Free Alarm of War, Book II: The Other Side of Fear by Kennedy Hudner

of Darjeeling tea.  He thought about the lesson in diplomacy and psychology he’d learned from Queen Anne and Sir Henry, about Emily Tuttle on leave on Haifa, about Grant Skiffington trying desperately to keep his unexpected captaincy of the Yorkshire.  
    He thought of Cookie on the Dominion prison ship.
    And Brother Jong of The Light, and his ability to travel without detection.
    And a place called Siegestor that was not on any map.
    When he was ready, he carefully put down his tea mug and placed a call.
    “Yes?”  A woman’s voice, fuzzy with sleep.
    “Specialist Romano?” he asked.  “Lori Romano?”
    “Yeah.”  There was the sound of a yawn.  “What time is it?”
    “You’re the one who has been working on the Tilleke teleportation ships,” he said.  Not a question.
    “Who is this?” Romano asked, suddenly more alert and more guarded.
    “I apologize for calling you this late,” Hiram said softly.  “I am Commander Brill, Queen Anne’s adjutant and Intelligence Officer.”  He could hear a rustle of bed sheets as Romano suddenly sat upright in her cabin.  “I want you to meet me at 0700 in my office.  I’ll have some breakfast for us both.  I have a little job for you.”
    “But, sir, I-“
    “No buts, Romano.  My office, 0700.  Go back to bed and get some rest.”  He hung up, replacing the phone gently in its cradle.  He made another cup of tea and called up a holo display of the Dominion Sector, paying particular attention to the wormhole entrance from Victoria into the Dominion.
    He sat there a long time.

Chapter 6
    In the village of Ouididi, Atlas Mountains, Refuge
    They arrived at Ouididi just as the sun set.  The first thing Emily noticed was the twenty foot electric fence that surrounded the village, but then her attention was drawn to the houses, which were a riot of red and green and blue and white.  Children ran through the narrow streets, announcing their arrival with shouts and laughter.  Curious adults emerged on the street or stood on balconies and waved their greetings.  Everyone seemed to know Rafael.  Some of the women looked at Rafael and then Emily and called their bantering congratulations.  Emily’s universal translator caught it all.
    “So, Rafael, you finally bring home a bride, eh?”  Or, “God is great!  Even Rafael has finally fallen!  And such a beauty!”  And, “You must be bringing a new bride for your brother, Rafael, she’s obviously too good for the likes of you!”
    Rafael shouted back friendly insults and retorts, meanwhile taking care not to trample any of the children running alongside his horse.  One small dark haired girl with luminous brown eyes ran up.  “You’re back!  You’re back!”  Rafael reached down, got hold of her jacket collar and swung her up to sit in front of him on the saddle.  “What have we here, eh?  Is this a baby grogon that snuck into the village?”
    She looked over her shoulder, baring her teeth in a mock snarl.  “I am much more ferocious than any grogon you’ll meet, Rafael Eitan, but not half as fierce as the Mothers.  They are going to tear you apart!  You don’t come home for months, and then when you do you tell them you are staying for only one night!”  She wagged a finger at him.  “By the time they finish with you, brother, you will be in the stew pot for our supper!”
    Rafael laughed, but Emily thought it might be a little forced.  Then the little girl leaned out so that she could see Emily.  “I am Rafael’s sister, Nouar.   I welcome you to our village.”
    Emily leaned over and shook her hand.  “I am Emily Tuttle.  I met your brother during training at Camp Gettysburg.”
    Nouar’s eyes widened.  “Oh, you are that Emily!  My family will be honored to meet you.  Rafael told us all about you in his letters home.”  Emily raised an eyebrow.  That was…interesting.
    “Captain Tuttle is the captain of a Victorian warship,” Rafael told his sister