Authors: Lisanne Norman
* * *
"She's
what
?" exclaimed Rhyasha when Vanna told her at Kitra's request. "She's far too young! She'll have to terminate!"
"She's physically mature enough, Clan Leader," murmured Vanna. "And emotionally, in my opinion."
"Now who's interfering, Rhyasha?" asked her husband quietly. "Let them decide for themselves. Don't forget it was by Vartra's will that they became Leskas in the first place."
"But you resigned as Clan Lord rather than let the Chazouns force her into having a cub!" she exclaimed, passing a hand over her forehead. "With Kusac in the state he's in, I don't need this worry right now!"
"Then stop worrying. She's an adult by every definition of the word and circumstances," said Konis, taking her hand in his. "Our cubs are grown up, my dear. It's time to let them all run their own lives, even our youngest."
Rhyasha made an exasperated noise.
Besides, soon you'll have our new cubs to worry over,
he sent, lovingly touching her face.
Twins should be enough of a handful even for you.
Enough! I should never have let you persuade me to start another family,
she grumbled, but her mental tone was slightly mollified.
"Don't spoil their joy," said Carrie from the doorway. "We could all do with some." She smiled wanly. "After all, 'Cubs are Ghyakulla's gift to us all,' " she quoted.
Konis gave her an approving glance while mentally reassuring his life-mate that no one was yet aware of her pregnancy. "Carrie's right. Our children are our salvation. Were it not for the cub she and Kaid are sharing, we'd have lost them all. And were it not for Dzaka's and Kitra's Link, Kezule would have succeeded. Our kitling couldn't have found a better mate. Let them make their own decision, Rhyasha. Just share in their joy."
Rhyasha leaned against him. "You're right. I'm sorry, I forgot myself. I'm just so worried for Kusac."
"Physician Chiuduu's ready to give his report," said Carrie. "That's what I came to tell you."
Leaving a medic on duty to watch Kusac, Vanna led them to the common room where the physician sat waiting with Kaid and Jack. He was older than either the Human or Kaid, with flecks of white and gray dusting his pelt and streaking his once dark hair.
"What did you find?" demanded Rhyasha, perching on the edge of the sofa, still clutching Konis' hand tightly.
As Carrie moved past Kaid toward a seat at the other side of the room, he got up and caught her by the arm. Reluctantly she took his seat while he stood beside her.
Chiuduu waited for them to settle before beginning. He looked tired and worn. "It wasn't pleasant," he said. "I experienced much of his pain myself."
"We had no option," said Kaid, glancing down at Carrie. "I'm sorry we had to put both of you through that, but it was necessary."
"Yes, it was," agreed the physician. "There is a residual level of Talent there, but these— tendrils— are everywhere. And they're still active, after a fashion."
"Active?" whispered Carrie, turning ashen. "What do you mean active?"
He turned to look at her. "When the area of his mind that deals with psi talents is activated in any way, then the tendrils immediately respond by stimulating the central nervous system and causing pain. That's why he reacted so violently to being scanned."
"That bears out what you said happened on Haven when Vriuzu tried to read him," Kaid said to Carrie.
"There's more," continued Chiuduu. "Apparently, they also activate when he experiences strong emotions. Anger, for instance. I didn't feel any anger while I was scanning him, but I did find his memories of it."
Rhyasha moaned softly.
"We both saw it happen at Haven. Is that what he was hiding from us?" asked Kaid.
"Perhaps. I could see nothing else except a mixture of memories and nightmares of his experiences on the Prime ship." He shook his head, obviously trying to dispel the images. "Make no mistake, Physician Kyjishi, this Valtegan, J'koshuk, made a thorough job of breaking Kusac's spirit. Apart from that, there's not much more to tell you. My full report will be with you tomorrow for you to send to the Brotherhood as well as Master Sorli. As Master of the Telepath Guild, Sorli must be informed."
"Master Sorli has no authority over us," reminded Kaid. "But we'll send him a copy ourselves, out of courtesy. What can you do to help Kusac?"
"Medication and therapy, perhaps mental readjustment, is all we can offer, I'm afraid. It might be better in the long run if all memory of his experiences was erased, as well as the fact he'd once been a telepath."
"No!" said Konis, a split second after Carrie and Kaid. "As Clan Lord, I absolutely forbid it!"
"So do I," said Carrie, reaching for Kaid's hand and clutching it tightly. "There has to be something else we can do— some way of neutralizing the tendrils! Can't we use our psi abilities to destroy them?"
"How, without causing both yourselves and him such agony that you'd be unable to work?" asked Chiuduu.
"What about surgery?" asked Jack. "Can't we use lasers to burn out the dratted things?"
"And risk damaging other areas of his brain? I think not. If there is a cure, then it lies with those who implanted the device in the first place," said Chiuduu, getting slowly to his feet. "Those are avenues which you are more able to explore. If you'll excuse me, I would like to return to the Guild now. Despite your kind treatment, Physician Kyjishi, I still have a dreadful headache. I've given you the main points of my report, the rest you'll have by tomorrow morning."
"I'll arrange for a flitter to take you back," said Jack, getting to his feet.
When they'd gone, Kaid turned to Vanna. "What about Noni?"
"Noni! Yes, maybe Noni can help!" exclaimed Rhyasha, sitting forward in her seat.
"Noni said she'd come after we'd done all the preliminary tests," said Vanna. "That won't be for at least a week. In the meantime, I'm going to keep Kusac sedated. He's going to have to endure a lot of examinations and scans at the Telepath Guild medical center over the next few days. I'd prefer him to be subjected to as little stress as possible."
"T'Chebbi and I'll take him," said Kaid.
Vanna nodded. "He'll have to stay here, I'm afraid, under constant surveillance. I don't want him attempting suicide again before his medication takes effect. I've already implanted a bio-monitor in him, just to be on the safe side."
"Why can't he come home?" Carrie asked. "He promised me he wouldn't try again and I believe him. He's been distancing himself from us, Vanna. If you keep him here, it'll only get worse."
"I know, cub, but what option do I have?" she asked. "You heard Chiuduu. J'koshuk broke his will. It isn't as if this is the first time he's tried to kill himself."
"You can't count the time on the
Khalossa
!" Carrie exclaimed. "That was different! He didn't do anything, just..."
"It's not about what he did, Carrie, it's about his state of mind," said Konis heavily. "Twice now, he's been prepared to die."
"You've got a good understanding of the situation," said Kaid.
"I've had to deal with several people in similar situations in my time, Kaid. Being Clan Lord isn't just choosing mates and sitting at meetings, you know. They frequently call me in when there are problems with potential Leskas."
"There's nothing more you can do here today," said Vanna, getting up. "Kusac's resting for now. He's still recovering from the effects of the drug poisoning. I suggest you go home and get some rest yourselves. I'll sort out visiting times and let you know later when you can come."
"I want to stay here with him," said Carrie.
"Not this time, I'm afraid, Carrie," said Vanna with finality. "There's no need for you to remain now, and he really does need to rest. He's got a slight fever that I want to keep an eye on."
* * *
"You do understand why I had to have Kusac scanned, don't you?" Kaid asked Carrie, breaking the awkward silence that had come between them as they walked back to the villa.
"You should have told me what you were going to do."
"You'd have tried to prevent me."
"You're damned right I would!"
"And you'd have been wrong. Think of what we've found out."
"It wasn't worth it in my opinion," she said stubbornly. "I don't care if Jack did agree with you."
"Would you rather it was Vriuzu again?"
"You know I wouldn't! We already knew Kusac couldn't be scanned without pain, and he even said something about the strong emotions, only we didn't pay enough attention to him."
"We know more than that. He still has a residual Talent."
"You took unnecessary risks. What if Chiuduu had found out about Kusac using his psi Talent to kill J'koshuk? What then, Kaid? Would he now be facing losing even that— residual talent— for breaking the Telepath Guild laws?"
"We aren't subject to those laws," said Kaid. "Lijou's the only one with authority over us, you know that."
She stopped dead and rounded on him. "The Telepath Guild— or at least Chiuduu— is afraid of him! You must have sensed that! They could send a Special Operative after him because he's become a rogue, with what Talent he has left unpredictable! Did you think of that?"
"Yes, I did," he said quietly. "That's partly why Chiuduu suggested erasing Kusac's memory of being a telepath. But if Chiuduu had discovered he'd killed using it, Konis would have helped me permanently erase the memory from Chiuduu's mind. Kusac was never in any danger of that being discovered, Carrie. Konis and I were monitoring the physician the whole time. If he saw J'koshuk's death at all, Chiuduu thought it was a nightmare, nothing more. Didn't you wonder why your bond-father looked so drawn?"
"All right. I grant you didn't overlook it," she said, starting to move off again. "What about the Guild's fear of him?"
"It's not fear, merely wariness. We needed this report to reassure not only the Guild, but General Raiban and Lijou and Rhyaz. As I said earlier, if we hadn't had it done— in circumstances that we could control— then they would have demanded it. Vriuzu's scan wasn't enough. This is. They now know Kusac isn't hiding anything, that he hasn't been programmed to suddenly turn kzu-shu and murder us all in our beds."
She said nothing, walking on in silence until they were within the villa grounds.
"I admit it. You were right and I was wrong," she said in a small voice. "It needed to be done."
above K'oish'ik, the Prime Homeworld, Zhal-Ghyakulla, 10th day (June)
K'hedduk stood in the main landing bay, watching the loading of the transport shuttles bound for the research center at the City of Light on K'oish'ik, far below them. Gesturing to the brown-clad head of the cargo loaders, he called him over.
"K'hedduk! Thought it was about time you crawled out from under your stone!" he said, stopping to yell curses and threats as a small sealed container shifted dangerously on its grav sled. Finished, he turned back to the steward. "I've got work stacked up here, K'hedduk, this better be important. Everyone wants their pet project downloaded yesterday."
"You're handling Doctor Zayshul's embryonic growth tanks."
The chief loader glanced behind him to where three large triangular sealed units were being carefully stacked. Each one bore a painted code on the side.
"So?"
"They contain viable embryos and must be handled with the utmost care or abnormalities could occur. The doctor has sent me to oversee transportation to the surface."
The chief stared belligerently at him, eyes closing once in a slow blink. "You accusing me of incompetence?" he demanded. "I've worked this ship the last twenty years, handled cargoes like this more times than I care to remember! On my shift, there's never been..."
"Let's just get on with the job, shall we?" said K'hedduk coldly, looking at his comp reader. "I have sixteen units on my manifest. I counted only fifteen. Where's the other one?"
"Don't you come in here and talk to me like that, K'hedduk! I got every one of those units either on the shuttle, or sitting right there ready to be put on the minute you get your butt out of my cargo area!"
"You're one short."
"I'll be damned if I am!" he hissed, turning on his heel and stalking over to where his crew were now locking the seven foot tall units onto a loading sled. As the chief snatched the comp reader from his foreman, K'hedduk waited patiently.
Voices were raised, then the chief came storming past him into the transport shuttle. Minutes passed then he heard more angry voices as the chief emerged again.
"I got fifteen units on my list," he hissed at K'hedduk. "And all fifteen are accounted for! What's this about another one?"
K'hedduk handed his comp reader over to him. "Sixteen."
The chief swore roundly. "Where is it then? It can't go down on this shuttle! I've allocated my load now, there's no weight allowance to spare. It'll have to wait till the next shift."
"It has to go now," said K'hedduk. "They need to be connected to the main computer tonight. Some change of nutrients or something that can't wait."
"Burn those damned scientists!" the chief muttered, thrusting the reader back at him. "Think they're damned gods the way they mess us about! Follow me," he snapped, heading across the landing bay for the dispatch office by the main elevator.
Half an hour later, K'hedduk was sitting in a small automated shuttle heading down to the City of Light, the sixteenth unit locked into position in the small cargo area to the rear. As the craft began to angle itself for its landing approach, he smiled to himself and reached out to override the controls. He had no intention of landing in the courtyard at the rear of the Palace where the research labs were situated. He and his cargo of hybrid Sholan/Human embryos were headed for an entirely different location.
Shola, Zhal-Ghyakulla, 12th day (June)
It had been a hectic week, with Kusac being taken on two consecutive days to the Guild medical center for scans. Then he'd come down with a sudden fever which had lasted for two days. During that time, Vanna had ordered them all to report to her med lab for checkups.
Kusac was on his feet now and fretting quietly at his continued incarceration in the small estate hospital, but Vanna had been adamant. Finally, she had called Carrie and Kaid, telling them to come over for the results of the tests and to take Kusac home with them.
"You'll be pleased to know you're all pretty fit," she said, as she ushered them into her office. "I can't tell you if your suspicions about Kate were right, Kaid, because she's pregnant now, by about four weeks— the same as you, Carrie."
"Will you be able to tell once she's had her cub?" asked Kaid.
"Not categorically. I'm afraid we've nothing more to base your suspicions on than her scent on the night she was taken by Chy'qui. That's not enough for me."
Kaid grunted, keeping his thoughts to himself as the memory of Kate's abduction made him aware of Carrie's scent.
Vanna reached for the three containers of pills on her desk and held them out to Carrie. "Your supplements. You know the drill, Carrie," she said with a gentle smile.
Carrie sighed, and juggling the squirming Kashini, took them from her.
"The third one's for Kusac. You shouldn't have any problem getting him to take them."
Carrie stuffed the bottles into her tabard pocket. "What about Jo? And Zashou?" she asked. "Are they both all right?"
"Fine, and so's Jo's cub. No traces of anything foreign in their systems at all. Same with Rezac. Whatever the Primes did, they didn't cause her or the cub any damage. And no long-term effects that I can see from the laalquoi in their diet on Jalna, either. Kris and Davies checked out healthy, too." She looked at Kaid shrewdly. "Your
brother
Rezac is very like you." She emphasized the word.
"Told you," said Carrie, glancing at Kaid. "You owe me."
"A bet?" murmured Vanna. "Your family relationships have to be the most complex I've ever come across, Kaid."
Kaid smiled faintly. "I try to keep you Challenged, Vanna."
"You can tell me the truth. Who is he? Your father? The blood tests suggest he is. Must be very strange having a father half your age."
Kaid frowned. "I'm not that old, Vanna."
"Rezac's only twenty-three."
"He'll have his fill of fatherhood soon," said Kaid. "Enough to age him! I wish him joy of it. It isn't as easy as he thinks."
"You'll feel differently about your own cub," said Vanna confidently, her hand going instinctively to her own belly. "Only seven weeks left for Garras!" she laughed. "You males are as broody as us, though you try to pretend you aren't! He can't wait."
She leaned forward to scratch Carrie's cub affectionately under the chin. "And don't think you know it all because you've lived in the same house as Kashini," she said. "When it's your own newborn, it's another matter entirely."
"I'll take your word for it, Vanna," he murmured, feeling even more unsure about the forthcoming major upheaval in his life.
Carrie stood up, hefting Kashini onto one hip. "Can we get Kusac now? I don't know why you wouldn't let me bring Kashini to see him before now, Vanna. She knows he's back and has been really distressed at not being able to see him. She's been touching his belongings and whimpering."
"She's too powerful a telepath, Carrie. Kusac might have his own residual psi ability suppressed, but we can still pick up his mental state. Until now, he's not been settled enough to be in her company."
"Any news about Kusac's test results at the Guild?"
Vanna shook her head, ears dipping back. "Nothing we didn't already know. The general consensus is to let his mind heal and hope that the tendrils die off or weaken of their own accord."
"Hurry up and wait," Carrie murmured as her friend got to her feet.
"I hear your father's due here in a few days," said Vanna, changing the subject. "Are you looking forward to seeing him? It'll be the first official visit by a Keissian, or Terran, Leader."
"I don't know, to be honest. He was never fully reconciled to my marriage to Kusac, or Kashini's birth. Thankfully, Konis and Father Lijou kept the worst of the news from him until we reached Haven. It's only a flying visit at least."
"He hasn't seen your daughter yet, has he?" asked Vanna shrewdly.
"Not yet. But he will."