“Aww. That is adorable!” Freyr gushed, pleasantly surprised by the sensitivity of this tall, imposing, toothy lizard being. “David was thoughtful and romantic like that as well, in his own way. This year, I was ready to work through my thirty-fourth birthday. A new site was opening up and the Cradle kept rolling back the terraforming efforts there...Anyway, David applied months in advance for special dispensation so he could come and visit me with Amy. They brought this delicious cake…” 

Freyr coughed lightly to clear her throat; she noticed the waiter returning with their food. “That's when those things first appeared. We were so close to the border - up until then it’d been perfectly safe. I didn’t actually see much because I got knocked out from behind. I can remember hearing everyone screaming, and large shapes...though.” The waiter arrived, put a dizzying array of steaks in front of both of them and began decanting from a bottle of what Freyr assumed was wine. “Gosh. I think I've got enough for breakfast and lunch tomorrow as well here!” Freyr laughed, picking up her eating utensils.

“So, do you have any kids? I seem to remember Rothian civilisation has population controls in place, that right?”