Authors: Lisanne Norman
"What are they hunted for? Their taste?" asked Carrie.
"Goodness, no. They're poisonous, as I said. They're caught for their medicinal properties. They're rich in oils which are used to treat a variety of conditions including frostbite. You can't handle them safely until they've been dried and smoked, then you have to take the skins off carefully and scrape the oils from the inside. Now we can process the flesh to extract the oil from there too. Then we use the skin to make the ceremonial lamps."
Carrie dropped it with an exclamation of distaste.
"Not that one, silly! That's made of paper. They're far too valuable to use around the house. The ceremonial one is carried in at the start of the celebrations and suspended in the banquet hall for the duration of the festival."
"Would you like some c'shar, Taizia?" asked Kitra, suddenly remembering her self-imposed responsibilities as an assistant hostess to Carrie.
"Love one, youngling," she said.
"Can you ask for more coffee, too, please?" asked Carrie as the younger female scrambled to her feet.
"She's growing up fast," observed Taizia when she'd gone. "So many changes in our family in so short a time."
"I don't know how your parents have coped so well," said Carrie quietly. "First me and all the troubles I brought, including importing the Brotherhood onto your land, then you and Kitra both following in Kusac's footsteps and breaking from tradition."
"We're a robust family. Besides, because both of them work in AlRel, they have a more liberal outlook. They're dealing regularly with aliens and their very different cultures, so they realize the accepted way isn't necessarily right, or desirable. It's Father who's surprised me most. He's changed so much. We females are much more adaptable to start with. Now, while Kitra's not here, tell me how things are between her and Dzaka. We don't see her very often nowadays."
"Dzaka has a suite here, mainly because of Kitra. I worry in case she's staying here too often and it'll upset your parents, but Kusac says to leave them to it. They seem happy in each other's company, but they each have their own things to do as well."
"What about Dzaka? He was such an unknown quantity for so long. My parents didn't say anything, but they were concerned for Kitra."
"There's a lot of his father in him," said Carrie slowly, thinking of Kaid, wondering how he was faring at Stronghold, and despite herself, wishing he was returning for the festival. "His feelings go deep, and once he's begun to care, nothing will ever change that."
"Are you talking about Kaid, or Dzaka?"
Carrie looked up to see her friend's gentle smile. "Both, I suppose," she admitted. "Dzaka cared very deeply for the mate and cub he lost. Now he's beginning to care just as deeply for Kitra. As to what will come of it, your guess is as good as mine, but I would say it's up to Kitra to choose. He would never hurt her, I can tell you that."
Taizia sighed. "Then it looks like none of us will make a conventional marriage. Poor Father! I wonder what he'll do when Kitra tells him she wants Dzaka."
Carrie grinned. "You think so, too? Kusac's noncommittal at present. He says they've plenty of time."
"In a manner of speaking, yes they have, but Mother decided at not much older than Kitra that she was having Father, and did exactly what I did to get him!"
"You mean... she got herself pregnant? You're kidding!" laughed Carrie.
"No, honestly. Father let it slip when Kusac was trying to persuade them to endorse our bonding contract. I could hardly believe it either. Several Clan Leaders had approached the Clan Lord and asked that their sons be married to her— including, believe it or not, Father Lijou's. It looked like he'd be chosen until Mother made her announcement."
"Where did you find all this out?"
"From Mother," said Taizia serenely. "It wasn't difficult to pry it out of her in the dead of night when we were sitting up with Khayla. She really loves cubs, you know."
"Kitra's coming back," warned Carrie. She leaned forward, reaching out to touch Taizia's hand, covering it with hers and giving it a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry about yourself and Kitra. There are changes coming regarding eligible mates, and your father's agreed to them. You'll be able to work it out for yourself in a day or two, but I can't say any more at the moment."
Carrie could feel Taizia's joy. "Really? Vartra be praised!" she said, her face lighting up.
"Hush!" said Carrie, more aware than Taizia that Vartra indeed had a lot to do with the changes that were coming.
* * *
Esken sat and stared in disbelief at the letter he held in his hand. He had two immediate reactions. The first was to rip it to shreds, the other was to call for Sorli. Except Sorli had left. It was only to go on retreat, he'd said, but they both knew that unless the breach was healed by him, Sorli would not return.
He needed advice. Challa Kayal. He couldn't put a face to the name, but she was from the same clan as Nnadu, his head of the priests— ex-head, he corrected himself. He didn't know which news angered him most. That Lijou Kzaelan had been elevated to a virtual Guild Master in charge of all priests, or that he was expected to take a life-mate.
Tossing the letter onto his desk, he activated his personal comm. At least he could refuse Konis' suggestion of a mate, and it was no more than that. Technically he was free to choose whom he wished. First he'd talk to Nnadu.
* * *
"Challa, Master Esken?" repeated Nnadu. "Yes, I remember her. She took out a ten-year contract with one of the Aldatan Clan, but he died some years back. He was an interpreter serving on a starship, I believe. There was an accident, and he was killed. Why?"
"The Clan Lord wants all senior officials to take life-mates to set an example to the clans," growled Esken. "He says we can't take the risk of there not being enough pure Sholan telepaths in this generation to keep the breeding program going. It comes from the Governor's office, though."
"Seems a reasonable point," said Nnadu. "He's suggested Challa, has he? From what I remember, she's a good choice. Nice, quiet female. Has two kitlings already, so no problem of her not being able to give you cubs."
"Thank you, Nnadu," Esken said through clenched teeth. "But I don't want cubs, either hers or my own!" He broke the connection abruptly.
Damn Konis and the Governor! They'd hatched this up between them! Well, he had another option. He'd see what the Consortias could offer in the way of an arranged marriage. At least a Consortia would leave him alone, and if they still insisted there should be telepathic cubs, then he'd find himself some willing Talented Companion. It shouldn't be too difficult to persuade her to let the Consortia raise them. No different from leaving them in the Clan nursery.
* * *
Sorli knocked on Lijou's office door, waiting till the Head Priest answered before opening it.
Lijou looked up at him. "You've come about the letter, haven't you?"
Sorli nodded affirmatively as he took the proffered seat in front of the desk. "You had one, too?"
"I did."
"Master Esken?"
"All senior officials, Tutor Sorli. You, I presume, were included because you're to be the next Telepath Guild Leader."
"I don't think so, Father Lijou," said Sorli with a sigh. "I'm considering tending my resignation as Senior Tutor to the Telepath Guild."
"May I ask why?"
Sorli looked at him calmly. "I'd prefer to say no more than that I have a serious difference of opinion with Master Esken regarding the course our Guild is presently taking. One that precludes my having any further involvement with him."
"Are you sure that matters between you are that serious?"
"I didn't make my decision to come to Stronghold on retreat lightly, Father."
Lijou could hear the note of reproach in the tutor's voice. If matters really were that bad, he had to do something now to prevent Sorli leaving the Telepath Guild. With him gone, their one hope for moderate leadership in the future was lost.
"Sorli, the World Council needs you at Valsgarth Guildhouse. Without you there, Esken will do what he likes. You've been able to influence him in the past— we need you to continue to do that."
"I'm tired, Father. Tired of fighting against the hurricane that's Esken," he said.
As Lijou watched, he seemed to slump down in the chair, looking worn and exhausted. "We're all fighting him, Sorli. He makes it so difficult for the rest of us, for Shola. He stifles change, has become so inflexible. We need to grow and evolve if we're not to be overtaken by these Terrans with their multiplicity of psychic Talents. They learn and innovate so quickly that in a matter of a decade or so, they could leave us standing."
"I know, but what can I do? I'm only one person. Since the arrival of the Humans, Esken listens more to Physician Khafsa than me. That's why there was the incident involving Physician Kyjishi and her Human Leska. I tried, Father Lijou, Vartra knows I tried!"
"And you succeeded, Sorli. They only used a hypnotic on them, nothing stronger, thanks to your intervention."
Sorli raised his head, a spark of interest coming into his eyes. "You're well informed."
Lijou reached for a piece of paper on his desk and pushed it across to him. "Read this."
Sorli took it and began to read. After a moment or two he handed it back. "All of this, the bondings, the priests, is because of Esken, isn't it?"
Lijou nodded. "You know as well as I that over the last few years Esken's assumed powers he has no right to, and misused some of those that were traditionally his. You might not be aware of how wide ranging an influence he's tried to have because you've not been in a position to see the larger picture. Did you know that he had half the members of the World Council intimidated to the point that they voted the way he wanted them to vote? That they were afraid all senior telepaths were in his claws?" Lijou sensed the shock the tutor felt at this disclosure.
"You can't be serious," said Sorli, his face creasing in concern.
"He even had Governor Nesul similarly intimidated. He refused him a mental transfer of knowledge concerning the state of affairs off-world in order to prevent him interfering in his plans for the mixed Leskas. He also intended that those Leskas would be in his palm, his private army to intimidate other guild masters and councillors by their very existence! We had to do something, Sorli!" He took a breath and lowered his voice, realizing that getting agitated wouldn't help him convince the other.
"We still need to stop him. He refuses to integrate the Terran telepaths and educate them properly, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. His way will fuel misunderstanding and prejudice between our species. We cannot treat Humans as secondary to us. If we do, they will become an even greater potential threat."
"He only reached an agreement over the mixed Leskas because of fear of the prophecy we found," said Sorli.
"He did it because you persuaded him," corrected Lijou. "For some time now, the Aldatans, AlRel, myself, and Governor Nesul have been working toward somehow curbing Esken yet still leaving him in charge of the Guild. We can't afford a scandal, Sorli, and if Esken's allowed to go unchecked any longer, we'll have no option but to act. You have to go back and help us. You're the best hope the telepaths have now, and in the future, as their Guild Master."
"You don't know what you're asking."
"Oh, yes, I do," said Lijou. "To leave as you did was taking a stand, showing Esken how seriously you disagreed with him, but you must return."
"
If
I went back, I'd need a good reason. To just return now would be to lose any vestiges of influence I have over him. You realize that, don't you?"
"I predict he'll contact you concerning this bonding. In fact, that's where we really could do with your help." He felt Sorli's surge of interest. He needed to fuel it, give the tutor a reason to go back to Esken.
"What makes you so sure? And what kind of help are you wanting?"
"The Clan Lord's suggested a bride for him, a certain Challa Kayal."
"I remember her. Intelligent female. Widowed now. She worked in the judiciary, didn't she?"
"I couldn't tell you, I'm afraid. Rhyasha Aldatan suggested her. What I think Esken will do is go to the Consortias for an arranged marriage. We want him to choose Challa."
Sorli looked puzzled. "I fail to see how he thinks a marriage with a nontelepathic Consortia could fulfill the instructions in that letter. The whole point of it is to produce more telepathic offspring."
"The Guild law states that if you are over a certain age, and not heir to a clan, you can marry outside the telepath clans. I assume Esken will then try to claim he can't have children or some such ploy to avoid making any other kind of arrangement."
"Why Challa?"
"Apparently she's his match. She's also got two kitlings of her own that she'll want to stay close to, so she won't allow him to send her away to his clan estate. As Rhyasha put it, he'll be too busy dealing with his domestic life to have time for plotting!"
Sorli's mouth twitched slightly. "It could be amusing," he admitted. "Unless a similar female has been chosen for me?"
"On that, I can reassure you, Sorli. You are highly thought of by everyone involved. The Clan Lord will have taken his usual care to suggest someone to suit you. If you have a preference, you could approach him. I'm sure he'd be amenable."
"If you don't mind me asking, who has he suggested for you?"
Lijou hesitated. Should he tell him? If he did, Sorli would realize it was a measure of their trust in him. It might just tip the balance. "Kha'Qwa. She's one of the Sisters here."
Sorli raised an eye ridge. "One of the Brotherhood? You were a contender for Clan Lord, weren't you? I'm surprised that a telepath wasn't insisted upon for you."
"It would have been but for one consideration," said Lijou. "This must not go beyond these walls, Sorli. Virtually since it was set up, Stronghold has been gathering those with lesser psychic talents. The Brothers are what they are because of their gifts— gifts that the Humans also have. It's been decided therefore to include certain Brothers and Sisters in the breeding program. It's a trial, to run until the cubs are old enough to be tested, then the matter will be reassesed. If it works, it may well bring back into the telepath gene pool all the talents that have been ignored for so long."
"I knew there would be changes the like of which we couldn't imagine," said Sorli, getting to his feet. "I tried to warn Esken, but he wouldn't listen. As you said, he feared it weakening his power base. Very well, Father Lijou, I will find a reason to return if one does not arrive, but may I point out that if I'm to help you, I need to be kept informed as to what's going on."
Lijou rose and came out from behind his desk to escort Sorli to the door. "I will see to it personally, Tutor Sorli."
Sorli stopped by the door. "So Kaid's a telepath, is he? Bit of an anomaly, wouldn't you say? No wonder their Triad was able to return safely to the Margins."
Lijou's mouth opened in a slight smile. "That's not commonly known, Tutor, and I'd appreciate it staying that way. Kaid's a remarkable person in many ways."
"I'm sure he is."