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It s a little small, she commented with a smile.
You re so slender, he said in confusion, I thought your hands . . .
I do not have fat fingers! she said.
No! You don t. But they re so long and fine that I suppose I remembered them
as being fairylike.
Sarah smiled and sighed.
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You do throw the bull better than anyone I ve ever met, she said fondly.
Peter laughed. Well, better too small than too big.
Good point, she conceded. Sarah played with the ring, holding it up to
admire it.
It was a really ugly ring.
We can get a nicer one, he said.
Mm mm. I ll keep this one, she said, her eyes glowing. This one has a story
to it already.
You can go in now, sir, ma am, the receptionist announced.
Peter and Sarah looked at one another, almost surprised to find themselves in
a waiting room.
I guess what I was waiting for was you, Raeder said.
He gave Sarah s hand a squeeze, then they rose and walked into the Spider s
office.
Scaragoglu had, of course, witnessed the delightful scene in his waiting room.
But to offer the happy couple congratulations would be telling. And Scaragoglu
never surrendered an advantage.
He returned their salutes casually and gestured to the chairs before his desk.
Then he leaned forward, his hands folded before him.
Congratulations to both of you for a job well done, Commander, Lieutenant
Commander.
The Commonwealth owes you and the entire crew of the
Invincible a great debt of gratitude.
Peter and Sarah looked at one another, then at the general.
Thank you, sir, Raeder said.
Sarah nodded. They both kept their eyes on the general.
Scaragoglu waited a moment, then he leaned back, allowing himself to seem
weary and disappointed.
Unfortunately . . . gratitude can seem . . . He waved one hand as if trying
to find the right word. Onerous at times. Scaragoglu looked at Raeder with
melting dark eyes, full of sympathy. The official line of the service is that
no man or woman is to be raised above -
another in this victory. That everyone who has served is to be thought of as
serving equally and to be held equally responsible for the victory we ve
enjoyed.
Raeder and Sarah looked at one another.
O-kay, Peter said slowly. Sounds good.
If I m not being blamed and I m not gonna get court-martialed I guess I m
ahead of the game.
Disappointed?
Me? Nah!
Sarah looked less than pleased, but said only, So what happens now, sir?
I m so glad you asked, Lieutenant Commander, Scaragoglu said. He looked a
bit amused. He sat forward again, pulling his chair closer to the desk. I m
sure you ve been speculating over the fate of the service, he said.
They nodded.
We will be downsizing drastically over the next couple of years, the general
told them.
I m afraid that with the black marks against your record, he nodded at
Raeder, your offer to reenlist will be refused out of hand.
That s hardly fair, Sarah said boldly.
There s also that unfortunate stay in Camp Stick Em Together Again on your
record, Lieutenant Commander, Scaragoglu said.
Sarah sat with her mouth open.
But . . . but that . . .
The general shook his head sadly.
It s unfair, I know. You ve both done so much, contributed so phenomenally to
the winning of this war. He raised his hands helplessly. But the senior
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staff were adamant.
Raeder was stunned beyond speech, beyond reaction.
Beached!
he thought, crushed.
It s over, I ll never fly again.
What was left but some boring job on a planet somewhere. He tried to see
himself as a salesman and repressed a shudder.
The senior staff were adamant about us, specifically? Sarah asked, her eyes
narrowed.
Raeder s head came up.
That is interesting, sir. Just what did the senior staff have in mind for us
that they were so adamant about? Though he hid it as well as he could, Peter
fairly radiated hope.
The general chuckled.
That s one of the things I ve liked about you since the first time we met,
son. You keep looking for reasons to be optimistic. He leaned back in his
chair and folded his hands on his stomach, a very self-satisfied expression on
his dark face. And, as it happens, I can give you reason to be.
Peter and Sarah flashed a look at one another.
Star Command will be downsizing. There s no getting around that. For one
thing the
Commonwealth doesn t need the navy to be as large as it currently is to fight
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