Summary

In Chapter 11, back in the present, Strigan asks Breq if it ever bothered her that she and countless other ancillaries are essentially slaves. Breq responds that Strigan already knows the answer to this question, that ancillaries do not know they are slaves. Strigan then asks if Breq was present at the destruction of the planet Garsedd. Breq confirms she was, and that she participating in the killing. Berq believes she didn’t have a choice in the matter, but Strigan believes she did. Berq explains that Garsedd was the first annexation which caused many Radchaai officers to come away without the certainty that annexations were a good thing because there had been so much death, from which no good could come. It was through Garsedd that the Radchaai first encountered the Presger, who had supplied weapons to the Garsedd. Breq believes it is possible...