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“You tell her, if you can stomach it,” Victra says to the ArchGovernor

The“After Volsung Fá left Olympia with more than half its citizens in chains, he sent a deputation to us He clainar Volarus” Pax flinches The ArchGovernor looks Volga sadly in the eye “And he pledged no further acts of violence toward the Republic, and offered to give us the survivors of his massacre and depart Mars…”

“Depart Mars? For what price?” I demand

“His granddaughter,” Victra says Volga does not move a muscle

I look back and forth between the off”

Volga’s mouth moves up and down “But…”

“You were born in a Grimmus slave kennel,” Victra says “You are the product of a dead Terran gladiator nahter of Ragnar Volarus And if this Fá is telling the truth, you are his only living heir Just as you were Sefi’s”

“What?” Electra whispers Pax closes his eyes in thought They open just as Volga whispers

“No…” She looks at the shocked soldiers first, as if they will save her or so, and then to her own hands “I am a freelancer” She looks up “Did Ephraim…”

“No,” Pax says “He didn’t know” I think he’s lying

I step in front of her, wishing I had a pistol

“Get on the shuttle, Volga”

She doesn’t uidance “Get on the shuttle They won’t fire through me,” Victra says

“You’re a freelancer, Volga,” the ArchGovernor calls “So let o to Fá, he leaves this planet and you save millions of lives We may beat him if you refuse, but when Gold coa, one We need heroes”

That does it