There's usually one of Dovlornik's twin moons hanging in the sky at night. Locals call them Solnya and Millyna, the Lovers. Something about their respective orbits means that its almost impossible to see them at the same time. A friend tried to explain it to me once. I didn't pay that much attention. I don't think she fully understood it either.

But there is something about them that is enough to inspire poets and songwriters alike, walk into one of the registered drinking houses and chances are you could be welcomed by the lyrics of a romance between two lovers, forever destined to be apart.

I can see why people might think that.

Solnya is a gas giant, home to nearly a dozen refineries manned by thousands of servitors and criminals. Every single one of those refineries are helping to feed a score of planets across the sector. I'm told it constantly smells like shit.

Millyna is a dead husk the Adeptus Mechanicus used to test newly rediscovered weapons and technology. Now its a dead city.

I think I prefer the local's version.

There is another legend about those moons though. On the rare nights when there is no moon in the sky, murder is supposed to take place. Apparently the Lovers refuse to see the sight of blood being spilled.

I wonder if it ever occurred to people that the darker nights gave more opportunity for crimes to be committed.

Probably not.

Its three in the morning local time and I'm in the middle of a hololith memorial garden, waiting. I know I've never been the most patient of men, but even now I'm feeling agitated. Seeing...her, the news from Thalsom and this job, I know its not leaving me in the best frame of mind.

And then the sound of a vehicle pulling up nearby grabs my attention. The throaty roar of the engine dulls down to an idle thudding - from the sounds of it, the vehicle is in a desperate need of a tune-up from a priest. But more importantly, I know who it is; the nature of the cities on Dovlornisk don't allow for many privately owned vehicles, in fact all of them were in the hands of the Noble Houses.

And in St. Camille that meant one family alone.

I can hear the approach of people and from the sounds of it, four, at least. They're probably fully armed and armoured, House Tastrov Bondsmen, elite bodyguards for the House. Not surprising they'd be out.

What did surprise me was the light clacking sound that just rose over the noise of the Bondsmen. High heels...

Two of the bodyguards came into view first, clad in ceremonial carapace armour and raising some brutal looking autoguns at me.

If they wanted me dead, well, they were certainly going about it the right way...

A quick command in High Gothic from their charge and the pair of bodyguards step to one side, allowing a young woman to step past them, all with the air of someone born with a silver spoon up their arse. It had been nearly ten years since I had last seen her and she had certainly grown up in that time.

Doesn't mean she's matured in that time though.

Yrenya Gavrilla Tastrov, Kiryan Tastrov's second daughter. Blonde hair pulled back tight into a bun, leaving only a few strands frame her face. Probably a good thing too, given that her cheeks looked sharp enough to slice through ferrocrete. Seeing her now, Yrenya had the look of a blade given human form, all wrapped up in blue velvet and a shawl made from some xenos animal. Probably a former pet.

I hear she fancies herself as a spymistress for her father, working with all her little contacts.

Yrenya smiles, the same kind of smile I'd imagine a serpent would give to its prey, and spoke with a voice dripping with venom. "Are we still going by Elias Noq? Or have we taken a new name for ourselves?"

"Names don't mean much, especially not in my line of work." I adjust my jacket, just to give a glimpse of the pistol holstered under my arm. A not-so-subtle warning, but then again, I don't do subtle.

In an instant, the charade drops and still the venom remained. She never did like me. "Indeed. Though I imagine for someone such as yourself, to live so long doing what you do, you must make some sort of name for yourself."

"Only if I want a bounty on my head, my lady."

I can hear the other pair of bodyguards flanking me. If she wanted me dead, well, I'm dead. I'm giving her ample opportunity but she doesn't seem to want to take the bait.

"I see. You know I could have that arranged in an instant, Mr. Vanghast" She takes a few steps towards me intentionally setting herself between her bodyguards and myself, stopping only to whisper in my ear "I know why you are here."

"Oh?" I can see the anger bubbling to the surface.

I can feel something pressing into my ribs. Its not a blade or a pistol. But if Yrenya has it, it must be dangerous. Enough to get to arms distance to me and to tell me "And I will not let you take my niece!"

She stares at me, with a hatred I doubt any preacher could ever muster. I return a stare of my own. I've never been one to back down and I won't start tonight. "Is that right?"

Whatever it is Yrenya has pressed to my side, she slides towards my hand, not even flinching at the sound of metal against metal. "Here." A thin dataslate, House Tastrov's coat of arms inscribed around the frame work. "A promissory note for ten thousand gelt. Its good across the sector."

"And this is for?"

"You stay away from her for the rest of your life."

I don't even give the dataslate a second look as I hit the delete rune and tower over Yrenya. Given the spread of those autoguns I'm counting on the bodyguards not risking her life. "I'm going to say this once and once only. I don't like repeating myself!" The bodyguards brace themselves and yet I don't care. "I didn't come here for money! I didn't come here to take your niece away from you! I came here for two reasons only – to do my job... and to pay my respects."

Her stare softens and I can see a hint of shame creep in instead. "Very well."

I back down as I hand the dataslate back to her. I've never been what might be called a people person, I... never really been able to talk to people and now only one thing comes to mind. There's only one thing I want to know.

"Did...was she in any pain?"

She knew the question was coming and it still hit her with all the force of a speeding truck. "No." Yrenya choked back the tears. "It was sudden and painless. One night she simply went to sleep and never woke up. Our family chirugeon called it natural causes."

Its all I can do to force a quiet "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

For all the grief I've given her in the last few minutes, I realise I'm talking to a woman who has lost her sister. I'd almost say I was jealous to have that connection but...

Neither of us can say her name, not out loud. We stand in silence for a moment and I can see her trying to stop the tears forming in her eyes. "Yrenya, I never knew about Karina until last y-"

"I know. Nadya told me after she sent you the message. I think she knew that she didn't have much time left." She paused, steeling herself before continuing "Mr. Vanghast, I may not like you, but that is neither here nor there anymore. I loved my sister and a part of me died when she did. My husband and I have taken her into our home, Karina is all that is left of my sister."

"Good." My stomach is twisting, this is harder than I had expected. "I can't be a father to her. My life...its not the kind I want to expose a child to. I can't remember my own parents, I lost my childhood when I was five. I might be a bastard, but I'm not that bad as to inflict that on anyone, least of all my own daughter. Give her the life I can't."

The shawl around Yrenya's neck lowered slightly as she pulled a small locket from around her neck and placed it into my hand. A silver heart hung from a delicate chain, the symbol of House Tastrov engraved on it.

"She loved you."

"I know." The words barely form and I wish I could say more.

"My father knows that you are in the city. The guards have already been informed, they've already begun their search. I can delay them for half an hour. Make the most of it." And like that, she's gone, her bodyguards following without a word spoken.

And I'm left standing in the middle of a garden.

I can guess what's in the locket.

Maybe its one last jab from Yrenya.

Or maybe its two people sharing their grief.

I slip the locket into my jacket before walking over to a small display and kneel before it, touching the activation rune. I never liked these things, but still, I wait.

They don't bury the dead on Dovlornisk, they scatter the ashes to the winds and and the nobility leave behind hololith memorials.

The light flickers at first. The blue tinged image is hazy, slowly coming into focus.

Its the smile I see first.

Then the eyes.

For an instant Nadya is back before me, smiling, laughing, brushing her hair back before the hololith loops again.

I know she's not real and yet I can't stop myself reaching out to touch her cheek.

"Goodbye dearheart."

And she's gone again.