Now -- now Sonia starts to feel anger rising in her chest, making her gaze hot, and she refuses to let herself blink and spill the tears standing in her eyes. Her breathing is shallow as she stares at him, fists clenched at her sides. Her palm doesn't sting so much anymore.
"Is that what you think will happen?" She can't bear to bring her voice above a whisper, too angry, too incredulous. "You think that's what will happen if they win? That the Vor will all be made honorary ghem, treated as equal? Are you stupid?"
Because he doesn't seem mad right now. Just shortsighted and -- and incredibly, unthinkably stupid. She rocks that half-step back toward him.
"You talk as though we never could have had those things, as though we weren't working toward them already. We'd have gotten there on our own. We were hardly even had a chance before they ripped it away from us. They've killed millions of us!"
Her voice jumps into a raw shout without her intending to, filling the small space of the cell. She grits her teeth, lowers her voice again, but just barely.
"What do you think has happened to the people on every other planet the Cetagandans have taken under their wing under the pretext of enlightenment? Do you hear the Cetagandans celebrating their cultures, the -- ha -- diversity of their empire? The people here might be able to live under Cetagandan rule, yes, it wouldn't mean the total obliteration of the planet's population, they'd be alive -- but believe me, Byerly Vorrutyer, if the Cetagandans win, there will be nothing left of Barrayar. Not as you or I know it. Not as you or I love it."
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"Is that what you think will happen?" She can't bear to bring her voice above a whisper, too angry, too incredulous. "You think that's what will happen if they win? That the Vor will all be made honorary ghem, treated as equal? Are you stupid?"
Because he doesn't seem mad right now. Just shortsighted and -- and incredibly, unthinkably stupid. She rocks that half-step back toward him.
"You talk as though we never could have had those things, as though we weren't working toward them already. We'd have gotten there on our own. We were hardly even had a chance before they ripped it away from us. They've killed millions of us!"
Her voice jumps into a raw shout without her intending to, filling the small space of the cell. She grits her teeth, lowers her voice again, but just barely.
"What do you think has happened to the people on every other planet the Cetagandans have taken under their wing under the pretext of enlightenment? Do you hear the Cetagandans celebrating their cultures, the -- ha -- diversity of their empire? The people here might be able to live under Cetagandan rule, yes, it wouldn't mean the total obliteration of the planet's population, they'd be alive -- but believe me, Byerly Vorrutyer, if the Cetagandans win, there will be nothing left of Barrayar. Not as you or I know it. Not as you or I love it."