“I do not like this,” Grisham complained to Gray. It was their turn to stand outside on the porch, which was quickly becoming the designated sulking spot. They had retreated from Terra’s eyes and ears to talk to one another, or rather, Grisham had dragged Gray out in order to vent her frustrations. “Sarah has no discipline, Cadet has no training…”

“And yet together they make up for one another’s failings quite well,” Gray said, unconcerned. “They are soldiers, eager to do their work. I have to say, I am quite impressed.”

“You barely know Cadet, and you don’t know Sarah at all.”

Gray’s eyes cut hazel annoyance at Grisham. “So if I don’t agree with you I’m wrong? I’m suddenly no able judge of a soldier’s capacity?”

Grisham scowled. “That’s not what I was saying. You can’t think sending those two alone in is a good idea.”

“I’ll tell you what I know. I know that’s not my call to make and therefore not my problem.”

“That makes it easy, doesn’t it.”

“It does.”

Grisham snorted.

“You’re nervous because you’re attached. Just as you were with me,” Gray said. “They will be in danger. It may touch them. We cannot prevent that. What we can do. What I will do, is my job. If I do that to the best of my ability, then I give them the best chance of survival.”

“And what will we do if it goes wrong? If the two of them are in there and three of us are outside and there are a hundred rebels between us? We cannot call for back up. There is none.”

“We don’t need to fight hundreds. We create a diversion, open an opportunity for escape. Battles have not been about numbers for a very, very long time. And this will not be a battle in all likelihood. Tess. You have to stop fretting. Nerves before a mission are one thing, but you are like a mother hen fussing over her chicks or… no… I had it right earlier. You’re being just like you were with me.”

Gray stood back, folding her arms over her chest, tossing her head to the side as she fixed Grisham with a hard look.

“Which one of them are you fucking?”