George Mentham lowers himself into his seat at the grief restaurant, his old joints creaking. His once green hair is almost completely white, and he only walks with the aid of a cane. Perhaps it is time to see first hand the result of his work with Nine and Alex, replace this old, battered body with a new one. Say goodbye to creaky joints and shaking fingers. Goodbye to the arms that held his daughter and hugged his grandchildren.

A server comes with his usual soon enough. A nice strong tea and a flavourful stew, with no glowshroom or memory vine additives. He watches people as he eats his meal, his old eyes still sharp and calculating.

He recognises one of his old students on a date, her evening dress made of a material imported from the Hegemony- evidently her career in politics is going well. One table in the corner is covered by diagrams of cybernetics, a young man somewhat frantically annotating them with labels and equations. George shakes his head- he set that homework a week ago.

The person he is waiting for never shows up. She never does. Old Man Mentham finishes his meal, pays his bill, and walks out onto Piper Street.

..George Mentham was no less active in international politics, negotiating peace with the Heizar displaced by Monument's crash and continuing to act as one of humanity's ambassadors to the global Heizar community…

-A History Monument by Maurice Antigny

“Dude, look at my reading list! Preliminary Political Theory by George Mentham, Unraveling Neurology, also by George Mentham, Politica Zara by George Mentham and From Man to Machine by-“
“Let me guess, George Mentham?”
“Nine, but co-authored by Mentham, yes.”