In a gloomy bar on a grey moon sat a human. A common species, unremarkable in their appearance, incredible in their adaptability. What made this one stand out was the growing collection of empty glasses and slumped shoulders. A white-furred bipedal sidled up beside him, her glowing eyes illuminated his face that even to her seemed to lack any expression at all. The Glint examined the man who was unusually quiet a human, a species who were normally so animated. She checked her comm, then sat beside him.

"Why so sombre there big guy? You're here the night the Starling arrives, that makes even the worst day better for most folk," she asked him.

He looked up from his cup, meeting her soft green gaze. "Nothing much, I'm just passing time and nursing old wounds.".

With his face lifted, laugh lines and deep wrinkles marked his sun-darkened skin as an older human, hair white with age.

Her eyes sparkled with interest. "Well, I'm sure Starling can cheer you up tonight then. In the meantime, why don't you tell me about these old wounds you're nursing?"

"I appreciate the company but I'm not sure I'll be the best partner for you tonight. I'm remembering late family and lovers long gone," he sipped his cup, "But I do think I have a request for Starling to sing when she gets here." 

"And what request is that, mister?" She inclined her head to her left and leaned on the bar slightly.

"Pardon me, my name is Benjamin, or Ben for short. It's a personal request, I don't expect her to know it," Benjamin said. "What's your name now that I've said mine?"

Smiling softly, she said, "You can call me Viva'Cete, Ben, or Just Viv if you like. Do you mind if I sit with you while we both wait for the show tonight?" 

"Since we've been introduced, I don't mind, but don't expect me to talk too much. Even with a beauty like you around."

"I'll appreciate your company regardless," She said with a wink.

So they stay together for a cycle, exchanging occasional small talk and sipping their drinks. Benjamin told her it was the anniversary of him and his late husband. Viva'Cete placed a hand on his shoulder at that. 

As she gave him a friendly squeeze, the bartender let them know the singer was coming up on stage. Benjamin handed him his song request to pass on and thanked him while Viva'Cete ordered another mixer. As the hat the requests were in were passed around, they sat in silence. Both unsure of what to say. A chord from the stage dragged their attention outwards. They both turned in their seats and watched the Starling start to sing. Benjamin glanced up to the stage as he recognized the opening notes to the song he had requested.

—Many worlds are injured, broken by war

Their people fled and gone

Yet time sees these fleeing from far—

Once the Starling had started singing, Viva'Cete asked, "Why did you request a song like that? It's beautiful but I don't see it lifting your mood at all."

Benjamin looked at her eyes and smiled, "My Gideon said to play that song on our anniversary if I outlived him, and not to linger on what could have been, but the happy moments we had together. Even said an old bear like me should have no problem catching a new fish no matter how dour I was."

"This is rude of me, but you haven't mentioned when he passed. He sounds like he must have been quite a man to leave a hole in your chest like that."

Benjamin smirked, "A bit, but it's a nice night and I feel like reminiscing. I was his rock, and he was my ocean. My edges were smoothed by him, and my weight anchored him. He convinced me to colonise with the Tunlaks in Orion. Help another species get a leg up. Make a good example of humanity while we had our own personal adventure."  

He sipped while he looked out a nearby window, gazing at the bleak grey desert of dust. Viva'Cete wondered what scenery he was seeing in place of that monotonous lunarscape.

"It was in the jungles of the second planet we chose. A Tunlak colony ship had crashed there years ago before official contact had happened. The crew survived and set up an outpost. Gideon hoped we could make a tree house! Imagine that, two middle-aged men in a jungle tree house,"  Benjamin choked on his drink as he chuckled. While he regained his breath his gaze turned back to the singer.

"Where was I?"

"You were colonising Orion four, the jungle planet." prompted Viva.

He stroked his chin with his free hand, the other still held his drink, then continued,  "Ah yes, the tree house. Well we got there and started looking for a suitably sized tree. Took us almost two years of surveying the planet, until we found the right spot with the right tree. Just as we landed our temporary hab and started to prep the area, the Tunlak deputy came screaming out of the sky and waving us away from the tree."

Benjamin breathed deep and paused while the singer struck up a new song, a jaunty shanty about pirates and asteroid belts. Viva'Cete, as well, paused. The two listened and laughed as it ended. His face fell though, as the conversation began again.

"Just as Gideon landed the first cut in the bark of the tree, the deputy screeching warnings, the tree came alive! It hadn't been a plant but some kind of animal that just looked like a great big tree."

His tone wavered, but Benjamin kept speaking, "It was some kind of Guo'Saphyrn experiment. I found out after I escaped. The whole planet had been one of their so-called workshops."

"Our little attempt at a treehouse had triggered a trap or something and set off the defences. Gideon had been the closest to the thing…"

Another sip and the dark drink in his hand disappeared.

"It got Gideon."

The hand holding the drink trembled, a splash almost escaping the rim as his eyes misted. Viva’Cete wasn’t an expert on facial expressions, but even Glint trembled when they remembered something hard. Her hand found his unoccupied one, and squeezed. 

Benjamin lightly shook his head and smirked sullenly. “But that was years ago. The Deputy managed to retrieve him. I laid him to rest on Earth, in his family’s plot. Next to his parents.”

He placed his drink down and wiped his eyes. For the first time in the night he looked Viv directly in the eye. Ben patted her hand that held his and said, "It isn't as sharp a pain as it was when he went, and this year was better than last. I appreciate you listening to me."

"Oh dear, any time you want I'll be here to talk to you. You're a good person and Gideon would want you happy. How about I add my number to your comm, and you call me when you're down?" Viv asked.

Ben replied with a smile, "I wouldn't want to impose on you. Besides, you've listened enough and done me a good turn. Normally I'd be a mess by now."

"Still I insist," She said, pressing a card into his hand, "Now I'll let you have his memory and the tunes for the night. Take care."

With that she slid off the chair and walked out. Ben still had a smile on his face as he read the card in his hand. His misty eyes teared up fully as he waved the concerned bartender away.

- Benjamin, my rock. I know I won't be around for ever, so I've asked someone that I knew before we met a favour. Viva'Cete is a good friend and I know she will make the pain of my passing less. I love you. Your ocean, Gideon. -