Kinsman's Oath

by Susan Krinard

  Who better than Ronan to know the truth of that. "Not all humans are alike, no more than shaauri. Not all Kinsmen are treacherous and out for power. That's what humans and shaauri must learn to accept."

  "If Sihvaaro had lived, he would have had much to teach those who believe tolerance is impossible."

  "But you carry his wisdom, Ronan. It isn't gone."

  He met her gaze. "So do you, Aho'Va. And much more."

  She knew he was not referring to the slingshot drive, but she felt a stab of unexpected guilt. The shaauri knew of humanity's new ship technology, and peace of any sort would be impossible in the face of such secrets.

  But it wasn't her right to give them up, and she knew that Ronan wouldn't share what he knew without her permission. Their loyalty to each other was no longer in question.

  "Hraan and his crew will be in danger if (hey enter Concordat space," she said. "If I went ahead, in a lifepod—"

  "Hraan understands the risk, but this is what he wishes. He was a good friend of my father, though he was not of high position in those days. Still he blames himself for my parents' disappearance and my abduction."

  "He has no idea what became of Lady Kori and VelArhan?"

  "None. But he has agreed to assist me in pursuing the question with greater vigor."

  "Apparently, guilt is also a shaauri emotion," she murmured.

  "Arhan and certain other Lines always wished for peace with humans. Though Arhan could not stand against all the antihuman Lines, they would have protected me if they knew I survived. But they did not discover this until Sihvaaro sent word."

  "Hraan would protect you now, if you remained among the Arhan."

  She watched his face, deliberately dampening her mental awareness so as not to intrude. But the flicker in his eyes betrayed him.

  She was right. He had not given up on the idea of becoming shaauri, finding his Path at last among those who had raised him. She was superfluous to that part of his life. The feelings they shared were irrelevant to the creation of a new world.

  "Now Arhan will approach the War-Leader and speak openly of an end to war," Ronan said, as if she hadn't spoken. "You must speak to Miklos Challinor. He and the Archon might modify human opinion."

  Cynara closed her eyes. "We're talking of peace, Ronan. Real peace after twenty years."

  "It is possible. You and I are proof. I survived among the Kalevi, and you won their respect. It can be done."

  Strangely, Cynara remembered Gunter on Bifrost, whose hatred of shaauri was absolute. And the Kalevii, most of whom would gladly see all humans dead.

  Not everyone can overcome that kind of hatred, even if the Kinsmen are exposed as traitors. One man and woman against the Concordat, one Line against all shaauri…

  "A single woman of your world once stood against a thousand shaauri and laid the Path to peace," Ronan said softly.

  The mug slipped from Cynara's hands. A few brown drops of liquid spilled on the woven carpet.

  "You heard me," she whispered.

  He smiled. "Yes. My mind is beginning to heal. It may recover completely in time."

  Cynara grabbed Ronan in a fierce embrace. He returned her kiss with a hunger she could not mistake.

  There was still a little time before the Suhtaara reached the border. Time enough for farewells. But the shaauri used three very different phrases at parting. She didn't dare voice any of them.

  Ronan threw his mug aside and fell with her onto the bunk. They were halfway undressed when a high-pitched, mechanical shriek interrupted them. Ronan released Cynara and stared at the door. A second later it opened, and a young shaaurin entered with a bob of apology.

  The female—Cynara had begun to recognize such distinctions—spoke to Ronan with barely contained excitement. Ronan nodded, and she bounded away.

  "Something has happened," Cynara said. "Ships—"

  His expression was grim. "We are still a full day from the wormhole to Concordat territory, but a complication has arisen. Three ships stand in our path. Human ships.

  "It is now a question of who will attack first."

  * * *

  Chapter 29

  « ^

  Two ve'laik'i were waiting just outside to escort Ronan and Cynara to the bridge. They ran most of the way, the alarm screaming in their ears, while shaauri crew went about their business with flattened ears and fur on end.

  The bridge was an oasis of quiet in spite of the crisis, but the tranquility was deceptive. The smell of tension and hostility was thick on the air. The ship's Second and Third stood beside their chairs on the level below the First's station, watching the central screen with its ominous image.

  Three human vessels. At the moment they were not moving, but they were deployed for battle.

  Ronan went immediately to Hraan's side. The big shaaurin, who held double rank as Second of Line Arhan as well as ship's First, turned to him with an open-jawed expression of concern.

  "Have you hailed them?" Ronan asked.

  "I sent for you first." He glanced at Cynara. "It was my hope that you and Va D'Accorso might be of assistance."

  "They have not attempted to communicate?"

  "No." Hraan tapped his nails on the console. "They are in shaauri-ja. They must know we have the right and obligation to attack."

  "But why are they here?" Cynara appeared at Ronan's shoulder. "Please increase magnification."

  The Third complied, and the image on the screen seemed to double in size. Cynara blew out her breath.

  'The Pegasus," Ronan said.

  "And two Concordat ships—corvettes from the Royal Navy, if I'm not mistaken." She looked at Ronan. "They've come for us."

  "Do you know this?"

  "I can't think of a better explanation." She addressed Hraan in careful Standard. "Aino'Ken, one of these ships is my own, which was to continue on a different assignment while I accompanied Ronan to Aitu. I ask your patience until we can determine its purpose here."

  "And the warships?" Hraan rumbled.

  "I don't know. If you'll allow me to hail them, sh'eivalin, I will assure them that Ronan and I are safe, and advise them to withdraw."

  Hraan twitched his ears in agreement. The murmur of shaauri conversation ceased. Cynara addressed the open comlink, Ronan close at her side.

  "Pegasus," she said, "This is Cynara D'Accorso, aboard the Arhan vessel Suhtaara. Ronan VelKalevi is with me. The Arhan are on a mission of peace. Stand down, Pegasus, and advise your escort to do the same."

  Her voice echoed on the bridge. The comlink hissed. "Captain D'Accorso?" a familiar male voice said. "You are well, and not under any threat?"

  "Very well. Scholar-Commander, stand down. All weapons offline, if you don't want trouble with the people who own this space."

  "Acknowledged, Captain. I've advised the Persephoneans that you are not under threat."

  Cynara squeezed Ronan's hand, and he returned the gentle pressure. "You have quite a bit of explaining to do, Adumbe," she said.

  There was a moment of silence. "Lord Damon Challinor is with us, Captain. He wishes to speak to you. Can you come aboard?"

  "Stand by." She closed the connection. "Damon?"

  "I would not speculate," Ronan said, acknowledging her amazement. He looked up at Hraan. "Sh'eivalin, I assure you that there will be no battle. Permit me to escort Captain D'Accorso to the Pegasus and inform her crew of her well-being. I will return."

  "It was our intention to deliver the captain to her own people," Hraan said, "but the humans regard you as outcast, kin of my kin."

  "He'll be safe," Cynara said. "I give you my word as captain of the Pegasus. No harm will come to him among humans as long as I live."

  "Then you may go."

  Ronan bowed. Cynara avoided his glance, standing very stiff and straight behind the console. She opened the comlink.

  "Pegasus, I and Ronan VelKalevi will come aboard. The situation remains delicate. Do not, I repeat, do not move from your current position or take any action
that may be perceived as hostile."

  "Acknowledged, Captain. Lord Damon agrees."

  Cynara muttered a curse under her breath. "Va Hraan, we will go at once and see that the human ships leave shaauri territory."

  Hraan nodded, and Ronan took Cynara's elbow. Her muscles were knotted with tension, yet even without the aid of telepathy he knew her condition had nothing to do with the present danger. It was he from whom she flinched, he who turned her face to stone.

  Stone to bury her fear and preserve her pride. She did not wish him to leave her.

  He did not wish to leave.

  He released her arm and fell in step behind her. The two ve'laik'i escorted them by the swiftest route to a bay where a small passenger vessel was ready for departure.

  Ronan took the pilot's seat, and Cynara webbed in beside him. The passage between the Suhtaara and the Pegasus was swift and brief. Kord d'Rhian O'Deira waited for them in the shuttle bay, accompanied by Healer Zheng and An Lizbet Montague.

  Cynara was first out of the shuttle. She ran directly to Kord, stopping just short of an embrace. Lizbet's face was flushed and smiling. Healer Zheng swept Cynara's body with her medscan. A spate of conversation reached Ronan's ears, and then all four faces turned toward the shuttle.

  He placed the shuttle on standby and exited the hatch. Kord met him halfway.

  "Brother," he said solemnly. "You have returned with our captain."

  "Or she has returned with me." Ronan smiled and clasped forearms with the Siroccan. "You are well?"

  "Yes, though the Little Mother may change that." He lowered his voice. "She's very angry."

  "You took a great risk entering shaauri-ja."

  "I didn't like leaving you and the captain on Persephone. We disobeyed orders and went back, and that was when Janek—Lord Damon—told us what you'd done."

  Ronan wondered just how much Damon had revealed, and if Kord and the others knew of the assassination attempt or Cynara's plan to use herself as bait for the shaauri Kinsmen. Surely Damon would not have spared Ronan in any summary of recent events.

  "Lord Damon has no love for me," he said. "Why is he here?"

  Kord lifted a brow. "That's a tale you can hear on the bridge once Doctor Zheng has cleared you." He looked Ronan up and down. "A shaauri ship let you go?"

  "That is a tale for you to hear." He hesitated, recognizing how much he feared losing this man's regard. "You are aware that I breached your ship's security before we arrived on Persephone, and that Lord Miklos Challinor exiled me from the Concordat?"

  "You don't have to explain, Brother. I know there is good reason for everything you—"

  He was interrupted when Miya Zheng appeared to scan Ronan as she had done Cynara. She frowned over the readings and pocketed the medscan.

  "Ronan VelKalevi," she said. "Aside from a number of abrasions, lacerations, broken fingers, and cracked ribs, you appear to be in good health. Do you feel capable of going up to the bridge?"

  "Yes. It is good to see you, Li Zheng."

  "I look forward to hearing the entire story of your adventures, considering the many omissions in what we've been told."

  "I will tell you all I can." He bowed to her, and then gave his attention to An Lizbet, who had come to greet him. She took his hand with remarkable boldness and grinned as wide as a jukki.

  "Thank God," she said. "We were all so worried when we found out that you and the captain had gone alone to the Shaauriat with some dangerous plan to—"

  "Montague," Cynara interrupted with affectionate severity, "this conversation can continue later. It's time to find out what in hell's going on."

  The bridge was crowded with crew, as many as could fit in the limited space. Scholar-Commander Adumbe shook hands with Cynara, and Charis Antoniou in her rumpled fatigues saluted from among the ranks of her technicians. Damon Challinor stood beside the captain's chair but had not yet confiscated it for his own. His face was strangely free of hostility when he met Ronan's eyes.

  After the first buzz of questions and conversation had died, Cynara went to stand before Damon.

  "Lord Damon, I understand from my crew that you insisted upon accompanying the Pegasus in an ill-conceived scheme to 'rescue' Ronan and me from the shaauri. I assume you are aware of the risks you took, and continue to take, by entering shaauri space and confronting a shaauri warship."

  Damon clasped his hands behind his back and gave her stare for stare. "I am, Captain D'Accorso. It was, however, necessary. Once your suspicious crew returned to Persephone, they refused to leave until they had spoken with you directly. By then you and Ronan had gone." He cleared his throat. "You have a very loyal crew, Captain. Once they learned that Ronan was a Challinor, and that you had accompanied him into shaauri territory hoping to… um… persuade him to join the human cause, they were unwilling to resume normal operations until they were sure you were safe.

  Even if it meant penetrating the Shaauriat and courting destruction."

  She glared pointedly at Adumbe and Kord. "I would have credited you with more sense than to permit this foolishness, Lord Damon, and even less desire to join them, considering your feelings about Ronan and the plan Lord Miklos approved."

  Damon looked acutely uncomfortable. "I assume your memory has fully recovered? The Kinsmen took your bait?"

  "Effectively, yes—after a few interesting turns of events. Ronan didn't betray the Concordat or his own people. He risked his life several times to preserve mine and thwart Kinsman plans, which were very much what we suspected."

  "Where are the Kinsmen now?"

  "Constano VelRauthi and his cohorts are in custody aboard the Arhan ship. I make no promises that the shaauri will let you question them. It's enough that Arhan hasn't opened fire."

  "The Arhani were once human allies, the Line of Jonas Kane. Is that why they have cooperated?"

  "The situation is complex and will require lengthy debriefing, Lord Damon. In the meantime, we have to get out of shaauri space. I've had some opportunity to observe their culture from very close quarters. Even the most peaceable shaaurin can be driven by perceived challenge and territorial instinct."

  Damon nodded and opened the com to the corvettes. "As soon as you're ready, Captain. How do you wish to proceed?"

  Cynara cast Ronan a glance of amazement. She must sense more of Damon's thoughts and feelings than Ronan could, but she was confounded by his uncharacteristic behavior.

  "You still haven't told me why you came, Lord Damon," she said.

  He dropped his gaze to the deck and shifted his feet. "You may recall that I had a vision of Ronan attacking our Archon," he said. "It was one of many that made me believe that he was our enemy in spite of his Challinor blood. However, during your absence there've been certain… alterations to my perspective." He looked directly at Ronan. "I never fully accepted my precognitive abilities. I didn't want them, even when they proved accurate. But then I saw Ronan giving his life for Concordat interests, abandoning what he had always wanted to serve those who'd rejected him. I saw him die."

  Ronan did not look away. In Damon's eyes he saw the impossible: apology, understanding, and acceptance. Brotherhood.

  "You would gladly have seen him dead on Persephone," Cynara said coldly.

  "Yes. I was wrong." He lifted his head as if he could salvage some part of his pride. "I did not perceive how I could change Ronan's fate, but I realized that I had to try, even with only the most ill-conceived and superficial of plans."

  "Lord Miklos agreed?"

  Damon smiled, an expression both startling and sincere. "I'm also operating outside orders." He sobered and glanced at the central screen. "One other thing I saw, Captain—that both you and Ronan are essential to any future hope of peace between shaauri and humanity."

  Ronan felt Cynara's gaze and the returning awareness of shared emotion. Her feelings were in turmoil, and he was afraid to seek beyond them. Afraid of the price yet to be paid.

  He spoke the words Cynara would not. "Did you see
what would become of me, Lord Damon?"

  "I know only what I hope," Damon said. "That you will return to Persephone and rejoin your family."

  "After what I have done?"

  "I blamed you for what was beyond your control," Damon said. "If we had questioned the reports of our parents' deaths, if we'd looked for you, none of this would have happened."

  Our parents. "Our mother and father are still missing and believed dead," he said. "I could not learn anything more."

  Damon crossed the space between them. 'There will be time for that, and for the forging of new bonds, even between enemies." He offered his hand.

  Ronan took it slowly. Over Damon's shoulder he saw Cynara turn her head to hide her face. But she was happy—happy for Ronan as she was afraid to be happy for herself.

  "Will you come back with us?" Damon asked.

  "You saw that Captain D'Accorso and I were necessary for any future peace between shaauri and humans," Ronan said. "I would not see either species harmed by endless war."

  "I know you're not a traitor."

  "But unlike any other human, I understand shaauri ways and thought." The words dammed behind his teeth, and he forced them through. "I am accepted among the Arhani, and even by some who hate the Concordat."

  "You still regard the shaauri as your people."

  "I cannot escape my humanity. This Captain D'Accorso has taught me."

  "Are you offering to act as a mediator and ambassador for the Concordat?"

  To leave Cynara. To be parted from her for months, years, time unmeasured.

  To preserve what they both loved.

  "If you would trust me in such a capacity."

  Damon glanced at Cynara, who was deep in conversation with Adumbe. "We would have to petition the Archon, and you'd be required to face the scrutiny of our Kinsmen. But Captain D'Accorso's recommendation would be very highly regarded." He hesitated. "You don't want to leave her."

  Ronan was unable to answer. He looked around the bridge, crewmen and women busy at their stations, conversations filled with amazement and hope, Cynara in the center of it as she was meant to be. This was her world, these her true people.