Rael (Wine of the Gods Book 27)

by Pam Uphoff

  Mead grinned. "The rolling stone has come to rest at last? I have a suspicion it's just an extended pause."

  Kael nodded. "I haven't got too much moss, yet."

  Just loose family ties . . . and more by affection than blood?

  Fortunately the food arrived to end any dip into her own lack of moss. I have a house, and a boyfriend. Even if the house sometimes frightens me, and the boyfriend is an immensely powerful enemy.

  Rael dug into her steak, and started talking about the history and must-see spots around the Division. And of course got asked about the life of a Presidential guard. She answered, mostly honestly.

  "Months of boredom, minutes of terror. Actually we're getting pretty close to years of boredom, which is a win for us. But then I'm mostly an analyst these days."

  Imde eyed her and said it. "Except when you're influencing . . . Disco?"

  Rael gave up and grinned. "Just keeping in touch. Disco's turning out to be a pretty good idea."

  A disbelieving huff from the Biomom. "Really Rael! Taking orders from Natives!"

  "No. The only orders they gave are 'No cross-dimensional wars' and 'Worlds with people already there are off limits.' And then when you protest, like as not they'll say something like 'How about this world over here? Fascinatingly different animals, don't you think?' and hand us a gate to it."

  Kael growled. "I know. I keep having to send out Action Teams to save idiot scientists from weird animals as they try to name new species of dangerous animals after themselves."

  Deim grinned. "And wishing you could go yourself?"

  Snort. "Yes. Every once in a while I manage to find an excuse to cross over and check a situation personally. Can't stay long and really deal with it, though."

  Rael blinked. "I didn't know you were still active. You're senior admin for Exploration and Action, aren't you?"

  "Indeed. And if I make subdirector when Ebko either retires or is promoted, I'll have even less chance to get out into the field." She huffed again.

  Rael eyed her curiously. "Have you ever been tempted to emigrate to one of the more challenging worlds? Head up a pioneering group into one of the Target Worlds?"

  The old woman drummed her fingers. "There are two that are probably going to be approved for colonization in the next few years. But . . . farming just doesn't tempt me."

  Mead smiled wryly. "I think you still want to go bully Natives."

  Kael wrinkled her nose. "No . . . I think I've outgrown the bully level of anger at the universe. Not that I'm not still impatient and rude. But I'm trying to become subtle, to . . . play office politics." She eyed Rael. "I quite liked Agni, you know? I always knew where I stood with the son of a bitch."

  Rael tromped hard on an impulse to remind her that Agni was currently back on the marriage market. Because the fond glances between the two older women were . . . actually quite charming. Not what I expected. Nor the reaction I would have expected of myself.

  Mead sniffed. "I avoided him like the plague. And delighted to hear he'd retired. It's almost enough to make me wish I'd stayed with XD."

  "You should have." Kael glowered. "Not that you thought about anyone else."

  Mead stiffened. "Sometimes one has to, since no one else cares."

  Oops! There went the charm.

  "Mother!"

  "All those years and you can actually say . . ."

  "Aunt Kael!"

  "I appreciated the help, you never did."

  "As if you could have raised these two without help!"

  Deim and Imde swapped alarmed looks.

  "Without some luxuries? Damn straight I could have!"

  Rael jumped in quickly. "Dessert, anyone?"

  No takers. Thank the One. Rael drove them another hour to the enclave and their hotel.

  Apart from some grudging grumpy apologies, it was a quiet ride.

  Family!

  Chapter Three

  Sunday, 12 Emre 1402yp

  They had people parked all over the enclave. And tonight, partying at her parent's house.

  "I thought you said 'small' when you mentioned the wedding." Rael eyed her parent's stuffed living room.

  Raod nodded, ruefully. "I thought most of the distant relatives would just send a card. I didn't expect so many of them to buy a ticket and head for Montevideo. I mean, Aunt Kael? She never socializes. When was the last time she left Gate City? And the three distant cousins from Paris? I haven't seen or spoke to them since I was fifteen." Her grin looked a little forced. "Heck, I'm surprised you took time off from work to come here."

  "Hey," Rael tried, and failed, to not giggle. "Just because I missed your last four . . . My reputation is ridiculously over-inflated. I've pretty much got a fatwa to do anything I please. 'Attending a wedding in Montevideo? While you're there stop by the District Analyst's office and ask something inane and we'll buy the ticket, take all the time you want.' I can't decide if I scare them or they don't think I do any work and they want me out from underfoot."

  "Oh, I suspect . . . " Raod broke off, and Rael looked around.

  Aunt Kael had arrived. And for a woman pushing ninety, she managed to make sleek, sexy, and dangerous look easy.

  "Aunt Kael, you look terrific!" Raod sounded surprised.

  Rael nodded. I've never seen her dressed up, either.

  Kael congratulated Raod. "You've done very well, Niece. Those nasty stories about the twins not being your husband's have faded away. Now a nice solid, companionable marriage is an excellent plan. And if you want more children, you can just divorce him and marry someone better."

  Raod sputtered, fortunately speechless.

  Rael sighed. "Now, Aunt Kael, Raod is giving up the game and marrying for love." She made sure Raod didn't see the wink she gave Kael. "I'm so happy for her!" And I have no idea what his numbers are. Or Raod's. They're both very strong.

  The old woman rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes. We're all very delighted. Now excuse me, I see Mead . . . "

  Rael watched the old battleax stalk across the room. She leaned closer to Raod. "An old flame. That's why she's here." Hopefully they've made up, and are not going to renew their argument!

  "Rael!" Raod was giggling, though. "A girlfriend would explain a lot about your biomom . . . although that makes it even more boggling that she ever got knocked up. Mead, Mead, something on Dad's side, I think. What possessed me to send out so many invitations?"

  "Can't possibly be nerves. Surely you aren't all a twitter about your sixth wedding? I mean, just because for the first time you are marrying for love . . . " Rael sighed. Love. I barely dare think the word.

  "No it's not . . . I just . . . I have to, umm . . . " She looked away. "There's something I've been putting off for years, and I need to do it before the wedding. Clearing everything up, Ox calls it."

  Rael rolled her eyes. Something to do with all the previous marriages, no doubt. One! If she didn't get the documentation done on a divorce . . . the timing is getting a bit tight to fix it.

  Across the room, Ox walked through the door, escorting an old man . . . That's former Councilman Ahvi! Did he say something about a grandfather? I think Ox has been a bit modest about his family connections! That man will probably run for President in the next election!

  "Hey, Princess."

  She looked around. "Bruno! Congrats on the World Cup . . . damn, you look good. Married life seems to be agreeing with you." Indeed. Tall, with the sinewy strength of a man who ran for a living.

  He grinned, a bit sheepish. "Yeah. Hard to believe I ran away from it for so long. Of course, feeling so good, so young, might have something to do with it. I've invested heavily in all the companies working to import Target Forty-two nanomeds. Because let me tell you, they are going to be a big hit."

  "Yeah, but last I heard, they were talking about another ten or twelve years of testing before they could possibly be licensed for sale. Rumor has it the black market is starting to deal in them."

  "Yes, damn it, and half their stuff is just
wine and horse piss and won't do a thing. Going to ruin the market before there's even a product."

  "And anyway, it's 'Comet Fall' now. Definitely not a target." Rael leaned to look around him. "Jude! How's it going? How old are your twins now? Three?"

  "As of last month, and Puuj's are just a week younger. Honestly Rael! All these twins. It seems like nine to ten months after a particular street party there was a flood of twins around here. How did you . . . "

  "Shhhhh! Mind you it wasn't actually illegal at the time—they weren't yet admitting that it even existed—One! They probably didn't believe what it could do! But it's illegal now, until approved by the Empire Drug Board. And I'm sure the Von Neumann's version will never be legal, here."

  Jude nodded, sighed. "I can't believe I didn't think to keep a sample."

  Rael suppressed a shudder. "Just as well, so you weren't tempted to become a drug dealer. You can always take a vacation to Embassy."

  "And ogle your boyfriend? When are you going to have children, Rael?"

  "When the One hell freezes over. I can deal with teenagers, but younger than that? No way. I can handle a half hour of play, and then I'm done."

  More laughter. Pudge came up behind Joud, towing a tall blonde fellow. "What a wimp! The bravest woman around, a true hero! Scared of a dirty diaper. Hi Rael, you look great!"

  "Yeah, I'd better, the amount of money the directorate's paid to doctors and hospitals." Rael grinned, and tilted her head back to look up at Pudge's husband. "Hi, Ixxu, good to see you again."

  The governor stopped by 'casually' to wish the affianced pair well. His princess looked sweet and gentle, past middle aged, but hardly elderly. Her eyes sharpened and dissected Rael. "Take a little stroll with me, Princess Rael."

  "Of course, Princess Hayt."

  They exchanged a show of teeth that might have been mistaken for smiles.

  The older princess didn't waste time with frivolities. "What did you put in that wine?"

  "A substance now banned. It was unknown—and therefore arguably legal—at the time I acquired it."

  "And at the time you passed it on to Itsu?"

  "I am not certain. I think it was still being analyzed. Unclassified. My sample was tiny. . . I passed some on to the School, Jaaf is their expert on potions—spells imbued on a liquid medium. Hmm, never did hear back from her."

  "My cancer went into remission so fast . . . no, not remission. It just flat died. My survival was a bit iffy, for a few weeks. All that dead tissue." Hayt glowered at Rael. "Then we had a bit more of it, to celebrate a year free of cancer . . . Itsu and I have always been dear friends."

  Rael winced. "Well, dosing yourselves with what you One damn well knew was a magic potion . . . I refuse to take the blame. Or is that . . . credit?"

  The older woman burst out laughing. Pulled her into a big fluffy hug. "You must stop by and see the triplets."

  She chatted with Deim and Imde, introduced them to various people. Puppy very nearly drooled over Deim, and set himself to charm her.

  Imde seemed to find it vastly entertaining. "I suppose it's just being her brother, but really? I just don't see the attraction."

  Rael grinned and eyed the crowd. "Not many here our age. I can only introduce you to older women."

  "And this is a problem, because?"

  Rael grinned, spotted two not-too-distant cousins, both divorced, and tossed him to the wolves.

  The party went on till the small hours of the night. Rael helped deliver various guests to various hotels, and returned home about the time the caterers packed up the last of their equipment. She gazed wistfully up the stairs, but the twins were too old to share a room, so Raod had moved into Rael's attic aerie. She snagged the pillow and blanket from the closet and settled on the couch.

  ***

  In the morning she slipped out early, down to the beach for a bit of exercise to the rising sun.

  Halfway through the second Kata she heard footsteps on the sand.

  "How's college?"

  "Beats the heck out of high school. Got my grades up, and an application into the Directorate college. Thanks for the recommendation. I dunno, though, it may have just turned into a liability." Kitchen . . . Ebsa . . . matched her moves, matched her Speed.

  "Smart ass. Still liking the biological sciences?"

  "Yeah, and even history can be interesting when they stop obsessing on dates and start talking about why and how things happened. I'm taking a really neat class this semester, Trans-dimensional Cultures. Not just the Natives of the Colonies, but they've got more information out there about Comet Fall and Earth and . . . even the Empire, looked at from the outside. Very. Strange. Definitely unflattering. The co-author of one of the textbooks is actually from Comet Fall." He wrinkled his nose. "What kind of a name is Deep Night Janic?"

  "Oh, she was one of Endi Dewulfe's spy ring. The witch names tend toward oddities like that." She kicked up her Speed another notch and the kid followed, effortlessly. I underestimated him, when he was an angsty teenager just coming into his power. How many other kids get labeled "clostuone" and never reach their potential? Never realize how much potential they have, and never try?

  "And why did their magic users get stuck with such an ugly name?"

  Rael laughed out loud. "Coming from our culture, you can ask that?"

  "Yeah, my high school attempt to foment rebellion by changing the designation 'Servaone' to 'Workaone' never got off the ground." His grin widened. "But my project for this hideous Social Consciousness class we're all required to take is even better. It's all about the enslavement of the halfer mothers of Oner children. Forced by law to put their kids in Oner schools when they hit puberty and show signs of grasping power, but they are not allowed to simply live in the enclave. They are forbidden to own or rent a house or apartment. They must live in some Oner's house. And usually the only positions are those of servants. Although, of course there are boarding schools. If they can afford them. Even with the Oner stipend they're bloody expensive. So it's legally required servitude."

  "Oh, One! Don't make me regret ever talking to you!" She made sure he saw her grin. Damn good kid. Getting sensible. Not quite a nephew. Raod's late husband's bastard son. Maybe I've got a bit more moss than I'd realized, speaking of bonds of affection rather than blood.

  ***

  Back at the parents' house, it had turned into moving day.

  "The inspector signed off on the papers. We're moving! Finally!"

  Even their mother looked a bit relieved.

  Rael waited until Raod was out of hearing range before she let the grin escape. "Getting your house back, Mom?"

  "Yes . . . but I'm going to really miss the twins." She let a grin of her own leak out. "For a week, because they'll stay here for the honeymoon. So the solitude won't be starting for a while. But at least you'll get your room back."

  Rael pitched in and helped.

  And admired the new living room furniture as Raod ran around ordering the delivery people where to put what.

  Ox was sensibly staying out of the way, and Rael quickly joined him. Sitting on a windowsill out of the way of all the workers. A very uncomfortable windowsill. She turned and glanced out at the yard. Her rock was mostly hidden beneath the spreading limbs of the big tree. Movement down there glimpsed between leafy branches. Jess must be keeping the kids out from underfoot.

  She turned back to Ox. "Still game after meeting the rest of my family?"

  He snorted. "Your biomother . . . seems like an interesting woman. I introduced her to my Grandfather, and she just sneered. 'Oh. A politician. How interesting.' Grandfather, of course insulted her in turn."

  Rael giggled. "Is he the one who asked if she'd joined her men in raping natives? That gossip made the rounds at high velocity, yesterday."

  "Yep, that was Grandfather. Dare I ask who your biofather is?"

  "Egto Neartuone Alcairo. Info team member. Unless of course, she really did rape a native." Rael grinned. "I've never met him, nev
er spoken to him. Kael said she'd seen him once since at a directorate meeting, but hadn't bothered to speak to him. He's just a name on the birth certificate, to me."

  Ox shook his head. "The rest of your family is so normal."

  Rael grinned. "I'll have to keep score on both sides, while they're on display. Your side will be hard pressed to overcome the number of politicians it's apparently sprouted."

  "It would take a minimum of four politicians to balance the woman who pinned Ahvi Withione up against the wall and asked if he wanted a demonstration of just how it worked."

  "She didn't!"

  "Yep. Then took his glass out of his hand, and walked away sipping it."

  "Right. Well. Looks like your family wins the 'normal' contest." Rael pinched the bridge of her nose. "I should have known better than to come to my sister's wedding."

  Giggles and laughter from the stairwell, then the twins galloped down.

  "Aunt Rael! I've got a new bed! Mom says I'm too big for my old one! Come and see!" Ryol grabbed her arm and pulled.

  "Me too!" Arno grabbed her other arm.

  "I thought you guys were out in the back yard." Rael allowed herself to be dragged away. Niece and nephew. Family . . . and damn nice kids too. Smart. They obviously need an Aunt to be a good influence.

  Arno's room was decorated in rockets and planets. Ryol's in pink.

  "Mom said not with my hair." Ryol stuck out a stubborn lip. "Do you think it clashes with my hair?"

  Rael put a hand to her spiked, gelled and very red hair. "I've never let my hair color stop me from wearing whatever color I wanted. And I see you didn't either."

  A snicker from the hall. Raod stuck her head in the door. "Is everything in the right place? Good, why don't you guys head for the back yard so I don't have to worry about you getting run over by a delivery truck. Sheesh, why did I go to so many stores?"

  "Because you like shopping?" Rael grinned and followed the kids down the back stairs and outside.

  Jess was behind her, grinning. "You should have seen the theatrics when Raod tried to talk her into any other color. Appalled horror, disbelief, noble suffering. Angst, a sudden discovery of a Right to Decorate. Madam Kyol swore to stop discussing politics in front of the kids. I think the only thing Ryol missed was throwing herself on the floor kicking and screaming."