“There’s also your friends, M’Nar and Jerenn,” added Carrie as she came up behind him carrying Gaylla. “And all the other aliens here to make sure your privacy is protected.”
“This is definitely the last public appearance you’ll make,” promised Kusac, gripping his son’s hand just a little bit tighter in reassurance. “After this, we are heading to our forever home.”
“We gets to meet our little brothers and sisters, don’t we?” asked Gaylla, wrapping one arm round Carrie’s neck and holding tightly to her dolly with the other one.
“Father’s brought Kashini!” Kusac exclaimed, looking at Carrie. “I thought he was hiding something from us! He and Mother brought Vanna with Kashini!”
“Well, we better get outside, then,” said Carrie as she stepped aside to allow Rhaema to go first. “I think it was a wise move on your father’s part to bring Kashini here. That way, everyone can see there’s no difference between them.”
Kusac activated the air lock, opening both doors.
“Give me about twenty seconds and then you can come out,” said Rhaema, fitting her microphone round her ear.
Kusac watched her walk down the ramp to the landing pad, starting her commentary on the arrival home of the heroes of M’zull.
“Everyone ready?” Kusac asked as he and Shaidan began to move forward.
A crowd had gathered behind the barriers set by security, probably travelers already in the center when they heard Rhaema’s broadcast.
Shaidan welded himself to Kusac’s leg. “It’s scary, Papa,” he whispered.
“I’m here,” he said reassuringly, “So’s your mama. They aren’t going to be talking to you, so don’t worry.”
As soon as they cleared the ramp, they spread out, a small but defiant group, standing there with the six cubs. Then the occupants of the other craft began to join them, and suddenly they weren’t such a small group after all.
They could see their family kept back by security, but suddenly there was a stir and a small blonde figure dodged between the officials and streaked across the empty landing pad to Kusac, yelling “Papa! Mama! You is home!”
She skidded to a stop in front of Kusac and Carrie, looking at Shaidan, then up at Gaylla before flinging her arms around her father’s other leg. “You’se home,” she said happily, before moving to her mother and likewise attaching herself to her leg. “Missed you both, Mama,” she said, hugging her tightly.
“I’se Kashini. You’re Shaidan,” she said, looking at him from the safety of her mother’s side. “Aunty Vanna tole me all about you. You my brother like Dhyshac is, but bigger.”
“Hello, Kashini,” Shaidan said.
“You my sister, too?” asked Gaylla, leaning down to look at her.
“She’s your cousin,” said Carrie, gently setting the cub down onto the ground beside Kashini. The two little females looked at each other as Carrie managed to grab each of them by the hand.
Kashini’s mouth dropped in a smile. “I like you,” she said. “We be friends.”
“I has a dolly,” said Gaylla, thrusting her Valtegan doll toward Kashini. “An’ a pet jegget called Snow. Do you have toys, ’Shini?”
“Looks like little ones soon be fast friends,” said Annuur as they watched Governor Nesul, accompanied by Kusac’s parents and Vanna start to make their way toward them. As soon as they were close enough, Vanna came running over.
“Please tell me Garras is with you,” she said anxiously.
“On the bridge,” said Kusac quietly as the official welcoming party stopped in front of them. “Up the ramp and you’ll find him.”
“Thank you!” She disappeared into the ship.
“Ambassador Nesul,” began Annuur before anyone else could speak. “Introducing I am to you the Ambassadors from Ghioass. Elder Khassis, the TeLaxaudin representative you have not been meeting before, neither Elder Shvosi who be representing the Cabbaran people. With her is her aide Kuvaa. For present, Captain Tirak is U’Churian delegate until Home decides on their Ambassador.”
Shvosi rose up on her hind legs. “We stay on En’Shalla estate until accommodations suitable you have for us. There we watch our friends and their young ones settle back home. Special are these cubs, with parents and siblings they must be.” There was more than a hint of warning in the tone the Cabbaran used, and the Governor was not backward in picking up the implicit threat.
“We’re delighted to greet you, Ambassadors. You are our honored guests. However, I’m sure we can find adequate quarters for you at the Palace until we have converted rooms for your use in the Ambassadorial quarter. We already have members of the TeLaxaudin there.”
“We stay with the Captain,” said Khassis. “We come to consult with our people. When quarters ready, then we move.” Her tone, even through the translator, was an indication that the discussion was at an end.
Where are we going to put them? Kusac sent to his father.
Have no fear, sent Khassis, using her artificially enhanced mental senses to speak to him. We stay in ships till then, on your landing area. Annuur tells us he did this once.
“In that case, shall we schedule some initial talks two days from now?” asked Nesul.
“That will be appropriate,” agreed Khassis.
Nesul turned his attention to Kusac. “We received your report on the events on M’zull from Master Lijou,” he said. “Is their expansionism really at an end? Is there truly no more risk of a war with them?”
“Totally at an end,” said Kusac. “You only need to ask Toueesut and his swarm about that. The Touibans are taking charge there for the moment, though they hope to have working groups from every species there within the next few weeks, our Brotherhood being next.”
“I’ll be in touch shortly with you, Toueesut,” Nesul said, nodding toward the group of Touibans swarming slowly round the cubs. “Will you not at least introduce me to this youngling?” he asked, gesturing at Shaidan.
“My bruvver don’t want to talk to you,” said Gaylla, turning the full power of her gaze on the Governor. “You thinks we’s dangerous,” she said, squirming her hand free from Carrie’s and stepping up to him. She planted her hands on her hips, doll dangling from the right hand. “We’s just cubs. We wants to go home now, not live ever again in labs.”
Shaidan, ever her protector, let go of his father’s leg and joined her. “We want to be with our family, meet our brothers and sisters, and just be cubs,” he said, taking Gaylla by the hand and tugging her back to his father and mother. “We don’t want to be different anymore.”
Kusac scooped Gaylla up into his arms and took Shaidan by the hand again. “They’re only children, children who have been kept as captives for much of their short lives,” he said. “As their Clan Leader, I plan to make sure they get to grow up in safety among our clan, and their parents.”
“I believe my son and his people, including the cubs, have earned this respite,” said Konis. “He’s achieved more than even you could have dreamed of, Nesul. Conflict with the M’zullians is now a thing of the past, with what survives of their war machine being destroyed even as we speak.”
“You’ll get all your reports through my father in the next few weeks,” said Kusac. “Our new allies will also be able to update you on the M’zullian situation, and the birthing tanks used for the cubs. Until then, we’re going home.”
Nesul looked at Kusac, then slowly smiled, holding out his hand. “How can I argue with such a determined young female as your Gaylla? I’ll look forward to your reports,” he said. “Take what time you need to prepare them as I am sure we have more than enough to keep us busy. I don’t suppose you’d like to be an Ambassador?”
Kusac threw him a horrified look even as he shook his hand. “Absolutely not! I will happily work as an aide interfacing with our new allies, but I don’t intend to leave Shola for several years! I want to e
njoy watching my cubs grow up!”
“As your father says, you have earned that right.”
Kusac turned back to his people. “Load up,” he said. “We’re finally going home!”
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Circle's End Page 51
