Mal needed a fellow strategist, not a cloying politician, so he chose another research companion. It was fortunate for the High General that his long-time friend was, while opportunistic, also rather lazy. He’d jump at a bone only if it was laid on his nose.
“I want to see that response before you send it, Cush. In my office.”
“Of course, Chairman! I’ll bring it by myself.”
---
As Chairman Mal stomped his way out to his carriage, High General Shin growled under his breath, staring at the now vacant reception area. The rest of the soldiers quickly dispersed, trying to steal subtle glances at the High General as they fled to offices and exits, but not subtly enough.
“He’s right, Relf, I’m sorry to say,” Cush said quietly, trying to pull Shin out of his brooding. “Perrin was remarkably bold and completely non-compliant.”
“But he succeeded, Aldwyn,” Shin groused as he turned to go into his office, Cush following him. “Doesn’t it make sense to let officers do what works?”
“Relf, your father was the one who wrote the laws of the army, and you pledged to uphold them,” Cush reminded as he closed the door behind them. “We can’t go turning our backs now on the traditions that have preserved our army for so many years.”
Shin sat down at his desk. “Why not? Why don’t we be progressive and take a risk?”
Cush wagged a thick finger at him. “I love it how you use Mal’s ‘progressive’ speech every time you want to do something against the law. But it won’t work, my friend. There are times to be progressive—as you love to misuse that term—and times to cling to the traditions that keep our civilization stable. The key is knowing which to change, and which to cling to.”
Relf sighed again as he picked up his son’s detailed proposal. “All of those stuffed red coats are a waste of cloth,” he murmured. “Come in here yelling at me about how to do my job . . . Hard to think of a decent one in the lot—”
“Oh, there are a few good ones,” Cush said amiably. “There’s that Dr. Brisack, for one.”
The High General shrugged at that. “Someone in charge of Family Life better appear genial. But the others—I swear they sprung out of the same cesspool that spawned Gadiman.”
Cush chuckled nervously. “Careful, Relf. Don’t want the wrong ears hearing you.”
Shin scoffed at that as he perused his son’s writing. “Interesting idea with changing uniforms to blend into the surroundings—”
Cush sat down in a chair opposite him. “No, Relf. Not in the least bit! The Command Board already discussed that—”
“They wouldn’t kill each other by accident!” Shin burst out. “How absurd.”
Cush leaned across the desk, grunting as he did so, and pulled Captain Shin’s proposals out of the High General’s hands. “I’ll let you read the response before I go to Mal. Seeing as how Perrin’s your only son, Relf, I’m rather surprised you’re not more upset at his willful disregard for his own life.”
“Oh, I was!” Relf exclaimed. “Initially. Then I started thinking about what he did and, well . . . fatherly pride replaced my concern.”
“Will you still feel that fatherly pride when your daughter-in-law sends you a tear-stained message that her husband has vanished in the forest and no one can find his corpse? After six years of hearing about our grandson Lemuel, Joriana’s been telling my wife how excited she is about the prospects of becoming a grandmother,” Cush hinted.
High General Shin rubbed his forehead. “Yes, yes, I know. Joriana’s already bought a baby blanket. Point made, Aldwyn. Say what you need to, but let me send the response.”
---
Tuma Hifadhi heard the knocking on his office door. He looked up from his desk and called, “Come in.”
A lean, middle-aged man opened the door.
“Hew Gleace! How wonderful to see you. Come in, come in.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything—” Gleace said as he came into the room.
“Of course not!” The elderly man gestured to a chair next to his desk. “I always have time! You seem to be bursting with something, Hew.”
Gleace smiled readily as he sat down. “I am, Tuma. We just received word back from the scouts in the forest.”
“The raid is over,” the old man began to smile. “So . . .”
“He walked right in, chasing the attackers! And this time, he stayed. For three full days and four nights he chased them up and down as if he had been born and raised in the trees. Never once showed fear.” Gleace began to chuckle. “His lieutenant, on the other hand . . .”