Silas continued to try to rub the sleep away from his eyes. Another moment passed before he gave up. When he opened his eyes he noticed that Anders had stood up from his chair with his cup of tea. He bee-lined for the the lounge sink and turned the water on.

"You're leaving already?" Silas asked.

"It's getting late."

Silas frowned. "The sun's still up."

Anders shot a sharp look over his shoulder at Silas. He put his cup under the stream and diluted the last bit of tea as he washed it. "You carry out assignments while your shadow is less than twice your height. I carry out assignments as long as my shadow exists."

Silas blinked with surprise. Before he could come up with a response, his comrade was on the way out.

Anders stopped abruptly in the doorway. "Goodnight," he managed, and then left.

Silas sighed once he figured he was out of earshot of his superior. "So busy," he murmured. As the evening light from the window reminded him to relax, he felt his mind unwind from the day. And then it drifted toward the thought of his former friend, and then his smile flattened.

"Do you ever get something stuck on your mind?" he asked toward Arael.