Earth Song: Etude to War Read Online Free Page B

make you a shit sandwich if you don't give it a rest,” Minu barked and threw a napkin at Aaron. Then she went to greet their friends, hugging first one, then the other, with a little kiss for Faye. She put a hand on the tall blonde’s stomach and smiled at her. “And how is baby?”
    “Just a little thing so far,” Faye told her. “Had a fetal imaging done day before yesterday.”
    “And?”
    “Boy, of course!” Gregg laughed. He struck a muscle man pose and both girls laughed. Aaron grabbed his cane and quickly hobbled over to hug his longtime friend. It was only when they were right next to each other that Minu remembered that the rescue mission had left Gregg behind. They were all technically within a year of each other age-wise until she'd taken her future husband and a few friends and leapfrogged ahead in time.
    “When are you guys going to have a baby?” Faye asked. Minu and Aaron looked at each other then away, going back to finishing their preparations for dinner without a word. “What...”
    Gregg leaned over and used a peck on the cheek as an excuse to whisper a quick sentence in his wife’s ear. She looked hurt and confused, but not another word was said. Minu knew Gregg couldn't tell her the truth, it was all classified. Especially the ship that orbited far up in space over their heads, and its enigmatic pilot.
    Eventually the mood lightened and they all sat down to eat. The dinner had started as a tradition after Minu returned and quickly married Aaron. At first it was all the friends, but slowly the numbers dwindled. Now, almost six years after their return, it was just the two couples.
    “How's Pip doing?” Minu asked Gregg. Unlike her and Aaron, he was still fully active in the Chosen. His command of the Rangers had been cemented after years of successful operations for the Tog, and paying jobs all over the Concordia.
    Many expected a final decision to make the Rangers the sixth branch of the Chosen soon, and take away one of Gregg's stars. Minu hoped so; she was tired of being the only two star in her group of friends. It might have given a lot of prestige, but it also caused some contentious differences as well.
    Chewing on her meat, she thought about all of her friends being on the council, wondering who would be First. According to the women of the Chosen, she already was. Of course that was a farce, she was retired in all but name. Her only regular duty was a few days a month on Herdhome as humanity’s liaison, a job that remained from years ago. The position had been assigned by P'ing to keep her in power within the Chosen.
    “He's working with a number of the offworld projects that are integrating Concordian and human tech. That and spending a lot of time on Project Enigma.” She nodded at the mention of their code for Lilith and her Kaatan ship.
    There was no longer any doubt the ship was hers. Minu's steadfast refusal to provide any help in changing that fact was the reason she was 'permanently detached to the University of Tranquility.'
    “Cherise saw him a week ago when she was meeting with Var'at on Remus.” Minu was constantly annoyed at the various lies and half-truths they had to tell people around them. She didn't know how Gregg kept from telling his wife about things she wasn't supposed to know, but her reactions were always a verification that he kept secrets well.
    The Rasa were not public knowledge, yet a secret below that of Lilith and the Kaatan. Some knew about the Rasa, former enemies living on one of Bellatrix's moons. Few knew of Minu's secret daughter and her killer warship. It was all so confusing. “Last time I saw him he'd just visited his son,” he continued as Aaron and Minu nodded.
    The subject of Pip's brief marriage was touchy; no-one wanted to linger too long in that awkward territory. “Christian was declared officially lost in action.”
    Minu nodded again and shook her head. He’d followed her example five years ago and went off the reservation on