"That'll be the day! You were right in your initial assess-ment of these two younglings, Garras."
"Him?"
"They're a true blending of the Brotherhood and the Tele-paths. They could mean full guild status for Ghezu, if they survive long enough for him to recruit them, and if he thinks he can control them. They'd be a powerful weapon in his hands. He could break the telepaths' dominance of the World Council with them."
"I know. And if Esken gets them, then he's got his own loyal private army, hasn't he? One that's faithful to
his guild and makes him independent of both the Warriors and Strong-hold."
"His position on the council would be unassailable," agreed Kaid.
"Then there's Vartra."
"I wonder what fate He's planned for them. Rulla says the God's been walking the halls at Dzahai. Some
of the Broth-ers have been having visions."
"Did he say what they were?"
Kaid shook his head. "No, but he said some of them pre-ferred to follow the God rather than thefigurehead. Sounds like there's some disaffection spreading among the Broth-ers." He sighed, leaningforward on the counter. "I tried to reach the God myself, but He's been beyond me for some time now."
"He'll come to you when He's ready," said Garras sympa-thetically.
"Can you contact Rulla for me? I want to know if he's picked up anything from the troopers. I'm not
convinced Chyad died in the explosion. I want to be sure."
"No problem," he said. Draining his mug, he got to his feet. "I've got to go now anyway. I'll be in touch."
Knowing the personal stress that Carrie and Kusac would face over the next few days, Vannaendeavored to keep them busy recording details not only of their Link but also about Terran life on Keiss. This served several purposes. It pro-vided the Medical and Telepath Guilds with some basicin-formation as well as augmenting Alien Relations' file. It also gave them each a project to keep themoccupied.
As well as that, she and Garras encouraged them to de-velop a social life and the couple began to eatmore often in the guild mess or at one of the two restaurants with Vanna and Garras. Kusac's motherhelped, too, taking Carrie to the concourse and joining them for meals when her work per-mitted.
Carrie had a message sent to Meg and a few days later a case of clothes and board games arrived forher. One that caught on with their friends was Rithmomachia, a game of mental agility involving numericalprogressions on counters. It attracted Meral's and Sevrin's attention, too, and before long had beenadopted by many Sholans.
Finally, Vanna told them that their systems had leveled out as expected, uniquely parallel to each other. By then Carrie's training with Rhuso had progressed to the point where her shield was more thanadequate, give or take the odd forget-ful moment. Rhuso had also managed to make her aware of atleast those portions of their ethics that made it possible for telepaths to live together in a community. Lifewas be-ginning to come together for them—among the Sholans.
During this time, Alien Relations had pushed on with their Attitude Indoctrination program, both with the
visiting Keissian humans and the ship's crew. The Keissian peace delegation had been given the grand tour of the ship, then over the ensuing days had been entertained by visits to the Storyteller's Theater, a restaurant, and various competitive sports ranging from the Sholan equivalent of unarmed mar-tial arts and weapons skills displayed by the Warrior's Guild, to elaborate games of tag. It culminated with a visit to the Wilderness, an entertainment area unique to the Khalossa.
The Wilderness was a piece of Shola designed to cater to the Sholan need for wide open vistas. It wasplanted with trees and grassy areas, and it contained a river running into a small lake. Using computerenhancement techniques, it could portray any climatic region of Shola's surface. Game could be releasedfor hunting and the. lake was stocked with fish. The tree canopy could be navigated using the ropesprovided.
It was one of the places Vanna had suggested that they visit. Mito had been invited and had accepted onthe proviso she could bring Anders. Though reluctant, Carrie had agreed and found to her surprise thathe had been good company and, like her, fascinated by the plants and animals that in-habited the Wilderness.
The tour broke the ice that had settled over the peace talks, and though still not completely happy abouthis daughter's involvement with Kusac, at least Peter Hamilton no longer make it an issue on which thetalks depended.
Kaid had instructed Personnel not to allow any incoming calls from her father, but according to the Mentor, he had now been exposed to enough of the Sholan culture to be able to reevaluate his opinionsconcerning them. So it was that a couple of days before Carrie and Kusac were due to leave the Khalossa, an early morning call came in from him.
Kusac nudged Carrie with his knee.
"Mmm?" she mumbled, snuggling her back closer into the curve of his body, enjoying the silky warmth of
him against her skin.
"It's your father," he said, gently shaking her shoulder. "You'd better get up and take the call in the other
room."
"Don't want to get up," she mumbled sleepily.
"He's waiting. Asking him to call back will hardly im-prove his temper."
Carrie groaned and surfaced enough to glower at the screen on the night table. Leaning out of bed, sheflicked it on.
With a reproachful hiss, Kusac moved back from her but not before her father's image had appeared.
Peter Hamilton frowned slightly, disapproval evident on his face.
Kusac sensed that she was throwing her father in at the deep end, forcing him to face the fact of theirintimacy.
"Good morning, Carrie. Kusac," he said stiffly. "I was hoping to come over and see you this morning."
Kusac could feel her reluctance. She didn't want the re-peated hurt of her father's rejection.
Maybe he's changed, sent Kusac. We'll never know if you refuse to see him. It would be better totry and make our peace with him before we leave for Shola.
"We'll be up within the hour," she said reluctantly. "If you wish to come, bring the duty interpreter with
you. I don't want any more misunderstandings."
"I've seen the telepaths at work," said Peter Hamilton slowly. "I understand more about your Link now. I don't in-tend to make a scene, Carrie. I love you too much to lose you." He stopped, looking faintly embarrassed. "I'll see you in an hour." He blanked the screen.
Kusac leaned across Carrie, switching their unit off.
You're tracking upwind of him, he warned, sliding his arms round her. / understand, but I don't thinkit's wise.
I won't live in shadows, Kusac, she said, turning round. Surely I'm no less his daughter for lovingyou? I won't let him make me feel it's wrong.
Kusac held her close, feeling her need for him as a per-son. It felt good. His tail curled protectively roundher legs.
An hour later, Kaid showed Mr. Hamilton and the inter-preter into the inner lounge.
"Liegen Aldatan," said the interpreter, saluting him with arms crossed over his chest.
Kusac, caught in the midst of brushing Carrie's hair, men-tally swore a few choice epithets and put thebrush down hurriedly. Why did her father always have to catch him at a disadvantage?
Hamilton hovered near the door, obviously unsure as to how to address Kusac and unwilling to give himthe benefit of his rank.
Unable to ignore Carrie's unspoken plea, Kusac reluc-tantly eased the situation by going to greet him.
"Come in, Mr. Hamilton, Serif. Well come. Be at ease with us, we don't hold with ceremony here," he
said, escort-ing both of them over to the settee.
Mr. Hamilton sat down on the edge. "Is it really necessary for us to have Interpreter Serif and Kusachere?" he asked his daughter. "I'd like to talk to you on your own."
"Even if Kusac left the room, he'd know what you said," she replied, playing with her hairbrush and
keeping her eyes down.
"I re
alize that, but Serif?"
"I've assured the Ambassador that I can only pick up sur-face thoughts," said Serif.
His mood seems calm. I'll take Serif to the other end of the room. Then he can feel he has hisprivacy with you, sent Kusac.
Carrie shot him a frightened look. No! Don't leave me with him, I need you close.
We're always close , came the reassuring thought.
Serif rose to his feet, following Kusac.
"I find the telepaths a little unnerving," said her father suddenly. "I can usually tell when they're talking to
each other."
Carrie wrinkled her forehead in surprise, tucking her legs up into the chair. "Perhaps you should be testedfor tele-pathic abilities then."
Her father shook his head. "No, I'm too old for that sort of upheaval in my life. One prodigy in the familyis enough," he said, smiling wryly. "The Commander made sure I realized how important the two of youare to both our species, and I accept what has happened between you."
"I'm glad, but what about us? Can you see us beyond the political implications? Doesn't it bother you that
we're im-portant to each other? Where do Carrie and Kusac fit into your life—if at all?" she asked.
"I can't say it's what I want for you, Carrie, it isn't," he said, looking acutely uncomfortable. "I understand your need to be defensive, but if you feel this relationship is right for you, that's all that really matters, isn't it?"
"You don't understand at all, do you? I can feel it, so don't tell me I'm wrong. You think I'm making the
best of an intolerable situation, don't you?"
"Carrie, I want you to be happy," he said, leaning forward to take her hand. "I just think that you aren't going to be happy with him. I don't see how you can. Think of all the differences between his people and ours; their customs, morals—everything will be different."
"When our Link was completed, I understood everything Kusac knew as if I was him," she said softly, still keeping her eyes down. "I know what it's like to grow up on Shola, to walk under a sun brighter than ours or Earth's, to run on all fours across the fields of the estate chasing game. I'm no longer just a human from Earth, or a colonist from Keiss. Part of me is totally Sholan, and the Terrans feel as alien to me as you feel the Sholans are to you." She looked up at him, forcing eye contact.
Her father frowned, glancing uneasily away. "You're talk-ing rubbish, Carrie. Just because you knowwhat it feels like, it doesn't make you Sholan."
"Have you seen my eyes, Father?" she asked quietly. "Look at them and tell me again there's nothing
about me that's Sholan."
He lifted his gaze to hers, a perplexed frown giving way to an expression of shock. "What the hell haveyou done to them?"
"They've been like that since the night of the reception. I don't know how or why it happened, but it
marks me apart, an external sign of what I feel inside."
"They told me you were all right," he said. "They didn't say anything about this. What caused it? Is it
some kind of illness or disease?"
"No, I'm fine. I told you, we don't know what caused my eyes to change, but they're Sholan eyes now. I've never fit-ted in anywhere before, Father. I belong here, I can have a life of my own with them. I never could on Keiss."
Kusac, aware her mood was becoming too introspective, returned to her side and placed a handprotectively on her shoulder. As he did, he felt her lower her shield enough to let her feelings leak out toher father through their hand con-tact.
Divining her purpose, he took control, bringing her father briefly into their Link, allowing him for amoment to expe-rience what it was like to share such a mental bond.
White-faced, her father snatched his hand away. "My God! What was that?"
"That's our Link," said Carrie. "Now you know what it feels like."
"I could feel what both of you were thinking, like a con-stant stream running through my mind. How can
you live like that, so aware of each other?" He sat there, face still pale, hands shaking.
At Kusac's unspoken request, Serif brought over a mug of c'shar from the unit on the desk and handed itto him.
Kusac moved to sit beside Mr. Hamilton, wrapping the human's hands around the cup. "Drink this," hesaid. "It'll help."
Her father took a gulp, then another, the tremors begin-ning to steady. "I didn't realize people could bethat close," he said quietly. "How can you stand it?" he asked, looking up at his daughter. "It's so intense,so… dominating."
"Only to you," said Kusac, standing up and moving back to Carrie. "For us, life would be unbearable
without it. What we have isn't an ordinary Sholan Leska Link, though. It's more demanding."
"And more rewarding," added Carrie. "Now do you un-derstand?"
"Yes, I understand, and I felt your commitment to each other, but I still can't say I like it," he said, putting down the cup. "What about your father, Kusac? Can you honestly say he's overjoyed? Or your mother?"
Kusac shifted restlessly. "I've told him, and like you he would have it otherwise, but he's prepared toaccept Carrie as my Leska," he admitted.
"You can appreciate it isn't an ideal situation," said her father.
"I don't think you can believe that either of us would have chosen this relationship if it could have been
avoided, Mr. Hamilton," said Kusac, part of his mind shushing Carrie's mental exclamation.
"Fathers worry more about their daughters," he said, get-ting to his feet. He leaned over Carrie, giving her a hug. "I do wish you happiness in your new life," he said. "Don't forget me while you're on Shola. I don't want to lose you, Carrie. Call me, or whatever it is they do there."
She returned the hug. "Bye, Dad. We aren't due to leave for a couple of days yet, so I'll see you beforewe go."
He held out his hand to Kusac who shook it briefly. "We'll see ourselves out," Hamilton said.
* * *
"Here's the report from Intelligence based on Lieutenant Mito Rralgu's findings, Conjmander," said Myak. "With the help of the human Jo Edwards, she's managed to translate the Valtegan's deep-space message."
"About time," said Raguul, taking the document from him. He scanned it quickly. "This was sent several days be-fore the base was taken.
"Yes, sir." He hesitated.
"What else is there to tell me?" asked Raguul.
"It looks like we may have run into another delay with the treaty."
Raguul groaned. "What is it this time?"
"Captain Jordan and Mr. James Blackwell of the Erasmus have been making representation to
Sub-Commander Rhuk that they want to be included in the treaty talks."
"Just what I need," muttered Raguul. "What do our cur-rent Keissian delegates say?"
"All Hamilton and Skinner are concerned with is having our help to protect their world from the Valtegans. As Ham-ilton pointed out, Earth's interests are entirely different from theirs, and the people from the Erasmus know nothing about life on Keiss or under the Valtegans. They've been in space so long that they aren't even representative of the current Earth attitudes."
"Does that mean they want to exclude them from the council?"
"No. They've no objection to them having a represen-tative—they suggest Mr. Blackwell—so long as it's under-stood who's in charge. Skinner and Hamilton are more concerned by Earth's attitude that after all they've been through, they haven't the right to autonomy."
"They seem to have settled it between
themselves so there's no need for us to become involved. Any news from High Command on that Valtegan craft that escaped? Have they managed to track down where it was headed?"
"Nothing yet, sir. One more thing, Commander. The Brother is waiting to see you."
"He is, is he? Any idea what he wants?"
"You did say you wanted to see him when he was recov-ered."
Raguul nodded. "So I did. A small matter of seven deaths, wasn't it? Ask him to come in." His earsflicked with annoy-ance.
Kaid entered, only a slight limp betraying his injured leg. "Commander," he said, sitting down.
The Commander nodded. "There have been four incidents in the last few days that have resulted in thedeaths of mem-bers of my crew. I don't suppose you know anything about them, do you?" he asked,tapping his claws on the surface of his desk.
"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information, Com-mander, and you know that," Kaid murmured.
"Dammit, your contract didn't mention anything about killing!" exclaimed Raguul.
"My contract gave me the authority to take what steps were necessary to ensure the safe delivery of Liegen Kusac Aldatan and his Leska to Shola. You wanted me to wind up my investigation of the dissidents. That's what I did."
"I didn't expect you to take the law into your own hands!" said Raguul angrily. "Those people should
have been brought into custody, not killed!"
"Had the movement been more widespread, I would have perhaps acted differently, but there were only
a small number of people involved as far as I knew. As it is, I have to report that my undercover contact has been approached by yet an-other member of this movement. She was due on bridge duty tonight and was asked to intercept an incoming message from the Rhyaki—a message that was arranged by Chyad."
"I'll have no more killings," growled Raguul. "Draz will deal with it from now on!"
"That is exactly what I've done, Commander," Kaid said quietly. "Unfortunately, I am hardly in any state to deal with the matter myself. I contacted Draz and he arranged for your officer to be reported sick with some Terran ailment. She's been quarantined for the next five days and her replacement is one of Draz's people. I won't place Lieutenant Rralgu in any further danger. I suggest you post her to Keiss as soon as possible to keep her out of the way of these people. On Keiss she is of no use to them. They play hard, as I found out to my cost," he said wryly. "The scouter crash was none of my doing."
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