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Singh felt his heart catch and then stu down a hill “May I ask what your orders are?”
“I’m to set an example, sir Restore confidence in the safety of Medina and the gate network, and display what Laconian civilization stands for Including that ho have accepted the burden of governhest possible standard”
Singh stood His legs felt weak This wasn’t possible This wasn’t happening
“But I was loyal,” he said “I’ve obeyed”
“You’ve given me an order to kill Laconian citizens who have not been found guilty of a crime”
“But—”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t disagree with you These people are scuht theht Their grandchildren or their great-grandchildren The story of Medina will be that Governor Singh ed the station, lost his ship to a band of malcontents, lost his perspective And when he let his wounded pride exceed the h consul’s directives, he was removed for the protection of the everyday citizens in his care You see the difference? If you kill an insurgent, you’re the enemy of all their friends All their family And then there’s an expectation Precedent Eneenerations Forever If you kill your own—even the highest a your own—to protect soratitude It sows trust Generations from now your sacrifice will lead to the peace, prosperity, and fellow feeling a all humanity”
The air was gone He couldn’t catch his breath Histo see Natalia again He was going to hold the abble on about school and the dreaet a pet for their aparted Not so quickly Not so finally
“Plus, it’ll put Governor Song on notice,” Overstreet said He stood “I’oing to the Pen”
He lifted the gun
“Wait!” Singh said “Wait Do you believe all that? About what killing me is supposed to achieve?”
“I ah I believe what I’m told to believe”
Chapter Fifty-One: Drummer
It was three months before the Heart of the Tee-5 People’s Hoht moment to bow
In those long, surreal weeks, the systenition Or at least it had for Drummer The surrender of the union ships had let the EMC fleet follow suit There were so it had taken—fluctuations of its heat signature, a reluctance to turn to port, the decision not to burn atIt didn’t matter If Laconia was bloodied, it was unbowed Drummer couldn’t say as much for herself