Nevin laughed. “You would be Tei’Shima, and someone with influence. If the Blind Hunter tells the elders why we must go to Pandora, they will listen. The people will make them listen. The warrior caste will follow the Blind Hunter anywhere, for honour’s sake, and the clan-that-is-not would be overjoyed to recruit you. They lost too many of their number in the war. And think for a moment, Shima. The traditionalist Tei are in the ascendant right now. Tei’Thrand needs you.”
“He was very upset when I said no,” Shima admitted.
“He might have influence within healer caste. Make him an offer. Make him help your sib in exchange for joining him.”
“But I don’t want to be Tei!”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes!”
Nevin laughed. “I have no gift with the Harmonies, but even I can tell you’re lying.” Before Shima could voice her outrage, he went on. “I know you mean what you say, but you’re lying to yourself. It’s not joining the Tei that you rebel against. It’s being the Blind Hunter. You feel guilty because of Merrick’s death. I understand that, but nothing will change the truth. You already are the Blind Hunter. It’s not a matter of choice.”
“He died because he followed me.”
“Merrick fought to save his family. Anyone would have done the same. He would have followed Kazim if he’d promised to try.”
Shima laughed despite herself.
“And he would still have died,” Nevin said. “And with him Kazim and the rest of us. Joining the clan-that-is-not, has nothing to do with Merrick or the past. It’s the future we speak of. Do it for your sib and her mate. Do it for my cubs, and for everyone who lost family in the war.”
“But I don’t know where to start,” she said plaintively.
“You are scientist caste. Start at the beginning. Research, and find out what is happening. Kazim will know. Learn everything you can. Once you know what is possible, you’ll know what to do.”
“Research,” Shima said thoughtfully. “It was my life once.”
“It still is,” Nevin said.
“For now,” she agreed. She huffed a deep sigh as she realised the change she’d felt approaching had arrived. “I will do as you advise.”
Saying the words should have horrified her, but to her surprise, she felt the old excitement stirring. A new research project; questions to ask and answer. Scientists lived for those.
* * *
9 ~ Born Scientist
Zuleika, Child of Harmony
Once decided upon a course of action, Shima could be very determined. It might take her a while to see her path, but once found, it would take Merkiaari or worse to force her from it.
She was a scientist, and knew where her gifts lay. Changing her caste—and the thought still gave her a twinge—wouldn’t change her approach to solving problems. Whether in the lab or on the battlefield, research would remain a large part of who she was. It had been her entire life before the war; she wouldn’t change that. It was said among her people that a cub’s caste could be predicted by her first words. She’d been born with the word why on her lips.
Upon her return to the city, Shima recruited Chailen and Sharn. It would have been wrong to exclude them from something so important to their family, and her sib would have known something was going on. They discussed her decision, and embarked upon the course that would lead to their ultimate separation. Chailen had cried. Sharn had comforted her, and listened to the entire plan, before bowing very low. He knew why Shima had chosen this path. She raised him up, and all three hugged, knowing it might be the last time.
Over the cycles that followed, they worked together to learn everything they could about their people’s interactions with the Humans beyond Shan space. There was a lot of information about their trade negotiations, and it made for fascinating reading. She didn’t let it distract her, but when she had more time, she would investigate everything the Alliance had to offer; especially in her old area of genetics.
Her old area… already she was thinking of the time before the war as her old life. Her new one was about to begin.
Their research took cycles, but come the time, they gathered in the main room of the house again to compare notes. Sharn went first.
“They’re dragging their tails,” Sharn said, and offered his notes to Shima. She flicked her ears, and gestured for him to keep them. “I think they’re hoping to put off leaving until next orbit. No one is actually saying that, but the Humans have already sent the first colony ship away. Empty. They weren’t happy about it.”
“I’m not surprised they’re upset,” Shima said. “It takes a long time to come here, and then to return empty? They must be snarling over that.”
“Do Humans do that; snarl I mean?” Chailen said.
Shima’s tail rose to gesture a shrug. “I don’t know, but I’ve seen them angered over less. What reason did Kajetan give?”
“She made up some excuse. Something about needing to thoroughly consider her choices, and not being ready to finalise the list of colonists.”
“She lied?” Chailen said, sounding horrified. “How could she disrespect Tei’Burgton so, and after all he did for us?”
“Well, that’s the thing. I don’t think she was lying. The elders are still arguing over the details, and won’t give her their final recommendations. It’s the clan elders holding things up, not Kajetan.”
“Why would they delay?” Shima wondered aloud, but then answered her own question. “It’s Tei interference. The elders have no reason to back out. What is Kajetan going to do about it, do you know?”
“What can she do?” Sharn said. “She made her decision after we returned. It’s for the clans to carry it out. The clan elders can encourage and cajole, but it’s for Tei to lead the way.”
“And they won’t. Politics,” Shima said in disgust. “The progressives must be in a sorry state if they can’t even gather enough colonists to fill one small ship.”
“The clan-that-is-not isn’t saying,” Sharn said. “Of course.”
Chailen chuffed in amusement.
Shima laughed at her sib’s sour expression, but this was a serious problem. The progressive Tei were weak in councils, and had been since most had died in the war. She was certain they were trying to redress the balance, but Tei were born not made, and of course, not all would be amenable to joining the progressives when they joined Tei ranks.
It would take a generation or two for their numbers to recover. That was why Tei’Thrand had sounded so desperate when he struck her. Shima hadn’t forgiven him for that, but she did, reluctantly, understand his frustration. Without the numbers required to oppose the traditionalists in Tei councils, Tei’Thrand and those of like mind, needed to make deals with the Harmony-First faction.
Once the weakest faction, but currently the most numerous, the Harmony-Firsters were a waste of talent in her opinion. They’d had a use before the war, but now? With the progressives so weak, there was little need for mediation. The traditionalists owned Tei councils.
“We need Kazim,” Shima said. “I know he’ll like this, but I’m not sure his supervisors will let him help us. Technically, they’ll be interfering in Tei business.”
“He won’t care,” Chailen said, and then a little slyly added, “he’ll do anything for you.”
Shima squirmed. “Like I said. He’ll like the plan, but putting himself between elders and Tei? I’m not certain about that.”
“Let’s ask him before borrowing trouble,” Sharn said, and Shima flicked her ears in agreement. “What about the warrior caste part?”
Shima hummed in indecision. “Hmmmm...”
Chailen patted Shima consolingly. “No one will think you flighty, my sib. You’ll always be a scientist at heart, but the Blind Hunter is a born warrior. She should be warrior caste.”
“Hmmmm...”
“Say the word, and we’ll think of something else,” Chailen said, worried now. She scented Shima’s distress on the air. “It�
�s too much. We’ll go back to the keep. Things will be better next orbit, or the one after that for certain.”
Do it for your sib and her mate. Do it for my cubs, and for everyone who lost family in the war.
“No,” Shima said. “We follow the plan. I’ll ask Varya to sponsor me.”
“If you’re sure? Do you want me to invite them for a visit?”
“Would you?”
“Of course! I’ll cook something, and invite them to join us for dinner.”
“I could eat,” Sharn said.
Shima laughed. “You’re always hungry for Chailen’s cooking.”
“Not just her cooking,” Sharn said, reaching to squeeze his mate’s hand.
Shima smiled as the Harmonies revealed their love for each other, but then it faded as the realities intruded upon her troubled thoughts. Chailen would be coming into her season again soon, and she was properly mated now. Her sib had no reason not to allow a pregnancy this orbit. If the plan worked, her future nieces and nephews would never know their aunt Shima. It made her want to cry.
She forced a cheerful tone. “Well then. We have a goal, and a plan to achieve it. Now we need an army.”
Later that same cycle, her five strong nascent army gathered around the dinner table. Chailen provided a feast of Shkai’ra, one of Shima’s favourites, and everyone praised it. They discussed Shima’s visit with Nevin over tea, and debated his advice, before moving on to the plan itself.
“Oh this is going to be good!” Kazim crowed. “We’ll be famous!”
“You’re already famous,” Shima said sourly. “And so am I. That’s your fault, and I’m still going to make you pay.”
“But not right now, am I right?”
Varya and the others laughed.
Shima growled. “Not right now, you’re too useful. Do you think it will work?”
Kazim flicked his ears. “We’ll make it work. I have some ideas already. I wanted to do this before, but my supervisor sent me to cover the construction of the shipyards instead.”
That was interesting. Kazim’s broadcasts always were. He really was as good as everyone said, though Shima wouldn’t tell him that of course.
“When will I see that one?”
“I don’t know for sure. She wanted a series of them, and I don’t know the order they’ll be released. They were fun to make. The Human shipyard was impressive, but still very Human looking. The ships being built there are a gift, and they’re amazing, but watching our own yard rebuilding the Fleet was better. You’ll love that show. We cut in some segments taken during the war. The fall of Hekja and Naktlon, the mad evacuation of the younglings from Hool Station. Lots of other things.”
“Hool’s destruction?” Shima said quietly. Her father had died there.
Kazim’s ears wilted. “Yes.”
“I would like to see it.”
Chailen gasped. “Why?”
“Because seeing the truth might hurt less than my imagination. It can’t hurt worse.”
Chailen flicked her ears in agreement. “I’ll watch with you.”
Shima squeezed her sib’s hand.
“I would love to visit to see the new ships with my own eyes,” Varya said to dispel the dark mood.
The others agreed.
“Do you think your supervisor will like Chailen’s idea?” Varya said.
“Anything starring the Blind Hunter will impress her. If we do this right, nothing short of another Merkiaari war will stop her airing it.”
“Or the Tei,” Varya said sourly. “They could stop it.”
Kazim smirked. “They’d have to know about it ahead of time, and even then, I doubt they’d try. Our Tei don’t play politics. They’re not like other Tei.”
Varya snorted.
“No really. They’re different.”
“You’re delusional. All Tei are different.”
“Ours are more different,” Kazim insisted.
“He might be right,” Shima mused. “Only the mad choose the arts for their caste.”
“Hey!” Kazim spluttered.
Everyone laughed.
Shima wanted to burst with happiness as she watched her family enjoying themselves. Chailen and Sharn were more important than her own life, but Varya and Kazim were almost as important to her. She thought of all four of them as her family. In a strange way, she had two families now. Her Human family was far away on Earth and Snakeholme. James and his mate, Kate and hers, and Gina. She missed them all very much.
“Are you free to start tomorrow?” Shima asked, bringing her attention back to business, and Kazim flicked his ears in agreement. “Well then. The second thrust will be The Blind Hunter choosing her caste,” she said just a little bitterly.
“It won’t be so bad,” Varya said. “We’ll see amazing things together, and we’ll get to play hunter and prey all the time.”
Everyone laughed.
“Until it stops being play,” Shima said. An awkward silence descended. “But first, we make the warrior caste do what they already want to do, and honour says they must do. Uphold their part in our alliance with the Humans.”
Growls of agreement swept the room.
Honour demanded it, and that would play well with the warrior caste when they watched Kazim’s shows. Shima had high hopes for her fledgling army. If all went well, it would grow into the millions in short order.
In a way, she’d already started upon a road every Tei had to tread. Just as they did, she would lead, she would advise, and she would try to inspire her people along the correct path—a path that in this case they already wanted to follow.
“I’m in your hands, Kazim,” she said, and he brightened to hear it. “Don’t let it go to your head. I’m still a better shot than you. Embarrass me too badly, and you’ll find out how much better.”
Kazim’s jaw dropped wide in a laugh, and his ears waved jauntily. “You’re in good hands. Now, show me what I have to work with.”
“Show?”
“Your harnesses, tools... do you have a car? I need a few props. Your visor lent you recognition before. We’ll work around that, but I’ll need to rebrand you.”
Shima seethed. “That visor you love so much branded me a cripple!”
“No it didn’t. The Blind Hunter wore it, and that’s who everyone saw. No one ever called you cripple, or would dare.”
Except you, went unsaid.
“Huh,” Shima chuffed, mollified just a little. “I have a new warrior’s harness we can use. Tei’Laran left it in the dust when I refused his invitation.”
“That will be useful later, but not straight away. Do you still have the one you wore when we escaped the city?”
“She can’t wear that old thing!” Chailen protested. “It’s barely holding together.”
Shima shrugged. “She’s right. I use it on salvage runs. I don’t have a car, but I can borrow one from Hamal. I...” she looked away, ashamed. “I sold my beamers.”
Silence filled the room.
Shima looked back to find dismay on every face. Chailen hadn’t known. Her shock was obvious. Sharn didn’t look surprised. He must have guessed when she stopped cleaning them, and charging power cells for them.
Shima tried to explain. “We needed the chits. I traded them for power cells, and Hamal took those for the use of a car. I had to. We would have starved.”
“We wouldn’t have starved,” Chailen said. She was being too literal. “No one starves in the keeps.”
“You know what I meant.”
“But why didn’t you tell us?”
Shima exchanged a look with Sharn, and Harmonies curse it, Chailen caught it. Her sib was far too sharp. Sharn hunched his shoulders, and dipped his head in self-defence. Chailen’s glare could be lethal.
“We’ll talk about this,” Chailen said to her mate. She glanced at her guests, and back. “Later.”
Sharn flicked his ears in agreement, and straightened. He looked relieved to have avoided a scolding. You poor fool, Shima
thought. She knew her sib too well to be fooled. He wouldn’t get away unscathed from this. He’d be doing chores for cycles as penance.
“I’ll buy some beamers for you,” Varya said.
“I’ll pay you back,” Shima said, and dipped her head in thanks.
“Don’t get new ones,” Kazim warned. “That won’t look right. She needs to look as much like before as possible. The old harness and holsters, worn beamers... yes… yes, that will work. The Blind Hunter, the weary hero, scavenging the ruins to support her family. It will look perfect.”
“I’m not wearing that visor no matter what you say. Not ever again. Besides, haven’t you heard? It’s a cherished artefact now. Stealing it would offend the ancestors.”
Kazim smirked. “Lay it on thicker, why don’t you? It wouldn’t offend the ancestors, but it would offend my audience. That might be worse for our cause. They aren’t stupid. They know you aren’t blind anymore. We have to be subtle.”
Varya laughed. “You, subtle? Is that even possible? All know your ego enters a room before you do.”
Kazim’s ears flattened in dismay, and then he realised Varya was joking. “You chose the wrong caste, my friend. You would fit perfectly into the arts. We have many comedians.”
Varya spluttered.
Shima grinned. “You plan to film my salvage runs?”
Kazim flicked his ears in agreement. “I’ll need you at a few special locations, but essentially yes. The research centre for starters.”
“But it’s already picked clean.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Kazim said. “I can use your trips to show your present circumstances, but locations like the research centre and Zuleika Spaceport will provide the perfect backdrop for interview questions. I’m aiming for a past and present feel.”
“And leave a question mark hanging over future plans?” Chailen said.
Kazim pointed. “Exactly!” He seemed pleased she’d caught on so quickly. “It’s the perfect set-up. I’ll film her going about her daily tasks, and show everyone the present. At certain places I’ll interview the Blind Hunter about her past actions in those places. The spaceport, the research centre, the wilderness cave we used on our way to Kachina Twelve.” Kazim turned solemn. “And Merrick’s grave.”
Incursion: Merkiaari Wars Book 5 Page 7
