Page 177 of Commander’s Mate

“No.”

The clerk looked confused.

“They requested contact.”

“No.”

“Your mother—”

“No.”

I crossed the room.

The clerk saw me coming and visibly reconsidered his life choices.

“What’s wrong?”

He explained.

Tera’s family had responded within six hours.

They wanted her home.

Tera did not want to go.

“That’s the whole answer,” I said.

The clerk frowned.

“Family reunification is considered preferred recovery outcome.”

“Preferred by whom?”

He opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Good.

Tera chose the neutral colony.

No family contact.

No forwarding location.

When she walked away, Scarlet stared after her.

“That one’s gonna keep me up.”

“Why?”

“Because I keep imagining Earth.”

Nora joined us.

“What about it?”

Scarlet looked at both of us.