“The really little ones take after their father,” said Petra, with a wry smile.

“And the normal one takes after his mother,” said Bean.

“Thank you for letting us use your flat for the unofficial meeting tonight,” said Bean.

“It’s not a secure site,” said Father.

“The meeting is unofficial, not secret. We expect Turkish and Azerbaijani observers to make their reports.”

“Are you sure they won’t try to assassinate you?” asked Stefan.

“Actually, Stefan, they brainwashed you at an early age,” said Bean. “When the trigger word is said, you spring into action and kill everybody at the meeting.”

“No, I’m going to a movie,” said Stefan.

“That’s a terrible thing to say,” said Petra. “Even as a joke.”

“Alai isn’t Achilles,” said Bean to Stefan. “We’re friends, and he won’t let Muslim agents assassinate us.”

“You’re friends with your enemy,” said Stefan, as if it were too incredible.

“It happens in some wars,” said Father.

“There is no war yet,” Mother reminded them.

They took the hint, stopped talking about current problems, and reminisced instead. Though since Petra had been sent to Battle School so young, it’s not as if she had that much to reminisce about. It was more like they were briefing her about her new identity before an undercover mission. This is what you should remember from your childhood, if you’d had one.

And then the Prime Minister, the President, and the Foreign Minister showed up. Mother took the babies into her bedroom, while Stefan took David out to see a movie. Father, being Deputy Foreign Minister, was allowed to stay, though he would not speak.

The conversation was complex but friendly. The Foreign Minister explained how eager Armenia was to join the FPE, and then the President echoed everything he had said, and then the Prime Minister began another repetition.

Bean held up a hand. “Let’s stop hiding from the truth. Armenia is a landlocked country, with Turks and Azerbaijanis almost completely surrounding you. With Georgia refusing to join the FPE at present, you worry that we couldn’t even supply you, let alone defend you against the inevitable attack.”

They were obviously relieved that Bean understood.

“You just want to be left alone,” he said.

They nodded.

“But here’s the truth: If we don’t defeat Caliph Alai and break up this strange and sudden union of Muslim nations, then Caliph Alai will eventually conquer all the surrounding nations. Not because Alai himself wants to, but because he can’t remain Caliph for long if he isn’t aggressively pursuing an expansionist policy. He says that’s not his intent, but he’ll certainly end up doing it because he’ll have no choice.”

They didn’t like hearing this, but they kept listening.

“Armenia will fight Caliph Alai sooner or later. The question is whether you’ll do it now, while I still lead the forces of the FPE in your defense, or later, when you stand utterly alone against overwhelming force.”

“Either way, Armenia will pay,” said the President grimly.