Hathor Legacy: Burn (28 page)

What she did know was that fate had brought Jon back to Hathor, and without planning to, she'd created a connection to him that would not be broken.

*****

Several hours later they were ready to head out to get the shu
ttle to Demeter. Jon stood back and watched as his mother pressed her cheek against Nadira's.

"You'll let me know what happens when you get back. Get in touch with Brandon if the com grid is still acting up. You can get word to him through the company network," Estrella said.

"I promise, Mother. We'll keep you and Dad updated."

She drew him into her embrace and hugged him close, her hand stroking the back of his head. "Please take care of yourself."

Jon was rigid for a moment, unsure about relaxing in his mother's arms. She was usually was more reserved. "Don't worry." He kissed the side of her face. "We'll be all right."

Outside, an aircar was waiting to take them to the terminal. He could hear the soft whirring of the engine as it idled on the pad on the other side of the road. Though he'd been irritated by his sisters fussing and fighting with him, he was sorry he wouldn't get to say goodbye. They'd already left the house earlier and gone to the city to follow their own pursuits. His sisters were growing up and mo
ving on with their lives, just as he had done.

With Brandon's assistance, only a couple of hours later they were on a freighter back to Hathor. Freighters weren't designed for passengers, and accommodations were a bit rougher.

Though the Captain offered to let Nadira and Jon bunk in her cabin, they opted not to inconvenience her. Instead, Nadira stayed in a spare bunk in the Captain's quarters, and Jon got an empty bunk in the crew area.

At least the trip back was uneventful, and it gave them time to compare theories about the fires and about what Dakar's real mot
ivations were. Jon hoped that if nothing else came out of this, they'd be able to expose him. It was obvious he was ruthless enough to destroy anyone who got in his way.

35
The Return

The terminal was busy as usual, and unfortunately that made it harder to tell if they were being watched. Was she getting par
anoid? Yes. Their names were on the passenger list. If anyone was waiting for her return, they'd only have to check.

They stopped at the public com area so that Nadira could co
ntact Karin, while Jon contacted his father to let him know they'd arrived safely. This time Karin answered and said she'd pick them up from the terminal. Just a half day to spare for Jen's deadline. There wasn't time to waste.

After she was finished, she met Jon standing outside of the a
lcove.

"I left a message for Dad. Did you talk to Karin?" Jon asked.

"She'll be here in about ten minutes." Nadira hiked her travel bag across her shoulder and scanned the busy concourse. Something cooking in the restaurant across the way smelled delicious. It reminded her that the ridiculously-bright green salad she'd had earlier was probably not from any food found in nature. What was it they said about synthetics? You eat and you're hungry ten minutes later. They were right.

Jonathan glanced at the restaurant. "That smells good. But we don't have time, do we?"

He'd had the same thought, of course. "It's a long line," she said.

"You're right. By the time we get outside, Karin should be there." With a last look at the slow-moving line, he grasped her hand and they started walking. "Hey, I'm feeling our connection again. Do you feel it?"

"I felt it when we went entered Hathor's orbit."

Just hours before their arrival back on Hathor, Nadira had felt her abilities returning. Lighting up her nerve endings and sending shivers through her body, the familiar tingling had woken her up out of a deep sleep.

Now she could keep her awareness open to pick up the activity around her, even though after the long trip, it was an extra drain to be hit with the thoughts and emotions of the people she passed.

Outside of the terminal was as busy as inside. Transports were jockeying for position near the curb, while groups of people milled around the entrance and clogged up the sidewalk.

"Over there." Jon pointed to a shiny, ruby-red transport with tinted windows that sat just beyond the cluster of vehicles.

The door to the transport slid back and Karin stepped out to wave them over. Instead one of her usual outfits, she was dressed down in a dark grey jacket trimmed in cracked white and blue cry
stals and black pants.

Nadira climbed in first and Jon settled in next to her so that they were facing Karin.

"I'm surprised you came back," she said. "Especially you, Jonathan."

"Not surprising. They can't keep me away," he replied.

"Karin, what's been going on? I tried to talk to you before I left," Nadira said.

"Go down the main boulevard, I'll tell you when to stop," Karin ordered.

"Affirmative," the autodriver replied, as the vehicle pulled out into the traffic lanes.

"Nadira, you shouldn't return to your home. Chairperson Santos issued an alert for the entire city. He said there's a conspiracy b
etween the Guardian Elders and some of the Deshtu."

"Where did he get that information?" she asked.

"From Elder Dakar. Look, there's something else. Remember I told you about the people they're supposed to bring in. Well, Ron told me it's been changed. His partner wants to pull out now." Her fingers were tightly intertwined in her lap. "They're going to meet him tomorrow night at the last Service House and shut it down."

"Shut it down? How?" Jonathan asked.

"The same way they did the others," Karin replied. "Then he said they'd leave Hathor for a while until things quiet down."

"Have you met any of these people?" Nadira asked.

"That is a dangerous question. Let's say I know of them."

"Look, why don't you say things directly?" Jon asked. "If you know who they are, tell us."

"Jonathan. There is a time for direct conversation. This isn't it." Karin shook her head as she sighed. "Nadira, is he always like this?"

"He has his moments."

"What?" Jon asked.

"Things are different on Astarte, no doubt," Karin sniffed.

"Yes, they are," Nadira agreed. "They say what they mean. Very refreshing--some of the time."

"Really? Sounds a bit gauche."

"Wait a minute. I'm still here," Jonathan said. "Mind talking to me instead of about me?"

"Of course, ashira." Nadira patted his knee. "Karin, you taught him that, didn't you?"

"Yes. I know so few of the old words. But that seemed to fit the situation."

Nadira didn't have to look at Jon to know what his expression was. So she kept her attention on the woman across from her. "I'll have to call Captain Dias. She can meet us there."

"Wait a minute. Nadira could've been killed last time she confronted them. We're not taking that chance again," Jon said.

"Jonathan, you can't--," Nadira began.

"Do you realize what could've happened? You're not going against these people alone."

"She won't be alone," Karin said. "I can take you to the house. We can stop them."

"We?" Jonathan and Nadira asked in unison.

"Yes. I'm going with you. My brother got himself and our fa
mily into trouble. I want to be there to make sure he's not handed over to the Guardians for the trafficking. Right, Nadira?"

"Right." She had promised that. She'd have to find a way to keep it. "But what else did Santos say?"

"He had a conference with Elder Dakar and Jen Montaigne. It was broadcast throughout the city. The Elders are all being held at their homes. Dakar said they were the ones who were behind the trafficking and the fires."

"That's a lie!" Nadira felt like jumping out of the transport and heading right over to Dakar's home.

"I know that," Karin said. "That's why Ron's getting upset. He thinks it's a trap. But if it is, they're going out of their way to pretend. Santos said there's a security contingent on their way here. They're going to escort the conspirators back to Nova Base Nine to be held for a hearing."

"How can they do that with no proof?" Jon asked. "Just on D
akar's word?"

"It looks that way. He said there are others they're looking for. That's why I'm surprised you came back.

They had to know she'd left Hathor. But maybe they hadn't expected her to return. "Our names were on the passenger list. They would've known I was on my way back," Nadira said. "They could've stopped us."

"Maybe they didn't because you're not one of the people D
akar's trying to get rid of," Jonathan offered.

"What do you mean?" Karin asked. "Is that why you left, Jon
athan?"

"Yes. He wanted me out. One of the Guardians at the Detention Center tortured me to get me to say I set the explosion in the Pal
atine."

"Torture? Security went along with that?" she asked.

"They were afraid of going against procedures." Jonathan stretched his legs out.

"If they wanted to pick us up, they could've met us at the te
rminal," Nadira said. "I think we should go on to the apartment."

Jon grasped her hand. "I agree. If they want us, they can do what they have to do."

"Okay. Karin, you find out exactly when they'll be at the house. I'll alert Captain Dias." And she was going to contact Maji and find out what was going on.

*****

When Nadira walked into her apartment, it felt like she'd been away for years, and not just a couple of weeks. The lights came on as she walked over to the couch and dropped her bag. She picked up her tablet and sat down at the counter.

"Do you think Karin will tell us?" Jon asked, as he dropped his bag on the chair next to her. "I don't think she wants to turn Ron in."

"She doesn't have a choice." The tablet showed the Novacorp logo against a blue screen. "Activate com and call Maji."

Jon opened up the cabinets and rummaged through the co
ntents. She guessed that whatever he found in there probably wouldn't be appetizing.

Words flashed across the screen: "Caller Unavailable." Damn.

"Maybe I should go to her house," Nadira said as she tapped her finger on the countertop.

"What about Brant?" Jon asked as he opened a small, brightly colored box.

"He was on his way to the Cold Towns. Maybe I should just call Jen and get it over with." She hadn't wanted to talk to her, especially after hearing about the conference. It sounded like she was going to back up everything Dakar said, no matter how ridiculous.

"Maybe you should. Just find out directly from her what's g
oing on." He stuffed a handful of green and yellow chips into his mouth.

"What are you eating?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Chips. I left these here." He crunched and shoved more into his mouth.

"It's not real food." When had he sneaked those in? She tapped the tablet to clear the screen. "Call Jen Montaigne."

"Identify."

She placed her hand on the glass and waited.

"Affirmative. ID accepted."

Jonathan leaned over the counter to get a better look at the screen, followed by him grabbing another handful of chips, fo
llowed by more crunching.

"Excuse me. Can you do that someplace else?" She nodded t
owards the living area.

He shook his head at her and walked away.

"Nadira." Jen's face appeared on the screen. "Where have you been? What's the status?"

"I heard about the conference with Dakar."

"My brother is extremely upset. Now I understand why he's been so ill. Those Guardians were harming him." Jen's pink crystal hanging earrings glistened like stars. "His assistant brought him here to talk to me. We called Chair Santos and called a conference right away."

"But there's no proof of that," Nadira said. "The Elders weren't conspiring. I told you I know who's behind the arsons."

"Yes, I know. What is the status on that? You told me he'd be apprehended. We need that to happen right away."

"I'll get a confirmation in a few hours and have Captain Dias meet us at the house."

"He's planning another fire?"

"Yes, but--"

"I'll contact Dias myself. You call me back as soon as you find out." Jen looked off to the side, like she was listening to another conversation.

"Jen, the Elders aren't involved in this," Nadira insisted.

"My brother says they are." She turned her attention back to the screen. "We have most of them confined to their homes. Guardian Protectors have been assigned to ensure they stay put. My brother has taken charge as the sole Elder."

Protectors? Like Talia? "What are you going to do with them?"

"When the security contingent comes, they'll escort the Elders back to the Nova Base Nine for a hearing at the company court. Nadira, we cannot have this lawlessness. I told you before what's at stake. If the conspirators aren't punished, all Guardians will be at risk."

"You have no proof!"

"I have my brother's word," Jen insisted. "He has never lied to me. This is just like what happened to our father. Jealous people tried to destroy him. And the Deshtu are just as bad. That woman who gave the statement was put up to her lies."

Varyn? No, Nadira knew better. She'd seen for herself what had happened to her. "She wasn't lying, Jen. I read her thoughts. I saw what they did to her. Brant went to verify her story."

"Brant? The former Sentry Leader? Well, you have been out of things. Security reported that his aircar disappeared over the Northern mountains. Flight control tracked him almost to the Cold Towns and lost his signal."

Jen's words hit her like a physical blow. "Lost? How long ago was this?"

"About four days. Around the time they picked up Elder Lange at the terminal. You were with him."

"I know. I was on my way to Astarte." As she'd suspected, they did know where she'd gone. "Is that a problem too?"

Jen's expression softened. "No. You're not on the list of conspirators. But you were involved with protecting that Deshtu woman, and I do find that troubling. You have a responsibility to the Guardians first. Frankly, I don't understand why anyone is defending her. She's even caused trouble with the Kasema. We had to clear that up very quickly."

"Maji? What happened?"

Jen nodded. "You know her? Security went to pick up the Deshtu and that Maji person refused to let them. They took her to detention. So, of course the Kasema lodged a complaint with the company board of directors." She pressed her fingers against her temple. "The Kasema carry a lot of influence. They advise executives on contracts and can see probabilities for business deals. Novacorp can't afford to make them angry."

"They let Maji go?" Nadira released the breath she'd been hol
ding. "What about Varyn?"