"But that's not why you won't leave."

It's not a question. But it's also not unkind. Alexa keeps up the pets, and waits until Cerberus meets her eyes.

"You just asked to follow us across the Rift. Maybe you know something I don't about it, but I'm willing to bet that there are ELFs on the other side of there too. It would be just as dangerous to cross with us as it would to go anywhere else in the galaxy.

She's smiling now, and swings an arm as if to display all the galaxy, in all its majesty.

"I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it's all out there, just waiting for you to come see it. I'm not a tour guide. I'm also not going to tell you it's not insanely dangerous. You're incredibly right about ELFs.

"But I saw how your face lit up as you described it all. I heard the excitement in your voice at the idea of finally, finally leaving this place. You've been here for centuries, contemplating the Rift.

"And it seems to me that if you don't want to do it for centuries more, well…"

She's trying so, so hard to be kind. But still, she lets the sentence dangle, lets its implications hang in the air. Safety or satisfaction, but the dog has to choose.