“I promise, Valerie,” Naomi said, trying to pull away but unable to gain leverage in microgravity.

Valerie’s fingers clenched against Naomi’s skin. “No. I need to know, before we jump. That you’ll do what it takes. That you won’t shy away from the hard decisions.”

“I let my ex-husband die because I believed in this mission,” Naomi said. “And my friends, my co-workers. Dennis Lee was my mentor. Doesn’t that prove it?” Naomi’s breath came shallow.

Valerie shook her head. “No. It might have once, but there were all your little schemes since.” Her eyes were wide, showing the whites. “How can I be sure you won’t turn on me again when it suits you? You’re trying to usurp me.”

Warning lights flashed throughout the bridge in pulsing purple. Valerie and Naomi’s eyes snagged on the screens. Lebedeva had tripped something trying to open Hart and Hixon’s door.

“Better hope it’s just the alarm due to the breach and not anything actually damaged. I mean, do you trust Lockwood’s workmanship?” Valerie asked mildly, as if a defective ship wouldn’t kill her just the same.

Naomi’s hand snaked down to her stomach, as if she could protect it.

Flash. Flash. Flash.

The lights hurt her eyes. She just needed to convince Valerie to give her the cure. So she could tell Evan not to risk himself. To save him and so many others. Tell her what she wants. Anything she wants.

“How can I prove it to you?” Naomi asked. They’d already wasted more than half an hour.

Valerie’s mouth curled. “Do it again. Prove that you’ll kill one person to save billions.”

Naomi counted five blinks of violet light before she responded. “What?”

“Lebedeva. Even now, she’s trying to release the others, even though I ordered you to leave her in the lab. So kill her. Do that and leave Hart and Hixon where they are. Then I will give you the cure.”

A ringing sounded in Naomi’s ears. “You can’t be serious. We need her. Her skills.” And I can’t kill someone, she screamed in her mind. Not even for you.

“We still need Hixon for flight and Hart’s medical expertise, but Lebedeva’s engineering skills can be picked up by the rest of us. It will be a loss, but I’ll gain something that’s worth it to me. Assurance that if I ask, you will follow through. You can be my new second in command, like you wanted.” Valerie’s hair was backlit by the alarm lights, tinging the brown purple. Naomi stared at an errant curl, furiously trying to think of the right response that wouldn’t anger Valerie further.

“Give me the cure first,” Naomi said. “So I have assurance too. What if you don’t even have it on the ship?”