strongholdrising (47 page)

Kaid touched his cheek in a familiar gesture, letting his hand fall to his shoulder. "It's sometimes easy for you to forget just how loved
you
are, Kusac," he said quietly. "When you push us away, we can't show you and in turn, you feel isolated. Maybe you've begun to heal at last."
"Maybe," he said, putting the twig back in his mouth, listening to the new tune that had started to vibrate inside his head, wondering what it meant.

* * *

Vanna's and Garras' daughter was born three hours later.
"Jikkoh, we're calling her Jikkoh," said Garras when he returned. "Brynne and Keeza are with them now."
"Who's she like?" asked Kitra. "You or Vanna?"
"She's beautiful," said Garras, looking bewildered and elated as he accepted the glass that Dzaka put into his hand. "Small, but then so is Vanna. And she's dark like me."
There was laughter, and congratulations.
"Soon be your turn," said Garras quietly, looking to Kaid, but Kusac heard it and moved back to the edge of the group, remembering the circumstances of Kashini's birth. Not in comfort, but on an aircar floor, with only himself and Kaid as inexpert birthers.
He'd heard more. T'Chebbi, the hard, unflappable, ever-vigilant T'Chebbi, was pregnant by Kaid, and neither of them had thought to tell him. That had hurt.
"It's kind of nice to feel a superiority over all these new and soon-to-be fathers," said a voice at his elbow. "No broken nights walking the floor or dirty diapers to change for us."
He looked round to find Banner and Jurrel standing beside him.
"Clan Leader," murmured Jurrel as Banner flicked an ear in greeting.
He looked from one to the other, recognizing them but slightly confused by the sounds he was receiving from the torc.
"Banner's my Companion and sword-brother," said Jurrel.
"Ah. I thought you were with Brynne."
Jurrel grinned. "Now and then, when we need each other."
"You have no cubs?" he asked.
"Nor plans to as yet," confirmed Banner, glancing at Jurrel. "Though Jurrel might, being younger."
"A cub might be nice one day," Jurrel conceded, "but my experiences haven't made the proposition of a three-year bonding contract to any female attractive enough."
"We're heading into town for a drink. Want to come with us?" Banner asked.
"I leave early in the morning for the Nezule estate."
"We don't intend to be late either," said Jurrel. "We've got classes to take tomorrow, and we've an appointment with Master Sorli in the afternoon to discuss training schedules for a new batch of Terran telepaths due in at Chagda Station in a couple of weeks."
"More Terrans?"
"Yes, this time more females, and younger ones. Forty altogether."
"I heard we'd sent teachers to Keiss and Earth to work in the Humans' own centers. Train them there," he said.
"We have. These ones are the last of those agreed on in our original treaty with Earth. I have a feeling they won't voluntarily send any more."
"Are you coming with us?" asked Jurrel.
He'd gone with them, glad to escape from the surfeit of pregnant females in his Clan— even his own mother was expecting cubs, twins no less!— that only served to make him more afraid that the implant had done one last destructive act in making him sterile. It took a great many drinks that night before the edges of his world blurred enough to make them less painful.
Shanagi Space Port, Zhal-Vartra, 26th day (July)
In the early morning heat, the dark surface of the landing field seemed to shimmer as they waited for the door of the alien shuttle to open. Without a joint or seam, the bronze-colored vehicle had an organic look, as if it had grown naturally or were some strange sleeping creature. Ovoid in shape, the outer surface undulated upward from the blunt bow, sweeping back toward the stubby rear end. The sides flared upward, almost to the midsection, revealing the undercarriage before flowing down again toward the stern. Whatever method of propulsion they used, nothing was visible.
"A ray fish," Nesul murmured to himself. "It looks like a ray fish. I hope the heat doesn't distress them."
Surrounded by an honor guard of the Brotherhood and Warriors, the Governor waited on the white carpet beside Ambassador Mrocca of the Cabbarrans for the TeLaxaudin Ambassadorial party to emergence.
Mrocca lowered her haunches to the ground, looking up at the Sholan leader with an expression of amusement on her long, narrow face.
She began to speak, the translator taking over almost immediately. "You think? I think flying creature. Sits on flowers on your world. Not to be worrying, Governor," she said. "Heat will please Ambassador Zeashimis."
"So I'm told," said Nesul, looking down at the smaller being. "But this is excessive heat, even for us." He squinted briefly up at the blazing orb of the sun. "Is Zeashimis a male or a female?" he asked, suddenly realizing he didn't know the gender of the person he was about to greet.
"Neither. They are both."
Nesul shut his eyes briefly. If the holo images were to be believed, this was the strangest of the Alliance species to date. Now he discovered at the last moment they were genderless! Why hadn't his aides picked up on this matter before now?
Mrocca made the sound of laughter. "This information not public. Think of them as male if you prefer. They not travel in female phase."
Relieved that he hadn't been let down after all, he glanced back at the shuttle. A doorway was beginning to appear in the fuselage as the fabric of the craft seemed to part and shrink back. A short gangway emerged and moments later, two bronze spindly-limbed beings, clad only in breechclouts under skirts of thin floating panels of dark blue cloth, emerged holding staffs almost as tall as themselves. Lifting their feet high, with a swaying, rocking gait, they made their way down to the gangway until they stood on the white carpet. They stopped, obviously waiting for the rest of their party.
"Honor guard," said Mrocca. "Staffs are potent energy weapons. Very nasty." She shook her head, the stiff crest over her shoulders briefly bushing out then settling again.
The Ambassadorial party emerged then, six of them, dressed in different shades of gauzy cloth strips held in at the waist and floating from a band round their necks. Behind them came two more of the strange warriors.
The morning breeze blew their scent toward Nesul. It was strange, alien, unlike anything he'd ever smelled before. He noted the distinctive way they held their arms tucked close to their bodies, elbows bent, the hands drooping forward. Their heads moved constantly, looking not just from one to the other, but around them at the various shuttles and cargo tenders lying in their bays.
As the TeLaxaudin party drew close, the two guards at the front stepped to either side to allow their Ambassadors to meet the Sholan and Cabbaran leaders.
They stopped, forming a small wedge with one standing alone in front of him. Nesul was struck by how small they were, reaching only to mid-chest height. They were almost as small as the Chemerians.
Pulling his thoughts back to the moment, Nesul bowed. "Ambassador Zeashimis. Welcome to Shola. I trust your trip was a pleasant one."
Zeashimis, eyes swirling as he adjusted them to close vision, dipped his smooth oval head to one side, his tiny mandibles clicking softly, hands moving in small, graceful gestures.
Nesul heard a gentle humming that seemed to vibrate the very air around them, then Zeashimis' translator began to speak.
"Arriving better. Grateful voyaging done. Sholans from invitation pleasing be."
Nesul tried not to glance at Mrocca for a better interpretation. "You honor us with your presence," he said, thinking that at least couldn't be misinterpreted. This close, he realized the TeLaxaudin scents were more like perfumes. His nose could pick up at least four distinct ones. "If you would accompany us into the building, we have transport vehicles waiting to escort you to the Governor's Palace."
"Pleasing to us." Then there was a burst of humming that the translator couldn't render into speech.
At a loss, Nesul glanced at Mrocca, only to see the Cabbarran nodding her head. Obviously the speech was directed at her. Moments later, Mrocca was replying in her own high-pitched chittering language, her translator also remaining silent.
Nesul waited patiently. Here was proof that the Cabbarrans were the only ones capable of fully understanding the TeLaxaudin.
After a minute or two, Mrocca turned to him. "Ambassador wishes to thank you for kind greeting," she said. "With him is one named Kzizysus. Annuur of the Rryuk Family is meeting and transporting him to location on Shola. Telepath estate."
"Excuse me?" Nesul stepped back in sheer surprise, unable to believe what he was hearing.
The situation was resolved by the sound of raised voices and the clatter of hooves repeatedly hitting the hard surface of the landing field. Nesul turned to see a Cabbarran, chased by Sholan guards, galloping toward them.
"This be Annuur," said Mrocca calmly as around them the Brotherhood and the Warriors sprang into a defensive circle. "No need for protection," she said, looking round the circle of armed Sholans.
Nesul waved them back. "Stand down. It seems Annuur's expected," he said as a loud squeal of protest announced Annuur's capture.
As the Brothers and Warriors powered down their weapons and fell back to a wary defensive position, Annuur, held firmly by his belt harness, was escorted in front of Nesul.
"No patience have you," said Mrocca indignantly as Annuur was released. "Wait you should have. Coming in we were."
"Anxious I am to get working," said Annuur, dipping his head to his Ambassador, his crest flat in abject apology. Not for long, though. He raised his head, looking bright-eyed and anxiously toward the TeLaxaudin group. "Captain Tirak waiting for news. Waiting to tell Clan Leader Carrie help arrives."
Singling out the one he wanted, he trotted over to him, rising up onto his haunches.
"Physician Kzizysus. Craft waiting ready. We go now."
"Equipment needing. Unloading now." The TeLaxaudin pointed behind him to where the crew of their shuttle was already unloading a series of solid containers.
Annuur turned to look at Nesul. "Maybe Sholans helping speed up departure," he said hopefully. "Annuur and Kzizysus leave. You get on with official reception then."
Nesul turned to the nearest Sister, raising his eye ridges expressively.
"On it already, sir," she said, activating her throat comm.
"I don't suppose one of you would like to explain what's going on here?" Nesul asked, a rumble of anger in his voice.
Annuur led his TeLaxaudin over to him. "Kzizysus Physician on
Kz'adul,
" said the Cabbaran, sitting up again. "He work on Kusac. Try to help after Chy'qui gone."
Kzizysus began to hum. "Experiments continue must here."
Things suddenly became clear as Nesul remembered Konis asking if he could petition the TeLaxaudin Ambassador for help from them for his son.
"Governor Nesul, the handling crew are on their way. If Annuur and Kzizysus would like to go to their vehicle, the luggage will join them in a few minutes," interrupted the Sister.
"We go," said Kzizysus, starting to walk through the reception committee toward the main buildings, Annuur trotting behind.
As they went, two of the Brotherhood followed them.
Nonplussed, Nesul looked back to Zeashimis and his party. "Ah, Ambassador, perhaps now would be a good time for us to leave too. We have a meal set out for you in the Palace. Mrocca was kind enough to advise us on suitable dishes for you."
"Following we will," said Zeashimis, starting to move toward him.
Valsgarth Estate, later the same day
Carrie heard the banging on the front door and looked up at Yashui.
"No one bangs on the door like that, Liegena," she said. "Perhaps it's one of our visitors. Dziosh will see to it."
She got up, handing Kashini over to the nurse. "I'll go anyway," she said. By the time she reached the top of the staircase, Dziosh had already let Tirak in. The U'Churian looked up at her.
"He's here, Carrie," said Tirak, tail swaying in excitement. "Annuur's just called me."
"Who's here?" she asked, coming down. She had never seen the U'Churian acting like this before. He was behaving for all the world like one of the Sholan younglings around the estate.
"We asked Annuur to speak to the TeLaxaudin and ask for help for Kusac. They agreed, and when the Ambassador arrived today, Kzizysus was with him. He thinks he can help."
"What?" She clutched the banister rail for support.
"Kzizysis thinks he can help Kusac."
"Wasn't he the TeLaxaudin on the
Kz'adul
? The one who helped when I shot Kusac's implant?"
Tirak nodded, a gesture he'd picked up from the estate dwellers. "The same. Annuur sent me to fetch you."
"Dziosh, tell T'Chebbi where I am," she said, strengthening the shields between her and Kaid for fear of giving him false hope.

* * *

The air was fresh and cool inside the Cabbaran craft, a welcome change after her hot walk through the village's main street. Boxes were still being transferred from the aircar that sat alongside it and she had to dodge around one being towed up the ramp on a grav sled by two of Annuur's sept brothers.
"Apologies," they intoned as Tirak shepherded her round to the right where the living quarters were.
Tirak gestured to the open door and Carrie stepped in, recoiling back instantly in shock.
Grunting in pain, Tirak held her firmly by the elbow. "Annuur, dammit! You could see us coming! Opaque those damned walls! I told you not to leave them on when you've got company! It's perfectly safe, Carrie, just a shock when you aren't expecting it," he said, urging her into the room as Annuur began to apologize.
Cautiously, she stepped back into the room, relieved to find the walls now a uniform neutral beige. Transparent bulkheads? What else had they? Beneath her thin sandals she could feel the woven texture of the vegetable fiber matting that covered the floor. Even as she was automatically assessing her surroundings, her eyes were drawn to Kzizysus, the Cabbarran's exotic companion.
The oval head turned to face her, eyes swirling, neck stretching out as the mandibles began to move.
"Sit," said Annuur, raising himself on his forelegs. Lifting one, he indicated a vacant couch and the deep cushions spread on the floor. "Welcome you are. Sit where you will. Our U'Churian family prefer the cushions."
"Thank you," said Carrie, stepping farther into the pleasantly scented room. She stopped at the cushion nearest the Cabbarran. Unasked, Tirak's hand was there to steady her as she sat down. Hauling over another cushion, he joined her.
A low buzzing that reminded her of the sound of grasshoppers filled the room as Kzizysus began to speak. "She reproduces."
Annuur answered in his own language, his translator remaining silent.
Tirak leaned toward her, his mane of black fur tickling her bare neck. "A visiting TeLaxaudin is rare," he said quietly. "But when they do come, they and the Cabbarrans can spend hours talking between themselves without the translators. They forget we're here."
"Do not, Tirak!" said Annuur, hurt. "Some concepts are not translating for you is all."
"Am I mistaken or is your translator rather more expressive?" asked Carrie, eyeing her host.
Annuur's mobile top lip curled up almost like a mini trunk in appreciation as he began to laugh. "This normal translator. Used inferior one for last mission. Lack of communication sometimes advantage."
"Definitely," Carrie smiled. "What about Kzizysus' translator? Is his the same?" She arched a questioning eyebrow at him.
"Tirak telling you truth. We have ancient dialect that closer to TeLaxaudin speech. Easier translate than any other species. Some words of yours he understands. We translate concepts for him. Now you seated, I will turn off walls. Do not like small spaces," he said firmly, reaching out to press a control on his couch's small console. "Too many there were on
Kz'adul.
"
Carrie watched entranced as the walls of the ship gradually seemed to dissolve, revealing the view outside the shuttle. "How did you cope on the
Profit
?" she asked. "Or is that why we weren't allowed down to your avionics level?"
"Only navigation room like this," said Annuur. "I get drinks for you." He got abruptly to his feet, backing down off his sloping couch.
Carrie turned her attention to Kzizysus. "Physician. Tirak tells me you may be able to help my mate, Kusac."
The bronze head nodded once as Kzizysus reached for a morsel of food on the tray beside him. "Perhaps. Implants Primes requested. Large device want, not small. Easy be seen. Small make we usually." He held his finely boned hand up, indicating a barely visible gap between two of his three fingers. "Controls for sick bodies make we better."
"They're bio-engineers," said Tirak. "They make micro-implants used in medicine to regulate hearts, prevent brain seizures, that kind of thing."
"Then why were you on the
Kz'adul
?"
"Primes employ," said Kzizysus, picking up a small bowl with both hands. "Long travel. Excuse. Need fluids."
She watched, fascinated, as the TeLaxaudin dipped his face and mandibles into the bowl and began to make quiet slurping noises. She caught a glimpse of a long, thin tubular tongue.
"Can you help my mate or not?"
Kzizysus put the bowl down. "Experiment have I on animals. Results hopeful are. Study now need live Sholans."
Carrie stiffened, glancing in horror at Tirak who grasped her arm warningly.
"Annuur, he isn't saying he needs to experiment on Sholans, is he?" Tirak called out.
Annuur came back, guiding a small grav unit bearing cookies and glasses of cold drinks. He stopped it beside Tirak before answering.
"You have hospital and Physicians Vanna and Jack. Kzizysus need visit there, observe patients, learn about Sholans. Then try computer simulations. Last test is on native animal responding like Sholans. This he has done on animals on his world and it worked. Please, take refreshments," he said, climbing back onto his padded couch.
Once again, Kzizysus began to talk to Annuur in his vibrating hum. The conversation went back and forth for several minutes before Annuur spoke to them again.
"Kzizysus needs you to be understanding about Primes. Long time past Primes request implant to be made. No Warrior caste, need law forces for after their Fall for long ago civil war. TeLaxaudin help. Also help now M'Zullians spreading wider in war with J'kirtikkians. Primes too vulnerable now. Help them take M'zullians to breed new Warrior caste, better, not so violent. Implant essential to control them or they need to be terminated. Kzizysus on
Kz'adul
to implant safely M'zullians. Implant not for other species. Kzizysus told after Kusac implanted. Kzizysus only TeLaxaudin on
Kz'adul
. Afraid of Chy'qui. Little could be done then. TeLaxaudin people not condone use of implant on your mate."
Carrie listened in silence. The TeLaxaudin had been helping the Primes that long? The ethics of the whole business were dubious as far as she could see, but her concern right now was Kusac.
"I understand what you're saying, Annuur, tell Kzizysus that. I appreciate his desire to help us, and the fact he's come here to Shola. I'm sure Jack and Vanna will be more than happy to show him around the hospital and give him what help they can." After having her hopes raised so high, to find out that what Kzizysus needed was more research, and more time, was a great disappointment.
"Work it did on simple-minded animals Kzizysus tested," said Annuur. "Do not be disappointed. Not wise to assume it work on complex sentient brain of another species. Wise to research a little, then test again and again."
She forced a smile to her lips and picked up one of the two glasses. "Your presence, Kzizysus, gives me hope again," she said, taking a sip of the fruit cordial.
Prime world, the same day
Shielding his eyes from the sudden tropical rainstorm, Kezule surveyed the assault course from his vantage point on top of the specially armored vehicle. The bulk of his remaining sixteen Warriors had reached the automated live range and were flinging themselves facedown in the mud. Markers on poles, now barely visible through the splashes of dirt, showed the level they needed to stay below in order to survive their crawl to the other end of the range.
Wriggling like snakes, they plowed through the thick mud, trying to keep their bodies low and their guns just high enough to stay clean and dry.
The stragglers were arriving now, two of them, staggering as they approached the start. He sighed, wondering which of them it would be. The rearmost one clutched the other, making him stumble, almost dragging him down. He was thrown aside, shrieking as the energy weapons caught him, their phased pulses buffeting him from one emplacement to the next. He took seven seconds to die.
Kezule roared his anger, looking briefly away. He hated waste, and this was waste on an unacceptable level. Five dead in as many weeks. When he looked back, the last youth had flung himself under the beams and was crawling frantically for the other side.
Lifting the trapdoor in the roof, he dropped down to the rear of the vehicle. "This isn't working," he hissed, turning to Zayshul who sat huddled in a rug in front of the mobile data unit. "It worked in my time! What's different about these hatchlings?" he demanded. "What haven't I been told about them?"
"I don't know what you were told, and nothing is different, except we erased their racial memories," she said.
"All of them? Or just those to do with the Fall?"
"We can't be that specific," she apologized. "We have to take all and use our own to replace them."
He slumped down in the canvas chair next to her. "The M'zullians lack the Intellectual caste, is that correct?"
"We think they were left with a very reduced Intellectual caste. The majority of those on M'zull were ordinary soldiers with a few harems belonging to the ruling families there. There were a great many female drones, of course, who were probably turned into breeding females, but they'd only produce workers. There wouldn't be upper caste drones on a colony world. J'kirtikk would be the same."
"What about the fourth world?"
"They have a homogenous society with all the castes mingling now. There is no real caste distinction," she said. "But these Warriors were bred from mothers from our caste."
"Then your genes are less dominant then the M'zullians. Looks like this lot have the aggression without the common sense to control it," he muttered. "I didn't expect officer-class Warriors, but I didn't anticipate them having an intelligence less than that of the common soldier!"
"Does that mean you can't turn them into Warriors?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably on the hard chair.
"I can turn them into Warriors, but they'll be grunts, nothing more, and you'll have trouble curbing their aggression. Your society isn't equipped to cope with soldiers like that. They'll get bored and walk all over you as soon as they've enough experience to see you lack the ability to defend yourselves against them."
"What do we do?"
"Get them off K'oish'ik, if you want to keep them," he said, getting up. "They'll start fighting for position within the group soon enough, then they'll look to the junior officers. Only you don't have any."
"What about your offspring?" she asked. "They'll all be officer class. Medical Director Zsoyshuu anticipated the need for officers, that's why he had yours bred."
Kezule looked balefully at her. "When are they due to be released from the growth tubes?" He was still not reconciled to what had been done to him.
"Ten days," she said quietly. "And there are another fifty M'zullians as well."
"You've had these awake for over a year," he said. "Mine will be too immature to lead, even though they'll possess all the right scents to signal their superiority. By the time they're ready to take control, these ones will have either staged their own coup and be in charge of the City, or dead, killed by each other or us in self-defense!"
"We can tell Zsoyshuu. He can accelerate the learning program and development of your male hatchlings so they're birthed at the same age as these."
Kezule hissed, tongue flicking out angrily as he walked over to the side window and looked out at his helpers who were monitoring the young Warriors. "You know my feelings on that."
"Then this experiment fails, or we end up being dominated by them out there and the other fifty due in ten days," she snapped. "Take your choice!"
Surprised at her outburst, he turned to look at her. She was sitting back in the chair now, the rug thrown aside so she could rub her distended belly.
"Are you all right?" he asked, suddenly concerned for her safety. He'd never seen a female after mating with her, and had no idea of how quickly the eggs they bore developed, but her rapid increase in size had him worried.
"I'm fine, just uncomfortable," she said, pulling the rug closely around herself again. "What are you going to do?"
"Tell your director," he said with a sigh. "These," he gestured to the window, "need to be controlled now and I can't do it alone. And have them taken off the raw meat diet. We don't need highly aggressive grunts. If you want to subdue the M'zullians and J'kirtikkians, we need intelligent troops capable of waging both space and ground war. Recreating the old Empire won't work, our task then was different. We went into worlds that didn't have spaceflight and subdued them on the ground after a sustained aerial bombardment. It was a glorified mop-up operation, nothing more."
Zayshul made a few notations on the keyboard, then looked back at him. "Now what?"
"I'm recalling them for the day," he said, heading up to the front of the vehicle. "I need to review their training schedules."