"That's enough! Stop this squabbling!" Inspired by Seva's confidence, Andrei regained his composure and stood up abruptly. "I wasn't eager to command. I was presented with a fait accompli, just like all of you. Whether I deserve to be a commander or not is irrelevant right now. What matters is that together we are a team. That Wurtz and his guys came to my rescue when things were dire. That Vorobyov's crew saved us all, and perhaps the entire operation, without considering how it might end for themselves. All that matters is the people and our unity, the desire to help each other, to be a team."
Andrey paused briefly.
"I know I'm inexperienced, I understand I screwed up, I almost got you all killed, so if anyone's unhappy, Seva's right—you can leave the squad upon your return. But for no
