Re: Suffering daughter of Shiva, the Dragon grieves at the wounds he caused you.
May not the Dragon and the Tiger be lovers, and bring forth peace? Or if there is no peace, may not the Tiger and the Dragon fight together?
Bean and Petra were surprised when Peter came to see them in their little house on the grounds of the Hegemony compound. "You honor our humble abode," said Bean.
"I do, don't I," said Peter with a smile. "The baby's asleep?"
"Sorry, you don't get to watch me nurse him," said Petra.
"I have good news and bad news," said Peter.
They waited for him to tell them.
"I need you to go back to Rwanda, Julian."
"I thought the Rwandan government was with us," said Petra.
"It's not a raid," said Peter. "I need you to take command of the Rwandan military and incorporate it into the Hegemony forces."
Petra laughed. "You're kidding. Felix Starman is going to ratify your Constitution?"
"Hard to believe, but yes, Felix is ambitious the way I'm ambitious--he wants to create something that will outlive him. He knows that the best way for Rwanda to be safe and free is for there to be no armies in the world. And the only way for that to happen is to have a world government that will maintain the liberal values he has created in his Rwanda--elections, individual rights, the rule of law, universal education, and no corruption."
"We've read your Constitution, Peter," said Bean.
"He asked for you in particular," said Peter. "His men saw you when you took Volescu. They call you the African Giant now."
"Darling," said Petra to Bean. "You're a god now, like Virlomi."
"The question is whether you're woman enough to be married to a god," said Bean.
"I shade my eyes and it keeps me from going blind."
Bean smiled and turned to Peter. "Does Felix Starman know how long I'm not expected to live?"
"No," said Peter. "I regard that as a state secret."
"Oh no," said Petra. "Now we can't tell each other."
"How long will you expect me to stay?"
"Long enough for the Rwandan army to transfer its loyalty to the Free People."
"To you?"
"To the Free
People," said Peter. "I'm not creating a cult of personality here. They have to be committed to the Constitution. And to defending the Free People who have accepted it."
"In practical terms, a date, please," said Bean.
"Until after the plebiscite, at least," said Peter.
"And I can go with him?" asked Petra.
"Your choice," said Peter. "It's probably safer there than here, but it's a long flight. You can write the Martel essays from anywhere."
"Julian, he's leaving it up to us. We're Free People now too!"