Authors: Catherine Spangler
"We can dedicate all of the profits from the mercantile on Calt to the plan," Moriah said. "And divert the majority of what we make on deliveries for the next few lunar cycles."
"I'm hoping to purchase the equipment, assuming the Shens will sell it to me, much sooner than that," Jarek responded. "I don't think we can wait much longer. With the bounty on my head and the Controllers' latest attacks, we have to move quickly."
Eirene was uncomfortable at being present at this financial summit between Jarek and Sabin and Moriah. But Jarek had insisted she sit in on the meeting, saying she was an integral part of the plan. Sabin and Moriah hadn't questioned his decision, but Eirene thought he was taking a huge risk.
He knew nothing about her, nothing; he had only a suspicion he couldn't prove. She could be in the employ of the Controllers, for all he knew. She could lead Antek forces to Risa and Aldon, and any other place Jarek was foolish enough to mention. Of course, that would be dependent on her escaping him.
She wrapped her hands around her cup of tea. Shafts of morning sunlight streamed through the high windows, creating brilliant squares on the tables. Voices drifted into the hall from the galley, along with the clattering of dishes being loaded into sterilizers. The children sat quietly in the center of the room, their faces furrowed in concentration as they worked on lessons given to them by Roanne and Valene.
Janaye supervised the children, although she was nodding off in her chair. Immediately after the morning meal, Gabe had gone to the command center with Ardon to work on Risa's tracking and defense system. The day was well underway.
"I'll leave tomorrow," Sabin was saying, "and hunt down felons that are in the vicinity. I should be able to collect some bounties pretty quickly."
That caught Eirene's attention.
Bounties?
"Are you a shadower?" she blurted without thinking, then felt foolish. It was none of her business.
"He is, in a way," Moriah explained. "But he only hunts those criminals who have proven, longstanding records of violence against the innocent, and the money he collects goes to the Shielders."
"But aren't all shadowers under mental compulsion to the Controllers?" Eirene asked, thoroughly confused.
Sabin obviously knew Jarek was a Shielder; it had been mentioned several times this morning. And Sabin was giving money to the Shielders, instead of turning them in. Jarek had explained to her how all Controller agents underwent indoctrination, so this didn’t make sense.
"I'm also a Shielder," Sabin answered. "We're immune to the Controller indoctrination."
"Oh." Eirene considered this new information. That might explain why she couldn't read Sabin, either. Although she didn't know for certain, she was beginning to suspect she couldn't read any Shielders.
"So," Sabin continued, "I should be able to collect some sizeable bounties."
"I don't even know how much gold we need," Jarek said, his frustration evident. "The Shens refused to tell Celie what they wanted for the equipment. For all I know, they've priced it out of reach."
"Then all we can do is collect as much as possible," Moriah said calmly. "We'll pool our resources and get you what we can. If it's not enough, we'll keep working at it."
"You're right, Mori." Jarek looked from her to Sabin. "Thanks, both of you."
"Let's get to it." Sabin swung his leg over the bench and stood. "I'll ready a ship to depart this evening."
Moriah rose too. "I'll contact Adya and have her stop at Calt to collect whatever gold the mercantile has earned since the last pickup. We'll schedule collections every four cycles."
"As soon as your ship is repaired, you can head for Aldon," Sabin said. "We'll meet you there and bring any gold we manage to gather."
"Good idea. I need to contact Blake and the colonists on Liron." Jarek stood. "Then I'll see if I can do any of the ship repairs while I wait for Radd. And I can work wherever you need me, Mori."
"You're going to be very sorry you said that." Moriah flashed a stunning smile over her shoulder as she followed Sabin toward the entry. "I've got a dozen new Yarton trees waiting to be planted."
"Me and my big mouth," Jarek groaned, following her outside. Eirene slipped off the bench, feeling very insignificant.
"I'd really appreciate it, child, if you'd keep an old lady company."
She looked over to find Janaye awake and watching her shrewdly. The old woman gestured toward the children. "Besides, I can always use some help with these scamps." She leaned forward and addressed them. "Jarek said if you completed your lessons, he'd let you play with his lanrax. And it's a beautiful day. We'll go outside when you're done."
Four precious faces beamed at this news, and then four heads bent back over their scanners.
Two hours later, Eirene and Janaye sat outside beneath a huge Yarton tree, watching the children running and playing. Ranie, exhausted from romping with the children, was curled in Eirene's lap.
Jarek drove a skimmer loaded with agricultural equipment and several saplings into the clearing on their right. He got out and unloaded a machine and the trees. The temperature was already warm, and rising. He stopped to peel off his shirt and toss it aside, his muscles flexing. Eirene tried not to look, but she couldn't take her eyes off him.
"Tell me about your power." Janaye's voice broke into her perusal.
She turned toward the elderly woman. "What?"
Discerning gray eyes stared back at her. "Your power, my dear. It's quite apparent you have special gifts."
Panic speared through Eirene. She'd been afraid she couldn't hide anything from Janaye, and she'd been right. That didn't mean the woman knew her exact abilities, or that she was an Enhancer, she tried to reassure herself. Janaye probably only sensed the energy. Resigned to Janaye's perceptiveness, she said, "I can sometimes pick up emotions from others."
"Ah." Janaye nodded. "You're empathic. What else?"
She debated whether to deny any other abilities. But she wanted badly to discuss her fears with someone. Rayna had been her only confidante, and she felt lost without her mentor. Janaye appeared to be so wise; surely she would understand. Eirene took the plunge. "Lady Janaye, you must promise not to tell anyone."
Janaye reached over and patted her hand. "Certainly, my dear. I've never discussed my abilities with others. It’s too dangerous. Those of us who are different in any way, be they Shielders, or psychic, or energy healers, are persecuted in this quadrant. Your secrets are safe with me."
Eirene believed her. Janaye had dropped her mental shields, allowing Eirene to sense her complete honesty and compassion. She stared at the sparkling lake. "Sometimes I can manipulate energy. But it terrifies me."
"Why?"
"For one thing, I don't know where this power came from. Is it a gift of Spirit, a chance to help others, or an evil tool from the Fires?"
"My dear, power is a very strange thing. It doesn't really matter where it comes from, because all energy is basically the same. Energy can be channeled any number of ways, for good or for evil. When all is said and done, it's not the
source
of the power that matters, but how that power is
used.
That's what determines its nature."
She'd known that on some level, Eirene realized. Yet good intentions didn't make her proficient in the use of her abilities. "But what if someone doesn't know how to properly use his or her power?" she asked. "What if they can't control it, and only cause bad things to happen when they try to use it? Isn't it evil then?"
Janaye looked at her knowingly. "Power can't corrupt a pure heart, child. As for learning control, that comes with time, and with spiritual growth. You need to work on developing your soul growth. Take time every day to meditate, and commune with Spirit. Pray for guidance, and open yourself to receiving that guidance. Then listen and watch carefully, because the answers often come in unexpected forms."
Just then, a resonant tone sounded from the main hall. "There's the call for the midday meal." Janaye pushed to her feet. "Go get washed up, children." She turned to Eirene. "Don't worry so, my dear. All will be well."
Eirene followed her to the main hall, thinking about the elder's words. She wanted to believe Janaye, but doubts still nagged her. Perhaps she could develop control over time. But, in the meanwhile, what sort of damage might she inflict?
Celie arrived as they were finishing the evening meal. They were alerted to the ship's approach by strident exterior sirens that had the children screaming and clapping their hands over their heads, and the adults cringing.
"Again?" Tyna bellowed in her gravelly voice. "Gabe doesn't know what he's doing, the old fool!"
"I don't think the kinks are out of your tracking system," Sabin yelled to Gabe over the racket.
"I don't understand," Gabe yelled back. "It shouldn't do that when one of our ships comes in. Radd rigged them with a special signal that should trigger a lower tone." He dashed off to the command center, Ardon on his heels.
Moments later, the awful clamor stopped, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief. "I'll go meet the ship," Moriah said, heading for the landing pad. Sabin followed.
Jarek took Eirene's arm and tugged her toward the entry. "Come on, let's go with them. I want to see if Celie has any news and to find out what happened with the Leors."
Eirene thought of the Leor who had been with her uncle on Elysia. He had looked utterly cruel and very dangerous. She tensed, and Jarek's hand tightened on her arm. "Hey, you okay?"
He was far too perceptive, too attuned to her reactions. Her skin tingled from the warmth of his hand as he steadied her. Awareness, memories of far more intimate contact flowed through her. She had to stop thinking about that night in the Pleasure Dome. She needed to steel herself against his potent charm, and focus on putting distance between them.
"I'm fine," she murmured, tugging her arm away. "Just an aftershock from those sirens."
He grinned, and her heart skittered in that odd little reaction his smiles always generated.
Way too potent.
"Yeah, they are pretty unsettling, aren't they? Poor Gabe. I think his electronic skills may be lacking a little. But he's an incredible battle tactician."
She liked the gruff older man, and she suspected Janaye did as well, although Janaye seemed determined to deny it. Thinking about the way those two bickered, Eirene smiled briefly, then slowed as another thought occurred to her. "What are Celie and her crew going to think when they see me here? I was at the Pleasure Dome when they came to get you. They might recognize me."
"I'm sure they will," Jarek agreed. "They're very observant. They have to be, in their line of work."
"And they'll remember where they saw me." She couldn't explain why that fact disturbed her, since her actions had been to ensure her newfound freedom. But she was beginning to feel a bond with these people; oddly, their respect and acceptance mattered to her.
Jarek halted and turned to her. "Does that bother you?"
She lowered her eyes from his penetrating stare. "I know it shouldn't. I made the decision to work at the Dome of my own free will."
"That's something I'm most interested in hearing more about. You and I both know being a courtesan is not your calling."
Anger and embarrassment sent heat flaming her cheeks. "I'm sure Celie and her crew will share your lurid curiosity. But you'll all be disappointed, because I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else."
She tried to move around him, but he grasped her shoulders, bringing her square with his body. "I'm not judging you." He slipped one hand beneath her chin, raising her face and forcing her to look at him. "Neither is anyone on Risa. Every woman here has an unhappy past. Some have suffered abuse at the hands of men, or society in general.
"Moriah and Celie were abused by their father and then sold into servitude. Tyna was a slave on Odera; Roanne was a slave in a textile plant. All the other women have stories just as tough. No one will question your actions or judge you based on your past. They'll accept you as you are now."
Eirene stared into his dark eyes, reading the sincerity there. She was stunned that these happy, energetic women had experienced such suffering; even more amazed that they generated no negative emotions after their life experiences. "I had no idea," she murmured. "They've certainly overcome the past."
"That's Moriah's doing. She's a dreamer and believer. She brought these women together, created this sanctuary for them, and takes in anyone who comes to her in need."
Eirene's respect for Moriah increased tenfold. Was it really possible, she wondered, to create a reality if you wanted it badly enough? She fervently hoped so.
"Come on," Jarek turned her toward the landing strip. "Let’s go hear Celie’s report."
The ship landed as they arrived at the pad. They remained a safe distance until the hoverlifts and engines disengaged. Celie stepped out first, her blond hair flowing freely over her shoulders. When she saw Moriah, she ran down the ramp, and the two women hugged tightly.
The first officer, the same woman who'd been with Celie on Travan and Saron, exited the ship next, her impressive height making Celie look small by comparison. The young man Eirene had seen at the Pleasure Dome came next. Round-faced and freckled, he didn't look old enough to be a renowned starship mechanic, much less mated.
Celie stepped back and pushed her hair from her face. Sensing the young woman's distress, Eirene knew something was definitely wrong. Moriah, Sabin, and Jarek all watched the hatch, seemingly waiting for someone else to disembark.
"Where's Lani?" Moriah asked. "Did she return to Saron?"
Celie's face clouded, but before she could speak, the young man said, "She got taken hostage."
A flash of shock from Moriah bombarded Eirene. "What?"
"Gunnar took her hostage," the young blond man answered.
Moriah radiated stunned disbelief. "Gunnar took Lani? Why in the universe did he do that?"