strongholdrising (4 page)

* * *

Dawn was lighting the sky when he heard the door open again.
"Word's just come from Noni. The cub's been safely delivered and Carrie's fine. It's a daughter," said Rhyaz.
Tiredly, Kusac lifted his head to look at the Brotherhood Warrior Master. His night's vigil, haunted as it had been by memories, had exhausted him. "I know. Are the others ready?"
"They're at the spaceport, yes, but we still haven't got access to the
Couana
yet."
"Then get Captain Kisha onto it," he said, pushing his seat back from the table and getting to his feet. "If you can't do it, I'm sure he can find an excuse to get Shaayiyisis out of the
Couana
long enough for your people to get my crew and supplies on board. Someone's going to have to so we can take it. Just make sure it's fully fueled. Three-day jumps drain the reservoirs."
"We've a day's margin yet, Kusac. There is no need to accelerate the mission like this."
"I'm leaving now," he said, ignoring the censure in Rhyaz's tone as he brushed past him into the corridor. He stopped, turning round to look at the Brotherhood Warrior Master. "Do you really want to run the risk of Carrie's mind automatically Linking to mine again now her cub's born? You're the one who insisted I go on this mission in the first place!" He put all the anger and sarcasm he could into his tone.
"That's a million to one chance, Kusac," Rhyaz said uncomfortably, refusing to meet his gaze. "If you're going, you'd better leave now. I'll speak to Captain Kishasayzar. The disruptor will only give you a two hour window in which to launch the
Couana
without being tracked and followed by the Forces."
"I thought as much," he said, reaching out to place his hand on the Guild Master's chest. Slowly he extended his claws and grasped hold of Rhyaz' tunic. "You owe me for this, Rhyaz, and I'll be back to collect, no matter what happens. Remember that."
Shola, Zhal-Zhalwae, 22nd day (May)
"You didn't have me brought all the way out to Stronghold for a social chat, Lijou. I think it's time you told me what this is about," said Konis as he settled himself in the easy chair. "It can't be bad news or you'd have given it to me at home."
Lijou handed him a mug of c'shar before sitting down opposite him and placing his own mug on the small table beside them.
"We've had news from the
Profit
about your son."
Konis sat up, hands clutching the chair arms, ears flaring wide to catch every nuance. "Get on with it, then!"
"I couldn't tell you sooner because, until last night, we only knew that Carrie and Kaid were safe," he began, but his friend interrupted him.
"Not Kusac? What happened to him? Is he all right? Where was he?" His questions came tumbling out in a rush.
"Konis, please hear me out," said Lijou reaching out to touch him briefly. "When I've finished, you can ask all the questions you want, even speak to Carrie yourself."
"Dammit, Lijou! Get to the point! How is my son?"
"He's safe. We got him back last night during an exchange of hostages."
"Hostages? They were captured then?" His friend's voice was hushed now, and laced with fear.
"The
Profit
flew into a Valtegan trap just before it was due to go into jump. Then, barely a day later, both ships were taken by another craft that had been watching the Valtegans." He stopped, wondering what to say next. "To cut it short, Konis, it turned out this larger ship belonged to another faction of Valtegans, the Primes, from the world that spawned them originally. They were on their way here seeking a treaty with us against the Valtegans that destroyed our two colonies and took Keiss from the Humans."
"There are two worlds of Valtegans?" Konis asked faintly.
"More, four in all, but we can discount the fourth. Since their Cataclysm, it's stayed at a technological level similar to that of the Jalnians. The Valtegans we encountered at Keiss are known as the M'zullians, and they're at war with those from J'kirtikk, their third world. The ones that took the
Profit
and the Valtegan ship are very different from them. For a start, they don't have a psychotic hatred of us."
Konis blinked in confusion, obviously making a visible effort to absorb what Lijou was saying. "It was the Primes who took them and held them prisoner?"
Even as Lijou flicked his ears in an affirmative, he realized he was not making a good job of this explanation. "Yes and no. As far as the Commander of the
Kz'adul
was concerned, the crew and passengers of the
Profit
were guests kept confined to their quarters. It was the M'zullian Valtegans who were the prisoners."
"Then how did my son come to be a hostage?"
"It seems one member of the Prime crew, a Dr. Chy'qui, the medical officer in charge of some of our people, had other plans. An adviser to their Emperor, he was against this hoped-for treaty with us. He used his privileged position on the crew to imprison and antagonize our people to the point where he hoped the treaty would be impossible."
"Antagonize? How? And how did this result in Kusac being a hostage?"
"It's complicated, Konis. Carrie was brought out of cryo and healed of her injuries but Kusac was awakened much later and kept separate from everyone."
Konis closed his eyes. "Their Leska Link! How did they survive?"
"The only way they could, just like Mara and Josh did when Zhyaf died. Because of their Triad, Kaid was able to form a Leska Link with Carrie."
"And my son? What about him? You said he was alive. Zhyaf had to die for Mara and Josh to form their Link." His ears were folding back against his skull and his fear was an almost palpable presence in the room.
"Kusac is alive, Konis, I assure you of that. He was kept separate from them because, according to this Physician Chy'qui, he had a series of life-threatening seizures as they revived him. He took the drastic step of implanting Kusac with a TeLaxaudin device in the hope that it would stabilize him. Apparently it did."
Konis sat there as if carved in ice while everything around him seemed to slow down. Little things suddenly became vital to him, like the sound of birds cooing, the chirping of their chicks, and the ray of sunlight that suddenly fell on Lijou's face, highlighting the streaks of white in the hair and pelt framing his face.
"Implanted where?" he asked finally in a hushed voice.
Lijou realized Konis had already guessed the answer. "In his brain. They saved his life, Konis," he said quickly, leaning forward. "But it seems as if he's lost his Talent."
"You mean he can't..." Konis stopped, unable to say the words.
"It's as if he's mind-dead," said Lijou quietly. "I'm sorry, Konis. I wish the news hadn't been so dark, but at least we have him back alive."
"Without his Leska and his Talent, he might as well be dead," said Konis numbly, looking away from his friend. "What kind of life is that for him, Lijou?"
"It may not be permanent. During the exchange there was an incident, an attempt on the life of our hostage, Prince Zsurtul. One of the M'zullians was controlling Kusac through the implant to make him aggressive. Kusac— neutralized— him by drawing on the energy of our other telepaths and triggering that gestalt he and Carrie have."
Konis looked up at Lijou. "Neutralized? You mean killed, don't you? Perhaps he suffered a backlash, or maybe fear of what he did is blocking his Talent."
Lijou could hear the hope in his friend's voice. "This is my thought, and Carrie's and Kaid's. With the help of the TeLaxaudin physician, the implant has been removed and Kusac is no longer being controlled by it, but it has left components in his brain. Components that even the TeLaxaudin physician can't remove, though he's working on it for us. We're doing everything we can for him, Konis, but we don't have any Telepath medics at Haven."
"Then there's still hope," said Konis, his ears beginning to rise again. "We have the best Guild Physicians on Shola available at Valsgarth, Lijou. If anything can be done, they're the ones to do it."
"They are. We've had some good news, though— the TeLaxaudin home world has contacted us. They'll meet us at Jalna in a few days' time to sit at the negotiating table. That means a treaty with them, and an exchange of ambassadors. Which also means an official channel through which to ask them to continue their research into helping Kusac regain his Talent."
Konis leaned forward to take hold of his mug, taking a sip from his drink. "They had a three-way Link, Lijou. One far stronger than Mara and Josh had with Zhyaf."
"I know, Konis. That Link's what saved them."
"There's always a chance that when his Talent returns, his Link with Carrie will reestablish itself."
"There is," said Lijou, hoping his friend was right. To have had a love so closely bound to oneself that you knew her thoughts from moment to moment, then to lose that Link...He hoped they'd be able to keep Kusac sane for long enough to help him; he hoped that the same thought didn't occur to Konis or Rhyasha.
"I want to speak to him, Lijou," said Konis decisively, putting his mug back on the table.
"That isn't advisable, Konis," he said. "Talk to Carrie or Kaid. They can tell you more than Kusac at this time."
Konis frowned. "Why not Kusac? What haven't you told me, Lijou? Surely there can't be worse to come?"
"He was only operated on last night, Konis. He's still under sedation in the IC unit to make sure he has no more seizures, that's all."
"That's not the whole truth, Lijou. I can tell you're keeping something back. And you said these Primes were after a treaty with us. As head of Alien Relations, why wasn't I informed?"
"Because we had no word on Kusac," said Lijou quietly. "I couldn't tell you that Kaid had led a successful escape, unaware that Kusac was still alive and on the
Kz'adul.
By the time they contacted us, they'd found out about him from their hostage. The blame is mine for keeping that information from you, but I couldn't see you live in hope your son was still alive only to have it dashed if he wasn't."
"Just how long have you known that Kusac was alive?"
"Five days, but we didn't know what state he was in."
"State? I want the rest of the truth now, Lijou," said Konis, his voice deepening in anger. "Kusac's not mentally impaired in any other way is he? You said he'd been kept separately. What else was done to him? I had your word you'd tell us the moment there was news of him— I trusted you to do that, now I find you waited five days!"
"His mind is sound, Konis. I told you as soon as
we
knew the state of his health," said Lijou. "Till then, we only had a vision of Brynne's, or the word of the Valtegan Prince Zsurtul to depend on. Frankly, as I've already said, I didn't want to tell you he was alive on the strength of either of those. You'd have done the same to me had our positions been reversed, Konis, you know you would. I was only trying to spare you pain if the worst had happened, which, thank Vartra, it didn't."
He'd known his well-intentioned deception would come out into the light of day, and at the time had prayed that his friend would understand. He wasn't yet a father, but he would be in a very few weeks. He knew what his delay had cost Konis, but he also knew what he had spared him.
"As to what else happened to him, he hasn't been debriefed yet, we don't know any details. Look into my mind and see if you wish, Konis. I only meant it for the best," he said quietly. He didn't want to lose this friendship. People like himself, a Guild Master of both the Brotherhood and the Priesthood of Vartra, had few friends. Every one he had was precious.
Konis sighed, his anger evaporating. "I don't need to, Lijou. I know you intended the best. Vartra forbid it, but if there ever
is
a next time, tell me immediately! What about Carrie and the others? Haven't you debriefed them?"
"Yes, and I have their report with me, along with the proposed treaty between us and the Primes. I need you to take over the negotiations, Konis. I'm sorry to have to ask you at a time like this, but you don't need me to tell you what's at stake right now. You're our best negotiator."
"Who's been handling it up till now?"
"We have, through Kaid. An interim nonaggression pact has been agreed upon. We need you to go over the treaty proposals before we can send them to Kaid for signing. The Primes want our help against the other two Valtegan worlds. They lost their Warrior caste during their equivalent of our Cataclysm— their Fall. The Valtegans have three genetic strains, or castes: the Intellectuals, the Warriors, and the Workers. The Primes have no Warriors at all, only volunteers who are implanted with a device similar to that used on Kusac to boost their aggression levels. Now that Jalna has been discovered by the M'zullians, they fear that it won't be long till their world is found. Then they will need all the help they can get to protect themselves."
With an obvious effort of will, Konis asked, "What of their own allies? Presumably they must have some."
"The TeLaxaudin are slender, fragile beings, totally unsuited to any kind of conflict. What use they are to the Primes, we don't yet know. As far as we're aware, the Primes have no other allies. Let's face it, in the days of their empire, they were busy enslaving other races: they must have made a lot of enemies. Now they use large craft like the
Kz'adul
to intimidate anyone they meet. So far, it's worked, mainly because they keep themselves to themselves."
"What's their involvement with Jalna? And what do they want from us? Military aid?"
He flicked his ears in agreement. "Yes, in return they'll give us technology which would enable us to break the Chemerians' stranglehold over all the Alliance. I wouldn't like to guess how much more advanced the Primes are than even the Chemerians. They didn't lose their technology during their Fall the way we did because it was mainly based in their walled Imperial city and survived their own global civil war virtually untouched. As for Jalna, it's beginning to look like the Primes were heavily involved in setting it up as a trading port for the Free Traders, probably to ensure those species have no need to venture further into their space."
"Give me the debriefing report now," said Konis gruffly. "Once I've read it, I'll talk to Carrie, then call Rhyasha and tell her about Kusac."
Lijou picked up the comp reader from the table and handed it to him, aware of how close to breaking down his friend was. Only the importance of the task he'd been given was holding him together right now. "Would you like me to leave you on your own for a while?" he asked quietly.