Page 308 of Commander’s Mate

Her father.

A brother who sent bad jokes.

Me, too large for their furniture.

The image hurt.

I wanted it.

That was new.

Harper settled against me again.

“What are you thinking?”

“Your mother.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“I would like to meet her.”

Her breathing caught.

Then she kissed my chest.

“I’d like that too.”

No promise, no certainty—only possibility.

For most of my life, possibility had been an operational weakness.

Now it felt like hope.

I placed my hand over hers.

“We find Meya.”

“Yes.”

“We find Earth.”

“Yes.”

“We steal a transport.”

She laughed.

“Yes.”

“We liberate Julconi.”

“Ambitious.”

“Yes.”

“And after that?”

I looked at the dark ceiling.