The Lambert House, Planet Denver

[Manticore]

"I... I'll have some of that wine. Thanks."

He replaced the bottle of whiskey in the cabinet, and set his glass aside while he fished out the bottle of wine and poured a glass for Chloe. It was a red wine, a good vintage from Manhattan. He wasn't sure it would compare to what she was used to, but it was one of his favorites.

He brought his whiskey and her wine over to the couch, and took a seat next to her. It was strange, this was the first time he'd ever been with her in person. Here she was -- a Gallic who he barely knew -- and he'd invited her into his home. Pita's home.

He set the wine on the coffee table in front of her, and watched her as she picked it up to swirl and sniff. She was nervous too, perhaps more so than he was. And why not? Here she was, far from home, at the house of a man who served in a military that was at war with her entire star nation...

He leaned back, taking a long drink of whiskey, savoring the strong smokey flavor. He wasn't sure what to say, now that she was here. He didn't want to talk about what had happened, not yet at least, yet he sensed the vivid shared experience hung over them like a cloud.

After a long moment, he spoke. "I... well I guess we don't actually know too much about each other. Perhaps we can change that. Tell me a bit about where you're from."

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