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“Why me? Why not Alex?”

“Because there isn’t anyone on this ship I’d rather take orders fro orders You’ll make a fantastic captain, and you’ll protect the reputation of this ship It’s weird, but that’s so about”

Bobbie sed sohtened up her back It was all she could do to not stand up at attention Military tradition died hard, and a captain handing over command of their vessel bordered on sacred trust

“I would, you know,” she said “I’d see us becoood name of this ship”

“I know So is that a yes?”

“I do wonder …” Bobbie said

Holden nodded and drank his coffee, waiting for her to finish

“I wonder what the universe looks like without Ja to ride to the rescue”

“I i a lot rin

“I wonder,” Bobbie repeated

Chapter Eight: Singh

Singh was drea, lost in the halls of a vast spaceship, when the comm on his desk buzzed him awake

“Yes?” he croaked even before he’d opened his eyes There was nothing wrong with his taking a nap in his quarters He wasn’t shirking any of his duties And the shakedown of his ship, the Gathering Storhteen hours a day for weeks now He couldn’t continue as an effective leader and officer if he didn’t take every opportunity to grab a little shut-eye

And yet, so the sa weakness

“Sir, we are nearing rendezvous with the Heart of the Teation officer “You asked me to—”