His uniform was Edwardian. Her gown was Empire. They stood upon a darkened dance floor and a somber light from somewhere behind them reflected almost under their feet. They too had a somber look. His look was one of sad waiting. She looked nearer to cry but not without a touch of anger and even remorse.

They stood there unmoving and unseen by the revelers who had left long ago. It was not a mistake that they were together. They did not come from a costume ball. Their emotions were real. There has been time enough in this old universe for elements to combine and change and thus once the die fell here.

"Then it seems he will do it again," she said.

"He will," He replied.

"Then what we have done has all been in vain."

"It seems so, Karolina." he might have wished to help her. He might even have wished to hold her in his arms, but he stood formally correct in his stiff blue uniform piped in white about a pace from her, waiting.

They did not face each other. He was turned half from her and she did not look at him. She was undergoing a terrible struggle and it was reflected in her face. The struggle might have been there too inside him, but he did not show such things. He was a soldier.

She too was a soldier, but she was something more, and something less. Finally she steeled herself.

"Then we will have to try again, Eduard."

He turned to face her, "Karolina, it is a vain hope. The time for persuation has passed. Now we must act and that with dispatch." His tones were cool and measured. he surely spoke of their deaths and was not dismayed.

"It has come to that then, Eduard?" She was buying time. She knew as well as he but was not yet willing to face what she knew.

"How much time then do we have?"

"Not long. Derian will leave the Capital today if he can do so, tomorrow if you can delay, but no later than tomorrow or, he will not be able to rendezvous with the Viks who will take him to Bis."

"Then I must find some way to stop him until tomorrow. Can your forces be drawn up in time even so?"

"They can be drawn up but without the help of Erland they can't be armed."

"Arid Erland is loyal to Derian, How can he be tricked?"

"I fear, Lady, that he can not be tricked, he can only be killed."

Karolina gave a little start. "Then we are in very great danger indeed for even Derian would fear to cross him."

"What do you speak of, Karolina?"

"Once Derian told me that Erland is greater than he seems. He would not tell me further when I asked it of him."

"Take heart, Karolina. We have this one thing at least. Erland will trust me. He even asked me to his house one time. I did not go pleading duty fearing that there would be a time such as this. He will welcome me, he will welcome me, Karolina. Once my father did him some service, which he has not forgotten. I will go there, kill him and take the weapons we need! Do not fear, Karolina, our kind will never be forced to deal with these unclean filth spawned in the darks of the stars! It is so fitting that Derian would meet with them on Bis, world of bad omen!"

Karolina looked closely at Eduard. The heat was uncharacteristic if admirable. "Can you be sure that you can kill him? I could not be if I were in your place. Nay, I do not mean merely as a soldier. What great force can you bring to bear that Derian can not?"

"I can bring the force of trust, Dear Lady. Look to my words and see it they prove so."

"Well, Eduard, I go to Derian. He will be near finished with the morning ceremony. I will delay him so that you can act. Are you sure a day is all you need?"

"Not all I need, Lady, but I can make do with it."

"Will we meet again?"

"There will not be time to do so, but I will send word when my plan has succeeded. Then I think that you best take your own ship and leave the Court until all this has ended."

"That would be an admission of guilt, Eduard."

"Better that than to die before power changes hands. The people will support us when they know that we have succeeded. Then you will be safe and can return."

"I have misgivings about that, Eduard, but I will do as you say. Good rede to you."

"And to you, Lady. Farewell." he bowed and left swiftly.