"I did not realize Captain Redmund had taken to offering personal concern to the General's assistant."
The word assistant was on purpose.
Redmund straightened immediately. "There is nothing personal about ensuring instability," he said flatly.
Lilith stepped inside, heels quiet against the ground. "Of course not," she replied lightly. "Though from a distance, it appeared rather... intimate."
Her gaze flicked between us, looking sharp and assessing. Her accusation hung in the air. It wasn't loud but dangerous.
I straightened. "Captain Redmund was discussing command continuity," I said calmly. "If concern for operational stability appears intimate to you, perhaps your imagination exceeds your experience."
A faint ripple of suppressed reactions moved among the few officers still nearb
