It was an experiment, but she appreciated his not using the actual word. It was kind of him, and again spoke to the quality of his character.

"Thank you," she said softly, a tension that she hadn't noticed before easing out of her. "And for what it's worth, this young Queen is an idiot if she doesn't choose you. I would, if I were in her position."

True, she knew next to nothing about the dynamic between a Queen and Commander, but a partnership of leaders like that needed trust at its core, regardless of anything else. Especially when the future of a species was at stake, and when that future would impact the rest of the galaxy. And Todd was someone she trusted implicitly.