[b]Alexa![/b]

"Pheh!" said Cerberus dismissively, although every mechanical hound in the station was visibly relaxing as part of the pets and attention. Rusty and another dog are sniffing each other, invisible communication passing between them before leaping and rushing away in zooming contest. "Isn't that the way with humans? Always worshiping yesterday's gods? You think that you can know something and it can stay known. That doesn't even apply to other humans."

She hopped down from the shop window she was sitting in and walked across the street. "A while ago there lived a man who said 'the only thing that I know is that I know nothing'. His government made him drink poison over it. You think that's not the case now? Tellus, the Azure Skies, every Empire that ever was would rather drink poison than admit things had changed."

[b]Dolce![/b]

"That's what I'm saying," said Jil. "The choice isn't yours. It's mine; get fucked and live a happy life. If anyone wants to try and push you into this they have to go through me."

She snaps her fingers, calling over a pair of Alcedi warriors. They're not in their tribal braids and remnants of military honours any more, instead with the solar badges and glittering torches of the Lanterns. "Watch him, keep him off the ship. He gives you any trouble put him in a pod and shoot him back to Salib."