Authors: Lisanne Norman
"Not another," said Rezac.
"Another?" asked Brynne, as his pet began to twine herself round Carrie's hands. "I thought she was the only tame one."
"Kris has one. Better keep them apart, his is male. We'll be snowed under by the damned animals in a couple of months if you don't!"
Picking her up, Carrie turned back to watch Kaid, taking comfort from holding the small, purring creature.
Kaid spoke to the guard outside, then waited. A few minutes later, a bronze-limbed TeLaxaudin, resplendent in pastel-colored gauze strips emerged. In an almost hesitant, rocking gait, it stalked beside the Sholans as they headed back toward them. Before they reached it, however, the elevator opened to disgorge a Cabbaran moving at a speed she'd not thought possible.
Past the end of their table he went, making the Sholans leap up in an effort to stop him. Dodging them nimbly, he came to an abrupt stop in front of the TeLaxaudin. Rearing up on his hind legs, he burst into rapid speech which his translator began to render in U'Churian as Kaid ordered his people to leave Annuur alone.
"You come to aid the injured ally. New, they are. Good ones. We help you."
The TeLaxaudin cocked its oval head on one side, mandibles flicking as it listened carefully. Then it made a gesture with its hands and resumed walking.
"Useful is Cabbaran helping always. Come," he said.
Kaid ordered T'Chebbi and Dzaou to accompany them up to the sick bay and returned to the table. He could feel Dzaou's resentment and anger simmering just below the surface, and his fear that the telepaths would pick up his reluctance and report him to the commander. Kaid sighed. It wasn't so much what Dzaou thought but what he did that mattered. He needed to stay out of sleep for longer this tour and really get to understand both the Sholan and Human telepaths.
"Today is just full of surprises," murmured L'Seuli.
"Female doctor's on her way over again," said Ngio, ears flicking in the direction of the shuttle.
Zayshul was, indeed, running toward them. She stopped a few feet away. "Let the Cabbarans help Kzizysus. If I'd thought about it, I could maybe have done more, and Kusac's injury wouldn't have had to happen."
"Excuse me?" said Kaid.
"The Cabbarans are the only species that can understand the TeLaxaudin properly. Something to do with their language being more versatile. Trying to explain exactly what you want to them can be a problem. If they can even neutralize the unit, remove the surface panel, this would be very good. Then his own system would take over again, I think."
"Thank you," said Carrie.
She smiled, then saw the jegget in Carrie's arms. "Oh!" she said, impulsively reaching out to touch her. "How lovely!"
Belle stretched out her long neck, offering it to be stroked as she continued to purr gently.
"Would you like a drink?" asked Kaid, indicating the mugs and the jug. "It's safe. Kezule has had some and survived it."
Zayshul hesitated, glancing back to the shuttle. "Yes, I would," she said firmly.
* * *
Just before the half hour was up, Kaid escorted Zayshul over to the elevator to wait for Dzaou and Zhiko to bring Kezule down from sick bay.
"How, exactly, was the general injured?" she asked.
"He took powdered la'quo resin in an attempt to return to his own time," said Kaid.
"Time traveling." She shook her head. "And killing J'koshuk from a distance. It's hardly credible. Your people have very strange mental abilities."
"Kezule's the one who discovered the trick. He stirred up one of the desert nomads in our time until he believed Kezule was his deity and his mission was to destroy all telepaths."
The elevator doors opened, and Zhiko emerged, towing a floater bearing the still unconscious form of Kezule. They stopped just in front of the Valtegan Prime physician.
Quickly and efficiently, Zayshul examined him with her hand scanner, finally checking the fluid drip attached to him.
"He's been in that coma state for four days," said Kaid. "We've given him no treatment but the fluids. Like you, we don't know enough about your species to do much more." He was seeing Kezule through her eyes, giving him a unique perspective of the person he'd known briefly only as an adversary.
Kezule was not as old as they'd thought, but he was just past his physical prime. Kaid could see the marks and lines of age on his face and hands, see the features that characterized him as an individual, subtleties a Sholan would take time to notice— the angle of the jaw, the breadth of bone around the eye sockets, the shape of the mouth.
Zayshul looked up at him. "He is, indeed, General Kezule. He was a junior member of the royal line of the late— very late— Emperor Q'emgo'h."
"Another lost royal?" he murmured. "A little careless, aren't they, of their safety?"
"You make a joke?" she asked, her wide mouth twitching at the corners. "He may not be injured. This state is like a laalgo trance."
"He did that a couple of times in captivity," said Kaid. "What is it?"
"Warriors are different from us, you must understand. They evolved to fight, therefore they have the capacity to heal themselves faster than us, and to take a long sleep— to let much time pass until the danger is gone."
"Useful, but surely you all have that ability?"
She hesitated briefly. "That's true, but not the same ability to heal that the warriors had. He will be an interesting person to study. His line was a combination of the best of the warriors and the intellectuals of his day."
As she said this, he was aware that her interest was not purely professional. "Be careful in your research," he said. "He's also from a time when females were thought feral and never seen outside the breeding grounds. One of our female medics was almost killed by him when he arrived. He doesn't tolerate females easily."
"I'll be careful," she said, beckoning to the Prime guards waiting a little distance away. "Take him to the shuttle and guard him closely. Don't let Chy'qui near him," she added. "Then return the floater." She began to follow them. "I'll tell Commander Q'ozoi we're ready to begin the talks."
Kaid reached out to detain her. "You plan to breed from the M'zullians and Kezule," he said. "Could Chy'qui have been trying to do that with us?"
"No, absolutely not," she said, obviously startled by his question. "Why would you think that?"
"Only the telepaths were taken from our quarters to be medically examined and tested."
"Yes, we tested you, but nothing was taken that could be used for breeding! For that we'd need females of your kind living with us."
"Just check, if you will. I don't trust anything that Chy'qui did to us or Kusac. My feelings are that part of the reason he implanted him was he hoped to keep him on the
Kz'adul.
"
"The commander wouldn't have allowed it," she said firmly. "I have said I'll check, and I will. You have my word."
"Thank you," he said.
* * *
Aware that Carrie couldn't settle down, he decided to send her up to the mess with Brynne as company.
"His side is hurting," said Kaid. "He could do with the rest. So could you."
"What about these talks?" she asked tiredly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Let me," he said, turning her around. He reached his thumbs down inside the neck of her armor, beginning on what he could reach of her shoulders.
He could feel her start to relax almost immediately. "Rezac can read them for me. You need to unwind."
"You always could turn me to mush," she murmured, leaning back against him. "I used to look forward to the massages you gave me back when I was recovering after the Challenge."
"I viewed them with more mixed feelings," he said quietly, remembering those sessions for himself. "I can't tell you how many times I almost told you how I felt about you. And you lay there, purring and reciting relaxation litanies." He shook his head. "I needed all my self-control, believe me."
"What makes you think I didn't know?" she asked. "I used to tease you. Remember?"
On her neck, his touch stilled briefly, then became a caress. "So you did," he said as he resumed his massage.
"That's when I decided to choose you as our Third."
"Because of my massages?" he asked lightly, turning her round again while keeping one hand against her neck.
"No. Because when you touched me, I knew you didn't just want me, you really cared."
"My touch gave me away?"
"It still does," she smiled, putting her hand over his.
"S'cuse me, boss," said Brynne, from where he waited by the table. "But it's time for us to leave. The Primes are on their way over."
Kaid nodded. "Send to me as soon as there's any news about Kusac," he said to Carrie. "When you've eaten, try and get some rest. Our room's almost opposite sick bay, they'll come and wake you."
Brynne, you and Keeza look after her till I send a relief up.
Of course,
replied Brynne, putting an arm round Carrie's shoulder as he walked her to the elevator.
Kaid watched until the doors closed behind them, then took his place beside L'Seuli at the negotiating table. He remained standing as the Prime commander and his party approached.
"Have you made a decision yet?" asked L'Seuli in an undertone.
"I want to hear what they propose first," said Kaid. "But if we do make this treaty, we need to make it one of the conditions that the outposts remain our property, and the undisputed boundaries of our territory."
"You believe they were Valtegan?"
"I know they were."
* * *
Someone was shaking her.
"Carrie, wake up. Kusac's awake. He's asking for you."
It was Banner. "Kusac's awake?" she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Yes. He wants to see you."
"I'm coming." Someone had put a blanket over her, she realized. Throwing it back, she swung her legs to the floor, searching for her shoes. Slipping them on, she got to her feet, stumbling as she tried to navigate the darkened room. Banner caught hold of her.
"I'm Okay. Just sleepy. Where's Kaid?" she asked, steadying herself against him for a moment.
"Still talking to the Primes. They should be stopping for the night soon, though. Even they've got to sleep some time."
* * *
Looking like he was still asleep, Kusac lay propped up in bed by a couple of pillows, the upper area of his neck swathed in bandages. Carrie could see from the bald patch just above the edge of the dressing that the physician had cut back even more of his hair.
As the door closed behind her, he opened his eyes, mouth widening in a slow smile as he saw her.
"How are you?" she asked, moving over to stand by his bed.
"Better," he said, taking her hand.
His voice sounded stronger, but she noticed he kept his eyes hooded, not looking directly at her. She sat on the edge of the bed beside him. "The implant?"
"The unit's gone. Said when it heals, there'll hardly even be a scar."
She could feel his fingers moving restlessly against her palm as he tried to link them between hers. "I had to..." she began in a rush, but he cut her short.
"Thank you for stopping me," he said, his hand clenching over hers. "For saving my life. I'd have killed the Prince, too."
"I didn't want to..."
"Hush." His other arm reached round her waist, drawing her down till she lay against his chest. "You don't know how good it is to just hold you and breathe in your scent again," he said, his voice catching as he released her hand to hold her close within the circle of his arms. "I was afraid I'd never..." He stopped, unable to continue.
"So was I," she whispered, sliding her hands under his back. "So very afraid." She felt light-headed with relief as she rubbed her cheek against his, feeling the softness of his pelt against her skin.
His tongue touched her cheek in the way she remembered so well that instinctively she reached for his mind to share her pleasure. There was no response. It was as if he was mind-dead— unTalented.
She started in shock, lifting her head to look at him. Catching his eyes this time, she could see the pain and fear in them.
"Kiss me," he whispered, his arms tightening round her. He returned her kiss frantically, cupping the back of her head and neck in his hand, trying to hold her even closer.
She could sense him, feel his fear that his Talent would never return, and that its loss would cost him her. Tears she was unable to stop ran down her cheeks as she pulled her hands free and held his face. "Never that! I can't live without you beside me!" she wept between kisses as frantic as his.
He broke the kiss, taking her hands in his, urging her to rest her head on his shoulder. As he fought for self-control, she could feel him shaking, his heartbeat racing beneath her. "I have to tell you something," he whispered, his voice finally breaking.
"Don't you know by now how much I love you?" she asked, desperate to reassure him.
"Yes! I just can't
feel
you any more!" The words sounded like they'd been ripped from his soul.
"It's not gone! You used it when you killed J'koshuk— we all felt you!" she said, trying to sit up.
He held her tightly, keeping her where she was.
"Listen
to me! The implant's gone, but not what it's done to me. It's embedded bits of itself in me," he whispered, the words coming out singly between ragged breaths. "It was done purposely to isolate us from each other, to see what would happen. Then he realized we were a Triad. She, Zayshul, didn't know about me. Only you and Kaid. She and Zsurtul brought Kaid to you, saved your lives." He stopped, resting his head against hers as he tried to slow his breathing.
"How do you know all this?"
"Kaid told me."
"You've spoken to Kaid already?"
His arms tightened round her again. "He was here when I first woke. I know what's happened between you..."
"Then you know we
are
a Triad, no matter what!" she said, pushing herself up against him till she could see his face. "Chy'qui didn't succeed in isolating us, Kusac, can't you see that? If he had, you'd be dead— maybe all of us would. But you're not." She touched his cheek, wiping away the tears they'd both shed. "Gods, Kusac, your Talent's still there somewhere, so's our Link, I know it is! Just give yourself time to heal."
He searched her face and she could feel some of his fears begin to recede, replaced by a glimmer of hope. "Stay with me tonight. I don't want... I can't bear to be... alone." he said as she leaned forward to kiss him.
"I promise I'll never leave you alone," she whispered, her heart breaking for him.