Page 327 of Commander’s Mate
Her record showed a sister on Halor.
Ressa wanted the family link removed from destination planning.
“Removed entirely?” I asked.
“No. Keep she exists.”
“Okay.”
“No contact.”
“Okay.”
“No location.”
“Okay.”
She stared at me.
“You do not ask why.”
“No.”
“Everyone asks why.”
“Database doesn’t need your trauma story to understand no.”
Her eyes filled.
I pretended not to notice until she was ready.
“Can I change later?”
“Yes.”
“Will sister know I refused?”
“Only if you want.”
“No.”
“Then she won’t.”
Ressa nodded.
When she left, I sat alone for a while.
Preserving a name was not enough.
A name belonged to a person.
So did the story attached to it.
So did the right to keep part of that story private.
Zared arrived after dinner.
He looked at the second chair.
