Read Online Peace Army by Steven L. Hawk - Free Book Online Page B

any other, and he was anxious for Mouse to feel the joy for himself.
    “It appears so, my friend. It does appear so.”
    The two men laughed at the news and Grant drew Mouse into a quick embrace, slapping him on the back.
    “Well, congratulations! You’re gonna be a great dad. How is Sue doing?”
    “She’s very happy. She’s not so happy about being grounded for the next year or so, but that’s no big surprise.” Mouse’s fighter force was made up of a large number of women. They’d had to establish a no-fly policy early on for pregnant women, and Sue would have to comply, for both her health and the baby’s.
    “Well, I think Avery is going to call on her to help with the efforts in the Fourth Square, so she won’t be sitting still.”
    “Ah. That’s good. She can be a pain in my rear when she’s bored,” Mouse teased. “Glad she’ll be a part of something meaningful. It’s a good thing, what you’re doing for those kids.”
    “What we’re doing,” Grant corrected. “We all need to contribute to this if it’s going to be successful.”
    Mouse, like all the other officers, would be expected to pitch in with the leadership training that would take place.
    “Grant,” Tane called out from across the room. “The Culture Leader and I would like to speak with you for a moment.”
    Grant socked Mouse playfully on the arm. “Well, there’s my cue.”
    “Duty calls, eh? Would you like some advice?”
    “Um, sure,” Grant said, not sure at all.
    “Remember to include the Leadership Council on any big decisions. You know, like saving the world or co-opting its children to shoot guns. That kind of stuff.”
    Mouse grinned. Grant winced.
    “Yeah, yeah. I know. Keeping the Council’s feelings in mind is not one of my stronger qualities, but I’m working on it.”
    “Well, work harder. You’re fortunate our Culture Leader is so understanding.” Grant stood still for the rebuke from his subordinate. He knew the man was right. “If you had made an announcement like the one you did today with someone like Leader Sabontey or Leader Alla in the room, you would have run into some serious resistance. Not because it was a bad idea, but because you didn’t follow protocol.”
    “Believe me, Mouse, I understand. That’s why I have you to keep me in line on these things.”
    “And I could have kept you in line this time, if I’d known.”
    Grant could only sigh and nod. It was so much easier being a sergeant in charge of forty soldiers than being a general in charge of the world’s defense.
    “Now, get over there and see what they want.” Mouse lowered his voice even further. “You don’t want to keep a Culture Leader waiting.”
    “Fine. I’m going,” Grant agreed. “Oh. By the way, you and Sue should stop by our quarters this evening. You’re not going to believe what Avery did to our walls.”
    “Oh yeah? Well, that sounds interesting. We’ll stop by after evening meal.”
    Grant made his way across the room to where Tane and Randalyn were huddled. It seemed they were huddled a lot lately. His mind went back to the conversation he had interrupted a couple of days before. Hopefully, they were ready to share with him.
     

 
    Chapter 8
     
     
    Tane rubbed his hands together as Grant concluded his conversation with Colonel Mouse. They appeared to be having a pleasant conversation, which Tane took as a good sign.
    The small scientist took a deep breath and said a silent mantra. After a lifetime of practice, the routine was as familiar as eating. Unfortunately, repeating his personal Peace verse rarely provided him the comfort it seemed to bestow upon others. He wondered, not for the first time, if his secret prevented him from finding a level of Peace that others so readily achieved.
    His secret.
    That’s what he had always called it.
    That made it sound like it was a solid entity, something he could reach out and grasp. An object to turn over in his hands and inspect, analyze, fix.
    But