Valour's Choice by Tanya Huff Read Free Book Online

across the room. “You couldn’t possibly program a computer to consider all the variables that can occur in combat.”
    “And when there is finally the development of a true A-I?”
    “You’d just be sending a different sentient species to die.”
    Ambassador Krik’vir tapped Torin’s ribbon bar again. “If one of these is not for debate, Staff Sergeant Kerr, we think it should be. Lieutenant Jarret wears no colors,” she continued, not waiting for a response. “He is very new.”
    It wasn’t a question, so Torin waited for the ambassador to make her point.
    “He knows how important the Silsviss are to our defenses in this sector?”
    “Yes, ma’am, he knows.”
    “We understand the Silsviss to be impressed by warriors. General Morris has made an interesting choice.”
    “General Morris knows what he’s doing, ma’am.” Personal opinion of the general aside, Torin wasn’t about to have him criticized by a non-Marine. Besides, this evening’s exercise had pretty much convinced her that Jarret had been chosen to deal with the diplomats, and the rest of them had been chosen to impress the Silsviss. When the ambassador repeated her thought aloud, she was startled enough to actually meet the Mictok’s eyes where eight reflections stared back at her in astonishment. Unable to avoid realizing that she looked like an idiot, she closed her mouth and the eight reflections closed theirs.
    Ambassador Krik’vir’s outer mandibles clattered against the inner. “We do not read minds, Staff Sergeant, but it was not hard for us to guess your thoughts.” The sweep of a foreleg indicated the rest of the room. “Here tonight there are four Marines as well as four Mictok, four Dornagain, and in order to be equal, four Rakva. It is, as you Humans say, appallingly politically correct. We think you will have an easier time fulfilling your commission than your lieutenant will fulfilling his. You, after all, have only one species to impress.”
    It might have been a warning. “And we will, ma’am.”
    “Good. We apologize for interrupting you while you were feeding, but we are pleased we had this opportunity to talk.”
    As the ambassador scuttled back into the crowd, Torin snagged a drink off a passing tray and took a long swallow. Get it off me, she sighed silently.
    * * *
    “I’m a little surprised you’re coming back with us.” Hand on the identity plate, Captain Daniels stood aside while the other three went through the lock, then followed and cycled it closed. “I’d have thought you’d have hooked up with another di’Taykan and spent the night away.”
    “Actually, I was wondering what would happen if I unmasked around a Dornagain.”
    “A Dornagain?”
    “Most sentient carbon-based mammals react.”
    “Are you out of your mind? The females have got to weigh close to two hundred kilos and the males aren’t much smaller. If you weren’t crashed, you’d be...” Then she caught sight of the expression on Jarret’s face. “I can’t believe I fell for that.”
    The grin broadened. “Fell for what?”
    Trouble is, Torin mused, following along behind the three officers, with a di’Taykan there’s no way to be sure they’re kidding. Some of them, given the opportunity, would pop their maskers in front of a Dornagain just to see what would happen. Lieutenant Jarret didn’t seem to be the type, but their previous contact certainly proved he could pop it off fast enough when a willing partner appeared. And you’re never going to think of that again, she reminded herself, tonguing her implant for the duty report.
    “What do you think, Staff?”
    Attention abruptly switched back to her companions, she tongued her implant off and shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, sir. I wasn’t listening.”
    “Checking on the children?” Jarret wondered.
    “Yes, sir.”
    He nodded, satisfied. Torin was impressed. A great many junior officers took months to realize that no news was good news. Some of the more