Gloria's Choice (Chapter One)

"Gloria," Commander Torya said in a singsong voice. "I can help you."
"No, you can't," Gloria sobbed. "They're all gone."
"Not all of them," Torya said in the same singsong voice.
Gloria wiped her tears away.
"What do you mean?" She asked, looking her enemy in the eyes.
"I have them," Commander Torya said in her normal voice. "Well, three of them."
She pointed at the control panel, and it flickered to life. On the screen, there were three prisoners in blindfold. They were on their knees, and their arms were tied up. Gloria recognized them. They were- no. That couldn't be.
"That's- that's," Gloria stammered. "Those are-"
"Your friends," Commander Torya spat the word friends.
"They're alive," Gloria said, hope in her eyes.
"Not for long," Torya said, again in the singsong voice.
"Unless," she lifted Gloria up by her chin. "You decided to help us."
Gloria stared into the eyes of her old friend Torya. She saw no mercy in those eyes.
"You're lying," Gloria said, backing away.
"I might be," her enemy said, smiling. "But you don't know that. And if you don't join us, I'll kill them all!"
Gloria looked at the screen. Eskara, her little sister, was crying. Gloria could see the tears running down her face. Bevalon, her brother, was next to Eskara. And Rayik, beautiful, perfect Rayik, he was crying. Gloria could see his body wracked with sobs. Why was he crying? Rayik never cried, even when he faced death.
As if reading her mind, Torya said, "He's crying because we told him you were dead."
Gloria looked at Torya in horror. No wonder Rayik was sobbing. She had been the same way when she had thought Rayik was dead.
"I'm here!" Gloria shouted. "I'm alive!"
"He can't hear you," Torya crooned.
"I'll join you," Gloria said, standing up. "But you have to swear on the soul of your mother that none of your people or yourself will harm or kill them."
Torya looked at her, her eyebrows raised.
"You would have me swear the unbreakable oath? Who do you think I am?"
"I think," Gloria said. "That if you don't swear the oath, you won't have me. And if you don't have me, it will disappoint your captain. You will have failed."
Torya stared at Gloria, her eyes flaming. Gloria held her breath. Torya smiled.
"Alright," she said. "I will swear the oath."
Gloria breathed a sigh of relief.
"As long as you never see them again."