<So you just do nothing? – Kira>

<I’ve offered to take Gregorovich in more than once, but he always refuses. – Falconi> A faint rise and fall of his shoulders. <The best therapy for him is being with other people and being treated like everyone else in the crew. He’s a lot better than he used to be. – Falconi>

That wasn’t as reassuring as the captain seemed to think it was. <And you’re okay with him running the ship for you? – Kira>

Another, sharper glance from Falconi. <*I* run the Wallfish, thank you very much. And yes, I’m very okay with Gregorovich. He’s gotten us out of more scrapes than I care to remember, and he’s an important and valued member of my crew. Any other questions, Navárez? – Falconi>

Kira decided it was better not to press her luck, so she gave a tiny shake of her head and switched to the view from the outside cameras.

When the Wallfish was a safe distance from Malpert, the thrust alert sounded, and then the main rocket fired. Kira swallowed and let her head fall back against the chair. They were on their way.

2.

The Darmstadt followed some hours behind the Wallfish. Repairs and the need to take on a rather substantial amount of food for the crew had slowed its departure. Still, the cruiser would catch up with the Wallfish by the following morning.

It would take them a day and a half to reach the Markov Limit, and then … Kira shivered. And then they would go FTL and leave the League far behind. It was a daunting prospect. Work had often taken her to the very fringes of settled space, but she’d never ventured so far as this. Few people had. There was no good financial reason; only research expeditions and survey missions went out into the vast unknown.

The star they were heading to was an unassuming red dwarf that had only been detected within the past twenty-five years. Remote analysis indicated the presence of at least five planets in orbit, which aligned with what the Soft Blade had shown her, but no sign of technological activity had been picked up by the League’s telescopes.

Sixty light-years was a staggeringly enormous distance. It would put a significant strain on both the ships and the crews. The ships would have to pop in and out of FTL numerous times along the way to shed their excess heat, and while it was safe to stay in cryo for far longer than the three months it would take to reach the distant star, the experience would still take its toll on both mind and body.

The toll would be greatest for Kira. She wasn’t looking forward to enduring another bout of dreaming hibernation so soon after arriving from Sigma Draconis. Lengthwise, the duration would be similar, as the Valkyrie had been far slower than either the Wallfish or the Darmstadt. Kira just hoped she wouldn’t have to starve herself again in order to convince the Soft Blade to induce dormancy.