"Could you please turn the volume down a little?" Juri raised his voice over the babble of conversation that'd steadily got louder over the past hour and had now reached nearly deafening proportions. "I can't hear my own thoughts here!"

"I can!" Francis quipped and offered a cheeky grin in response to Juri's glare. "But I'm trying not to, because you're just thinking that we're getting intolerable!"

"Firstly, I think even you should've learned by now that you're not to pry on people, and secondly, you hardly need to use your special abilities to know what I was thinking," Juri said patiently.

The three young SCs closest to their blond companion nudged him and Francis, appropriately chastised, decided to behave himself.

"Sorry," he said obediently, eyes glittering. "I didn't really do it, honestly I didn't, Juri."

"I know." Juri smiled. "You see, I've also learned to detect when you are! Now I suggest that you all sit back and try to take a little nap. We still have some journey ahead and you're all way beyond tired."

"The same goes for my group," Lancer specified. "Have some shut-eye now. Our ears need a rest."

All of the clones – three MCs, six SCs and TC Francis – actually followed the suggestion, and after some giggling and mock-battling for more leg space they all fell silent, heads lolling on each others' shoulders, some of them hand in hand with the one sitting next to them. Both group leaders smiled fondly at the sight, then turned to face forward once more. Greg peered behind himself and gave them a thumbs-up.

"Congrats, gentlemen, you've achieved the impossible," he half-whispered. "Awesome."

Juri flipped him the finger with a lazy grin and the driver chuckled before concentrating once more on driving. The sky was a blanket of purples and blues, reflecting the last rays of the setting main sun. Its dwarf companion loomed just above the horizon, unable to block out the first glimmer of stars. Both men relaxed in their seats, eyes roaming to the darkening sky above the gently undulating landscape, enjoying the silence.

"Man, what a day!" Juri sighed in satisfaction. "I'm real glad you finally decided to come along with that group, Lancer. I really appreciate it."

"Sorry that I've been such an ass," Lancer said and pulled his legs up. "And it's been so damn wrong to my kids, too."

"Hey, don't whip yourself any more, okay?" Juri said. "You've been feeling under the weather but the main thing is that you did come, we've had a bigger group with us and enjoyed ourselves."

"I can only admire your dedication to this, you know," Lancer mused. "I mean, sure I had a good time but it's been one hell of a tough day, looking after all of them!"

"Double the number of kids on the tour, double the number of ideas they come up with," Juri pointed out. "Although, granted, five at a time are a handful. But this was so great, having you there. You know the city so well."

"I'm betting you know it much better than me, the way it's now," Lancer said modestly. "All right, I used to go out quite a lot when I lived there, partying and stuff. But it's a while ago."

"Still." Juri flexed his arms and folded his fingers behind his neck. "What are your feet saying, by the way?"

"I'm not listening," Lancer huffed. "Probably asking me to shoot them this minute."

Greg glanced at the two men sitting on the opposite sides of the aisle behind him, and wondered why he'd never noticed before how similar they looked despite some obvious differences. The most glaring was, of course, their coloring. Juri's olive skin, dark eyes and curly hair, so gleaming black that it always looked a little wet, couldn't have been more unlike Lancer's fair complexion, water-clear eyes and flowing pearly tresses. Juri was the older, slightly taller and more obviously masculine of the two. Yet they both had the lithe build and understated, flat muscles of a gymnast or a dancer, with an easy, aquiline grace to their movements. Really, when Greg had driven to meet them at the appointed rendezvous point, he'd thought that if the two men were dipped into the same color paint, they could easily have been mistaken as brothers.

The driver chuckled to himself and pulled the headphones on. He wanted to listen to something upbeat to make sure he didn't nod off at the controls, but his napping passengers probably wanted to have some peace and quiet.

Juri laughed at Lancer's expression and then yawned widely. "Why haven't you been to town more, anyway? I mean, this planet's been independent for quite a while. Most everybody else is taking days off in town every now and then, but not you?"

"I have been to town a couple of times since the Union was kicked out," Lancer corrected. "But at first we were cautious about letting any clones there, because we couldn't know for sure that there might not be some Union people staying behind and under cover, or something. We were afraid they might recognize a clone and try to eliminate them, and I didn't want to go without – without Scott."

He swallowed. "But we did go to Trelissac after a while. Besides, we've traveled to Sanherno and stayed with my parents for a while."

"I remember hearing about it!" Juri said. "His adventures in Real World, huh? What was it again, getting a haircut and buying something from a shop for himself?"

"Shoes and clothes," Lancer said, nearly grinning. "It was great. My parents simply loved him. And we had this impromptu class reunion with my friends from school. Everybody came there, except two who'd died in an accident a couple of years back."

"Class reunion... sounds like fun," Juri said thoughtfully. "Heavens, I probably wouldn't even recognize any more the people I went to school with."

"C'mon, you're not that much older than me!" Lancer reached out to shove him playfully. "And honest, people hadn't changed that much. It was such an experience for Scott..."

Juri glanced at him and noticed that Lancer's eyes were unusually shiny, but the blond just hugged his knees a bit closer and smiled wistfully.

"The things he had to deal with!" he chuckled. "My classmate Tomo had just opened a new hair salon, and while we were there who should walk in but my first real boyfriend! He'd graduated and got a job in Sanherno. Poor Leon, he was pretty jolted to see me... and Scott's so possessive of me, and so quick to pick up things, he was just about growling at Leon to start with. But they got along real nice in the end."

"Was Leon, too, in your class?" Juri asked, interested and surprised at the sudden openness. He'd never heard Lancer talk more than a few words about his past, and never without being heavily prompted by others.

"No, Leon was older than me. We were together almost a year, then he left to study at the university in Lashcar and we decided to call it off." Lancer looked dreamy. "But it was so good to meet them all... we were a pretty tight group at school. And Tomo had the opportunity once more to boast that he'd helped Queen Marie on her way to the stars."

"Oh?" Juri's brows shot up. "What was that? Was he into drag as well?"

"Nothing of the sort!" Lancer shook his head. "No, it was a school play. There were more girl roles than boy roles, and since no one of the girls wanted to play the princess, I volunteered. I guess the biggest reason was that the prince was supposed to kiss the princess."

"Let me guess – Tomo was the prince?" Juri laughed. "Ooh, the revelations I get to hear!"

He looked appraisingly at Lancer and decided to ask the question that had sometimes intrigued him.

"Do you ever feel bitter for everything that's happened?" he inquired cautiously. "I mean, you were quite a star, if I've understood things right. Wouldn't you want to have it all back?"

Lancer looked thoughtful.

"Not really," he said quietly. "I've changed so much. I mean, I loved my time as Queen Marie, still do. But I couldn't do only that any more. That's why I haven't been to Trelissac so much, even though I know Maurice would want me to come for a proper visit. And I'd really love to see him, and Dee – that's Maurice's assistant – and Jacques, and all the others I know from there. But I don't know. I really don't know what I'd say if Maurice actually came forward and asked me to make a comeback, or something. It's a tempting thought, and yet... I wish I knew."

"I can understand you," Juri nodded slowly. "I haven't known you for very long, but I know enough of the world to be sure that the Lancer from a couple of years back must've been very different from the guy I've come to know."

"You bet!" The blond squirmed a little and granted Juri a dazzling smile. "You wouldn't believe what a kid I was back then, in every sense. Inexperienced and pampered and coddled and... hmm, what's that?"

Lancer wiggled in his seat as he fished a buzzing comm out of a pocket, glanced at it and his eyebrows jumped. He shot a wide-eyed glance at Juri and pressed a button. "Hi Hal! What's up?"

Juri's jaw dropped. He couldn't hear Haldor's voice, so instead he had to concentrate on just watching Lancer. The blond man was listening intently, nodding to himself, humming in agreement with a little frown of concentration.

"Ah, so you're in Mabion... yeah, I thought you were going there today with Kyo – oh, with Roderick. Right..." Lancer leaned back, one hand pushing away tresses that wanted to tumble over his face. "Yes, we're just on our way back, me and Juri and the kids. Had a great day, sure! I'm just hoping we won't have to carry all ten of them to bed."

He laughed, then listened, slender eyebrows knitting, and a hard-to-define expression crept on his face. It was a mixture of surprise and concern, and maybe a touch of desperation as well.

"Uhh... okay, well all right, I can try... So, how tall is she exactly, if you compare her to me? A little taller... and is that with or without heels?" A chuckle. "Ah, right. With high heels. Okay, I get it, then she'd really be a little shorter than me."

Juri's eyes were as round as they could get as he stared across the aisle at the pony-tailed man who had pulled his legs underneath him and still managed to look relatively comfortable in his seat. Lancer noticed his expression and made a face, then nodded again to his comm.

"No. I need more. She looked slim, but how slim is she in real life? Very slim? Try to compare her to me again... ahh. Right. Yes, and not very... ample. No, that's right. Well, then I think it'll be size one-seven you'll want – wait, did you say anything about the sleeves? Not full length? That's good. Yeah, one-seven." Lancer smiled almost tenderly, eyes going slightly misty. "Mmm... that sounds exactly like the color for her, Hal. I bet she'll love it."

Juri shook his head and pretended to wipe sweat from his face. Lancer winked to him.

"I'm sure she will, Hal... yeah, you too. Have a nice day. Bye."

"What was that about?" Juri inquired as soon as Lancer dropped the comm into his pocket. The blond looked sheepish.

"Hal's seen this beautiful jacket in a shop and wanted to make sure he gets the right size," he said. "He's again in Mabion, they're staying overnight there so he's had some time to look around."

"So this pretty jacket is for 'her'," Juri said. "But who can 'she' be? Surely not that spiffy redhead we used to hear about?"

"The very same," Lancer nodded. "Hal said he's going to Trelissac next weekend to meet her."

"But wait a second," Juri exclaimed. "Sure I know Hal had this red-haired girlfriend in Trelissac, but didn't they break up a while ago? How come he's again buying presents for her?"

"That's his business," Lancer shrugged. "I'm just helping when asked."

"And the next question is, why does he ask you for help when buying a jacket for his girlfriend?" Juri asked, even more baffled. Lancer rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.

"Juri dear, how many of his friends would know a damn thing about ladies' dress sizes?" he asked patiently. "Not very many. Greg's Nameeka works in the base, wears mostly uniforms, and besides she looks nothing like Li– like Hal's girlfriend. And Roderick or Kyo are so not the type to go shopping with a girl! They wouldn't remember such details even if they'd been bodily dragged along sometimes. Besides, Hal would never hear the end of it if he asked Kyo about something like that!"

He belatedly remembered to glance at their driver, and grinned a little seeing how Greg's head bobbed in rhythm with whatever was playing in his headphones. No, the man hadn't heard a single word.

"Okay, so far so good," Juri said suspiciously, "but why ask you?"

Lancer opened his eyes big, head tilting demurely, and batted long lashes at the dark man. "Honestly, Juri," he purred, "don't you think I might know at least something about how a good-looking girl dresses?"

"You mean Hal knows?" Juri had thought that he'd already had his share of surprises for the day, but obviously he'd been mistaken. "He knows you're a drag artist? And it doesn't phase him? Whoa!"

"He was rather freaked when I happened to tell him," Lancer admitted with a grin, then fell serious. "But Hal's a really good guy, a sensible guy. He wanted to know more, we talked about it, and he's okay with it."

"He sure has amazed me," Juri admitted. "Such a narrow-minded jerk to start with, and just look at him now! The way he's adapted is simply astonishing."

"He and Troy are so much alike that it's really not even funny," Lancer said. "They're just the same – when they feel insecure or uncertain they don't try to slink away, no, they just plant their feet more firmly and get a bit hostile, a bit aggressive. Of course that then puts others on the defensive, too... it's a little too easy to get on the wrong footing with them, even though they're great persons once you get to know them."

"That's exactly what they're like," Juri grinned, then leveled a sly look at Lancer. "But it really sounds like you and Hal are the bestest friends, huh? I mean, what was that slip actually? Sounds like you even know her name, and have seen a picture, too!"

"Yes to both," Lancer admitted a little grudgingly. "But that's really all I'm going to tell you. I'm not betraying anybody's trust."

"Aww, you're a bore!" Juri teased. "At least tell me if she really is a redhead?"

"She sure is," Lancer confirmed. "Gorgeous hair, long, not as dark red as Kyo's. Very pretty."

His slim hand made a gesture like pulling a zipper and Juri spread his arms in surrender.

"All right, so that's all I'm going to get out of you," he sighed. "But hey, I'm seeing something in the distance, and those lights are not stars!"

"No, that's Plains Base all right." Lancer perked up. "Wow, that went quickly! Time to start waking up the kids. Looks like I'll still have time for some stargazing tonight."

The young clones had had enough time to fall into a proper slumber and took while before they stirred again. By the time they were all safely in their beds, the base was falling silent for the night. Only a few people could be seen outside: some MCs heading for their quarters after yet another busy day, the occasional shadow or two on their way to the canteen, and a slim figure walking towards the AD building with a bundle under its arm.

"Who's that?" Salvador stopped dead in his tracks, tugging Troy's hand, and pointed towards the solitary stalker. Troy stopped as well, eyes squinting as he looked in the indicated direction.

"Looks like Lancer," he said in surprise. "What's he doing there? Surely they haven't got a drill now?"

For a moment they stared at the figure that all but vanished from sight as it reached the deepest shadow of the long, low-slung building, then reemerged on the edge of the roof.

"What's he doing?" Salvador gasped and both young men dashed into a run, seized by sudden fear.

"Lancer? Lancer, what're you doing?" Troy called out. The silhouette stopped and turned, crisp against the clear sky, and they could see the glimmer of a blond ponytail.

"Going to watch the stars," came a soft answer.

"Up there?" Sal was alarmed enough to reach out and gently touch Lancer's mind with his own. He could feel sadness and longing, yes, but none of the more disturbing swirl of emotions he'd half expected. The blond clone let out a breath he'd been holding.

"This is the best place. No buildings in the way." Lancer stepped further from the edge. "You want to come, too? You're standing right next to the ladder."

Troy and Sal looked at the structure and without another glance at each other began to climb up as well. The top of the ladder was surrounded by a platform with railings that opened to the expanse of roof ahead, and they crept cautiously towards Lancer who'd gone further away from the edge and sat down. Lancer turned to look at them.

"It's getting cold," Troy said.

"The suns are down." Lancer nodded. "Here, you can sit next to me. I have a thermal blanket with me, you can wrap it around yourselves."

Salvador could feel the familiar pulse of Troy's baffled feelings as they sat down and huddled closer together under the thin cloth. Its metallic surface felt cold at first but soon began to reflect their body heat and warmth seeped all over them like a presence of its own.

Troy's arm snaked around Sal's waist, and the dark man bit his lip. Relations between the three of them had been stiffly and distantly polite ever since the aftermath of the attack two weeks earlier. Now that the initial panic had subsided, Troy was feeling very awkward and very stupid. What had they actually thought? If Lancer wanted to hurt himself, surely he could think of far more efficient ways than jumping from the roof of a one-story building.

Troy felt humiliated. Now that they were here, up on the roof, there was no graceful way out. Well, at least Salvador was there, sitting between him and Lancer, perhaps in order to keep warmer or perhaps it had been unconscious, an attempt to form a barrier between the two of them? He could see Lancer's clean-cut profile as the man raised his face and looked up. Salvador's gaze followed and his breath caught.

Troy followed suit and was surprised to realize how bright the stars had become. They were twinkling, billions of them, all around, in clusters and stripes and strange formations.

Their breath was beginning to mist ever so slightly in front of their faces.

"They're beautiful," Salvador said quietly. Lancer nodded.

"I wonder where it is," he whispered. "In which direction. If we can see its sun from here."

"What?" Troy asked.

"The Zodiac system."

It was a barely audible hiss of breath. Sal turned abruptly and hugged Lancer close, and Lancer leaned into the embrace, eyes fixed on the stars.

"I can find it out for you," Troy said decisively. "If you want me to. I'd be happy to do it."

"Thanks," Lancer said. "I would like it."

Troy nodded to himself, arm tightening around Sal. He could feel the wordless urging from his partner and braced himself.

"Lancer," he began in a somewhat unsteady voice. "I want to apologize for what I said then... the day after the battle. It was horrible of me. I'm truly sorry for hurting you."

"It's all right," Lancer said softly. "I remember how scared I was when I witnessed a battle for the first time, and back then we were safely inside Mount Robillard. We're much more exposed here, the battle gets so close. And you're not me. I was afraid and I cowered. You react differently."

Troy felt Sal shiver and squeezed him reassuringly.

"Maybe it's hard to understand," Lancer went on, "but I'm much less afraid when I'm involved as well. There's the task to focus on, no time to think about all the things that might happen. Being helpless, just waiting, that's the worst part."

"That's what Hal says, too," Salvador put in. "And you don't need to defend yourself. This is war, and you're just doing what needs to be done."

"We're probably so upset by it because we've just sort of landed here, in the middle of it all," Troy mused. "We've never decided to join the rebellion. It just happened."

Lancer gave them a sideways look.

"So you think I'm here because I passionately wanted to fight against the bad guys, and thought that my special talents would somehow help us win this war?" The corner of his mouth quirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, but that's about as far from the truth as it gets. Basically the same thing happened to me as to you, Troy. We both fell in love with the wrong guy."

"Sal's not –" Troy began, temper flaring at the perceived insult, but the sharp elbow that dug into his stomach quieted him. Lancer chuckled.

"Oh, but Sal is the wrong guy to fall in love with," he said, "at least for somebody who doesn't want anything to do with the rebellion or Ziroshel Union."

"That is true." Salvador nodded. "So, you fell in love with Scott, and –"

Lancer shook his head. "No, no. With Turner. I got into a ditch with him, and the only way to save our skins was to come and join the gang in Robillard."

"Turner?" Troy frowned. "Who's he?"

"A pilot. He was killed in action a year later."

Troy tried to swallow the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat.

"I'm sorry," he managed.

"Why?" Lancer asked simply. "For reminding me? I'll never forget him anyway. I loved him so much. But he's dead, only a memory any more. Besides, if all that hadn't happened, if he hadn't died, if the big guys hadn't been there to drag me through it... who knows where we'd be now? Maybe we'd never have even met. Maybe you'd never have met."

He hugged the thermal blanket closer, words pouring slowly out in a silvery stream of mist.

"What do you mean?" Sal asked.

"If Turner hadn't died, I might've never joined the trash patrols and been out that day to find Scott's plane. Come to think of it, I guess I shot him down in the first place." Lancer smiled a little. "It might've been somebody else looking down at him, unconscious in the cockpit of his fighter. Somebody who would have been able to put the gun to his head and shoot him, point blank."

Salvador pressed closer to Troy, both of them mesmerized by Lancer's voice that had dropped almost to a whisper.

"Maybe there'd be no Scott, and we'd know nothing about clones. Maybe we'd still be hiding in Robillard, and this base would still belong to the Union. And I wouldn't be sitting here, hoping and praying that he comes back in one piece."

They fell silent, sitting side by side under the blanket, looking at the stars that blinked blindly down at them.