"What's wrong?" Tarris watched a range of emotions flow over Asher's face.

"Just wondering what's waiting for us outside. Especially after you stormed over to the Administrator's house like that."

"That thought had crossed my mind. I think we should be safe in public." Still, Rya was useless in the light of day, and they were both vulnerable. Not completely helpless, but her mugging the night before severely dented her confidence.

The door whispered quietly shut as they left the apartment. Tarris turned to face the door and clipped a tiny piece of wire into one of the crevices.

"What are you doing?"

"It's my intruder alert." Her finger pushed the clip under the rim so that it was just out of sight. "If they try to bug my apartment, I'll know it." Tarris tapped the back of her neck. After her hair turned to black, she reached for Asher's hand. "Come on, let's go find some warmth."

"I haven't been to this one before." Asher stood next to Tarris outside the metallic monolith. Tarris swept her wrist over the scanner and waited for the door to move aside.

"I practically live here," she said. Tarris really liked this park, maybe as much for the companionship she knew she would find here as for the comforting warmth of the artificial sun. Her companion seemed amused. "What?"

"That doesn't surprise me at all," Asher said.

"What doesn't surprise you?"

"You're not fooling anyone, you know. This place reeks of positive things. Clear blue sky, bright sunlight, clear water, and green grass. You actively seek these out, Tarris. You need them to balance the darkness in your life."

"I think you're mistaken," Tarris said a little too quickly.

"No, I don't think so. You're a trooper, and that requires a certain amount of cool detachment. Am I right?" Tarris gave a slight nod. "Subconsciously, you seek out those things that give you pleasure, in particular this park. It's a balm to your soul."

"But I have no soul, remember?"

"Troopers might not have souls, but you're the exception. You have a troubled soul that's looking for the light."

She's right, my sister. She's the light to my darkness.

So, what does that mean?

I don't know, but I feel it. I feel her.

Tarris felt dazed. She didn't even begin to understand what Rya was trying to say.

"Are you still with me?" Asher asked. "Hello?"

"Sorry. I don't know if I really agree with what you said, but I do like this place. It's..." She searched for the right word. "Comforting."

Tarris found Darmen seated on the ground and leaning against a tree, as she had many times before. He was talking into a small hand-held device, which she assumed to be a video comlink to his main office. It didn't surprise her that Darmen possessed one. He had always jokingly told her that he worked; now she had the proof. "Tarris, my dear." Darmen put down the device. "It's always a pleasure to see you."

"Busy working my friend?" Tarris chuckled. She noticed the curiosity in his eyes as he studied her companion. "What's that in your hand?"

Darmen held up the small device. "A pendric."

"What's a pendric?" Asher asked.

"Darmen, this is Asher Hyrea. Asher, this is Darmen... Sorry, I don't even know your last name."

"Just Darmen. Nice to meet you, Asher." His eyes swept over Asher's face as if trying to gauge their relationship. "Any friend of Tarris's..."

"Don't start." Tarris grinned.

"And you said you didn't have any friends." Asher shook a finger at her.

"Computer programming isn't all it's cracked up to be." It was a subtle hint to Asher not to mention who she was. "It can get lonely sometimes."

"Ah, the nature of the beast," Darmen said. "I know that feeling very well." He held up the small device. "I can't seem to escape it at the moment."

"Shouldn't you be in your office?"

"Probably, but I get more done here than in a sterile office." He smiled. "You won't begrudge an old man his little idiosyncrasy, will you?"

"Of course not." Tarris wasn't one to talk. Her life was one big idiosyncrasy "How can that little thing be work?" Asher asked.

"A pendric is a virtual office, my dear. It projects a 3D holographic image of my office desk. It's like I'm there, but I'm not. I can interact with everything on it."

"It sounds like the Anatomatix used by medipracs," Asher said.

"Really? Do tell."

"It's a holographic 3D model of a human. Medipracs use it to practice surgery, without having to worry about killing anyone."

"You seem knowledgeable about this."

Tarris reached into her pocket. "I would like to ask your opinion on something." She didn't like asking for a favor because it usually meant owing one in return, but this was something she had no expertise in. "Someone who I had called a friend gave me these awhile back." In her hand lay the two devices. "I was wondering if they actually do what he claimed they did."

Darmen picked up the two pieces out of her hand. "Interesting. This one looks like the bug detector I gave you. And this..." He pinched the tiny block of metal between his thumb and forefinger and held it up, turning it from side to side to study it. "This looks like it belongs in a computer."

"You were right about the first one." But that wasn't the one that would raise an eyebrow. "The second sets up a 'ghost' communication line."

"A 'ghost' line?"

"Yes, it was supposed to make a safe connection between me and whoever I contacted. One that couldn't be monitored."

"Interesting." Darmen's eyes lit up at the information. "Very interesting. Why do you doubt that they do what this person claimed they did?"

"Because I found out he was lying to me about other things. Would he be lying about these, too?" Tarris didn't want to elaborate and hoped the vague explanation would satisfy Darmen's curiosity. She felt his eyes on her, trying to read her body language.

"How soon do you need to know?"

"There's no hurry. I was just curious, that's all." She tried to appear only mildly interested and tried to hide the subtle signs that would give her away.

"Give me a couple of days."

"Fine. Thank you."

"No. Thank you." He grinned up at her. "It's not often we get a chance to tinker with something new."

"I would prefer if you handled this yourself." Had she tipped her hand?

"Should I ask why?" He looked at her carefully. "Ahh, just as I thought." But that didn't stop him from agreeing to tinker. "Did you get a chance to try the scanner I gave you?"

"Yes I did. That was how I found out about this scanner."

"Good to hear."

"But..."

"But?"

"There was an accident in my apartment, and I'm afraid your scanner was destroyed."

Darmen sat quietly for a moment. "Don't worry about it, my dear. It was one of many prototypes. As long as you're safe."

"You are too kind, Darmen."

Darmen turned his attention to Tarris's companion. "And what do you do, Asher? Are you also a computer programmer?"

Asher wasn't sure what to say so she deferred to Tarris.

"She's a mediprac."

"A mediprac?" Concern crossed his features. "Is something wrong, my dear?"

"No, everything's fine. We met at the Archives and decided to take a walk in the sunlight." She hating lying to the old man, but her life around him seemed to be made up of a series of lies.

"So you've just met?"

"Yes," Asher said. "I didn't know she was a computer programmer."

"I'm sure she has many secrets to tell, Asher." He cast a quick grin at Tarris. "Go and enjoy yourselves and let this old man get back to his work."

"Work, Darmen? Sleep more like it," Tarris teased. She had rarely seen him work, but considering the position that he held, he must have done so at some point. "So in two days' time, my friend?"

"Two days, Tarris."

She glanced at her chronometer and took note of the time for their next meeting. "Until then."

"Have a drink on me."

Tarris looked up to the bright light above. "Sounds like a good idea. Let's go get a drink."

Asher nodded cordially and followed her to the receptacle. Tarris scanned her wrist and retrieved the insulated bottles.

Asher shook her drink, her thumb brushing the activation point. "So who was that?"

"Just a friend," Tarris said.

"You don't trust anyone, do you?"

"I've been taught not to, Asher. My life has been one big mystery, most of all to myself." But she could see the hurt. They had shared a lot in a very short period of time. "I only know him as Darmen. He's the head of a big corporation but likes to spend his time lazing around the park."

"And you don't think that's suspicious?"

"Suspicious? Maybe. Unusual? Definitely. Do I trust him? Likely. Do I like him? Yes." That was a lot of information she had revealed. She hoped her trust in Asher was also warranted.

"What happens now?" Asher asked.

"He'll let me know-"

"No. What do we do now?"

"Do you mean am I going to tell you to get out now that the ring has been removed?" Tarris studied the ground as she talked.

"You don't mince words, do you?"

"I can't afford to, not in my line of... of..." What could Tarris say?

"Employment? Do the computers fight back?" Asher giggled as Tarris stared at her blandly.

"Do you want to go home?" Tarris tried to gather around her as much dignity as she could muster. She had already shown too much of herself to Asher. She was not going to lower herself to beg. Troopers never ever begged.

"Should I?"

Tarris couldn't tell from the question whether Asher wanted to go or not. She was not one to make the woman stay if she didn't want to. "What about my back?" She congratulated herself for a smart question.

"I could leave all the medication you'll need."

"That sounds like you want to get out as quickly as possible." Tarris knew Asher could see the hurt, despite how much she tried to hide it.

"Not at all, Tarris. But I know you're a loner. I can survive very well by myself if need be."

"But having spent time with me has made you a target, too," Tarris said. "Unless you have some hidden lethal talent, you would be safer with me."

"Is that your way of asking me to stay?" Asher asked with a note of hope in her voice.

"I would never do such a thing. If you wish to stay, then you can stay. I was just pointing out that you're not out of danger yet." Tarris took a long draw on the water bottle and allowed the cool liquid to slide down her dry throat. She had little experience relating to people. Cursing Corman or giving orders were her only real need for conversation, so anything more, at least to her, was unnecessary. While this rule was not a life-saving one, it was one she subconsciously adhered to.

Rule Nine in her Survival Handbook: Conversation is the friend of misconception.

"You just can't say it, can you? You're a coward," Asher said.

"Me? A coward?" Tarris was insulted.