"I... I don't understand. Why do you think you know me? Wait... that face... Old man Kelarn... You look just like him."
A thought flashed through Lucas' mind. He knew he had some connection, even if it wasn't the same Lucas or Mikhail.
"Do you remember the academy? The Alliance Special Talents Group?"
"I-I remember a shuttle, flying in on black wings. Alliance Marines. They sweeped through the City Center, as they heard of something there. When they got to the entrance to the western ghetto, they knew what they were looking for was inside of it. I was just 14, and then... They got mad. They knew I was there, but the person in charge didn't want them to take me away. They told me to run. Find Mr Kelarn, they told me. He found me, and then, the black suited guards came to the compound door. He told me to run. I didn't. They told him to give them the subject. He refused. So, they killed him. And I ran. I ran away. Never went back, never stopped running."
Lucas seems surprised.
"That-that can't be true. Could it?"
"It is. Thats almost exactly what happened to Our Mikhail. That means..."
"I-I understand. Hello, Mikhail. I'm Lucas. And this is Cath. We're friends."
"Nice to meet you, I suppose."
===
Jacke moves in to comfort Mara.
"It's okay. Don't keep a grudge. Look, I know what You're going through. I've lost some people I really wish I hadn't. Kara. My comrades. My Countrymen. My family. I get it. I know you want revenge, but if you go down that path, there is no redeeming yourself, no end to the pain. The only choice is to forgive, and to move on. You can't fix a broken heart in a couple of days, or with bullets. Just bring it back, or start anew."