It’s worse, somehow, now that she’s stopped shouting. There isn’t any surprise or crisis to hide behind. He is speaking with Bella. Bella is in the room, speaking with him. He and Bella are speaking, and they will keep speaking, until he dismisses her, or she leaves of her own will. Bella. She is here. 

He’d expected…no, he’d [i]suspected[/i] that she wasn’t going to sabotage them, now that she had the chance. The battle on Sahar. Redana’s tearful report. A hunch, at the effect of a Master, felled by her own hand. Enough to decide that his decision extended to keeping her unbound, and free to move about the ship. 

That hadn’t told him enough to know what she [i]would[/i] do. Or who she would be, freed of her old role.

She speaks loudly without raising her voice. There’s an edge to it, jagged and cruel, and she drives it into his stomach and glides it across his coat. He cannot tell which it will be until it happens. He cannot keep from wincing. He picks up every pause, every gesture, every little thing that might tell him what he ought to be doing to make it stop. Make her stop. Leave him alone. Find someone else. His wide eyes search hers. They find no relief.

She’s beautiful. By most standards. By his standards. By…by Vasillia’s standards. She is beautiful. Ramses is watching her. Many of the Coherent are watching her. He counts at least three who are only pretending to work. She walks with an assurance of step so secure, no movement is an accident. She knows she is supposed to be here. Perhaps more than anyone here. And he can’t keep his hands from shaking.

She’s here. And she doesn’t have to be. She doesn’t want to be. She hates it, here. Nothing that anyone’s doing is making it any easier. Nothing [i]she’s[/i] doing is making it any easier. But she’s here. And she’s asking. And maybe he can believe that she’ll do as she’s said.

“How do you suggest we approach them?” As she asked. He spends no more words than necessary. Measured, despite himself. “Everything we have tried to date has failed, whether I attempt in person or by proxy, and this cannot continue.”