take special care with her makeup and dress on the weekends she will see Straker when he collects / drops John off.
So much potential to completely re-write a much maligned character.