Warm light squeezed in between the window shades, illuminating the bedroom. The walls where painted blue, and bare, as piles of cardboard boxes were strewn about the messy room. In the center of the room, on a mattress with no bed frame, next to a wooden nightstand, lay two people still sound asleep.

One was a massive man with dark skin and dreadlocks that nearly touched his waist. His bare massive chest was polka dotted with old gun shot and knife wound scars, his broad face, and arms striped and criss crossed with old burns and cuts. The man’s large arm was wrapped around a small woman with brown hair.

Her pale skin and face nearly shined in the growing morning light, her freckles highlighting her delicate features. On the nightstand across from them, a picture of a squad of people in combat gear posing outside a green lit bunker entrance was framed. The man slowly shifted, the light hitting them both.

Aj opened his eyes, grogginess and the warmth of Sammy’s body greeting him as he awoke. He scanned the room, taking in all the unpacking they still had to do. He silently sighed, not looking forward to finishing the room. With a ginger motion, he gently retracted his arm, and crept out of bed. With a groan, he stood up and stretched, yawning. He picked some boxers up off the floor and smelled them. Not too bad a smell, he pulled them on still nearly asleep.

Barely awake, the giant crept out of the bedroom, and down the apartment hallway, entering into the living room with a small kitchen attached. Aj carefully opened the wooden cabinet, pulling out the bag of coffee beans and a bottle of whiskey. As the coffee machine switched on, the water within boiling, Aj put several scoops of the dark coffee beans into the open compartment.

He then pulled out a ceramic mug with Worlds Best Sniper framed on the white front in bold dark letters. A generous amount of whiskey was poured into the empty mug, which he then gulped down quickly, tossing his head back. Aj groaned, making a face as his body shivered. Once the coffee was done, he then pulled the pot out, and poured himself a cup. Then added some more shots of whiskey to it, no cream or sugar.

Satisfied, Aj turned around, coffee in hand, and strolled over to the living room. He pushed some buttons on the wall, and a hologram fluttered into existence in the air. It mimicked a screen, showing two well-dressed people sitting at a wooden desk.

“And in today’s news, the brave iron workers of Mars, continue to help raise our beautiful skyline,” the man in the bright blue suit smiled.

“That’s right Thomas, however reconstruction efforts have slowed down due to failed negotiations with the Spree Construction Unions. Brian has the latest, here on Zion human central,” the woman in a bright white dress said.

Aj sipped his coffee, then set it down on the wooden table in front of the old grey sofa lined against the far wall. He sighed, then began his morning wake up routine: a hundred pushups, two hundred sit ups, twenty burpees, then some mountain climbers. He made a point to be as quiet as possible, careful not to wake Sammy up.

He had just finished the mountain climbers, when retching from the bathroom reached his ears. Aj launched off the floor like a panther, quickly coming down the hall.

“Babe?” He called.

“I’m-I’m fine!” Sammy barked.

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off as another round of barfing commenced. Aj came to the door frame, nodded, then went to the bedroom. He pulled a blanket out of a box, and brought it back over to Sammy, covering her bare body. She tried smiling but vomited some more.

Aj sat down on the bathtub wall, rubbing her back. Concern bubbled up inside him, this was the third time this week. Sammy shivered, clutching the blanket, her face green.

“Want me to grab you some clothes? That blanket hoodie thing I bought ya is ‘round here somewhere,” Aj said warmly.

“Thought you preferred no clothes,” Sammy chortled.

Her mirth was cut off as she leaned her head back over the toilet.

“I’m taking you to the doc when you’re done,” Aj said.

“I’m fine, seriously babe. Just something I ate last night, okay?”

“We been eating the same stuff since we moved in,” Aj arched an eyebrow.

“And who’s the medic?”

“I’m just saying.”

“I appreciate it Muirnín, why don’tcha make us breakfast,” Sammy sighed.

Worry still filled him, but maybe he was just built different. He had spent most of his life eating far worse than her, maybe less alien food from here on out. He sighed, the worry still remaining, but he forced a smile.

Aj nodded and stood up, walking out of the bathroom. He went back down the hall, and picked his coffee mug up off of the table, bringing it with him as he went into the kitchen. Here he opened the refrigerator and pulled out some eggs and bacon. With a sharp clacking sound, the stove turned on as Aj manipulated it with one hand, pulling a frying pan out of the cabinet with the other.

“A.I, play some tunes man!” Aj called to the room.

“Playing, tunes,” a monotone male voice said.

Soft rock began playing as Aj smiled. He reached over and pulled a red apron on. The apartment was filled with the warm smell of food and the soft lull of music as Aj cooked. Movement caught his attention, and he looked over to see Sammy had meandered over to the living room. Her brown hair was a mess, as she clutched the blanket over herself. She smiled.

“What?” Aj grinned.

“Just a nice thing to see,” Sammy shrugged.

“What is?” Aj chortled.

“I can’t appreciate my man cooking for me? Why’d you put boxers on, no fun,” Sammy pouted.

“You can take ‘em off whenever you want love,” Aj cackled, stirring the eggs.

“I plan on it,” Sammy giggled, turning, and studying the hologram.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Aj groaned loudly as Sammy laughed.

“We have all day sexy,” Sammy called as she went to answer the door.

“Aye! Put some damn clothes on girl!” Aj called.

“Oh please, who do you think is knocking this early in the morning?”

“You right,” Aj sighed, turning his head back to the cooking.

As Aj finished the eggs, the bacon still sizzling, distant female voices came from the door down the hall. He pulled some plates and silverware out, humming. Despite Sammy’s illness, his morning was going rather well. He was still going to drag her to the doctor though. Schemes began forming in his mind on how he was going to trick her into going.

“Damn, you people ever wear any clothes?” a gruff female voice called.

“Good morning to you too, Hera,” Aj cackled, piling eggs and bacon on to the three plates.

He turned with the food, studying her. Hera stood in their living room in full combat attire, her leather jacket resting over her chest rig and battle belt. Her long curly mohawk was died blue, her eye patch replaced by a synthetic eye socket, with a bright red sensor having replaced the eye she had lost in the war for Mars’ freedom.

“Jealous?” Sammy giggled.

“Please, I don’t have a problem getting ass,” Hera scoffed, eyeing the whiskey bottle.

“Uh huh. Where’s your man at then?” Sammy laughed.

“Bite me, bitch,” Hera snarled.

Aj smiled, setting the food down on the countertop, pushing the plates towards the two women. He then retreated, and grabbed the whiskey bottle, extending it to Hera. She nodded with gratitude and took a long swig from it.

“So what is it this time?” Aj sighed, stabbing some scrambled eggs with a fork.

“Your vacation’s been revoked,” Hera spat, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

“What?!” Sammy snarled.

“Queen’s orders. Eat it. But hey, luckily for you guys, I kept you both on the same task force,” Hera shrugged.

“We just moved in, man,” Aj groaned.

“Yeah, I fucking know. I’d be at the brothel right now if I wasn’t on babysitting detail. No one likes it, okay? Zyhara has the whole army moving around right now.”

“Why?” Sammy asked bitterly.

“Welp, considering the massive amount of new recruits, we now have a disproportionate mix of combat experience and dipshits. And since you two have been in the shit, you now get the privilege of training the new battalions,” Hera sighed.

Aj shook his head. Sammy looked at him, her kind eyes softly studying him. It looked like she was considering something. He pondered what it possibly was when Hera spoke again.

“You both are coming with me to help secure the palace, big party tonight for all the delegates. After that, it’s off to Talabor. Nameless and Spider have some big operation cooked up, all hush, hush. But you jagoffs will be training newbies, so who cares.”

“What kind of operation?” Sammy asked softly.

“The kind that might stop Alpha Centurion,” Hera said darkly, looking at them both.

Aj’s skin crawled. He remembered the red mist, seen the specter of the dark Ethereals power. Or was Alpha Centurion even considered an Ethereal? Zyhara had said he killed and imprisoned a bunch of her family, maybe some kind of dark god? Aj didn’t want to consider fighting someone, or something, like that.

“Fine. Just give us a minute, okay?” Aj asked.

“Sure. But no fucking! I had time to go to the bar and back last time you assholes made me wait,” Hera said, crossing her arms.

“Gods, so impatient,” Sammy giggled.

“Yes ma’am!” Aj mockingly saluted.

“I hate you both,” Hera sighed, leaving.

“Love youuuuuuuu!” Sammy called happily.

Hera held up her middle finger as she left the apartment.

Aj was silent, his smile fading. He shoveled more food into his mouth, his instinct already kicking in as he planned out what to pack and what kind of armament he would need.

“That girl needs some dick,” Sammy shrugged.

Aj spat out his food, roaring with laughter as he leaned over. He shook his head, looking at her.

“Come here,” Aj said softly.

Sammy sighed, and hugged him, wrapping the blanket around them both. Aj kissed her, gently caressing her cheek.

“We’re gonna be okay,” Sammy said softly, looking into his eyes.

“Ya damn right,” Aj sighed.

Sammy leaned her head on his chest, and he held the back of her head as they embraced. For a soft and silent moment, they stood in each other’s arms in the kitchen. Then Sammy giggled and pulled away from the blanket. Aj laughed and smacked her bare bottom as she tried to get away. She shrieked and laughed, running down the hallway.

Aj chuckled, then noticed she hadn’t eaten anything. Grumbling to himself, he ate her food too, then went back to the fridge. He pulled out some lunch meat and cheese, then some bread from the drawer. The giant sniper stood there, in his boxers and bright red apron as he made some sandwiches. He put some pickles on one of them, her favorite. Satisfied, he put them in plastic baggies, then went back to the bedroom.

Inside the room, Sammy was pulling pants on as her bare chest was highlighted by the morning light. Aj stared happily, standing in place. She rolled her eyes and threw a shirt at him. Aj smiled, pulling the dark brown shirt on. He then walked over, put some jeans on. Then the combat boots. Once everything was on, he picked up his battle belt.

He carefully inspected each mag, checked the pistol, then sheathed a knife into its home. He was forgetting something, as he searched around the boxes littering the floor. A light tap on his shoulder made him turn around. Sammy was smiling, holding his combat jacket. He grinned, taking it, and putting it on, studying her.

She wore a dark green combat top and bottom, her light battle belt housing a pistol and some magazines, the rest of it covered in extra tourniquets and first aid items. She pulled out a small backpack with a bright red cross and white pattern stitched into the back. The two looked at each other.

“Let’s do this,” Sammy said brightly.

“Lead the way,” Aj laughed.

She kissed his cheek, and nearly skipped down the hallway. Aj followed, picking the sandwich bags up off of the counter, and putting them in his cargo pocket. He then grabbed his flask from the refrigerator, about to exit the apartment last. Before he left, he studied the cluttered area.

He had never been prouder to own something like this. An actual home. His entire life he had spent wandering from place to place, fighting along Nameless and Julia on jobs for Mama Jocks, the cruel nomad camp mistress that had raised them. And to have the love of his life with him, here and now, it was almost too much.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

Aj sighed, and turned the lights off, closing the door and locking it. Hera was leaning against the building’s wall, arms crossed as she scowled. Sammy stood across from her, a warm smile on her face as she nearly bubbled energy.

“You two are insufferable, you know that?” Hera scoffed.

“When you get your person, we’ll make fun of you too, how ‘bout that?” Sammy giggled.

“Urgh.”

Hera lead the way across the parking lot, towards the parked hover craft sitting in the apartment complex parking lot. As they got in, Aj sat beside Sammy in the leather seats, as Hera faced them, her back to the glass window that separated them from the driver. Hera lightly tabbed the glass.

“Palace, make it snappy,” Hera barked.

“At once, War Captain Hera,” the metal driver chimed, the craft shooting upwards into the Zion skyline.

“So, how does it feel to be War Captain?” Sammy smiled.

Hera rolled her eyes, the red sensor flickering as her human eye rolled.

“You guys are lucky, you get to drink and fuck all day, while the rest of us piece all of this back together,” Hera scowled.

“Hey, we ain’t the leading type,” Aj shrugged happily.

“You literally organized the army in the train yard,” Hera sighed.

“I was just yelling at dudes,” Aj said.

“I think you did a great job,” Sammy nodded.

Hera shook her head, gazing out the window.

Aj followed her gaze, looking at the buildings being pieced back together, a seemingly thousand construction sites barreling past the window.

“Earth is playing fuck-fuck games,” Hera sighed.

“’Course they are, that’s what they do,” Aj said.

“No, I mean, shit how do I say this. They are being, extra political.”

“What does that mean?” Sammy asked.

“It means they want the XM-801. And portaling an entire space station nearly the size of their moon into Mars’s orbit didn’t exactly relieve tensions after we told them to fuck off,” Hera said.

“Fuck ‘em,” Aj shrugged.

Hera looked at him.

“We need them, that’s the problem,” Hera said.

“We’ve been doing just fine without them,” Sammy said sharply.

“We haven’t been going toe to toe with wherever the hell Alpha is from,” Hera said.

“Leave that shit to the politicians, tell me about these new recruits,” Aj said seriously, leaning forward.

“In an effort to ease tensions, Zyhara has allowed entire platoons from Earth and her colonies to integrate into the Zion task-forces. I dunno what the hell Nameless and Spider have planned, but best guess is they’re gonna start handing out the god serum,” Hera said.

“Can we trust Earth with that kind of power though?” Sammy asked worriedly, her eyes wide.

“Gonna have to. All right, almost there, game faces people. Pretty much every fucker you meet from here on out has some kinda agenda,” Hera scowled.

The craft soared through an open causeway in the human level ceiling, leading down a long tunnel like path. Aj watched in wonder as the lights built into the tunnel wall zipped past, eventually ending as the tunnel opened up into the ruling level. Memories of the war from last year returned to him as Aj studied the beautiful gardens sprawling below them.

Eventually, the craft slowed down, evening out and descending onto a landing pad. Hera got out first, then Sammy and Aj. As the bright light of the ruling level hit their eyes, Aj squinted. After adjusting, he studied the immense palace before them.

Seemingly overnight, Zyhara had changed the architecture into a compound built like a chateau from Earth. The palace was massive, with multiple levels and towers, the pure white walls checkered with glass windows, and sprawling gardens in front.

As the three Vagabonds disembarked, the greeting party consisting of two women stepped forward. One was in a neat blue and white uniform, with grey eyes, golden blonde hair, and a silver arm. The other was adorned in a white dress, her pure silver hair running down her scalp to the small of her back, both sides of her head shaved and covered in bright tattoos.

“Julia, Sapphire, what’s up?” Aj called happily.

Julia smiled warmly, and hugged Sammy then Aj.

“Good to see you both,” Julia smiled.

“Been some time, how you been?” Sammy giggled.

“Busy,” Julia sighed.

As Julia and Sammy talked, Aj studied Sapphire. She was nothing like her father Thaddeus. Quiet and reserved, a cool even tone her face. They locked eyes, and Sapphire stepped forward.

“We need to discuss the security measures for tonight,” Sapphire said sternly.

“You got it, where do you want Sammy?” Aj asked.

“She can stay with me, I wouldn’t mind some extra help with the floor plan,” Julia said.

“Great!” Sammy said.

Julia and Sammy walked away, both chattering happily and laughing. Hera and Sapphire both looked at Aj, with odd looks.

“What I do now?” Aj asked.

“Nothing yet,” Sapphire said sternly.

“There’s going to be a lot of important people here tonight, we need your best behavior,” Hera arched an eyebrow.

“Oh come on, when have I ever embarrassed you at a party?” Aj chortled.

Hera leaned her head forward, arms wide as she looked at him with a sarcastic look.

“Yeah. Fine. You got it,” Aj sighed.

“That’s ‘yes War Captain’, to you,” Sapphire said.

“I’m sorry, who the fuck are you again?” Aj barked.

“The one in charge of you,” Sapphire growled.

Aj roared with laughter; his arms crossed.

“Is something funny?” Sapphire asked coldly.

“Sapph,” Hera growled.

Aj held up his finger and stepped into Sapphire’s personal space.

“I’m just as much a Vagabond as Hera, so way more than you. I’d change that tone, and start being nice, or else I might find myself a nice couple of bottles. Be a real shame if drunk Aj came out,” Aj growled.

“Oh! He’s sober, is he? Goodness, I couldn’t tell from the stench of cheap liquor coming from your breathe,” Sapphire growled.

“You both are equals, and in charge of making sure nothing stupid happens tonight. Act like it,” Hera snapped.

“I am a professor of Zion!” Sapphire spat.

“And I’m a fucking War Captain. Don’t make me transfer you back to the library, you’re only on security because Julia convinced me. Or did you think we forgot about what Zyhara reported from Talabor?” “They left me,” Sapphire seethed.

“Can’t imagine why,” Aj laughed.

Sapphire stared at them both angrily, then stomped away, darkly whispering under her breathe. Hera sighed, massaging her temples as Aj grinned.

“Seriously though, best behavior, can you do that for me big guy?” Hera asked.

“Not a problem, just show me the plans,” Aj said warmly.

“Appreciate it, follow me,” Hera said.

Aj nodded and the two walked along the gravel pathway that skirted the gardens outside the chateau. As they walked by, guards stood at attention, their sharp and polished tactical armor gleaning in the artificial sunlight. Aj studied Hera, remembering the feral slave turned freedom fighter. She walked with a measured and focused gate, her eye glaring and scanning ahead.

“Leadership suites you,” Aj chuckled.

Hera scoffed.

“Rather be out there, fighting,” Hera snapped.

“Fighting who?” Aj chortled.

“Whoever is stupid enough to fuck with us,” Hera sighed.

Aj laughed as they entered into the massive palace. Inside the lobby was a long and wide floor of marble, the walls lined with art from every corner of Zion’s influence. Statues precisely lined the floor as Aj and Hera wove their way in between the throngs of servants and acolytes preparing for tonight’s festivities. Directly across from the entrance were two massive stairways that curved themselves from the floor to the second level, with a balcony connecting the middle portion so that people could gaze from the second floor to the first. Aj whistled.

The security plan itself was just as immense as was the interior of the palace. Aj talked with the guards, along with the detachment of Wolves Hera had brought to bolster the already massive amount of soldiers and troopers on duty. Everyone seemed on edge. As Aj wrapped up speaking with one of the Wolf Captains, movement on the balcony caught his eye. He looked up, to see the Queen of Zion smiling down upon him.

The dark and fair skinned queen looked radiant, a gold and white dress flowing from her form, her nails painted gold, her face highlighted with light gold make up, her long hair bound up behind her head, interwoven with silver and blue. A purple aura seemed to hum around her body as she gracefully glided down the steps, two other people in toe.

A women with bright red hair, much shorter than the queen, her green eyes glowing, an odd crimson glow emanating from her small figure, walked on Zyhara’s left. The crimson haired lady was adorned with a white dress that extended to her shins, which glowed in the light from the chandeliers. On the left walked a muscular blonde man with glowing orange eyes, wearing a magnificent suit.

“My lady,” Aj awkwardly bowed.

“It has been too long, dear friend,” Queen Zyhara chimed.

Zyhara clasped her hands together, her eyes widening.

“I am so sorry; Hera had mentioned your leave being cut short. Please accept my sincerest apologies, I do hope you and Sammy may forgive me,” the queen sighed.

“It’s fine, I’m sure we can get some more time off,” Aj chortled.

“Redbird,” Zyhara asked the crimson haired girl.

“Yes my lady,” Redbird bowed.

“I would like a charter arranged to the Neptian bath house for Aj and Sammy, it is well deserved,” Zyhara smiled.

“Of course my lady,” Redbird nodded.

Aj’s eyes widened. The bath houses and resorts of Neptune where legendary. Only the richest folk in the solar system could get in.

“That’s-that’s not necessary,” Aj croaked.

“Nonsense, I already ask too much of you all. Thank you for being here, I feel safer already! Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me, Julia seems to have need of me,” Zyhara bowed.

“Of course your majesty,” Aj nodded and bowed.

Zyhara and Redbird walked past him, leaving only the blonde man in the suit. The two men stared each other down.

“You’ve gotten fat,” Aj grinned.

“You’ve gotten soft,” the man replied.

“Too much wine and suits, I’m guessing,” Aj tilted his head.

“See, you have fallen into the trap. A steady woman, and a nice home turns warriors into indolents,” the man said, crossing his arms.

The two men continued to stare each other down, then started howling with laughter, embracing.

“Gods, it really has been a year hasn’t it Lion?” Aj smiled.

“Too long man!” General Lion grinned.

Lion leaned in.

“You wouldn’t happen to have that lovely flask on you would you?” Lion asked softly.

Aj chuckled, reaching into his jacket, and handing the General the flask. Lion nodded with wide eyes, swiftly gulping from the flask. He pulled the silver flask away, wiping his mouth as he exhaled deeply.

“’Preciate it,” Lion grinned.

“So you here on ‘babysitting detail’ too?” Aj asked.

“Yup. My people’s ambassadors won’t be here until this evening, and even when they do show up, they want nothing to do with me. So I’m just gonna wander around and watch Zyhara’s back,” Lion shrugged.

“Why don’t you stick with me? We can keep each other sober.”

Both laughed, knowing how stupid an idea it would be to stick together for sobriety’s sake. As the room melted into last minute activity, Aj and Lion began walking up the the stairs.

“Who’s that red head?” Aj asked curiously.

“Ah. Redbird, old friend of mine. She’s an Ethereal for the Laydren. Or, was, anyway. She came here after we won, guess the oligarchy back home was finally too much for her,” Lion shrugged.

“Why doesn’t she appear in Laydren form then?” Lion arched an eyebrow.

“Buddy, how many pinnacles of evolution you see walking around here? Our job is to fit in and help you primitives navigate this big bad universe,” Lion laughed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Aj shrugged as they walked deeper into the palace.

Music filled the halls, as servers came and went from the tall white doors that led from the kitchens unto the ball room floor. Guards lined the walls and entrances, as scryers and Zion acolytes prowled about, their energies flickering and auras glowing like roaming candles of light. Aj was leaning against a door frame, on the second floor overlooking the first-floor party. Lion stood across from him, leaning against the wooden balcony, wine glass in hand.

Both warriors where in pristine suits, with a light buzz on. But, despite the intoxication, both where ready to draw steel at a moment’s notice. As they talked, Aj scanned the crowd. He saw the trade federation representatives, the ambassadors of Earth, Mars, Venus, Neptune, and the asteroid belt colonies. He saw human forms with glowing eyes, the Laydren. Small throngs of multi limbed aliens milled about the crowd, floating fungi, several species that had evolved from lizards, etc. The ball room was largely human, yet nearly a hundred different species where represented at the ball.

Queen Zyhara was dancing with a male Laydren, his perfect body and face highlighted by his purple eye liner and robes as the two highly evolved beings circled each other in a dance so intricate and graceful it was more art than physical movement.

The spectacle was nearly mind blowing to Aj, the weight of his new position not far from his mind. A year ago he had followed Nameless to this odd, advanced place, months before that he had taken up arms against the slave masters of Mars. His diet had consisted of rations, filtered water, and moldy rice most of his life. Now he dined on the finest organic meats and vegetables, sipped from chalices of wine made by the highest masters of their craft.

He had slept underneath the stars in a sleeping bag most of his life, now he lay besides the woman he loved on a mattress of foam. Aj had bled and fought alongside murders, swindlers, whores, and traitors. Now he talked with a shape shifting alien prince. Both Aj and Lion now commanded men and could with a single whim send thousands to their deaths and destruction.

Lion yawned, then frowned at his empty glass.

“Imma get a refill, you need one good buddy?” Lion chimed.

“Yeah man!” Aj laughed, quickly finishing his glass, and handing it to the general.

Lion smiled and meandered away, to the stairs that led to the open bar. As Aj watched Lion disappear, boredom overtook him. He loved battle. The feeling of when his sights where firmly planted on the forehead of an enemy, the recoil, watching their face melt, and skull collapse from the round he had precisely sent with skill and bravery. There was nothing like it. This peace was slowly draining him, killing his spirit. He hated the paperwork and small talk. Where was the violence he had been accustomed to since childhood?

Aj walked alone, passing throngs of diplomats, scientists, politicians, and soldiers in their dress uniforms. He took a right, wandering down the empty hall, his buzz lifting his spirits as his foggy mind wandered also.

The hall was lined with pristine art, sculptures, and paintings from a hundred worlds. Aj was alone, except for a lone man. Aj studied him, noticing the lack of any kind of beverage or signs of intoxication. The man was skinny, and keenly focused on a painting. Aj wandered over.

“There’s plenty of paintings down there, friend,” Aj sighed.

The man’s taut and pale face, framed by his blonde and stringy hair scowled, his fingers curled around his chin as his eyes did not move, a look of heavy concentration framed on the man’s sharp face.

“Indeed. But none down there have been painted by the great Marioso,” the man nearly whispered in awe.

“Marioso?” Aj laughed, standing beside the man.

“Indeed. Mars’ greatest artist, nearly three hundred years old. And yet, it speaks as though it was painted yesterday.”

Aj studied the painting. A young girl in a white dress sat beneath a tree, her back to them, a wooden basket of apples by her side, as she watched the ships soar out of orbit towards the faint stars highlighted by the Martian sunset.

“Tell me, friend, when you see this painting, what do you see?” the man asked.

Aj shrugged.

“I see a girl with some apples by a tree,” he murmured with boredom.

“Indeed. But why is she there? Why does she ponder? She sits upon green grass that defies the very orange giant it grows from, by a tree seeded not from the world she was born on, gazing upon the very kind of vessels that brought her people to a paradise that saved her from a future of desperation within Earth’s failing climate.

“Is she too young to remember leaving Earth? Was she born on Mars and so takes its former bounty for granted? Or does she accept her life, yet like all of us, yearn for something greater?” the man asked fondly.

Aj chuckled.

The odd man turned his head and smiled.

“You two have quite a lot of in common, Aj of the Vagabonds,” the man smirked.

“Yeah? Why’s that?” “You forsake the future the generations before you strove for, in search of something greater,” the man said, turning his head back to the art.

“Right,” Aj sighed.

The fact the man knew him didn’t surprise Aj. The vagabonds where arguably the most famous band of fighters in the solar system, most certainly on Zion. But there was a nonchalantness to the man’s speech and demeanor. Aj chuckled.

“What’s your name man?” Aj laughed.

The man’s eyes widened as he turned to face Aj.

“Goodness, how rude of me. So sorry, I am called Shrike,” the skinny blonde man smiled.

“Shrike?” “Indeed. A purveyor of beauty, the bringer of balance to chaos, an admirer of the simplicity yet complication that life brings,” Shrike smiled.

“No doctor, professor, general, anything?” Aj arched an eyebrow.

“Are such titles the measurement you utilize to surmise a simple man’s worth?” Shrike smiled.

“Nah, just like, this is a party for important people. Most important people love telling you all the cool shit they’ve done,” Aj sighed.

“Trust me, my young friend, when I have accomplished my great dead, all will know my name,” Shrike nodded happily.

An odd feeling wrestled inside Aj’s chest. This guy was weird, like really weird. Not the I know more than you weird that was built into most people from Zion, and not like the educated weird like professor bullshit. This guy was like the kind of people Mama Jockus would take contracts from.

Suddenly, Aj heard his name called. He turned, to see Lion happily waving, beckoning for him to come back.

“That’s my cue,” Aj sighed.

“Thank you for listening to my ramblings, Aj,” Shrike nodded.

“Yeah, man. Good luck with your great deeds or whatever,” Aj sighed, walking away.