Page 25 of Commander’s Mate

The woman’s pounding slowed.

“Thirty-eight.”

Someone beside her began counting with him.

The translator caught up.

“Thirty-six.”

More voices joined.

By twenty, half the corridor was counting.

At three, Harper took a breath with them.

At zero, the emergency light over the bulkhead turned green.

The door slid open.

No one cheered.

They simply stared.

Then the terrified woman sagged against the wall and began to cry.

Harper crouched beside her without touching.

“You knew,” Degatu said quietly.

Harper looked up.

“I guessed.”

“You guessed correctly.”

She pushed hair out of her face. “Locked doors aren’t neutral after what happened to us.”

There was no accusation in it, which somehow made it worse.

I looked at the soldier who had tried to help.

“You did nothing wrong.”

His shoulders eased.

“Next time,” I continued, “ask before contact.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Harper gave me a look.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“That expression is not nothing.”

“It’s the expression of someone trying not to say I told you so before I have technically told you anything.”