The Forerunner sounded almost reluctant. “As I informed Lieutenant Perez, that is not accurate. Lieutenant Perez is the ranking military authority; however, the Stellar Pioneering Society is not a military organization, and upon the death of the previous Expedition Leader, it is my prerogative to impart command to the individual I believe is most likely to succeed at our mission. That might mean withholding command from organics until such a time as a suitable candidate can be grown. Lieutenant Perez lacks the requisite skills to serve as the Earth colony’s new Expedition Leader.”