Despite Rene’s words it was impossible for one man to keep an effective watch on so large a house. The galaxy rarely provided a perfect solution to any problem but he did the best he could. Fortunately the house was equipped with a number of holocams and accompanying pickups. With a little ingenuity, and a good deal of subvocalized cursing, Rene was able to convert several of the holographic art pieces which hung on the dining room wall into improvised security cameras. The external cameras were clearly designed with a view to bringing in views of the garden rather than detecting intruders but the result was better than he could have achieved by walking a patrol. 

With his improvised security station completed and Solae in the shower he turned his attention back the food. The contents of the cabinets seemed like a cornucopia after so long on a diet that consisted almost entirely of bland Imperial issue ration packages. He retrieved some of the dinner ware and set two places at the table, laying down an off planet ham and slicing off thin precise slices with a silver embossed carving knife. There were Terran pomegranates in the produce draw and cracked one open and lay one half on each of the plates he was preparing before removing two packages of some unfamiliar vegetable mix from the dry storage and pulling the tabs. The small silver boxes hissed and steamed as their integral catalytic cookers steamed the vegetables inside before the internal pressures lifted the lid to reveal the perfectly prepared side dish.

While Rene worked a section of the marble countertop slid downwards into a recess that was invisible to the naked eye. The effect was flawless and doubtless very expensive. The marble rose back into sight bearing a large white box marked with the simple red cross which universally denoted medicine. The catches on the side opened easily and he opened the leaves out to spread the contents over the counter. Phials of medicine, bandages, sprays, syringes and a variety of other medical devices were laid out in neat precision. There was even a bioscanner and an attached medical computer tucked into the top of the unit. Rene wondered if the homes owner had chosen the unit or it was simply placed there by the staff as an expected security measure.

Tending his wounds would need to wait till after his own shower. There wasn’t much point in trying to clean a wound when his whole body was covered with filth afterall. Instead he laid out the items he had taken from the soldiers hunting Solae and spread them out beside the first aid kit. One rifle - sixty rounds, one pistol - eighteen rounds, three ration bars one half eaten, a fold out map of Armistice and its surrounding suburbs, a military first aid pack that was older than Rene and two canteens of water. It wasn’t much against a whole planet. Things would look better after they had rested. Solae's suggestion that they sleep here was a good one, who knew how long it might be before they had another chance. Assuming of course.

He heard Solae’s soft footstep and turned to the stairs she had ascended for her shower. 

“All set ma… Solae?” he asked making an off handed gesture to the food he had prepared.