The squeeze in Caledonia’s throat went from tight to painfully tight. She wanted to say something, but it wasn’t possible. There was a tremor that moved from her lips to her jaw to her lungs to her fingertips. She nodded shakily.

“Pi,” she managed after a long swallow. But there was nothing else to say after that.

“I love you, Caledonia Styx. You make me furious and proud, and I will always love you and follow you,” Pisces said, placing herself mercilessly inside the bounds of Caledonia’s heart. “There are no perfect decisions for us, no easy choices. But it’s important that we keep making them. And right now, you have to give Sledge a choice and trust yourself to make the best of his decision.”

Finally, Caledonia laughed. “You’re a hell of a girl, Pisces Amar.”

“Don’t think you can sweet talk me into anything,” she returned with a smile. “But you’re also a hell of a captain.”

The warmth of the moment was passing, swept away by the reality of what awaited her. Uncertainty, frustration, anxiety all warred for space in her gut, but as they came into camp and spotted the mountain of Sledge seated with Pine and working on a hearty breakfast, Caledonia gave a determined nod. “No point in putting this off.”

The instant Sledge spotted Caledonia, he straightened, pushing his plate away. Pine looked up with a glower, begrudgingly doing the same.

“This is not your good morning face,” Sledge said. “This is a bad news face.”

“Good morning, Sledge.” Caledonia set her mug down. “Morning, Pine.”

“I hope you’re here to settle a private matter between us,” Pine said. “I say you’re going to revoke your promise to get us through the Net. Sledge says you wouldn’t do that.” He leaned back with a thin smile. “Prove one of us right.”

Caledonia did not fidget. She stood tall and held on to Pisces’s words. She could give them a choice, and even if it wasn’t what they wanted, it would matter.

“I’m not going to the Net,” she began, ignoring the triumphant flip of Pine’s mouth. “The Net is a dream and a distraction. We have no guarantee that what’s on the other side is better than what we have here. And what’s here is worth fighting for.”

She expected another jab from Pine, but when she flicked her eyes to his, she was startled by the encouragement she found, the subtle shift in his smile from triumphant to admiring. He moved his head in an almost imperceptible nod, and she continued.

“I made a promise to you, and Pine’s right, I’m not going to fulfill it as intended. But the Beacon is yours. Take it and punch the Net if that’s still what you want. I won’t stop you. Hesperus will give you everything you need to make the journey.”