“There was no such intent on my part.” “I know that,” Eli said. “It’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s just the political reaction to—well, to you.” “That was never my intent in accepting the Emperor’s service.” “Intent isn’t the point,” Eli said patiently. “The problem is that you don’t fit into the neat little box navy officers are supposed to fill. You’re not human; worse, you’re not from the Core Worlds.” “Neither are you or many others.” “But the rest of us Wild Space yokels aren’t flying rings around all the politically connected elite who think they’re such flaming-hot stuff,”
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