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with it all my life. I know my limitations, and that”—she pointed to the spot next to him—“is past it.” The forlorn look on his face made her continue. “But if you would like to join me for a walk, I’d be grateful for your company.” His aged features creased into a grin. She had appeased him, and somehow that made her happy. A few words, and she had made someone happy. Strange.
    She reached down to him and felt the fragile strength in the hand at her wrist. Some power still existed in that ageing body. Tarris wondered what her body would be like at that age, if she lived that long. Science had extended human longevity to a ridiculous degree. Older ones, aged way past one hundred and twenty, still survived, the flesh far weaker than the mind that controlled it. But Tarris sincerely doubted she would ever reach such an age. The nature of her job would prevent that.
    They strolled along one of the pathways that threaded through the mammoth park. “So, Tarris, still have no one in your life?”
    “Nope, and I doubt I ever will.”
    “Ahh, if I were forty years younger, girl, it wouldn’t be a problem for you.”
    The heat from the faux sun beat down on them. Beads of sweat broke out on Tarris’s brow and upper lip. That was about as much sun as she could tolerate on her white skin at any one time. “Darmen, could we move over to that pathway?” She pointed to another path that wound through the trees, where the overhanging branches broke the light into dappled patches.
    “You’re looking a little red-faced, Tarris. I was about to suggest that same thing.”
    “This damned skin of mine won’t take too much sunlight.”
    “Say no more, little one.”
    Little one? One dark eyebrow rose at him in question. He looked down into her dark eyes and smiled. Oh…
    “I’m not that small,” she muttered. One of the advantages of living alone was that she didn’t have to measure herself against anyone else. She was who she was, and that was all that mattered.
    Darmen laughed loud. “Big of heart, my friend. Big of heart.”
    Tarris smiled back. Yes, big of heart…
    Her mind returned to the past when one particular incident shaped who she was now. Big of heart. It was that big heart of hers that changed her comfortable life to living life on a knife-edge. She had no trouble remembering what the weather was like…
     
    It was raining. Always raining. Rya shifted easily through the darkened side streets, a shadow within a shadow. It was all so easy then. Confidence and a sense of righteous indignation ruled Tarris’s life. The victims were flaunters of the law and needed to be dealt with. Cold, efficient, and without feeling, she carried out hits with military precision.
    This particular operation involved an Administrator. What had the man done? A hit on an Administrator was unheard of. He was one of the Council, one of those who had control over her unit. His crime against the Union must have been great indeed.
    Tarris had been given the assignment because of her status and power. She knew where her strength lay, and she used it without prejudice. As Rya moved through the building that housed the Administrator, Tarris lay quietly and idly noted the abundance of wealth that was on display. So the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Nothing had changed in the last few millennia.
    Eerie white shapes filled her ghostly vision as Rya moved silently through the rooms to search for her targets. The first door didn’t move when the shadowed form slid in between the cracks and returned to substance on the other side. Stealthily, she moved forward, the death of the humans inside already complete in Tarris’s mind. Just as Rya was about to strike, Tarris stopped her. Confused, Rya sought out her twin. Why? The word was presented as a random thought, with no substance to the word, but Tarris understood it just the same
    No! Tarris screamed in her head.
    Why? Rya repeated.
    Look. She is but a child… a baby. Her