strongholdrising

by Lisanne Norman

  He’d known his well-intentioned deception would come out into the light of day, and at the time had prayed that his friend would understand. He wasn’t yet a father, but he would be in a very few weeks. He knew what his delay had cost Konis, but he also knew what he had spared him.

  “As to what else happened to him, he hasn’t been debriefed yet, we don’t know any details. Look into my mind and see if you wish, Konis. I only meant it for the best,” he said quietly. He didn’t want to lose this friendship. People like himself, a Guild Master of both the Brotherhood and the Priesthood of Vartra, had few friends. Every one he had was precious.

  Konis sighed, his anger evaporating. “I don’t need to, Lijou. I know you intended the best. Vartra forbid it, but if there ever is a next time, tell me immediately! What about Carrie and the others? Haven’t you debriefed them?”

  “Yes, and I have their report with me, along with the proposed treaty between us and the Primes. I need you to take over the negotiations, Konis. I’m sorry to have to ask you at a time like this, but you don’t need me to tell you what’s at stake right now. You’re our best negotiator.”

  “Who’s been handling it up till now?”

  “We have, through Kaid. An interim nonaggression pact has been agreed upon. We need you to go over the treaty proposals before we can send them to Kaid for signing. The Primes want our help against the other two Valtegan worlds. They lost their Warrior caste during their equivalent of our Cataclysm— their Fall. The Valtegans have three genetic strains, or castes: the Intellectuals, the Warriors, and the Workers. The Primes have no Warriors at all, only volunteers who are implanted with a device similar to that used on Kusac to boost their aggression levels. Now that Jalna has been discovered by the M’zullians, they fear that it won’t be long till their world is found. Then they will need all the help they can get to protect themselves.”

  With an obvious effort of will, Konis asked, “What of their own allies? Presumably they must have some.”

  “The TeLaxaudin are slender, fragile beings, totally unsuited to any kind of conflict. What use they are to the Primes, we don’t yet know. As far as we’re aware, the Primes have no other allies. Let’s face it, in the days of their empire, they were busy enslaving other races: they must have made a lot of enemies. Now they use large craft like the Kz’adul to intimidate anyone they meet. So far, it’s worked, mainly because they keep themselves to themselves.”

  “What’s their involvement with Jalna? And what do they want from us? Military aid?”

  He flicked his ears in agreement. “Yes, in return they’ll give us technology which would enable us to break the Chemerians’ stranglehold over all the Alliance. I wouldn’t like to guess how much more advanced the Primes are than even the Chemerians. They didn’t lose their technology during their Fall the way we did because it was mainly based in their walled Imperial city and survived their own global civil war virtually untouched. As for Jalna, it’s beginning to look like the Primes were heavily involved in setting it up as a trading port for the Free Traders, probably to ensure those species have no need to venture further into their space.”

  “Give me the debriefing report now,” said Konis gruffly. “Once I’ve read it, I’ll talk to Carrie, then call Rhyasha and tell her about Kusac.”

  Lijou picked up the comp reader from the table and handed it to him, aware of how close to breaking down his friend was. Only the importance of the task he’d been given was holding him together right now. “Would you like me to leave you on your own for a while?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes, thank you, I would,” said Konis, blinking rapidly as he looked up at him. “I’m sure you appreciate that this has all been rather a lot to take in. When do you intend to go public with this? You realize you’re going to need a very strong campaign to sell the idea of friendship with these Valtegan Primes to our people in view of the destruction of our colony worlds by the other Valtegans.”

  “We’ll start the campaign as soon as we’ve gotten the treaty sewn up as tight as the proverbial demon fish’s arse,” said Lijou with a slight attempt at levity. “If we call them Primes and paint them as also being victims of the M’zullian Valtegans, it will help considerably.” He got to his feet. “Send to me when you’re ready to contact Haven and I’ll arrange it. Can I get you anything? Some food, perhaps? I know you came straight from the Palace and missed second meal.”

  “No. I couldn’t eat right now, Lijou.”

  Lijou left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Outside, Tamghi, an En’Shalla Telepath from Kusac’s clan was waiting for him.

  “I sensed you were finished,” the young male said, falling into step beside him. “Master Rhyaz wanted to know how it went.”

  “I’m on my way to join him so I’ll tell him myself,” said Lijou tiredly. “I appreciate your personal concern in this matter since your Clanspeople are involved. I succeeded in getting him to handle the Prime treaty for us. He’ll send to me when he’s ready to call them on Haven.”

  “The last few months have been a dark time for him and his family,” said Tamghi. “At least events ended happily for his daughter, Liegena Kitra. I pray it works out as well for our Clan Leaders.”

  “So do I,” said Lijou with feeling.

  Haven, the same day

  Carrie watched as the physician placed his hand against Kusac’s throat, checking his pulse while watching the bio-monitor readings on the screen above his bed.

  “I told you I wanted him kept calm,” said Vryalma angrily, glancing at her and Kaid. “Overstimulation now could cause another seizure.”

  “If he’s going to have one, better he has it now,” said Kaid. “He needed to be told what we know about his condition. Leaving it until later wouldn’t have changed anything.”

  “He was a telepath. They’re protected, aren’t used to handling the harsher realities of life.”

  “He’s a Brother and a Warrior now,” said Carrie before Kaid could. “He wanted to know.”

  “That’s debatable,” said Vryalma, moving away from the bed, obviously satisfied with the readings. “I have my doubts as to how much of his early training you’ve actually affected. Deep down we remain what we were when we left childhood, and he was a telepath.” He waved them toward the door. “You might as well leave. He’ll sleep for the next five or six hours.”

  “I’m not leaving him alone,” said Carrie.

  “I’ll stay,” said T’Chebbi from the doorway. “Am here to relieve you for first meal anyway.”

  “This is the intensive care unit, not a gathering place,” growled the physician. “There’s no need for anyone to remain with him, and certainly no justification for more than one of you even when he’s awake.”

  “We’re a Triad,” said Kaid. “When he’s awake and I’m free, we’ll both be here.”

  “That’s enough, Physician Vryalma,” said a new voice. “You’ve been briefed about their Triad, you know it’s imperative they be together whenever possible.”

  Carrie went to greet L’Seuli as, muttering under his breath, the physician left.

  “I’m still not used to your new rank,” she said, touching the gold insignia on the Brother’s uniform jacket.

  “I’d hoped to find Kusac awake,” said Commander L’Seuli. “What happened? Not a seizure, I hope.”

  “No. Kaid told him the full implications of the implant,” sighed Carrie. “He got angry, wanted to leave the sick bay and see Chy’qui. Then he—” she nodded in the direction of the door Vryalma had gone out—“came in and sedated him.”

  “To be fair, it was needed,” said Kaid. “Kusac’s not himself, Carrie. He told me the implant had robbed him of every emotion but fear. Now all the others are rushing in on him as he realizes what’s actually been done to him. It’s not surprising he should be angry and want to see Chy’qui for himself.”

  “No one will be seeing Chy’qui, I’m afraid,” said L’Seuli. “When I contacted Commander Q’ozoi about your request
to have Chy’qui scanned, he told me that when they reached the Kz’adul last night, the counselor had been found dead in his cabin on the shuttle. He committed suicide, apparently.”

  “Very convenient,” said Kaid dryly. “Now we’ll never know exactly what he was up to. Why the delay in telling us?”

  “Autopsy. They found poison in his stomach and bloodstream, and a capsule on the floor by his body. Commander Q’ozoi is bringing a copy of their findings for us.”

  Kaid grunted, nodding at T’Chebbi as they reached the door. “You’ve eaten?” he asked her.

  She flicked her ears in an affirmative. “Take your time. I be fine here. Both of you look like you got little sleep last night. You need a break. Take it now while he’s drugged. Maybe not get much chance later. Besides, you got treaty talks soon.”

  As they walked down the brightly lit corridor to the mess hall, L’Seuli handed Kaid a sealed document. “Father Lijou contacted Konis Aldatan to give him the news of your rescue and update him on the state of Kusac’s health. He’s agreed to work on the treaty with us. His amended copy of your proposals should be with us shortly. To give you an idea of his recommendations, here’s a draft copy of what he’s compiled.”

  “That’s good news,” said Kaid. “The nonaggression pact and basic trading agreements I put together are pretty standard, but the military issues need to be formalized by Master Konis and the Sholan High Command. I can only advise. Has Q’ozoi questioned Chy’qui’s staff to see if they know anything about his experiments on Kusac?”

  “Under way. Again, he’s bringing a report of what they find out with him.” L’Seuli stopped, taking Kaid briefly by the arm. “Tragic as what’s happened to Kusac is, Kaid, it has put them at a severe disadvantage. They owe us because of it. Use it for all it’s worth. For all you and Carrie suffered too.”

  “I already have,” said Kaid, his voice emotionless. “It’s what will secure us the Outposts we currently hold. We’ll have our own private treaty with them before the day’s done, L’Seuli.”

  “Well done.”

  *

  “The Outposts were Valtegan,” L’Seuli said to Commander Rhyaz, adjusting the comm angle so he was looking directly at his Guild Master. “Part of a defense network that surrounded their empire.”

  “Did Kaid discover the location of any more from them?” asked Master Rhyaz.

  “No. They brushed his inquiries aside, saying they weren’t concerned with issues dealing with their old empire. They did admit to recognizing the Va’Khoi, though. They aren’t interested in reclaiming either the four outposts or the ship and agreed to sign a private agreement with us acknowledging them as ours. Kaid also managed to get them to accept that the outposts— Haven, Anchorage, Safehold, and Refuge— mark a buffer zone between Alliance and Free Trader space and themselves— a neutral area that the Brotherhood can guard and police against the raiders that occasionally attack Trader craft. More importantly, now that we know the locations of the two warring Valtegan worlds that attacked our colonies, and the Prime home world, we can monitor their every activity.”

  “At last we know where to find our enemy,” said Rhyaz with satisfaction. “How did Kaid manage to get so many concessions for us?”

  “By repeatedly reminding them his Triad had all suffered at the hands of Chy’qui, and that Kusac might still face the rest of his life mentally crippled.”

  Rhyaz nodded. “At least some good has come from his suffering. Have you spoken to him yet?”

  “I went up to sick bay this morning but he’d been sedated. He won’t wake till nearer third meal.” L’Seuli’s wrist comm buzzed briefly. “I have to go now, Master Rhyaz,” he said. “We’ll have finished discussing all the points in the treaty by second meal and be ready to sign it when we reconvene for our final session afterward.”

  *

  Jeran and Manesh looked up as Sheeowl and Mrowbay approached their table in the mess. “Captain wants to see you on the Profit, Giyesh,” said Sheeowl, putting her mug of c’shar down before grabbing a seat from the adjacent table.

  “I thought they were still using the landing bay for the Treaty talks,” said Giyesh, eyeing Mrowbay’s plate of assorted cakes and pastries. “You’ll get too fat to sit in your seat on the bridge if you eat that lot.”

  “I’m just making up for the weight I lost on the Prime ship,” said Mrowbay, a pained expression on his face as he picked up a pastry. “It’s months since I had any nice nibbles.”

  “Talks have moved into a room at the back of the bay,” said Sheeowl, taking a swig of her drink. “Captain’s overseeing a team of Sholan mechanics checking the Prime repair to our hull.”

  Giyesh got to her feet. “I’d better be off. See you later,” she said to Jeran.

  Jeran waited for her to move out of earshot before speaking. “What is it you want to say to me that Giyesh can’t hear?” he asked the two black-pelted U’Churians.

  “You Sholans,” said Manesh, shaking her head. “It’s impossible to keep anything from you.”

  “It’s about Giyesh,” said Sheeowl. “She says you’re coming with us when we leave. That true?”

  “Yes. I’ve got nothing, not even a home to go back to. The Valtegans destroyed everything.”

  “Is that what Giyesh wants, or just you?”

  “Of course it’s what she wants.” He frowned, surprised at her question. “You think I’d want to stay if she didn’t…”

  “How serious are you about her?” interrupted the engineer. “I don’t have the time to be polite. In a few minutes, she’ll find out the captain didn’t send for her.”

  Jeran fought to keep his ears from folding sideways in anger. “I’m serious enough, but what business is it of…”

  “Because if you aren’t serious, then don’t come with us. If she goes back alone, no one needs to know about you,” said Sheeowl.

  “Why’s it so important that no one knows about me?” he demanded angrily. “I know she should have stayed on Home and taken her first mate rather than come on this mission, but…”

  “She took you as a lover,” said Mrowbay, licking his fingers. “That’s the problem. Because of you, none of the males on Home will have her as a mate.”

  “That’s ridiculous!” he exclaimed. “She told me you take lovers between mates!”

  “Between,” agreed Sheeowl, “but not before the first mating.”

  “I know that, but what difference does it make? I’m not even one of your people!” He stopped, eyes narrowing. “Or is that the problem?”

  “That makes it worse,” agreed Mrowbay, picking up another pastry.

  “She’ll be an outcast, Jeran,” said Sheeowl. “Believe me, none of the males will take her as a mate. Ever.”

  Jeran looked from one to the other of them. Were they lying, saying this in an effort to persuade him to stay with his own people? “She said nothing to me about this, and she was the one who suggested I stay on the Profit with her.”

  “Is it worth the rest of her life?” asked Sheeowl.

  “That’s unfair, Sheeowl,” said Mrowbay, glancing over at her. “You can’t expect him to be responsible for her for that long. His people don’t choose a partner for life any more than ours do.”

  “Look, I don’t know what all this is about,” said Jeran, beginning to get angry. “But if you think you’re going to persuade me to leave her…”

  “Not leave her,” said Mrowbay. “She can’t take you as a mate, but you can take her. Humans and Sholans do it, why not a U’Churian and a Sholan?”

  “You want me to take her as a mate?” he asked incredulously. This was the exact opposite of what he’d expected.

  “If she goes back with a mate, it would be seen differently,” said Sheeowl. “Then she hasn’t taken a lover, only chosen her first mate.”

  Puzzled, he again looked from one to the other. “But I’m still an alien.”

  Mrowbay sighed. “We’re trying to tell you that alien isn’t as big a problem as her
not having a mate. It’s a matter of her honor. If you come back to Home with us and you aren’t her mate, then obviously you care nothing for her honor. As for being alien,” he shrugged. “You’re so like us, most people won’t see you as alien. Except for the color of your pelt, you could pass as one of us.”

  “Giyesh should have told me,” he muttered.

  “She wouldn’t,” said Sheeowl. “She’s young, but she’s a good taiban. She wouldn’t want to put pressure on you to do anything you didn’t want to do. It’s up to us as her family to look out for her.”

  “Your people have a contract for mixed matings,” said Mrowbay. “Must have. Look how many have Human mates.”

  “Bondings, and not all get bonded,” murmured Jeran, not sure this was what either he or Giyesh wanted.

  “Kaid is. Byrnne too.”

  “Rezac and Jo aren’t,” he countered. “Bondings are a legal and social contract for those wishing to share their cubs, nothing more.”

  Sheeowl snorted derisively. “Rezac and Jo would bond instantly if given the chance!”

  “If they did, it would only be because they’re expecting a cub. There isn’t anyone here who can conduct bondings anyway.”

  “Any of the Brothers currently attached to the religious side of your Brotherhood can. I asked.”

  Jeran began to growl as he got to his feet. He’d had enough of them sticking their noses into his business.

  Abruptly Sheeowl rose too. “I’ll see you later,” she said as Mrowbay reached out to catch Jeran’s arm and prevent him leaving.

  “Jeran, wait,” the U’Churian medic said. “We’ll talk now she’s gone.”

  “I think you’ve already said more than enough,” he snarled, really irritated now. He objected to being put on the spot like this by them.

  “Not yet. You spent months imprisoned on Jalna, isolated from your own kind, yet you’re ready to come with us because of Giyesh. What’s so difficult about a entering into a recognized mating with her? That’s a smaller step than the one you plan.”

  “Everyone I cared about has been destroyed, snuffed out like a candle, Mrowbay! I’m not ready to risk that kind of commitment to another person in case it happens again! She’s a soldier, dammit! She takes risks for a living!”