She glared at him. “Yes, you have.”
“My intention was not to offend but to explain.”
"You do not do a very good job of it."
"Diplomacy is not my program. I am here to make sure you get to the negotiations."
"Well, at least we have that in common. I cannot wait to see my friends again."
"It seems we may be stuck here for the duration of the eclipse."
Stuck here?
Oh, that could not be good. She took a step to help her gather her thoughts. "And how long is the eclipse?"
"Here, on Sol-1, it will be at least two and a half days."
"Can we not leave on a ship?"
"It is more complicated."
"Of course it is," Freya said, more to herself than anything. "Perhaps this place really is cursed."
"Cursed? What do you mean?"
She waved her hand in the air. "An old tale for children. To scare them."
"Why would you wish to terrify children?" he asked.
"Compliance."
"‘Nothing is more controlling than fear,’" he said.
She agreed--it was something she witnessed every day in the Terran Empire. Maintaining the status quo was essential, and the easiest way to keep the classes in their place was through fear.
The words were incredibly familiar to her. Had she heard them somewhere? It sounded like something the Emperor would say. "That phrase. What is it from?"
"The Nevillian poet, Singe."
"Ahh. I was not sure if it was from one of the Emperor's speeches."
"No."
"He might have said it in an address," she said. "I would not be surprised if he did."
The Rhimodian did not look impressed. If anything, he looked annoyed that she'd mentioned the Emperor at all. "The Terran Emperor believes strongly in his ideals."
"That he does," Freya said. She felt the tension shift between them and did not want to get into a political debate with her temporary protector. The last thing she needed was for him to evade his duties and leave her behind on this moon.
Especially with Charro running around out there.
She shifted the subject away from the Emperor. "I am surprised you're versed in poetry."
"It is data," he said.
"But it is also art."
"Art is data."
