Page 261 of Commander’s Mate

That was another question none of us had wanted to ask.

Zoe looked almost ashamed.

“I miss them. I love them. But I’m good at this.”

She gestured toward the recovery equipment.

“I was a trainer. I helped people get stronger. Here people actually need that. Not because they want better abs.”

“Rude,” Scarlet said.

“You had excellent abs before alien captivity.”

“Still do.”

Nora smiled.

Then her expression softened.

“Going home does not mean becoming who we were the morning we disappeared.”

The words settled over us.

No.

It could not.

Even if Earth appeared on the next screen.

Even if my mail truck waited exactly where I left it.

Even if my mother opened the door and screamed my name.

I would still know Farseek.

Zared.

Sela.

Ari.

Lio.

Meya.

The registry.

A galaxy where people disappeared because someone decided they were cargo.

“You know what I’m afraid of?” I said.

Scarlet looked at me.

“What?”

“That we get Earth back and everyone expects this to have an ending.”

Nora understood first.