She reached out and grasped his hands on the tabletop. “You’ve given us something to fight for—not the dream of complete freedom that Merdon wanted. Most of the people never believed that such a dream was possible. That’s why Merdon’s followers were only among the young. You’ve taught us that we may be able to gain real freedom within the Empire.”
“That might be an even wilder dream than Merdon’s,” Vorgens said.
She smiled at him. “You don’t believe that, and neither do I. You’ve shown us that Terrans and Shinarians can work together. You’ve proved to us that we can think and act for ourselves, that we can defend our homes when necessary. Not by calling in warriors from another land—but by ourselves.
“And you’ve shown me,” she said more softly, “that a man who hates fighting is a much better man to follow than someone who has learned to enjoy it.”
“That’s—very kind of you,” he said, looking into her deep, dark eyes. “In all the bitterness and bloodshed of these past months, the only touch of warmth and brightness has been you. Knowing you was almost worth all the rest.”
“Was?”
“I’ve decided to leave Shinar. There are Star Watch officers aboard the ships carrying our reinforcements. Any one of them would be much better qualified to command the Imperial forces here than I am.”
“No! You can’t. They wouldn’t know the situation here the way you do. And how can our people trust a total stranger?”
“What else can I do?”
“Finish the work that you started out to do! You’re the only man who has the grasp and the courage to try. Don’t give up now. Keep working to bring peace to Shinar. Finish the work that we’ve all given so much to— especially your sergeant.”