Jerboa: Let's see.... <thinks> 

Lemur: I could come up with some scenarios, but always, at some point, Stan 
became very *not* Stan. 

Jerboa: Yeah. We could always have Stan become quite desperate indeed, and 
programs Kai for a moment... 

Lemur: But that doesn't seem like Stan.... Hmmm... 

Jerboa: If Kai could become alive somehow, this would be a lot easier. They 
could get to talking, which would lead to something else... 

Lemur: Yeah, isn't that always the way with the dead?  Well, Xev and Kai 
could have a moment and then Stan gets to talking to him about why he 
doesn't just kiss her and make her happy.  Kai says something about it 
meaning nothing to him, he might as well be kissing Stan or 790... 

Jerboa: Stan... "Oh... oh, really?" 

Lemur: =)  Yeah, baby! 

Stan... "So..." 

Kai... "So what, Stanley?" 

Stan... "You've kissed Xev.  You've even sort of kissed 790..." 

Kai tilts his head in a mildly curious fashion. "Yes, I have, Stanley. Your 
point 
being...?" 

Stan... "That just leaves me, doesn't it?" 

Kai... "Are you asking me to kiss you, Stanley?" 

Stan... "No! No, of course not.  It's just that you said that you would as 
much be kissing 790 as Xev and well, yeah.  Sort of." 

Kai... "I was not aware you liked men, Stanley." 

Stan... "I don't!  I like women.  But I don't exactly *not* like men..." 

Kai... "And you wish for me to... kiss you?" 

Stan... "It doesn't mean anything to you, right? - You're dead.  So, yeah, 
sure." 

Kai... "As you wish, Stanley." Kai took a short step towards Stan, his cold 
and yet sensuous hands slowly sliding behind Stanley's neck... 

Stan's eyes widen in surprise then close... 

Kai's full, soft lips gently press against his, moving in sensual rhythm as 
his cool tongue slides past to caress Stanley's mouth... 

Stan's knees involuntarily weaken and he grabs to the assassin's waist to 
keep from falling... 

Their bodies pressed together, Stan moans softly as Kai's tongue deliciously 
fills his  mouth, his lips skimming against his own as though they had been 
lovers forever... 

He returns the kiss with the intensity of years spent wandering in space - 
unloved, unrequited, unsatisfied... 

The unexpected passion in the assassin's cold, yet erotic kiss seems to fill 
him with a desire he never would have thought possible to experience... not 
for anyone, especially not for him... he wants more. 

But carelessly, Kai slides his tongue from Stanley's mouth and steps back, 
ending the kiss.  Through the clouds of lust blurring his vision, Stan once 
again saw the indifferent, passionless dead man standing before him... 

They stand in silence for a moment. Stan regains his strength, stolen for a 
moment by this wave of undeniable desire. Kai stood placid and emotionless, 
but Stan could not believe that no emotions existed behind that frozen 
exterior. He wished not, at least. He was still burning with unfulfilled 
need. 

So, this is what Xev sees, he thought, discovering that the passion he once 
bore her was completely overshadowed by that felt for the man - the *man* - 
standing before him, complacent and willing to obey any request...No, Kai 
was Xev's and - Kai wasn't anyone's; he's dead.  And it's all Xev's loss 
that she never took the initiative... "Kai..." 

Kai, unaffected as always. "Yes, Stanley?" 

"It didn't bother you to do that, or anything, did it?"  The question was 
not really a question.  He knew the answer and already had plans. 

Kai moved his head ever so slightly, the only physical evidence of his 
negation. "No, it did not. The dead do not... get bothered." 

"Well, the living*definitely* do."  He looked around the open spaces of the 
bridge.  No, not here, he thought, Xev might walk in.  He glanced at Kai 
again, his eyes not making it above those lips.  Oh, well, one woman's loss 
is another man's sexual fulfillment. 

"Kai," Stan began, carefully choosing his words. "Would you mind... would 
you like to... come with me? I mean, since it doesn't bother you... would 
you like to... experiment a little with me?" 

Kai's brow furrowed a moment, examining Stanley, weighing his words.  "If 
you desire, Stanley." 

Stan fought a small grin, his breath suddenly heavy with excitement, 
trembling in anticipation. He led the way out of the bridge and watched Kai 
as he followed, his lean , graceful body moving quietly and fluidly, and 
Stanley had to fight the sudden deluge of overwhelming sexual images 
flooding his mind at the sight of him. Take it easy, he thought. No use 
rushing things. 

*Why* did I never notice this before? he asked himself, resisting the urge 
to ask Kai to lead the way down the corridor.  Because Kai is dead, he 
answered himself.  But he's not completely dead... 

But he's not alive either, he argued with himself. Ah, but did it really 
matter at the moment? When he glanced back at that beautiful, elegant body, 
he immediately found his answer. And soon, his breath caught in his throat 
as they arrived in his sleeping chamber. 

Just think about all the years, days, hours, minutes, seconds spent on this 
huge bug just lusting and never acting.  Kai didn't care and he had needs to 
think of...needs that *needed* now... 

And he could have done worse. A *lot* worse. He carefully turned to face 
Kai, taking in the sight of those full, supple lips again, and that lovely 
silken forelock tickling the side of his face. He suddenly felt a strong 
urge to touch that lock, that rich ebony hair... to touch him everywhere, 
and to be touched as well. It wasn't a fantasy anymore. It was happening. 

When he thought about it, Kai was very pretty.  He was clearly a man - that 
thought thrilled Stan more than he could have anticipated - but he was such 
a *beautiful* man.  He could have done *so* so much worse. 

And he was done holding out. Hoping his voice didn't sound as nervous as he 
felt, he took a step towards Kai and said, "We're here." 

Kai looked around the room, then his intense stare returned to Stan.  "Yes, 
Stanley.  That is evident." 

While Stan normally would have been annoyed by such a comment, he was beyond 
caring at this point. "So, do you want to..." He tilted his head towards the 
bed, hoping Kai would understand. 

But, of course, Kai simply looked at the bed.  He leaned slightly closer to 
Stan incomprehension across his features.  "Do I want to do what?"  Stan 
felt impatience tensing in his muscles.  He could almost believe Kai knew 
exactly what he was talking about and was only playing dumb out of some sort 
of secret pleasure.  Perhaps this was the dead's version of foreplay... 

Stan closed his eyes, sighing softly. If this was his thrill, then so be it. 
  "Like I said...  experiment a little. You said you didn't mind, right?" 

"That is what I said.  I do not mind, but I suspect..." He looked between 
Stan and the unoccupied bed.  "...What would this experiment entail?" 

Stan felt a spasm coursing through him, making his muscles tense again. This 
couldn't be happening. He was so sure that... "Well, I was thinking we 
could..." He stopped, catching his breath.  "Like when you kissed me 
before... something along those lines, but... a little more-- I mean, a 
little *farther* than just a kiss?" 

"As you know Stan, I do not entirely possess all of the equipment necessary 
for the type of experiment I assume you are referring to." 

Stan sighed again, a small sound of exasperation, but he was determined not 
to give up on this.  "Well, you know... I'm not exactly a woman. You 
wouldn't need all your... equipment for us to experiment all the way, 
right?" 

Kai pondered this, his eyebrows coming together.  "Technically...no, I would 
not."  Stan exhaled - finally! 

His lust suddenly surging back with the force of a rolling wind, Stan 
indicated the bed again with his head. "Now that we understand each 
other..." 

Kai glanced between the surface of the bed and Stan, processing the 
implication.  Then, with brief hesitation, he sat down on the bed.  Yes, 
Stan thought, halfway there - at least he is on the bed now. 

Stan watched him a brief moment, until the full realization that this was 
indeed going to happen as he had imagined hit him. Shaking himself out of 
his reverie, he joined Kai on the bed, cautiously sitting next to the 
assassin. 

He tried not to think about Kai *as* Kai, but rather as just a very 
attractive - and *willing* - companion.  A sort of salve to his wounds; he 
had been on this ship too long!  "Kai, what's with the hair?" 

Stan had half-expected Kai to react to the question, but he didn't.  "It was 
a common hairstyle among the Brunnen-G," he offered.  "If I may ask, I find 
it strange that would wish to ask about my hair at this particular moment." 

Not really, Stan thought, I have been thinking a lot of strange things 
lately.  "No, it's nothing.  I just realize I've never seen it down - except 
that time when you tried to kill us all - but that wasn't really, you 
know..." 

Kai made a small sound of acknowledgement. "You should not form any opinions 
of me based on those events." He furtively glanced at Stan, as though 
debating whether or not to say something. Much to Stan's surprise, he 
finally uttered, "But if you wish to see it down, it can be done." 

Now, *that* would be interesting - Kai with his hair down.  A night of 
firsts!  "Yeah, yeah.  That would be nice." 

"As you wish, Stanley." With a practiced hand, Kai slid his fingers behind 
his neck, pulling the long raven braid over his shoulder, and slowly 
uncurled the strands, shaking them loose. As Stan watched with an enthralled 
gaze, he reached into the center of his large bun, removing the clasp, and 
the warm black silk of his hair came tumbling down in a gentle waterfall. 

He hadn't given much though to the image of Kai with his hair down, but if 
he had, he was sure he would have been wrong.  It suited him perfectly and 
for a brief instant, whatever derogatory thought Stan had ever had about the 
Brunnen-G and their odd ways doubled.  Only such a bizarre and misguided 
culture would take all that beauty and bind it. 

He could not resist reaching out to touch a bit of that lovely black hair, 
and his dark thought about the Brunnen-G ways seemingly increased as he slid 
the satiny hair between his fingers. If there was ever a definition of pure 
beauty, this had to be it. And as he caressed the supple hair, he briefly 
wondered if the rest of Kai's body felt this good. To his surprise, the 
thought was accompanied by a sudden tingle of heat to his groin. He winced. 

This was getting *very* weird.  But, no stopping, now.  Not that he truly 
wanted to... 

He inched a bit closer to Kai, suppressing a surge of excitement when his 
knee brushed against the assassin's. He was acting like a horny teenager, 
Stan chided himself. There was a mature way to go about this.  He cleared 
his throat.  "So, Kai..." 

Kai turned to him, his downed hair and ever-present forelock framing one 
eye.  "Stanley." 

Is it getting hotter in here? Stan thought, fighting the urge to breathe 
heavily. He had never known Kai could have this effect on people.  "Where... 
um, where should we start?" 

Kai tilted his head slightly, thinking, causing some of his hair to brush 
against Stanley's shoulder.  "You spoke of activities 'further than a kiss.' 
  If that is the point to surpass, that would be a reasonable place to 
start." 

"Okay!" Stan agreed, shivered at the sensation of Kai's hair against him. 
How would it feel against bare skin, he wondered?  "Another kiss would be 
good. In fact, great." 

Kai turned toward him, sliding one leg up onto the bed, to close the gap 
between them.  Stan felt sweat beading his skin as Kai's leg slid the length 
of his.  The assassin then, pushed his hair back, out of his way and trained 
his intense stare on Stan. 

Stan groaned softly in anticipation, closing his eyes. He nearly jumped when 
he felt Kai's hands sliding behind his shoulders, his cool lips a second 
later connecting with his. 

He liked how Kai did that - held him in place; gripped his victim, per se. 
Evidently, what had probably made him a good assassin also made him an 
incredible kisser - that instinct to hold on and not give up. 

And Stan reveled in that particular instinct today, his head spinning as 
Kai's cold, but pleasurable tongue slid deep into his mouth again. Stan 
found himself reaching for him, mirroring the desire to hold on as he 
gripped the dead man's back tightly, feeling his waves of hair brushing 
against his hands. 

He made a momentary promise to himself, not to refer to Kai as a dead man. 
Kai pulled Stan closer, clearly dominant.  He sure didn't *feel* dead. 

His body was cool, but not unpleasantly so; if anything, it felt good 
against Stan's own overheating body, suddenly desperate to be touched, and 
to touch as well. Suddenly, he found himself moaning into Kai's skilled 
mouth as he held on a bit tighter, gently pushing Stan down on the bed. 

He was suddenly enveloped in a wall of ebony as Kai's hair swept over them, 
blocking them from the outside world.  He felt Kai's legs lift and straddle 
his. 

His own body responded excitedly, and he couldn't resist the urge to push 
his hips up, against Kai's, as his long-neglected male flesh pulsed and 
hardened. He continued the kiss with feverish desire, sliding his hands up 
around Kai's head to wrap his fists around the silken curtain surrounding 
them. 

This was *too* good.  Gently, still aware and excited by the fact that this 
man had the ability to kill him in seconds, he pulled down on Kai's 
shoulders, until the completely lengths of their bodies met. 

Stan spread his hands all over Kai's back, tremendously aroused by the 
sensation of another man's body against his own. But soon the assassin's 
weight became uncomfortable-- much to his dismay-- he lifted himself up a 
bit and Kai backed away, allowing Stan to maneuver their bodies until he was 
now on top. 

He felt like a scurrying animal.  He didn't want to give himself, or Kai for 
that matter, time to rethink this.  Nor did he even want to pause from the 
sensations for an instant. 

Struggling not to waste any time, he now straddled Kai's hips, taking in for 
a moment the sight of him lying on his back, his hair spilled behind his 
head like black paint.  Assuring himself he was okay with the new position, 
he leaned towards him again, eagerly capturing his icy and yet delicious 
lips in another kiss. 

It felt odd to be in a position of power over a person who was considerably 
more powerful that he could ever be, but then again, it was also very 
interesting.  Kai lay, his hands folding on his stomach, reminding Stan of 
his indifference.  Well, Stan thought, if he doesn't care, then he won't be 
mad.  Kai kissed him back, as requested. 

The kissing was wonderful and felt better than anything had for a long time, 
but he yearned for more. His body demanded to be fulfilled, and it was 
difficult not to go mad with lust when one was towering over such a 
beautiful man. 

And as they kissed again, Stan adjusted his body against Kai's, feeling the 
full length of his slender, athletic body against his. He felt so good. 

Cold, but good.  He fancied that Kai's body had warmed a bit since they had 
come in, but he knew it was only due to the contact with his own warming 
self.  He found it fascinating to sense these minor changes; the warmer 
lips, the less chilled fingertips... 

Would it work on the rest of his body, he wondered? He pulled away from the 
kissing, suddenly, pausing as the thought consumed his mind. He had seen Kai 
naked before. He had been shocked at first, but gradually had become 
accustomed to it. Would he be able to look at him again, in this context? 
Would Kai even *want* to? 

But that was a useless thought; Kai didn't really ever *want* to do 
anything, or not want to do anything.  It was just a matter of whether or 
not he would be willing.  The idea was too intriguing to pass up. 

He cleared his throat a bit, attempting to hide the lusty excitement in his 
voice. "Kai?" he attempted, softly. 

"What would you like me to do now, Stanley?" 

The words sent delightful shivers of pleasure up his spine. "Well, I was 
wondering if we could, I mean, wouldn't it be better if we were to... maybe, 
take off our clothes a bit?" He tensed, waiting for Kai's reaction. 

"What exactly is 'a bit'?" 

Stan swallowed back a groan. But then again, maybe he was thankful that they 
were taking things so slowly. Too much too fast would have been overwhelming 
for him. "What if we just started off by, let's say, taking our shirts off?" 

Kai glanced down at his own dark uniform, then back up to Stanley.  "As you 
request." 

Yess! Stan thought, backing up a bit to settle on Kai's lap as he sat up, 
his fingers reaching behind his neck to pull down the fastener of his 
uniform. 

Kai removed the top of his uniform to expose his bare chest and the 
protoblood equipment embedded in it.  Stan had forgotten how pale he was. 
His skin was a faint tinge of blue and was so cold to the touch, it nearly 
burned.  Kai's lips had gotten warmer and so had his fingers… let the 
experiment begin. 

Staring at Kai's chest, which still had the semblance of once being shapely 
and beautiful, Stan unbuttoned his own uniform top, leaving it open around 
his waist, and quickly slipped off his gray undershirt, letting it fall to 
the ground. And then, soundlessly, he slid his hands around Kai's icy back, 
pressing their chests together. 

His entire body reacted to the temperature shock.  He felt goosebumps rising 
along his arms and neck, but the sensation wasn't entirely unpleasant.  As 
he suspected, Kai's body absorbed the heat coming from his. 

He gasped softly, pulling himself closer, gently wrapping his legs around 
Kai's hips. He could feel his tiny nipples hardening, due both to the cold 
and to the sudden arousal accompanying it. 

He kissed Kai's neck, nestling his face in his full hair.  The chill seemed 
to escape the assassin's body with every kiss lavished. 

He felt his own skin cooling for a moment, but then the heat of his passion 
came back to warm them both. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was dimly 
aware that Kai couldn't feel pleasure from his touch, but Stan didn't seem 
to care as he rubbed his cheek against Kai's shoulder, warming it as the 
assassin followed his lead and began raining icy kisses on Stan's neck. 

Opening his mouth, he breathed a few hot gusts of breath against Kai's pale 
skin.  He believed he almost saw condensation briefly cloud the clear bluish 
skin.  Rising a little bit, unfortunately removing Kai's lips from his neck, 
he breathed against Kai's chest, warming the skin and watching as the blue 
tint heated to an almost pinkish hue.  He would warm one area of flesh, the 
move further, heating another with his passion-heated breath. 

This was incredible. Stan delighted in this new finding, gently breathing on 
and warming Kai's cool chest. He watched the gray-blue ever so slowly fade 
away, and then tentatively crushed their bodies together again. He sighed at 
the faint, but present warmth of Kai's chest, and he felt the deep rumble of 
his voice as he said, "I regret the temperature of my body cannot 
comfortably accommodate yours." 

"No, no, it's fine, Kai. It's just fine," he assured him.  "I think I might 
be warm enough for us both."  Kai turned his intense green eyes to their 
joined chests. "I suspect you may be right."  Stanley felt a chuckle rise in 
his throat. Despite the unusual situation, Kai was still Kai and that was 
comforting.  He kissed at the man's warming neck.  "What do you anticipate 
to be the...culmination of this experiment?"  Stan almost didn't hear the 
question, the words just rising as intoxicating breaths of cool air against 
his shoulder. 

Stan released a deep breath of warmth against Kai's shoulder, and rested his 
cheek against it as Kai's question suddenly made him think.  How far would 
this go? How far *could* it go, he wondered?  He was fully functional, 
whereas Kai wasn't, but he reminded himself it wasn't necessary for his 
needs to be met. 
"Maybe we should just let things happen and see where we end up." he said. 
And he punctuated it by poking his tongue out, pressing the tip against the 
coolness of Kai's skin. 

At that moment, he would have enjoyed a faint shudder of arousal or even a 
slight moan, but Kai did not move and did not make a sound.  Stan paused 
again, thinking.  Where *did* he want this to go? "Perhaps," Kai began, his 
voice vibrating in his chest. "I would be more likely to do what 
you...desire if I were to know what that is.  I do not believe I will… 
figure it out unless you tell me."  Stan rose up, looking at Kai.  The black 
against the blue and the fine pools of green - Kai was a work of art in so 
many ways. 
"Hmmm," Stan mused.  "You're right, Kai.  You're right.  Let me think..." 

Stan couldn't help but feel the excitement of the moment drain a bit as he 
was forced to re-think their situation. How far could they go, exactly? He 
had enjoyed the kissing and the close contact, but the insistent hardness 
struggling for attention in the confining material of his uniform was proof 
enough of his desire for something a bit more *physical*. 
He cleared his throat again. "Kai... would it bother you to... touch me?" 

"No, Stanley.  It would not bother me.  I am dead."  He had almost gotten 
himself to forget the dead thing.  "Yeah, well, then," Stan began. How 
exactly to put this?  He took Kai's hand in his and slid it down his bare 
chest... 

Kai's hand was still a bit cold, leaving icy little tingles as it skimmed 
down his chest.  Stan swallowed, guiding his hand lower, lower, until it 
reached the folds of his opened uniform. 
Cautiously he released Kai's hand, concerned for a moment that Kai would 
either change his mind, or not understand what was being asked of him, or 
have some other objection.  But when he slowly slipped his hand through the 
fabric, a small sigh of relief and excitement escaped Stan's lips.  This was 
finally happening! 

But then he froze as Kai paused just above his groin, his brow furrowing and 
his eyes growing pensive as he glanced up at Stan.  "This *is* what you 
desire… correct?" he asked. 

Stanley frowned in turn, puzzled by the question.  "Of course it is," he 
stammered, casting his gaze down his body to where they were almost in 
intimate contact with each other.  "Why are you asking me this?" 

"It is my… desire that you are certain about the decision you have made. 
That you will not regret what is being done here." 

Stan opened his mouth, then closed it.  Kai was right.  He had practically 
acted on impulse up until now, barely giving any thought to what was going 
on.  He was with Kai.  Half-naked, with Kai, having what in his mind he 
considered to be sex, and with Kai.  Is this was he wanted? 

He knew what he wanted. 

Wordlessly he reached for Kai's hand, holding on to it as he grasped the 
bottom of his uniform with his other hand, pulling it down his hips and then 
his legs. 

He was naked now.  And, still holding Kai's hand, he slid it down lower 
until those icy fingers curled around his rigid organ.  The sudden, 
delightful contact of cold against searing heat was enough to make him gasp, 
squirming beneath Kai's touch. 

"Yes Kai," he breathed.  "Yes, I'm sure." 

Kai seemed to accept the answer, nodding slightly in that mild manner of 
agreement unique to him.  Not another word passed through them as Kai hooked 
his arm around Stan's back, cooling the other man's skin and warming his own 
as his other fingers began stroking Stanley's member. 

Stan moaned, closing his eyes, marveling at the gentleness in the cool touch 
as Kai slid his fingers up and down in slow, sensual caresses.  At first he 
used only his fingertips, then 
gradually coiled the full length of his fingers around him.  His flesh 
almost instantly warmed, and Stan began undulating against Kai's grasp as he 
resumed his slow strokes, his hand coated with dampness as it leaked from 
the swollen tip. 

This was unbelievable, Stan thought, excitement tripling as Kai leaned in 
closer, pressing their chests together, covering his mouth for an amazingly 
intense kiss.  It was almost too much.  Stan had to pull away from the kiss 
for a moment, gasping for breath as his head swam in an insurmountable sea 
of lust.  Kai's other hand, resting against his back and unmoving up until 
now, began to rub the bare skin of his back, causing little goosebumps to 
rise from the coolness and the pleasure of his touch. 

Stanley's head fell against Kai's shoulder, gusts of hot breath heating the 
skin there quite effectively.  Kai was still stroking him, tenderly, 
lovingly…. how could a dead man still be capable of such passion?  Stan 
moaned aloud, long past caring what Kai could think of him, of his whimpers 
at the moment.  His teeth grazed the skin of Kai's shoulder as the 
assassin's strong and yet so delicate hand caressed and gently tugged at his 
swollen member, alternating between agonizing slowness and a quicker, firmer 
pace.  Stan could feel himself beginning to pulse and grow ever so 
slightly-it wouldn't be long now. 

The heat of his imminent climax simmered within his groin until it finally 
surged out, and Stan cried out as he reached a sudden, sharp peak, digging 
his face in Kai's neck as his body shuddered and trembled with every 
explosion of hot liquid from the tip of his aching organ, delightful surges 
of sweet relief he had so dreamed of and longed for.  Warm, intensely 
satisfying pleasure washed over him, his body continuing to shiver with 
gratification as exhaustion took over. 

And throughout it all he was aware of Kai wrapping his arms around his back, 
holding him close as he spent himself against the man who had given him the 
pleasure he hadn't experienced in a long… much too long time. 

When was the last time he had felt this good?  He couldn't remember. 
Probably never. 

It took a while before Stan could muster the strength to raise his head, but 
finally he did and it was well worth the effort as Kai's fathomless green 
eyes met his. 

He had never experienced such pleasure with a woman before.  Maybe it had 
taken a man to give him what he really wanted, what he truly needed… but 
that couldn't be the case. 
No, maybe for once, he was finally with someone he truly loved. 

Loved? 

"Was that… satisfactory, Stanley?" Kai asked simply, his voice even as 
though nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred. 

But Stanley just smiled.  Kai still had to be Kai, after all. 

"Yes, Kai," he sighed, still somewhat catching his breath.  He glanced down 
at their joined bodies, and saw the results of his orgasm smeared against 
Kai's stomach.  He certainly was warm there now, Stan thought, smiling 
again.  "It was great.  You were great." 

Kai said nothing more, so Stan pulled back a bit, nodding his chin towards 
the drying fluid on the other man's belly.  "I'm sorry about that.  I didn't 
mean to mess you all up." 

Kai looked down, then back up, of little concern about it.  "I will return 
to the cryo-chamber to remove it before returning to cryostasis." he said, 
matter-of-factly. 

He drew his legs back and swung them over the bed, unmindful of Stan's 
disappointed gaze as he reached for his uniform top and began walking away. 

"Wait… Kai." Stanley called out to the retreating assassin as he was about 
to exit his sleeping chamber. 

Kai paused and turned around, causing his unbound hair to spill over his 
left shoulder, partly obscuring his face.  Stan stared at him for a moment, 
gathering his thoughts, before gathering a sheet and pulling it over his 
lap. 

"Kai…" he began, hesitant. 

If Kai noticed, he made no indication of it.  "Yes, Stanley?" 

Finally, Stan sighed.  This is where it ends.  This is where it must end, he 
decided. 

"Thank you." he said. 

"You are… welcomed." Kai answered.  He turned again and left the room. 

And Stan watched him leave, smiling to himself. 

THE END