“But it is.” She planted her feet, resisting the fear Aric had rooted so well in all of them. She raised her voice. “It was impossible that a group of Bullets could defect and create a new way of life for themselves. But you did it. It was impossible that a single girl could sneak aboard a Bullet ship to attack a Fiveson and survive. But I did it. It was impossible that without anything more than bows and fists we could take a Bullet ship as our own. But we did it.” She cast her gaze around the circle from Pine to Triple, Harwell to Mint, Glimmer to Shale. They were afraid, but they were listening.

“I will help you exactly as I promised I would. After I find my crew. And I’m asking for your help. No one knows better what is happening to them in Slipmark. No one knows better the challenges of getting in and out of that place.” Her eyes found Pine once more. Instead of the glare she’d expected, his brow carried a brooding expression. He understood loyalty. “I could tell you that saving my crew and my ship will be worth it because it will make our chances of punching the Net that much stronger. But that’s not why I’m asking you to help me. I’m asking because they are my family and they did not consent to this.”

A shiver of anticipation had settled in Caledonia’s hands. Though the sun was warm on her skin, she felt cold and alert, like the edge of a knife. The Blades watched her with an air of solemnity.

“This is no small request,” Sledge said into the quiet.

Caledonia nodded. “I know.”

Sledge drew a deep breath and walked a slow circle, passing each Blade. When he’d completed his circuit, he stood in their midst, quiet and contemplative.

“Friends,” Sledge’s voice boomed. “All our lives we’ve been asked to fight for reasons not our own. Every one of us has used our strength and skill to accomplish things we didn’t believe in, done things we didn’t want to do. This is not one of those things, and I do not relish the thought of placing any of you in danger. However, I’ve only ever fought for one thing I believed in: you. We may not know them, but this is the same fight.” Sledge moved to stand by her side. “You choose. All in favor of going after her crew, stand to starboard. All in favor of sailing for the Net, stand to port. We sail with the majority.”

Caledonia made her expression one of fierce determination. Her stomach clenched and her mind raced, but she let none of it show. She would be as steely and steady as the deep ocean.