The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel
Page 11
Logan’s shoulders sagged. “It’s only fair, Tam. Why don’t you grab your second in command, while I round up my own squad and the two goddesses.”
“Two? I thought we were only dealing with one.” Kirby was beginning to sound angry.
“They are sisters, Tam. I know that it might surprise you, but they love each other. Selene is here, more often than not, and when I can’t find Rhiannon I just assume that she’s on Elysium, with Selene.”
“That doesn’t sound very exotic.” Kirby was scratching his head now.
“It isn’t. The two goddesses have tremendous powers, but underneath it all, they are just as frail and vulnerable as we. They hurt, they get lonely and they love.”
“I was kinda hoping that they’d be all wise or something.”
Logan chuckled. “Sorry. But they can do other things that would raise your hair.” He knew that Rhiannon was listening right now, and he grinned to himself. “But you get used to it.” He pointed out a doorway on the far side of the room. “There is the conference room. I’ll meet you in a few minutes.” He made a motion to Grady over the heads of the others, and then headed for Rhiannon.
“I know and I agree that it’s time we all had a talk.” The goddess commented as he walked up, and before he’d even gotten a single word out. Logan closed his mouth and glared at the beautiful woman.
“What do you have me around for?” He growled. “You already know what I’m about to say. It makes me feel—redundant.”
She patted his cheek. “Oh, Logan, you know that we need you.” He grunted something unintelligible and turned away. “Or at least I need you.”
Logan missed a step, and spun to face the goddess who was by then studying something on the far side of the room. Her comment had been so soft he’d almost missed it. Could it have been his imagination? He mumbled something under his breath and turned away to find Selene. He missed seeing the slow flush that was spreading up Rhiannon’s face.
The big round conference table was full. To his left sat the other members of his squad, all except Aileen, who sat between the two goddesses to his right. Across the table sat a blank faced Sergeant Kirby, and a tall acerbic looking corporal who sported a large bone earring in his left ear and a curving purple scar that ran from his right ear to his chin. The healing scar had pulled the skin of the man’s face into a perpetual, tooth baring grimace. Logan shuddered at the result.
“Some of you are new to this adventure.” He began calmly, looking at Kirby and his companion. “The rest of you have been with me all along, but still don’t know the details. That’s why we’re here right now.” When he glanced at Rhiannon, she gave him a reassuring smile and a quick wink. For some strange reason it made him feel better. “The story really begins eight hundred years ago, on a world so far from Thalassia the very light from its sun takes hundreds of years to reach here.” He ignored the incredulous looks on the faces of Kirby and his companions. “On that planet a race of thinking beings set out to settle on our world. They made it here just fine, and then things began to go wrong.” Logan plodded on as best he could, stopping occasionally to check his facts with Jade. By the time he had finished, a full hour later, Kirby and his second looked stunned, while the members of Logan’s squad, for the most part, looked thoughtful. The exception to the rule was Caera Nunan, who was literally bouncing up and down in her seat with excitement. Logan couldn’t help but grin. “You have something to say, Caera?”
“It explains so much.” She bubbled. “Where we came from, where our old stories came from. Where our very language came from.” The woman winced as she bumped the stump of her left arm. “I guess I’m a better teacher than a Marine. Sorry, Logan.”
“Don’t be sorry, Caera. It was an impossible situation to put you all in. It’s a miracle any of you survived. Hells, it’s a miracle that I survived.” There were chuckles from around the table. “Saving me is getting to be Bel’s full time job.” More laughs, and the tension eased. Logan put a hand casually on his chest, over the embedded medallion, and exchanged a long glance with Rhiannon. The goddess nodded briefly. “Now we come to the fun part.” He glanced around the big wooden table. “It’s called share the wealth. We’ve decided who will get their own K’Dreex, if they wish.” Logan stood up, as did Aileen. Logan moved to stand behind Caera Nunan, while Aileen moved to Tam Kirby. Caera turned red faced, and Kirby turned white. It was an interesting comparison, Logan thought.
“We would like to share our K’Dreex with the two of you, if you are willing. Caera?” The woman nodded, eyes full of tears. “Tam?”
The big sergeant stared at Logan for a long time, before he too nodded. “Yeah, I guess if that little girl can do it so can I. I don’t like the idea of a creepy crawlie livin’ inside my skin, but if you can stand it...” He shrugged.
Logan looked at the two potential recipients. “Your own K’Dreex will take a form that you can love, ah, get to know better.” He rephrased quickly for Kirby’s glower.
Her laugh was light.
“All right,” Logan slid his hand down to cover Caera’s, while Aileen put her hand on Kirby’s bare shoulder. “We’ll do it like this. You’ll both have to prepare yourselves mentally.” Logan brought his other hand in front of Caera to begin making strange, ritualistic gestures. Across the table he could see Aileen doing the same in front of Tam. She seemed to be having a hard time not laughing, and finally she pulled her hand away, doubling up with laughter. Logan was chuckling and he noticed the two goddesses wiping tears from their eyes. Everyone else looked puzzled.
“Oh, gods. Logan!” Was all Aileen could get out of her mouth, before she started to laugh again. Kirby’s face was reddening in anger.
“Oh, calm down, Tam. It’s all done. We made the transfer when I touched Caera’s hand, and Aileen touched your shoulder. The rest was pure flimflam to keep you entertained.”
Kirby opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but then a faraway look came over his face, and his mouth slowly shut. The look quickly turned to one of amazement. “She says her name is Colleen, and she brings me greetings from,” he looked up in wonder. “From Aileen and Moray. I’ll be damned.”
“Ohhh.” It was a thin squeak from Caera. “Donal told me why you picked me to receive a K’Dreex.” Her sky blue eyes that he had once thought cold and distant, were now full of tears. “Thank you, Logan.” She whispered.
Jade sounded smug.
“The plan.” Logan continued to the group, his eyes sweeping the attentive faces. “The plan is to eventually give every one of you your
own K’Dreex. There were many looks of surprise, some reflecting anticipation, some apprehension. Sergeant Kirby’s corporal studied the bemused face of the man sitting next to him with a look of dawning horror on his ruined face.
“Ahhh, excuse me.” The thin corporal had a soft cultured voice that totally belied his physical appearance. “Since Sergeant Kirby seems to be incapacitated for the moment, I have a question.”
“Please, go ahead, Corporal...?
“Hansen, Padraig Hansen.” The man nodded politely. “As I was saying, do you plan on infecting everyone with these...?” He stopped for a moment, frowning. “Things?”
“Everyone that wants them.” Logan smiled reassuringly. “You may find that having a K’Dreex advisor isn’t really a bad idea, especially for a soldier.”
“Oh, and why is that?” The man asked with some interest.
“K’Dreex can speed healing and...” He glanced over at Private Nunan.
“I’ve been told that they can even regenerate missing limbs.” Caera’s voice was barely audible at the other side of the table, and a dark blush rose up her cheeks. Looking at her, Logan wondered how he could have ever thought that she was a withered spinster, bordering on ugly. Sitting at the table with red cheeks and sparkling blue eyes she was anything but.
“And they seem to be able to enhance our physical senses. Those of us who have K’Dreex have more acute hearing, sight and smell, than other people. Sometimes that’s even a benefit.” There was laughter around the table.
Padraig Hansen gave a short nod. “I’ve noticed that you seem to have to deal with a running commentary, Logan. Why is that?”
“Jade is an independent entity, that happens to live in my blood. She communicates directly, mind to mind. Sometimes she even takes over a conversation and speaks through my mouth. It’s a rather odd sensation.”
“I can imagine.” He rubbed the scar on his cheek unconsciously.
“Padraig, Jade was just telling me that a K’Dreex could probably fix that scar on your face, if you wanted.”
The man seemed to flinch, and then he let out an ironic laugh. “I wish I had known that a year ago. My fiancée took one look at my ruined face and left me standing at the altar.”
“Your K’Dreex, whatever her name might be, will never leave you, Padraig. Ever.” Logan replied softly.
The corporal nodded one more time. “Put me on your list, Logan. It would be nice to have a friend who doesn’t see me as a ruined monster.”
“A month from now should give our K’Dreex time enough to prepare for another twinning.” Glancing about the round table, Logan grinned. “That leaves room for three more volunteers.”
“Ah, Logan?” Kirby interrupted, his eyes finally back in focus.
“Yes, Tam?”
“Exactly what is your part in all this? The members of your squad all have ranks, but you... I can even understand where the goddesses fall in all of this but...”
It was Rhiannon who spoke up this time. “All you need to know at this time, Sergeant Kirby, is that Logan MacKennit is our,” she glanced meaningfully at her sister, “representative. For the purposes of military discipline, you may address him as ‘Captain.’ Is that clear?”
A white faced Sergeant Kirby replied. “Yes, your goddessness. Perfectly clear.” The big sergeant seemed to wither under her violet eyed glare.
“Moving right along...” Logan cleared his throat. “Are there any volunteers for their own companion?”
Unsurprisingly, the hands of Bel and Tiana went up. Both women were trying to smile, but Logan could feel the fear behind their eyes.
“Thank you Bel, Tiana. If you have any worries, then look at the face of Caera Nunan. Does she look either scared or possessed to you?” The two scouts turned their gazes to the blushing teacher, who shyly returned their smile.
“Oh, hells.” It was Grady this time. “If these little girls can do this then so can I, right?” He seemed to be trying to talk himself into it.
“Thank you, Grady.” Logan reached over and patted the big man’s shoulder. “Now, the last thing to discuss is housing. I’ve spoken with Rhiannon, and quarters have been arranged for all the families. There will be separate barracks for single men and single women. Sergeants and above will have their own quarters, regardless of whether or not they are married.” He swallowed. “I will be taking the two orphans, Silvie and her brother, to live with me. Caera will set up schooling for the children, and will organize a daycare for children of deployed soldiers. Dining will always be in the Dining Hall. There will be three meals a day and a late night snack. Physical training for all military members will be five days a week, first thing in the morning, followed by facility clean-up, armor training, weapons, hand to hand combat and finally tactics.” There were groans from the squad members, and raised eyebrows from Tam and Padraig. “Yes, gentlemen.” Logan gave the former guardsmen an evil grin. “Being a marine means that you train, train and train some more.” He winked at Padraig. “And then you clean.”
“Oh, gods...” Kirby groaned. “Can I change my mind?”
“What!” Padraig commented boyishly. “And miss all this good fresh air and wonderful companionship?” With his scarred face, the grin he turned on Kirby was truly hideous.
“I need a drink.” Tam’s voice was morose. “Is there a bar up here?” Eyebrows went up around the table, and everyone exchanged quick, startled looks. The goddesses were smiling now.
“If we don’t have a bar right now, we will by the time you get out of your armor.” Rhiannon exclaimed brightly. “That’s one rule of the establishment. NO ARMOR! It stinks.”
Logan had expected two simple connected rooms for his quarters; one for himself and the other for the children. What he found was something more.
Roughly fifty feet in diameter, the central living room was circular and sported a huge fireplace on one side. The walls were sky blue, fading to midnight blue at the ceiling. Heavy, comfortable looking couches and chairs were scattered about in small cozy groupings, and a table with six chairs sat tucked under a glowing lamp on the far side. A half dozen other doorways exited the room.
“Mister Logan!” Silvie shouted from across the room, crossing the carpeted floor at a dead run. A second, smaller figure, obviously her brother Kenzie, followed at a more sedate pace. “We heard that you actually asked for us to live with you. Is that true?” There was excitement in her small voice, but also a hint of fear—a caution born from many disappointments.
Logan knelt and caught the little girl in a hug. “Yes, Silvie, it’s true. If the two of you would like to live here, I would be happy to have you.”
The goddess, standing off to one side, was silent as the little girl turned to her brother. “What do you think, Kenzie? Should we live with Mister Logan?”
“I think that I would like that very much.” Kenzie said quite seriously, his gray eyes on his sister. “He saved our lives too, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did, Kenzie.” Silvie turned to Logan. “It looks like you’re stuck with us now, Mister Logan.”
He laughed. “Just Logan, Silvie, and I am most certainly not stuck.” He opened his arms to take in the small boy, and held the children tightly. “Right now I feel very very lucky.”
Kenzie squirmed his way out of Logan’s arms. “Gotta show you our room, Logan.” He was pulling at Logan’s hand. “We got real beds! One for Silvie and one for me. And there are toys! Are they for us?”
“Yes, Kenzie the toys are for you. You run along for now.”
“Kay!” Both children were off at a run, anxious to play with toys they’d never even dreamed of before.
“Do you like it?” Rhiannon had come up behind him unnoticed, and her soft voice made him jump.
“Thank you, Rhiannon, for what you did for the children. The toys and the separate beds were wonderf
ul ideas.” He was having trouble getting the words out, and there seemed to be some sort of a lump in his throat.
“The beds were my idea, and the toys were Selene’s.”
Logan looked up at the smiling goddess. She seemed to be standing very close. “Thank you. And before you complain, I’ll say it anyway. I owe you both. I owe you deeply.”
“Well, now.” Nan was smiling. “Logan MacKennit really does have a heart. This sheds a whole new light on things.” Rhiannon’s violet eyes were intent. “You never answered my question, Logan. Do you like it?”
“I love it.” He replied simply. “But what are all the doors for?”
“Your bedroom, the children’s bedroom, bathrooms, a spare bedroom.” The violet eyes held him, challenging him to complain. “You will be gone occasionally, and someone has to watch the children. It might as well be me. Or Selene, of course.” She added as an afterthought.
“Damn.” He cursed out loud, then looked around guiltily for the children. He’d have to watch that now.
“Don’t you want me to be here?” There was a tremor in Rhiannon’s voice.
“Yes, I mean no.” He looked up into violet eyes, and his next words were rueful. “Yes, more than anything in the whole world, dammit. I need to go talk with the children.” He gladly took the coward’s way out.
“So, how are things going, Tam?” Logan sat sipping his coffee at the daily informal staff meeting.
The big sergeant looked mildly surprised. “Good. The apartment is fabulous, and the family seems to love it here. There’s so much more room than down below, and the food is better. I’ll admit that I was getting mightily sick of variations on a mushroom. I haven’t told my wife about Colleen yet, and I’m not sure how to broach the subject. I really don’t know how she’ll react.”
“We might wait for a while on that, Tam. I’ll consider a general meeting and give everyone a watered down explanation of things.”
“That would solve the problem.” Kirby looked up. “How are things with you? I understand that you had a few billeting surprises.” The sergeant was chuckling dryly.