Chapter 49: Many Partings

The Commodore didn't want the truth of the Quetzal Plume getting out to the rest of the flotilla, so he gritted his teeth and acquiesced to Etzli's requests.

But, despite their outward pleasantness in front of others, neither Etzli nor the Commodore were under any delusions. She didn't make requests. She made demands.

Blackmail. Extortion. Bribery. Call it what you want; it wasn't the sort of thing a heroic Outranger would've ever done. But Etzli wasn't an Outranger.

Her first demand: Red Myra.

The Commodore made a quick call. The flotilla's wolf pack called off their hunt for the pirate ship.

When Malcolm found out, he hugged Etzli and laughed, bouncing on his feet like a little boy.

As soon as she got a quiet moment with the Commodore, out of others' earshot, Etzli made her second demand: no more dead worlds.

"You built the Quetzal Plume once, you can probably build it again," she said to the Commodore." And better, yeah?"