Fire Margins

by Lisanne Norman

  Unbidden, the memory of the long-gone Rezac and his Leska came to mind. His Khemu hadn’t been like her, with hair the color of the sun. No, she was like the soft moonlight, but she’d burned him just as surely as Rezac had been burned by his Leska.

  A thumping on the door brought him back to the present and he leaned forward to open it.

  “Everything all right, Kaid?” asked Meral.

  “Yes, fine,” he said, getting to his feet and exiting the craft.

  “They’ve just found some fragments of stone that might be pieces of weapons,” Meral said as he followed him back to where they were still digging. “It looks like this was a shrine to Vartra after all.”

  “I rather thought it might be,” Kaid murmured.

  *

  Kaid returned to his room after third meal. Propped up by pillows, he sat on his bed chewing a stim-twig and thinking. There was no reason now to keep Dzaka’s parentage secret from him. Ghezu might have thought he was telling him a lie, but inadvertently he’d given him the truth. There was still an element of danger for his son should Ghezu discover his mistake, but at least now he was at his peak, while Ghezu was getting older, his mind eating itself up from within with his need for revenge.

  He’d tried to trust Dzaka and when the need for him to show some trust in return came up, he said nothing. It might be that he didn’t want to face the truth because of the anger that lay between them. Ghezu had used that anger and turned it to hate. Perhaps in treating Dzaka the same as he would any of the people under his command, he’d forgotten the one important factor—he wasn’t the same: he was his son, a fact he’d had to suppress all through Dzaka’s childhood so that Ghezu would never guess the real link between the foundling and himself.

  He’d checked with Ni’Zulhu on Dzaka’s movements today and been told that he’d taken an aircar and left the estate, heading toward Valsgarth, or beyond. Noni had said she’d received a second visitor, one who was troubled. Maybe that had been Dzaka trying to have Ghezu’s news confirmed. Noni knew everyone and everything about Stronghold, but she couldn’t have told Dzaka much because she didn’t know what had happened between him and Khemu—until now. She’d have said to ask him.

  Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he sat up and called Rulla on his wrist com.

  “Rulla, Kaid here. Where’s Dzaka?”

  “On surveillance at the gatehouse. Anything wrong?”

  “No. I need to talk to him. Can you have someone up there to relieve him in fifteen minutes’ time?”

  “No problem.”

  “Don’t tell him I’m on my way.”

  “What’s he been up to now, Kaid?” said Rulla. “Are you sure I can’t help?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. I need to speak to him on a personal matter.”

  “I’ll see to it now. Rulla out.”

  *

  Fifteen minutes later, Dzaka came outside. As he stood in front of him, Kaid could see and feel the resentment in every line of his body.

  “They told me I’d been relieved of duty and that you wanted to see me.”

  Kaid gestured for him to start walking. They moved away from the gatehouse, heading toward the Valsgarth estate where Dzaka was living now.

  “I’ve only asked for a temporary relief for you,” said Kaid. “Noni called me this afternoon. What she said made me realize we needed to talk. You saw Ghezu today?”

  “He summoned me to Stronghold. I’m still one of the Brotherhood, even if the rest of you aren’t,” he said, his tone sharp and bitter. “I wondered how long it would take you to come and see me. Father.” He said the word as an insult.

  Kaid winced instinctively, ears flicking.

  “Funny how you can talk about trust so easily yet show none yourself,” Dzaka continued. “Why didn’t you tell me? Have you been so ashamed of me in these past thirty years that you could never acknowledge me as your son?”

  “Dzaka, you don’t…”

  “Don’t tell me any more of your lies! How you must have hated me all these years. There I was, an unwanted cub, a reminder of the fact that the only way you could have my mother was to drug her!”

  Kaid reached out and grabbed Dzaka by the arm, pulling him to a halt. The younger male turned on him with a snarl of rage but he held on.

  “Dammit, Dzaka! It wasn’t like that. Ghezu’s lying to you! He’s using you against me again. Can’t you see that?”

  “Let go of me,” said Dzaka, his voice suddenly cold as his eyes began to narrow.

  Kaid stared at him for a moment then released him. “Ghezu’s lying, Dzaka. He doesn’t know you’re my son. He’s only guessing.”

  “Am I your son?”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Then he’s not lying.”

  “He’s only guessing, Dzaka. He doesn’t know.”

  Dzaka’s ears flicked in a negative. “You’re the one lying. You drugged my mother, then raped her, and I’m the proof of it. Why else would she disown and abandon me?”

  “I didn’t drug her and I didn’t rape her, Dzaka,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm and even. He could see by the rapid, jerky movements of Dzaka’s ears and tail that he was only just controlling his rage. “I told you, Ghezu’s lying.”

  “You’re the liar, Kaid! No female willingly has a cub outside a three-year contract, we both know that, just as we know the drug you used neutralized her ability to choose whether or not she conceived! You used her, paired with her once and never saw her again. You treated her like a common qwene!”

  “It wasn’t like that, Dzaka. Did Ghezu tell you he wanted her, too? All this is because of his jealousy. Khemu approached me that night. Ghezu knows because he heard her. I didn’t need to drug her.”

  “Don’t lie!” Dzaka snarled, canines showing starkly in the moonlight as he leaned forward, ready to attack. “There was no way she’d have agreed to have your cub the first time you paired!”

  Kaid had to force his ears from instinctively flattening outward ready for a Challenge. The slightest move now could tip them into a fight to the death, and that was the last thing he wanted.

  “What happened when we paired was an accident. Neither of us intended for her to conceive,” he said.

  “An accident?” Dzaka said scornfully. “Accidents like that don’t happen, Father! You’ll have to think up a more convincing lie than that!”

  “It’s no lie. Something … happened … between us, and she left,” he said. “I followed her but she wouldn’t see me. I tried several times, but each time her family had me thrown off the estate until I was ordered by Father Jyarti not to go back. Then we heard she’d been killed in an accident.”

  “Can you blame them? You’d dishonored their daughter—my mother! It might not have mattered that much down here in the lowlands, but in the mountains?”

  “She told no one, Dzaka. Her family didn’t know I was the father. That’s why I know Ghezu is lying! What happened was between Khemu and me, and it still is. You have no right to interfere.”

  “I have no right to interfere?” he said, taking a step toward Kaid, his claws flicking out of their sheaths. “I’m her son!”

  “You’re also my son,” said Kaid, holding his ground. “Use your head, Dzaka! Why did Khemu carry you full term if she didn’t want you? She could have aborted, but she didn’t.” He felt the first trace of doubt enter Dzaka’s mind.

  “Yes, you were left at the gates of Stronghold, but when Garras and I found you, you’d not been there long. I knew you were my son the moment I held you. Why did I ask to foster you if I hated you? Think carefully, Dzaka. Who could have told Ghezu about your birth? What has he to gain from telling you all this?”

  “Noni knew!”

  “Noni knew nothing till today! When you told her what Ghezu said, then she worked it out!”

  “Everyone is conveniently lying but you, is that what you want me to believe?” he demanded, straightening up. “Well, I don’t believe you! You’ve already destroyed her li
fe completely, so stay away from her and at least let her die in peace! Her family may have been too afraid of you and Stronghold to take revenge for her, but I’m not, and, by Vartra, Father, you’ll pay for what you did to her!”

  He lunged forward with such speed that Kaid was only just able to deflect some of the force of the blow, then Dzaka was gone.

  As he hit the ground, pain exploded along his forearm. Then Garras was kneeling over him, swearing as he pressed hard above the wound, trying to stem the bleeding.

  “I should have shot the tree-climbing little bastard when I had the chance,” Garras muttered.

  “You followed me,” said Kaid, trying to concentrate on what his friend was doing as the world wheeled crazily around him.

  “No. I sensed something was up. Now shut up, you need a medic.” He raised his head toward the gatehouse and bellowed for a guard.

  All those on duty shot out of the door and stood looking at them, too stunned to come forward.

  “Get me a medikit now! Call Physician Reynolds at the house. Tell him I’m bringing Kaid in and that he’s losing blood fast! Then get me a two-person hopper!” He turned his attention back to Kaid.

  “You’re not that bad,” he said, moving so the injured arm was out of Kaid’s line of sight. “But it’ll do them good to jump!”

  “Huh,” said Kaid, trying to lift his head to look at his arm. “How long were you there?”

  “Long enough. I had you covered. I got a shot off at him but it missed.”

  “You heard?” He could hear his voice becoming fainter and Garras seemed to be farther away.

  “I heard,” he said as the guard came running over with the medikit. “Large pressure bandage,” he snapped, holding out his hand for it.

  The guard pulled the sterile wrapper off and handed it to him.

  The voices took on a faraway quality and he was vaguely aware of Garras ordering the guard to contact Ni’Zulhu and mount a search for Dzaka, saying he was to be brought in alive.

  *

  When he came round he was in his own bed with Vanna checking the cannula in his arm.

  “How do you feel?” she asked, seeing he was awake.

  “Tired,” he said, closing his eyes again.

  “Good. You need to rest. You lost quite a lot of blood, you know. Garras told me it was Dzaka.” She hesitated a moment. “I take it you’d told him he was your son.”

  “Is there anyone who doesn’t know?” he asked dryly.

  “Not many,” she said. “Dzaka’s voice was a little too loud a couple of times. They don’t know the details, though.”

  “Thank Vartra for that,” he muttered. “Have they found him?”

  “Not yet. It’s only a matter of time, though. Why did he try to kill you?”

  Kaid opened his eyes again, a slight smile on his face. “He wasn’t trying to kill me, Vanna. He lashed out in anger, that’s all.”

  “That’s all? He damned near did kill you, though. If Garras hadn’t been there …”

  He reached out with his good arm, placing his hand over hers and squeezing it gently. “But he was there, Vanna. That’s what counts. Now tell me what the damage is. How long before it’s healed?”

  “A good month, maybe two,” she said. “I had to use a plasmagraft. He’d sliced you down to the bone, Kaid.”

  “It happens,” he said, closing his eyes again.

  “I’ll let you sleep,” she said, gently removing her hand. “Kusac and Carrie both wanted to see you but I’ve told them to wait till the morning.”

  “Whatever you say, Vanna,” he murmured.

  He waited till she’d gone, then cautiously sat up. The room swam for a few seconds then righted itself. He swung his legs over the bed and attempted to stand. Wobbly, but he could do it. Reaching out, he lifted the plasma infusion unit and carrying it in his good hand, he carefully made his way over to his desk. Sitting down, he put the unit on the desk and opened the bottom drawer.

  Inside it he kept his own emergency medical kit. Taking the sealed tube out, he unscrewed it, wincing as the action put some strain on his newly stapled wound. He checked the contents and took out the small container of tablets. Enough for now, he thought as he took a couple of the powerful stimulants. He sorted through the contents, checking the items he needed most. He had a couple of fresh dressings, a dozen analgesic tablets, sealant and antibiotic spray, and a dozen Fastheal tablets. He took two of the latter and closed the tube. He needed more medical supplies but he could pick them up at the Valsgarth estate’s new medical unit. A handheld ultrasound unit, a hypoderm, two dozen ampules of analgesic, the same of stimulant, and some more Fastheal should do it. Maybe another couple of dressings to be on the safe side.

  Shutting the drawer, he picked up the plasma unit and staggered over to the cupboard, opening it and taking out his grey Brotherhood jacket. With some difficulty, he managed to pull it on. He hesitated over the plasma unit, then stuffed it into the most convenient pocket. Might as well let it finish the infusion. His medikit tube he slipped into another pocket. Pulling the ends of the belt together, he managed to fasten it then he reached back into the unit to pull out his backpack.

  A wave of dizziness hit him and he had to sit down for a minute or two before he could open it. It was as he’d left it, with everything in it he might need for living rough. Getting up, he slung it over his shoulder and padded slowly to the window, thanking Vartra that his room was on the ground level. Before he left, he retrieved a slim volume from his secret cache. Stuffing it into an envelope, he addressed it to Carrie, leaving it on his desk.

  Chapter 10

  How he made it to the bay at the rear of the estate, Kaid never knew. The boat was still tethered at the side of the wooden jetty. A week or two later and it would have been stored for the winter. Untying the painter, he pulled the cover back enough to crawl under, and let the boat drift. The tide was going out and he knew it would carry him toward the fishing town of Raul, out of the range of Ni’Zulhu’s scanners.

  It took an hour or two, but he wasn’t in a rush and the pain level in his arm was just enough to ensure he couldn’t drop off to sleep. By the time he reached the middle of Nazule Bay, he was able to push the cover back completely and turn the power on. Within fifteen minutes he was docking at Raul.

  He disconnected the infusion unit but left the canula in place. He could reconnect it later when he’d found somewhere to stop. Pulling a long coat from his backpack, he eased himself painfully into it before leaving the boat and entering the small town. Stopping at a public comm, he called one of Nazule’s hire companies, asking them to bring out one of their two-person sports aircars.

  The local tavern was warm and as he waited, he nursed a bowl of fish stew. He knew he needed to eat to build up his fast diminishing reserves of energy, but though he managed to force down about half of it, the rest was beyond him.

  Finally the door opened and he saw the hire company agent. Standing, he beckoned him over.

  “Vehicle for Rhyjidi?” the agent asked.

  Kaid nodded and followed him out.

  “You’ve hired from us before, haven’t you?” the agent said. Without waiting for a reply, he handed Kaid a rigid card. “Here’s the authorization card. Same as usual. Put your credit card in the slot, then that one, and you’re away.” He flicked an ear briefly at him, then sprinted over to the other aircar where his colleague waited.

  Kaid settled himself in the vehicle, stowing his backpack on the seat beside him before taking off. The pain and the side effects of the Fastheal had reached a point where he knew he’d have to find a secure place to stop for a couple of days. His best bet was to head for the Taykui forest, some half an hour’s flight from Raul.

  As he came down in the small clearing, he realized his judgment was virtually shot to hell. The vertical landing was fine, but the craft bumped and jolted over the uneven ground before he brought it to a stop scarcely a meter from a patch of thorn bushes. He released the canopy and hauling hi
mself one-handedly to his feet, looked around. At least he was under cover from any vehicles flying overhead. The area seemed quiet and he couldn’t sense any Sholan presences. Trusting his instincts, he sat down and sealed the craft again, activating the opaque privacy shield.

  Pushing the seat back on its tracks, he swiveled it round to face the rear. The model he’d requested was usually used by hunters and contained a living area large enough to sleep its two occupants, a basic toilet facility, and a food and drink dispenser. Nothing fancy, but adequate for his needs.

  When he stood up in the living area, his head almost touched the roof, but there was enough room for him to shuck off his coat and toss it in a corner out of the way. Sitting down again, he pulled his case forward, setting it on his lap. From it he took out the hypoderm and the pack of assorted ampules he’d acquired from Vanna’s pharmacy.

  His hands shook as he tried to load one of the analgesics. He was burning up and he knew it. Fastheal always had that effect on him but with the febrifuge action of the analgesics, he could weather out the fever. Placing the hypoderm just above the bandage on his left arm, he pressed the trigger. The relief was almost instantaneous and he sank back in the seat, exhausted.

  Pain gets you that way, he thought. You never know just how bad it has been till it’s gone.

  He put the empty ampule in his pack and took out a second one, this time an antibiotic. The last thing he needed was an infected wound. He rearranged the ampules in the order he wished to take them for the next two days, then laid the kit near at hand.

  Leaning forward, he studied the dispenser. He didn’t want anything, but he needed to keep replenishing his energy levels for the Fastheal to work without killing him. It was a dangerous drug, used only sparingly in emergencies, and he was using it at the maximum dose. He needed to be fit again as soon as possible. He had to reach Khemu before she died.

  “Vartra be praised!” he muttered to himself. It had a protein drink on the menu.

  While that was being dispensed, he staggered to his feet and pulled the rear locker door open. A couple of sleeping bags and pillows fell out. Taking one set, he pushed the other back in and returned to his chair, spreading the opened bag over it.