"What did you picture? Someone the picture of Vor, like my sister, maybe?" Sonia sniffs delicately and smiles, tucking her hair behind her ear, and shakes her head.

"Miles," she says patiently, raising an eyebrow, "I spent most of my childhood on Beta Colony. I know I'm renowned for my vanity," and this she says with just a hint of wryness, "but Miles, I don't give a damn what you look like as long as you're family. Family is...all that matters."

And everything to lose, at that. Sonia feels a sudden pang, realizing that Miles is just another someone she could lose, but -- no. She shoves it aside, squeezes his hand back. She doesn't look back at her sister and brother-in-law, but it's not hard to tell who she's talking about.

"It wasn't so easy with them, was it?"