"I don't remember what started it, exactly, but I took an interest in knife tricks when I was a kid—my brother bought me my first butterfly knife. And learning combat techniques made sense for self-defence even before I enlisted." The poorer levels of the city weren't half as dangerous as those higher up would have you think, but there are dangers in any city and the Insurrection was getting bolder with every year. "I prefer them to guns half because I'm rarely fighting at long-range and partially because I just find them more... elegant isn't the right word, but it's close. I feel more in control of the damage I'm doing than with a bullet."

When you're up close and personal with your opponent like that, you have to be aware of the damage you're causing in a way that you simply aren't when shooting from a distance. In a way, it feels like it keeps her honest.

Not that she won't use a gun when she needs to, sometimes that's the weapon for the job, but she'll take a knife over a pistol any day.

"Ah, see, we do all our cryo-nutrition after people wake up. There this—" she gestures loosely, "surfactant you have to inhale to protect your lungs before freezing, when you wake up you cough that up and eat it. It's unpleasant. I did not miss going under once I became one of the ones staying awake. I can hardly imagine the way flights worked for you guys."

She shakes her head, grabbing a skewered strawberry for herself and slipping it under the chocolate. She hovers close to Ripley's side even when she's let go to free their arms.

"At least the food here is all real and usually fresh enough."