"They've never happened till now," Carrie said. "I've never really been anywhere without Kusac before."
"Then it's definitely a good idea for you to come out with me more often," said Taizia, pouring some more
wine into her glass.
"Here comes the food," said Laesu. "I'm surprised you didn't notice it before me, Taizia."
"There's no justice in the world when you two can gorge yourself on food and stay as slim as a reed and I
only have to look at it to gain weight," moaned Taiba as the waiter ap-proached with a laden tray.
The meal was one of the long leisurely affairs that the Sholans so loved. With the wine and the warm sunas well, Carrie soon found herself relaxing. The conversation became a little too personal at times, but Taizia deftly steered it back onto neutral ground.
"So, what do you think of Shola?" asked Laesu. "Is it very different from Keiss?"
"Very. We were the advance colonists, setting up an agri-cultural community to support the next wave.
They were the people who would build up the industrial side of our col-ony."
"Strange way to do it," observed Vekki. "When our last colony was set up, they started simultaneously
with the in-dustrial bases on the moons and the agriculture on the planet."
"I believe that's what's happening now, thanks to your people," said Carrie. "We didn't have the
technology to send more than one ship at a time, nor to land on the moon and ferry goods to Keiss."
"What else do you find different?" asked Taiba.
"The climate, but that's probably got more to do with be-ing nearer your equator than we were on Keiss.
I must ad-mit, I like the warm weather." She stretched her arms, enjoying the feel of the sun on them.
"We had four small villages on Keiss, that was all," she said. "There was an inn in each village, no stores, and our market day was once a month. We lived a very simple life. Here you've got all the benefits of an industrial technolog-ical society with none of the problems of pollution and over-crowding."
"Shola's no perfect land of the Gods, Carrie," said Taizia, leaning forward onto the table. "You've only seen Valsgarth. Telepath towns are kept small because of our needs—we don't need the noise of thousands of minds all day and all night. Nazule is our nearest big city, and it's a different mat-ter. There's overcrowding and even poverty there. Not ev-eryone has the pride, enthusiasm, or interest to make their life the best it can be. The central government does what it can, but it can't help everyone."
"I suppose you're right. I'm afraid I left Earth when I was eleven, and I remember very little about it. I remember there was pollution and overcrowding and slums, but that's about all. I've spent more of my life on Keiss."
"How do the Terrans train their telepaths?" asked Changu, picking up her glass and taking another sip
from it.
"Didn't you bother to read the files we were given by AlRel?" asked G'hiled scornfully. "If you had, you'd
know that the Terrans don't recognize telepathy at all. They don't believe it exists!"
"Some of them do," said Taizia, catching the eye of one of the waiters. "More iced water, please," she
said, then turned back to their group.
"I've seen the encyclopedia they brought with them from their home world. It's amazing. Apart from all the other subjects, there's a large number of articles on their various Talents, including telepathy. The trouble stems from the fact that scientists were trying to devise repeatable tests for a talent they didn't believe existed. Had the telepaths formed their own guild, there wouldn't have been this prob-lem."
"How did you manage to get access to that information?" demanded G'hiled. "Your father shouldn't have
let you see confidential AlRel documents."
"Father didn't," said Taizia mildly. "My mother did. The encyclopedia was sent to Carrie by her brother.
She gave the guild and AlRel their copies."
"Is it going to be made available to us?" asked Vekki. "It seems to me that it would be good experience for the senior year students of AlRel to study the first new culture that's come along in over two hundred years. Especially when we have a member of that species living in the guild with us."
"I'm way ahead of you, my dear." Taizia's purr was only a shade higher than her brother's. "Father's
already agreed. However, it's going to cost us, and you might not like the price."
"You and your wheeling and dealing, Taizia," said Laesu with a laugh. "What have you got us into now?"
"Well, first of all we're studying Keissian humans, not Earth Terrans," she said with a sideways grin at Carrie. "He wants a comparative study of their social customs. He wants to see how far from the Terran norm the colony on Keiss has moved, and whether the changes are due to the lack of influ-ence from the home world or to the domination of the cul-ture by the Valtegans."
"Will you be helping us?" Changu asked Carrie.
"I don't know that I can be much help. I'll certainly do what I can. Kusac says he's working on a similar
topic. He'd be glad to make some of his files available to you for cross-reference."
"I thought we'd be looking at the telepaths in Keissian culture," said Taiba.
"There's only one of me," said Carrie, glancing up as the waiter approached with their jug of water.
"That comes next term," said Taizia, nodding her thanks to him and pouring herself a drink. "We've got eight weeks for this study before more Terrans arrive on Shola, then we're evaluating their ability to fit into our culture."
"More Terrans?" said Taiba, her interest caught. "Will they be males or females?"
"Both, I expect," said Carrie. "Our males don't suffer from the same antisocial behavior that I'm told
yours do."
"What are your males like?" asked Vekki curiously.
Carrie looked across at Kaid. "Taller, more heavily built than me and their voices are deeper than humanfemales. Some of them choose to grow hair on parts of their faces."
"Are there pictures of them in the encyclopedia?"
"Yes," confirmed Taizia. "If you come back to our room, I can show you."
"We're all finished here, aren't we?" Laesu asked, looking round the group for the chorus of affirmatives.
"Then let's pay the waiter and go," she said.
They each put in an equal amount, Taizia helping Carrie with the value of the different coins.
"Don't worry, I'll remember them now," she said, putting the rest back in the pouch on her belt. "Everything has a fa-miliar look and feel to it, as if I've temporarily forgotten the name. Once I'm told, I don't forget."
As they walked back through the town to the guild, Carrie could feel Taizia's growing desire to ask hersomething she considered important. When the Sholan female touched her hand and sent her a request toslow down, she knew the question was imminent.
"Carrie, what did you collect from the store?"
Carrie gave her an amused look. I'll trade you, she sent. You tell me why you asked me to cover upmy tore, and I'll tell you what I bought. Deal?
A startled look crossed Taizia's face. / didn't realize you could send that well to any telepath.
Don't underestimate her, Taizia. For all her Terran ap-pearance and lack of experience, she's oneof us. Be careful what you say, Kusac warned her on the private level they'd used as cubs.
Kusac wants to tell our father about you himself. If you're
seen wearing his tore, people will talk and Father will find out before Kusac has spoken to him.
Carrie digested this for a moment.
You're not Sholan, Carrie , sent Taizia. It's a big step for Kusac to take. Father is bound to beconcerned about it.
Fair enough. When Kusac and I were in Valsgarth before, we arranged for me to buy him a tore.
This is the first chance I've had to collect it.
Taizia gave Carrie a curious look, then grinning, linked her arm in the Terran's. Go
ds, you've both got itbad, haven't you? I'm glad of that because you'll always have each other.
"Come on," said Taiba, stopping to wait for them.
"You'll have to wait another eight weeks to see our men," laughed Carrie as they caught up.
Why don't you go with them and show them the encyclo-pedia, sent Kusac. I'm busy working with Tutor Sorli to draft out a new course to be presented at the staff meeting tomor-row. I'll befinished by third meal.
Carrie timed her arrival back at their apartment to coin-cide with Kusac finishing his work. Sorli wasleaving as they arrived. Seeing all was well, Kaid excused himself and left her there.
"We've just written a course for developing three new mental skills," said Kusac as the door slid quietly
shut be-hind them. He draped his arm across her shoulders as they walked over to the settee.
"You enjoyed yourself, I know. Did you like Taizia's friends?"
"Yes, I did. I particularly like Vekki and Laesu. I'm going to help them with their work for the next two
terms," she said, sitting down beside him.
"That's good. It'll get you out and about. You need to find a niche for yourself," he said, reaching up to
knead one of his shoulders.
"Let me do that," she said. "Turn around."
He did as she asked, drawing his legs up in front of him-self.
Slipping her hands inside the back of his shirt, she pushed through his fur and began to work the musclesat the sides of his neck.
"They're absolutely solid," she said. "I bet you didn't take any breaks, did you?"
"No," he admitted, squirming under her hands. "We wanted to get it finished, so Sorli could go over it
before to-morrow. Ouch! That hurts, Carrie."
"Sorry, but it isn't easy for me when your shirt's in the way." She leaned forward to undo the first couple of buttons, then returned to kneading his shoulders, gradually working her way across the top then down onto his back just below his neck.
As well as she knew his body by now, the subtle differ-ences never failed to fascinate her. The heavymuscles around his highly mobile joints were designed to allow him to change to four-legged locomotion
at a moment's no-tice.
"What you need is a good soak in a hot bath," she said, aware of his tiredness as she tried to soften the
muscles un-derlying his shoulder blades.
"Later." His hand reached up for one of hers, tugging gently on it. "Come round this side," he said, his
voice a lazy purr now that she had relieved the worst of the tension and strain.
She got up and moved in front of him, leaning against the arm of the settee. "I got something for youtoday," she said, trying to stop him from picking up her thoughts.
He cocked his head to one side, a look of curiosity on his face. "You did?" His ears swiveled round toface her.
She nodded, reaching into her pouch to take out a padded package. Nervously she began to open it,suddenly afraid that despite what he'd said at the time, he wouldn't accept the gift from her.
"If it's for me, shouldn't I be doing that?" he asked.
"No, not with this," she said, trying to control the slight shaking in her hands as she unwrapped the final
layer. Keep-ing it on its bed of soft paper, she held it out to him. "It's your tore, Kusac."
The moment hung there between them, each of them aware of the importance of this promise, bothaware of what they were giving up for the other.
Kusac breathed in sharply, looking up at her. He didn't need to see her face to know what she felt forhim, he could sense it clearly through their Link. He reached out to take the tore then hesitated, handpoised above it.
"You realize what this signifies?" he said. "The bonding ceremony is only the final seal to our promises. If I take your tore, there's no going back." His eyes searched her face even as his mind searched hers, looking for any trace of doubt. There was none.
His hand touched her face, cupping her cheek. "I'm from the Clan Leader's family, Carrie, and you're my Leska. It means no children for either of us," he said softly. "Neither Terran, nor Sholan. Can you livewith that?"
"I know," she said, resting her hands and her gift on her knees. "We'll have each other, that's enough."
Picking up the tore, he spread the terminals and placed it round his neck, the bronze gleaming against hisdark fur. "It's warm," he said, surprised.
Carrie grinned. "It would be. I've been carrying it around next to me all day. When you gave me yours, itwas warm, too."
He moved his legs, reaching out to pull her closer so he could untie the lightweight scarf she'd worn overher tore. "You don't need to wear this now. I'll speak to Father to-morrow."
As she leaned forward to undo the remaining buttons on his shirt, she felt him running his hand down herside till he reached her bare leg.
"I see you didn't bother with your trousers after all," he said, burying his face against her hair and neck,
breathing in her scent. His hand caressed her thigh gently, claw tips trac-ing intricate patterns.
She'd reached his belt and by the time it fell loose to the settee, his other hand had found the front seal of
her tabard and released it.
He tumbled backward, arms grasping her and taking her with him.
"It was too hot today," she murmured, her mouth search-ing for his.
No more talk, he sent between the small bites and kisses. Let's seal our betrothal.
* * *
Kaid threaded his way through the packed inn till he reached the table at the back where Rulla satwaiting for him.
"What the hell are you doing requesting leave at the Tem-pie in Valsgarth?" he demanded, his voice low
and angry as he sat down opposite him.
"Gently, Kaid," he said, pushing a spirit glass over to him. "Have this and calm down. I didn't ask for
Valsgarth, Lijou posted me here. I expect he hopes to make use of me at some point."
Kaid gave a low growl of annoyance.
"Have your drink," said Rulla, edging it closer to him. "I know you're off duty or you wouldn't be here.
It's Chemerian M'ikkoe. You still like it, don't you?"
Kaid glowered at him and picked the drink up. "You still haven't told me why you're here."
"I figured that Ghezu will only tell you what he wants you to know considering you're working free-lance. With me here, too, he reckons it gives him the edge over you, so I'm more likely to find out what he's up to." He lifted his glass and took a drink.
"I'm also in the Temple," he continued, putting the glass down again. "We know Lijou plays both ends against the middle and if he's after information on what Ghezu's up to, he'll ask me since I'm now officially attached to him as a lay Brother."
Kaid grunted, allowing his brow to relax and took a mouthful of the drink. "It'll do as a cover," he said.
"Now tell me what you're really doing here."
Rulla sat forward, leaning low across the table. "I told you on the Khalossa , Kaid," he said, his voicealmost a whisper. "Some of us hear the God Calling. If you're going to keep them safe, out of the handsof both Esken and the Brotherhood, then you can't do it alone. It's too much for one person."
"Who says that's what I'm doing?"
"Stop messing around, Kaid! You wouldn't do Ghezu's dirty work for him ever again, nor would you let
the likes of Lijou or Esken call your tune. So what's left? All I need to know is where we're going."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Kaid, tak-ing another mouthful of his drink. "We're not
going any-where."
"What are your plans, Kaid, because whatever they are, I'm going to be part of them. There were a lot of
us who dis-agreed with Ghezu's actions back…"
Kaid slammed the glass on the table, sending the contents slopping over the side. "Forget that day!" hesaid angrily. "It's gone, over and done with." More quietly, "I have, Rulla. I've no desire
or need to pull Ghezu down. Leave the Brotherhood out of this. I'm no longer an active part of it."
"So you've got no plans yet?" Rulla nodded slowly. "Then you'd better get some together, Kaid, because
you've already got a following."
Kaid looked up sharply at him, eyes narrowing, ears swiv-eling forward so he missed nothing. "Whatd'you mean?" he demanded.
"Exactly what I said. If you haven't realized it by now, then you're slipping, my friend. There's Garras for a start. Then what about those two lads from the Khalossa that you brought with you? Meral and Sevrin? Saw them today. Can't you see it's the old days starting all over again?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped.
"Am I? Like I said, Kaid, you better start finalizing your plans." He drank the last of his ale and stood up to leave. "Remember, you've got me inside the Brotherhood and the Temple now. You've got a following, whether or not you want us, we're there."
He reached out for Rulla, pulling him back down. "Sit down, for the God's sake! You can't help me,you're still in the Brotherhood, still subject to your oath to Ghezu! You know what the penalty is if youbreak it. Don't be a fool, Rulla!"
Rulla let himself be pulled down again. "Do you remem-ber our oath?" he asked.
"Of course I remember it," growled Kaid. "I still try to live by it."
"How can you do that, when you're no longer one of the Brotherhood?"
"I keep my oath to the God."
"Exactly. The basis of our oath is to Vartra, not Ghezu. How does it go? 'I swear that for the rest of my life I will follow the God's calling, and abide by the rules of the Broth-erhood. To this end I renounce all Clan ties. From now till I die, my family is of the Brotherhood at Dzahai Strong-hold.' "
"What's your point, Rulla?"
"Merely that I can follow my oath from outside the Broth-erhood, too, if our move is made public
enough. Now I
really do have to go, Kaid. Ghyan is expecting me back. I did tell you that I've asked to study comparative religions, didn't I? Particularly the Keissian one. I'll be getting in touch with your Liegen in a day or two."
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