Alien Refuge (34 page)

Ospar found he couldn’t bear to look at the burnt home anymore. He kept his back to it. “The Dramok perished, and there are injuries among the rest.”

The councilman shook his head, his expression sickened. “Terrible, terrible. Do you know the cause?”

“Not yet, but it does look suspicious.”

“It’s too soon for suspects, I would guess. If it was deliberate, the animals who did this must be found.”

Ospar drew in a deep breath. The air by the councilman’s shuttle, which had landed a distance away from the house, was delightfully free of smoke. He welcomed the cold blasting his lungs.

He told Maf, “My first suspects would be the E.I.K., but it’s best to let Jol’s men figure it out before any accusations are made.”

Maf looked at the destruction and shook his head. “The E.I.K. and its like are another reason I have not been a fan of the mixing of our species. There is simply too much bad blood between us for such tragedies to not occur.” He looked up at Ospar, and his severe expression turned kind. “I know you do all you can for these people, Ospar. That every effort is made to help the Earthers recover their footing after Armageddon.”

Ospar stared at the ground, anger beginning to push aside the despair. He muttered, “I do, but there’s damned little appreciation for it. Still, we cannot turn our backs on them.”

Maf sighed. “It is best to give the underprivileged help. Not doing so will only foment even greater anger towards the Empire. Still, I wonder if it’s not best to simply let these primitive creatures fend for themselves.”

Ospar lifted his gaze to Maf’s troubled face. “And if they fall?”

Maf lifted his crooked shoulders in a dismissive shrug, though his face remained bleak. “As much as it pains me to say, so be it. Fate has elected to end the pure Kalquorian. Why should Earthers cheat their destiny?”

Something in Ospar’s gut shrank at the cold words, though he could see Maf’s point. It wasn’t hard to imagine leaving rebellious Earthers on their own to survive or fail. Not when the smoking ruin of a clan’s life lay behind him, leaving bitter fury in its wake.

Chapter 11

It was first light when Ospar and Jol finally left the scene of the tragedy. Ospar sat in the co-piloting seat feeling cold, despondent, and angry as Jol got the shuttle running. The control panel in front of them sprang to life, sending up a vid of the outside that stretched all across the front of the vehicle. Ospar kept his eyes on the panel, the different colored blocks and functions a blur. He didn’t want to look at the blackened remains of the home anymore.

Jol’s rumbling voice was the only thing he found soothing. “Straight to work or home first?” the Nobek asked.

“Home. I want to see Iris and Thomas and Rivek. I know they’re all right, but ... but I just want to see them.”

At the edge of his vision he saw Jol look at him. Then they were lifting off, moving over the trees and speeding away from the night’s horror. Ospar closed his eyes in relief to be leaving at last.

Jol waited until they were halfway to their home before speaking again. “The trouble with love is that nothing makes you happier than having that particular person in your life every day, but nothing makes you more miserable than worrying about them disappearing.”

“You talk more like our Imdiko every day,” Ospar managed to tease, though there was no real amusement in his heart. He considered, trying to find comfort in the teachings he knew from being clanned to a priest. There was damned little. “Rivek would remind us that nothing is permanent.”

“He’s right. We must all pass from this life. What matters is not so much how it happens, but what we do before that day arrives.”

To Ospar, it mattered very much how someone died. He blew up. “Damn it, Jol! A man was murdered tonight! His clan and children were endangered.”

Jol turned his gaze to the angry Dramok. Fury glittered in the Nobek’s eyes, and Ospar saw how Jol fought to keep his more civilized instincts to the fore. “Amgar and his Nobek kept their family safe. Amgar would not say he lost his life in vain.”

“No. He wouldn’t.” Ospar leaned his head back, seeing the snow-covered landscape passing by as they hurried home. He fought to see the bigger picture, but in the wake of this tragedy, his thoughts insisted on circling back to two people: Iris and Thomas.

He told Jol, “I keep thinking of that burning symbol on Iris’ front lawn. How easily it could have been her home fired instead, with no clan to protect her and Thomas. Did you check her fire prevention system when you worked on her heating?”

“I checked on everything. All was in working order.” Jol drew a deep breath. “I was going to wait until we had more information to tell you what we found, but you might as well know. Preliminary investigation shows the prevention system in the Amgar home was disabled just prior to the fire. The blaze itself was set with oil used to lubricate farm machine mechanisms.”

“Murdering
gurlucks
,” Ospar swore with the most foul curse he knew.

“My Dramok, the situation may be worse than a mere attack by the E.I.K. The signs of tampering with the system were quite subtle, unlike the fire itself which was obviously set by amateurs.”

Ospar sat up straight in his seat and stared at Jol. The look on his Nobek’s face made his stomach feel heavy. “What are you saying?”

“Those fire suppression systems in the Earther homes are Kalquorian manufactured. Because they can only be shut down for repair work by regulation, not too many Earthers would know how to turn the system off.”

The Dramok went very still. “You’re saying ... one of us? A Kalquorian was involved?”

Jol held up a hand, warning Ospar not to jump to conclusions. “I must wait for the investigative team’s final report to make that determination. But the signs are not good.”

Ospar stared at him. “An Earther-set fire with Kalquorian help. Jol, you do realize what that might mean?”

The Nobek’s jaw clenched. “This colony is perfect for angry Earthers like the E.I.K. and the resistance led by the Basma to work together.”

“But we’re not that big a colony yet. How could Haven possibly play a role in the rebellion?”

“The revolt against the Empire is still small. Every blow for its cause is a victory that will draw more disaffected Kalquorians into its ranks, especially those who have no opportunity to clan Earther Mataras. Haven is growing and unique in that it is the one Earther colony run by the Empire. What happens here could be seen as a precursor for the whole of Earther-Kalquorian relations.”

Jol was right. If the rebellion on Kalquor had indeed placed Haven as an important site to further its cause, the colony could be in great trouble.

Still, an issue of a more personal nature was stealing Ospar’s attention from where it needed to be as Haven’s governor. The sooner he addressed that concern, the sooner he could concentrate on what he needed to do for the colony.

He said, “Jol, I’m very scared for Iris and Thomas now. No matter how many guards you post at their home, I will not be comfortable with the level of security. Not after this.”

Jol turned his head to consider the Dramok. After a moment’s silence, he said, “They are safest with us. I have been thinking they should remain with our clan.”

His Nobek’s agreement lifted some of the dark chill that had enveloped Ospar’s heart. “I wish with all my being that we were asking Iris under the proper circumstances.”

Jol found a smile. His deep voice soft, he said, “You worry too much. We knew from the very first moment she was our Matara and Thomas was the son of our hearts. Why wait another second to make our family whole, though the circumstances are less than romantic?”

His usual good humor creeping back to life, Ospar said, “I will speak to Rivek to make certain he is as sure as we are.”

“You know the answer.”

Ospar gave his clanmate a mock scowl. “I will still grant our Imdiko the respect of a proper inquiry. Then all that is left is to convince Iris herself.”

The mood in the shuttle had lightened considerably. Ospar even found his grin returning as he thought how recently he’d been sure he could not juggle his demanding career and a Matara and children. Now he looked forward to the challenge.

If Iris was willing. But even not knowing for sure if she would accept the clan’s proposal couldn’t quash the hope springing to life in Ospar’s heart. His Matara. His son. Kept close and safe by his clan. And if Iris balked?

Then I will wait until she is ready to clan, but still shelter her and the boy.
Ospar would wait forever to make them his family officially if need be, but he vowed Iris and Thomas would not be harmed.

When Ospar and Jol reached their home and stepped into the grand entrance, they found Rivek and Borl waiting to greet them. Ospar’s first question was, “Are Iris and Thomas all right?”

Rivek nodded, wearing the gentle smile that always seemed to calm Ospar’s worst fears. “They are. Thomas just woke and Iris is seeing to his morning routine.”

“Good. In a moment, I’d like to talk with you about their situation.” He turned to his aide. “Borl, what news do you have?”

The always efficient Dramok aide answered, “The Amgar children are doing well. The medical facility reports they will be released from care as early as this afternoon if they continue to respond to treatment. Nobek Groteg will take a little longer, perhaps three or four days. His lungs took quite a bit of damage. For now Imdiko Utber and woman wish to remain with them in the facility. I have prepared guest quarters for them in the Kalquorian village when they are ready to use it.”

Ospar nodded. “Excellent. Thank you for arranging everything. Keep checking on them and let me know when you feel I may visit them and offer my condolences.”

“Yes, Governor. Will you be going to the administration building this morning?”

“No. Route all correspondence directly to me here and close the office for the day. Go home and get some sleep. Then take care of Clan Amgar.”

Borl blinked at him. “You were up all night yourself, sir. I would be happy to man the coms.”

Ospar didn’t usually offer much familiarity to his staff, but this time he put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. If Borl was half as affected by recent events, he no doubt needed time to absorb the shocks. “There is no point. We don’t have answers to give anyone until the investigative team finishes its analysis of the evidence gathered at the crime scene. I would appreciate it if you’d post an announcement to that effect. Then get some rest. We’ll have a lot of work tomorrow depending on what is found.”

“Of course, Governor.” Borl turned to Jol. “Will you also remain here, sir?”

Jol nodded. “For today. I have already informed my staff of their duties and where they can reach me.”

Borl asked a few questions to make sure everything would run smoothly for the next few hours. The man was efficient to a fault, and Ospar felt a sense of relief that nothing was being forgotten in the wake of the attack on Clan Amgar. Then the aide left.

“Let’s go to my office and have that talk,” Ospar told his clan, though what he really wanted to do was look in on Iris and Thomas. But Rivek had said Iris was seeing to the boy’s routine, and that was too important to disrupt any more than it already had been. The Dramok anticipated many meltdowns in the coming days as Thomas tried to adjust. Still, he felt nothing but delight to have the child and his mother under his roof.

The three men walked down the hall to Ospar’s home office, which was a near copy of the one in the administration building. Having it so allowed Ospar to run his business smoothly when he couldn’t be at his public space. His computers and coms were linked directly with a single voice command.

They entered the room, and Ospar led the other two straight to the small seating area in the corner: a traditional Kalquorian space that consisted of a low, circular table with large seating cushions spread around it. Ospar sank onto one cushion with a sigh. His clanmates ranged around the table, also sitting.

Ospar eyed his Imdiko, wearing a simple white shirt and loose gray trousers. He was barefoot, as he preferred when he didn’t have to go out in the snow. “You’re not wearing your armored formsuit or robes. I’m assuming I don’t have to ask you to not go to the temple today.”

“I wasn’t aware that you didn’t plan to go to work, so I decided I would remain here with Iris and Thomas. I am still loathe to leave their sides.” Rivek sighed and rubbed his eyes, finally letting some of his grief and exhaustion peek through. “Poor Utber. I cannot imagine the pain he is in right now, having lost Amgar. And to see the rest of his family threatened! Such an attack is madness.”