"No," she said, her voice firm yet gentle, leaving no room for doubt. "You are not being cruel. You are being a leader. You have given them a chance, a foundation. To carry them further would make them dependent, and it would weaken us at the very moment we need to be strong."
"Your duty is not to all humanity scattered among the stars. Your duty is here, to the people who have sworn to follow you."
Her holographic hand dropped, but her gaze remained locked on his. "You are protecting a future, Rex. Not just managing the present. There is a profound difference."
The simple, unwavering certainty in her voice cut through the noise in his mind. The tension in his shoulders eased, just a little. In her synthesized eyes, he didn't see judgment, but resolve. She was his partner, his advisor, and in that moment, the anchor he needed.
