darknadir (40 page)

* * *

Carrie knew Kaid was gone as soon she woke. There was an emptiness in her mind where he'd been, and an even larger one where Kusac should be. She began to weep then for his loss, praying to all the Gods she could think of that he was safe. Then she wept for her cub, the daughter on Shola who faced an unknown danger that she could do nothing to prevent; and for the new one growing inside her, hers and Kaid's, to be born into this nightmare of captivity.
Exhausted, she clutched the pillow that still carried his scent, burying her face in it, knowing he was her only hope, her life now. She lay like this throughout the day, not awake, yet not asleep. Guards came with food, their presence barely noticed by her.
Armored hands grasped her arms, pulling her from the bed, forcing her to stand beside it. With a cry of horror, she tried to wrench herself free, coming face to face with a Seniormost for the first time.
Six feet tall or more, he towered over her, dwarfing her by his bulk as well as height. The gray tabard, obviously worn as a badge of office, came down to mid-calf length, giving him the air of a medieval knight. Black and dark as the void of space the armor was, absorbing and reflecting no light. She looked higher, to the helmet, seeing the faceplate that covered most of its surface. It seemed to ripple and move even as she watched, making her feel sick to the pit of her stomach. Fragments of memories she wanted to forget began to stir within her subconscious. With a shudder of revulsion, she looked away.
"Release her," the translator said.
The guard let her go, stepping back to a position just behind the Seniormost.
"You do not eat. Why?" asked the Seniormost, pointing to the dish of untouched food.
She looked beyond him. The door was open but she could see another armed guard waiting there.
"The Seniormost asked a question," hissed the guard, moving closer.
Feeling the blood drain from her face, she took a step back. "You've taken my mate away. Why?" she countered.
The Seniormost let his arm fall back by his side. "He is not your mate. The missing one, also in a cryogenic unit, was your mate."
Kaid had been asked the same. "They're both my mates. We're a unit of three." She could sense nothing from either of them, and remembering the Valtegans back on Keiss, she didn't dare try.
"There are several pairs among your number, but no other threes. Why?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they haven't met the right person to be their Third yet."
"Why do you not eat?"
"I want my mate. Take me to him, then I'll eat."
"You will eat first, then, perhaps, we will return him."
"No."
"You'd risk your life, and his offspring's, just to be with him?"
Her stomach tightened with fear. How could they possibly know? She pushed it aside. This had to be dealt with now, time to worry about that later.
"Yes, I will," she said firmly. They mustn't know how physically dependent on each other Leska pairs were.
"As you wish," the Seniormost said, then turned and left, the guard following him.
Stunned, she stood there for a moment, than sank down on the bed. He was going to let her starve herself? Maybe he didn't believe she would.
Her mouth watered as she smelled the food standing on the night table. She
was
hungry. Resolutely, she climbed back into bed, curling up with her back to the enticing smells and burying her face in the pillow. It helped, a little.
Kaid's scent came back to haunt her. She knew it was futile, but she reached out mentally for him, finding the same barrier as before. Remembering the Jalnian effect, she tried other mental frequencies but found nothing. Whatever they were using, it was thorough. They knew how to disable telepaths.
Her efforts had exhausted her more than she'd realized, more than they should have. Then she remembered she'd had major surgery only two weeks before and spent much of the time since in stasis while they tried to heal her. Unbidden, earlier memories of waking in pain, seeing the bright lights and the white tiled ceiling overhead, then the helmets of the Primes as they bent over her, came back again. With an effort of will, she pushed them aside and began to recite the litanies Kaid had taught her. A gentle warmth began to spread through her limbs and gradually, as her drowsiness increased, she let herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Deciding to leave for the estate a day earlier because of the risk of Keeza being discovered, Brynne's first stop after seeing his companions settled in his house was to visit Vanna and his son.
"He seems to know when you're here," said Vanna, as Brynne took the squirming bundle from her.
Excited mewls and squeaks greeted him as his son, now a hefty size, climbed up his chest to wrap his arms around his neck and nuzzle him. A small rough tongue began to lick him madly under the jaw.
He laughed, supporting the cub with one hand while he ruffled Marak's ears with the other. "And hello to you, too, young fellow! It's a good job I've got a beard, you'd be licking me raw otherwise!" He turned to look at Vanna. "How's our young lad been since my last visit?"
"He's into everything now he's mobile," she said, sitting down beside him. "He might still be unsteady on his legs but that doesn't stop him, I assure you! He and Kashini drive their nurses to distraction. Still, it's good that they've got each other to play with. How have you been?"
"Fine," he said. "I'm home for five days this time."
"That's longer than usual. Any special reason?"
"Yes," he said, making a grab for Marak as the cub tried to climb over his shoulder onto the back of the couch. He tried vainly to disengage him, but Marak clung on for dear life, refusing to be moved. "Vanna, can you help me here? He's got his claws caught and I can't get him down."
Laughing, she leaned across him to free their adventurous offspring and let Brynne lift him down onto his lap.
"What's the reason for the long visit, then?" she asked.
"I've met someone," he said, looking up at her. "Someone who's important to me."
"Jurrel? He's been here with you before, surely," she said raising an eye ridge.
Brynne met her curious stare this time, something he'd never been able to do before. "Does everyone know my private business?" he asked, keeping his tone light.
"Only those who care," she reassured him gently. "We want you to find your own place in our world, and someone to make you happy. So is it Jurrel?"
"Someone else," he said. "A female, though you're right, Jurrel is important to me, too."
The eye ridge arched higher. "Have you brought her with you?"
"She's with Jurrel and Banner right now. Banner is Jurrel's Companion and sword-brother."
She digested this for a moment, and he could sense her thinking that with him, nothing was straightforward. "Will I get to meet this female— what's she called, by the way? She must have a name. Where did you meet her?"
"Ghaysa, and I met her at Vartra's Retreat. Yes, but in a day or two, when I've sorted some things out here first," he said, letting Marak distract him from her penetrating gaze. Their link might be lessened while she was carrying Garras' child, but she was still too damned intuitive by far for his comfort right now. "You'll like her. She's not as strong as you. Much more vulnerable. She needs me, Vanna."
Vanna reached out to stroke his cheek. "I'm glad for you." Her eyes narrowed. "Was she the one in your nightmares? Are you still getting them? I've been really concerned about you, Brynne. They've been affecting me, and that upsets Marak."
"It's not something that I have any control over, Vanna. Tutor Kha'Qwa says it'll lessen after a while, that the intensity is because it's new to me," he said, letting his son chew gently on a finger. "I'm picking up things from all over the place. You know I wouldn't upset you and Marak if I could avoid it."
"Maybe getting involved with the religious side wasn't such a good idea after all."
"It got involved with me, if you remember."
She sighed. "I suppose you're right. So how's Jurrel taking the arrival of this female? Or Banner for that matter?"
"They're amused," he grinned, turning to touch his lips against her hand as she moved it away again. "Banner particularly. I think he sees me the same way he sees Jurrel, like an enthusiastic cub discovering the world for the first time."
She laughed again. "I think I'm going to like this Banner! I never quite saw you like that, Brynne, I must admit."
He nodded, stroking his son's back as the little one curled up, his purr becoming a slightly deeper buzz of pleasure. He could feel it, a warm, contentment that stemmed from having his mother and father together with him.
"He misses me," he said, surprised.
"Of course he does. You're his father. He cares for Garras, but he knows who his father is, Brynne."
"You did put up with a lot from me, didn't you? Yet you've never been anything but fair."
She shrugged his compliment off. "It was you who said it, Brynne. We had to make this Link between us work one way or another. Who knows? If you'd had some chance at an independent life on Shola before our Link formed, things might have been different, but it didn't happen that way. I'm happy now with Garras, and it looks like you've found someone, too. You've changed, you know. But you had to find out for yourself what you wanted from life here. No one could tell you what you needed to know."
"Enough of the serious stuff. Bring me up to date on what's been happening here. How are things?"
Her face clouded over. "Bad news, I'm afraid. I didn't want to tell you right away. Kusac's and Carrie's ship is missing. Been overdue now for nearly a month, and the searches have turned up nothing."
"I know. It's dreadful news. I was told a short while ago because some of my visions involved them," he said.
"You saw something?"
"Bits and pieces," he replied. "But I'm positive they're alive, somewhere."
"Somewhere?"
"I was seeing a white-tiled room, and experiencing an overwhelming feeling of terror. Bright lights, too," he added, eyes unfocusing briefly as he tried to call the images up before him. "Like the shower in my room at Stronghold."
"Have you spoken to Father Lijou about this?"
"He knows, but there's not been enough information in what I've seen to be of much help."
"Dzaka said he's felt Carrie's presence several times," she said thoughtfully. "I think you two should talk."
"I will," he said. "Strange he's picking up Carrie, though. I'd have thought it would be Kaid who'd try to contact him."
"You know Carrie was injured, don't you? They had to leave Jalna on a U'Churian ship because they had cryo facilities. She was too badly hurt to wait for the contact ship."
"That I wasn't told. I hope to God she's all right. If she's in cryo, it's even more strange that Dzaka should think he's sensing her. I know they're still alive, Vanna."

* * *

Rhyasha and Mara were taking the Touibans to their new quarters. It had taken a few days to adapt a house unit to their special needs, but now it was ready for them to move into. It had been decided the best place for them was next to the Brothers' accommodation. Luckily a house had been kept vacant beside theirs against just such a need.
Six excited Touibans were something to see. To be at the center of twelve of them was like riding a roller coaster as they swirled and danced round the two females in a state of high excitement. That morning, they'd had the Touibans' personal belongings moved from their temporary quarters in the medical building to their new home. Several villagers had been drafted to help the Touibans rearrange their furnishings as closely as possible to the way they'd been before. Now they wanted to show it off to those who'd made it all possible.
Though Mara had been involved in much of the work, she wasn't prepared for the sight that met her eyes.
The impression was of walking into a brightly colored pavilion tent. Jewel bright patterned draperies covered every wall and hung looped down from the ceilings. On the floor, plush rugs in similarly bright colors overlapped each other, creating a feeling of warmth and soft opulence. The already subdued lighting was even more diffuse for being above the tented ceilings.
Low tables and large, soft cushions were spread in the middle of the main room, while at the four corners stood taller tables bearing precariously placed bronze statuettes. Before each of them, sticks of incense and scented oils burned.
Oh, my goodness!
sent Rhyasha.
Such opulence! How can they live among so many bright things!
It's wonderful!
Mara looked around, obviously in a daze, breathing in the scented air.
I've got to have my room done up like this! It's like desert tents back on Earth! You know, nomadic folk.
That explains it. Several of the Touiban swarms are nomadic. This must be one of them. You have your room decorated like this if you want, child I'm glad you enjoy it, since you'll spend quite a bit of time here working with them! I'll stick to the archaeological dig, I think. Much calmer surroundings. This is so loud!
Isn't it just?
Mara beamed at her. She turned to the anxious Toueesut. "It's absolutely wonderful. Is this what your homes look like?"
He nodded. "This is but a poor example of the decorative harmony we enjoy at home, but it will suffice for the moment. Now we have gained the kind permission not only of your ambassadors but our own to establish a small hive within the heart of your family, we can request much more finery. Such drabness is not conducive to the starting of a new life, and our ladies rightly expect far more glorious decorations than these."
"When will your ladies arrive?" asked Mara.
Toueesut released a scent that reminded her of a babbling stream on a hot summer's day. She looked closely at him, seeing his heavily mustached mouth split in a very Human grin. A trill of laughter surrounded her as the six who'd been hanging back while they had their tour of the premises, clustered round her.
"Our ladies are always with us, how could we be without their songs that touch the softer sides of us all?" asked Toueesut.
"Good gracious," said Rhyasha faintly, looking down at the almost identical sea of whiskered faces. She glanced again at the five around the Speaker. "Why didn't we realize?"
"Because they usually work in sixes?" asked Mara quietly. "We must have one of the few full swarms on Shola."
"Indeed, we do. I wondered at the time when they asked to send twelve."
"Their scents, Rhyasha. I'm finding I get pictures in my mind when I smell them."
Toueesut nodded almost violently with enthusiasm. "Now you see and hear the music of the minds that we make use of among ourselves. Never have we spoken of this before, because never have we found that harmony of mind outside our hives."
A gentle perfume permeated the air, bringing images of cool springs welling from dry rocks to both Rhyasha and Mara.
Toueesut sighed gustily, making the stiff bristles round his nose quiver. It was echoed by all of them.
"We have worked many, many times with the Sholans, but it is only here we have heard a song of harmony of spirit and mind that is like enough to ours. We had thought ourselves alone capable of making such glorious music and it is a joy to all of us to know this is not so. We bless the Makers for bringing us to your Hive land and for letting us hear your songs."
"We're happy to be able to hear yours, too, Speaker," said Rhyasha, bowing toward him as the six females danced and wove their way back to their mates. "Which one of the lucky ladies is yours?"
He looked confused for a moment.
Rhyasha moved her hand toward the translator she wore tucked into a pocket in her belt.
This is why we need to carry translators,
she sent to Mara.
"No need for mechanical speakings," he said, waving his hands expressively. "Only a misunderstanding that is natural on your part when you are not even knowing six of our number are our ladies. They are wives to us all as we are husbands to them, with each one of us having a unique tune to bring to our swarm."
"We have a lot to learn from you about your people, Speaker. I hope you'll be willing to allow your swarm to help us."
"It is for the joy of sharing such knowledge that we wished to come together within your larger Hive. We hope you will be willing to share yourselves in just such a way with us."
"Of a certainty, Speaker," assured Rhyasha, watching while the six females disappeared— at least she assumed they were the females, since the Speaker and five others remained.
"We would be honored if you will be joining with us to celebrate the new beginnings of our small hive on your garden world. A meal has been prepared using the finest of ingredients and cooking it in the best traditional style." Toueesut indicated the low table, surrounded by cushions.
"We're the ones who'd be honored, Speaker," said Rhyasha, moving toward it. "I fear we may not be able to do the meal justice. Had we known, we wouldn't have eaten shortly before we came."
Grin and enjoy it, child,
she sent to Mara,
even if it tastes foul.
Startled, Mara took her seat on one of the soft cushions, looking questioningly at Rhyasha. Toueesut sat between them, the other five males arranging themselves around the table, leaving spaces for their wives.
You don't know what they eat.
Her fears proved to be groundless as the six returned bearing plates, cutlery, and several large bowls of hot food. It smelled familiar, Rhyasha realized as the lids were lifted up and the bowls presented to her to help herself. As she spooned a reasonable-sized helping onto her plate, she recognized it. "Isn't this a Sholan dish?"
"But of course," beamed Toueesut. "Chiddoes stewed in red wine and sweet vegetables. What else would we serve our guests but food traditional to our new home?"