Is any of this the right thing to do? Are these the right things to say? Maketh's breaking before her, and it's worlds and galaxies beyond what she knows how to deal with. Her entire body seems to quake even under Lilith's stabilizing grip. Slower than the first move she'd made, she takes Maketh's other arm.

For the first time in a very long time, Lilith is scared.

"You're not with them, you're in my apartment, Maketh." Her voice is low and steady, but the nervousness in her tone isn't something she can perfectly conceal. (What if she scares her off again? What if it's Maketh who storms off this time? What if whatever military nonsense that's been drilled into her brain is going to keep setting off more of these creepy mantras?)

"I don't know what kind of bullshit that Empire of yours fed you, but I already forgave you. No harm, no foul."

Lilith's grip loosens, and her hands slide slightly lower on Maketh's upper arm. Her fingers, resting just above her elbows, press tiny wrinkles in the fabric of the woman's uniform.

"You don't need to do this anymore. It's okay. You're okay."