Yay! We’re back! Very quickly I am continuing to post;
And since I am not sure I finished the next chapter, I shall start there…
Fourteen
Lieutenant Quentes was not the only one suspicious of Granomish generosity, however. The next morning everyone except the geologists were aghast that Candle had requested assistance from the Granomen.
“I don’t understand,” Doctor Gonnev commented. “Doctor Yarrin and I have collaborated on several papers. He is a fine gentleman and a scholar and is always fair and open in his dealings. I’ve never known him to hold back on data especially.”
“He is also a loyal subject of Ksaveras XI with whom our own beloved Hacon Ancel is at odds. In my experience a Granom is always loyal to his king first,” Admiral Centerin announced.
“Which is as it should be,” Elie told them all. “Are we not all loyal subjects of our own king? Why should the Granomen not be loyal to their own monarch?”
“Well spoken, My Lady,” Sir Rechard commended her.
“Thank you,” Elie responded. “Look, I’ll admit I was suspicious of the Granomen too. But my eyes were opened while we were at Petronelle Station. We went in offering to buy that data. We offered them a blank check. Anything, and I mean really anything, they wanted for those few sheets of paper, but when they learned that we were there investigating the source of the tsunamis, when they learned it was to help prevent other Sutherians from dying because of such destructive waves, all bargaining was off. They didn’t want to take anything in return for the data; insisted on it, in fact. We eventually managed to give as good as we got, but only because we dressed it up as a feast in honor of Ksaveras’ birthday.” She smiled as she remembered that. “They couldn’t very well refuse that, but I doubt we could have come up with another reason that would have worked.
“They’re good people and I would be proud if I could call them my friends,” Elie continued. “I imagine you would too if you could meet them.”
Her speech was met by silence, but it was not the silence of a shocked audience but of one that has been forced to think. The two geologists were nodding emphatically, but most of the Sutherians were silently introspective. Sir Rechard was trading glances with Chief Marin and the admiral was studying Elie intently. Six was watching her too, although there was a small smile on his face and Candle leaned way back in his chair with a crooked grin.
