After the meeting, I’d laid out the whole plan to her, and explained the chance for grinders and minrs to work together on a raid. Fatima had nodded and told me to go away. Elena and Pavel then badgered me to force her to answer, or we’d go on the raid without them. I stalled, until, finally, Fatima summoned me to hear her decision. Now I was standing in front of her, and she was clearly enjoying watching me squirm. “I have met with my grinders and we have decided . . .” Fatima stood up, her legs wobbling. She rolled her shoulders, waved her arms, and shook her legs, wincing as each stiff muscle woke up. I stood, staring at her, waiting for her to finish. She just kept stretching her muscles. “You decided what?” “Patience,” she said. She swung her left arm onto her right shoulder and began pulling it forward, grimacing.
