Page 195 of Commander’s Mate

“Waysatu clinic is out of pediatric antibiotics.”

My hands tightened.

“We have medical stores.”

“You need them for missions.”

“We have enough to transfer a portion.”

Tivid glanced at me.

“We can spare twelve cases without dropping below operational reserve.”

“Send twenty.”

“Zared,” Degatu said.

I looked at him.

He did not object further.

Ena watched us.

“That is not enough.”

“No.”

“Nothing you send is enough.”

“I know.”

That was the truth command could not solve.

Refusing the Consortium did not turn virtue into medicine.

It did not power homes.

It did not rebuild roofs.

It did not make children warm.

“We will take contracts,” I said. “Paid ones. Escort. Retrieval. Anti-piracy. Anything that does not put us under their command.”

“You intend to rebuild Farseek by selling military work.”

“Yes.”

“We spent generations being useful to other worlds.”

The words cut.

“I know.”

“And now we will do it again.”

“No.”

She stared.