"Mutual destruction like that isn't unheard of though it's far from the default."

"Well. I suppose it'd be my job to see if we in fact have the luxury of continuing to avoid the war that killed our ancestors' homelands."

"Mhm."

This is a very sensible way of putting it! Lucien asks a few more questions just in case but wraps up the interview pretty soon, notifying Alleluia that Isabella seems like she'll make an excellent ambassador.

In that case Alleluia is going to go fly off with Isabella, all the way back to Mount Sinai, where she will spend the night, and she'll be back tomorrow or the day after - Isabella's home the Eyrie is closer if they're in a hurry and would prefer to meet her there. Before they take off Alleluia tells Lucien that when he next sees Isabella there will be no need to keep secrets from her.

Lucien meets her at the Eyrie - a couple of other members of his ship fly down to replace him and Kurm at Monteverde now that the basics have been dealt with.

The Eyrie is a lot like Monteverde except that twenty four hours a day at least two people are singing together in a place that lets their voices resonate throughout the whole hold.

Isabella comes home to it around lunchtime looking very sober and troubled.

Lucien enjoys the singing.

"Um. I hope everything's all right?"

"Everything's fine. Thank you."

He won't ask.

"I'm ready to leave when you are - I'd prefer sooner rather than later but if you need time to say goodbye to people I can wait."

"Yes, I should at least tell my parents and talk to Linus and pack. I should be ready in a few hours."

And a few hours later their shuttle departs for Starship Bridget. 

Lucien smiles.

"It's nice to be reminded of what going to space is like when it's not routine."

"It's so - blue. Samaria."

It really is.

Eventually they arrive at Starship Bridget in low earth orbit.

By galactic standards it's not much too look at - a dirty exterior and an interior that, while clean, is mostly given over to the bare essentials for its 24 person crew. Still, there are several additional bedrooms for any visitors, a mess hall, a large cargo bay (which the shuttle lands in) and a few miscellaneous common spaces.

"It occurs to me that you probably don't have angel-sized beds."

"What size are those?"

"Enough to let us sleep on our stomachs with our wings spread out - not to full span but close."

Lucien can re-quistion one from engineering! They can use other beds for spare parts if need be. He expects it won't be quite as perfect as a new one but it'll still be pretty good and done by this evening.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"Um. Alleluia told me I don't need to keep secrets from you - does this mean she told you about the other ship orbiting your planet?"

Nod.

"Do you want to see it?"

"I've seen it."