darknadir (47 page)

* * *

Kaid sat outside the door in the corridor, feeling every touch as if it was happening to him. As each scratch was treated, he saw and felt not only the present pain, but the remembered pain of how it was inflicted. By the time Rezac came out, Kaid was fit to be tied.
"Did you have to be so rough?" he growled, but Rezac knew how to take him.
"I treated her like a newborn!" he protested. "Jo, too! Look, I can do more. I can make her forget it happened. It might be best for her."
"What does she say?"
Rezac sighed. "She says no."
"Then you have your answer. Are you done?"
"Yes, but, Kaid," he began, catching hold of him.
"What?" he asked, anxious to be with her.
"I know you said it's your Link day, but leave it as long as you can. Tomorrow would be best."
Kaid glowered at him, outraged. "What d'you think I am? Some thoughtless youngling?" he demanded.
"No, but you're new to Leska Links," he said candidly. "It isn't easy denying them for even an hour, let alone a day."
Kaid growled and shut the door firmly.

* * *

"How is she?" asked Tirak as soon as Jo and T'Chebbi rejoined the others in the main room.
"She'll be fine, physically" said Jo, as they headed over to the dispenser to get drinks. "I think they got to her pretty quickly. J'koshuk was known for his sadistic tendencies more than anything else."
"Mentally?"
Jo joined Tirak at his table. "She'll cope. Being strong-minded helps."
"Carrie's strong-minded for sure," agreed T'Chebbi as she sat down.
"And Kaid's wounds? Where did they come from?"
"Ah," said Jo, taking a sip of her drink and wondering how much to say. "Well, you could best describe them as sympathetic injuries. That isn't a normal occurrence even for us."
"Where's Rezac?" asked Sheeowl, looking around for him.
"Gone to see Zashou."
"Then all this time travel stuff really happened?"
"It happened, Captain," said T'Chebbi. "I was there when they left. Was their souls that went, their bodies remained. Got new bodies as they arrived in past."
Tirak stared at her.
"True," she insisted. "Was a religious ritual. Been done many times before. Except, they were the first to come back. Others just died."
Tirak made a noise deep in his throat. "Well, I hope she's all right. Damned shame they didn't find Kusac as well."

* * *

"I hope you're satisfied now," said Rezac, pacing back and forth in their room. "Thank the Gods neither I nor Kaid rose to your taunts. All you did was make yourself look extremely foolish."
"I know," she said quietly, examining her hands.
"T'Chebbi was right. You've made it quite clear you don't want me and wish our Link had never happened, so why must you keep following me around and intruding where you don't want to be in the first place? It's got to stop right now, Zashou."
"I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone."
He stopped in front of her. "You've gotten most of what you want now Jo's pregnant. My Link with her is stronger than ours, so you only need to have occasional Link days with me. Who knows? You may be lucky and our Links will stay as they are. You can have your own life, Zashou, like you always wanted. Just let me have mine."
"Yes, Rezac."
Surprised at her cooperative and subdued reaction, he could only say, "Good," and leave before she changed her mind.
Once he'd gone, Zashou curled up unhappily in her bed. She wasn't used to rejection, and Rezac, for the first time since she'd met him, had just rejected her completely. She didn't like it, and didn't know how to deal with it. Why hadn't she listened to her own good advice when she'd first realized what she was doing?

* * *

Dzaka stirred. The noise had been faint but even in sleep he'd recognized it. Kashini. Still more asleep than awake, he staggered from his bed to her cot. When she saw him, she stood up unsteadily, her arms held out to him, and began to wail. Leaning down, he picked her up.
He knew that cry. He'd heard it the night her parents' ship had gone missing. She clung to him, fingers wound deep into his pelt, head resting on his shoulder against his neck, and sobbed. Holding her close, he returned with her to his own bed where he sat stroking her back rhythmically, making soothing noises.
"Hush, little one," he whispered, beginning to rock her gently. "I know. It's your Mamma again, isn't it? She'll be fine, don't you fret about her."
Gradually, the sobs stopped and she began to relax, sliding lower in his arms. He reached for the drawer in his night table, pulling out the small piece of her old blanket he kept there, and put it into her hands. It was grabbed instantly and she began to chew on it.
Yawning, Dzaka carefully edged his way into bed, cradling the drowsy cub till he could lay her down beside him. Curling protectively round her, he pulled the cover over them both and was almost instantly asleep.

* * *

Brynne woke more suddenly. Still caught by the dream of being attacked, he reached slowly under his pillow for the pistol he'd put there earlier. Keeza lay motionless beside him, deeply asleep. A movement against his other side sent fear racing through him till he realized it was Belle. Mentally, he scanned the room. Empty apart from themselves. He ranged wider, to the rest of the house, then the garden beyond, but apart from Banner and Jurrel, nothing. He began to relax. No intruder was looking for Keeza.
He slid the pistol back, thinking through the dream, needing to be sure it wasn't more. It was the one he'd shared with Keeza, the one when she'd been attacked. There was something different about it this time, though, a flash of color where there'd been none before. Red. It had looked like red. He replayed it again in his mind, trying to remain detached, not get drawn into it. Yes, he had seen red, and more, a hand. If only it was like a vid and he could rewind and stop the images! Once more he endured it, watching this time for the image of a hand. It was there, and the sight of it burned into his mind, making him slide from the bed and grab his robe.
Stuffing his arms into the sleeves, he belted it as he ran down the stairs, heading for the den and his comm. Within moments, he was keying in the special code for Stronghold, the one reserved for the Brothers. He slid into his seat, waiting to be connected. The duty officer answered him.
"Brother Brynne. What can I do for you?"
"I need to speak urgently to Father Lijou."
The officer frowned. "It's early morning here, Brother. Father Lijou is likely eating right now, with Tutor Kha'Qwa. Is it that urgent? Perhaps his aide could help instead?"
"He'll want to hear what I've got to tell him," said Brynne grimly. "I'm under orders to report to him personally."
As soon as he was connected to the Guild Master, Brynne gave him his news. "The Valtegans have got them," he said. "I saw it. Another dream, vision, call it what you want, it's them."
"Are you sure?" demanded Lijou, ears pricking forward to catch every word.
"My Leska saw them on Keiss, Father. I know exactly what they look like. It's them, and they've at least got Carrie, probably Kusac and the others."
"Record the vision now, before you forget any details. I don't want to discuss this further over the comm. I'll join you tomorrow or the day after. Get Garras to sort some quarters out for me." The screen went black.

* * *

Kusac heard the door to his cell hiss open. The chill of the steel floor under him had sapped what strength he'd had left, leaving him too stiff to move. A strange mixture of scents wafted over to him, teasing his nose with their unfamiliarity as he tried to identify them. A pattering sound was coming toward him. He tried to open eyes that were gritty and swollen. Jerkily, he pulled his arm up and pawed at his face, hearing the pattering stop then hastily retreat.
A thrumming hum became audible, quickly turning into a burst of sound that was instantly recognizable as speech. He raised his head to look, catching sight of a cloud of strips of gauzy cloth amid which he could glimpse spindly bronze-colored legs.
"What the..."
A rifle coughed and something hit him hard at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Before he could yelp in pain, his vision faded and his head hit the floor again.
"Conscious not you said!" the being hummed angrily, limbs and draperies moving continuously in agitation. "Place not again me at risk!"
"You should have waited," said the Seniormost's translator.
He made a sound of disapproval, mandibles making a small rattling noise as they quivered, but he began to settle down to stillness again. "Look now I will." Three-toed feet pattering on the floor, he stalked into the room, folding himself down to peer at the Sholan. Dark pupils swirling in the center of large oval eyes, he shifted his field of vision to the lower lens.
Three reed thin fingers touched Kusac's face, gently prodding at the swellings and cuts before moving lower to check the rest of his body. It was accomplished quickly, and finished, he stood up.
"Blame not this me for. Warned you I did of your priest. Not stable. Listen you didn't, results now here." He pointed to Kusac's still form.
"I did not ask you to implant him, Kzizysus. The experiment with the priest is terminated. He's being implanted now, Commander's orders."
"For Sholans not intended this device. Medical center delivered have him." With that, the being stalked out in a swirl of draperies and scents.
Behind it, the Seniormost signed to the guards to pick up the body.

* * *
Day 33

"You asked for proof, Commander Chuz. It's there, in your hands," said Rhyaz.
"I didn't ask for proof, Rhyaz, what I said was if Shola faces a threat of that magnitude, the Forces will deal with it." He waved the piece of paper at Rhyaz. "I accept that finding this debris proves there is now a threat. What I need is the coordinates of your destination and this damned message of yours withholds it!"
"Obviously I'm aware of the location, Commander, but as I've said already, this is a Brotherhood matter and I will not divulge it."
"You seriously expect me to believe that your handful of people are capable of dealing with a ship able to not only disable the
Profit,
but remove it from that sector of space? Don't make me laugh!" snorted Chuz, slamming the message back on his desk.
"You're missing the point, Commander," said Rhyaz, beginning to get irritated. "We don't intend to stop it, except as a last resort. The point of us being there is to try to engage it in talks."
Chuz got to his feet. "Rhyaz, this whole conversation is ridiculous in the extreme," he said angrily. "You have neither the people, the craft, nor the experience to conduct such an undertaking. You're just a fancy version of the Warrior Guild with ideas beyond your capabilities. Now, I order you to give me the location immediately, or face charges of treason."
"I must refuse. This is a Brotherhood matter, Commander, and will remain one. We have the people, and the constitutional right to deal with it. I suggest you speak to the captains of your fleet in the immediate future to find out just how many operatives we have."
"Then you leave me no option but to arrest you for treason."
"I wouldn't do that, Chuz," said General Raiban softly. "Not a good idea at all."
Chuz glowered at her. "I just have. I'd have expected more support from you, Raiban! Dammit, we can't have unrecognized pseudo-military groups holding Shola and its appointed Forces to ransom!"
"Are you prepared to withdraw your accusations, Commander?" asked Rhyaz quietly, remaining seated.
"Not unless you're prepared to give me that location right now!"
"This is not wise, not wise at all, Rhyaz," said Raiban frowning. "You should have told Commander Chuz of your appointment first."
"It shouldn't make any difference, Raiban," said Rhyaz. "That's my point. Chuz, I'll ask you one last time, do you withdraw your accusations?"
"What appointment?" demanded Chuz, leaning toward him across his desk.
"Commander Rhyaz," she said, emphasizing his rank, "was appointed to the High Command last night by the decision of the World Council."
"Impossible! And he's not a commander! Self-conferred ranks don't mean anything here!"
"Chuz, for the Gods' sake, sit down and shut up before you dig yourself into a deeper pit," snapped Raiban. "Rhyaz, don't you..."
"Consider yourself Challenged as unfit to lead the High Command," said Rhyaz, drowning out Raiban. "On the grounds of your inability to assess the situation without a personal bias. Jorto, you've witnessed this."
In his corner at the rear of the room, the elderly Truthsayer stirred. "Witnessed, Commander Rhyaz."
"What?" Stunned, Chuz sat down. "You can't."
Raiban growled. "I warned you, Chuz. Rhyaz, you set this up, damn you!"
"Me, General? When you yourself warned Chuz to be careful of what he was saying, and I gave him two chances to retract it? I think not. Jorto, tell them about the World Council decision, if you please."
"The matter was first brought to the Council's attention some two months ago at the request of Governor Nesul, to bring the Brotherhood in line with the other recognized military bodies on Shola and in space. The final discussion was scheduled for next week, but in view of the impending situation with the missing En'Shalla Brotherhood members, it was decided to reschedule it for last night. It was passed with an almost unanimous vote."
"As a High Command member, I have the right as an equal to Challenge you. And I have," said Rhyaz quietly. "However, I will give you an option. You may face a Brother of my choosing, of the same age as yourself, or you may step down voluntarily as President. The choice is yours. Either way, you will not ever repeat your allegations against myself or the En'Shalla Brotherhood."
"You can't do this," repeated Chuz, looking from one to the other of them.
"I'm afraid he can," said Raiban. "You knew he already had the backing of Konis, myself, and Naika at the last meeting, if he could produce proof. With his own vote he now has a majority. Before that, you had an even split on the Council, a clear indication his request should be taken seriously. You dug that pit yourself, and compounded it with allegations of treason and personal insults, Chuz."
"The Brotherhood was set up specifically to protect our people during the Cataclysm, a time of great civil unrest. We existed before even the Warrior Guild. We were the military backbone of Shola then," said Rhyaz. "Our constitutional role was to protect those deemed important to Shola. It's still our role. I told you this at our last meeting, showed you the entry pertaining to the Brotherhood in the transcripts of those first meetings setting up the guild system. You chose to ignore them. What's your choice, Chuz? The Challenge circle, or retirement as President?"
"You know there's no real choice," he growled. "I'll step down, dammit! I wondered what you were doing here, Raiban, now I know. You've gotten what you wanted, Rhyaz. Just remember, you'd better not fail, because if you do..."
"Chuz!" warned Raiban, thoroughly exasperated.
Rhyaz began to relax. He'd come prepared for anything from an armed takeover to his own rescue. Chuz had been President for many years, but they were facing less peaceful times. They needed someone younger and with a greater depth of vision to head the Council now.
"Your retirement as President is noted, Commander Chuz," said Jorto quietly. "As Second, all powers vested in the position of President are yours until a duly appointed successor has been elected, General Raiban."
Raiban got to her feet. "We've got work to do, Rhyaz. Chuz, I'll see you later," she said, heading for the door.
As they made their way down the corridor to Raiban's office, she glanced at him and at his escort of four Brothers and Jorto. "You came prepared. Just as well," she sighed.
"Had Chuz seen sense there would have been no need to force him to retire, Raiban," he said quietly. "As you said, he dug his own pit."
"So you're a commander, are you?"
"As head of the Warrior side of the Order, yes. Apart from the teaching staff, we don't hold a rank unless on a mission. We are only Brothers and Sisters, and the juniors in training."
She grunted. "Strange way to do things. Anyway, what is it you need?"
"A fighter carrier and three hundred fighters," he said, "plus the use of some troop transporters to get the Brothers to their ships. We've got everything else."
"Those decommissioned ships you've been buying up?" She shook her head. "If you won't give us the location, at least give me an idea of what sector you're in so I know how to plan our defense."
Rhyaz had always been prepared to give that information. "Between the Chemerian and Jalnian sectors. Far enough out from Shola to give you plenty of time and space," he said, mouth opening in a faint smile. "Should we fail."
"You can have the craft, and the crew to fly them because I know you don't have that many pilots," said Raiban, opening her office door. "I expect to be kept informed, Rhyaz. If you find them, you have two people empowered to negotiate at this preliminary level— Kaid Tallinu and Kusac Aldatan." She shut the door firmly on Jorto and Rhyaz's escort.
Rhyaz smiled gently to himself as he took a seat at Raiban's desk. "We'll be happy to take the crew we need, Raiban," he said, knowing full well he had all the resources he needed. Once his people took charge of the craft, they'd be gone, leaving Raiban's crew behind them. Let Raiban think she would have spies in his camp, it would keep her quiet for now.
"I take it you'll have Kaid doing most of the talking."
"That's the plan," agreed Rhyaz. "Kusac will be consulted, as he is a member of AlRel."
Raiban raised an eye ridge as she activated her comm link to the main fleet. "He's qualified already?"
"Let's face it, Raiban, he has had a lot of experience in the field, so to say, with several different alien species. That was taken into account when the board examined him before he went to Jalna."
"Hmm. Well, let's hope you find them and manage to negotiate their release," she said.