Authors: Lisanne Norman
* * *
The shrine was a small building set onto the exterior of the main house with its entrance in the corridor outside the lounge. It was kept well tended, but unless there was a funeral or someone wished for the God's intervention, rarely were candles lit and incense burned.
Kusac smelled the incense as soon as he stepped into the corridor. Walking down to the doorway, he pushed the door open. His father was sitting on a bench at the back of the room. Between them stood the carved stone altar. The single candle set in front of the incense burner flared briefly.
His father opened his eyes, ears flicking in acknowledgment of his son's presence. "I knew you'd find me here," he said tiredly.
"You look as if you've been awake all night, Father," said Kusac, remaining by the door.
"I should have had more faith in you," Konis sighed, leaning back against the wall. "I saw only the needs of the Sixteen Clans and conveniently assumed you were exaggerating the depth of your bond to Carrie when it threatened to upset my carefully laid plans. I forgot you were never one to exaggerate, quite the opposite. No, let me finish," he said, knowing his son was about to speak.
"The facts were all there for me to see had I but used half the application I tried to bring to bear on you over that damned marriage. I knew you loved Carrie, but not the depth of that love."
Konis raised his head and looked Kusac straight in the eyes. "I know about the sacrifice you were prepared to make for her on the
Khalossa.
That had been kept from me until you gave me Vanna's files."
Kusac looked away. "I didn't read the early stuff," he murmured.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It lets you know just how much of a fool you've been. While we tried to ease Raill's and Lynn's deaths, I was briefly included in your Link with Carrie. Its intensity shocked me. For what it's worth, Kusac, I'm sorry. Had I realized before then what exists between you, I would have broken the contract when you first asked."
"You did what you thought was right, Father."
"Thank you for having the forbearance not to say 'I tried to tell you,'" Konis said with a strained look on his face. "Come and sit with me."
He waited until Kusac had joined him. "I like Carrie, you know. Despite the obvious physical differences, she's very like us. She's brought you out of your shell and taught you what it means to be an adult male. I've a feeling you'll get your wish. You'll never find life dull again."
Kusac grinned. "Not with Carrie."
His father was silent for a minute. "I contacted Rala's family," he said. "The contract has been dissolved. I had to mention the genetic changes, but that will be common knowledge before long anyway."
"I can live with that," said Kusac.
"Rala was present during the discussion, as was her right, but when I mentioned dropping the Challenge she went into a rage. She claimed she'd been insulted by both of you and refused to allow it to be nullified even though now she'd gain nothing by winning."
"So there's no way out."
"I'm afraid not," said his father. "I tried every argument I could think of to persuade her to change her mind. Then, I regret, I made a tactical error. I told her Carrie was pregnant."
"Ah," said Kusac, ears flicking backward along his skull.
"I'm afraid I've made the situation worse. I explained to her father the implications of the pregnancy, and the danger to Carrie if she fights. He said he would try to induce Rala to drop the Challenge but that he didn't hold out any hope. She's of a legal age to make her own decisions."
Kusac felt a cold shiver run down his spine as his premonition of danger suddenly returned.
"What is it?" said his father sharply, sitting up and looking at his son.
"I don't know," said Kusac helplessly. "Something and nothing. I'm just terribly afraid for her, and she mustn't know that."
"She'll be fine," Konis said reassuringly, reaching out to touch his son affectionately. "If we can't stop the Challenge, we'll bring Vanna and anything she needs over here. Any male whose mate was facing her first Challenge would be worried, whether or not she was pregnant. I'm sure what you're experiencing is just your obviously natural concern for her."
"You're probably right," said Kusac, getting to his feet. "I'm sorry that the council dropped me as a contender for the Clans' Leadership, but I honestly never wanted it. When this is over, I intend to step down as heir in Taizia's favor, presuming I'm still..."
"You'll all be fine," interrupted his father. "Warning or no warning, I'm sure of it. As to the succession, your mother has decided that matters remain as they are save that one of Taizia's children, when she marries, will be appointed your heir."
Konis got stiffly to his feet. "Come, let's leave. I've been here long enough. I wonder if there's any way Carrie could claim diplomatic immunity," he said. "I think now would be a good time to contact her father. You can come with me."
Before they left, Kusac lit a candle and placed it on the altar next to his father's. Carrie's words at the temple continued to echo in his mind. The Gods' help always costs. He shivered, turning to leave as quickly as possible.
* * *
"There's the settlement," said Nikuu, slowing down the aircar. "Are you still picking them up?"
"Yes, but hurry." Khalmi's voice was taut with agony that was not his own. "I don't know how they've managed to stay conscious."
"We're nearly there," she said, risking a sideways glance at him. Her Leska's face was creased with the pain. "Are you and Zsyzoi ready?" she asked Naira. "We'll probably need to use force to get them away from their Clan. We have in the past."
"We're ready," said Naira, glancing over to his partner. Zsyzoi had just finished checking her battery packs once again. Last assignment she'd been given a dud and hadn't realized it until almost too late. Since then she triple-checked everything.
They skimmed over the tops of the outlying adobe houses until the village center was ahead of them. Nikuu slowed the craft till it hovered a few meters above the ground, then brought it down to land.
As the dust settled, they saw the villagers approaching them. Nikuu released the canopy, letting it slide back. The hot, arid air of the desert hit them like a physical blow, sucking the moisture out of their lungs almost immediately.
The two Warriors got out first, rifles ready as they stood on either side of the hatch. Nikuu climbed out and waited for Khalmi to join her.
"We've come for the new Leskas," she said, looking round the sea of tan-robed people, their heads covered by matching elaborately wound lengths of cloth. "Where are they?"
A commotion at the rear of the crowd drew Khalmi's attention.
Over there,
he sent.
Their priest is coming. He's an-
gry.
The crowd parted rapidly as they realized their priest was trying to come to the front. As a path opened up, Nikuu saw a Sholan of middle years, probably about seventy, striding toward them dressed from head to toe in flowing white robes.
He's new. Don't recognize him,
she sent to Khalmi.
"What do you want with my people?" the priest demanded, coming to a stop in front of them.
"We're here to collect the new Leska pair," she said. She felt an immediate wave of fear from the villagers as their priest turned his head toward her and raised his arm.
Naira stepped in front of her in time to ward off the blow with his forearm.
"You dare to stop me striking an unbeliever?" the priest thundered, turning on the Warrior. "No female should dare to speak unless she's given leave to do so by her mate!"
"No one is allowed to strike a telepath," said Naira, taking up a defensive position. "If you attempt to harm her again, I'll take you into custody. We've come here to collect the two new Leskas, nothing more. Bring them to us and we'll be gone."
"There are no new Leskas in this village."
"Over there," said Khalmi, pointing down the still-clear pathway through which the priest had approached. "That house there." He started walking toward it followed by Zsyzoi.
"Stop! I have said there are no new Leskas in our village."
The priest's voice had a tone of command so strong that Khalmi stopped and hesitated, turning back to face him. "I can sense them," he said. "They're in great pain, they need treatment." He held up his medikit.
"There's no one there but two evil younglings who have been punished for their crimes. They do not deserve anything to alleviate their pain. They must learn that to disobey our laws means to suffer."
"I'm treating them anyway," said Khalmi, turning away. In front of him, the crowd had closed, blocking his way to the house.
The crowd's turning nasty,
sent Nikuu.
Watch out.
The priest strode forward to stand between Khalmi and the crowd. "Leave our village. You have no right to be here since there are no telepaths involved."
Khalmi regarded him calmly. "You're lying. Why are you preventing me from seeing to these two?"
"They aren't Leskas. You have no jurisdiction here. I'm trying to tend to the souls of those two youngling and the people of my village. You come here with your immodest females and insult us by their very presence!" He raised his hands above his head, speaking now to the crowd, not just to Khalmi.
"Society is tumbling down about our ears because of females like those with you! Can't you see we must stop the rot before God returns us to the days of the Cataclysm? Believe me, that will be our punishment, and He will show no mercy to those who've been unfaithful to Him!"
"You're talking rubbish," said Naira, moving past him. Slinging his gun to the side, he drew one of his swords and advanced on the crowd. "Now which one of you will try to stop me?" he growled, showing his canines.
Nikuu had been looking carefully at the people gathered around them. The majority were males, with one or two older females standing at the edges. They stood nowhere near the males. She looked back to Khalmi and Naira.
"They're going to attack if we try to reach the house," she said quietly. "Can you and Naira take hold of the priest as a hostage? We've got to pick up those two. Khalmi says they're badly hurt."
Zsyzoi called a phrase to Naira as she unslung her rifle. As her partner swung round on the priest, she stepped forward, putting the barrel of the gun in the small of his back.
"Let's all stay calm," she said to him. "We don't want anyone to get hurt, do we?"
The priest stiffened with rage. "You'll burn in hell for this," he hissed. "Your soul will be forfeit for all eternity!"
"I think not," she said, moving aside so Naira could put a pair of restraint cuffs on his wrists. "Tell me, which God do you follow?"
"There is only one God! Kezule, God of the sun!" said the priest, struggling against the restraints. "How dare you lay hands upon the sacred person of His priest! He'll take revenge on you, never fear!"
"I'll keep that in mind," she said, grasping him by his cuffed wrists and pushing him forward. "You're one of the Modernists. Who appointed you a priest anyway, eh? Don't bother telling me, I'm not interested. Now, how about you take us to these telepaths that you're holding," she said conversationally.
Naira had returned his sword to its scabbard and was covering the angrily muttering males with his rifle. He aimed at the ground in front of the foremost male and pressed the firing button. A bolt of energy hit the dirt, kicking up a plume of dust.
Coughing and spluttering, the crowd began to back away and part. As it did, a figure came flying toward them and landed in a heap at Khalmi's feet.
"Vartra be praised," she said, reaching out to touch his tunic. "You've come for them! I thought he'd kill them with his beating. They're not more than kitlings! For the God's sake, take them away from this evil place!"
Nikuu moved forward to the woman, bending down to help her to her feet.
See to the young ones, Khalmi. Quickly,
then we can get out of here. The crowd is in an ugly mood.
"Come with me," she said, leading her alongside Naira while Khalmi walked in front. "Are you the mother of one of them?"
"Of Rrai. He's my son. But the priest beat Jinoe so badly, I don't know if she'll live," the female said, wiping her forearm across her face to dry the tears. "The priest, he said they were evil but it wasn't their fault they were so young. They couldn't help it that the God chose them, could they? You'll take them with you," she said anxiously. "You won't leave them here?"
"They're coming with us," said Nikuu. "You, too. What about the female, Jinoe? Where's her mother?"
"Dead this past year. There's only her father and he said the priest was right to beat the evil out of her."
They'd reached the house and leaving the mother outside with Zsyzoi and the priest, Nikuu followed Khalmi inside.
"Oh, Gods, no," she said, as she caught sight of the two small bodies lying curled up on blood-soaked rugs at opposite sides of the room. "Are they still alive?"
Yes,
sent her Leska.
Just. Send to Valsgarth Guild and tell
them to expect us. I don't know if the female will make it.
Nikuu went over to the male child, bending over him.
What about the priest? If we take him in, we can't take the
mother, and if we leave her she's not going to survive long.
We'll report him once we've taken off. The Protectorate
can deal with him. We'll also report to Brother Lijou that
there's at least one non-telepath priest out here.
He loaded his hypo, placed it against the young female's neck and gave her a shot, then held it out to Nikuu.
"Here, give him some of this. Antibiotic and a heavy analgesic. It's going to hurt like hell when we lift them."
Nikuu came back over and took the hypo.
"Don't cover his wounds," her Leska warned. "It'll only have stuck to his flesh by the time we get to the guild."
She pocketed the hypo and carefully eased the young male up against her chest, trying to get him partially over her shoulder to balance him. Holding him by his side and across the top of his thighs, she managed to stand up. He whimpered as she shifted her grip, but there was nowhere she could touch him that wasn't covered in bleeding open weals.
As they came out with the younglings, Zsyzoi took one look at them and prodded the priest in the back with her gun. "Don't even think about moving the wrong way," she growled, pushing him ahead of her back toward the aircar. "Modernists like you make me sick with your crazy ideas! We taking him in, too?" she asked.
"We're taking the mother," said Khalmi.
"You idolaters! God will punish you for what you've done today! You perpetuate the evil He despises!"
Zsyzoi jabbed him in the back with her gun and twisted the chain joining his wrist restraints till he yelped at the sudden pain. "Just shut it, unless you want some real trouble!"
The mother followed Nikuu, tentatively reaching out to touch her son then backing off whimpering for fear of hurting him. Around them the angry muttering rose in pitch.
Gods, I hope we reach the 'car before this lot explode!
Just keep calm,
sent Khalmi.
We'll do it.
The crowd sullenly opened up again for them. Nikuu could hear the low-voiced comments about them not having the right to interfere in village business, but she ignored them and concentrated on trying to walk steadily toward their vehicle. Her burden was getting heavier with every step and it was with relief she finally leaned against the hull of the aircar.
Naira slung his gun over his shoulder and took the young male carefully from her. He climbed into the 'car and placed him stomach down on one of the two floaters strapped to the side, then went back to take the female from Khalmi. That done, he returned to help Zsyzoi release the priest.
Nikuu had the vehicle fired up and ready to go as soon as they jumped in. The priest's parting words were lost in the roar of the engines and the cloud of dust she made sure the vents kicked up.