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Hvergelmir had first met Princess Chariklo five years ago, when she'd only been a squire and her friend had only been Super Sailor Chariklo. Times and fortunes had changed for both of them, since then, but some things didn't. Hvergelmir had curtsied when she'd met her then. Eyes sparkling somewhat playfully, she curtsied now.

The little cabin in the woods where she'd asked the princess to meet her was miles from the main campsite. It served as a hunting box for when they needed game farther afield, as well as a bolthole for people on the run who didn't want to risk returning to camp for one reason or another, if they were uncertain of pursuit. And today, standing beside the mirror where Chariklo had arrived, it served as a quiet place for a private conversation.

Princess, she signed, straightening up. Always a pleasure to see your lovely face.

Hvergelmir let Chariklo in close enough to touch her face, allowing herself a friendly nose-to-nose kunik in return. With most people, she might've withdrawn, protecting her face -- but Chariklo was a good friend. Her touch was always welcomed.

She smiled at Chariklo's flattery, and at the description of the books she'd brought as gifts, and cocked an eyebrow. You're a married woman, she signed. Don't you get me into trouble just because you've got me alone in the woods.

(She wasn't sure she wanted to admit how she signed 'Chariklo' -- which was the letter C followed by the sign for 'bird.' 'Princess' was much better.)

At Chariklo's solicitious questions, she raised her hands in surrender and shook her head. I'm fine. I eat all my pureed vegetables and I always share my air mattress with at least one cat to ward off bad dreams. Foolproof method.

There was no getting around the other part of the inquiry, though. The big part.

Things went south at the Oasis the other day. I don't know if you've heard. One of the patients in recovery saw a Dark Mirror walking by and had a panic attack. Your people had corrupted someone in his family. He tore his stitches and they had to sedate him. People are tense. On our side, even sailor and knight relations are strained right now because of it.

He's fine now, Hvergelmir signed back. But that's what I wanted to talk to you about. This alliance we have now... She paused, choosing her words. It's better than nothing. We all know that. That's why we do it. But this isn't really benefiting anyone badly enough. Everyone on our side thinks you could walk away at any moment if the war takes a last sharp turn. Everyone on your side...

Hvergelmir looked away. I can't claim to know what they say about us, but I can imagine. The tangible things we've offered each other are quite small. I'd like to suggest something bigger. Something that has real meaning to us and to you.

Do you trust me? Will you hear out my terms?

She looked up at her friend, questions in her eyes.

Last time, she'd made a vow alone. It had been her decision, with no one to convince of its rightness. This time she had to get two other people to take the leap of faith instead. She'd already managed to gain Babylon's help -- now she needed Chariklo's. If the princess didn't agree, she wasn't sure she'd have as much luck trying to make the same deal with a DMC senshi she didn't have that much of a long-standing relationship with.

Now that it came to it, Hvergelmir was nervous. What if she made her offer, and it wasn't enough? What if the Dark Mirror court started demanding concessions, things they weren't willing to give?

What if it was just too much?

She put up her hands and signed. In the event that we have to leave Earth for some reason, if we lose the camp and need to regroup, or if . . . if Earth's too dangerous to stay -- Babylon of Mercury is willing to take you and your people with us to his city.

Hvergelmir had an unsated need to pace the room as she spoke, to let off some anxious energy. She knew she couldn't, though -- it was hard to sign if the listener couldn't see you because you were wandering around like an idiot.

In exchange, you and your people stop all corruptions from here on out. If you want to go to space, we can take you. But the more of you there are, the more can't get there on their own. And each senshi we lose shifts Earth away from Order and toward Chaos. Each time, that makes it harder for us to get off-world. You'd bring us any new senshi you can find.

It can't be very different from what you're already doing, can it?

Hvergelmir let out the breath she'd been holding. It was not, unfortunately, a good exhale.

Hvergelmir had taken the camp's little uneasy alliance and tried to stretch it into something bigger -- a formal treaty, a grand bargain. But Chariklo was asking to go broader than that. What she was asking involved the whole camp, not just the city of Babylon.

To save a life -- I think Babylon may agree to that. For the other possibility, if they come begging for it... She frowned, fingers briefly curled against her cheek in contemplation. I don't know what he'll say. We'll have to see what terms we can all agree to.

Her frown deepened at the last item she had to address. Chariklo wanted blanket permission for Dark Mirror senshi to be able to come and live at the camp. To enter and leave as they pleased.

You know it's not in my power to offer the camp to you. Babylon's, either. What you're asking is a treaty with the entirety of us. You would risk all our lives -- for something like that, we would have to put it to a vote.

I'll arrange for you to meet with Babylon, but he'll tell you the same. Neither of us has the authority to offer you the lives of every soul at this camp.

Chariklo's shift to compromise came as an intense relief. It was still an offer they'd ultimately have to clear with the camp, she was sure, but it was, at least, one that she thought could conceivably be acceptable to people. Everyone around the hospital knew Chariklo, Amytis, and Cruithne. Sightless Tantalus too, she thought, might be welcomed, though she didn't want to offer any concessions until they were specifically asked for. Right now, people at camp accepted the little group of them as long as they kept within their expected bounds and behaviors, or went about accompanied by others to guard them. It was possible they'd vote to extend their trust just a little bit further on behalf of the people the camp had come to know more personally.

I trust you, she signed. But I'm no one. I have no sway with anyone and no authority here. It would carry more weight for Ida or Oenone to speak for you. People that think of me at all, other than my own friends, see my ideals as outdated. You would look worse if I argued for you.

Babylon is in camp until tomorrow. Can I tell him you'll meet with him here tomorrow, at the same time? He's the first one you have to convince.

Hvergelmir reached up a hand to brush it gently over Chariklo's cheek, tracing the line of one high cheekbone with the pads of her fingertips just briefly.

If something happens to you, she signed out, we'll all have worse problems than just that.

Chariklo and her helpers were the main lifeline by which the Oasis struggled along on a day to day basis. Hvergelmir and Nærøyfjord were responsible for supply runs where they needed something special that only a hospital or its dispensary could provide, things they could get sneaking into the city to meet Ganymede and teleporting back out -- but all the daily deliveries of simple, everyday supplies were run by Chariklo and her people. Bandages, cotton swabs, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, rubber gloves. They could probably scrape by without the Dark Mirror Court's help, with fewer and more dangerous supply runs, but they couldn't get by nearly so well. Most of the people at the Oasis would die for lack of ability on the field hospital's part to support them.

It was a fragile system.

Camp rights couldn't go beyond that list, at most, she said. But are there any other members of your court you trust not to betray us if we took them to space? If you and Babylon make terms, I can extend them the same offer -- a place on Mercury in exchange for an end to corruptions.

Hvergelmir nodded her understanding, making note of Chariklo's various assessments. It was nothing they hadn't already heard of Princess Leto. Time and Chaos had turned Leto and her Negaverse lover Persephone quite dark, by all popular accounts. She knew better than to expect help from either quarter, much though she'd once seen Persephone as peaceable and friendly.

Chariklo's word on Damocles was what she'd hoped to hear; Remarque, who they all knew of quite less, was a promising additional possibility.

It was somewhere to start.

Babylon first, she signed. Then we can deal with Damocles and Remarque. I'll need a translator anyway. Waiting for me to write things down makes people impatient.

Thank you, old friend. I love you with my whole heart. Here, tomorrow, then?

She put out her hand for Chariklo to shake.