Ryan Alexander Carey pulled his coat tight against the chill of the Avalonian night air. He was out on the street, softly lit by evenly spaced electric lamps. Up ahead, he saw his destination.

The bar took up nearly half a block now. A far cry from the hole-in-the-wall his father had founded the establishment in. While not the only bar or tavern in Atlantis, or even in the immediate neighborhood. Rixie’s was an institution. Everybody knew it was the place to be.

And fortunately for Ryan, he always had his name on the list.

He nodded to the bouncer, who lifted the velvet rope and allowed him to pass.

The bar was loud. No surprise really, it was karaoke night. Ryan, personally, had questioned his father’s sanity when Alex had originally told him about it. But, as usual, Alex had been right. People flocked to the bar every week on karaoke night for a chance to get up on the small stage and make fools of themselves while singing off-key.

Ryan walked into the main bar and ordered a Medzina Schnapps – it was a bit spendy, even for a human-sized portion, but you couldn’t really dislike glowing whiskey, and besides, Tribe Maris Distillery was half-owned by humans, so at least he could tell himself he was supporting the cause.

He sipped from the softly-glowing drink and scanned the room. Presently, someone caught his attention. She had her back to him, but she was alone, watching the singers (currently performing a rock-influenced Avalonian folk tune) and sipping a drink. She had her dark hair cropped short, and it stood out against her milky white skin.

Well, he hadn’t gotten a good look at her, but still, no reason to wait. He could always wave off if she wasn’t attractive, but something told him she would be. He walked up beside her, and just loudly enough to be heard, said, “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Ryan!” she said, turning to him and beaming. “Of course! Sit down!”

Ryan gaped. It took him a long, awkward moment to say, “Thyllia?” He blinked. “What…what are you doing here?”

“Surprise,” she said, with a grin. “Just got in this morning. Thought I should visit Rixie’s while I was in town. Your dad keeps adding to it, doesn’t he?”

“I…uh…yeah….” Ryan said, blinking. It had been a good three Archavian years since he’d seen Thyllia Fand – she’d gone off to school and then went to work for the family business. Last he’d heard she was wowing people in the Core with her acumen. Not to mention her grace and beauty, which had almost – almost – garnered her more attention than her big half-sister.

“Well?” Thyllia asked, chuckling. “I thought you were going to join me.”

“Huh? Oh…uh…right,” Ryan said. “Right. So. Um…how are you?”

“Frazzled. You would not believe how much work goes into running a business. I have no idea how Pryvani makes it look so easy.”

“Pryvani’s always made everything look easy,” Ryan said.

“True,” Thyllia said. “I’d hate her for it, but she’s too nice. So what are you doing? Last I heard you were a pilot?” she asked, staring him down.

“Yeah, I’m…uh…I’m captain of the Zeno’s Paradox,” Ryan said, swallowing. He had never managed to think particularly clearly while looking into Thyllia’s eyes. Didn’t look like that was changing.

“I thought I heard that. So have you been to Earth? What’s it like?”

“It’s…you know…uh…it’s kind of like Avalon. Without the big planet in the sky,” said Ryan, wincing with every awkward word. “I mean…it’s different, though…Las Vegas is pretty cool,” he muttered, before deciding to cut his losses.

“Pryvani said that. Kind of like Fand, it sounds like. The old family homestead,” she chuckled. “It’s funny, I live in New Trantor now, and I haven’t been to Fand once since I moved there. Despite the title.”

“Right, I forget you’re ‘Lady Fand.’”

“I try to myself,” Thyllia muttered, wincing at the title. “Not much to be proud of, being Syon Fand’s daughter. I’ve already let the Emperor know that I won’t fight if he decides to transfer the Fands out of the Seventy-Nine Families. He could replace us with the Basses. They’re actual Guardians of the Empire.”

“You aren’t your mother, Thyllia. You’ve always been nice. As far back as I can remember. Even put up with me when you were my baby-sitter…”

“I never minded baby-sitting you. You were cute! And you had a crush on me – and don’t deny it, it was obvious. Remember how you used to play that game…what was it…oh, right, Ishin-Bozh! You’d save me from the evil ogre, or demon, or whatever it was… you even cut the ‘ropes’ I’d been tied up with, even though that meant running down my back to get ‘em.”

“….” Ryan said. To be specific, he let out a rather pathetic squeak, one he hoped Thyllia didn’t hear. She had been his first crush, as a kid, and he wasn’t surprised she’d picked up on it.

He had to admit; the thought of running down Thyllia’s back now was…well, enough to make a captain in the Avalonian Guard squeak.

“And now look at you,” Thyllia continued, giving him a dazzling smile. “All grown up, commanding Avalon’s only starship…you’ve come a long way, Captain Carey.”

“Right, and you haven’t?” Ryan replied.

“Eh, I got lucky. My big sister decided to look out for me, rather than giving me to the Hoplites. Not that the Hoplites are bad,” she said. “They’re awesome, but….”

“Mom would rather have known her family, I think,” Ryan muttered, quietly.

“Exactly,” Thyllia nodded. “You and I got lucky. I had my big sister, you had your parents. All your parents.”

Ryan nodded. “Yeah. I know,” he said. “Still isn’t easy. Is it?”

“No, it isn’t. At least your birth mom died saving you, unlike mine, who is in the Imperial Dungeon.”

Ryan looked up. “I’m surprised you remember that. It’s been a long time.”

Thyllia smiled sadly. “Oh, I remember hearing the story from your mom and dad. And…if this is painful….”

Ryan shook his head. “The only thing that hurts,” he said, “is that I only have the littlest bit of memory left of her…and none of him. I wish I could remember more. They gave themselves up so I could live. I owe them to remember.”

“You owe them to live,” Thyllia said. She took a drink. “It’s stupid…I was almost jealous when they told me. At least your mom loved you enough to put herself in harm’s way. Syon never would have. Still wouldn’t. She killed Pryvani’s dad and my dad. Probably would have killed us both eventually.”

She shook her head. “I know, that sounds awful, your birth mom died for you, and mine’s still alive.”

“No, I understand,” Ryan said. “I don’t remember my birth mom much. But I’m proud of her. I just hope I’m worth it.”

“Now that is just silly. Of course you’re worth it! You’re successful, kind, handsome – I assume you’re married, have kids?”

Ryan laughed. “Not yet,” he said.

Thyllia’s eyes widened. “Steady girlfriend, at least?”

“I’ve…nobody now. There’ve been a few. I dated Sorcha Freeman for a while, you know her.”

Thyllia looked almost thoughtful. “Really? Sorcha? That must have been…intense.”

Ryan laughed. “Oh my, yes. I like Sorcha. But dating her is kinda like making an uncalculated jump to warp. It’s exhilarating in the moment, but there’s a good chance you’re gonna get killed.”

Thyllia giggled. “That sounds like her. Still, about as bright a woman as I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, she’s smart,” Ryan shook his head and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “No question of that. She ever harnesses her powers for good, she could be unstoppable. But she can date someone else. Too much work.”

“And the size thing had to be tough,” Thyllia prompted.

“No, that was fine,” Ryan said, before taking a swallow of his drink. “Although you know, she didn’t tell me she was giant for the first few months we dated? She thought I’d reject her. Which was silly.” He took another swallow. “I feel sorry for Sorcha, actually. I think she’s scared a lot more than she lets on. She just lashes out because of it. I hope she figures that out someday. I’m not gonna be the one to find out, but….”

“…but she deserves happiness. Yeah, she does,” Thyllia said.

“So are you still dating that veeball player?” Ryan asked. “The one on the Grelau colonial team?”

“No, it didn’t work out,” Thyllia said, idly playing with a lock of hair by her ear. “He was too self-centered. Pretty, but too in love with himself. You can’t date someone who loves themselves more than they love you.”

“That’s the truth,” Ryan nodded. “You need people who love each other like Pryvani and Zhan, or my parents, or Ted and Tig….”

“Who were those last two?” Thyllia took a sip of her drink.

“Ted Martínez and Tig Belfsec; I’ve become pretty good friends with ‘em. He’s the captain of the Alcubierre, Earth’s warp ship, and she’s a pilot flying out of Titan Station. They met at First Contact. Anyhow, they both are just crazy in love with each other – if one of them was ever in mortal jeopardy, they’d probably both die trying to save the other. And they’d be happy that was how it worked out.”

“Ted’s a human and Tig’s a Titan, right?”

“Yup,” Ryan said, taking another swallow.

“All of those were human-Titan couples, you know,” Thyllia said, finishing her drink.

“I suppose they were,” Ryan said.

“You know, Ryan,” Thyllia said, setting her glass back on the table. “I do need to get some sleep; my patterns are all screwed up what with the travel. But the Avalonian evening after tomorrow, around 44:00, would you want to drop by Pryvani’s apartment? I’m staying in her guest suite. I’d love to catch up with you away from the noise of the crowd.”

“That sounds fun,” Ryan said, hoping the way his stomach was twisting didn’t show on his face. “I’ll see you then.”

Thyllia raised a glass in a toast, and set it back down, deactivating her holos in the process.

Ryan went to down his drink. This would be fun. It would be nice to see Thyllia alone in her….

He had to stop thinking for a second as he began to choke on the liquid.

*.*.*

The lively bar scenery around Thyllia faded, being replaced by the dull walls of the holosuite. Thyllia frowned at the empty glass on the “table” in front of her. Said Table was really nothing more than a raised platform that had been shadowed by a holographic table. Similar platforms surrounded her, each corresponding to a table in the actual Rixie’s. When it became apparent that the Titan residents of Tayas Mons would be spending quite a bit of time socializing in Alex’s bar, it seemed an obvious choice for Pryvani to install a way for the bartender to be able to serve them drinks and food.

The holosuite’s layout perfectly matched Rixie’s, right to the fully-stocked bar in the corner, which carried a number of Archavian born spirits. The controls down in the Avalonian bar allowed Alex to mix up and serve his Titan friends any number of Archavian cocktails.

Thyllia got up and grabbed her glass, carrying it over to the automated washer in the corner of the bar area. After disposing of it, she walked towards the door to the holosuite.

Only then did the situation she had just placed herself in fully grasp her. Her throat felt dry and she really could use another drink.

Instead, she decided to go find Pryvani.

Moments later, Thyllia found herself pacing the floor of Pryvani’s expansive bedroom while the aforementioned sister and her husband, sat on the edge of her bed and watched the frantic young adult with amusement.

“What was I thinking?” Thyllia moaned. “I can’t believe I asked him to meet me here after I made such an idiot out of myself in the bar.”

“Really?” Pryvani’s eyes sparkled with mirth. “How so?”

Thyllia stopped and stared incredulously at her sister. “Are you kidding? I started babbling about his dead mother, of all things. How romantic! Ugh, what’s wrong with me? Poor guy probably thought I was insane.”

“Thyllia… I really think-“

“I made a total mess of everything.” Thyllia resumed pacing, gesticulating wildly with her hands.

“Well, he did agree to meet you.” Zhan reasoned.

“Don’t you start with me.” Thyllia groused in mock irritation. “This is entirely your fault, you know. Ever since you made me watch that final message of yours from Titan Station. ‘Oh, I think you should go for it Thyllia, at least then you’ll know’.”

“Thylliia… dear…” Pryvani bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Zhan’s got a point… he did agree to meet you.”

“Yeah, because he’s polite!” Thyllia shot back, covering her face with her hands and flopping on the bed next to Pryvani.

“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Pryvani asked pointedly. “I mean, it’s no secret he’s had quite the… fascination with you…”

“Yeah, sure, he had a crush on me.” Thyllia conceded. “Everybody knew it, but he was just a kid. And to be fair, I was- quite literally- larger than life to him. And look what he’s done since! He’s had a successful career! He’s a starship captain! Nobody gave that to him! I mean, what am I? I’m lucky. I inherited. I didn’t… I didn’t actually work for anything.”

Pryvani’s gaze hardened and she turned on her sister. “You stop that right now, Thyllia Fand.”

“Why?’ Thyllia sighed. “It’s true.”

“It is not.” Pryvani squeezed her sister’s shoulders. “Yes, you’ve taken over Mother’s company… but look what you’ve done with it! You’ve cleaned house from top to bottom, gutted the corruption and the dirt. You’ve changed the entire face. DarkStar media isn’t about gambling and shady deals. You’ve fostered artistic talent. Provided spaces for theater and music. How many creative minds have gotten their shot because of what you’ve done? You’ve taken something evil and made good from it. Nothing could be greater than that.”

Thyllia rubbed her face and looked thoughtful for a moment, before smiling at Pryvani. “I… I guess that’s true.”

“Of course it is.” Pryvani said gently, sitting next to her sister. “And if Ryan can’t see that, then that’s too bad for him.”

“Though… something tells me he knows how great you are already.” Zhan added with a grin.

Thyllia laughed. “Thank you. Both of you.”

“Darling, it’s what we’re here for.” Pryvani smiled at her sister. “Now, go on, get some rest.”

“Yeah…” Thyllia muttered. “I think that’s a good idea.”