Days had passed since Basel last saw her. They had left the royal city quickly after the meeting, and the ship felt silent and cold.
Basel worked as usual. His drinking habits had returned and he didn't seem as invested. The only thing he seemed to care about was the Berdling.
The door to his lab opened slowly, and Stephanie entered. She had a troubled look on her face, one that had been present for days. “Basel...?”
She frowned, looking past him for a moment. “I...” She hesitated for maybe the first time since he had known her. “I think... I think I made a poor decision, and you need to not attack me.”
She frowned, squinting at him before her shoulders slumped. “I... Anya is not being reinstated as the head of the throne,” she said quietly. “They made a deal with me. We’d... our crew would be completely free and rewarded with enough credits so that we would never have to worry again. All we had to do was tell no one about this and give her to them. They...” She exhaled. “They told me that they were going to execute her privately, Basel. She would cease to exist and she would never be known to the public eyes, thus preserving their current royal line.”
He stood up suddenly, his gaze sharp and voice grating. "Stephanie. What the *squee!*? They told you this and you continued to go through with it? We have lasted this long without the stupid credits." His hands were shaking. She could tell he was beyond angry. "We have to go back. Right now."
“She’s dead by now,” she replied sharply, tilting her head. “They didn’t want to prolong the situation, Basel, they would have killed her as soon as we left.”
He stepped nearer, his tone insistent. "We have to go back. If not the whole ship, then I'll take a pod."
She grabbed his arm, her gaze fierce. “If she’s dead in there, Basel, you’ll die trying to get out. You won’t make it.”
“She is not worth dying over, Basel! These tests you want to perform aren’t worth it! There is more to life than this. Just stop it and take a breath.”
"I loved her!" he hissed, maybe faltering for a moment. "She gave me company. This ship.. I'm replaceable. If I die then you can easily find someone else to replace me."
Her eyes widened for a moment and she watched him, her gaze dangerous. “You loved her? ...*squee!*, Basel. *squee!*. Okay, okay, just..” She ran her fingers through her hair. “*squee!*. Okay. I’m... we’ll head back. Just hang tight.”
(Zoop!) The parlor remained impeccably kept since they left. As the King entered, his eyes narrowed. “What are you two doing back here?” he asked smoothly. “We had a deal, Ms. Lewis.”
