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Bassingford Medical Center,

City of Landing,

Planet Manticore,

Manticore Binary System,

November 1859 PD.


“So, that’s Dad’s take,” Jacques said.

He and his team were scheduled to continue their journey to Silesia the next day, but for now he and Alfred sat in a quiet corner of the officers’ mess, across the remains of lunch. Allison would join them for dinner at Dempsey’s, but she’d been unable to get away for lunch. Which was just as well, he thought.

“I can’t say I’m surprised.” Alfred sipped wine. “I always thought he was smart, and as irrational as it may be, it actually makes sense, I suppose. Given the participants’ starting points, anyway. I don’t think Caspar’s making enough allowance for Alley’s irrationality, though.”

“Really?”

“I didn’t say she’s being unreasonable, but her own strain of irrational response is woven into this, too.” Alfred shrugged. “Your mom doesn’t realize the extent to which Alley saw me as the last shuttle out of town to get away from being one of those Benton-Ramirez y Chous.”

“Alfred, she loves you!”

“Oh, trust me, there’s no sense of insecurity on my part. And I’m sure as hell not suggesting I’m only a means to an end. Trust me, if anyone in the galaxy knows that, I do! But it is a factor in her thinking, and you know it.”

He held Jacques’s eyes steadily until the other man nodded, then shrugged again.

“So there’s a part of her that would’ve irrationally—as in unthinkingly—opposed any compromise that left us in Beowulf, even if my Navy obligations hadn’t prevented it. And she’s just as bunkered-down emotionally as your mother, now. She’s so damned hurt by your mom’s response to something so important—so clear—to her, that her own anger’s driving her response. You should go ahead and tell her your mother’s reaction to the fact that we didn’t invite her again, but I’ll tell you right now that it won’t change her position. You said your mom’s not going to ‘crawl’ to her? Well, guess what. She’s your mother’s daughter!”

“Shit.”

“Oh, definitely.” Alfred’s crooked smile mingled frustration with deep, abiding regret. “But I’m with your dad. I don’t see a way out, either. And the one thing I’m depressingly certain of is that if there is one, neither your mother nor Alley will go digging for it. Not now. Not after all these years.”


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Framed