The door banged open and a laughing Sayeeda tumbled through. She was dressed in a completely different outfit from the one she had left in, a tailored dress of slinky scarlet fabric with ruby studded jewelery at wrists and neck. An elaborately embroided cloth of gold head covering covered her from her hairline and hung down her neck in a gausy wave. Beyond the door Aiden called his reluctant good byes with a quick 'tomorrow then' and he was off striding down the hallway with a swagger in his step. The door clicked shut and the room was in darkness for several seconds. Then the lights powered up with a quiet hum.

"Well?!" Taya asked excitedly. The animation that had been in Junebug's face faded buy degrees. A jerky dimmer switch moving from exctatic to somber in an uneven series of jerks.

"It was fine," she said at last and headed across the room kicking off the high heels she had been wearing. It had been fine, more than fine, Aiden had showed her the city talking at length about its history and culture as well as his plans for the Empire when he inherited. Apparently that would be soon, it was for the custom for the King to step down while still in reasonable health and to annoit a successor rather than let the children fight it out. He had been engaging and charming and she had enjoyed it immensley allowing the dinner to progress into a gala and an artistic display.

"I'm surprised you didn't follow along on the vid screens," she muttered, "Honestly its amazing people don't inhale the damn things on this world. Taya looked a little guilty at that remark but was in no hurry to confirm it. Reaching the bar she picked up an ornate bottle of what was probably a very expensive brandy and gulped down several quick slugs before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"It was fine?" Taya pressed, "That isn't exactly a great recommendation for a date."

"It wasn't a date," Junebug protested without much enthusiasm. In her minds eye she saw the flashing of holo camera at the gala. In her minds eye she was back on Humbolt for a moment, plasma bolts blasting chunks of ancient glaciers into incandescent steam. The glint of a sniper scope the moment before a kinetic rounded blew Corvitz' left eye out the back of his head. The wink of incoming as it cleared the horizon on Kendal IV. She took another gulp of liquor, leting the fire of it burn down her throat and warm her belly. There was a slight quiver to her hand.

"...Junebug," Taya repeated in a tone that suggested that it wasn't the first time she had spoken the words. The girls youthful enthusiasm had transmuted to worry in the lost seconds between her second and third slugs of the brandy.

"You ok?"

"Fine, fine," she muttered and pulled the gold lace head covering from atop her scalp and tossed it into the corner. Her hair was still short but longer than it had been when she took over the Highlander, might be time to cut it again. She spotted a strange concoction that appeared to be meat and vegetables between two slices of some sort of carbohydrate. It was half eaten but apparently abandoned beside some fried tubas which had been cut into short sticks. She took a bite and masticated with determination, her nerves calming as her body focused on eating.

"Uhhh... thats Neils..." Taya interjected. Junebug shrugged her shoulders.

"I dont see him eating it," She mumbled around a mouthful of what must have been a 'braman burger'. It really was quite good, esspeically whatever that red sauce was. She poured herself a glass of iced sodawater from the bar and cut it fifty fifty with the brandy. No good in making herself too drunk. Sometimes being out in public got to her.

"You ask me why I'm a trooper," she hummed to herself, the familiar cadence settling her nerves somewhat.

"Ask me why I sleep in a ditch," she went on. The cadence helped her to press the fear and uncertainty into the back of her mind. Civilian life just had different challenges. She could adapt to them. Had to adapt to them.

"You guys didn't have dinner? You were gone for hours," Taya said flopping back on the bed, a little amused by the sight of Junebug swilling booze and eating a burger in an expensive cocktail dress.

"Vegie crap, no carbs in it," she mubled around the food. 

"Where is Neil anyway, not out racing sky cars or something I hope?"

[@POOHEAD189]