"I am certain that he would have been here, if he were given the option. But the demands of his position are unchanged, I can wait for him to return and be ready to welcome him back when he does. It makes sense to send him on a diplomatic mission."

She wished he were here, but she also understood that her father must attend to matters - both of state and of the ship. "How does the technology work? Is there a way to access it? Are all messages open to all who might see them?"