[i]One month later...[/i]

We had arrived on Pacitus a week earlier, having granted ourselves a few days to recuperate at the Agesola estate. I needed to speak with Demetrius and inform the rest of the staff of the unclassified aspects of our mission, at least regarding the death of Samara to ease their minds, for they had once been well acquainted. We held a small funerary service two days after arrival, placing the necklace I had taken from her body in the ground. However, other than that sombre occasion and my inability to turn my mind off from orchestrating activities around the manor, it was quite pleasant. The day after the service, I took Emmaline to Primogena, knowing she was ecstatic to go shopping at the capital. Though the real treat was yet to come, as she well knew. 

Clara and Selencia were both relieved to be home. While both had volunteered to accompany us on our mission and neither had suffered worse than a few scrapes and bruises, both were tempered and even somewhat disturbed by their experiences, and after careful observation and a few tests, I deemed what they really needed was time at home to relax and cope. Emmaline, though she was as effected as anyone during the heat of the moment, was surprisingly resilient and able to bounce back from her experiences with an endurance that outmatched even a few inquisitors. Despite her exposure to such things as facing down a chaos astartes and the taint of the warp, she had the same vibrant look in her eyes when she saw a dress she fancied or a piece of jewelry she gleefully asked I purchase for her. We spent the day visiting eateries, antique shops, the lush botanical gardens, and miles upon miles of shopping lanes. 

Lazarus and Lucius Raj spent their days with their usual stoicism, grinding away the hours of meditation, drills, and the study of various subjects. The former skitarii and I had finished refitting our lander with an autocannon of some size, overlapping plates of plasteel along the wings that would increase its aerodynamics, as well as finalizing the preparations to install the new engine. I had also decided to teach Lucius to read, as the current gothic was somewhat different in grammatical practice than back in his day, but we did not get too far into our lessons before our planned trip had arrived. 

After a week of relaxation, our train had arrived. Emmaline and I were set to go on a honeymoon of sorts, an extended trip that lasted a fortnight, taking the luxury speed train on a trip called the Amalthea Zephyr. It was a romantic roundabout of the continent, that moved astride the glittering Amaranthine Sea, arriving at Malandor for a day, then traveling past the verdant farmlands of Lacadai and arriving north to the snow covered mountains of Kalydon, before turning east through the pine forests of the wilderness and the city of Idalium, before arcing southwards through the jeweled cities before arriving once again at Primogena. Emmaline had spent a multiple hours at Primogena shopping for outfits for the trip, and I admit I had purchased a few suits for myself. I had purchased a VIP ticket to meet the planetary governor at Idalium after a day of skiing at Idalium.

Demetrius and his staff had helped us remember all of our effects, but there had been little to forget. We had only just arrived back, half of our essentials were simply moved from one bag to another. Clara offered to accompany us, but I denied her. I could tell she simply wished to show me she was not remiss in her duties, but I felt she needed some more time at home. Carefully, I packed my autogun and brought my ornamental pallasch, more for show than any feeling I would use it. Surprisingly, Lazarus took me aside before we stepped out and informed me the tech-priest had managed to grant the weapon a limited power field, just in case. 

"Have fun, master Drakos, lady Von Morganstern." Demetrius Richter said, his kindly face spread in a smile. The other staff had gathered out of the house to bid us farewell. The sun was setting on the horizon, as the train was set to disembark at midnight. Clara and Selencia and Lazarus had all come out to bid us farewell, though Lucius wisely stayed out of sight. Emmaline informed me he was doing better with his breathing exercises. As long as he experienced nothing stringent, he should be fine until our return in two weeks time. 

Our aircar awaited, the driver patient as he was being paid by the hour, and it was a two hour drive to Primogena. I wore a finely tailor jacket and pressed trousers, setting our bags in the back of the aircar as Emmaline waved goodbye to the others. I closed the back of the trunk, and gave a smile to my lover. "We ready?"