"Chen'kri, dlah." Strix thanked the waiter without a smile and turned back to his clenched fists, thin synthesised gloves covering both hands. He was dressed casually, some would say oddly. A black top hugged his figure, revealing a fairly muscular torso and had sleeves down to his wrists, in contrast, his bottoms were almost business­like, dark grey and creased down the middle, possibly even natural fibre. He looked somewhat out of place in the diner, where the only other occupants was a trio of bloated men gathered around a round of drinks, a monochrome figure amongst an array of different colours. Sat on a low chair with his elbows on the table and his hands knitted together, he stared at a spot just past his knuckles and thought. In the distance, he could hear a soft broadcast. It was in Roslian, but he could translate the majority without even thinking about it. "... and with the promise of a place for one billion settlers from the crowded moon of Katyana six, the Orion military has pledged to help halt and repel the invading forces on the planet's surface." Then came a few sentences that he missed, the man spoke just to fast for him to keep up; eventually though he recovered his place. "Cydonian officials say they are grateful for the offer, as their own military forces have already taken heavy casualties in the area." A man to the right of Strix huffed, he was a huge, burly man with a bald patch and red face. His voice was throaty and hoarse as well as slightly high pitched. Once agin, Strix was forced to translate: the lack of people who spoke Common in this system was a downright inconvenience. "I think the fools get what they deserve. Pushing for independence like that, they're lucky Orion are even helping them." The man opposite him stabbed down at a piece of fungureal meat and shook his head. "They were always pushing for it. Can you blame them? Orion took, what, forty percent of their profits? Now look at them. Four Years later and they've build two more cities. Done nothing but good for them." "Nothing but good," the first man laughed. "Sure. Tell that to the civs who are getting flattened by our artillery." "That's the military's fault, not theirs." The third man of the group made a noise and hissed, "Quiet, do you want to get reported?" The first man laughed. "In here?" he looked around while still chewing. "I think we may be safe Ditri." The third man made an annoyed huff and returned to his tablet. Strix had made no indication he had heard the conversation, remaining perfectly still. Outside there was a low rumble, followed by a deep boom as the diner's lights dimmed. In the distance, a large passenger shuttle arced up above the roof of a dome and into the sky, no doubt on a course for the planet that dominated the heavens. Terra Vita was one of the most prominent planets in the Empire, and boasted to be the home of the first aliens man had ever encountered: a small group of creatures at the beginning of their evolutionary trees, thriving in an atmosphere that would kill a human in seconds. In contrast, the atmosphere of the moon where Strix currently resided was positively welcoming, taking hours to kill a man properly. A woman sat down in the seat opposite him, abruptly shaking him from his thought pattern. "I thought you were dead," she said nonchalantly. He looked up. His face showed no sign of recognition but his eyes flickered slightly at her appearance. "Sorry to disappoint," he muttered, leaning back, pushing his chest out as he silently exhaled. It was clear even to the least observant the pair were siblings. Their hair colour was identical and they had the same skin colour, a browning gold. To the more observant, the details ran even deeper; the same flecks of grey in otherwise blue eyes, joined earlobes coupled with the rounded chin and crooked nose, the comparisons were almost unmistakable. However, the pair showed no affection, rather, they simply stared at each other for several long moments. The exchange was interrupted when the same waitress walked over, she was a plump woman with her hair tied in a bun, attempting to be enthusiastic about her job but clearly failing. "I dolya fa?" she asked. The girl looked at Strix and motioned with her head, silently prompting him, asking him to order for her. "Chen'kri tazi," he said with a frown. The woman nodded and left without another word. The girl sighed and looked to her right, out of the silver and grey diner to the surface of the moon beyond. It was raining, she could see the traces of drops hitting the slanted dome, only a few metres away from the diner itself. "Why are you here?" Strix asked eventually, not looking at her. The girl looked back slowly and stared at him softly. "We knew you were here," "I didn't keep it a secret." "You should have." He glanced up for a moment, his fingers fiddling with a fork. "I can look after myself, Signus," he said quietly. The last word carried a hint of mocking about it, but she shrugged it off. "I wish I could believe that." "You don't have to. I do." "And do you?" "Perhaps." The conversation had attracted a small amount of attention from the group who Strix had listened in on earlier. The pair were speaking Common which was not often used in this area. The large man, Strix's least favourite of the three, leaned over and spoke slowly. "You are on vacate?" Signus smiled and nodded. "Er... brother, sister," she said, pointing between them, then outside, speaking slowly and obviously. "We are going to Vita, to see the Chen'kri." The first man laughed and nodded. "You see Chen'kri here too!" She feigned a smile then turned back to Strix, who had kept his face blank. The man said something in Roslian which made his friends laugh and Strix's eyes dart to him, then back again. Without taking his eyes of his sister, he said loudly. "Zetkin e tes, ti zyrnet ublidoy." The man's laugher died quickly and his face darkened, Signus wasn't sure whether with anger or shame. Whichever, it didn't last long, the man's friends started up a new conversation, distracting him and the comment was forgotten. "What did you say?" she asked. "Something appropriate," he replied. "And what did he say?" He cocked his head, looking at the fork again, a corner of his mouth flicked up as he spoke. "Something inappropriate." She was about to further the conversation but was interrupted when the waitress arrived with two plates, on both was a small brown lump, covered in a dark green liquid. Thanking the woman, both of the twins picked up their cutlery and began eating. "It's been years since I've eaten this," Signus commented. "It hasn't changed much," Strix said in reply. There was a silence, Signus watched as her brother stabbed at the meat, seemingly reluctant to use his knife. As he lifted the fork to his mouth, the sleeve of his left arm slipped, the hem fell back slightly, exposing skin that was scarred, without looking he pulled it back up again. They continued eating in silence, the men to their side also falling quiet. In the distance there was another deep boom as another shuttle was launched from the huge mass driver. Signus quietly scooped a large lump into her mouth, she recognised the texture of the creature's eye and felt it pop as she bit down, watery juice filling her mouth and mingling with the sauce. "So, am I allowed to ask what you're doing here?" she asked once she had swallowed the mouthful. He didn't look up, intent on chasing his own meal's eye around the plate, eventually he speared it, bursting it, and lifted the deflated remains to his mouth. With his mouth half­full, he replied. "Only if I can ask the same?" There was a pause. Strix looked up. "You first," he prompted. She sighed. "When Drakka found out you were here he told Lupos to hunt you, but there's been a delay. I thought I'd come out and see you, maybe even­" "I'm not going back," he mumbled, interrupting her. "I know," she sighed again, "but I hoped you would." He looked at her, their eyes met for a moment and she continued. "Once he's back Lupos has full authorisation to hunt you for real. You know Lupos, he doesn't..." she paused, "he doesn't make mistakes." "Nothing I haven't heard before," he shrugged. "How can you be so calm?" she asked incredulously. "Your friends, your teammates are out to kill you! I am here, offering you a way back to us and you don't care!" Her face hardened, becoming more angry. "I have saved your life three times, three times and for what? All you have done is treat me like skit. Thrown every chance I gave you back in my face. I have risked everything for you. When you left it was all I could do to stop Drakka killing you there and then, do you have any idea what I have sacrificed for you!?" Her voice had not risen during her outburst but her tone was unmistakable, the three men paused for a second in their conversation to stare at the pair. Strix placed another lump of meat onto his tongue and chewed slowly, biding his time while his sister fumed. He opened his mouth but she cut him off before he could speak. "And you dare say 'I never asked you to'." When Strix spoke, his voice was quiet but not apologetic. "Does Drakka know you're here?" She stared at him for a full ten centals before her expression broke, a hopeless half­smile forming on her face. "No. He's away too." That doesn't sound like him." "It was urgent." "Or important. Very important." She looked up from her meal, he was finished. "Why are you here?" she asked quietly. "I thought I'd go home. Maybe visit mum's memorial." Upon seeing her face, he laughed. "You think Drakka is the only one after my skull? After everything I've done?" He laughed, a single, cold, knowing laugh. Signus shook her head, incredulous at his attitude. "And also," he continued, "you don't fool me. I know Drakka is not a simpleton; if you let me go, you're betraying him. You're disobeying orders. It's more than my neck on the line now." He sighed. "Tell me I'm wrong." She remained silent. Her eyes fixed firmly on her food. "You know I won't go back, it's too late for that. So you have only one option." "Strix STOP this," Signus growled. "Come with me. Come back. We can protect you." He smiled and shook his head. "Drakka doesn't forgive that easily. No­one does." As she stared at him, she saw, for the first time, a hint of sorrow in his eyes, a soft gleam that brought her own mind sharply into focus. "Will I see you again?" she asked quietly. He blinked and the gleam was gone, his eyes only bore the cold humour she could remember him always having. Strix shrugged. "I can't say." He was interrupted by a loud buzz; after a grimace, he slowly pulled down the sleeve on his right arm, revealing a fully mechanised arm, with a communicator embedded in the sheet metal. The three men to their side noticed but didn't make any move to react. "I have to go," he said eventually, sliding down his sleeve with a self­conscious glance around. His gaze lingered on the man who was still looking at him, but he looked away quickly, evidently eager to get going. Signus sighed, scooping the final piece of meat into her mouth and chewing, without discussing the matter, Strix pressed the button to pay for their meal. The waitress made her cumbersome way over to them as the pair stood up. Strix offered her his left wrist and the pad she held bleeped softly and turned blue as it scanned. She thanked them quietly and disappeared once more, leaving the diner silent. "I'm sorry," Strix muttered, and began walking away. Signus thought that would be the last she saw of him, if it weren't for one thing. As Strix stalked away, the first man from the neighbouring group began speaking; he wasn't overly interested in what was being said and would have left without a second thought, but he caught one word of the low utterance, and it was enough. 'Ket'. Strix stopped dead in his tracks. His head was cocked slightly as he turned around, smiling grimly. "Parda?" he said quietly. The man continued eating, keeping up a pretence of obliviousness. His friends, however, betrayed his apathy by glancing at each other with an unmistakable expression. In four strides, Strix was stood straight behind the man, his towering form intimidating even without the look of cold fury he bore. "Parda?" Strix repeated, slowly. The man did not turn around. In one swift movement, Strix grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled the man around, falling off his chair to his knees. Whatever objection the man was about to raise, it was silenced by the hiss and cold scrape of metal on metal. From Strix's arm, from within his metallic limb came a blade, a blade as long as his forearm, flicked out on a hinge near his wrist. The colour abruptly drained from the man's face as the blade was pressed firmly against his throat. "Lekka," Strix spat. "Lekkada. Ti zyrnet ublidoy." The man nodded as Strix shoved him backwards, sending him sprawling on the diner's disgusting floor. The man hurriedly scurried away, skirting Signus and not making eye contact with anyone. Strix turned to the man's friends, who immediately stood, unsure of themselves. "Inzit," Strix said quietly. "Ye zaplu, pozlya. Inzit." The two men stood for a moment, confused by what Signus guessed must have been an apology. They looked at each other with panicked expressions, then both headed straight for the exit. The moment they closed the door behind them there was a silence. The only noise that could be heard was the waitress softly singing from inside her small office. "You weaponised it?" Signus' voice was tinged with disappointment. "I didn't have a choice." "Am I to suppose Drakka isn't the only one who wants you dead?" Strix laughed darkly, the blade folding away back into his arm. From within his pocket he pulled a small black and silver box which he threw onto the men's table, a hard payment chip. He turned to leave, heading straight for the exit, as he pushed open the door, he looked back at his sister. "Drakka doesn't want me dead, Aless. Drakka needs me dead." She flicked her eyebrows in a grim agreement and sighed. "So will I see you again?" she asked. "I can't say. I hope so," Strix said calmly. She nodded. "Go," she motioned. "Go. Say hello to mum." He didn't nod, but simply blinked, and then, before she could say another word, he pushed open the door and disappeared altogether. Signus stood for several more minutes, unsure of quite what to do with herself. When she eventually decided, when she also headed for the exit, there were thin traces of tears in her eyes. Then she wiped them away, and there was no trace they had ever been there at all.