The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga

by Laura Jo Phillips

  ***

  Michael opened his eyes and looked around, confused at first by the unfamiliar surroundings.

  “Feeling any better?” Vikter asked.

  Michael turned his head and saw Vikter standing in the aisle, looking down at him with mild concern.

  “I’m not sure,” Michael said as he reached down the side of his seat and hit the lever to raise it to a sitting position. “What happened?”

  “Shortly after we lifted off you claimed to have a severe headache,” Vikter said. “It was bad enough that you had a bloody nose. Then you passed out and you’ve been sleeping ever since. We have only a very small amount of Water Magic, so there wasn’t much we could do. We tried to lessen the pain in your head, and help you to sleep.”

  “Water Magic?” Michael asked. “What’s that?”

  “Water Magic is healing magic,” Lance said. “Not our strongest, unfortunately.”

  “What other kinds of magic are there?”

  “Air, Fire, Earth, Water,” Hunt said. “All Jasani male-sets have some strength in all of them, though they are strong in only one. Our strength is Earth.”

  “Interesting,” Michael said. “Well, whatever you did, I thank you for it. On my way to Berria the other day I got a headache so bad I thought my brain was going to explode, and it took a full day to recover. Whatever you did, it doesn’t hurt at all now.”

  “Do you usually get headaches when you fly?” Vikter asked.

  “No, never have before,” Michael replied, reaching out to accept a bottle of cold water from Lance. “Thank you,” he said, before twisting the top off and taking a long drink. When the bottle was empty he stood up and stretched.

  “How much longer before we reach the ranch?” he asked.

  “Not long,” Vikter said. “An hour maybe.”

  “If you like, I can tell you some of my impressions from the Xanti,” he said. “I recorded everything at the Research Center, just in case.”

  “We’d like to hear, very much,” Vikter said. “We’d also like to know what you learned from the bio-suit.”

  Michael frowned. “I’m not really sure about that just yet,” he said. “I have all of my notes here, of course. And I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

  “What is it that you aren’t sure of?” Vikter asked.

  “That’s the thing,” Michael said. “I don’t know. There’s something there, something I’m so close to seeing, but can’t quite. I got the same feeling from the bio-suit in Berria.”

  “I know that feeling,” Lance said. “It’s annoying as hell.”

  “What do you do about it?” Michael asked. “I’ve never had it before, and it’s about to drive me around the bend with frustration.”

  “Unfortunately, the best thing you can do is leave it alone,” Lance replied. “Your subconscious mind is working on something, and your conscious mind can’t stop it, or even help it along. You gotta let it be and go on to something else. When it’s ready for your input, it’ll let you know.”

  Michael sighed again as he reached for his hand terminal and turned it on. “All right, I’ll leave it alone. Or try to anyway. So, my impressions of the Xanti.”

  Vikter, Lance and Hunt sat near Michael, listening intently. They’d been wanting to hear this for days now, but hadn’t had time to listen to the recordings before leaving for Berria. They were thrilled that they’d get to hear at least some of it before they reached the ranch.

  “First,” Michael began, “I feel I must remind you that I cannot read thoughts. I know nothing of what the Xanti was thinking while I was connected to it, or what their plans are, or where their ships are, things of that nature.”

  “We understand,” Vikter assured him. “We will not expect more than what you give us.”

  “The Xanti is, much to my surprise, a hive creature,” Michael began. “I did some research on arachnids yesterday morning and could not find a single known species in all of the Thousand Worlds that lives in hives. The Xanti are, apparently, unique in this respect.”

  “We are not very familiar with hive creatures,” Vikter said. “We’ll have to correct that lack. However, something tells me that is a very important bit of information.”

  “Yes, absolutely,” Michael said. “For one thing, they are matriarchal. That explains the rudimentary reproductive organs. My guess is that each hive consists of one queen and a whole bunch of drones, or sterile males. Some are probably warriors, others gatherers, builders, that sort of thing. I’ve no idea what their structure is. I’m just going on what little I know about hive societies in general.”

  “We understand,” Lance said. “What else?”

  “They are not just paranoid,” Michael said. “They are clinically, psychotically paranoid. It’s so deeply ingrained in them that it’s a part of their racial makeup. Their attempt to destroy or enslave all beings is not so much a decision on their part, but a racial imperative. They have no real choice.”

  “Which means there can never be any peace with the Xanti,” Vikter said.

  “No, never,” Michael said. “They are, in every way, incapable of co-existing with any species that they have not subjugated. Which tells me that they have slaves, and a lot of them.”

  “I’m sorry, I missed something there,” Vikter said. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

  “I’m sorry, I jumped ahead,” Michael said. “The Xanti does not have a creative mind. They do not possess the ability to invent anything new. They are intelligent in a devious, predatory way. They can and do adapt. They have no problem learning to use technological devices, but they do not create them, and they do not build them. They have neither the right type of brain, nor the physical dexterity and strength to build factories or ships. Therefore it follows that their technology is not their own. As they cannot coexist with another species, they must have enslaved them.”

  Michael paused for a moment and scrolled through his notes. “The single most important thing to know about the Xanti is that their primary motivation for all that they do is fear. It is what fuels every action, determines every deed, colors every decision. It’s the foundation for who and what they are.”

  “That’s perhaps the most frightening thing I’ve ever heard,” Hunt said in a low voice. “There can be no compromise with such a being. No treaty, no peace. No splinter group of rebels willing to come over to the other side.”

  “No, you will never find a renegade Xanti,” Michael agreed.

  ***

  Honey parked the ground-car behind the infirmary in the spot Doc had told her to use, feeling just a little nervous. She wasn’t concerned about her nerves, though. She knew from experience that the moment she saw her first patient, the nerves would vanish.

  She glanced over toward the Research Center next door and thought of Michael. If he’d been offered a position as he hoped, then they’d be staying here. If they were going to stay here, Michael had made it very clear that he was done living a lie, so everyone would soon know the truth about them. Including the Vulpirans, of course. She wondered how they’d react, but she didn’t know them well enough to guess.

  At least she understood the reason for all the tension she felt from them every time she saw them. Understanding that was, in itself, a big relief. But at the same time, looking at an unknown future was kind of scary. It had been so long since she’d been free to make decisions about her own life.

  She opened the infirmary door and stepped inside, putting Michael and the Vulpirans from her mind. Whether they stayed on Jasan or not, she was here to see patients, and needed to focus on that alone.

  “Good morning, Dr. Davis,” Doc greeted her cheerily. “Are you ready for your first day?”

  “Yes, I am,” Honey said. “I’m looking forward to seeing patients again.”

  “I know what you mean,” Doc said. “It’s the people that make medicine fulfilling, isn’t it?”

  Honey nodded as she followed Doc down the hall and into an office. “This
will be your office,” he said, waving at the almost bare room. There was a desk, a chair, a vid-terminal, and a couple of book shelves. “Do whatever you like with it to make it yours. You’ll probably be spending a good deal of time here.”

  “Thanks, Doc,” Honey said. “But remember, I still have to talk to Michael about taking this position permanently.”

  “I know, I’m not forgetting,” Doc said. “I’m just confident in our ability to convince you to stay where you’re needed most.

  “Thanks, Doc,” Honey said.

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Doc said with a wink. “As I told you, we’ve got four patients coming in for you specifically. Two of them are Jasani, two human, all pregnant of course. What I didn’t tell you is that they’re coming in this afternoon. I have something else planned for your morning.”

  “More patients?” Honey asked. “If they’re human, that’s fine. Otherwise, my knowledge of Jasani physiology is seriously lacking. I won’t have any trouble sensing the babies either way, but beyond that, I am not prepared to see Jasani patients.”

  “That’s not going to be a problem since that’s what I had planned for you this morning,” Doc said, pleased that Honey wanted to learn about the Jasani.

  “Good,” Honey said with relief. “Show me where to start.”

  “It’s all right there on your vid-terminal,” Doc said. “But first, come on in to the break room, get some coffee and meet Nurse Tesla.”

  Honey put her handbag down and followed Doc out of her office and down the hall.

  ***

  “We’ve just crossed over the ranch border,” Hunt said, the combination of technology and magic that created the protective barrier causing a sensation that felt like cold water rushing over his body. “Won’t be much longer now.”

  “How long?” Michael asked.

  “Five, ten minutes at this speed,” Lance replied.

  Michael turned off his hand terminal and got up to get another drink of water. For some reason, he felt nervous about seeing Honey again, though he wasn’t sure why. He knew that she’d recovered from whatever had happened to her when she’d healed those babies. Not only had the Vulpirans told him so, but he’d talked to her on the vox and she’d assured him that it hadn’t been a big deal at all. The Vulpirans had said different, but since she was well now it didn’t matter much one way or the other.

  He drank his water, disposed of the bottle and headed back toward his seat, still pondering the problem. The Vulpirans had offered him a permanent position running the Research Center on the Dracons’ ranch, and he’d taken it. After seeing the facility in Berria, he’d hoped for a spot there, but he’d been assured that would come, in time. That was enough for him. He’d get to do the work he loved, and never have to see Terien again. And he would no longer be forced to live a lie.

  That was it, he realized. That’s why he was nervous about seeing Honey. It wasn’t going to be easy for her when he told her, but he was being as fair as he could be. She and Nica would be allowed to remain on Jasan for as long as they wanted, the council had promised him that much. He’d make sure they always had a place to live and wanted for nothing. She’d probably be upset anyway, and he’d be sorry for that, but he wasn’t going to change his mind.

  Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head and he doubled over in his seat, gasping. He heard Vikter shout, as though from a distance, and then the dark spots at the edges of his vision grew, and full darkness enveloped him.

  ***

  Sergio Farnswaite was sound asleep when his eyes opened and his body sat up without his permission. He tried to blink, tried to shake his head, tried to lay back down. When he was unable to force himself to do any of those things, he decided that he must be dreaming. He watched as though from the sidelines as his body stood up, pulled on a pair of pants and slipped shoes onto his feet before reaching for the light jacket hanging over the back of the single chair in his cell-like room. His hand turned the doorknob, pulled the door open, and his body stepped out into the hall.

  When he realized that his body was walking toward the portion of the detention wing where the Xanti’s cell was located, he again tried to stop himself. If he was dreaming, then this was a nightmare, he decided. No matter how hard he tried to stop them, his feet kept walking calmly down the hall. He decided to try calling for help. If he could scream, maybe he could wake himself up before this nightmare got any worse.

  ***

  Honey studied the data on Jasani physiology that Doc had compiled for her, soaking it up like a sponge. It was fascinating stuff. She was so involved that Doc had to call her name a couple of times to get her attention.

  “Sorry Doc,” she said. “I get a bit carried away sometimes.”

  “That’s nothing to apologize for,” Doc said with a grin. “I just want to let you know I need to leave for a little while. There are no patients scheduled until after lunch, and I’ll be back before that. If you need anything, Nurse Tesla is up front.”

  “Thanks Doc,” Honey replied. “I’ll see you later.”

  Doc nodded and left, pulling the door shut behind him, and Honey turned back to her reading.

  ***

  “Are you sure you’re all right, Michael?” Vikter asked worriedly.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” Michael said, feeling embarrassed. “I don’t have any idea what happened. I just felt like someone ran a spike through my head. But there’s no pain at all now, no dizziness, nothing. I’m great.”

  Vikter didn’t like it. “That’s twice now,” he said. “Plus, you said it happened on the way to Berria. As soon as we land, you’re going straight to the infirmary and have Doc give you a once over.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary, Vikter,” Michael said. “I’m fine now. No pain, nothing.”

  “Michael, I’m your boss now,” Vikter said. “I hate to pull rank like this, but we cannot afford to lose you. So please, humor me.”

  “All right, Vikter,” Michael replied. “Since you insist.”

  “Thank you,” Vikter said, clapping him lightly on the shoulder before turning to go back to his own seat.

  Michael turned to look out the window and sighed. Looked like he was going to have to face Honey sooner than he hoped. He was very happy and excited that the Jasani Council had offered him a permanent position. But, he was worried about Honey’s reaction. He didn’t want to hurt her or Nica, and he really hoped that their relationship would stay the same. Either way, he was determined to stop living the lie that the Teriens had forced on them. If it hurt Honey, he would be sorry, but he was still going to go through with it.

  ***

  Sergio felt sweat pop out on his forehead as he fought against his own body while it sauntered casually through the empty halls. He knew something bad was going to happen. And he knew it had something to do with that stars-damned Xanti, since that was where his body was taking him.

  That thought...his body taking him...made him want to weep with frustration. He tried to convince himself that he was asleep, but he knew better. This was too clear, too vivid, too tactile. He felt the sweat running down his face, the brush of his arms against the cloth of his jacket as they swung gently as he walked, the slight pinch of his toes in the shoes he’d put on that had never fit quite right but which he wore anyway because they were so stylish.

  He couldn’t stop himself. He couldn’t scream. He couldn’t convince himself he was asleep. And he couldn’t black out. His only choices were to either give up and see what happened next, or keep fighting. Fighting seemed useless, but for once in his life, even though there was no one around to see it, no one who would ever know it, Sergio Farnswaite refused to give up.

  ***

  Vikter frowned as the transport descended toward the grassy airfield. Something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but the certainty was growing stronger and stronger by the moment. Was it Michael’s headaches? He shook his head. He’d thought so at first, but Michael was fine now. It was something else.


  He nodded to Lance and walked toward the back of the cabin. When they were far enough away that he was sure Michael couldn’t hear him, he leaned close to Lance. “Vox the Research Center,” he said. “Tell whoever is on duty to check on the Xanti.”

  Lance nodded and reached for his vox. Vikter waited tensely while he asked the guard who answered to check on the Xanti. A moment later, he tapped his vox and shook his head.

  “The guard checked the view screen and said that the Xanti is in its favorite corner, sleeping.”

  Vikter shook his head as the transport set down. Something was wrong. His eyes widened. He had to get to Honey. He didn’t know why, nor did he stop to figure it out. Trusting his instincts, he headed quickly for the exit, Lance and Hunt right behind him. He pressed the emergency bar on the door and it hissed softly and began to swing open. As soon as it was open wide enough for them to squeeze through, Vikter, Lance and Hunt leapt to the ground without benefit of the stairs. Vikter was already shifting into his alter-form before his feet touched the ground. He turned toward the Research Center and began running as fast as he had ever run in his life.

  “What is it?” Hunt asked, running just behind Vikter to his left.

  “I don’t know,” Vikter replied. “I just remembered that Michael said Honey was going to start working at the infirmary today and I have a bad feeling.”

  “So do I,” Lance said. “Something’s wrong.”

  Vikter ran faster, wishing for the first time in all the years of his life that they had strength in Air Magic instead of Earth Magic. Luckily, the airfield was close to the garrison.

  Rather than risk interference by going down the main road between the buildings, he went around, cutting through the parking area behind the cafeteria, the armory, the inn, a few other smaller buildings. Then came the wide expanse of grass separating the main part of the garrison from the Research Center and the medical infirmary.