She didn't turn away, but the feeling of his touch was enough to give her strength.It seemed she was going to need a lot of it today.
"Eleanor," Master System began."You are stronger than you possibly can imagine.You too are perfect, just as you are.You are worthy of love and protection, and I am sorry I was not there to give that to you from your father's vile temperament.You will change the galaxy, just as you plan.Let the Rhimodians help you.Together you can make a difference, the way you want to."
Eleanor nodded."Thank you."Tears rolled down her face as well.Jedriek, the largest of the Rhimodians, came to her side, and almost swallowed her up in an embrace.She, however, must have needed it, because she pulled away from Caoimhe and collapsed against him.
"Your mother asks your forgiveness for not being there for you both, and she thanks Lady Bianca for sacrificing her life to protect the girls.Lady Freya, the Empress thanks you for your companionship for the princesses.They needed you more than you realize.And of course, Lady Veta.You have guarded the Empress's girls when they needed it, and she thanks you as well."
Silence spread over the room.Every female was a bit misty-eyed, and the sound of everyone getting their composure back filled the room.
"So what now?"Veta asked as she rubbed the corner of her eye.
"Veta, were you crying?"
"No."
Caoimhe raised her eyebrow.
"Maybe a tiny bit.But it doesn't matter.All this is great, you know?A final good bye and all that kind of thing, but really, we're still screwed.The Terran Empire fucking invaded the Rhimodian space when we were trying to negotiate peace.They tried to kill us.Blow up our ship--"
"I did that," Caoimhe said.
"What?"Veta asked.
"I had the ship blow up," she said.
"Why?"
"If they think we're dead, then they can't come after us," Freya said.
"Well," Caoimhe started to say.
"That's what you told me."
It wasn't wrong.It wasn't all the way true, either."And it's true.But there was more to it than that."
"Speak, then, Princess.What is going on, and don't be diplomatic.There's a war out there," Veta said.
Caoimhe knew she would have to explain everything, her actions could be seen as acts of war against the Terran Empire.Yet her choices were based on the greater good, and how she could help make the situation better."The Emperor threatened me.Told me he was bringing a cloaked fleet in with my arrival to create a siege."
"Of course he did," Bianca said.
"So I blew up the ship to reveal the cloaked vessels to the Rhimodians.He told me if I leaked word to the Rhimodians, he would kill us all before we left the system."
Veta rubbed her head."I was loyal to that man.I wanted nothing more than to serve the Terran Empire, to serve the Emperor.And he was going to throw me--all of us away like garbage, to further his goals."
"I'm sorry," Caoimhe said.
Veta met her gaze."I'm sorry I put loyalty in such a man."
"You are not the only one," Caoimhe said.There were so many senators who over the last few years had told her similar things about the Emperor.Terrans who made a choice to follow and listen to him, even when he didn't make sense, but followed anyway, and only now, see the truth about him.
"Are you going to stop him?"Veta asked.
Caoimhe nodded."With everyone's help, yes.Yes I am."
Eleanor shook her head."How can we, though?How can we stop him?"
"We have to.He's planning on genocide," Caoimhe said
