"Because they would not have gone to the trouble to do all the things we requested if they were going to destroy us before we got here."
Eleanor absorbed the words.
She wasn't wrong.
The logic followed.
That meant someone else had been responsible, which was an idea Eleanor wasn't ready to entertain just yet.
Maybe there were factions, like there are in the Terran Empire, that have their own agendas? Some were not interested in ending the war between them. It was possible.
Oh, if she could see one, she'd, she'd, well, she'd punch him in the face! This was such craziness.
She grabbed a bulkhead and held on as the ship groaned. The sound grated and made them all pause for a second.
Bianca looked around.
“Where do we go?” Bianca asked as they reached the escape pod dock. “Back to the Empire?”
“We can’t,” Veta said, her hand on the wall over the escape pods. “Not enough fuel. We’ll have to land here and call for help.”
“I cannot believe it,” Caoimhe whispered. “I just cannot. They wanted peace. Why would they do this?”
“Believe it, Your Highness,” Veta said. “Even your father knew it would go this way.”
“He must be wrong,” Caoimhe said.
Veta waved her hand. “Your ship is dying. We have minutes. We'll talk the politics later.”
She shook her head. “They wouldn’t do this,” Caoimhe said. “We were going to work together to save our system.” Caoimhe stood there trembling.
Veta grabbed her shoulders. “Princess.”
Caoimhe looked at her.
Veta grabbed her hand. “We have to save you.” She turned to Eleanor, and for once, Eleanor appreciated being included. “Both of you princesses.”
“There is only room for one,” Caoimhe said.
"In the pods, right?" Eleanor said, finishing Caoimhe's words.
She reached over and squeezed her sister's hand.
Caoimhe turned to look at her. "You have the most beautiful eyes. Have I ever told you that, Sister?"
Eleanor squeezed her hand back, knowing exactly what her sister was doing. She was saying goodbye. Well, Eleanor wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet. "And you have the strongest spirit." She leaned in closer. "We're not going to die. Go. Save yourself. I'll see you soon. "
"Promise?"
"Sister promise."
Caoimhe shoved her toward an available pod. "Go, sister. See you soon."
Veta nodded. “We can do this. Land your pods. They’re stocked with survival gear. Stay in contact. We’ll get through this.”
Eleanor climbed into her pod. It was small, and her robes bunched up around her. She probably would have been giving someone a great view of her underthings as she got situated, her skirts flying around her.
“Head toward civilization,” Veta said, reaching in the pod and straightening the skirt. She winked at Eleanor.
