Anae's eyes flew open as a wave of pleasure washed over her. She lay back and let it, allowing her breath to slow naturally as her fingers gradually stopped their dance between her legs, coaxing every last ripple of lust and release from her body. For the last three nights, she'd woken the same way, pleasuring herself in response to her dreams. As her breathing slowed, Anae lay still, gathering her thoughts.

The dreams had started about nine cycles before, and over the last ten-day, had grown more frequent, increasingly vivid, and more impossible to remember; leaving behind only the vague recollection of a pair of striking green eyes.

Her breathing returned to normal and her heart no longer racing, she tossed off the sweat dampened covers and slid to the floor. On silent feet, she padded to the en suite refreshing room. She ran the shower, taking the time while the water heated to give herself a once over in the mirror. Her red hair, streaked with blonde, was mussed, and growing longer than the chin length bob she preferred. Large blue-gray eyes that made her seem younger than her 26 years glowed above cheeks that were still flushed in contrast to the milky white of the rest of her skin.

Anae luxuriated in the hot water flowing over her skin. For long moments she stood under the spray, drifting in a semi-meditation before beginning to wash. Her soap smelled of coconut, lime, and verbena, a light scent that she found refreshing and relaxing. Her skin was flushed pink when she shut of the water, and groped around in the fog for her towel. She wrapped the linen around her tiny frame several times, using a loose corner to scrub her hair dry.

She returned to her chamber, still slightly damp, to find one of her guards waiting for her.

“Is everything alright, Miss?” he asked. The man was tall and muscular, his uniform doing nothing to hide his build. He wore a sidearm on his left hip, and a headset over his black hair, with a microphone curving down along the span of his broad jaw. His question was no doubt prompted by the running of the shower in the bleak hours before dawn.

“Yes, Jorah,” she said. “You may return to your post.”

“Yes, Miss.” He bowed slightly and turned neatly on his heel and returned to his post outside the suite they had been assigned.

Jorah, as well as her other three guards, had been with her since she embarked on her first mission when she was only nineteen. It was Jorah’s turn on the night shift (they rotated shifts by mission) and he had woken her two nights previous because she had been moaning out in her sleep. Fortunately, Anae had been buried under the covers, sparing them both some embarrassment.

Anae did care for the four young men that served as her bodyguards greatly; they had saved her life on several occasions in the seven years they had been together. Much to their chagrin, she made sure they were always more than adequately provided for. They were all specially trained by Centrala, for protective detail, just as she had been for diplomacy, languages, and negotiation. Mikal and Bernal had girls back on Centrala (Shan had a boy, and Jorah had no one), but no other family. Centrala drew their recruits from the orphanages.

She never had succeeded in getting her guards to call her by name, she mused as she withdrew clean clothes from the wardrobe. The best she had done was to order them to quit calling her ‘Milady’, which had resulted in being addressed as ‘Miss’ -- unless they were upset, in a formal situation, or otherwise distracted. Then she became 'Milady' again. Anae had no real problem with the formality, but she sometimes felt too young for the title. She allowed 'Miss' because she knew her guards needed to maintain some distance. But still, she longed for someone besides her Psych and Commander to call her by her name.

Fully dressed, Anae adjourned herself to the common room connected to the three bedchambers that her entourage was sharing. The men shared two to a room, though there was never a time when more than two were abed at the same time. There was already a pot of caf brewing, thanks to Jorah's thoughtfulness, and a tray of fresh fruit and bread nearby. Anae had discovered shortly after arriving that the kitchen staff was always ready to answer a call for provisions. Her hosts, it seemed, rarely slept, and enjoyed their nightlife.

Anae bee-lined to the caf, fruit, and fresh bread, and settled at the table where her notes from the previous days' sessions were carefully organized. As she sipped the warm caffienated beverage, she looked over her notes, meticulously assembled after each session from memory. She found no revelations as she leafed through the papers, and hadn't expected to. A resolution was close, and she didn't expect any major changes. She anticipated the whole mission would wrap up within a few days, and then she would be on her way back to Centrala for a few days rest, a meeting with her Psych, and her next assignment.

"Miss," Jorah interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes?" She looked up into his calm expression.

"I'm going off duty. Bernal is coming on to replace me, and Shan is walking the complex. Mikal will be on at midday." Jorah took his role as head of her guard seriously, and respected her wishes to be kept in the loop as to scheduling.

She glanced at the chrono. She had been reading for several hours. "Thank you, Jorah. Rest well. I will see you this evening."

"Yes, Miss." He bowed slightly and withdrew to one of the bed chambers.

Anae watched Jorah go. He was young for his role, only a year older than she was. It was possible that Centrala thought they would be a good match, because of their youth. He wouldn't retire just yet, Anae knew; he had his daily report to put together and he wouldn't let himself sleep until Mikal was fully awake, even if Mikal remained off duty for a few more hours.

Anae went back to her papers. She was one of the few that practiced the ancient form of record keeping, but since it was how she kept her notes best that way, Centrala used whatever power they had to get her the materials she needed. Anae found a few noteworthy items and typed them into her reader, expecting them to be issues that would be raised.

"Good morning, Miss," Bernal greeted as he stepped into the common room, attired as Jorah had been earlier that morning. But where Jorah was muscular, Bernal was just large; he looked formidable, but Anae knew that he could be as gentle as a teddy bear when he wanted to be. He was the team medic, as well as an ace shooter and an expert at hand to hand combat.

"Morning, Bernal," she returned his salutation.

"Shan reports that the parties are gathering downstairs, Miss." He cocked his head slightly, probably listening to something Shan was reporting from the meeting room. "They are ready to proceed when you are."

"Thank you, Bernal," she said, rising from her chair at the table. "I shall be ready momentarily."

"As you say, Miss." Bernal bowed slightly and retreated back to his post in the hall, speaking softly into his headset, probably calling Mikal and Shan to let them know they were preparing to be on the move.

Anae went back into her own bed chamber to dress in something more formal for the day's negotiations. A loose fitting dress and soft slippers would be both comfortable and respectable, and after she dressed, she ran a brush through her hair one last time before stepping out.

Bernal was waiting for her in the hallway, and they walked together down the hall. "We're moving," he said softly into his headset as they walked. Anae knew that with Bernal with her, Shan would move up to the rooms until he went off duty, and Mikal would sweep the grounds when he came back on. It was a rotation they had perfected long ago, and used in situations where there was little threat.

Shan, perfectly normal looking and able to blend into any group, greeted Bernal with a nod and bowed more formally to Anae as they approached the hall where the negotiations were being held. Bernal took up his position to the right of the door as Shan marched the way they had come. Anae took a moment's pause and nodded to Bernal, who opened the door for her, and closed it after she had stepped through.

"Milady Arbiter." Her hosts rose from the seats and bowed their heads in a gesture of respect.

"Gentlemen," she greeted, and took her seat, back to the door, alone on her side of the table. She was uncomfortable being in that position, but with Bernal outside, no one would get through that she didn't know about.

"We have only a few things to discuss today, Milady," the Prime Minister addressed her in a gentle voice that matched his perfectly symmetrical face and almost painfully thin body. "There are a few small details of the treaty we wish to adjust."

"As you will, Prime Minister." Anae bowed slightly to the man, inviting him to begin the discussion. She had expected the three tiny details he raised, and the two the General leading the opposition brought up as well. After a few hours' discussion, an agreement was reached.

Anae rose, and the men gathered around the table rose with her. "Gentlemen, I believe we have reached an accord. If we are all in agreement -" she looked around and saw nods and pleased looks on all the faces; everyone seemed satisfied that a treaty had finally been reached and was within steps of being ratified. "I suggest we break for the day, and reassemble tomorrow morning for the signing." Anae herself was responsible for actually assembling the document – as the only impartial party, she was the only one completely trustworthy.

"An excellent idea, Milady," the Prime Minister agreed. "And I would like to extend to you an invitation to join us at a reception this evening, in celebration."

Anae could not refuse such an invitation, even if she were inclined to. "It would be my honor, Prime Minister."

The Prime Minister bowed deeply, and the rest of the gathered men followed suit, then filed out the door one by one, leaving her alone in the hall. Anae stifled a yawn. She would rest before the evening's festivities, but only after the treaty was finished and Centrala had her report.

Bernal was waiting at attention in the hall. "We're moving," he said softly into his microphone along his jaw, falling into step with Anae. They silently traveled the empty halls of the compound back to the suite their hosts had provided them. Mikal was standing guard outside, tall and thin, not as muscular as Jorah, built more like a runner. Mikal nodded a greeting to them both, and opened the door for Anae to pass through.

As soon as she was through the door, Anae slipped her light shoes off and curled her toes into the lush carpeting. "Bernal, I need the secure commlink," she said as bent and picked up her shoes.

"Yes, Miss," he responded to her request. The comm was only set up when they needed to use it, rather than risk the chance of the line being found and someone hacking into Centrala's comm system and records. Anae was more than capable of setting up the link herself, but Jorah had patiently requested, while Bernal treated mild electrical burns to her finger tips, that she allow one of them to set it up from that point forward. She had reluctantly agreed, though she understood his concern. It was their responsibility to keep her safe, even from herself and bad wiring.

She ducked into her bed chamber to change out of her dress back into the casual clothes she had put on upon rising. While there, she retrieved her formal gown from the wardrobe and hung it on a hook in the refreshing room. It was a pale purple and sleeveless, with a shallow scooped neck. The bodice was fitted, and the skirt flared from the waist, flowing to the floor, comfortable, familiar, and easy to dance in. She usually paired it with a simple black choker and a pair of soft supple shoes that matched the dress.

"Thank you, Bernal," she said as she re-entered the common room.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, Miss." He made himself unobtrusive as possible in a chair against the wall. Normally, he would have left her alone, but Jorah was sleeping in the chamber they were sharing, and everything was under control. His presence was a quiet comfort as Bernal engrossed himself in a novel on his reader.

Anae logged into the commlink and waited for it to synch with Centrala's secure line. When the signal flashed that the linkup was complete, she began to type her report. An hour later, her supervisor was up to date, and knew that she'd be returning to Centrala in a few days' time.

That task accomplished, Anae rose and stretched her hands over her head, raising up on tiptoe. Bernal glanced up from his reader when she rose, and went back to his reading after a quick survey of the room and a nod to Anae. With a sigh, she came back to flat feet, feeling refreshed. She retrieved a mug of caf from the pot they kept brewing and settled back in to begin working on the treaty.

She worked from notes and her near perfect memory. She had access to transcripts if she needed them, but she didn't. Bernal interrupted only twice: to offer her a snack since she'd worked through the midday meal (which she'd accepted gratefully), and to inform her that he was going off duty.

Anae finished with only a couple hours before the reception, having worked through the afternoon and into the evening. She encoded a copy and transmitted it to Centrala for the archives. She printed two hard copies, and placed them in folders – each would be signed by the representatives. Finally finished, she rose, stretching out the tension in her shoulders from working at the console for so long.

Her guards were meeting as they did every evening, in Jorah's chamber. She was only expected to advise them if she left their suite. Anae shut down the console and slipped into her chamber for a brief rest before the reception.

**

"Miss?" Jorah's deep voice accompanied a soft tap on the door.

"I'm decent, Jorah. Come in." She smiled as she tied off the choker and turned toward the door as he stepped through.

Jorah was out of uniform, dressed instead in more formal wear, with a tie that matched her dress.

"Are you my escort for the evening?" It was rather apparent that he was, but all four of her guards had accessories that matched her formal dresses, and it would be Jorah's call as to how many of them attended the reception.

"Yes, Miss." He smiled, revealing gleaming white teeth. "Unless you object, of course."

"Why would I do that?" She asked, rising from the chair at the dressing table. "You're the best dancer."

Jorah laughed. "As you say, Miss." He retrieved her shawl from the back of her chair and draped it over her shoulders, then held the door open for her. "We're moving," he reported into a microphone that was nearly invisible. Though everyone at the reception would know who he was, there was no need to advertise. Anae took Jorah's offered arm, and allowed him to escort her through the halls of the compound.

As they drew closer to the hall where the reception was being held, Anae and Jorah encountered more people, couples and individuals similarly dressed to Anae and her guard captain. "Ready?" Jorah asked softly at the door.

"Yes."

With a slight bow, Jorah opened the door to the hall and ushered her in before him.

*~*~*

Live music floated through the decorated hall as Anae entered the room. People were dancing and standing around chatting, glasses of champagne and other beverages consumed and discarded. Anae took Jorah's arm again as he drew up to her side, allowing him to escort her through the hall. She let her shawl slip from her shoulders and gather at the small of her back. Waiters roamed the room, distributing drinks and finger foods, and collecting the empty glasses.

Anae retrieved a glass of sparkling wine from a passing waiter, and took a small sip. She would only have one, though she had little doubt that the other parties that were to sign the treaty in the morning would limit themselves. Jorah, as always, refused the offer. Anae had already made sure that the other three guards would receive a nice meal from the kitchens, and that there would be a plate leftover for Jorah when they returned.

"Milady Arbiter," the Prime Minister greeted her with a slight bow, nodding at Jorah.

"Prime Minister." She smiled at him. "Anae, please. We're not working here."

"Of course, Milady," he agreed, totally ignoring her request. "May I present my wife, Shial." He gestured to a tall woman with dark hair lingering at his side. Her face looked as perfectly constructed as her husbands, and Anae wondered if they'd had surgery together at the start of his political career.

"It's an honor, Milady Arbiter," Shial said in a breathy voice. "It has been so long since we've had peace."

"It has been my honor to serve," Anae said honestly. "Especially where the people were so eager to reach an agreement."

The Prime Minister chuckled. "That we were, Milady. Enjoy yourself this evening," he said with another slight bow. "I must continue my greetings."

"Of course, Prime Minister." Anae nodded to the man and his wife, and they moved off together.

Jorah hung unobtrusively at Anae's elbow as she made her way around the hall, greeting those she knew from the negotiations, and meeting their wives and mistresses. She was introduced to several prominent people she didn't know, who were more than happy to meet her, Centrala's top Arbiter.

"Milady, Arbiter." A handsome young man, shorter than most of his kin, approached and bowed formally. "My name is Leith Cirallis. I believe you met my father earlier."

"Yes." She smiled. She had med the senior Cirallis a few years earlier, during an investigation. "He was sorry he couldn't introduce us."

Leith returned her smile, but to Anae's confusion, the expression didn't quite reach his cool green eyes, which looked hauntingly familiar. "As am I, though I am glad that I did find you. Since I heard of your arrival here, I have wanted to speak with you."

"Is that so?" Anae felt Jorah tense slightly at that admission, and he moved off slightly, speaking in a low voice over his comm.

"Of course, Milady." Leith smiled with sincerity. "You are hailed as one of the best Arbiters that Centrala has produced in decades. How could I pass up the chance to speak with someone as knowledgeable and widely traveled as you?"

Anae laughed. "Indeed." She was amused by the young man, whom she gauged to be around her own age. His honesty, if not his flattery, was refreshing. "And what knowledge may I impart on you?"

"Can you dance?" He flashed a cocky grin and extended his hand.

Anae handed Jorah her half full glass and accepted Leith's arm, allowing him to escort her out to the dance floor. She knew Jorah would hang back and observe, despite the interested looks he was receiving from several young women.

Leith and Anae stepped onto the floor as the live musicians wrapped up one song to smatterings of applause before launching into a medium tempo piece. Anae easily followed Leith's lead in a fairly simple dance. With each brush of their hands, Anae felt something electric surge through her, causing her heart to beat just a little faster. Leith caught her gaze at one point, and Anae felt as if he was able to see right through her.

They left the dance floor when the song ended, and Leith corralled a passing waiter. "Drink?" he offered just as Jorah handed her back her half-full glass.

"No, thanks." Anae grinned and took a sip. It had warmed but it was still fizzy, and the bubbles tickled her nose. Leith drank his all in one gulp, and extended his hand to her again.

Anae noted the carefully controlled neutrality on Jorah's face as she passed her glass over once again and followed Leith to the dance floor. She wondered what information he had retrieved.

The danced through the night, the weariness that Anae had felt earlier slipping away with the hours as they danced. They paused only briefly to catch their breath or grab a drink, Anae always from the glass in Jorah's hand.

Anae allowed herself to be tugged close when the band moved into a slower number. As the song reached the end, Anae looked up into Leith's face, and his lips descended on hers. The kiss was long and deep, and stole Anae's breath. When the song ended she pulled away. "I should go," she said softly. It had gotten quite late, and though she knew the Prime Minister and General wouldn't be ready any too early, Anae had been up for almost a full rotation.

"I would like to have dinner with you tomorrow, if I may?" Leith asked, not releasing her.

"Perhaps." She smiled. "I'll let you know."

Leith brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Until tomorrow, then." He bowed slightly and released her.

"Until tomorrow," she agreed. She felt Leith's eyes on her as she stepped away, moving toward Jorah waiting just off the dance floor. As Anae took Jorah's arm, she looked back over her shoulder. Leith bowed slightly with a small smile before she turned.

Jorah escorted her through the people not dancing, and she responded to their bows with nods. As they stepped through the door into the empty hallway, Anae slipped her wrap back up around her shoulders – the corridor was much cooler than the crowded hall. When she shivered at a draft, Jorah draped his discarded dress coat over her thin shoulders.

"What did you find on Leith?" she asked as she slipped her arms into the too large sleeves. Away from the festive atmosphere, Anae felt her weariness settle over her, causing her shoulders to slump slightly and her eyelids feel heavy.

"What makes you think I looked?" Jorah's tone was teasing, and his eyes sparkled a little as he looked down at her.

"You wouldn't have let me get that close to him if you hadn't," Anae responded. "Unless, of course, you enjoy letting me get into dangerous situations," she teased. All of her guards would sooner shoot their own feet off than see her harmed.

"Of course not." Jorah sounded insulted that she'd even implied it, though she knew he understood she was teasing. "Other than a few minor transgressions in his youth, there was nothing remarkable in his background that Mikal could find in the database."

"Minor transgressions?" she inquired. She sensed he wasn't quite telling her the whole truth.

"Recreational drugs, public drunkenness." Jorah shrugged. "All while he was at University, with no actual charges filed."

"That's all?" she pressed.

"Milady-"

"Jorah," Anae said firmly. "You've never hidden the truth from me before, don't begin now."

Jorah sighed. "Yes, Milady." Anae knew that his use of her formal title was an indication of how uncomfortable he was. "There were some accusations of assault, while at University. Nothing was ever proven and charges were never filed after his accusers dropped their complaints."

"Ah," Anae breathed, putting the pieces together. Jorah hadn't let her accept a drink from Leith's hand all evening, even if they were fresh from a waiter's tray. The accusations of assault with the past history of drug use led Anae to believe that drugs were somehow involved with the charges of assault. "That's why you wouldn't let me accept a drink from him."

Jorah nodded. "As you say."

"Very good," she said with a smile. "Thank you for your company this evening," she said as they approached their rooms. "Even though we didn't get to share a dance."

"Save me one for next time." Jorah smiled down at her as he held the door open, and nodded at Mikal.

"I will." The sitting room was pleasantly warm, and she shrugged out of Jorah's jacket as she yawned. "Excuse me. I think it's time to retire." Anae returned Jorah's jacket.

"Rest well," Jorah said with a slight bow.

"I shall. Thank you." Anae crossed the common room, aware of Jorah moving back out to the hallway to speak with Mikal. The lights in her bed chamber had been turned on to a low setting and the bed had already been turned down. Her guards were nothing if not observant. With a smile she toed off her shoes and slipped out of her dress.

She returned the dress to the wardrobe before padding mostly nude to the refreshing room. Feeling sleep descend quickly upon her, Anae washed up and ran a brush through her hair while she could still keep her eyes open.

With another jaw popping yawn, Anae turned the lights down when she re-entered her room, and slipped between the cool sheets of her bed with a sigh. She was asleep within minutes.

*~*~*

Anae had been right in her estimate that none of the participants in the treaty signing were available before mid-day. After waking quite later than normal from yet another vivid dream, Anae and her guards spent the day packing up their belongings, which for Anae mostly consisted of clothing, and getting ready to depart on that evening's transport. For the most part, all the Arbiters traveled commercially; Centrala did not have the resources to keep all their Arbiters in private transportation, and keeping them in the public eye enforced their motto of working 'for the Federation'.

After Anae had packed her clothes, she settled in with a novel she had loaded onto her reader. She would have begun to read up on her next mission, but Centrala liked to give the Arbiters time to debrief and relax before handing out their next assignments. Sometimes it was only a couple days, but at least there was a time where she didn't have to be an Arbiter – she could just be Anae.

"Miss?" Bernal softly requested her attention.

"Yes?" She looked up. Their flight wasn't scheduled for later in the evening. They would cancel if the parties involved with the treaty met too late, but there were several hours before she would have to make that decision.

"Shan reports that the parties are beginning to gather downstairs."

Anae glanced at the chrono. "Wonderful. We should be able to make the transport on time, then. Thank you, Bernal. Have Shan and Mikal be ready to wake Jorah and to head for the space port. I don't think that this should take long, but I'm not sure what kind of ceremonies the Prime Minister might decide to perform."

Bernal smiled. He had met the Prime Minister. "Yes, Miss. We'll be ready."

"Very good." Anae marked her place. "I'll be ready to go in just a few minutes."

"Yes, Miss." Bernal nodded and dismissed himself back to whatever he had been doing.

Anae rose and padded into her bed chamber. She changed into the dress she had laid out and freshened up before packing the clothes she had been wearing and a few toiletries she had left out. She slipped into her shoes and hefted her bag to set it in the common room where it wouldn't be missed later in the event that things got hectic.

Bernal escorted her down to the conference room where Shan was standing guard outside. The two men nodded at each other and Shan bowed slightly to Anae. He remained in position outside the door; with the treaty being finalized, everyone inside was a target for the limited opposition, and it was Shan's job to deter the opposition, if any one of them had gotten it into their head to try anything.

Anae was glad she had chosen one of her more formal dresses – all the men were dressed in either formal wear or their military uniforms. She smothered a grin as everyone bowed in unison. She knew that in their eyes she was worthy of the respect, but it still amused her, even after seven years of service, to be the concentration of such attention.

"Milady Arbiter," the Prime Minister greeted her. He beamed, the pride and peace all but radiating off him.

"Prime Minister," Anae returned his salutation. Bernal was just behind her, carrying the folders containing the treaty documents and her personal seal. He made an impressive image, dressed in his best uniform, towering over Anae and a few of the assembled men.

The Prime Minister took Anae by the arm and led her to a slightly raised dais where a table was set up, three pens carefully laid out. The Prime Minister's counterpart, the General, stood waiting by the table, ready to finalize the efforts of the past cycle.

"Milady Arbiter," the General rumbled, bowing as she stepped up to the table.

"General." She greeted him much the same as she had the Prime Minister. She was rather more happy to see the General upright and coherent, after the amount of alcoholic beverages he had consumed the night before, and in the time before Anae had left. She knew her hosts to be quite the night owls when given the opportunity, and she suspected that he had been partying late into the night.

Anae stepped between the two men as Bernal handed her the folders and her seal and tried to take up an unassuming position against the wall behind them. Anae looked up and noticed the vid recorders lined up against the back wall. There were some flat-pic recorders mixed in as well. Other than the official archivist, no visual records had been made of the proceedings. Lights flashed as Anae flipped open the folders. She slid one copy in front of the Prime Minister and another in front of the General. With a flourish, they each signed their copy above where their name was printed, and then traded documents.

Applause filled the room as Anae signed both documents as witness and affixed her official seal next to her signature. More lights flashed as Anae handed the signed copies to the men after they had tucked their pens into their coat pockets. Anae subtly scooped her pen and seal off the table and handed them back to Bernal, who accepted them and quietly stepped back.

As they continued to stand for the recorders, the Prime Minister spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "There is a reception following this, Milady. I know you have a transport to be on early this evening, but if you can spare the time, I know there are people here who didn't get a chance to speak with you last night. Members of the media, and others who did not warrant an invitation to last nights' festivities, or who could not attend."

"Of course, Prime Minister." Anae had no idea of how much time she really had. She wasn't wearing a chrono, didn't on a regular basis, and her guards took it upon themselves to keep track of how long it would take them to get from the compound to the spaceport. But if she ran late, the others would get everything to the transport while she and Bernal hustled. And if they were late, it wouldn't be the first time that a transport was held for an Arbiter.

Anae stepped back as the General and Prime Minister clasped hands for the recorders. They treaty mediations had made them allies, if not actual friends. Bernal stepped forward to meet her. "There's a reception after this," she said softly. "Have Mikal wake Jorah, if he's not up already, and have them be ready to move. I could get tied up."

"Yes, Miss," Bernal answered, stepping back as the Prime Minister and General turned toward Anae and beckoned her to join them once more.

More lights flashed as the reporters collected their footage. "Ladies and Gentlemen," the Prime Minister spoke up, his voice carrying through the room. "Please join us for a reception to celebrate this momentous occasion."

The room slowly started to empty as those present moved into an adjacent room that was set up for a party similar to the previous evenings', without the music and dancing. Anae accompanied the Prime Minister and the General, with Bernal close behind. She expected to face the reporters; they had been a constant presence at the end of her assignments since her very first, one she was never expected to resolve on her own at the tender age of 19. That assignment had started her reputation as one of the best Arbiters Centrala had produced in decades. Seven years later, her reputation hadn't diminished any, only been enhanced with each subsequent mission and success.

As she entered the room, flanked by the Prime Minister and the General, she caught sight of Shan stepping into the room and taking up an observational post just inside the door. Her guards trusted the reporters about as much as they trusted anyone else, which was to say, very little.

Anae denied the offers of drink and food from the waiters roaming the hall. The reporters grouped around her and the men, only a few seeking out a one on one interview, which Anae rarely granted. Bernal hung close, keeping an eye on the time as well as the milling crowd.

With practiced ease, Anae spoke with the reporters, giving them the limited information she was allowed to release to the public. The terms of the treaty were failry public record, but the actual proceedings and what was discussed were not. She made her rounds, speaking with clumps of reporters and lay persons in turn, making sure she got around to everyone.

“Miss.” Bernal spoke softly into her ear. “The transport leaves in about thirty minutes. We should probably start making our way out.”

“Of course. Excuse me," she said to the reporters she was speaking with and they nodded and turned to seek out someone else to gather answers from. "Are the others ready?”

“They are on their way to the transport now,” Bernal reported.

“Very good.” Anae glanced around and confirmed that she had spoken to everyone. She began to make her way to the door where Shan was waiting when she was stopped with a gentle tug on her hand.

“Milady?” Leith bowed slightly. “I was wondering where we stood on dinner this evening.”

“My apologies,” Anae responded. “Unfortunately, we’re on the transport that is leaving shortly.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Leith said, with genuine regret in his voice. “Well then.” He bowed again. “Perhaps the next time you are in the area.”

“Perhaps.” Anae smiled. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

“The pleasure was all mine, Milady.” With that, Leith turned and disappeared into the crowd.

She watched for a moment. Anae had the impression she was losing something, but she couldn't put her finger on the exact feeling.

"Miss?" Bernal prompted.

"Yes, of course," she replied, and headed for Shan and the door.

**

Anae never minded leaving her rooms on Centrala. Her apartment was furnished identically to the others in her building (it was a government owned and operated building) but was largely undecorated, since she spent so little time there. Only two days after returning to Centrala, Anae found herself on a transport hurtling towards the edges of the civilized galaxy. There had been a disaster at a mining facility and Anae was on her way to help mediate the investigation into what happened and who was responsible. Over a hundred people had died, and the citizens had demanded a neutral third party from Centrala to make sure that things were settled fairly.

Anae looked up from her reader where she was looking over background materials when Jorah brushed passed her to the seat besides her. "All is well?"

"Yes, Miss." Jorah strapped himself in. "They should be making the arrival announcement soon."

"Good," Anae responded. Although she had room enough to stretch her legs out in front of her, she was ready to be able to move about. Her guards didn't mind her walking around the ship, but it wasn't really that large a vessel and it was a full flight.

Bernal and Mikal returned from their patrol and strapped themselves in. Shan stowed away his music player and returned to his seat, double and triple checking his own restraints. Anae fought her smile; Shan was a nervous flyer, but he managed to not fuss over Anae after the first year or so they traveled together.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," a voice spoke calmly over the ship's intercom. "Please prepare yourself for docking at Station Theta. We will arrive in five minutes. Again, prepare yourself for docking. Thank you."

"How long is our layover on Theta?" Anae asked Jorah.

"Eighteen hours," he replied. "It was the shortest possible layover without having to go through five station transfers."

"Have we booked a room?"

"Yes, Miss. Centrala booked two for us."

"Good." Anae stretched her legs out in front of her, not even able to reach Bernal sitting right across from her. "I'd love to be able to freshen up before the next hop."

"Prepare to dock," the voice returned to the intercom. There was a slight lurch, and then the voice returned. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Station Theta. Enjoy your stay, and we hope you travel with us again soon. For those of you continuing on this ship to Station Zulu, you may disembark the ship. We depart in two hours. Again, welcome to Station Theta."

As usual, Anae and her guards waited until most of the passengers on the ship had departed and allowed herself to be surrounded by her guards to exit the ship. They drew some attention as they traversed the station toward the hostel area. Station Theta had a more substantial selection of rooms than some stations, because many of the flights going out were to the fringes, and were less frequent than those to the Core Worlds.

"Welcome to Station Theta, Milady Arbiter," the hostel manager greeted Anae and her guards. "We have two rooms set up for you, in one of the quieter areas."

"Thank you," Anae responded. They retrieved their key cards and found their way to the rooms they had been assigned. Though Anae had no intention of spending all her time in the room, they did have some smaller bags that they had carried on the transport (the bigger ones would be transferred to their connection), and she knew that the men felt more comfortable when they had someplace secure.

"Milady Arbiter!"

Anae turned at her title and was surprised to see Leith approaching. "Mr. Cirallis." She felt her guards tense slightly.

"Leith, please." He bowed slightly as he approached. "I apologize for greeting you this way, but I heard you were on Station, and I was hoping that we could have that dinner?"

Anae smiled. Once again, his open and honest attitude was refreshing. "I think that can be arranged. Will you meet me here at 7?"

"Of course, Milady." He bowed again and retreated down the hall.

"Milady," Jorah said, a hint of exasperated warning in his voice.

"I know," Anae responded. "Shan can take care of the arrangements." She knew that one of them had to go with her, as it had been for the seven years she'd been an arbiter.

"Of course, Miss," Shan responded.

They entered their rooms which had been decked with fresh flowers. Of all the gifts she often received upon arrival, fresh flowers were Anae's favorite. They hadn't been assigned two separate rooms so much as a suite with separate sleeping chambers.

"Bernal, Mikal, you're on patrol." Jorah issued his orders. "Shan will set up the dinner arrangements and accompany Milady. I will replace Mikal at 8, and Shan will take over for Bernal at 10, or after the dinner."

"Aye," Mikal responded. Bernal nodded. The times were a little uneven, but since their stay would be fairly short, it didn't matter. They would get a routine set up when they reached their final destination.

Anae liked that Jorah issued his orders within her earshot. It helped her stay involved with what was going on, and also let her know that Jorah trusted her enough to keep her in the loop as to the security procedures.

"I'll leave you to it," she said. "I'm going to rest and then freshen up."

"Of course, Miss." Jorah bowed slightly.

Anae nodded and left them to their planning.

**

Anae allowed Leith to tug her out the door. She had taken the time to rest and freshen up, with Leith arriving promptly at seven. "Hurry." Leith laughed. "They'll be back soon."

"What?" Anae asked as they reach the lift. She had ducked back into the refreshing room and when she'd come out, Shan had been gone.

"We're both too old for a baby sitter," Leith replied with a wink.

"Oh." It dawned suddenly what he meant. "I can't-" She began to protest, pulling away, but he had a firm grip on her hand.

"Yes, you can." Leith answered and prevented her from protesting further by pulling her close and kissing her. It felt just as their first had, less than a week before. Distantly, Anae was aware of the chime of the lift's arrival.

Anae was led backwards into the lift, Leith pressing her forward as they kissed.

Anae found herself returning it, twining her fingers into Leith's long dark hair.

They were jolted apart when the lift car shuddered and stopped. The lights dimmed and then the car was filled with a solid red glow of the alarm light. No sound came over the speakers in the lift, but Anae could hear the siren's blare beyond the shaft.

"Well," Leith grinned wolfishly. "Looks like dinner will have to wait."

Anae laughed and allowed herself to be tugged gently to the floor. Shan had probably returned and found them missing. But any further thoughts she might have had about the alarm being because of her was promptly blinked out of existence as Leith began to explore her body with a gentle onslaught of touches and kisses.

Anae's unders were soon discarded, and to her delightful discovery, Leith had none to shed. They remained mostly clothed, because they knew they could be easily interrupted.

As she felt her impending climax, Anae was aware of strong hands wrapping around her throat beyond the urgent thrusts and tender kisses to her face. Leith shifted slightly and Anae cried out softly as her release overtook her. Through the haze of orgasm she felt Leith's hands tighten around her throat, then slack slightly as he groaned with his own release. She would have marks, Anae knew, as Leith's hands spasmed against her thin neck again, then relaxed.

Not a moment later, the lights came back on. Outside the lift shaft and over her slowing breath Anae recognized Jorah's voice, and he sounded angry, and hoarse, which meant he had been likely yelling for a while. "Quickly," she said to Leith. They climbed to their feet, Leith tucking himself away as he stood, Anae arranging her skirt. Anae caught a glimpse of white disappear into Leith's pocket just as the doors slid apart.

Oh yes, Anae thought, seeing Jorah first thing. He was livid. Inwardly she cringed; Worried Jorah and Angry Jorah were not to be trifled with, and he was almost unreasonable when he was both. From the look on the Station Captain's face, he'd recently discovered this.

"That's enough, Jorah," Anae said before her guard could speak. "I should not have run off, but it is over, and I'll not excuse my behavior, nor explain myself." She injected more confidence into her tone than she really felt. She had never betrayed her guards in such a manner before, and she was terrified now that the moment had passed that she had done something irrevocable.

Jorah was practically shaking. "Yes, Milady." His jaw was clenched so tight Anae was surprised he could speak.

Leith took her hand. "Until later, Milady." He kissed her knuckles. "Maybe we'll get that dinner someday." He walked calmly out of the lift, right by Jorah and Bernal without giving them so much as a second glance.

"Station Captain," Anae addressed the shorter man next to Jorah. "I apologize for the trouble that I have caused. I hope that I have not pulled you away from anything?" Anae turned on the Arbiter mode, if only to get her through the next few moments.

"Of course not, Milady," the man stammered. "We are honored to have you aboard Station Theta. Really, there has been no trouble."

Anae smiled. "Thank you, Captain."

Shan appeared, red faced and breathless, and escorted the Station Captain back through the crowd that had assembled at the commotion surrounding the lift.

"Milady," Bernal rumbled. "I think we should return to our quarters."

Inwardly, Anae flinched. She wondered how badly she had damaged her relationship with her guardsmen. "As you say," she said softly, letting all the confidence and power she knew she radiated when she was Arbiter dissipate. She had let herself forget for the moment who and where she was, and only she could take responsibility for her actions.

They made their way back to their rooms without words, the silence only broken by the sounds of their footsteps. Shan and Mikal were waiting for them there.

"I apologize," Anae said as soon as they were all assembled. "I had no intention of running off. It just happened. I will try to make sure it never happens again."

"You needn't apologize, Milady," Shan said.

Jorah was standing silent against the wall, still angry; Anae could see it on his face, though he was trying to control it. His glare was withering.

"You were right. You don't need to explain yourself," Bernal continued.

"But it is difficult for us to protect you if we don't know where you are," Mikal finished.

And that's what it came down to, Anae knew. It wasn't that she had gone off alone, with Leith (who had been checked out by Jorah himself only a few days previous), it was that they hadn't known where she had gone with him. "I know. It won't happen again."

"Good," Shan said. "You gave us all quite a scare, Miss." The use of her less formal title was not lost on her. He didn't have to explain any further. "I'll return to patrol," Shan said to Jorah.

"Me, too," Mikal added.

"I'll stand watch outside," Bernal rumbled, and trailed the other two out the door, leaving Anae alone with her guard captain. The other three had apparently chosen to either let the matter drop, or leave it to Jorah to settle things.

Anae folded herself into one of the armchairs, pulling her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around them. Under Jorah's gaze she felt small and young again, like she'd been caught sneaking out of the dorms by one of the Instructors, which, she supposed, she had.

"Milady," Jorah began. "Always we have tried to give you the respect and freedom you deserve. Never before have you taken advantage of that. Suddenly you're setting up evenings without letting us do a security check, and sneaking out behind our backs. Is there something I need to know? Are you having a problem with the security arrangements?" His voice was soft, but Anae knew he was still angry, both at her and himself.

She shook her head. "No," she said softly.

Jorah sighed and let his arms fall from where they were crossed over his broad chest. "Milady, we only want to make sure you are kept safe. To do that, we need to be able to trust each other, and communicate. I have always, and will continue to respect your wishes, but you must understand, we are here to keep you from harm."

"I know," Anae responded. "I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again. I’m not sure how it happened this time." She sighed. "I apologize again. I should have let you know that I left our quarters. I didn't know what Leith was doing, sending Shan off."

"I do not fully trust him, Milady," Jorah said, referring to Leith and ignoring Anae's apology. "We've done a deeper check and there are holes in his background. We are continuing to look into it, and I would feel more comfortable if you did not meet with him alone again."

Anae had the feeling that he would rather she not have anything further to do with Leith, but Jorah would not come right out and say that. "And if privacy was required?"

Jorah colored slightly and cleared his throat. "I would ask that you conduct such affairs in your rooms, Milady."

That sounded reasonable to Anae and she said so.

Jorah nodded. "Alright. I have a report to make." He turned toward the room where he'd stashed his datapad with the men's luggage.

"Jorah," Anae called him back. "I am sorry."

"I know." With that, Jorah exited the room, leaving the door open behind him.

Anae laid her head on her knees and tried not to feel like she'd ruined everything with the men who protected her life.

*~*~*

If it wasn't necessary, Jorah didn't speak to Anae for the remainder of their layover or traveling time. Anae tried not to let it get to her, tried to focus on what was waiting for her. But Jorah's ongoing silence niggled at her. She couldn't understand if he thought that he needed to further distance himself from her for some reason, or if he was still so angry with her that he couldn't bear to talk to her.

She was unable to find any real rest on the rest of the layover, or the long flight to their final destination. Jorah's aloofness occupied her thoughts, and when her eyes did slide closed, she experienced snippets of erotic fantasies that jolted her awake.

When they finally landed, Anae was on shaky ground, emotionally and physically. She had no one to talk to and too many things had changed faster than she could process. Shan seemed to notice and take pity on her, trying to lighten the mood with casual comments and light jokes, but stopped when he realized it wasn't going anywhere. Anae appreciated it, but just couldn't find the spirit to smile.

Anae's hosts insisted on giving them a tour of the disaster site before taking them to their hostel. The tour did nothing to make her feel any better. The destruction was extensive and severe, and the loss of life saddened her even further knowing it all could have been prevented.

Outwardly, Anae remained interested and attentive while her emotions were reeling. Her nails bit into the flesh of her hands as she clenched her fists to keep herself under control. She fought back tears, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to keep her composure and dignity in place for the officials who had greeted and accompanied her from the space port.

"Miss?" Bernal asked softly.

"I need out of here," she whispered. It was rapidly becoming too much, seeing the rescue turned recovery workers digging bodies out of the wreckage through the windows of the ground car.

"Milady?" Bernal's voice was concerned.

"Now," she said, her voice threatening to break.

"Of course." Bernal diverted his attention to their guide and explained that they had had a long journey and the Arbiter needed to rest, and the tour could take place the next day. Anae heard the conversation but tuned most of it, trying instead to focus on her ongoing internal confusion.

"Miss?" Bernal queried. "We're here."

Anae nodded, and allowed him to help her out of the ground car. "Shan will take you up, Miss. Get some rest; we will take care of getting everything settled." Bernal handed her off to Shan.

Anae allowed herself to be led inside the hostel. The planet was rich in minerals, but the mines weren't a big tourist attraction, and the basic hostel reflected that. Still, the accommodations had been worse in many of the other places Anae had been assigned.

"Here, Miss." Shan held the door open for her.

It was a single room with an attached bathing chamber. The bed took up most of the space in the small quarters.

"Don't worry," Shan answered Anae's unasked question about the sleeping arrangements for the men. "We'll work something out. Rest now," he echoed Bernal's advice. "They are going to want to start early in the morning, beginning with another tour."

Anae nodded. "Thank you."

Shan smiled. "Rest well." He let himself out, and Anae knew by experience he'd stand guard in the hall.

Her bags hadn't been brought up yet, but Anae didn't care. She threw herself on the bed and let the silent tears flow, hiding her face in the pillow.

**

Anae woke with dry eyes and her face stiff with dried tears. She noticed that her bags had been settled on the floor just inside the door, but she had been otherwise undisturbed. After traveling and being dragged through the worst of the accident site, she felt gritty and in need of a shower. But she couldn't find the immediate motivation to remove herself from the bed and her comfortable clothes. She felt a little more stable, emotionally, for the rest. Anae wasn't sure why her emotions were so up and down – as an Arbiter, she should have better control. She couldn't afford to let her emotions interfere with her work. She was lucky she had been able to pass her earlier distress off as exhaustion.

Somehow, Anae knew, she needed to be able to put her discomfort of Jorah's distance aside. It would only distract her from her duty. Perhaps Jorah would come around on his own – it could take some time for the man's anger to fully dissipate.

A soft knock came through the door. "Milady?" Jorah asked as he poked his head around the door. "You have a visitor."

Anae swallowed her sigh. "Give me a moment."

"As you say," Jorah responded formally and shut the door behind him.

Anae disengaged herself from the bed covers and padded to the refreshing room. She washed her face clean of the tear tracks and straightened her hair. She returned to the bedchamber after criticizing herself in the mirror, red eyes absorbing the image of the dark marks beginning to form around her neck. She would have to wear high necked shirts and dresses for a time.

She straightened the covers on the bed – Anae didn't like receiving people in the chambers where she slept, but unless they could convert a room for that purpose only, she would have to learn to accept the invasion of her privacy.

Anae didn't bother to change her clothes or slip on shoes; she would greet whomever it was just as she appeared. It had been good enough to land in (where she had been met by various officials of the local government as well as representatives from the mining companies), so it would be suitable enough to greet any dignitary.

"Alright, Jorah," she called, standing firmly in the center of the carpeted room, pulling the Arbiter persona tighter around her like a shawl.

It promptly fell to the floor and shattered as Leith stepped through the door. Tears filled Anae's eyes at the sight of him.

"Hey now," Leith said, embracing her, his oversized coat billowing as his arms opened to enfold her. "I thought you might be happy to see me."

"I am," Anae snuffled, a few tears escaping down her face. They were absorbed into Leith's shirt.

"Then why the tears?" Leith turned and guided them toward the bed.

Anae sat, noticing that the door had been left slightly open. "Everything is a mess. My guards hate me, this mission is already making me a wreck, and –"

Leith kissed her gently. "And you don't have anyone to talk to."

Anae nodded, sniffling softly.

"You would normally talk to your guards?" Leith tugged Anae into his arms.

"Yes. Or my Psych," Anae said softly. "But she's not here, and my guards don't like me very much right now." She leaned against Leith, shifting slightly as something nudged her in the ribs.

"Oh, I doubt that," Leith was amused. "They just want you to be safe."

"I know," Anae sighed.

Leith kissed the top of her head and they sat in silence for a few moments.

"Why are you here?" She finally asked, after wondering just how he had managed to wind up on the same remote backwater mining planet she had.

Leith laughed. "I wondered when you'd get to that. I'm here on behalf of my father. He sent me to make a purchase."

"But most of the ore has been destroyed," Anae said.

"I know," Leith answered. "Father sent me to purchase what remains."

"Surely the price will be astronomical?" Knowing the normal value of the ore from her research, Anae could only imagine what the price would be with the mines shut down and a month's worth of production destroyed.

Leith grinned. "Price is of no consequence."

"What does your father do with it?" Anae asked.

"With the ore?" Leith's hands found their way to Anae's shoulders and began to knead absently. "He uses it in components of the biochips he manufactures for prosthetics."

"Mm." Anae remembered meeting the senior Cirallis, the owner of one of the galaxies most prolific manufacturers of prosthetics, combining biological parts with the man-made components. His company had been part of a massive investigation that Anae had participated in a few years back. And the findings hadn't been favorable for the manufacturers involved. "You're very good at that," she murmured, beginning to feel drowsy as Leith continued his massage up into her neck.

"I know," he said. One hand curled around and a finger caressed her throat. Then another and another until his whole hand had curled around her throat and Anae had tipped her head back to allow him to touch her. "Now, Milady," he whispered into her ear as his fingers tightened and began to squeeze. "Don't move."

Anae froze, her thoughts whirling. She knew that Jorah was just outside, and all she'd have to go is get his attention. But Leith's right hand tightened around her throat while his left delved into his jacket pocket and produced a blaster. He held it to her temple. Anae's emergency call button was in her pocket, but she couldn't get to it with a blaster pointed at her head.

"What are you doing?" She whispered. She couldn't get Jorah's attention, but Leith could. She'd just have to provoke him enough to make him raise his voice, and Jorah would look in.

"What does it look like?" Leith snarled. His hand spasmed once, cutting of her air for a brief moment, then loosened again.

"Why are you doing this?" She made herself sound small and vulnerable, more frightened than she really felt. She was nervous, but not really terrified.

"Because," he said. "I was paid."

Anae wasn't getting the reaction she wanted out of him. Leith almost seemed to be waiting; he could have pulled the trigger at any moment.

"And fucking me in the lift?" She prompted. "Were you paid for that, too?"

"Oh, no sweetheart," he drawled, his hand tightening around her throat, the whine of his blaster overly loud in her ear. "That was just a bonus."

"For you, maybe." Anae tried to sound as if she was being very brave through fear. "I really don't remember."

She got the reaction she wanted.

"You bitch!" he shouted, letting her go and striking her on the temple with his blaster, knocking her to the floor.

Anae's vision swam as the world tilted and rolled sickeningly as she slipped her hand into her pocket and triggered her alarm. She felt a trickle of blood drip down her hairline. At the same moment, Jorah came bursting through the door, blaster drawn.

Leith turned at the noise, blaster raised. Anae watched in horror as both men fired.

After she blinked away the momentary flash blindness, Anae found Jorah laying on the floor. Dizzily, she crawled over to him.

Jorah was conscious, breathing shallowly, his face gone pale. "Milady," he said softly as Anae knelt over him. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh," Anae soothed. "It will be fine."

Jorah smiled weakly. "As you say." He reached a hand up and cupped her cheek lightly, his thumb swiping through the trail of blood. "You're hurt."

"I had to get your attention somehow," she tried to joke. "Lay still now," she said, catching his hand with her own and holding it in her lap. "Bernal will be here in a minute and everything will be fine." She heard shouts and heavy footsteps in the hall.

"Mil-Anae," Jorah said softly, using her name in her presence for the first time since they'd been introduced. "I only ever wanted to keep you safe."

Anae felt tears well in her eyes and she wiped them away with her free hand. "Don't speak that way. You still can protect me."

Shan flew through the door, gun raised, appraising the situation, and Jorah smiled again. "No," he whispered. "But they can." Bernal lunged through the door, kit in hand and knelt at Anae's side. She could hear Mikal outside, keeping the onlookers at bay. "You are," Jorah took a breath. "Precious to me, Anae."

"And you to me," Anae said softly, letting the tears fall. Jorah's eyes slid shut as Anae silently wept, holding his hand.

*~*~*

Epilogue:

Light rain fell as Anae stood over Jorah's grave. Bernal, Shan, and Mikal stood a respectful distance back, dressed in their most formal uniforms for the funeral service. Jorah had been buried with full Service Honors, the medals being passed to Anae, who accepted them with tears.

She held the awards in her hands as she looked down at his grave, her tears mostly dry. Jorah had given his life for hers, and she would never forget. She would also never forget that he had loved her, and never said anything, not a word for the seven years they served together.

Anae stood in silence for a few more moments, lost in her thoughts before turning and carefully making her way to her three guards. They would be getting a fourth in the days to come, Anae knew, and the transition wouldn't be an easy one. The new guard would have large shoes to fill.

Bernal, Shan, and Mikal embraced Anae in turn, and she was relieved to see evidence of tears on their faces as well. They escorted her back to her apartment, a well secured building that housed the Arbiters between missions.

"Um," Anae started as they reached the lift. "Would you like to come up? I know you have people that would like to see you, but I – uh," she said. "I don't want to be alone."

"Actually, Miss," Shan responded after glancing at Bernal and Mikal. "We were going to ask just that."

"Thank you," she said softly, Jorah's medals heavy and cold in her hand.

Mikal brewed caf when they reached Anae's rooms, and for several hours they sat and talked softly, remembering Jorah until late into the evening.

Before they departed, Bernal promised to check on Anae the next morning, despite her assurances that she would be fine. The hours talking had helped to raise all of their spirits, and make Anae in particular feel that she was back where she wanted to be in her relationship with her guards.

As she prepared for bed, Jorah's medals once again caught her eye, resting on the table in her small living area. Anae stared at them for a long moment, smiling softly. They could stay there, she decided, as a reminder.