And so it was that Jessica Faileas and David Jacobs fell in love.
They began courting immediately seeing each other at least once a day, each time both getting closer to one another.
But society would only let them get too close and a sense of propriety stopped them from openly talking in company about how they were never to be alone in the same room as one another and they didn’t get much chance to express much at all.
The frustration as instead of a kiss, a touch of the hand, and instead of ‘I love you’, a look or gesture.  Not even able to fully embrace one another took its toll.
None of it deterred either of them.
After one month and a week and a half, the entire body of the ships passenger’s minds turned to one thing.
The Orbit Ball, a celebration that marked the anniversary of the end of the war.
For the Faileas family it was also a day of mourning, for it would also mark the one year anniversary of Jared’s death.

It was nearly seven o’clock in the morning.
Jessica rubbed her eyes, not even a wink of sleep had touched them since she had been awoken by Clarissa’s clumsy, drunken return to the rooms and setting down that Jessica was too tired to deliver.
Rolling over she looked to her clock.  Despite the early hour she rose, washed and dressed.  She was to meet Ella for an early breakfast and to then start preparing for the ball.
She thought that she might spend the day in mourning for her beloved father.  However at David’s request they were to attend the ball together, and so what she had thought was to be a day of sadness had turned to a day of joy and rapture. 
And for a while she felt bad for not being sad, she was brought round, by Ella, to the idea that her father would be proud of her moving on and happy for her connections in love.
“Are you sure?” Jessica asked her again.  “Of course I am sure,” her friend replied, “as long as you don’t forget him and treasure his memory, I’m quite sure he’d rather you were happy at a time like this.”
Thus satisfied Jessica was able to continue feeling happy, although she found herself missing David for the day despite his promise to see her at her rooms that evening when he was to escort her and her family to the ball.  He was however, regretfully quite busy during the day, making calls back home, sorting out business.
She was dreading their meeting; Clarissa and David’s meeting was something that, throughout the course of the day, Jessica began dreading more and more.  His association with her brother and sister, she could well stand, they were good children and they would get on well enough with him.  However an association with the woman that she refused to call mother, would be entirely difficult. 
Of course she had told David about her, but its one thing hearing about such a person but an entirely different matter actually meeting them.  For this reason, Jessica had decided to have a talk with her before he arrived.  She was back at her room a good hour before he was due to arrive leaving her plenty of time to get ready and have a talk with Clarissa.  Aurora and Anthony had already been ready for half an hour and were growing restless.  Eventually, tired of their constant pestering, she urged them to go on ahead of her, promising to introduce her David the moment that they arrived.
It was quarter to, and Clarissa had still not emerged from her room.
She used the extra time to properly look at herself in the mirror.  She was far from being a vain person but looking in the mirror, she thought herself looking quite well.  The deep blue ball gown matched her eyes perfectly, the clips that held her hair in place were small and sparkly and were barely visible but glittered nicely, around her neck hung her favourite necklace, a small pendant that her father had given to her on her last birthday before his death, a tiny dark red jewel that hung in a small, thinly wired cage.
Getting impatient, Jessica finally finished her touching up, and went to Clarissa’s door and knocking, called her name.
“Clarissa,” no answer, “Clarissa, it’s Jessica, I want to have a word with you before Mr Jacobs arrives, may I come in?”
Still no answer.
“Oh goodness,” she muttered to herself, “if she’s passed out, so help me I’m going to slap her till she wakes.” and grasping the handle she pushed open the door.
Reeling back she tried not to gag as out of the blackness came an all mighty stench that burnt the back of her throat.
Coughing she cried out, “Dear God, Clarissa, what have you been doing in here?  Clarissa?”
Pulling out her handkerchief and covering her mouth and nose she advanced into the room.  “Clarissa?” she said again, noticing her voice trembling.
The carpet was sticky underfoot in places and the stench was getting worse.
Jessica began to shake, “Clarissa?” she called again her voice trembling even more was barely above a whisper.
She made her way to the dressing table next to the room’s grand chair and reaching for the lamp that sat on it, snapped it on.
Immediately the light blinded her, forcing her eyes closed.
She kept them closed.
Terror seemed to keep them closed.
It couldn’t have been real. 
The glimpse the light had afforded her.
It couldn’t have been real. 
Her breathing had become fast and jerky, swallowing gulps of putrid air through her nose.
It couldn’t have been real.
Her eyes snapped open.
It was real

A scream of horror stuck in her throat chocking her, as she took in the horror that lay before her.
Clarissa it was, but so barely recognisable was the face and body of what lay before her that she would be easily mistook, for all over not only her face, but her entire body were gaping flesh as though someone had had repeatedly slashed at her with a huge blade.
Blood was over everything; the carpet, the bed, the sofa, the back of the door and even the lamp, casting the room in a deathly shade of red.
Before she was barely able to comprehend what was before her, Jessica felt the presence of someone behind her and, spinning on her heal, she turned in time to see a dark, cloaked figure closing the door and turning towards her.
This time the scream did not stick.
It ran loud and shrill right out of the rooms and further into the corridor just in time to catch David as he came round the corner.
Upon hearing Jessica’s cry, dropping the flowers, he sprinted to the door.
It was unlocked and he barged his way inside.
“Jessica?  Jessica?” his voice coarse with panic.
There came a light thump from a room to his right.  He went to it but it was locked.  He hurled himself against it, to no avail, and again this time the door shattering at the hinges.
“Jessi…”he began as he came into the room, stopping short at what he saw, the slaughtered body lying there.
His face went pale as sour milk trying to walk forwards but his knees buckled under him.
“Jessica” he whispered.
Something to his left startled him, a small noise from beside the dresser.
He crawled across the floor carefully avoiding the blood.  And peering round the edge of the dresser his entire body let out a spasm of joy.  For there curled up in a ball was Jessica.
Her hands and knees were covered in blood with patches of it on her face, her hair had half fallen of over her face and her face staring into nothingness but she was alive.
Standing up he crouched forwards and pulling her gently to her knees took her in his arms and carried her out of the room, away from the death.
He closed the door behind them and in pushing the emergency button he took her to the sofa, and sat them both there, cradling her in his arms.