Page 79 of Commander’s Mate

“For what?”

“For making freedom inconvenient.”

She laughed softly.

“That might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

“It was not intended as praise.”

“Too late.”

On the table, Meya’s name remained uncertain.

But it was a name.

Not a lot number.

Not inventory.

Not lost.

Not yet.

Chapter Fifteen

Zared

Farseek could not afford another rescue.

We were going to do one anyway.

That was the problem.

Tivid displayed the numbers above the command table.

Fuel reserves.

Medical reserves.

Food.

Repair capacity.

Berths.

Shuttle readiness.

Personnel fatigue.

Every line ended in a color I disliked.

Pyrr studied the display.

“Red is dramatic.”

“It is intended to communicate danger,” Tivid said.

“I feel communicated with.”