Authors: Lisanne Norman
* * *
Everyone had been exhausted by sitting up the night before, so Kaid's job was made easier for him. He needed to get a night watch routine established to give them all an anchor, something they could feel secure about and in control of in this alien environment.
Rezac was almost fit again, his injuries from the beating having healed at a rate consistent with using an accelerated drug like Fastheal. Even his broken ribs were paining him less. Jo was better too, but still tired and lethargic, although she'd made the effort to get up and join them during their afternoon. With fourteen of them able-bodied, watches through the night weren't a problem.
A deck of cards had been included with their possessions. Now the watch had something legitimate to do to keep them alert when they weren't making the half-hourly patrols to each of the five sleeping rooms. Kaid had elected to do the last two hour stint along with Tallis and Sheeowl.
He and T'Chebbi were sharing a room with Kate and Taynar. He'd decided to take the younglings in with them so they could keep an eye on them and make sure they were adapting to their loss of mental privacy and increased dependency on each other. He needn't have worried. They were as unconcerned as young jeggets when it came time to retire. Oh, they had their odd spats and rows during the day like any couple, but at night, matters between them were fine. One less worry, thank Vartra.
Sleep didn't come easily for him, and when he finally drifted off, he found himself locked in a cycle of nightmares about being pursued remorselessly by shadows that, when he finally gained the courage and desperation to face them, proved only to be images of himself.
The last dream was different. He lay entombed in darkness, floating weightlessly above the world. A feather-softness touched his cheek, but he couldn't turn his head to see what it was. It came again and this time he knew it was the gentle lick of a tongue. But it was cold, so cold it almost burned.
Remember Winter's kiss.
He heard the words whispered in his ear, then the gentle flick of the tongue as the darkness was shattered by the flare of a brilliant light shining directly into his eyes. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. Chest heaving, he tried to fill his lungs with air as he gasped in pain, tears streaming down his cheeks.
He jolted himself awake, shaking violently with fear or cold, he couldn't tell which. From the pod beside him, T'Chebbi reached out a comforting hand, running it across his damp pelt. Groggy and disoriented, he pulled her closer, taking comfort from her warmth against his chilled hide. Before he knew it, she had joined him under his blankets and was covering him with tiny bites.
Within minutes, her skillful fingers and tongue had roused him to fever pitch, then kept him there for longer than he could bear. There was nothing subtle about their pairing, it was both wild and furtive, leaving him as exhausted as she'd planned.
* * *
Someone was shaking him violently awake and, unusually for him, he responded sluggishly, unable to bring his eyes to focus on the face hanging over his. His left arm hurt and he'd a crick in his neck from peering up at the visitor. Trying to move, he became aware of T'Chebbi still lying partly under him.
Mumbling an apology, he rolled onto his side and sat up, shaking his head to clear it.
"Kate and Taynar are gone," said Jeran urgently. "It's taken me ages to wake you. You were both out cold."
Kaid peered over toward the other pair of sleeping pods. He was right, they were empty.
"Did either of you see or hear anything?" asked Manesh from her position by the door.
Kaid ran his hands through his hair, pushing it back from his face. "Nothing. How long have they been gone?"
Jeran shrugged as he sat back on his heels. "It's the twenty-third hour now. We came on at the twentieth and don't remember doing a patrol."
"Everyone else is awake. You were the most difficult to rouse," said Manesh.
"Figures," said T'Chebbi, sitting up and rubbing her shoulder. "You don't usually fall asleep on me like that. Gods, but you're heavy, Kaid."
Jeran tried to cover his snort of amusement, Manesh didn't bother. "Rezac and Jo were alone when they were taken," she said. "Whatever was done to us, if anything, they must have done double to you two."
"Makes sense," agreed T'Chebbi, wriggling herself free of Kaid's legs in an effort to get up.
Aware of his need for modesty in the presence of the U'Churian female, Kaid grabbed for the cover and wrapped himself in it before he scrambled to his feet and headed for the two empty beds.
"Searched them already," said Manesh. "Nothing. The taibans are young and healthy. What reason had the Primes to take them? That's what's frightening everyone."
"They're a Human and Sholan pair, like Rezac and Jo," said Jeran. "Mixed species. Who's going to be next? Giyesh and me?"
"Stop talking like that," said T'Chebbi sharply as she joined Kaid. "You'll start a panic for no reason. Could be they're doing health checks on us all."
"One hell of a way to get us to go to the doctor," he said with a shaky laugh. "Maybe we should tell them we've got several of our own here."
Kaid lifted the bottom sheet, smelling it briefly before reaching for the one on the other bed.
"Something?" asked T'Chebbi.
He caught her eyes as he shook his head. "I don't smell any drugs, but they might have no odor I can detect now." He threw the sheet back on the bed and got up. "Give me a minute to get dressed," he said.
Manesh and Jeran disappeared, closing the door behind them.
"What did you scent?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as he went back to his bed to get his clothes.
"Later," he said. "We have the others to calm down first."
* * *
Tallis literally pounced on him as they entered the lounge. "What the hell's going on, Kaid? First Rezac and Jo, now these two, and without even waking you! How are they getting in and out of the rooms? Who's going to be next?"
"Sit down, Tallis," he said, fending him off as he walked farther into the room before perching on the padded arm of one of the couches. "I'm as much in the dark as anyone else, but we'll not achieve anything if we let ourselves panic." Their fear filled the room like a miasma.
Tallis had followed him, tail tip lashing agitatedly from side to side beneath the hem of his robe. "I demand you..."
"Shut up, Tallis!" roared Rezac, getting to his feet and glaring at the older male. "I'm sick to death of your whining and complaining!"
"That's enough, Rezac," said Kaid mildly. "The brutal truth is we're captives and there's nothing we can do to stop these Primes from doing whatever they want with us. I suggest we all get used to that idea right now, then we can look at the more positive aspects of our situation."
"Positive aspects?" exclaimed Tallis. "What positive aspects?"
"T'Chebbi, escort Tallis to his room," said Kaid. "It's obvious no one else is going to get a chance to speak while he remains here."
She got to her feet, ears flattening to the side as she looked Tallis' way. He backed off hurriedly toward one of the dining tables, grabbing a hard chair and lowering himself onto it. "I'll shut up," he muttered.
Kaid gestured briefly to T'Chebbi, and, flicking her long plait over her shoulder, she resumed her seat.
"Rezac and Jo were taken because they needed medical attention," Kaid continued. "They were returned unharmed. That's positive. However, that wasn't the case as far as we know with Kate and Taynar. Unless you know of any medical reasons, Mrowbay?"
The U'Churian medic shook his head. "None. They were both healthy as far as my limited knowledge of your species could tell. Perhaps they're just curious as to why two obviously different species choose to be a couple."
"Could be. Kate and Jo are also the only Humans among us. That, or the fact they're telepaths, could have been more of a deciding factor."
"Maybe they just needed healthy specimen of each so they can treat Jo and Rezac more effectively," said T'Chebbi thoughtfully. "A benchmark."
"Could be as simple as that," agreed Mrowbay. "Taking us when we're unconscious is a way of ensuring we can't escape or cause trouble."
Kaid glanced at Mrowbay. "Good point."
"Maybe they can't treat us wearing those suits," said Jo. "They're probably only three feet tall and as fragile as a twig! No contest against even us thin-skinned Humans."
Nice one,
Kaid sent to her as around him, a few smiles and chuckles broke out.
"They could be isolation suits as well as armor," said Jeran. "We might be able to cross infect each other with common illnesses. After all, we breathe the same kind of air and eat similar food."
"We can't assume that," interrupted Tirak. "The air we're breathing and that's in the corridor out there, has been scrubbed till it smells of nothing."
"The captain's right." Kaid gestured round the lounge. "Just because the furnishings, gravity, food, and air are all compatible with life-forms like us doesn't mean that the Primes are even organic. We have no idea of the size of the vessel we're on, or even if we're on a vessel. We could have been kept sedated in the hold of the
M'ijikk
for days."
"Don't say that. You're frightening me," said Zashou, clutching her arms across her chest.
"We need to face our situation honestly if we're ever going to get out of here," said Jo. "I think it's unlikely they're constructs, but it is a possibility."
"Just like the three foot tall twigs," grinned T'Chebbi.
"As I said, none of us have yet been offered any physical violence," said Kaid. "And they're well capable of it. We saw their demonstration as we left the
M'ijikk.
Quite the opposite in fact. Rezac's and Jo's injuries were treated, they've kept us all together when they could have separated us— apart from the Cabbarans, that is. Let us control our heating and lighting, and our food."
"And given us our own clothing and entertainments from the
Profit,
" added Sheeowl.
"We've no proof as yet that taking Kate and Taynar is an unfriendly act," pointed out Sayuk.
"I'd call it downright unfriendly," growled Manesh. "No matter how comfortable a prison is, it's still a prison. Removing someone from their bed at night without permission is kidnapping."
"We don't know enough to reach any real conclusions," said Tirak grimly. "What we need more than anything else is information."
Kaid nodded. "Agreed. We need to keep studying the Primes and their guards. Watch how they move, their speech patterns, how they place themselves at the doorway when they come here. Most of us have military backgrounds, we know the drill. Look for their weak points, then we can start planning an escape."
"And what do we civilians do?" asked Zashou.
"You're a telepath. Keep probing at them, see if you can get through to their minds. If you can, find out anything at all," said Kaid. He glanced at Rezac. "Which reminds me, I need to speak to both of you about your psi abilities."
"When?"
"Now. I think we've covered about everything we can for the moment." He looked around the room again, making sure he made eye contact with each of them in turn. "There's still several hours of sleep left. I, for one, am going back to bed. I suggest you do the same. Sitting up all night won't do any good, it'll only wear us out."
There was a general stirring and murmuring as people began to get up and wander off to their rooms.
"We'd better include you, Jo," said Kaid as she began to rise. "You know what Rezac knows."
As they made for the middle room, Kaid snagged T'Chebbi and drew her with him, tapping a message on her wrist with his fingers as he did, letting her know he needed her analytical skills.
The minute they were settled on the beds, Kaid began to talk in the Highland patois. "My bet is this is a fairly standard suite, therefore there's likely another the same backing onto us. I'm sure we're under constant surveillance. There might even be concealed entrances on the back walls." He indicated the one behind them. "We'll keep our talk to a minimum. Spend some time with T'Chebbi, Rezac. I want her to teach you how to communicate with us in the Brotherhood touch code. It's simple and efficient, and open gestures are easily missed by non-Brothers. Keep it low-key. I don't want the Primes noticing what you're doing." He sensed the other's surprise at being included, then a touch of regret that it hadn't been a show of trust in him instead of common sense.
"Agreed," said Rezac quietly, resting his arms on his knees.
"Why not use thought?" asked Jo, struggling with the new language which for her was still an acquired skill.
"They've a damper field on outside this room," said Rezac before Kaid could answer. "They either know we're capable of telepathy and don't want us to read them, or they're telepathic themselves. Which ties in with them taking Kate and Taynar because of their abilities."
"I'm going to be next," said Zashou, a note of panic in her voice. "I just know I am!"
"Anyone could be next, Zashou," said Kaid sternly, "or no one. The Primes might be able to monitor our mind talk, but they can't know this patois. It's archaic and only used by the Brothers in this form nowadays."
"How did the Primes learn Sholan?" asked Jo.
"From Valtegan databases. Must have had one, considering
M'ijikk
was M'ezozakk's own ship," said T'Chebbi.
"In the interests of keeping this talk short, what do you want to know about our psi abilities?" asked Rezac.
"What they are and how powerful. When we went back to the Margins, we saw Jaisa do things we'd never even considered possible. The nearest I've seen to that level of gift has been in unstable telepaths, and they usually ended up having to be terminated."
Zashou looked at him, amber eyes widening in shock. "Terminated? You killed telepaths?"
"It was what the law dictated," said Kaid. "When a telepath with a wild Talent went out of control, they had to be contained. Up until recently, the Telepath Guild would request that the Brotherhood capture and terminate them. We couldn't allow someone who was mentally unbalanced and, for instance, had the ability to kill using the power of his mind, to roam free on Shola."
"The Telepath Guild ordered the deaths of their own? What kind of world has Shola become?" Zashou looked from Kaid to T'Chebbi. "I don't want to be part of a society that lives like that!"
"Shola's a good world, but as I said, that ruling's changed now. Those with wild Talents are still captured by us, but now we're free to recruit them if we can, and if we can't, they're contained and handed over to a tribunal to decide their fate. Some of our best people, and our few telepaths, were once mentally unstable because they couldn't control their Talents. We've always collected those who could fight yet still retained some of the psi gifts of the telepaths— gifts thought not worth including in the Guild's breeding program. We saved the lives we could, Zashou. But we were talking of your abilities, not ours."
"So the current Telepath Guild recognizes only telepathic ability," said Rezac.
"Until recently, yes. But now we've met the Humans, the Guild has become aware of those other talents we've been harvesting for so long. They're beginning to adopt our training methods and actually educate those thought to have too little a gift."
"Vartra was only working on enhancing telepathy," Rezac admitted, "but we all had several other abilities that were actually usable. We didn't look on them as separate skills, though. When we changed, it was more like all our senses expanded, some more than others. Vartra had us experiment, see what we could do, then got us to chart the results and compare them with data from the other resistance cells where telepaths were in hiding. I remember Jaisa was good at generating movement within objects, literally shaking them apart."
"I saw her do that to an iron grille that blocked our way up through the storm drains into the temple on the plains," said Kaid.
Rezac nodded. "That was one of her little tricks. We just approached every situation and looked at as many ways to solve it as possible. If we couldn't do it by conventional means, we used our minds."
"How did you overcome the Valtegans and start the Cataclysm?" asked T'Chebbi.
Kaid noticed Rezac glance at Zashou before answering. This was obviously something that had added to the rift between them.
"Goran captured Valtegans for us to experiment on. It took some time, but eventually we learned how to read their minds. I found I could force a contact with them and make them do what I wanted. We could control them, operate their bodies for a short time. Useful if you wanted a guard at his post to turn aside and not notice you, or to open a gate for you. They have a Challenge system something like ours, so it was easy to subvert them, fill their minds with hate for their superiors till they turned on them."
"It was contemptible," said Zashou, eyes flashing with anger. "They treated the captured Valtegans like animals!"
She's empathic, too?
Kaid sent to Rezac, using a tight channel only he'd receive.
How'd you guess?
Rezac sighed. "Once we were taken by them to K'oish'ik, their home world, we used the same tactics to set up our rebellion. That involved working with the other captive species, persuading them to join our cause, and using them as the fighters since we were unable to fight ourselves. There were a few of us who could communicate over interplanetary distances. We formed the network to keep everyone in touch. When we were ready, we attacked simultaneously, Sholan telepaths and the alien slaves."
"When you were brought out of stasis, you sent telepathically to us on Shola. Why couldn't you send for help from Jalna before the poisons in the soil affected you?" Kaid asked.
"They were weak and ill for several days," said Jo. "They were lucky to have survived for so long, Kaid. And we had our orders. Wait for our contact to communicate with us in a month's time. When she didn't, we couldn't know that communication with anyone else was impossible because we were broadcasting on a wavelength no one else was listening to."
"What about now?" he asked. "Surely with your enhanced talent you can get through this barrier."
Rezac shook his head. "No way. I've tried other mental frequencies as well, but I just don't have the power."
T'Chebbi stirred. "What about combining your talents, linking minds first, then trying?"
"Zashou's mind is still silent. I can only hear Jo."
"And that for only a few more weeks," murmured T'Chebbi.
"Excuse me?" said Jo. "What do you mean by that?"
"The cub," said Kaid. "It needs to develop separately from you and it can't if you're Linked with Rezac. Your Talent will fade by the twelfth to fourteenth week and not return till he's born. That's what happened to Vanna."
"Can you tell me how long this pregnancy will last?" she asked, skin flushing pink with embarrassment. "None of us knows anything about Sholan childbirth."
"I helped deliver Carrie's cub," Kaid said, trying to distance himself from the memories. Talking about her was difficult, brought his anguish to the surface. "She should have gone for twenty-four weeks as Vanna did, but time traveling accelerated her pregnancy."
"I just remembered. Zashou affected the Valtegans' eggs," said Rezac suddenly, keeping his eyes on Kaid and steadfastly not looking at his mate. "Once they had gotten used to us, we were free to walk around certain areas of the palace. In the days before our attack, several times we made our way to the royal harem and hatchery. There's a trick we found to magnify our ability rather than just combine it. We'd use it so we had the power to affect their eggs and their females by making them sterile."
"You could manipulate cells? Can you show me how to do it?" Kaid demanded as endless possibilities raced through his mind.
"Rezac," said Zashou warningly. Suddenly they were all aware of her extreme displeasure.
"It's a Leska thing," Rezac said doggedly, refusing to be silenced by her disapproval, either mental or verbal. "We had to be pairing to trigger it."
"The gestalt! It has to be the gestalt," said Kaid.
"Gestalt?" Rezac had obviously never heard the term before.
"It's like a force that's beyond you, and it's triggered by strong emotions," Kaid explained. "It just suddenly snaps into being and floods through you. It's difficult to control, though, and we've not found a practical use for it."