Shades of Gray (83 page)

“What is it, Kusac?”

“The pouch, it wasn’t empty,” he said, looking at Kaid.

“What was in it?”

“I don’t remember. Dammit! He and Naacha are always messing with my mind!”

“Yet you still don’t consider them enemies. Curious.”

“I know it sounds ridiculous, but no, I don’t. I remember him saying.
We aren’t the enemy, the M’zullians are.
”

A silence stretched between them for several minutes as each was preoccupied by his own thoughts.

“Try this out, Kusac,” said Kaid. “The Cabbarans and U’Churians are closely linked. They work as a single family unit, with the U’Churians like Tirak providing the muscle. Correct?”

Kusac nodded.

“We also know that the Cabbarans and TeLaxaudin work together. Perhaps they use the Cabbarans as their muscle. I know that the TeLaxaudin are terrified by their own shadows. When Carrie and I questioned Kizzy on Shola, he almost collapsed, and he shrieked for Annuur.”

“Yes, that fits what we know about them, and it makes sense,” said Kusac.

“Add in that the Cabbarans saved the U’Churians when a solar flare hit their world and almost destroyed it . . .”

“And that the TeLaxaudin did the same for the Primes . . .”

“Both are old species, older than all of our races, and both excel at manipulating matter and people, one with mental powers, the other with advanced technology,” said Kaid.

“See what you can find out about them from L’Seuli,” said Kusac after a short silence. “When we’re done with M’zull, I will be visiting Annuur and his people. They will pay for what they’ve done to me and my family and to Kezule’s. No matter what good they’ve done, they have committed crimes against us, and they
will
pay for it.”

“There may be two factions,” said Kaid. “We need to be sure of our facts before we act.”

“We won’t know until we confront them. If they can set up networks here and on Kij’ik and on the
Kz’adul
, then using the same methods of rendering us unconscious, they could do it anywhere!”

He was furious to think how he’d been used, how they’d tried to drive a wedge between him and his family. If he was being honest with himself, he had to admit that there was a fair amount of fear there too—that his every move had been watched and monitored, and he hadn’t noticed it.

“I believe you did notice it,” said Kaid, making him start because he hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud. “I know you did, repeatedly, and they had to go to greater lengths each time to make you forget what you’d learned.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because at times, certainly after we retook K’oish’ik, your behavior bordered on extreme. I told you, we thought you were heading for a breakdown.”

“That bad?”

“Yeah. We couldn’t stop you because of Kezule, who condoned it.”

“They’re gone now, Kaid. How can we tell if they return? Should we warn L’Seuli and Shola?” he asked, a troubled look crossing his face. “They’ll think us mad.”

“L’Seuli won’t, because we can show him. He’s staying at Ch’almuth, isn’t he? We can speak to him when we get there. As for knowing if they return, I think we will. It may take a little while, but we’ll notice discrepancies, gaps in time, as we did on the
Kz’adul
.”

“I’ll talk to Conner about it. He noticed something early on but countered it. He may know a way to keep them out of our heads.”

“Good idea. I think that’s your masseur,” Kaid said pointing to a figure at the other end of the pool room. “Let’s leave all this for now.”

UNITY’S alarm system sent out a call to all members asking them to gather in the Council chamber.

Zaimiss accosted Annuur in the doorway.

“Why you back?” the TeLaxaudin demanded, his humming a shrill, discordant sound reflected in the purple and green hues his draperies were taking on. “Your place in field, not here! On what authority you send back all Agents and return? You overstep yourself again, Annuur, and you shall suffer for it!”

“Threaten me, do you?” snarled Annuur, rising up on his haunches and glaring down his long, mobile nose at the spindly being. “You are not Head Speaker of Council, nor will ever be! Remove yourself from my path! Now!”

“You dare address me like that? You are no one, and soon be less than that! A major crisis you have caused in time streams.”

Annuur snarled again, letting it build to a bark of sheer rage. “Move, or I move you!” he said, nose wrinkling and whiskers twitching as he displayed his sharp shovel-like teeth and began to step forward, hoofed hand reaching for Zaimiss.

The other blanched, his bronze skin going a dull ocher color as he swirled away inside the Council chamber.

“Be careful,” hummed Aizshuss from behind him. “We are capable of violence if pushed, and he has a reasonable tech arsenal at his disposal. Even for the sake of losing him, I don’t want you harmed.”

“He ambushed me,” objected Annuur, dropping down onto all fours again to enter the chamber.

“Even so, our path is dangerous enough. Do not risk yourself. We need you,” said Aizshuss, following him.

“Glad you do,” he muttered. “This meeting not enjoyable. Censure for me again is top of their agenda.”

“Better they do that than take action.”

They filed in, sitting among the cushions of their own party. Greetings were passed across to each other, and Annuur was pleased to find that the majority of the Reformists, and even some of the Moderates supported his return. As the last few hurried to their positions, a general quiet began to descend on the auditorium, and Khassis, the Head Speaker, rose from among a small group of Elders of both species and walked up to the lectern.

“I called this meeting because of unprecedented decision of Chief Agent Annuur to dismantle Unity network on Kij’ik, and the Palace of the Sand-dwellers. He also sent home all field Agents in both locations. Though just returned, Phratry Leader Annuur agreed to Speak to us of this controversial decision.”

“What Chief Agent?” demanded Zaimiss angrily from his cushion. “When he designated such?”

Unseen by him, a gray-pelted Cabbaran rose to his haunches.

“Speaker recognizes Elder Needaar,” said Khassis, clasping her hands to her chest and dipping her head in his direction.

“The young today are lacking in manners,” he said in a voice that though low with age was strong nonetheless. “You, I forget your name, are merely member of the Council. You think we Elders, who raise and lower Council members and appoint Agents, commune with such as you?” He shook his head. “Good you have long life ahead, lot to learn have you! We appointed Annuur many years ago.”

Annuur rocked back on his haunches, surprised at the support from that quarter. He’d not expected his cover to be exposed so quickly.

“What?” demanded Zaimiss, eyes swirling in anger. “You ...”

“Be silent, Zaimiss, or ask to Speak,” said Khassis, using the voice amplification in the lectern so her words thundered out around the chamber. “Another incidence of this and I call guards to expel you!”

Hissing in rage, his drapery swirling from cool blues into hues of yellow and red, Zaimiss rose to his feet. “I wish to Speak,” he said, voice humming stridently.

Beside Annuur, Aizshuss leaned his head toward him and whispered, “See the danger of adopting latest mood fashions.” He let out a low rattling hum of laughter, swiftly stifled behind a small hand.

Annuur glanced at Shvosi who sat beside the Reformist Leader. She rolled her eyes, nose wrinkling in a grin. “Not all tech is to advantage of wearer,” she murmured softly.

He settled back in his cushions, deciding he’d been too long away from the Council if there were such rifts as these developing, not just between the factions but also between the Elders and the Isolationists. Always restrained in their views and participation, it seemed some of them at least were stepping outside their usual roles, if this support of him and censure of the Isolationist Leader was becoming a trend.

“Speaker recognizes Isolationist Leader Zaimiss,” said Khassis with scant courtesy.

Zaimiss took a deep breath, glanced at the Elders, and bowed to Khassis. “I will await Annuur’s speech with interest,” he murmured then sat down abruptly.

Khassis’ head bobbed once. “Then I call upon Chief Agent Annuur to take the floor and Speak of his mission decision.”

Moving back from the lectern, she waited for him.

Annuur rose to his feet and began to thread his way out to the aisle, feeling the hands of his Reformist comrades briefly touch his shoulder in a show of support as he passed them.

Up the path edged with tiny sparkling lights he trotted, stopping briefly at the fountain to dip his muzzle in the spray in a gesture of reverence for the liquid that was Life to them all. Then he approached the lectern, and Khassis was bowing to him. His nose wrinkled in worry. What were they planning? This was not at all what he had expected.

Wish you’d given me a clue what this is about,
he sent to her as he reared up to touch hands with her before she retreated to the Speaker’s cushion a few feet away.

Night had fallen as they’d entered the chamber, and now the only lighting was that of the lamps among the oases of trees and bushes around the edges of the chamber. In front of him was a sea of faces, but they were indistinct in the gentle half-light.

Through Unity, he could feel a mixture of emotions washing from them to him—expectation, support, and of course censure, but for now, the latter was in the minority.

He rose up and placed his hoofed hands on the edge of the lectern, balancing himself, taking the strain off his hindquarters and back.

“I return today with news not welcome to you,” he began, looking around the gathering. “Many field Agents have we. All but those in Hunter Alliance are returned to here. Even now in mountain village awake the children of my family, placed there to wait out this crisis. Same true of other Agents with families of U’Churian children. Why do I take this step so drastic? To protect them all.”

He stopped, gratefully accepting the small bowl of water brought to him by one of the U’Churian Council servants. Lapping till his throat was no longer dry, he placed it in the holder to one side of the lectern.

“Apologies. Just landed have we after arduous mission I undertook to protect the one assigned it by you. The nanites have been delivered to the Hunter, at great risk to my own hide. It had to be done in such a way he thought he had gained the aid from me. Unity, replay the moment from my memories,” he said, leaning forward and opening his mind to Unity.

“As you wish, Phratry Leader,”
murmured the soft voice.

Behind him, the massive wall screen began to lighten, and images formed, of him running through the township, dashing into piles of baskets and sacks of produce, pulling them over to create a barrier behind him. As he obviously glanced over his shoulder, the screen showed a herd beast with widespread horns not far behind. Crouched on its brown pelt was a hunched black form.

The view pulled out as Unity extrapolated, showing Annuur as well as the beast that was chasing him. As the Cabbaran left the town and headed out into the scrubby land beyond, the beast was getting closer and closer. Foam coated its mouth, spraying out to either side. It let out a pained lowing as the figure atop it leaned to one side, making it change its direction.

It overtook Annuur and the black shape resolved itself into a Sholan, who suddenly launched himself from the beast’s back onto the Cabbaran, mouth and teeth gripping him around the throat. Over and over they rolled, finally coming to a halt with Annuur lying on his back, belly and throat exposed to the Hunter who straddled him.

When it was over and the images faded, Annuur tiredly lifted his head. “The Camarilla’s will has been done,” he said. “What cannot be seen is how much he remembers. He
knows
Naacha hypnotizing him to forget, as you heard. He and Sand-dweller Warrior know what was done on Kij’ik, how we altered the Warrior’s memories, gave him ancient ones, how we prepared the Outpost for him, made him choose to leave their world and go there with a party of his people—there is little they do not know! And how do they know this? Because of two things! We ignored requests to watch the Hunter cub, and we were never more than marginally in control of Hunter.”

He stopped to drink again, and as he did, a low hum of conversation broke out.

“Speaker! I wish to Speak!” called out Shumass, standing up, his hands waving in agitation.

Annuur waved a hand absently as he continued to drink. All the dust he’d tumbled in was still in his throat. For him, it had been a scant hour since the Hunter had jumped on him.

“How we know they have this knowledge? We expected to take Annuur’s word?”

“Phratry Leader, Chief Agent Annuur to you, you impudent grasshopper,” growled the Cabbaran Elder Nkuno.

Shumass glared at the Elder then added sarcastically, “Phratry Leader, Chief Agent Annuur.”

Putting the bowl down again, Annuur looked over at the TeLaxaudin. “Unity, confirm the Hunter and Sand-dweller Warrior know these things.”

“No,” he said, showing his teeth, “my word is not all you have! More they know. I left small portion of Unity behind at Palace, and confirmed it is they know even more. They know nearly everything we have done to Hunter and Sand-dweller!”

Gasps of shock and mutters of rage underscored his words.

“You withdrew all Agents before this event,” countered Shumass. “How you explain that?”

“Hunter’s memories returning. He confronted us, and Naacha was just able to hide knowledge from him again—then his mind gone, taken by those Entities like the Hunter priest you Isolationists entrapped!” He pointed at Zaimiss for emphasis. “Now priest back among these Entities, and we have them against us too! Think we not know you torture him? Lucky for us all he escaped when he did! Longer in captivity would enrage them more!”