"Unlike certain members of our faction, you had the ability to be informed that this was a conscription. I don't know what sort of organisation you expected to be in place on this ship, but I assure you, these regulations the ship's AI has mentioned have never been presented to us. Nowhere in the documents we do have is there a clause stating we're not allowed to leave. We're informed when we wake that we're Chosen, and that is all."

She tilted her head a little toward Tim.

"Retroactive, excessive punishment doesn't instruct. It needlessly horrifies, and creates friction none of us can afford."