Snippet #1199478

"And Skinnar?" Nulix asked slightly uninterested to the U.P.A. officer standing next to him, who wore their signature leather vest.

"He bombed out of the company in spectacular fashion, then returned, then bombed out again, only this time we don't know where he went," The officer muttered before sipping his martini. "You know the Hairis is Misha Crotov now, right?"

Nulix glanced down at the name, before returning his stare to a banner with his face on it. "Yes, I've heard," He muttered. The two stood in silence for a moment as their gazes traveled over the guests. "Did you bring a date by any chance?" Nulix asked at last.

"No, I'm sad to say I don't have any one datable at the moment," The officer replied. "You?"

"Not here," Nulix said, before downing the rest of his drink. "It was nice talking to you Bradley."

"And you, Mister Princeton," The officer replied. "And happy birthday."

Nulix placed his cup down on the stone floor and began to walk through the crowd of people. Nearly everyone he passed reached out to give him a pat on the back or a birthday wish. A plump man with a defined gray mustache gave Nulix a lasting impression, saying for him to have long life on May the fifteenth and long life for his child on the February the seventh. Nulix paused for a moment when he heard this and gave the man a pass to the after-party before continuing on his way. After a minute or so more of walking he had come across no one he had wanted. He had seen one of the Olimons, a family who had a bit more than a presence on the Princeton board of directors. They were harmless enough though, from what Nulix knew. Ahead Nulix saw one of the people he was least keen on seeing. Lexicon Klüppel, furiously drinking out of a wineglass, wearing a brown suit. Nulix shook his head at the man and began to walk in the opposite direction but quickly paused. Ahead of him was someone he hadn't seen for over three years. The last thing he said to her was I'm going to bed. See you in the morning. Nulix paused at the memory. He had left that night, in Vecked's ship. I found an opportunity beyond... this. An escape, Xane. That's what he had said that night. Tera Roth said that he deserved to rot in prison and Xane called him a coward; the rest were asleep. He had fixed his relationship with Xane, he had thought. He did not see Xane often but he had seen him more than the rest. And Bellatrix Swan was the one he had seen the least. The least being not at all. Nulix looked over her dress, before looking up at her face. She was talking to Noxas. Nulix turned away and began to walk over to Lexx, not wanting to talk to the two former UO members.

"Lexicon Klüppel!" Nulix exclaimed, wrapping his arm around the man. "Its good to see you again."

Lexx gave a smile before pulling Nulix off him. "Nulix Princeton," He spoke. "I can't say its good to see you."

Nulix frowned. "Oh, whys that?"

"Because you stole a billion trinari from me," Lexx replied bitterly. "And you used it to do... all this."

"And yet here you are," Nulix said with a smile. "At my party."

Lexx nodded slowly, "I was invited."