Page 339 of Commander’s Mate

Tivid promised he would keep working the route data. Zared promised nothing except that he would never hide an answer from me.

That was enough for now.

I sat at the registry station and opened two files.

The first was the Farseek missing-person network: rescued, confirmed dead, reported alive, unknown, family links, last-known locations.

The second was smaller.

EARTH.

Harper Avery. Scarlet Andrews. Nora Reed. Zoe Addison.

Possible Narovian reference route. Sahvin Kazza testimony. Slaver source records pending.

Four names where once there had only been lot numbers.

I added one line to the notes.

Do not close search without consent of listed persons.

Then I saved it.

Zared found me there.

“Still working?”

“Always.”

“The ship changes course in twelve minutes.”

“Toward the repair yard?”

“Yes.”

“To steal a transport.”

“To acquire resources from an enemy power.”

“Pirate.”

“Mercenary.”

I stood and slid my hand into his.

“Same difference.”

He looked down at me with that expression that had once frightened me because it seemed too intense for a stranger.

Now I knew what lived inside it.

Grief. Desire. Hope. Fear. A stubborn sense of honor that needed occasional supervision.

Mine.

Beyond the viewport, the stars shifted as the fleet aligned for its next jump.

We had people to find.