Page 43 of Pallas & Kawehi

She moved toward the hallway and Pallas saw Chicago move to an area just outside the door. He'd be the one to walk her to her quarters where Jester was stationed.

"Thanks again, gentleman. Hooah!" She laughed out loud. "I know... I know... Oorah!"

Her laughter followed her down the hall and Buck turned to look at Pallas. "Did she just yank our chain?"

"I think she did."

Buck let out a loud breath. "Thank god. I think we're going to be going home in the next day or so."

Pallas agreed with him. "Her mood has vastly improved from what it was when we first got here."

"I think this is her first big test as an ambassador." Buck rolled his shoulders to ease some of the strain. Pallas was feeling the strain himself.

"She's going to be a great ambassador. She's got the right mindset. At least I think so."

Buck nodded. "It's hard to pinpoint what makes a good one, isn't it?"

Pallas turned his head side to side, stretching out the muscles in his neck. "I'm glad it's not up to me. I can't imagine the laundry list of things you have to consider in someone's character and life experience to pick an ambassador."

Buck moved over to the window and looked out. Pallas joined him a few moments later.

The crowds that had pressed close to the gates just a little while before had eased back.

The shadows that had shown a mass of men before had thinned out.

It was a good sign that the unrest that had been building almost to a fever pitch had started to unravel outside of the gates.

"Pallas?"

Pallas turned around and gave Riptide a nod. "Everything good downstairs?"

Riptide shrugged. "Everyone's moving around like ants. The staffers are preparing a meeting room while the men who are here for the meeting are milling around the entry. I think some of them are bored enough to read the captions beneath some of the pictures on the wall."

Buck chuckled softly. "Make no mistake, none of them are bored."

"They're probably going over the points they'd like to make to the ambassador."

Pallas agreed. "Then again, some of them are probably thinking through the questions they want to ask."

Riptide shrugged. "Either way, I don't have much of anything to do."

Pallas barely restrained himself from mimicking a tiny little violin with his fingertips. "Sorry if I don't feel all that bad for you, Sailor."

Riptide's expression soured a little. "No worries, Grunt."

Pallas kept his expression still.

"So, tell me about this woman you stood up."

Buck coughed and shook his head in warning.

Pallas didn't mind the question. "She's local. Her family owns a bowling alley in Kailua town."

"Lani... lana-"

"Lanikai Lanes." Pallas provided the Navy man with the name, smiling at the thought of the time he'd spent there. "They're open late. Bowling, food, and-"

"A bar, too. I've heard of it. Good food." Riptide nodded. "We should go when we get back to Oahu."

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