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“Rough patch?” Bobbie asked, nodding toward the blood-filled tubes

“Not a great one,” Clarissa said “I’ll be back on h Promise”

“No rush,” Bobbie said “We’re doing fine”

“I know It’s just …”

Bobbie cracked her knuckles The autodoc chi draw of Clarissa’s blood

“You wanted so into Bobbie’s eyes “It’s okay You can say it”

“I’ to be” It was the first tih that she said the to put me in a position where I’”

She hadn’t thought about her team in years Her old team Hillman Gourab Travis Sa’id Her last command before this For a moment, they were in the room, invisible and voiceless, but as present as Clarissa Bobbie sed and bit back a s to find her way back to all these years This hy it ht this time

“And if I’,” she said, “we need to talk”

“All right”

“This thing with your old iet worse instead of better,” Bobbie said

“I know,” Clarissa said “I’d take the implants out if it wouldn’t killBobbie to s like a joke

“When we get to Medina, I’ to hire on fresh crew,” Bobbie said “Not co-owners in the ship the e are Just paid hands Part of that is Holden and Nao”

“But you can also hire so across her eyes as she nodded The autodoc chi her purified blood back down into her

“If you want to stay on Medina, you can,” Bobbie said “If you want to stay with the ship, you’re welcome here”