“Are you alright, Tessa?” Naomi asked, turning to me.

“I’m fine,” I said, though my voice sounded hollow to my own ears. “Just tired.”

“You did exceptionally well,” she said, giving my hand a final squeeze.

General Vale stepped through the low wooden gate and approached our table.

“Colonel Langley,” he said, offering a brief, professional nod.

“General,” I said, rising to my feet to salute, but he quickly waved me down.

“At ease, Tessa,” he said. “You’ve just been through a major medical event. Please, sit.”

I sat back down, grateful for the reprieve.

“The military police have secured the maternity ward at the hospital,” Vale said.

“They have a detail at the entrance and another outside your daughter’s room.”

“No one gets on that floor without a military identification card or my personal clearance.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said. “I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

“You don’t have to,” Vale said. “You’re an officer in my command, and you’ve served this country honorably.”

“We don’t leave our people behind, especially not when they’re being targeted by civilians who think they can exploit the service.”