“Go ahead and work on that manifold, Becca,” K’Naut said, watching the Caitian ship’s captain slide past without a word. “Setak, you and Chuck take care of port shield array. I’ll look over the impulse drive.”

Once his engineers went to their assigned duties, K’Naut jogged up the passageway. “L’Tilla!” he called. “Can we talk for a second?”

The Caitian woman paused, one foot on the ladder leading to the deck above. “What is it, Commander?” L’Tilla replied flatly, ear slightly back.

K’Naut held up his hands. “Hold on, L’Tilla,” he said. “We’ve never had any issues before. N’Peer was my cousin, remember.”

L’Tilla’s expression softened. “N’Peer,” she said. “I didn’t like him at first, once our p’rau ended. When I found out I was pregnant, I was mortified. I resented your grandmother for deliberately sending him to negotiate when he was so close to his p’rau.”

“Not Grandmother’s finest idea.”

“Definitely not. But he grew on me. When L’Tiir was taken from us, he stepped up and he had my heart. I could certainly use his support now.”

K’Naut looked away, fighting back a tear at the loneliness in her voice. “N’Peer deserved better than what he got,” he said softly. Then it dawned on him. “Wait, is that why L’Tyru is out here? To find L’Tiir?”

L’Tilla nodded and sighed. “Father is obsessed with finding my son,” she said. “I’ve made my peace with his kidnapping, but he hasn’t been able to. He hasn’t named a successor. If our Council of Elders knew he was away from Cait, he’d surely be deposed and then we’d have a succession crisis on our hands. K’Naut, you got to help me convince him to go home.”

K’Naut frowned. “I don’t know that he’d listen to me.”

“L’Tiir was as much a G’kar as he was a Bataal,” she replied, setting her hand on his arm. “Remind him of that.”

He met her eyes. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try,” he said at last. “But first I have ship to fix up.”

“Yes,” she said with a half-grin. “A working ship would help. Thank you, K’Naut.” Then she climbed up the ladder.

K’Naut watched her disappear. As he walked to the aft of the ship, he contacted Statzia to fill her in on the situation. He sighed. Dealing with his people was never simple.