"You're going to base your rationale on contingencies? Because Edriss lied, murdered and enslaved her way through the universe, Earth was involved in the Yeerk conflict and the war was won, freeing millions. Does that mean she was right to kill in cold blood the mother of her children? Does that mean she was right to enslave me, because at least everything turned out alright in the long run? And furthermore, does that mean doing more evil things guarantees a good future?"

She's barely, barely keeping back from yelling. Instead it just gives her voice a sickly sweet condescension. She wants to grab Dani by the shoulders and shake her. "There's a difference between doing evil things that are for the best in the long run, and doing evil things because in the past they've sometimes turned out alright. For all you know, if Iniss were dead Tom and Jake would have been spending time together when Rachel arrived and she wouldn't have attacked. There's no possible way for you to deduce the what-ifs. If you really think that this action will clearly lead to a better long-run outcome, I respect that. But if you're going on past events and hoping for the best tomorrow, you best keep in mind that you've got a teenage boy tethered within his own mind."

She closes her eyes and composes herself again, trying to let the rage manifest in her tense muscles and grinding teeth instead of in her words and voice. "He'll never not be a slave as long as Iniss is inside his skull. He's always chained to asking Iniss' - or your - permission."