Solbidyum Wars Saga 9: At What Price Read Online Free Page A

fact, I believe she was still serving as chief attaché for the Federation when you first arrived with the solbidyum in the TRITYTE .”
    “Ah, yes.  I keep forgetting Kala was the military attaché.  That seems so long ago.  I’ll have to speak to her about it.”  At times I was afraid that my synthetic nerve degeneration was beginning to affect my memory.
    “Admiral, tomorrow is the day that Reidecor graduates from the JAC, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, it is,” I answered with a smile.
    “I heard he’ll be graduating second in his class.  That's quite a high honor.  Actually, I was sure he would be first, to be honest,” Marranalis said.
    “I’ll let you in on a secret,” I said.  “According to Commander Ircart, Reidecor should be first in the class, but he purposefully held himself back and allowed another cadet to be first.  Ircart speculates that Reidecor doesn’t want the other cadets to believe he’s been given preferential treatment, so he’s deliberately maintained a second position in everything but martial arts.  Some of Reide’s commanding officers have been keeping an eye on him.  They all say that he clearly demonstrates far better skills when no one is watching than when he’s being tested.”
    “You don’t suspect he may have anxiety about tests, do you?” Marranalis asked cautiously.
    “No.  Reide doesn't lack confidence from what his instructors have been able to see and according to his academic performance prior to joining the JAC.  He just doesn’t want to graduate with first honors for his own reasons.”
    “Were you like that in training?”
    “Me?  Heck no.  Though I did very well with martial arts, I was only average at everything else.”
    “Somehow, sir, I find that hard to believe,” said Marranalis.
    “Well, believe it.  It’s true.”
    “So I assume you and Kalana will be going to the ceremony tomorrow?”
    “Yes… and of course, Lunnie will be going too.”
    “I was surprised that Lunnie didn’t join the JAC like Reidecor.”
    “Jenira was surprised too, not to mention a little disappointed about it.  But it doesn’t matter.  Lunnie just finished basic training and Reidecor will officially be in the Federation Military as a lieutenant because of his JAC training.  Lunnie will simply enter the service as a private.”
    “Yes,” Marranalis chuckled.  “I heard that Lunnie wasn’t very happy when she heard that the draft proposed was approved by the Senate and that she and her friends would have to serve a minimum two-year tour of duty.”
    “Not very happy is an understatement.  She didn’t speak to me for nearly a week, and then when she did it was to try to convince me to make an exception for her.”
    “Ouch!  That must have been difficult.  How did you deal with it?”
    “Actually, I didn’t have to say a word.  Jenira was there when Lunnie brought it up.  She tore into Lunnie with a rebuke that had her fingers moving so fast they were a blur.  Lunnie kept backing up until Jenira had her in a corner.  She kept signing in Lunnie's face until Lunnie nearly hyperventilated; and she kept up her fierce reprimand, even when Lunnie started crying.  When Jenira finally did stop scolding her, she walked away with an equally fierce message to be understood from the very angry look she cast in Lunnie’s direction.  After wiping away her tears, Lunnie made her way to me from the corner and apologized.  She hasn’t mentioned or complained about being drafted again since then.”
    “What did Jenira say to her?”
    “I have no idea.  I couldn’t follow her signing.  It was much too fast for me.”
    “It’s too bad that Lunnie didn’t go into the JAC when Reide did.  If she had, she might at least have had some say in the direction of her specialty training and where she is assigned.”
    “Actually, it hasn’t worked out too badly for Lunnie.  She was only mediocre in most of her training.  I have a suspicion that those results