Unlike in 2472 AD, Chromo Tower is not overflowing with guests. The event is not held in the banquet hall but instead it is taking place in the library of Chromo Tower. It is quite a spacious room as well, with 4m high ceilings, stacked from top to bottom with various artifacts and books. Though anything can be read from a screen or a brain chip these days, Ludvig Chromo had always expressed preference to holding things in his hands and a book is like being able to touch the knowledge you consume according to him. The atmosphere is warm, glowing yellow from the crackling fireplace burning Everwood, a petroleum product meant to substitute wood. It looks and smells identical but burns a lot longer.


    As the evening begins, there are Astraeus, Boreas, mingiling with Paskal and Anderson, sitting near the open bar. They’re trading stories and impressions of various conquests and comparing their experiences. Windsor is enamored, listening to detailed descriptions about Draia’s culture. She tells him about the singing builders who use their voice to raise several ton columns just by humming the correct tune. He’s gripping his glass of whiskey tightly as she walks him through the mating festivals and rituals of her culture. Eurus is talking to Chromo and Kalopsia, explaining Kalopsia’s role and their impending trip to Earth.


    Eurus is wearing his underarmor, pants made from a tarp-like material and his upper torso is still armored on his shoulders and collarbone.


    “So I’d never see you again?” Madelaine asks Kalopsia. She’s not wearing her usual dark getup and instead has clad a more casual look. She’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She could be mistaken for a cleaning lady due to her current form. When asked about it cheekily by Windsor, she told him that she’s joyous enough for her daughter’s return that she has elected to not even slightly care about attire at this point and wants to feel comfortable.


    “Not for a few years,” Eurus says, “I will setup communications though, you can remain in touch.”


    “Don’t worry, mom,” says Kalopsia, “Eurus will keep me safe.”


    “I don’t doubt that,” Madelaine says, “I just got you back. Are you sure… I don’t know what to feel.”


    “Once the production line is complete and secure, Kalopsia can return as she will have fulfilled her role as the prime mother.”


    “It’s just that… After all you went through to be treated like a broodmare… It’s appalling!” Madelaine says.


    “I’m literally saving humanity,” says Kalopsia, “There is no greater honor.”


    “Why doesn’t it feel like it though?” Madelaine says, and she receives a message in her earpiece. “Let her in,” she responds.


    “Eurus, I believe there’s someone here to congratulate you on a job well done,” says Madelaine.


    The large accentuated doors to the room slowly open, to reveal Mirra standing behind them. She’s not wearing her alluring dress, in fact her outfit is very discreet compared to her usual robes. Her torso is wrapped in a black turtleneck, it in turn covered in a tweed blazer. She’s donned pants to match her outfit, black jeans wrapped tight around her legs and finally high heels lifting her feet and herself up off the ground, towering even further over the others. Her black hair is done up in a neat little bun, keeping her face clear of any strands. She’s painted her lips dark red still and she’s wearing dark eyeliner similar to her makeup in 2472.


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    Eyes are drawn to her immediately as she enters and Eurus is not exempt from this. He excuses himself from his conversation with Madelaine and walks up to Mirra. She looks at him and he at her, neither saying a word. Mirra slowly steps towards Eurus, wraps her arms around him, rests her head on his chest. She says quietly:


    “Ultra never really stood a chance against you, huh?”


    “They didn’t have you to tell them,” says Eurus, as they release each other.


    Mirra puts her arms around Eurus’ right arm and they proceed to mingle with the guests, side-by-side. Eurus introduces Boreas and Astraeus to Mirra and her to them.


    “Brothers, this is Mirra, my friend,” says Eurus, “Mirra, this is Boreas, and this is Astraeus,” as he points to them, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve another matter to attend to, but I’ll be back in a short while.”


    Eurus goes to get Draia and Windsor, the latter assisting him in getting Draia off-world again. Eurus assures her that as soon as the Cell production has been brought back online, he will bring the full might of the Solar Empire along with an army of Cells.


    “It is my vow to you, Draia – Tomorra will not stand alone,” he says before they leave.


    “Mirra, a pleasure,” says Boreas.


    “Ditto,” says Astraeus.


    “I assure you gentlemen, the pleasure is all mine,” says Mirra, “I thought Eurus to be the only Cell I’d ever meet.”


    “I can see why he kept you to himself,” says Boreas, “You know Eurus is alone among the Cells to never veer far from the Codex these days.”


    “Really?” says Mirra, looking surprised.


    “Indeed,” says Astraeus, “But I’d argue you’re a positive influence on him.”


    “How so?” Mirra asks.


    “It’s a choice of every Cell to follow or to ignore the Codex. Most of us obey it but none did it more than Eurus. If it were not for you he might not even consider helping the Tomorrans or to bring Cell production back online,” says Astraeus


    “Why is it his call to make? Is he special somehow?”


    “It isn’t. Yet he’s making it anyway. A few years ago he wouldn’t have,” says Astraeus.


    “That’s not to say that you’re the cause solely but you are an influence,” says Boreas.


    A few hours pass. Mirra spends time with the rest of the company who were involved with recent events, waiting for Eurus to come back. She’s considering leaving, but she learns that even though the Earth-Mars transfer window has closed, Eurus has been authorized by the War Martial to use one of Cell warships (even though they belong to Cells, they carry nukes and other powerful weaponry) to get to Earth faster and thus he will be leaving in a short while. So instead, she decides to wait for him.


    “I hope the wait wasn’t too bad,” says Eurus, walking up behind Mirra while she’s quietly studying one of the artifacts in the room.


    “You’re leaving in a few days?” says Mirra quietly, “For how long?”


    She’s doing her best to appear aloof and above it all, but there are subtle tells she’s upset. Her voice is usually comparable to a massive river in a sense, running through a plain, smooth as a mirror, but instead it’s as if a flow of rapids approaching a waterfall. This subtlety is all but imperceptible for the others, but very palpable to Eurus.


    “Maybe a year, maybe more, it’s hard to say,” says Eurus.


    “It’s to do with that business at Ultra?” she asks.


    “Would you like to go out with me? Right now?” Eurus asks.


    “Why?”


    “We could speak alone,” says Eurus.


    “Yeah, why not,” says Mirra. Her mouth feels slightly dry. She doesn’t know why but she finds herself struggling a little to draw her breath. Of course, any Codex-bound mission comes first to Eurus, but why couldn’t he just let her know. Invite her along? “I really thought what we had was something special,” she thinks to herself over and over again.