Southern Cross by Windstar

"Depends, what kind is it?"
"It's called Melantar, sweet wine. This is one of the few bottles left, as far as I know anyway."
"Well, we are celebrating. Does it go with whatever this is?"
"Think of it as trout."
Julie made a bit of a disbelieving face at the First Guardian. It wasn't that she didn't like the fish;
it just looked a bit odd. The color was off, just a bit too red for fish, even if it did taste pretty
good. Emie it seemed had gone all out to make this a memorable celebration.
The two of them were once more in the Gardens. Mars base was a huge dome like structure,
buried under the surface of the north pole of Mars. The hangers and landing pads were located
closer to the surface, while the majority of Tiri civilians who had survived the evacuation lived
below in the dome. The Gardens, as they were called, had been carved out of the rock along the
side of the dome, and afforded a beautiful view of the city below.
Julie and Emily were holding a celebration of sorts here, perched on one of the garden terraces.
Surrounded by flowers, which had no human name, they were celebrating Julie's swearing in
ceremony.
"Your father alright?"
"Yes, the doctors are going to keep an eye on him over night and make certain he gets rest. He's
just tired I think."
Julie chewed thoughtfully as she watched Emie slowly take a sip of wine. Her friend's eyes were
sad and she wondered what the other guardian was thinking, although she had a hunch.
"He misses mother."
"What was she like?"
Emily stretched back in her chair, tilting back her head to look upwards at the simulated night
sky above them. The stars even twinkled.
"She was a Guardian, and she had black hair like I do. I get my blue eyes from my father though.
I would have liked to know her. She was first Guardian and that's how they met."
Noticing the darkening expression on her friends face, Julie reached forwards and picked up the
bottle of wine.
Time to change the conversation this is supposed to be a celebration.
"Here is to family."