Rhyasha smiled. “Of course, and I had to refuse. When will you broadcast this?”
“On the late news tonight,” Rhaema replied as they walked along the balcony to the stairs.
From below them in the central courtyard, squeaks of delight drifted up to their ears. Rhaema turned a curious face to her hostess.
“My youngest, Kitra, and unless I’m mistaken, Carrie and Kusac playing with her.”
Rhaema was at the rail and leaning over it before Rhyasha could stop her. The two adults were throwing a soft ball over Kitra’s head while the kitling jumped up, trying to catch it.
“Why, she’s not so very different after all,” said Rhaema, surprise evident in her voice.
“Of course not,” said Rhyasha, joining her. “What did you expect?”
“I’ve never had the opportunity to speak to any of them,” she said. “The males go out into the town, but they won’t let any of us reporters near them. The females never seem to leave the guild, except for your son’s mate, and she’s so well guarded, no one gets near her!”
“As I explained earlier, no matter how adventurous their souls, it can be terrifying at times to realize just how alone they are on our alien world.”
“I hadn’t thought of it in quite that light before,” Rhaema said quietly, watching while Carrie held the ball up in the air and Kitra danced round her trying to reach it.
As she turned around, keeping the ball at arm’s length, Carrie looked up, her eyes locking onto Rhaema’s.
“That’s enough for now, Kitra,” said Kusac, reaching out to take the ball from his mate. “Carrie’s been energetic enough for today. She needs to rest.”
“Can we play again later?” the young female asked hopefully.
“We’ll see,” he said, putting a protective arm around Carrie as he looked up, too. After the flick of an ear to the two on the balcony, he drew her away out of sight.
“I guess that’s a no. How can he let her fight a Challenge?” she asked, turning back to look at Rhyasha. “She’s so vulnerable, so easy to hurt. All this Rala needs to do is hit her once with her hand and it would be over.”
“We know. That’s why we need your help. Not just for Carrie, but for all the mixed pairs. The Challenge has to be stopped. Their unborn cub mustn’t be put at risk, and never again can the Telepath Guild be allowed to wield the power they did when they drugged Vanna and Brynne. People like you shape public opinion, so make the people aware of what is really happening.”
She hesitated, then gave a small smile. “My son says you may use the images you recorded of them playing with Kitra for your broadcast, but they would have appreciated being asked first.”
Rhaema’s ears lay back in embarrassment. Damn, but he was good! She’d not felt anything when he’d probed her mind. “I triggered it without realizing, Liege,” she said in apology. “I’ll certainly do what I can to help.”
As she left, she gave herself a mental shake in an attempt to dispel the look of fear she had seen in the human female’s eyes.
*
Back at the guild, Vanna had long since finished processing the data she had obtained from Carrie’s scan. Ahead of her lay the task of collating it. There was no need for her to remain in her office. She could do it just as easily, and more comfortably, in her apartment.
She found it empty as she had expected. The last two Link days, Brynne had come over late, stayed only as long as was necessary, then left until the next time. At the moment she could sense him in the refectory with the other Terrans. This suited her since their relationship was very basic: he stayed with her only long enough to satisfy the demands of their Link, then he left for the more pleasant company of one of his Sholan bed companions. She didn’t mind that either as only then did she feel comfortable being with Garras.
She set about making herself a meal. Something elaborate for a change, she thought.
Very shortly she lost herself in the task and while she waited for the food to cook, she loaded Jack Reynold’s data into her comm.
After she’d eaten she returned to her studies, comparing his data with hers. Every now and then a stray thought about what Brynne had said would force its way into her mind only to be banished as being his idea of a cruel joke. Some time later she got up to make herself a cup of coffee, noticing with a start that it was very late. Filing her work, she switched the comm off and began to get ready for bed.
As she dropped off to sleep, her mind, unguarded for the moment, turned to Kusac and Carrie. It was enough that he had found a Leska he loved, but now that Carrie could bear his children, that small place that might have been hers was irrevocably gone. That she herself should now have a similarly compatible human Leska— and not one who loved her— was the final irony. As tears began to form in her eyes, sleep gently claimed her.
*
She woke suddenly, blinking because of the unexpected light. After a moment’s confusion she sensed Brynne sitting beside her. Trying to sit up, she found herself pushed back on the bed by his firm hand.
“Lie still a minute more,” he said, not unkindly. “I’m taking those tests you conveniently forgot to do.”
Looking at her left arm, she found it encased in the test unit.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, trying to push him away. “You’ve no idea how to use it.”
“Patience, Vanna. I’ve been learning to use the knowledge I got from you,” he said, checking the readings and moving her arm so she could see them, too. “There you are, the proof that you’re pregnant.”
Angrily, Vanna sat up and snapped the unit free from her arm, setting it aside on the bed. “Not for long,” she said flatly.
Brynne shook his head slowly, an amused look on his face. “You’ve lost that convenient ability. I checked out the standard female Sholan physiology and compared it to yours. That’s another area of change. Your mind can no longer affect whether or not you conceive or remain pregnant in the first few days. You’re as trapped as I am, Vanna.”
For the first time she felt his sympathy for her.
“Poor Vanna, the career medic caught in the oldest human trap, and not even by the male of her choice.” He gave a short, dry laugh. “Pity you carry a torch for Kusac; it doesn’t exactly give us much of a chance even if circumstances were different. I can’t say I enjoy living in an accelerated relationship with a female who loves someone else, and who has yet a third male for a mate!”
Vanna pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them protectively, her ears flat against her skull. “You’ve no right to pry into my private thoughts or life,” she said angrily.
He reached out to touch her face, stroking the short fur. She jerked her head away, but his hand followed. Cupping the back of her head in one hand, he ran the fingers of the other gently through the cropped curls that grew down the sides of her neck.
“I’m afraid you’re not very good at blocking your thoughts whenever he’s around. I’d be very surprised if he isn’t as aware as I am of how you feel.”
Vanna’s pupils widened as her panic increased.
“Pity,” he continued, “you’re really rather beautiful. Huge green eyes and amazingly soft fur. It’s such a waste.”
He leaned forward, pulling her face closer and kissing her.
She put up her hands to push him away, but they were grasped and held firmly by the wrists.
He continued, forcing her mouth open, his tongue flicking across her lips and teeth, then just as abruptly he released her and stood up.
“Sleep well,” he said, leaving.
Vanna put a hand to her mouth, utterly surprised, unable to sense anything of his feelings through their Link. He had never kissed her before. Stunned, she sat there for a few minutes, then got up to check whether he had really left. Perplexed, she locked the door on the inside then returned to bed. As she lay there in the dark she began to panic anew, trying to recall if she’d been too obvious to Kusac about how she felt.
He�
�s got no illusions about your feelings for him, came Brynne’s amused thought.
*
“The Leska Link has always been considered a gift from the Gods,” said Rhaema Vorkoh as she looked out at them from the main comm screen, “so what justification have the authorities for treating these young telepaths from both our species as if they were experimental animals? After seeing Liegen Kusac Aldatan and his human Leska, even I could feel the touch of the God on them and I’m not a religious person. To be able to truly experience what’s it’s like to have been born and grown up on an alien world, to win the trust-perhaps even the love— of someone from such a radically different background is an achievement of no small order. Those whom the God chooses to do this are indeed special.” Rhaema paused and her image was replaced by that of Carrie and Kusac playing with Kitra.
“Every mixed Leska pair is another strut in the bridge between our worlds, allies who stand between us and the Valtegans, helping prevent tragedies such as those on the colony worlds of Khyaal and Szurtha from ever happening again. Their children will be equally important to us, a sign that the God trusts us to build for the future, a future which includes these children.”
Once more, Rhaema returned to the screen. “Let your displeasure be known. Tell your guild representative how you feel about these people being kidnapped and drugged, about the life of the first of these cubs being risked in what is now a pointless Challenge. You have the power to change all this. Do it now, and work toward a better future which honors those brave enough to take up the God’s challenge. This is Rhaema Vorkoh of Infonet.”
Konis switched the comm off. “Well, she certainly did her best,” he said, looking over to where his wife sat. “That reporter knows how to deliver an impassioned speech.”
“That’s because she spoke the truth,” said Rhyasha.
“You really believe what she said about your God,” said Carrie from where she sat curled up beside Kusac.
“Of course. How else could all these impossible things have happened to you?”
Leave it, cub. Let her believe it’s the work of Vartra, sent Kusac.
At the far side of the lounge, the comm unit began to beep, making it unnecessary for her to reply.
Konis got up and went over to answer it. “Governor Nesul, what a pleasure,” he said, his voice a purr of almost-contempt. “I take it your meeting is over?”
“Subtle, Konis, very subtle,” said Nesul. “I detected Rhyasha’s hand behind that broadcast, by the way. Compliment her for me.”
“How can I help you, Governor?” Konis’ voice was silky now.
“I’ve got a job for you,” Nesul said. “You want these Leska pairs under the jurisdiction of AlRel, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Konis was puzzled. What was Nesul up to?
“Then I suggest you take on the job personally. You base yourself at the guild and monitor the progress of these pairs. You wanted someone impartial who was prepared to gainsay the dictates of the guild, someone to protect the interests of our mixed Leskas? Who better than you?” Nesul grinned, teeth showing whitely. “After all, you have a vested interest in preventing the guild from monopolizing these people and their cubs.”
Konis stood there, his face frozen in a polite mask. “I don’t think…”
“Good, then I’ll tell Esken to expect you tomorrow. Good night, Konis.” The screen went blank.
Uttering a few choice epithets, Konis turned and headed for the door. “Excuse me, I’m going to call that toothless, tree-climbing bastard back!”
Kusac watched his mother’s shoulders start to shake as she hid her face behind her hands. Finally, the laughter escaped her.
“I think your father has overplayed his hand this time,” she chuckled. “However, I can’t think of anyone better to fill the post. Neither Esken nor anyone else will intimidate your father. I think they’ll rue the day they put him in charge!”
We’re still no nearer getting the Challenge stopped, sent Kusac.
Maybe. With AlRel in charge, and your father head of AlRel, he can perhaps pull a few strings by himself now. We’ll see, sent his mother.
*
It was well into the next day before Jack was able to locate Vanna’s whereabouts on Shola. Last time they’d been in touch, he’d never thought to ask for her address. There was more delay while Vanna had to request the main guild office to send the data transfer. By the time he was able to actually sit down and examine her findings, it was getting on toward evening and Carrie’s father was beginning to get extremely edgy.
“Damn it, Jack, couldn’t you have done it quicker?” he demanded, pacing round his friend’s now enlarged office in Valleytown.
“Have you ever tried to locate one person on a planet larger than Earth when you only know their first name?” said Jack. “Even the fact that she was with Carrie and Kusac on Keiss wasn’t any real help. I was as quick as I could be. If it hadn’t been for that Myak chap on the Khalossa, I’d never have found her.”
“We’ve got to have it ready for tomorrow. The Council is heavily committed, but I intend to bring this matter up first thing and get it over and done with, so we can contact Kusac’s father and get this fight stopped.” He snorted. “The whole concept of a combat duel is barbaric!”
“No more barbaric than some of our sports,” said Jack, marking areas of text on the screen that he wanted to print out later.
“This isn’t a sport. Win or lose, it’s got legally binding consequences.”
“Not essentially different from our martial arts competitions.”
“People don’t get hurt on Earth!”
Jack looked up, his eyebrows raised. “You’re forgetting the boxing matches, to say nothing of some of the forms of contact karate. To my mind they’re far from civilized.”
“Dammit all, Jack, my daughter’s life is at stake!”
Jack heard the fear in Peter’s voice and turned around to see the older man slump down into an easy chair, his head in his hands.
“Come on now, Peter,” Jack said, getting up and going over to him. “This isn’t going to help Carrie, is it?” Awkwardly, he patted him on the shoulder. “Where’s Richard tonight?”
“Looking after the inn,” said Peter, his voice muffled by his hands.
“You need to rest, or you’ll be too worn down with worry to handle the Council meeting tomorrow. You’re overstretching yourself, Peter. I’ll get Richard to come over and take you home for an early night. Will you promise to rest?”
As Peter nodded, Jack gave his shoulder another pat. “Good man. Try not to worry about this, I’m sure everything will be all right and the Council will cancel this Challenge. I’ll work through the night on this. It’ll be ready for tomorrow, I promise.”
*
The next day, Kusac called Vanna at the Guild.
“You know that it looks like the Challenge will have to go ahead,” he said to her.
“I gathered that when Jack Reynolds contacted me last night,” she said, ears flicking backward despite her efforts to stop them.
“What did he want?”
“The results of the genetic tests I ran on you. Apparently Carrie’s father needs them to put before the Keissian/Sholan Council in an attempt to get them to overrule the law on Challenges.”
“If they needed medical evidence, why didn’t they get back to us?”
“You go to a medic for medical evidence, Kusac, not usually to the patient,” she said dryly.
“Personally, I think they’re wasting their time,” he said. “I can’t see that Council helping us any more than the authorities here. I’ve actually called to ask you yet another favor,” he said, tilting his head slightly to one side, unable to look her straight in the eyes.
“I’ll be there,” she said. “I hope I won’t be needed.”
Kusac’s ears twitched slightly in surprise but he said nothing. “Father has asked me to request that you bring another medic with you, and everything that might be needed.”
The physician in her noticed that his eyes were almost completely black with the white of the inner lids showing at the edges.
“I anticipated this. I’ve already got permission from the head surgeon to take what I need from the guild hospital. I had some trouble convincing him that I should come at all since he would rather handle the matter himself.” She hesitated. “You might be better having someone more qualified than me. All the top medics at the guild now have a working knowledge of Terran physiology.”
“No. I don’t want anyone else,” he said in a rush, afraid she wouldn’t come after all. “I don’t like imposing on you, especially when things are…” he hesitated, “difficult, but I’d rather it was you. We trust you. I don’t trust anyone else from the guild.”
She nodded.
“If you have any trouble with your surgeon, tell him to contact my father as head of AlRel.”
She nodded again, aware that an awkwardness was developing between them. “What time is the Challenge?” she asked.
“Fourth hour, the day after tomorrow.”
“I’ll be there,” she said, “without Brynne.”
“Thank you,” said Kusac. “I’m sorry I have to involve you yet again.”
“I’m beginning to think I was born involved. I couldn’t leave it to someone else,” she said, distress showing on her face and in the set of her ears. “Until I knew you were both all right, it would be like living through hell.”
Kusac’s ears went completely back and he opened his mouth to speak.
“I’ll see you then,” she said hurriedly, breaking the contact.
He sat looking at the blank screen for several seconds before leaning forward to switch it off. Inwardly, he cursed whatever cruel trick of fate had decreed that the three of them be so closely involved with each other.
*
The day before the Challenge came, and there had still been no word from Keiss. The house seemed to be full of tension despite the fact that everyone tried to behave normally. By mid-morning, Kusac could stand it no longer and announced that he and Carrie were going to town.
Taking a small aircar, he flew them there, parking in the Telepath Guild grounds. They spent the day wandering around the shops, Kaid following them like a silent shadow.
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