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“You did too?”

Dreven stared at her with such profound disbelief that Kesta laughed.

“That was apparently a stupid question.”

“Extremely.”

The band went dark. Neither of them moved away immediately.

Then Kesta touched the front of his armor once and stepped back. “I have terms for you to read.”

Dreven's mouth curved. “That may be the least seductive thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“You survived.”

“Barely.”

They returned to the infirmary together. Dreven sat at the rear worktable while Kesta placed the ration ledger in front of him. He read slowly, the small changes in his expression telling her which clauses he disliked before he said anything. The room, medical privacy, inner-camp movement, weapons training, council participation, and the absence of sexual, reproductive, labor, or domestic rights received no argument. He paused over the last of those.

Kesta folded her arms. “Problem?”

“No.” His thumb moved along the edge of the ledger. “I was wondering why you need it written when the public record already says the same.”

“Because someone other than you may interpret the claim someday.”

Understanding replaced the question in his face.

Kesta tapped the line. “This isn't there because I think you intend to use those rights. It's there because I've seen records rewritten after the people involved could no longer contradict them.”

“Your tribunal.”

“Yes.”

Dreven picked up the stylus and signed. The travel clause caused the argument she had expected. He pointed out that every excursion beyond the gate consumed water, weapons, and patrol resources, while Kesta refused to give him an unreviewable right to decide when she could leave. They finally settled on named danger conditions and review by Keth plus one council member whenever Dreven denied a request. He looked deeply unhappy with the compromise.

Kesta slid the stylus toward him. “Sign.”

His eyes narrowed. “You enjoy this.”

She smiled. “Immensely.”

Dreven signed. Keth entered before they reached the clause concerning the band. He carried a metal disc no larger than a coin between insulated clamps. A small blue light pulsed at its center.

“We found this inside the damaged condenser housing.”

Dreven straightened immediately. Tavi appeared at Keth's shoulder almost as quickly.

“What is it?”

“Imperial locator.”

The room went quiet. Keth moved the disc toward Tavi. Nothing happened. Sera produced no reaction either. Near Dreven, the light gave a faint flicker. Then Keth brought it closer to Kesta. The blue light became steady. Kesta looked at the black band around her wrist. Dreven's gaze followed hers.

The locator had been hidden inside machinery someone had deliberately sabotaged, and whatever signal it had been designed to find was coming from her. Dreven's hand curled slowly against the table. Kesta saw the commander's instinct arrive—the need to secure, contain, act—and watched him make himself wait. Then he looked at her.

“What do you want to do?”

The question settled between them beside the agreement he had just signed. Kesta stared at the steady blue light.