On the other end, Ariadne heard a loud bang. Sher glanced to his left with a scowl. “Ismara’s an interesting choice,” he said, distractedly.

“Why?” Clo asked.

“There’s nothing there.” Sher returned his attention back to the screen. “The Tholosians mined everything they could, and the resources dried up years ago. It’s a ghost planet by all accounts.”

“Then no one would think to look there,” Eris pointed out.

“Fair point.” The banging continued, and Sher ran a hand through his hair. “Ping me when you get there. The Tholosian-Evoli truce talks are in three weeks, and if Damocles really is planning a coup, we need to know his plans. I’ll fill Kyla in.” They said their goodbyes and the signal cut out.

Eris sighed, rubbing tired eyes.

“He seems nice,” Ariadne said.

Eris ignored that. “Onwards to Ismara, I guess,” she said. “Clo, make sure you scan the planet for military craft before we hit the atmosphere. If there’s extra security guarding the ichor, we’ll need to be careful about touching down. Ariadne, you’re in charge of the pilot. Wake him up and get him deprogrammed.”

Ariadne wilted.

—

“I don’t want to do this,” Ariadne said as she watched Cato through the screen of the medical center. He was still unconscious from the anaesthesia Rhea had given him earlier. “Not after what we went through with Nyx.”

I don’t want it to be like Nyx, she thought, staring at his prone form. Please don’t let it be like Nyx.

She’d hurt Nyx—so many, many times. All to get that tangled web of programming from her brain. Ariadne had hated every moment of it. Hated making decisions when all she wanted to do was soothe the other woman’s pain.

“I wish you didn’t have to, love,” Rhea said, shoulder brushing hers. Despite her anxiety and nerves, Rhea’s touch calmed Ariadne.

“I don’t like hurting people.”

“It’s to save Cato,” Rhea reminded her gently. “Like you saved Nyx.”

Even Rhea’s touch couldn’t stop Ariadne from stiffening. “And if it kills him?” Rhea fell silent, and Ariadne let out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know if he can even be deprogrammed. You remember how it was with Nyx. She’d already pushed the Oracle’s influence to the surface, and the process still almost killed her.” Ariadne shook her head. “He’s not going to be easy.”

“Could you forgive yourself if we didn’t try?” Rhea asked Ariadne, voice low.

“No.” Never.

“Then you know what we have to do.”

Ariadne shut her eyes briefly, steeling herself. “Okay. Let’s get this over with.” She patted Rhea’s lower back, where she’d stored Nyx’s spare Mors since finding the pilot. “But leave that, please. I don’t want him to view us as more of a threat than he already does.”