Page 251 of Commander’s Mate

“If we know exactly where relatives of crew are located—”

“No.”

He looked at me.

I hated the next sentence before I said it.

“She is correct.”

Meya’s name remained on the screen.

Not first. Not special. Mine, but not more valuable.

“We prioritize children, immediate execution risk, critical injuries, and groups whose extraction opens access to others,” I said.

The words tasted like blood.

Harper finally looked at me.

Only for a second.

Enough.

Tivid changed displays.

“New intelligence from registry metadata indicates Sector Six may contain concentrated technical labor.”

The mining engineer spoke.

“If true, we should contact workers before touching ventilation controls.”

“Can we?” Voro asked.

A rescued mechanic from Dreadnought Eight raised his hand.

His left hand was wrapped in burn mesh.

He should have been resting.

He had refused.

“I worked Breskaa-class systems before the war.”

“Talk.”

He came to the display.

“Mine crews use maintenance pulse codes. Not command communications. Equipment talks to equipment even when guards shut worker channels.”

Harper leaned forward.

“Can workers send messages through that?”

“Not words. Status changes.”

“What kind?”

“Fault. Clear. Emergency. Inspection.”