Angels don't die, they just fall from grace.

Yuri took a gulp of her martini and felt the alcohol burn down her throat. Her teeth were numb.

"Your eyes are beautiful," the man on the seat beside her said. Tall, red hair worn short, brown eyes, dark complexion, handsome, and a tailor made three-piece suit.

"Thank you," Yuri responded, hiding the elation she felt at the compliment. It had only been two days since the 3WA med techs had replaced her eye. She liked having predatory vision back.

"Another drink for the lady," he called to the bartender.

Six, Yuri thought as she put her empty glass on the bar. Quite a few drinks to buy some one. She had not encouraged any of in. The curse of fatal beauty she thought.

Her martinis were expensive, premium vodka and vermouth. He likely wanted her to get drunk. He was not going to have much luck with that. She had taken a time-release, 'Buzz-B-Gone' tablet earlier. She was pleasantly drunk, but not so much it impaired her thinking.

"Romeo. Hit your thrusters," Kei told the man as she came up behind Yuri.

He turned to look at Kei. Yuri saw the way he tensed his body, and he moved a little closer to her. How possessive, she thought, not really caring.

"Not meaning to be rude but perhaps you should leave," he told her. "The lady has no interest in your company."

Kei smiled the smile she always had before taking the piss out of someone. Deciding she did not want to be in the middle of a 'Keifuffle', Yuri dumped her fresh drink into his lap. A waste of a perfectly good martini she thought.

He leapt to his feet, almost upsetting the stool. "What the hell?" He tried to brush the liquid from his lap.

"Perhaps you should go," Yuri told him as she placed the empty glass on the bar.

"You're crazy," he said angrily.

"Tell me about it."

He stormed off.

"Bye lover boy," Kei said as she took the vacated stool. Fortunately all of Yuri's drink had been absorbed by the man's pants, so the seat was dry. "He'll be spreading rumours in a few minutes," Kei told Yuri.

"Big deal." Yuri signalled the bartender for another drink.

"The Central Computer has cleared us fully. I just got the report. There was no way we could have expected Melkar to have access to such a powerful ship, direct quote."

"No big surprise." Yuri took a sip of her new drink.

"How many have you had?"

"Forget. Not many."

"You didn't honestly expect Vincent to stay did you? He's a true starship Captain. As soon as Tamikia offered him a new command he had to go. A ship will always be first in his heart."

"That makes me feel soooo much better Kei." Yuri sulked.

"Oh come off it, your acting like a child. More so than usual. If he had not left you would have left him. Neither of you had careers that are conducive to a long term relationship."

"Stop trying to cheer me up."

"Tamikia sent me word. She's got UG clearance to form a strike force to take out all of Melkar's holdings no matter where they are. A new form of corporate takeover I suppose."

"Sounds like she'll have fun." Yuri fished the olive out of her drink and ate it.

"Told me Catherine is heading off to school and if I gave her any bad advice she'd kill me."

"You'd deserve it." Yuri tossed back her drink.

"Come on." Kei stood and helped Yuri to her feet.

"Where to?" Yuri asked, she felt unsteady and considered removing her high heels before she realized she had taken them off earlier.

"First a walk to sober you up a bit." Kei tossed some universal credits on the bar and hoped they would cover Yuri's bill as well as leaving a reasonable tip. "Then to this little pool place I heard of where you can hustle some idiots."

"Okay," Yuri said. It sounded reasonable to her. Of course Yuri thought nearly anything Kei said would sound reasonable to her at that point.

"Oh, and we have to pick up a small mammal for Mughi."

"He's not craving live meat again?" Yuri asked, feeling her stomach roll at the thought.

"Fraid so."

"Send him out after muggers."

"Next time."

"Kei."

"Yes."

"You're my best friend."

"Thank you."

"I'm only telling you this because there's a good chance I'm going to vomit all over you in the immediate future."

"Great," The redhead sighed.