page20 (2/2)

"You think this will help your chances of getting out of Battle School Maybe you even think it will disrupt Battle School and hurt the war effort--which makes you a traitor, from one point of view, or a hero of Christianity, from another But you won't stop this war, and you won't hurt Battle School in the long run You want to knohat you really accomplished? Soo hohtest s in country after country Ahuaranteed that he will hate the idea of trying to live with non-Muslims in peace In other words, you just started a war thirty or forty years from now"

"Or ten," said Wiggin

"Ah in ten years," said Flip, chuckling a little

Zeck hadn't thought of what this ht lead to back on Earth But what did Dink know? He couldn't predict the future "I didn't start proaze

"No, you just reported a little private joke between two Dutch kids anddeal out of it," said Dink

"Youdeal out of it," said Zeck "You made it into a cause You"

Zeck waited

Dink sighed "E I did" He got up from the table

So did everyone else

Zeck started to get up too

Two hands on his shoulders pushed him back down Hands froh They were just firm Stay here for a while You're not one of us Don't come with us

8

PEACE

The Santa Claus thing was over Dink didn't iroay past him now But when the Muslia just a way to tweak the nose of authority There were real consequences, and as Zeck had pointed out, they were more Dink'

s fault than anyone else's