out.”
Savar, out? That settles it! He was definitely in the military. Normal people would just say good-bye. And who was the ‘us’ he was referring to? “I think it might be best if we change out of our gym clothes first.” Anne gave a rueful look at the sweaty shirt and shorts she was still wearing. “I’ll jam home and be back to pick you up in about ten minutes, all right?”
Rys glanced down, noticing his own attire for the first time. “That’s probably a good idea. Doc is going to be mad enough as it is, I don’t have to shove him over the edge with my smelly gym clothes. Anne…thanks, for all of this.”
She gave him a casual, but distinct salute, as she stood up to go. “It is my pleasure to serve.”
He gave her a startled look, freezing in his chair. His reaction amused Anne no end. Yeah, you didn’t realize how much your actions were giving away, did you? I should have realized you were military much sooner. Your age fooled me, so I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have. That won’t be a problem in the future.
Satisfied that she had successfully relayed her message, she headed for the door. “Be back in ten.”
***
Rys was ready in five minutes, dressed in his black uniform fatigues. He didn’t see any reason to not be in his uniform, as Anne had obviously figured out that he was in the military. She’s sharp. Very sharp. Just when did she realize what I am? Today? Or was it sooner?
He met Sara as he went into the living room to wait.
“Arystair, are you sure that is a good idea?” she nodded to indicate his uniform.
“Affirmative. This is an official formation, and I’m going to an army hospital, Sara. I would get strange looks if I was in civvies, and probably get stopped a dozen times. This will make life easier all around.”
“Yes, but your friend…”
“She’s obviously figured out what I am, at least in part,” Rys said firmly. Sara hadn’t caught the reference like he had. What Anne said was almost a direct quote from the Fourth Colony military slogan. And where had she learned that? That’s another interesting question I don’t currently have an answer to. “She knows I’m military. The uniform won’t be a surprise to her.”
Sara looked frustrated, as if he weren’t picking on something very obvious. “Arystair, there is no mistaking that as a Special Forces uniform. I thought you were supposed to be keeping a low profile, for the time being.”
Ah, that was the problem. “Sara,” he patiently replied, “the only teenage soldiers in the Fourth military were Special Forces. Anne knew enough to recognize that I am military. It is clear that she knows that much, so she’s going to come up with the rest of it, if she hasn’t already. It will take all of five minutes on the ‘net to give her the information she is lacking, if she knows the right questions to ask.” He would bet a month’s pay that she did.
Sara frowned, her eyes lowering to the floor. “I suppose I shouldn’t worry about this anyway, considering who she is.”
An alarm immediately sounded in the back of his head. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t you know?” Sara looked back up at him, puzzled at his question. “Anne Dorian is Vice-Minister Dorian’s oldest daughter.”
Vice-Minister Dorian? Would that be the same Dorian who was the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs? Oh boy! That certainly explains a lot. No wonder she was so fluent in the etiquette in this culture. And no wonder she easily recognized Fourth Colony customs. She’s probably been exposed to a lot of my countrymen just by being around her father.
Rys made a mental note to get the chip in his head checked. Obviously a few synapses up there weren’t firing on all lines. His powers of observation seemed to be nil these days. Dorian isn’t a common name. I should have realized all of this sooner. I’m glad the guys don’t know about this; they’d laugh themselves hoarse about how obtuse and
Savar, out? That settles it! He was definitely in the military. Normal people would just say good-bye. And who was the ‘us’ he was referring to? “I think it might be best if we change out of our gym clothes first.” Anne gave a rueful look at the sweaty shirt and shorts she was still wearing. “I’ll jam home and be back to pick you up in about ten minutes, all right?”
Rys glanced down, noticing his own attire for the first time. “That’s probably a good idea. Doc is going to be mad enough as it is, I don’t have to shove him over the edge with my smelly gym clothes. Anne…thanks, for all of this.”
She gave him a casual, but distinct salute, as she stood up to go. “It is my pleasure to serve.”
He gave her a startled look, freezing in his chair. His reaction amused Anne no end. Yeah, you didn’t realize how much your actions were giving away, did you? I should have realized you were military much sooner. Your age fooled me, so I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have. That won’t be a problem in the future.
Satisfied that she had successfully relayed her message, she headed for the door. “Be back in ten.”
***
Rys was ready in five minutes, dressed in his black uniform fatigues. He didn’t see any reason to not be in his uniform, as Anne had obviously figured out that he was in the military. She’s sharp. Very sharp. Just when did she realize what I am? Today? Or was it sooner?
He met Sara as he went into the living room to wait.
“Arystair, are you sure that is a good idea?” she nodded to indicate his uniform.
“Affirmative. This is an official formation, and I’m going to an army hospital, Sara. I would get strange looks if I was in civvies, and probably get stopped a dozen times. This will make life easier all around.”
“Yes, but your friend…”
“She’s obviously figured out what I am, at least in part,” Rys said firmly. Sara hadn’t caught the reference like he had. What Anne said was almost a direct quote from the Fourth Colony military slogan. And where had she learned that? That’s another interesting question I don’t currently have an answer to. “She knows I’m military. The uniform won’t be a surprise to her.”
Sara looked frustrated, as if he weren’t picking on something very obvious. “Arystair, there is no mistaking that as a Special Forces uniform. I thought you were supposed to be keeping a low profile, for the time being.”
Ah, that was the problem. “Sara,” he patiently replied, “the only teenage soldiers in the Fourth military were Special Forces. Anne knew enough to recognize that I am military. It is clear that she knows that much, so she’s going to come up with the rest of it, if she hasn’t already. It will take all of five minutes on the ‘net to give her the information she is lacking, if she knows the right questions to ask.” He would bet a month’s pay that she did.
Sara frowned, her eyes lowering to the floor. “I suppose I shouldn’t worry about this anyway, considering who she is.”
An alarm immediately sounded in the back of his head. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t you know?” Sara looked back up at him, puzzled at his question. “Anne Dorian is Vice-Minister Dorian’s oldest daughter.”
Vice-Minister Dorian? Would that be the same Dorian who was the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs? Oh boy! That certainly explains a lot. No wonder she was so fluent in the etiquette in this culture. And no wonder she easily recognized Fourth Colony customs. She’s probably been exposed to a lot of my countrymen just by being around her father.
Rys made a mental note to get the chip in his head checked. Obviously a few synapses up there weren’t firing on all lines. His powers of observation seemed to be nil these days. Dorian isn’t a common name. I should have realized all of this sooner. I’m glad the guys don’t know about this; they’d laugh themselves hoarse about how obtuse and
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