Riliks tugs at their mane with their ever-present comb. Eido watches them, chin propped on her hands.

"I'm not worried," Riliks declares for the fifth time. Riliks is a good public speaker; their voice is very nearly steady.

"Good, there's nothing to worry about." Eido makes sure to sound breezy herself. She pulls the comb away and sets it down by the waiting holoprojector.

Riliks huffs and leans into her, angled carefully to not squash their mane against her shoulder. Their deep chest rumbles. Eido clicks her mandibles fondly in return.

"This has to go well," Riliks says. "But what am I gonna tell the gang? I met the symbol of the worst crimes ever done to our people and I made nice? Vixis will jump me."

"You know Vixis can't fight."

Riliks laughs. "Don't tell him that!"

"I won't! You good?"

"I'm just groovy." Riliks pulls away to look Eido in the eyes, dead serious again. "You?"

She looks away, down at the projector. They'd worked together to fix it up. It had been important to Eido. It still is.

Eido misses him, the City, Earth itself. She hasn't been home in months. The two halves of her life have been separate for too long.

But every time she remembers him, she remembers his illness. Hooked up to Ether lines, smelling of her strongest tonics, temper shortened by pain.

"Ask me again afterwards."

She hits the button. In the moment before the holoprojector activates, Riliks grabs her hand, well out of sight of its visual pickup.

Eido clings back and musters a smile.

"Velask, Father!"