Page 162 of Commander’s Mate

No compulsory military enlistment.

No forced medical treatment except immediate life-saving intervention where consent could not be obtained.

No government contact without permission unless required to prevent imminent harm.

No public release of names without consent.

No family separation for administrative convenience.

No mate claim recognized without mutual consent.

No sexual contact with someone unable to consent because of drugs, translator impairment, severe injury, or coercion.

By the time we finished, the document was longer than I expected.

Zared read the final version in silence.

“What?” I asked.

He looked at the first line.

“Rescue creates no debt.”

“Yes.”

“That should have been obvious.”

“That’s why it needed to be written.”

He nodded.

“Publish it.”

Tivid looked at Degatu.

The admiral nodded once.

“Shipwide.”

Pyrr said, “Even crew?”

“Especially crew,” Zared answered.

The charter appeared on every public screen within an hour.

Translations followed.

I watched Ari read it.

She stood in the corridor wearing the clean trousers and shirt.

The scarred warrior passed nearby.

He stopped several feet away.

Did not approach.

Did not speak until she looked at him.