. for the moment,” came the sneering reply.“Indeed they could, which is why I have always cultivated their good will, rather than treat them as sl...ves to do my bidding, same with the militaryYr’ch,” Karkol replied, making several of the Council look thoughtful.“Yet you threaten the TechnoYr’ch?”“Only for not supporting this war for our survival.”“The Vultoqi are contained, we are not under threat!”“Yet you were the one that proposed we rebuild Grmmar and attempted to have the Seeker building. The Captain reported that the patrol craft were nearing completion and asked what arrangements had been mare for the armaments. Rather than taking on the design of the laser cannons, I had farmed out their design, construction and installation to CS&S so provided him a contact. The only specifications provided to the contractor were that were to be two cannon in a common mount whose impact point could be focused at various ranges but with enough power to melt the rudder posts of super tankers. He was an average looking guy, but he had a big smile. He stuck out his hand and said, “Riley Fox!”“Graham Reaper.”“Where you from, Graham?”“Matucket, Georgia.”“Where’s that?”“We’re about an hour west of Atlanta. You?”“Knoxville, Tennessee. So, you’re a Georgia cracker,” he said.I shrugged. It wasn’t like it was the first time I had heard the phrase. “And you’re a Tennessee hillbilly.”The fellow in front, a Hispanic-looking guy, turned around and asked, “What’s the difference?”I smiled and. There is big, me, and there is OH MY GOD. That was Tom.It seemed when I left for work, Tom pulled into my house not long after. He had been banging my wife for six weeks and I had seen nothing. Nothing out of place at home, not any less from my wife nor any less love. To see her love of Tom written out in her own hand was awful and I knew my marriage was over. Who wants to live with a woman, any spouse, that doesn't love you as much as someone else? No one in their right mind.I packed my stuff.