Delvin's jaw tightened. "There's no guarantee they won't try something desperate. A delayed surrender is sometimes a deception in disguise."
A sharp crackle interrupted them—Galvan's voice, sharper now, carrying the weight of fast-moving developments.
"Connection established. They're hesitating to speak—likely weighing their options."
Delvin stepped forward, the glow of the warship's interface casting sharp lines across his face. "Patch me in."
The moment the link opened, the war room thickened with tension.
Static. Then the voice of Sugandomer's second-in-command—cold, measured, but laced with barely-contained defiance.
"You have won the battle, Delvin." A pause. "But you have not won our loyalty."
Delvin's pulse steadied, his grip firm. "Loyalty? You surrendered. That means compliance."
Silence, dense and waiting. Then the voice sharpened.
"We surrendered to survive. Not to kneel."
