I was twitchy as I waited by the door for Drac to tell me that it was safe to enter the ship. It seems like overkill. It seems ridiculous that we had so many people checking every single person and inch of the ship to make sure that we were safe.

They’d already scanned it multiple Times but apparently, that wasn't enough.

The longer that I had to wait, the worse I felt. I just spent the entire time worrying. I was ruminating, fixating on what might be said and how I could respond to it.

That was part of the issue. I had no response. I had nothing that I could say that make things okay. I mean, how exactly was I meant to say ‘I’m sorry that my actions meant you were locked up in a Council prison for who knows how long’? I couldn’t.

It felt too flat, too weak. There was nothing I could say that communicated how horrible I felt about the situation. Because of me, they had been handed to the Council. I had handed them to the Council.

Nausea tinged with anxiety churned in my stomach. What did they want to say to me? I couldn't work it out but I knew that it would not be the perfect photo opportunity that Aquila wanted it to be.

Whatever was about to happen, I knew that it would be hard.

“Okay, it’s all safe if you want to come aboard,” Drac said into the comms device in my ear. “Although, I get it if you want to run. I’m happy to pretend I found something suspicious here, if you want.”

That panicked me and I’m ashamed to admit that I considered it for a second. Not seriously, but the thought did cross my mind.

I glanced at my crew before taking a deep breath and steeling myself.

“Appreciate it but we’re coming aboard now,” I replied.

Beside me, Cas clench his hands into fists before meeting my gaze.

We got this, he thought to me.

I nodded.

No retreat, I thought.

No surrender.

“We’re ready,” I said out loud to Vela who nodded and opened the ship door.

I had not expected the sheer number of people who were clustered outside, waiting for us. Drac stood at the front of the crew, smiling at me supportively.

I tried not to let the surprise show on my face as I stared down at the semi-familiar Irisians.

I was pretty sure that some of them were the people we had rescued from the planet. I recognise them but something was wrong. Their suffering had been etched into their faces. They were so much thinner, their skin waxy. They hadn't been particularly tanned before, of course. I knew that they were from a mining planet but at least there they had the opportunity to go outside. Judging by the look of them, they hadn't had that option in a long time.

My heart sank as I looked at them, taking in the visible injuries. Some of the peoples’ faces were discoloured, disfigured by bruising and swelling. One of the people in front of me, she couldn't have been much older than myself, was missing an arm. Someone else was using crutches.

Guilt sunk its claws deeper into me as I stared silently.

It was like a standoff. Neither side was willing to talk first or break the silence. I wasn’t sure what to say and I was sure neither were they.

Finally, a girl walked forwards. An eyepatch covered her right eye and her face was a mass of bruises. She smiled, seemingly genuinely happy despite her chipped and missing teeth.

“Crew Seven Six One!” she cried. “I’m happy to see you again!”

I hesitated, trying desperately to work out if I knew the girl. She looked about my age and there was something vaguely familiar about her but I couldn't put my finger on it.

“Suloa?” Peggy gasped from behind me.

The girl in front of me just smiled sheepishly up at us.

Peggy stumbled down the ramp and carefully through her arms around the girl. A laugh sounded from her but it felt a little forced.

“Bet you’re surprised to see me again. I thought I was going to die in that prison,” she said.

“You kept telling us that they’d come save us. You said it all the time,” someone else said, nudging her gently.

“Yeah,” Suloa said, still clinging to Peggy. “I knew they’d come save you but I thought the Council would kill me before that happened.”

She’s the girl who I was speaking to on Irision, remember? Peggy thought to us. Her mom was in charge and she helped send me all the information.

My eyes widened and shame burned in my stomach.

I should have recognised her, I had seen her on that day. She had helped us evacuate people.

“I’m glad we got to you in time,” I said.

She smiled at me but there was a haunted look in her eyes as Peggy pulled back.

“Are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help?” she said, gently touching Suloa’s bruised cheek.

She pulled away, smiling softly.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s the others I’m worried about,” she said.

“Spoken like a true leader,” someone in the crowd called.

The small part of Suloa’s face that was unbruised flushed darkly and she glanced at me bashfully.

“Sorry, that’s kind of what they’ve started calling me now. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, it’s just…” she trailed off and looked at me sheepishly.

“No, it’s okay. I get it. You’re the leader here,” I said. “That’s okay.”

It was. The Irisians deserved to have someone in charge who they knew and trusted.

Suloa’s smile widened and she raised her chin, standing taller.

“Thank you,” she said genuinely. “I was worried about how that would go down with you and that woman in charge.”

Doubt flashed through me. I hadn’t even considered how Aquila would feel about the Irisians electing their own leader but I stood by what I said. I was prepared to argue it out with her, if necessary. I was glad that it wasn't though.

“Is your mom…” Peggy started to ask before trailing off.

“Dead?” Suloa said. “Yeah, of course. The Council knew exactly who she was the second we landed and got to the prison. She had been arguing with them for years at that point so they just killed her immediately.”

I winced at Suloa’s matter of fact tone. It sounded like she had expected it, like she'd seen it coming, which somehow made it so much worse.

“I'm sorry,” I said.

I wanted to say something more, not an excuse but to say something to recognise what I had done and the part I had played in her death, but she cut me off.

“It’s fine. She knew it was a risk when she chose to go to Nova. I don’t blame anyone but the Council.”

Fury blazed in her eyes.

I nodded but her words didn’t make me feel any better.

Belatedly, I realised we were still standing in the doorway and started down the ramp.

“I blame them too. We will bring them to justice,” I promised, despite knowing I shouldn’t.

It felt like a dangerous promise. I wanted to make it, I wanted for it to be true more than anything, but I knew that there was a strong possibility we would not succeed.

Despite that, Suloa smiled at me.

“I know that you will. I wanted to offer my assistance, that’s part of the reason I asked for you and your crew to come here. I knew that Aquila wouldn’t listen to what I wanted but that you would,” she said.

“Oh?” I asked cautiously.

“Yeah. There’s more than me and my people can offer than just sitting around on this ship. We want to help. We want to take down the Council,” she said, her voice becoming louder and more intense.

A cheer went up behind her and I looked into the eyes of the Irisians.

They’d lost their home, their leaders, and many of them had lost their families. They were ready to fight.

I hesitated. They had already been through so much, I didn't want them to have to fight anymore. I wanted them to just be able to relax. To be safe and happy but I knew they wouldn't accept that. I knew that they wanted to do their part to bring down the Council.

“Okay,” I said. “Tell me what I can do.”