TGoaW-30

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==Chapter 30 - The Glow of a Worm inside a Child's Eye==
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Kowloon, Lyran Commonwealth
3041
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Elizabeth is four...
...and living with her grandfather. Why? because her mother and father are military professionals, taking part in the invasion and partition of the Draconis Combine.
A 'war for peace'...that is unlikely to result in peace. Her brothers are here too, for the 'duration of the conflict'.
Lizzie has a few friends. Some of them are more acceptable than others, and she gets into chronic trouble doing things she's not supposed to do...like playing with the wildlife near the cabin in Minsky's Folly when the Mosovich's babysit.
"Elizabeth Anne Ngo!" Evelynn Mosovich is practically their big sister-except with Pat. With Patrick, Evvie does boring things like kissing when the grown ups aren't looking. "Stop hassling that fursnake! It's dangerous!!"
Liz doesn't think much of that, but since Grandpapa gave her permission to spank, Liz listens a little better when out with Evvie. "But...but it's pretty!"
"it's dangerous. We're too far out to get you to an antivenin kit if it bites you. Besides, it's almost time for your lessons."
"Yes'm...is it gonna be th' TABBY??" Lizzie asked.
"Yes. Now hurry on, time's wasting."
A lesson from 'the tabby' is something Lizzie looks forward to-the artificial intelligence only comes into range a few times a month, but it always has such interesting lessons. Almost more interesting than playing with the fursnakes.
Almost. The Tabby promised that if Lizzie did her schoolwork, she could go up to space someday, and her lessons were the kind that her big brothers struggled with...and Liz didn't. It made up for being the youngest and the smallest, to have that tiny advantage.
to be special.
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