Read Online All That We Are (The Commander Book 7) by Randall Farmer - Free Book Online Page A

distance, just for this purpose.
    “The Nobles fight better in their beast forms, as they call them, than in their man forms, but they love to fight just for the thrill of fighting.  They would be willing to let the Arms beat the crap out of them all day long if the Arms would let them,” Lori said.
    Tonya couldn’t figure out who was winning, but thirty seconds later the combat dance ended, Hancock on Seller’s back, pinning him, and Keaton with a knife at Hoskins’ throat.  “Interesting.”
    “The Duke’s going to be at our meeting,” Lori said.  “The Earl’s here as his bodyguard.  Please don’t ask them, or me, how their titles are decided.  It’s private.”
    Progress.  They were making progress.
     
    ---
     
    Tonya mentally grabbed control of her charisma and prepared herself to do The Show.  Given the number of Major Transforms at this meeting, The Show was necessary.  Inferno had set up the meeting in the main room, pushing five smaller tables together to form one huge table.  Lori sat at its head.  Even here, a coldness waited for Tonya.  They tolerated her, but did not love her or even like her.
    Duke Hoskins, the powerfully built Noble, caught her eye first.  He gave her an archetypically male stare; she was sure he had just scored her looks on his mental scorecard.  She did have to admit he was about as handsome a man as she had ever seen, if you discounted the reddish tinge to his skin.
    The Crow contingent included Gilgamesh, Sky, and Sinclair.  She smiled warmly at Sinclair and complemented him on his writing, then did the same for Gilgamesh, who got horribly embarrassed at the recognition of his efforts.
    Keaton sat at Lori’s right, and next to her sat Hancock.  Hancock wore her stone face, no recognition of Tonya at all, but Keaton signaled a greeting and a ‘we need to talk, later’.
    The Transform contingent was small, only Ann Chiron and Connie Yerizarian, both Inferno Transforms.  Three normals attended: Secret Agent Zielinski (wearing a hair-piece, of all things, along with some bad plastic surgery), Dr. Bob Masterson of Inferno, smelling of his cheap cigars, and a sturdy black man with a military background, introduced simply as Tom.  He was Hancock’s.  Besides herself and Lori, the only other Focus attending was Flo Ackerman.  Flo metasensed as unsure of herself, quite unlike her normal ebullient mood.
    As Tonya sat, Ann glanced over at Tonya and covered her mouth to mask a giggle.  Ann didn’t approve of The Show and thought it silly.
    Oh blessed ignorance.  Someday Ann would understand, if she saw the Council in action.
    Lori turned to Tonya and started things off.  “Tonya, any new word on how the Council and the firsts are reacting to the changes?”  The ‘changes’ being the negotiated end of the Rizzari Rebellion.
    “Focus Fingleman has been in contact with me and we are exchanging pleasantries for once,” Tonya said.  “Although we can’t discuss the subject directly, I’m convinced she’s angling for a political way to support the recognition of the danger of the Hunter Chimeras.  That’s the only positive political news.  Polly cut off contact with me after I negotiated an end to the rebellion, and as she did, she ordered me never to speak to her again about male Major Transforms.  The next regularly scheduled Council session is in early March, in Savannah, Georgia.  I’ll be politicking the issue until the session.”
    Lori nodded.  She turned to Duke Hoskins.  “We all know how Crows can help Focuses and Arms, by dross cleaning and reducing the bad juice problems,” she said.  “You and the Nobles are new to us, Duke Hoskins.  What can you tell us about what you can contribute to the Cause?”
    Duke Hoskins stood, bowed, and smiled.  “Thank you very much, milady.  In the long run, the largest service we Nobles can provide is to rehabilitate Monsters and Psychos.”  Tonya’s eyebrows shot up.  She had heard a rumor