razorsedge

by Lisanne Norman

  The estate boasted two villages. The main one centered around Carrie’s and Kusac’s home, the other, primarily a farming community, was set deeper among the cultivated fields. The latter was still in a state of upheaval as existing houses were being renovated and new ones built. However, the construction halted by the winter hadn’t yet restarted.

  Scattered here and there were isolated cottages, and it was these Kusac planned to make use of. They were the ideal place to mount mock rescue and attack missions. Using Garras and Dzaka as leaders, opposition troops could be made up from the Brothers and Sisters on the estate. There was even the opportunity for the older younglings under Garras’ tuition to get some realistic combat experience. Rulla had been given the task of organizing all the younglings into clearing the snow around the chosen locations. They’d taken pity on them, though, and were augmenting the traditional shovels with snow-clearing vehicles from the main estate.

  This morning Kusac wanted to catch up on what was happening with the new arrivals at the training center. They’d had a week now to settle in, and he wanted to know what progress had been made. Carrie had told him the day before that out of the fifty people— Sholans and Humans— already two Leska Links had formed. Both were mixed Links, but there the comparison ended. One had gone badly wrong, leaving the Sholan female, Nikuu, completely bereft of her Talent beyond her Link to her Leska. The other pair, Tamghi and his Human partner, Kora, were fine.

  Ruth had instantly offered to take Nikuu and Dillan under her care and Carrie had thankfully agreed. It was there that they were going now.

  “She’s the ideal person to help them,” she said as they walked down the street to Ruth’s home. “She’s got this capacity for really caring about all those under her roof, and they can sense it. She’s worked wonders with Mara, you know, and as for Josh… Let’s just say that after he got over the shock of being one of us, he went to see Ruth. Since then, he’s been completely stable. Confused now and then, but that’s natural. She even persuaded him to start training his Talent with Ghyan. He’s been sharing classes with Brynne actually.”

  “How’s he getting on? You haven’t mentioned him lately, so I presume all is going well.”

  “Fine. He’s really gotten interested in the religious side. Ghyan says that he should go to the Retreat soon if he wants to take his studies further in that direction.”

  “A Human priest of Vartra,” said Kusac, his hand reaching for hers. “Sometimes the changes seem to happen overnight. We really are becoming an integrated species here. And to think it all started because of you.”

  “You had some involvement as I recall,” she said with a laugh as they reached Ruth’s door.

  “Just a little. About five feet of it.” he agreed, tugging her closer and wrapping his arm around her back as the door opened. “Good morning, Mara,” he said. “May the sun shine on you all. We’ve come to see Ruth.”

  “She’s expecting you,” said Mara, standing aside and opening the door wide for them. “Is it about Dillan and Nikuu? She’s better today.”

  “We thought we’d see how they are,” said Carrie as they followed the young woman into the large communal lounge.

  “Ruth’s in the kitchen,” she said, pointing to the door at the far end. “I won’t come with you. There isn’t enough room for us all in there.”

  “Is Josh up at the dig?”

  She nodded. “I’m going up later. Dr. Michaels is here today. I thought it best to stay away till he’s left.”

  Who? asked Kusac.

  Head of the Human archaeology project on Shola. He’s visiting from Shanagi. He’s here to see how Greg is handling the team.

  And how’s he doing?

  Fine. They’re making a lot more headway since that Pam character was sent packing.

  Like those in the other dormitory houses, Ruth’s kitchen was huge. It had to be to cater for the number of people the house could accommodate. This house, however, was purposely not full. Ruth would add to or subtract from her residents when and as she pleased. Quite a few people had visited her, among them several of the archaeologists hungry for a taste of the familiar atmosphere of home.

  At one end of the table sat a female Kusac took to be Nikuu. She was stirring a bowl of something. Ruth stood beside her, adding some herbs from the jar in her hand. She started to rise, but Kusac waved her down.

  “Don’t disturb yourself, please.”

  He knew she was from his clan, but he didn’t recognize her. It was her eyes that held him. Though they were outwardly calm, he could sense the terror that lurked behind them.

  “Hello there!” Ruth said, smiling up at them. “Wondered when you’d get around to calling on us. We’re making a traditional dumpling stew. Will you stay for lunch? We’ve also got rhubarb crumble.”

  “Rhubarb? Here, on Shola?” asked Carrie, stepping over the bench seat and sitting down. “Where’d you get rhubarb from here, and at this time of year?”

  Ruth pulled a face. “It’s only canned, I’m afraid, but I got Jack to request some as an agricultural experiment— and one or two other essential kitchen garden plants.”

  “Rhubarb?” asked Kusac, taking a seat.

  “Just try it,” said Carrie. “It’s one of my favorite cooked fruits. A real taste of home!”

  “It’s mine, too,” said Dillan, coming in from the smaller kitchen. “We haven’t met yet.” He held his hand out toward Carrie. “I’m Dillan Powell, and this is Nikuu Aldatan, my Leska. She’s from your bond-mother’s estate.”

  “Clan Leaders,” said Nikuu, putting the bowl aside to hold out her hand in greeting.

  Ruth snagged the bowl, moving farther down the table with it.

  “I’m so sorry to hear of your misfortune,” said Kusac, holding onto her hand for a long moment. “Do you know yet how it happened?”

  She shrugged her shoulders, ears lying back slightly before righting themselves. “Gestalt backlash, the doctors from the medical center said. I’m lucky, though.” She looked up at Dillan who had moved to stand beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder. “He’s my other senses. He mind-speaks for me. Without our Link, I would be deaf and blind.”

  Firmly suppressing the thought that had it not been for their Link, the tragedy could never have happened at all, Kusac reached mentally for the young male. How is she really?

  Just this side of hysteria. I daren’t leave her sight for more than a few minutes. You should have known her before this happened. She was such a happy person. This just isn’t fair.

  I know, but at least she has you. Can you cope? It can’t be easy giving her the amount of mental attention that you are.

  You noticed? There was a slight smile on his face. I have help. Ruth and Mara take it in turns to mentally support her so that I can have a break— you know, just maintain a normal link.

  She’s lucky to have Linked with someone like you.

  We chose each other, Dillan replied with the same slight smile. I know I’m lucky to have her.

  “It’s good to know you have such a loving Leska,” Carrie said to Nikuu. “How are you feeling? Is there anything we can do for you? Anything you need?”

  She shook her head, dark curls falling across her face to be flicked back by a slightly trembling hand. “I’m fine. It’ll take some getting used to, but everyone here is so helpful. I’ll have to give up my work, though. I was training in the judiciary to be a truthsayer. I’ll miss that.”

  “There’ll be work here for you, never fear,” said Carrie. “We’ll need people with a knowledge of the law. What was your profession, Dillan?”

  “I worked in business, with computers,” he said, moving to sit down beside Nikuu. “Nothing particularly useful here on Shola.”

  “You’d be surprised,” said Kusac. “First things first, though. Nikuu is our main concern. Ruth, I am going to arrange for someone to tutor them daily. Would you mind them working here? We need to make sure Dillan is brought up to Nikuu’s level as quickl
y as possible.”

  “If Nikuu is ready for that,” said Ruth, “she can help him. You’d be surprised what they’re learning to do between them.”

  “I’d rather be busy,” said Nikuu.

  “Then I’ll make arrangements today,” said Kusac.

  “You’re staying for lunch, though,” said Ruth. “You must. Nikuu made the dumplings.” She pointed to the bowl.

  “We’d love to,” said Carrie. “Dumplings and rhubarb crumble! I can’t remember when I last tasted either!”

  *

  Rhyaz settled in the easy chair opposite Lijou and took one of the sweet pastries from the plate his colleague indicated. “Kha’Qwa’s, you say? Don’t remember her being much of a one for home baking.” His mouth opened in a small grin.

  “My bond-mate has developed a great many homely skills lately. I think perhaps it’s because there’s a cub on the way,” said Lijou with a quiet pleasure he couldn’t keep out of his voice.

  “Congratulations to you both! I had heard as much. It’s good that you have a life of your own, Lijou, one apart from the demands of the Guilds. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do the same.” He took a bite of the pastry.

  Lijou set a mug of c’shar down in front of him. “I think you’ll find it won’t be long before the Brotherhood is drawn into the Clan Leader’s program, especially if the cubs of our unions are Talented. You may have the excuse to take a mate sooner than you think.”

  “We’ll see. One step at a time, Lijou. We’ve still got to get used to being recognized as priests.”

  “Thank you for coming to see me, Rhyaz, especially when I know you’re so busy, but I’m very concerned about the female, Keeza.”

  “Even I need to take a break now and then. In fact, I’m glad of the excuse— and the pastries!” He helped himself to another one. “This has been a heavy week. You’ve been getting the reports, haven’t you? I gave instructions you were to be sent our confidential ones, not those that Raiban gets.”

  Lijou nodded. “And I thank you for that. It helps to be kept fully informed. It’s the reports that are disturbing me. How is Keeza coping? You say very little about her state of mind or health.”

  Rhyaz sighed. “Mixed, Lijou. Keeza’s found out a great deal for us. We know Kezule was given the job of guarding the hatchery as a reward for long service, courage under fire, that sort of thing, so it’s no retirement post. He told her he was given one of the Emperor’s daughters as a wife. So our General was thought highly of. Short of the planetary governor of Shola at the time, I don’t think we could have gotten our hands on a more important prisoner. Unfortunately for us, his position has never been such that he had access to military information of the kind Raiban wants. Keeza’s role is necessary.”

  “This is all new information? I don’t remember reading about it.”

  “Yes, culled over the last week. As for Keeza, her reactions to her captivity have been interesting. It’s the first opportunity we’ve had to study someone in a controlled hostage-type situation. She’s been personalizing Kezule, making him hers as if trying to give herself an illusion of having some control over what’s happening. She’s been copying him too, using the herb on her own food.”

  “This spice or herb that he uses. You don’t make any mention of lab results yet.”

  “Still analyzing it. It’s a complex chemical. I’m no scientist, but as I understand it, it gives him dietary supplements he needs. His general health and his mental state have both improved since he started taking it. Look at the way he’s prepared to interact with Keeza now. My gut reaction is that it makes them more sociable, able to cooperate with each other.” He shrugged, putting down the mug. “Of course, I have nothing to back up this feeling, and recent events have called the hypothesis into question. It could be a drug that is specific only to Valtegans of his age, or only to males. The list of possibilities is endless, and until we have something conclusive from the labs, it’s all speculation.”

  “Hunches are valid, Rhyaz, that’s one thing I’ve learned as a telepath. Your people are so close to us in talents that you’d do well to listen to them, too. Even certain Humans set a lot of store by them. What effect is it having on her?”

  “No idea. We need blood samples, and to get those…” He left the sentence hanging.

  “Yours is a task I don’t envy, my friend,” sighed Lijou. “But you said something about recent events. Has something happened?”

  “We had an incident yesterday. She got overconfident, made a sexual approach to him. The control team thought they’d have to terminate.”

  Lijou took a sharp breath. “How is she?”

  “She’s all right, luckily. He stopped as they were about to go in. He gave systematic beating a new meaning, Lijou. With his extra strength… And he used it more effectively than we do.” He looked up at the priest. “This ancient breed of Valtegans is totally different from the ones we’ve met on Keiss. I pray that we never meet the likes of him.”

  Lijou shut his eyes briefly. He’d visited the center at Shanagi where Kezule was being held. Only once, but it had been enough for him. “This is what I was afraid of. May the Gods forgive us for what we’re doing to Keeza Laasah. We should never have decided to put her in with him, Rhyaz. The cost to her physically and emotionally surely isn’t worth it.”

  “I dislike what’s happening as much as you, Lijou, but you mustn’t lose sight of the fact that she entered willingly into this contract. She knew exactly what was expected of her, even observed Kezule before she agreed to being processed by you and Konis. When it’s over, she’ll remember nothing of this, and she’ll be given a new start in life. She can return to the Consortia House to finish training there if she wishes, or choose a cash settlement to do with what she wants. Remember she’s a convicted murderer. If it weren’t for this experiment, she’d be dead by now. She is being well recompensed for this.”

  “I know, Rhyaz. But what she’s suffered at his hands! And it could still cost her her life! She hasn’t deserved such treatment, even if she did consent to it!”

  “We have the greater good to consider,” reminded the Brotherhood Warrior Master gently. “I don’t need to remind you of the destruction of Szurtha and Khyaal, do I? Millions of lives lost to the Valtegans. The information we have already gathered because of her is invaluable. We are all tools, Lijou, used by someone or something. Even you and I. Who’s to say that the idea to use her didn’t come from Vartra Himself? Through Kaid and the Aldatans, we know that His later work with the telepaths was to find a solution to the problem of the Valtegan invasion. He could be influencing this matter in ways that we can’t yet recognize.”

  “I thought philosophy was supposed to be my provenance,” sighed Lijou. “I know you’re probably right, and I know that one life— particularly that of a convicted murderer— is very little when put in the balance against so many, but someone has to care for her, Rhyaz. How long will you let this go on?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. For the foreseeable future. He may experience remorse, start opening up to her. If not, we begin beating Kezule again as soon as she’s healed.”

  “I can even feel sorry for him,” said Lijou quietly. “The fact he’s kept his sanity for so long when he knows there’s no possibility of escape is incredible.”

  “He’s a strong person in many ways, Lijou. We take no chances with him. One Valtegan at large is enough,” Rhyaz said grimly.

  “Then it’s been confirmed that it was a Valtegan? What actually happened to the missing Leska pair? I was never fully briefed on that.”

  “We’ve good reason to believe that at least one Valtegan was involved because of the nature of the wounds on the bodies. The Leska couple were due to be picked up by a deep space shuttle at the Human female’s home, a settlement called Hillfort. We know their shuttle left Keiss as their departure from the planet was logged, but nothing is known of their whereabouts from then on. The dead bodies of the female’s relatives were found lat
er that day at the landing site. They’d been shot by a Valtegan energy weapon. It’s being kept quiet because Governor Hamilton doesn’t want to start a panic. We do have a potential problem with the young male’s family, however. He’s Taynar Arrazo, the youngest son of the Arrazo Clan Leader. They’ll have to be told soon that he’s missing.”

  “What about Keiss? They can’t risk the lives of the people there by not starting a search for any more Valtegan survivors.”

  “The Khalossa is still based there. Her troops are on training maneuvers on the planet’s surface at present, with the help of the Keissian military. Commander Raguul has been recalled, of course. Given the identity of the captain of the missing shuttle, though, it’s a forgone conclusion that there was some conflict and the ship was damaged. They could be drifting anywhere between Keiss and Vartra knows where. We have very little chance of finding them at all.”

  “Surely there’s a homing signal or something you could track them by?”

  “We’ve looked, but that presupposes the ship is still functioning and that they are still in this sector of space. I imagine that the Valtegan was headed for his home world, wherever that is. If we find that craft, I believe we’ll have found at least one of the four Valtegan worlds. It’s an impossible task, Lijou. I’m afraid that young couple and their captain are as good as dead.”

  “It grieves me to say so, but let’s pray that they are. It’s preferable to being held captive by the Valtegans.”

  “I agree with you on that, Father.”

  *

  Kusac turned away from his comm and looked down into the lower level of the den where Carrie sat on the floor fletching arrows to take to Jalna. Normally it was a job she enjoyed doing, but today nothing seemed to be going right for her.

  With an exclamation of disgust, she threw the offending arrow across the room. “I loathe binding! I’ve got glue all over the flights again!” she muttered angrily.