Astha wandered around the house after Abel left. A female tiger, Izabel trailed along bumping her wide head into her hand for occasional scratches from her troubled mistress. Astha's thoughts were scattered, images of Abel in his other form taking precedence.

She stopped walking and leaned against a pillar, looking out at the gardens… her gaze resting where a certain priest had, only a year ago tumbled back into her life. He was crucial in stopping the hardliners and ultimately Süleyman. It was funny, she thought, that the two cases that had involved people close to her, he had been there. He helped her stop Endre Kourza in Venice and laid to rest the murder of her dear friend. Abel saving Ion and Ester exposed Süleyman in the throne room, leading to his confession and failed attack on the Empress. While he wasn't saving her by any means he seemed to be the one to help her face reality head on, he left her the choice to pull the trigger.

But then… his reality was different, being more than human and methuselah, hiding a monster within himself that he obviously wished was never there. His other form couldn't be all bad though, it kept him alive even from extreme wounds… and wings, that had to be handy at times. Her mind wandered over seeing his teeth, claws and the eyes… how they lost the humanity of Abel and took on the predatory glare of the Crusnik. The stark differences between the man and the monster, a gentle nature and a violent potential. And that may be the crux of the whole thing, his inherent nature balked at what the crusink could do?

She looked at Izabel who was stretched out near her feet, watching her mistress in that cool confidant way of cats.

"If I was intelligent," a rueful grin spread across her face, "I would be afraid of what he is, but instead it's… intriguing because it's still him under it all." She sighed and slid down to sit on the floor beside the tiger, her hands caressing the obliging beast.

When he told her about his plans to go after the other like him, her heart had said he shouldn't go alone.

"I think I'm doing the right thing… to help him stop Cain... What do you think, Izabel?"

Golden cat eyes blinked back at her before the large face dropped into her lap, a loud rumbling purr filling in the silence around them. "You're not a lot of help, my dear… Tomorrow we will tackle the reports, fingers crossed something useful comes out of that mountain of reports." She paused in her strokes along the tigress's fur as her mind drifted back to how Abel had seemed so genuinely surprised at her reaction to his truth, that he expected fear and negatively from her. She felt a prickle of embarrassment at having to so clearly explain what him being her tovarish meant, but it obviously needed to be said. Izabel bunted into her hand impatiently after a while, jostling her out of her thoughts.

"Yes I will keep petting you, you greedy thing."

The soothing rattle of the tigers purr and the fatigue of the day slowly pulled her into a drowsy stupor against the pillar.

"Ahem… my lady, you seem to have missed your room." Hector tapped her shoulder.

Astha was curled up around Izabela's warm furry body on the floor. Two sets of golden eyes looked at Hector sleepily.

"I uh... guess so… thanks Hector. I don't know what I'd do without you." She slowly got herself up and on her feet. Izabel stretched out unabashedly going back to sleep.

"Sleep on the floor with your tigers apparently, now off with you, the gentleman said he was moving to the guest quarters today so I have lots of work."

"Right… give me a few hours and send some food into my office, I have a lot of research to do."

Seth looked over her tea at her brother, watching him quietly as he worked his way through a very hearty breakfast. He seemed a lot more relaxed and not the fake cheerful of his fool persona. Blue eyes flickered up to meet hers and he grinned after swallowing a mouthful of fruit.

"I best enjoy a good few meals before I'm back on the road again. And I have to say, your kitchen makes amazing food."

She laughed and took a few sips more before setting her cup down.

"I'm sure the kitchen wonders what army they are feeding, my goodness you can pack away the food."

He laughed good naturedly, having cleaned his plate and settled back in his chair with his own tea cup. "I don't blame them."

"You seem to be in good humour today, slept well?"

"I did, once I got back from Astha's place…" Seth's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "She sent a missive to talk as she couldn't wait till morning." He hastily added.

"Oh? How did it go?"

Abel took a few sips of tea before answering.

"Far better than I had hoped. She didn't shoot me, or even back away when I went to 20 percent. You know, I'm really not worthy of her dedication, but I'm glad I have it. She's decided to travel with me, knowing full well the danger… I am to her." He shook his head, "it seemed once she saw the Crusnik that her fear went away and her curiosity kicked in… She even suggested that she could be my supply if there's no success in pill form."

"Really?!"

"I know, I was shocked beyond words… I don't know how I feel about her offer though."

"Indeed… she's a great investigator and doesn't always do what I would expect, but her heart is in the right place." Seth smiled, finishing her tea. "And see, I was right, she was fine."

He smirked a little and bowed his head. "Forgive me, Empress for being wrong and doubting your words."

Seth tossed a grape at him from off her plate. "Just remember I'm right all the time and things will go easier for you."

He laughed and grabbed the offending grape to put on his plate. "Yes your Majesty."

"That's too easy. I know you… anyway all joking aside, I'm going down this morning to try a few things in the lab. Maybe I can get things to work that your friend didn't have luck with."

"Hopefully. I'll pack up my stuff for my move over to her place I guess."

"Sounds good, I will call you if I find anything on that communicator. I do have a few meetings today and I never know how long those take... Oh! Here are some more vials, take half a vial during the day and before bed." She stood up and handed him the vials. "I want to find out what is the tolerance level for daily supplementing."

"That seems excessive given how little I've lived on before." He stood up as well, putting the vials in a pocket. "But I'll do it since you asked."

"Thanks. I will see you tomorrow evening, not as the Empress but just a girl who loves to visit her friends." She winked at him playfully. He smiled in return and they left the small dining room.

Abel travelled light so it didn't take long to gather his belongings and bid adieu to Baybars at the main doors. Baybars had offered to escort him but Abel declined saying the walk and time to himself would be good.

The roads were busy with the usual daily happenings, it felt a little like Rome, the hustle and bustle of commerce lending a soothing white noise to the day. Most of the people he saw were adults with a small smattering of children occasionally. Methuselah did not reproduce as fast or as easy as humans because of the virus. His mind wandered over the other tidbits of information he had gleaned from the books he borrowed.

Last night's meeting still resonated in him, Astha's no nonsense demeanor and smooth acceptance of the darker part of him left him off balance. For all the nerves and apprehension he suffered through, the whole thing went well… Though, perhaps now that she's slept on it, things could be different. A slight knot of apprehension clenched in his stomach at the thought. Would she be uncomfortable around him? Surely she wouldn't want another activation. Oh how he hated going into things so uncertain.

Astharoshe spent her morning reading through reports from the empire of any suspicious activity she could link to the Orden. Her office was littered with papers and data cubes in casual chaos.

"There has to be something!" She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. What reports she had were all the regular run of the mill thievery, assaults and missing persons. Thankfully the empire had its own established policing force and she operated a bit outside of that realm. Somewhat like Abel, she was focused on more terrorist like threats and rouge methuselah who are out to kill Terrans.

Shifting through another pile of papers, she jumped at the knock at the door. Moving stiffly she walked over, stretching out her arms before opening the door. Standing outside was Abel, he was a bit away from the door, almost shyly awaiting her. He was dressed again in his empire civilian clothes, the cut and style did accentuate his build favourably she thought as she looked at him.

"Good Morning Astha, Hector told me where to find you after I dropped off my things." He explained, his gaze flickered over her and around, nervously.

"Good morning." A cheeky grin came to her, seeing his unease. "Welcome to my lair, I have need of your skills of sleuthing."

He smiled in return. "I make no promises but I have been known to know a few things." He touched a finger to his temple, wiggling an eyebrow theatrically. He grinned widely as he watched her roll her eyes. He enjoyed the fact she often downplayed awkwardness with humour.

"Alright priest, I'll give you a pile of reports to read for Orden activities." She cleared off a chair for him and handed him the stack of paper that had occupied the chair. Once he was settled she went back to her desk and continued reading reports.

Abel looked around the room, well anointed with bookshelves and cabinets, it was a very serviceable office that was near bursting with documents. Unlike some of the rooms in the house done in the darker wood tones, this one was light clear coat wood and a soothing light blue paint. Nearby Astha's desk was a small table with a tea service for two set aside, a bowl of citrus fruits and a few buns left forgotten. Abel looked at her several times, apprehensive of any questions about last night, but it seemed she was treating him like all was normal in the world. She was focused on her reading, long legs propped up on the edge of her desk, leaned back in her chair and a lap full of paper. A pen flicked back and forth in her hand distractedly. He sighed, going back to the tedious nature of reading event reports.

Well over an hour had passed in relative quiet as they both poured over the reports, the occasional page being pulled out to research later. A yawn and big stretch from Abel broke the companionable silence, he stood up and helped himself to the food and tea.

"Do you have a large map?" He asked after a while.

She looked around the room, her face scrunched a bit as she tried to place where the map was.

"I should… you are meaning a map of the Empire right?"

"Well, Empire and neighboring areas anyway if possible. I need to work back from where we were shot down at."

She nodded and got up to rifle through the bookcase. He put down his tea to help her look, after a few minutes he found it. "Ah ha!"

"Thanks." She plucked the case out of his hands. Clearing off the desk a bit she took out the map and laid it out flat, a few token paperweights and cups holding it down.

"We came down around here, and were picked up at this ridge." She pointed out, Abel walked over beside her and leaned in to see.

"Uber Berlin is here, we came down more west near Pila, and Seth picked us up near Podgaje."

He leaned in closer to the map, tracing the roads with his right hand.

"Hmmm, there must be some UN sites in the area to the south, Germany was at one time the height of technology in the pre Armageddon world."

"I'm not that fluent in pre Armageddon… it was over nine hundred years ago… what does old technology have to do with Cain?"

"It's the old labs that, with the help of Issack would be easy to start back up. It is likely the autojägers came from one of the UN sites that was near an area inhabited by vampires as to harvest the bodies for their ranks."

"What does UN stand for?" Her eyes flickered up to watch him.

He straightened up, a low sigh as he looked around the room, unseeing. "The United Nations was what the world leaders had set up to police the nations and stop world wars from happening. They wanted to start colonizing space as the earth was too crowded." His expression was distant and his voice soft and low. "Science and technology was the religion they followed, playing God until it backfired... the ignorant fools."

She looked at him quizzically, sensing this was a topic he was a bit touchy about, as he sounded almost angry as he talked about this UN.

Abel blinked and shook his head briefly, his silver pony tail lazily whipping from side to side. How quickly his mind went back to his time before Mars, it must be from being around Seth was dredging up long buried memories.

"Ah.. anyway, ahem...right, we might be best to focus reports on anything along the northwest borders."

"Ok, that's that data cube and the several piles of reports around that blue book." She pointed out on her desk.

A defeated sigh came from Abel. "I have a love hate relationship with paperwork… it loves me and I hate it."

Astha laughed good heartedly as her companion.

"Unfortunately I believe this will be our home for the next week… unless you have other ideas."

"No. Until something gets worked out for my... supplements I don't dare go very far."

She grabbed a bun and sat down in her chair, chewing thoughtfully.

"You've only activated twice since Albion, right?"

He nodded, sitting back in his chair and taking a few swallows of tea, dreading that she wanted another display.

"Whenever I have something new or upgraded, I like to try them out, before I have to depend on it… and if we are to go after Cain together…" she looked at him patiently.

"Go to a training field you mean?"

"Yes, I know of a few that are pretty isolated, low chance of any interference."

"Are you sure you want to see… that so soon?"

"It's still you under there, and if Cain has been using his form a lot he would be comfortable in it… you don't make it sound like you are in yours."

"Nn-no, I have a lot of experience in my form… it's a deadly thing, believe me. I don't like excessive force, or use of the Crusnik." He had put his teacup down and was fidgeting with his hands.

"But some things have changed since full fusion, right? We have the chance now to work out your bugs per say, before it's something we may need to depend on."

"There has been a few things, yes."

"We have to trust you won't eat me while we are under fire."

He blanched at her off handed comment, so casually she took the fact he consumed her blood type. He wasn't Methusalah, consuming blood wasn't in his DNA, and her attitude towards what he found to be abhorrent angered him some.

"I don't have to bite to absorb your blood… you need to not bleed around me and it'll go a lot better for us both." He remarked a little testily.

"There's a week before we can go watch the trade at the western border and I can't spend the whole time reading."

Blue eyes clashed with golden ones for a moment. "Don't push me to activate. I am more than capable without being a monster to go into battle."

She nodded, accepting his ire. "Fair enough. I don't do well with surprises so I still think we need to explore your activations before we leave for Cain."

He let out a long breath, feeling a little off balance at his irritation with her suggestion. "I'll think about it."

Seeing him relax slightly, she looked at the clock and cringed. "It's well after lunch and Hector will be waiting."

"Ah, perhaps it's a good time for a break away from all this dreaded paperwork. I always think better on a full stomach." He patted his middle.

"How do you think the rest of the time?" She grinned as she walked to the door and out into the hallway, him following.

"Well normal thinking mixed with thoughts of food of course, it's distracting being hungry you know."

He laughed as he watched her dramatic eye roll.

"Well let's get you some food before more nonsense comes out of your mouth."