“I’m a little bit drunk and very emotionally compromised right now, so forgive me if I’m not eager to risk my life and save the universe or whatever.” Despite the joke, there’s strain beneath Scorpia’s voice. I know she must be thinking the same thing I am: Even if we want to be noble, even if Shey’s plan for peace is possible, Leonis holds our brother hostage.

“We have a lot to talk about,” I say, and stand up. “And we’ll discuss it further in the morning. For now, we all could use some sleep… and you need to find out how we deal with stowaways on this ship.”

In all reality, Fortuna has only had one stowaway in all the time I’ve been on board, and Momma dealt with her by promptly flushing her out the air lock while she begged and screamed for mercy. It wasn’t a grand affair, just a quick, no-nonsense disposal before the woman could finish telling the sob story she started spewing when Momma found her crouched in the cargo bay.

“There’s no time for mercy out here,” she said, while Scorpia and I looked on in horror.

I don’t deal with Shey in the same way, partially because she’s Leonis’s daughter and could be helpful for us, partially because Scorpia has been making puppy eyes at her the whole time and would surely hate me for it. But that doesn’t stop me from tying Shey up and locking her in the supply closet. It’s important to maintain some semblance of order on this ship. Scorpia seems to agree, since she doesn’t voice any complaints throughout the process, though she does murmur an apology before shutting her inside.

“So?” I ask Scorpia in a low voice as we walk up the stairs, not eager to be overheard by either our prisoner or our siblings. “What do you think of all this?”

Scorpia rakes her fingers through her hair.

“I don’t know. I really don’t. I believe Shey is telling the truth, but I’m not sure if it’s possible to turn back at this point.” She lets out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping. “But… I know you’re right. Either way, I need to tell everyone the truth before we go any further. The whole truth. We need to be together on this.”

We stop outside her doorway. Scorpia looks nervous, and I don’t blame her. But as much as I feel an urge to comfort her, I hold my tongue. This is all on her shoulders now.

“So, family meeting in the morning?”

“Family meeting in the morning,” she repeats with another sigh. She hesitates, and then a faint smile breaks through her gloomy expression. “Hey, at least I’ve got you on my side, right?”

“Something like that,” I say, but smile wryly despite myself. “Good night, Scorpia.”

“Night.”