I have the right to this 10

Chapter 10: Reactions 2

Summary:

    "They can't reverse the Termination of Parental Rights, but they can cause problems. It's procedural to contact biological parents. They'll inform them that California gives them the right to challenge the adoption. I don't want to risk this dragging on, or worse, leaking."
    Tiffany lets out an incredulous snort.
    "I'm with our blonde on this one, Sah," Dustin says. "Did the Lennoxes look like innocent little doves to you?"
    "No."
    "No," he repeats. "They're a couple of bastards who got rid of their son because he didn't fit the role they assigned him in their perfect family. They're the ones who have the greatest interest in this being resolved quickly and quietly."

I have the right to this 9

Chapter 9: Revelations

Summary:

    "Good morning, Daggers," he exclaims, his eyes shining, somewhat maniacal. "I have some really fun exercises for you today."
    The captain (future rear admiral, says the scuttlebutt) ignores both the moans of fear and the exclamations of celebration and goes to put the graphics of his new maneuvers on the screen.
    In the back of the classroom, Emily leans into Callie's shoulder.
    "You sure the COMPACFLT is in Hawaii?"
    "Oh, yeah! His well-fucked face is different. He's happy, but it's for something else."

I have the right to this 8

Chapter 8: Reactions 1

Summary:

    "We raised you honestly, Brig. We were who we were. But those kids... growing up with so many lies. I don't want that for Pete! You saw how fragile he is."
    "Iceman's in Hawaii most of the time," Brig argues, skipping the fact of his presence almost every night at dinner via video conference. "Besides, I don't think Mav would let him..."
    "Mitchell? You expect him to defend you from Iceman? He's his puppet, always has been. He looks at him, and the rest of the world disappears. I can imagine it: he'll say Pete is too young and doesn't know what he wants, that it's temporary, and we shouldn't encourage him. He'll say a thousand things before accepting a trans child into his traditional home, into his—he almost spits out the word—respectable family."

I have the right to this 7

Chapter 7: Acceptance

Summary:

    "Oh, Ice! He's going to do it," Pete announces, clearly happy.
    "You think?"
    "It seems. His face…"
    An alarm sounds on his phone, and Jake sees his dad requesting a video call. He accepts it and looks into his eyes.
    "I don't want Mav to be the only one who sees you at this important moment."
    Jake feels his stomach drop, but he nods.
    "Come on, give it here," his father asks.
    He hands him the phone. Mav switches the camera to the back and raises the device to chest level.
    "Okay, now tell us what you want, son," Pete encourages him, smiling.

I have the right to this 6

Chapter 6: Discoveries 2

Summary:

    Variations of the same humanoid figure are everywhere, dressed in a sort of armor with strange lumps or accessories, different in each model. What's most significant for Brig are the colors: there's a lot of black and gray, but all the models have elements of metallic blue, either lighter or darker, thanks to silver accents.
    He looks at his father, who's clearly connecting the dots between Dunia's bloody drawings and this workshop. He looks at Mrs. McKinnon, his most innocent face in place.
    "Did you do this?"

I have the right to this 5

Chapter 5: Discoveries 1

Summary:

    "But fear will pass, I promise. Now, your grandpa Leo will give you a cookie." Leonard opens his eyes, amazed. Indeed, he has an oat and chocolate cookie in his pocket, the dessert from lunch he forgot to eat in the rush between errands and shopping. He passes it by without saying a word. "I promise you, by the time you're done eating it, you'll start feeling better. As soon as you get out of the car to go to your friend Zack's house, you'll feel right as rain. You'll remember you don't believe in any of the nonsense Jenny scared you with. That's all made up, remember?"

I have the right to this 4

Chapter 4: Negotiations 2

Summary:

    San Diego, California

    "I'm here, I'm here, son." It's nice to be able to say it, say it to Jake, "I'm sorry."
    "There's nothing to apologize for. I robbed you of the opportunity to make eleven calls like this. I'm the one who owes you. I promise it won't happen again. Okay?"
    Tom smiles, excited by the promise but unable to tame his strategist side.
    "Don't promise things you can't control. You'll be a dad in less than a month, and your time will no longer be yours."
    Jake giggles.
    "I notice you are very excited about the prospect of becoming a grandfather, Admiral Kazansky."

    Salt Lake City, Utah

    "Mr. Lennox called us today at eight," Elul reports, sounding disgruntled. "After a nearly fifteen-minute tirade, in which he told us, in much more detail than we've told you, about his experience last night, he asked when we could close the deal."
    "Close the deal? You mean the adoption?"
    "Yes." It's clear the lawyers also understand the inhumanity of the term, but they prefer to focus on the benefits for their clients. "He said he'd sign anything you wanted on one condition: that Dunia never return to Utah."

I have the right to this 3

 Chapter 3: Negotiations 1

Summary:
"I thought," and she tries hard not to let her bitterness show, "that active-duty military personnel couldn't adopt. Something to do with children's stability and safety."
Neither Ina nor Mavdad pays attention to her, but her brother raises his face. His happy expression disappears for a second, and his face twists into a mocking, defiant grimace.
Icepop looks at her from the screen with narrowed eyes and a slightly disappointed expression.
"There's an exception for adoption by blood relatives, of course," the admiral replies coldly. Then, in a much warmer voice, he joins the chorus of congratulations. "Congratulations, son. I'm sure you'll do well."

I have the right to this 2

Chapter 2: Resistance

Summary:
"Your parents love you, Jake," Brig replies. "They love you just the way you are, not like other families that..."
Jake suddenly remembers why his boyfriend isn't by his side, comforting him and protecting him from the disgusting obligations of biological reproduction.
"What did your brother want?"
"The same as my father twenty years ago," Brig replies in a venomous tone. 

I have the right to this 1

 Chapter 1: Demands

Summary:

Jake is wrong about many things in his gloomy musings, of course. One of these horrible falsehoods could have been disproved if only he'd been willing to use the phone. Because his boyfriend isn't too busy to talk to him from across the country. In fact, Brigham Lennox wishes with all his heart that a call or text would give him an excuse to escape the office for a few minutes, to breathe air untainted by the tense interaction he finds himself in.