{"id":605,"date":"2019-04-15T00:00:41","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T04:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=605"},"modified":"2019-04-13T11:55:23","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T15:55:23","slug":"fifty-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=605","title":{"rendered":"Fifty-two"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>They knew how to hit us and where to hit us\u2014and when.&nbsp; The only thing they didn\u2019t seem to know is how hard we\u2019d fight back.&nbsp; Now we just have to figure out who the hell they were\u2014and who our allies really are.<\/p><p>&#8212; Sarah Farragut, regarding the bombing of the provisional settlements at Tertius Prime, c. 4851<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3 Eindecem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cYour\nsystem defenses are shit, Grumpy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\ngrimaced, bracing himself against the edge of the console.&nbsp; Above them hovered a map of the Eridani\nTrelasia system, complete with data on all of their defensive emplacements,\npatrol lines, and the locations of the few ships attached to the defense\nforces.&nbsp; It wasn\u2019t a very full map and some\nof the colors highlighting a few of the defensive emplacements and the orbital\nstations made it even worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>That attack cost us too dearly.<\/em>&nbsp; At least some of the orbitals would be\nsalvageable, though it would take time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of\ncourse, <em>time<\/em> was the one thing that\nAdam Windsor knew they didn\u2019t have\u2014not in any sort of abundance, that much was\ncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\nstared at him, as if waiting for a response.&nbsp;\nAdam sighed and shook his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cDistance\nwas supposed to keep us safer than any orbitals we have,\u201d he said, the words\ntasting like ashes.&nbsp; \u201cUp until a few\ndecades ago, no one gave a damn that we were out here.&nbsp; The Foundation banked on that continuing.\u201d&nbsp; He sighed.&nbsp;\n\u201cWe were fools, but we believed it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cNot\nentirely.\u201d&nbsp; Deacon nodded to the map,\nwaving a hand at the emplacements and ships.&nbsp;\n\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have had even this much in place if you were expecting\ndistance to be your only defense against the inner homosphere.\u201d&nbsp; He crossed his arms, staring at the maps for\na long moment.&nbsp; \u201cBut it\u2019s not\nenough.&nbsp; You\u2019re right about that much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Silence\nstretched between the two for a few long moments before Adam cleared his\nthroat.&nbsp; \u201cHow were your casualties up\nthere?\u201d His voice was quiet.&nbsp; He hadn\u2019t\ngotten to ask the question yet, though in truth he had been dreading it.&nbsp; The men and women that had crewed Deacon\u2019s\nforces were volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>So are mine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A\nquiet breath escaped the former professor.&nbsp;\n\u201cBetter than yours, I think.&nbsp; We pulled\nin some of your pilots on the way through the debris fields.&nbsp; I think most of them will make it, but I\u2019m\nnot that kind of doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\nsighed.&nbsp; \u201cWe don\u2019t have the pilots to\nlose, either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cSomething\ntells me you don\u2019t have the <em>population<\/em>\nperiod to lose.\u201d&nbsp; Deacon rubbed at his\ntemple, shaking his head.&nbsp; \u201cEridani\nTrelasia has all the resources a population needs to survive except for a\npopulation large enough to fight a war for that survival.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cAptly\nput,\u201d Adam murmured.&nbsp; \u201cThough I would\nargue that <em>time<\/em> is also a resource we\ndon\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cThere\nare ways to buy that,\u201d Deacon said, his voice grim.&nbsp; \u201cI\u2019m just not sure any of us have the stomach\nfor it.\u201d&nbsp; He regarded Adam with a long,\nsilent look.&nbsp; \u201cWho else isn\u2019t dead,\nAdam?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cYou\nmean besides America and Grant?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A\nmuscle twitched in Deacon\u2019s jaw.&nbsp; \u201cHe\nmight have the stomach for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cAmerica\nwon\u2019t let him out of her sight.&nbsp; Not now,\nnot with everything that\u2019s happened to them\u2014and none of us are about to let him\ngo haring off god-knows-where at this point.\u201d&nbsp;\n<em>&nbsp;No matter how much he wants to go haring off\nat this point to get the shit I hid.<\/em>&nbsp;\nAdam rubbed at his temple, staring blankly at the displays without\nactually seeing them.&nbsp; He drew a deep\nbreath, looked around.&nbsp; They were alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>He deserves to know.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He\nwent and locked the door to the room.&nbsp;\nDeacon quirked a brow, watching him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cYou\u2019re\ntaking precautions for something,\u201d the other man surmised as Adam walked back\nto where they\u2019d been standing near the plots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cAlways\nam,\u201d Adam muttered.&nbsp; \u201cNot going to tell\nme it\u2019s like old times?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\ngave an eloquent shrug, appropriating an empty chair with a good view of the\nmap.&nbsp; He leaned back, watching him.&nbsp; \u201cI could.&nbsp;\nBut it\u2019s not, is it?&nbsp; No matter\nwho\u2019s still alive, it\u2019ll never be like old times again.\u201d&nbsp; Silence drew on for a few long moments, then\nDeacon asked, \u201cHow long have you known that Freder was alive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cI\u2019ve\nalways known,\u201d Adam said.&nbsp; \u201cI helped Daci\nget him to safety after what happened.&nbsp;\nRachel didn\u2019t even know until a few weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cSneaky\nbastard.\u201d&nbsp; It was said simply, a\nstatement of fact.&nbsp; Adam didn\u2019t smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cHe\ndoesn\u2019t remember who killed Mimir,\u201d Adam continued.&nbsp; \u201cHe thinks that he\u2019d figured it out before he\nwas attacked, but he\u2019s not sure anymore and doesn\u2019t remember the last few days\nbefore the attack.&nbsp; If the information\nwas archived anywhere other than his head, it\u2019s never come to light.\u201d&nbsp; He crossed his arms, shaking his head slowly\nas he stared blankly at the starplot.&nbsp;\n\u201cAnd I doubt that anyone who was trying to kill him then would care if\nhe said he doesn\u2019t know now what he knew then.&nbsp;\nThey\u2019d still try to kill him because they\u2019d still think he\u2019s a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cLogic\ntracks, considering the prime suspects back then.&nbsp; They never figured out who did it, didn\u2019t\nthey?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\u2019s\nlips barely moved as he spoke.&nbsp; \u201cI think\nthey wanted to forget.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cMaybe\nsome of them did,\u201d Deacon agreed.&nbsp; \u201cBut I\ncan tell you that not all of them did.&nbsp;\nHow much of the feeds did you watch after it happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cNot\nmany.&nbsp; I was a little busy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cUnderstandably\nso, I imagine.\u201d&nbsp; He dragged his chair\nover, closer to the plots, then settled again.&nbsp;\n\u201cYou seem to have quite a bit more than I expected on your plate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\ngrunted, glancing away from the plots to meet Deacon\u2019s gaze.&nbsp; \u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind, Deacon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cWhat\nmakes you think that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cWe\u2019re\nboth too old to play these games, at least right now, at least given what\u2019s\ngoing on here now.&nbsp; Whatever\u2019s rattling\naround inside that skull of yours that you\u2019re not saying I suggest you say\nbefore there\u2019s not another chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\nwinced, sitting back.&nbsp; He cleared his\nthroat.&nbsp; \u201cFine,\u201d he said, his voice\nquiet, caught somewhere between thoughtful and matter-of-fact.&nbsp; \u201cYou need more allies, old friend, and you\nneed them fast.&nbsp; You have resources to\nspare, but you don\u2019t have <em>human<\/em> resources\nto draw on.&nbsp; You need to find a way to\ndraw on what you do have and cultivate what you don\u2019t and fast.\u201d&nbsp; He paused, then added, \u201cBefore whoever killed\nMimir tries again here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\u2019s\nstomach lurched.&nbsp; He swallowed the bile\nthat bubbled up at the back of his throat, staring at Deacon for a few\nseconds.&nbsp; \u201cYou noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cI\u2019m\nsurprised you didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\nclosed his eyes.&nbsp; \u201cWouldn\u2019t matter if I\ndid or not,\u201d he murmured quietly.&nbsp; \u201cIn\nthe moment, all it gave us with a vague semblance of what sort of pattern of\nevents we could expect\u2014a pattern thwarted by your timely arrival with those\nships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\nexhaled, his gaze drifting toward the plots.&nbsp;\n\u201cAnd I can\u2019t do that twice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cNo,\u201d\nAdam agreed quietly.&nbsp; \u201cYou can\u2019t.&nbsp; But we\u2019ll think of something.&nbsp; We have to.&nbsp;\nThere\u2019s not a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cNo.&nbsp; No, there\u2019s not.\u201d&nbsp; Deacon\u2019s lips thinned.&nbsp; \u201cMost of my people said they\u2019d stay on.&nbsp; You\u2019re working on getting their families\nhere?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\nnodded.&nbsp; \u201cMission Systems has been a\ngreat help with that.&nbsp; Within the next\ntwo weeks, they should all be here and settled either on-planet or on the\nMission Systems station out in orbit of E-Trel IV.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cGood,\u201d\nDeacon said, a faint note of relief in his voice.&nbsp; \u201cThey\u2019re good people, you know?&nbsp; I\u2019m lucky to have them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cSo\nyou\u2019ll be our admiral of the fleet, then?\u201d&nbsp;\nAdam glanced at him, watching the reflection of the plot\u2019s light on\nDeacon\u2019s face.&nbsp; \u201cShepherd the cap ships\nup there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cDid\nyou really think I\u2019d say no?\u201d&nbsp; Deacon\nlooked at him.&nbsp; \u201cYou don\u2019t have anyone\nelse qualified\u2014closest thing would be you and we both know that you\u2019re trying\nto juggle enough already.&nbsp; Aidan and Daciana\nare able, but ship tactics aren\u2019t their stock in trade.&nbsp; They\u2019re not trained for it the way you and I\nare and Grant\u2019s got too much rust and not enough experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cGrant\u2019s\na guerrilla fighter,\u201d Adam murmured.&nbsp;\n\u201cGuerrilla tactics and counterinsurgency\u2014strange how they seem to go\nhand in hand, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cDon\u2019t\nbe getting all uncharacteristically thoughtful on me now, Grumpy,\u201d Deacon said,\ncrossing his arms.&nbsp; \u201cStay on task.&nbsp; You\u2019ve got a system to defend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cIf\nyou\u2019re taking us up on our offer, so do you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\nshrugged.&nbsp; \u201cTrue enough.&nbsp; Do we know what kind of operations Mission\nSystems already has up and running out here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cThat\u2019s\na question for Mr. Scarelli,\u201d Adam said.&nbsp;\n\u201cHe hasn\u2019t submitted a report on their disposition beyond letting us\nknow that they escaped damage and they\u2019re pulling sensor and visual logs of\neverything they can to see if they can give us more information on those ships\nif any of their people spotted them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cMm.&nbsp; I\u2019ll have to meet with him.&nbsp; Is he on-planet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\nshook his head.&nbsp; \u201cNot right now, but he\u2019s\ndue to appear before the Council in a couple days.&nbsp; He\u2019ll probably be here tomorrow.&nbsp; Do you want me to make introductions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cI\nwould be very appreciative,\u201d Deacon said.&nbsp;\n\u201cHopefully they\u2019ll have what we need to get the ships repaired faster\nthan if we were depending on just my people handling it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cProbably\nwould be helpful.\u201d&nbsp; Adam glanced at the\nplots again, eyeing the renderings of the damaged orbitals.&nbsp; \u201cI didn\u2019t ask you.&nbsp; Your wife\u2019s people\u2014you said they were\nWanderers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deacon\nnodded.&nbsp; \u201cI did.&nbsp; Good people.&nbsp;\nWe think they all made it, but there\u2019s a couple cousins she hasn\u2019t heard\nfrom yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cWhere\ndo you think they\u2019ll go?\u201d Adam asked quietly.&nbsp;\n\u201cThe Whispers was as close to a home as any of them had beyond their\nships.&nbsp; Where will they make their port\nnow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cYou\nsay that like you\u2019ve got thoughts on the subject.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Adam\nsighed.&nbsp; \u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019m thinking\nand the invitation wouldn\u2019t come from me, anyway.&nbsp; It would need to come from someone else.&nbsp; Maybe Rachel.\u201d&nbsp; <em>Maybe\nLinny-pie.&nbsp; I don\u2019t know.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cInvitation?\u201d&nbsp; Deacon stood up, peering closely at him.&nbsp; \u201cWhat are you suggesting?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; \u201cThey\u2019ve\nalways been good to us,\u201d Adam murmured.&nbsp;\n\u201cMaybe now it\u2019s time to return the favor.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>They knew how to hit us and where to hit us\u2014and when.&nbsp; The only thing they didn\u2019t seem to know is how hard we\u2019d fight back.&nbsp; Now we just have to figure out who the hell they were\u2014and who our &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=605\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two-ashes-to-ashes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-9L","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=605"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":607,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions\/607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}