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He glanced once around the inside of the gloo over their flimsy barricade, then pulled a chair away fro is over It’s safe to sit,” he said, gesturing at the other chairs He looked better than he had in a while His suit had been cleaned and somehow he’d found a way to wash his thick white hair But that wasn’t all of it Some of his self-assurance had returned He seeain Anna climbed up off the floor and took a chair After a htened,” Cortez said with a s on, Hank?” Tilly asked, her eyes narrowing She took out a cigarette and began playing with it without lighting it “What are you up to?”
“I’ is that the rightful authority on this ship has been restored, and Captain Ashford is once more in command”
“Okay, Hector,” Tilly replied, “but how are you involved? Seems like internal OPA politics to nored her and said to Anna, “Doctor Volovodov, —” Anna started, but Tilly waved her off
“I think I’ll go outside for a smoke”
When she’d left the tent, Cortez pulled his chair close enough that his knees were al her hands in his own Anna had never had the sense that Hector was interested in her sexually, and still didn’t, but somehow the closeness felt unco her hands a squeeze “Things are about to change dra here I’ve been fortunate in that Captain Ashford trusts ht my counsel, so I’ve had soes take”
The forced intimacy, co seen a er she hadn’t expected She pulled her hands away from him with more violence than she intended, then couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the hurt and surprise on his face
“How nice for you,” she said, carefully keeping her tone neutral
“Doctor Volovodov… Anna, I would like your support” Anna couldn’t stop the snort of disbelief in time, but he pressed on “You have a ith people I’ood one-on-one, and that’s where you shine That’s your gift And we are about to face terrible personal challenges Things people will have a hard ti I would like your voice there withabout?” Anna said, barely squeezing the words past a growing lump in her throat She had the sense of a terrible secret about to be revealed Cortez shone with the invincible certainty of the true believer
“We are going to close the gate,” he said “We have a weapon in our possession that we believe ork”
“No,” Anna saidhis claiineers work to refit this vessel’s coh to destroy the Ring”
“I don’t
“We are lost, but we can protect those we’ve left behind We can end the greatest threat the human race has ever known All it requires is that we sacrifice any hope of return A sain, et to decide that for all of these people” For hter away like that Just because you’re afraid
“In tier and sacrifice such as this, some will step forward to make the difficult decisions Ashford has done that, and I support him Now it is our role to make sure the people understand and cooperate They need to know that their sacrifice will protect the billions of people we’ve left behind”