Page 201 of Commander’s Mate

“And the medical convoy contract you recently accepted requires Consortium corridor certification.”

There.

He had chosen carefully.

Not money.

Medicine.

If we lost the corridor authorization, the convoy would delay.

People elsewhere would pay.

Competent enemies were worse.

The door opened.

Harper entered carrying a slate.

I had not called her.

She never let that stop her.

Orvan looked toward the new presence.

“Ms. Avery.”

Harper stopped.

“You know me?”

“Your name appears in several Haloran reports.”

“I’m flattered.”

“You are identified as survivor liaison.”

“Who gave you that title?”

Orvan hesitated.

Harper smiled without warmth.

“That’s what I thought.”

She came beside me.

“What happened?”

Tivid showed her the port restrictions.

Her expression changed.

“Can I see the legal basis?”

Orvan said, “This is a command discussion.”

Harper looked at me.