Cobra Alliance-Cobra War Book 1 by Timothy Zahn Page B

someone sees you."
    Merrick shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "I'm on temporary detached duty, assigned to watch over one of the legendary heroes of the Cobra Worlds."
    "What legendary hero?" Jin asked, thoroughly confused now.
    "You, of course," Merrick said. "In case you hadn't noticed, you've gone into a tailspin of depression over Jody and Dad's plan to go to Caelian. Lorne and I have been very worried about you, especially when you announced you were going out to the wilderness north of Pindar to, quote, think things over."
    "So what, I'm a strap-stretcher case now?" Jin demanded, not sure whether she was more outraged or embarrassed by the story her sons had concocted.
    "Oh, I'm sure you'll pull out of it after a while," Merrick said. "The point is that I'm on indefinite leave, and we're off in the wilderness all alone where no one's likely to notice us."
    "Brilliant," Jin growled. "But your poor, aged mother is perfectly capable of, quote, thinking things over on her own."
    Merrick took a deep breath. "Mom, remember back at the Island three days ago, and the talk Uncle Corwin and Aunt Thena had with you after dinner?"
    Jin grimaced. Like she would ever forget. Corwin had grilled her for nearly an hour about her motives for wanting to go to Qasama, trying to get her to admit that she was doing it solely to vindicate him. Which she wasn't. "I remember it very well," she said. "And how exactly do you know about it? I thought you were all off in the billiards room at the time."
    "I know because Uncle Corwin, Aunt Thena, and I planned the talk long before you and the rest showed up, of course." A brief flicker of grim amusement touched his eyes. "When did you think Dad, Lorne, Jody, and I cooked up the rest of this scheme? The only safe time to do it was while you were busy defending your honor."
    "Only you'd already made up your mind about this, hadn't you?" Jin asked, thinking back to that evening. "That's why you were so quick to take yourself off Jody's escort list."
    "Uncle Corwin and I had already run the logic," Merrick said. "Dad was too old to go with you—he's got the same health limitations you do. Lorne's is too young, plus he really is needed in the expansion regions. That leaves me."
    "Or it leaves me going by myself," Jin said. "Or don't you think I can handle it?"
    Merrick sighed. "If you insist. No, we don't think you can handle it. Not if worst comes to worst."
    "Because I might be going with the wrong motives?"
    "Because you're fifty-two years old," Merrick said bluntly. "You're not exactly in prime fighting condition anymore, you know."
    "Bring me a couple of spine leopards, kiddo, and I'll show you what condition I'm in," Jin retorted. "Besides, the idea is to avoid any fighting."
    "Amen," Merrick said fervently. "But if it does come down to a fight, you know as well as I do that two Cobras will always have a better chance than one."
    "Unless it was the presence of that second Cobra that precipitated the fight in the first place," Jin said. "As long as we're remembering conversations, do you remember that one?"
    "Certainly," Merrick said. "But as I recall, the Qasamans are very family-oriented, and I as your son am the kind of close blood relation that even Dad can't match. The Qasamans will respect that."
    He was right, Jin had to admit. Even if they discovered he was a Cobra, they would more likely interpret his role as that of his mother's protector than as an invader.
    And as she gazed at the determination in her son's eyes, she realized suddenly that she really didn't want to do this alone. "There's no chance I can talk you out of it, is there?" she asked, just to be sure.
    "None," he said in a voice that left no room for argument.
    "Then let's do it," she said, turning toward the ship. She paused and let go of the bag he was still holding. "And yes, you may carry my bag."
    Besides, this was just a friendly visit between old acquaintances, she reminded herself. There wouldn't be any fighting.