Page 275 of Every Almost

Reyna realized she was not saying it to the Bridge. She was saying it to herself, out loud. She heard the unease in Charlie's voice.

"Torvax," Reyna said. "Give me the headset."

Torvax turned around.

"Captain?"

Reyna held out her hand.

She was breathing hard. She watched Torvax hear the increase and witnessed it stop being data to him.

Her command was slipping. She could feel it. She stood there with her hand out while her First Mate looked straight at what was really going on underneath.

The same way he'd known to give her the Observation Room thirteen years ago.

He didn't look away.

"Please, Torvax."

She watched the word land on him, and Torvax Vale took the headset off and put it in her hand.

Reyna closed her hand around his, holding the headset for a single second.

"Thank you, Torvax."

He nodded, letting the headset go in her hands.

Reyna put it on.

"Wickett," she said. "Get back on the shuttle. Right now."

The pause on the other end was short.

"... Rey?"

Reyna closed her eyes.

"Get back on the shuttle, Wickett."

There was a long pause over the comm.

"I'm not going to do that."

"Yes, you are," Reyna said, her voice flat. "You are going to walk up that ramp and sit down and let it lift, and it will come back, and you will be on it when it does."

"And the debris pile takes another twenty tremors while I'm in orbit?"

"I'm aware."

"Are you?"

"I am aware of every number on this display, Wickett, including the four hundred and nine tremors that have now occurred on planet." Reyna heard her own voice climbing but didn't stop it. "So, you are going to get on that shuttle."

"I'm also aware."Charlie's voice stayed low."Captain, one of those colonists is dying. You know that. And you want me to get on a shuttle and go for a ride just to come back to find out that we let them die?"

"I want you to follow an order."

Silence.