“People on Titan were innocent, too,” I spit at her, trying to push past Scorpia.

“Apollo’s still on Gaia,” she murmurs in my ear. That gives me pause. I take a deep breath, and slowly the anger subsides, leaving me hollow and helpless.

“Okay,” Scorpia says, looking back and forth between Shey and me. She waits for me to slump back into my chair before she takes a seat herself. “So… since bombing Gaia is clearly off the table”—she pauses to shoot me a look—“what are you proposing that we do, Shey?”

“I believe that if the Nibirans knew the truth, and they knew the plight the Gaians face, they would help us,” Shey says. To her credit, she’s still calm and collected, though she now avoids making eye contact with me and instead speaks directly to Scorpia. “I think we could find a way to coexist on their planet. Given our resources, it wouldn’t be too difficult to create new islands.”

My mouth twists in a grimace. It’s ridiculous idealism. From what I’ve seen in my interplanetary travels, I can’t say that Leonis has the wrong idea. The planets have spent so many years viewing each other as enemies that it’s hard to imagine them welcoming Gaians with open arms. Two peoples mingling on one planet is unheard of, and these two peoples have a particularly uneasy history as well. It’s not difficult to imagine it turning into a situation like on Titan: people turning against each other, fighting over resources, tearing their own planet apart in the conflict.

But earlier today, I argued to Scorpia that we could prevent the war. I told her that people can be better. Perhaps the world Shey paints is possible.

“So what’s your plan, exactly?” I ask. Shey glances in my direction but still doesn’t look me in the eye.

“I think we should be honest,” she says. “I think we should talk to the Nibiran Council, tell them what happened on my planet, and ask for safe haven.”

“Talk to them,” Scorpia repeats, and laughs dryly. Shey’s cheeks flare red. “That’s your grand plan? Sneak on board a smuggler ship and then just… talk to the Nibirans?”

“Well I haven’t figured everything out yet,” Shey snaps. “My relation to the Gaian president should be enough to gain us an audience with the Nibiran Council. And then I was thinking…” She bites her lip. “I was hoping you all would help me.”

A headache is already building in my skull. Just when I thought this situation couldn’t get any more complicated, along comes another wrench.

“Ugh,” Scorpia mumbles. She drags a hand across her face and leans back, letting out a dramatic sigh. “How does this keep getting more convoluted?”

Shey’s eyebrows rise.

“Is that all you have to say?” she asks. “After everything I explained to you—”