"It's the ability to do what you want. Which isn't as simple as it sounds - first you have to be able to know what you want, for example. She knows they chose Saru, and that helps, but it still bothers her to see someone give that up."

“Ladriel isn’t as cruel about it as Saru, but her rule is just as absolute. That’s why Saru trusts me with this.”

Deskyl shakes her head.

    "It's not the same. You're able to worry about what's going to happen here, even if you're not supposed to let that affect anything. You're making the choice to serve, because you want to, not because you've lost your ability to do anything else."

The SLAYER gets a running start, crouches, and then leaps off into space.

"I don't lack the ability to do anything else. But I choose to serve because, I know, I make terrible choices when I'm masterless."

    "Everyone makes mistakes, Ma'am."

"Not me. Not anymore."

The SLAYER activates its maneuvering thrusters now that it's drifted a fair ways out from the habitat, and glides noiselessly out into the debris field beyond.

Deskyl spends a moment glaring at her, then curls up and apparently goes to sleep.

Devika follows Deskyl's lead.

Dheto keeps her eyes on the road ahead.

DZ floats quietly, watching the starscape.

Devika wakes up before Deskyl does.

She has a distant look to her.

DZ makes her way over. (She's still awkward, without gravity, but she can manage well enough.) "Are you all right, Ma'am?"

"I am."

She nods.

"I don't mind listening, if you'd like to talk about it."

She glances past DZ, at Dheto.

"I'm not sure what's right to talk about. Or who's right to talk to."

"Mmhmm. We have time, you don't need to figure it out right now."

DZ goes to wake Deskyl, and after a few minutes of conversation, they come back over.

(Emotion read: unsure who to be terrified by, defaulting to being terrified of absolutely everyone as a precautionary measure.)

Deskyl stops short, a little beyond arm's reach. She considers Devika for a moment, then combs her fingers through her hair with her hand held oddly, so that the thumb runs across her temple, and gives her a questioning look.

Devika gives a curt nod.

(Emotion Read: "I can't stop you.")

She shakes her head, subtly, after a moment.

    "Not unless you want to, Ma'am," DZ murmurs.

She thinks for the better part of a minute, then firmly states: "I want you to."

(Her emotion read has not changed.)

And Deskyl closes her eyes, settling into the same meditative state Devika has seen from her before.

Devika's thoughts:

If I can trust her, then I should let her read my mind.

If I can't trust her, then nothing matters anyway.

Ergo, I should let her read my mind.