"Then I could just make out him making soothing noises and you responding as though he'd fulfilled your greatest desire."I swallowed, he had but I did...'t want the rest of the school knowing that."When I heard him telling you to get dressed I slipped out of the office, I didn't think it would be good for him to see me after you'd told me to take the lunchtime off."God that really would have been the end."So you didn't see who it was?" I asked, grasping at straws."Not there," said Alison, "but I. “I don’t blame him,” I replied. “Keep me informed of progress.”“What about a brief visit to our homes,” Warren asked hopefully.“I need to find out what our orders are. The news about the Sa’arm incursion into the region is likely going to require that we perform a patrol of all systems between Crucible and any known Sa’arm held system,” I said.“Just let me know so I can inform my men,” Warren said.“I’ll make a general announcement as soon as I know anything,” I replied.“I’ll let you get back to. Chuck saw those next as he moved into the kitchen more. Sandy was already holding that baby's bottle of milk she'd talked about."Sandy please!" Chuck said."Gosh, that sounds just like me that day. Remember? Please Chuck! Please don't tell anyone," Sandy said and then added: "You've still got your clothes on Little Missy!"*No quarter given, none expected!* Chuck thought to himself. It was the yell he and his friends gave when they split up to play paint ball. Sandy was not going to give him any. I nodded. He let go. I set down the stick between us and dug out my little hatchet. I cut one end off of it, showing how to cut from one direction, then the other. I handed it to him. He weighed it in his hand, took a grip and whacked that mother in two pieces. I grinned. He seemed pretty damned happy himself. I tapped the axe then waved my finger across the crowd. I tried to make it plain that I’d have more axes the next day. I returned home in the rapidly fading light.I couldn’t teach them to.