A Warrior's Sacrifice (18 page)

"That youngling grows up and begins a family of its own." More stick figures and lines.

"See? That Schism
creates
a whole new family," Phae said as she gestured at the image. She sat back in her seat with her arms crossed, justified.

"You are correct, but watch." The Diviner drew lines back, connecting the one, errant child back to the parent. "What if there is reconciliation between the youngling and the elder female. This one act of Accession brings
all
of these families together." More lines appeared and connected the child to its siblings, and the child's mate to all the other members of the family. Who would be the grandchildren, the Diviner connected in the same way until the web was so complex that it looked more like a full, complete sphere than a group of overlapping, disparate lines.

"Do you see?" Yerama-gar asked as the image faded and the lights returned.

As the explanation went on, Phae had collapsed within herself. She nodded her understanding, though her eyes were distant and her jaw set. Had this been purely a coincidence, this example that used a family, a
Schism
from a family, or had Yerama-gar known how personal this topic was for Phae?

On Corwin it had little effect; his familial situation was a Schism that couldn't be repaired.

"And what of those of us who have been denied a genetic lineage? Those who have been denied the most basic of biological rights?" Kai asked.

The other three Humans glanced at Kai, then away.

Yerama-gar bobbed its head in a Human-like nod. "That is indeed a source of Schism, but recall that these lines of Accession need not trace along genetic lines, nor are they limited to such. These lines represent relationships in general, between people, castes, and species.

"And the tension between Schism and Accession is never static; it is always changing, always in flux. The smallest action could have far-reaching Schismatic or Accessionistic results."

All present were quiet for a time as the Humans digested this new information — and that's what it was for the most part,
just
information, data to be considered during their interactions with the aliens so as not to bring jendr to themselves or the Republic.

Though Corwin tried to explain it away as just spiritual fancy, there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that he just couldn't shake: maybe the philosophy of the Republic and this alien religion were closer in practice than Humanity might like.

Corwin shifted. "You had said before, out in the field, that I was 'the embodiment of Accession.' A 'Schism returned to the primordial state of Wholeness.' I'm familiar now with what those terms mean and the ideas behind them in a greater context, but how does that apply to our current situation?"

"Ahh, yes," the Prehson said, gills waving, head bobbing in joy. "A rare occasion indeed. Your induction into the Human Republic signifies an Accession centuries in the making. Your Accession dates back to when the Siloth first invaded your planet. That invasion was a major conflict and created an entire world of Schism. Your family was apart from Humanity, separated by Schism; then you, and thereby your family, came together in Accession with the Republic. Part of that first Schism created by the Siloth was healed."

Corwin nodded, though his face said otherwise. He could see and understand where the Prehson might reach this conclusion when viewed through the lens of its religion, but Corwin didn't
feel
like he'd made anything whole. For a moment his hard eyes softened. He would have traded all the Accession in the Universe to have his family back. He pushed his feelings away, pushed them back behind the wall where they belonged.

"Do you need more explanation?" the Diviner asked.

Corwin shook his head. "No. I understand." He made a gesture with his hand as though he was pushing what was before him out of the way. "We were assigned to await your arrival, and now that you are here, I'd like to know your purpose with that orb." The room was silent. The unintended harshness of Corwin's words bordered on disrespect.

Yerama-gar's gills billowed red for a moment, then settled. "I suppose an explanation is due the one who is affected, lest we create Schism." The Diviner reached into its robes and pulled out the orb. "It is said that the Ancients were created with the First Schism, and that they, knowing Wholeness, created technology to measure the Accession and Schism of events.

"The picture of the 'orb,' as you call it, that you placed into the Intergalactic Library cue triggered alarms throughout our organization. We came to collect it for safe storage."

"Is it dangerous?" Corwin asked. "A weapon?"

"We do not believe it so, though one has never opened."

"These things open?" Phae asked. "What happens?"

"We do not know," Yerama-gar said. "Stories from the Ancients say that they had in their possession vehicles that could step outside the Universe, that could set themselves apart from the ebb and flow of the tides of Schism and Accession. It is speculated that these
Śeṣanāga," Yerama-gar spoke a word, and the translators gave a Human-sound equivalent, "
are used for that purpose, as a power source, or perhaps they are the vehicles themselves."

"Well, you can keep it for all I care," Phae said, leaning backward to get as far from the device as she could.

"Thank you, I will keep it.
"

"Diviner," Chahal said, "we recovered the … the artifact, from a group of Humans that our intel said were in league with nearby Siloth. We think they were going to transport it to them. Why?"

Until now the two aliens seated beside Yerama-gar had remained silent, but at this news they shifted in their seats, the Foralli hissing and gnashing her teeth, the Groaton growling and bearing his canines.

"Be calm. Be calm," the Prehson said to its underlings. "How sure are you of this?"

"Almost absolute. A criminal element within the Republic was transferring the orb to a," Chahal hesitated, glancing at Corwin before continuing, "traitorous group we knew to be in league with the Siloth. They even made a second attempt to take the orb
back
once we had it in our possession."

"That is troubling," the Diviner said. "Our ancient enemy occludes our vision in this sector of the galaxy. We thought it safe from their designs."

"Who are they? What are they?" Kai asked.

"They are a powerful faction within the Siloth Empire. While most Siloth hunger for power and wealth and seek to acquire them through conquest, the other group seeks only Schism, and the power that comes from it. Death and destruction are their tools, for they create unending waves of Schism through time."

"So they want the orb to harness its power for themselves?" Corwin asked.

"Correct. With it they will sow even greater destruction, create
more
Schism throughout the Universe." A gong rang throughout the complex, and Yerama-gar's gills ruffled in response. "We must end this conversation for now. Our enclave is closed to all non-members of our organization. We request that you remain nearby but without our walls."

The Diviner stood and slid from its seat, its attendants following. The Humans stood as well, hopping down from the high bench — except for Kai. "We have external facilities for you: toilets and showers, power and beds. Make use of them, and we shall speak tomorrow."

"Thank you for your time, Diviner," Corwin said.

The Maharatha bowed and left the tent where Shota and a Car-karniss escort waited to usher them from the complex. Shota fell in behind, silent and fuming.

From the open tent flaps, the three Accession priests watched the Humans leave.

"What does it mean, Diviner, that a
Śeṣanāga presented itself to so feeble a species as the Humans?" the Foralli asked.

"I am not yet sure," Yerama-gar said. "I will consult the texts and ponder."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"WHAT!" Kavin bellowed. With a sharp jerk, It flipped the table at which It worked onto its side. A computer crashed, data chips skittered across the floor like frightened insects, and the messenger, a low, newly decanted soldier, jumped. Kavin crossed the between in a single long bound and jammed one hand into the hapless Choxen's groin, the other hand clenching Its throat.

Heaving, Kavin upended the soldier and sent It face first into the wall. The soldier crumpled into a lifeless heap on the ground, now so much junk forgotten amid the rest. Taking up a metal chair, Kavin hurled it across the room. It didn't shatter, instead bending and clanging before falling silent near the door.

Brixaal looked on at Its Princip's uncharacteristic rage. Kavin was slipping, Xe mind had grown weak with age and power. This was one of the many evidences that Brixaal had seen over the last few weeks, and It debated, just for a moment, attempting to subjugate the Princip right now. It decided against such an action; considering how carelessly the Princip had extinguished the messenger's life, instead of ending up the Subjugated, Brixaal might end up dead. After all, to guard against Its own death was why Brixaal had sent the underling in Its own place.

Brixaal watched as Kavin's rage gave way to cold, hard calculation. The Princip shook Its head, frowning. "Brixaal!" Kavin shouted as It righted the desk.

"Xe!" Brixaal said, stepping into the room.

"I need scouting parties sent deep into Republic territory. I need an accurate map, an assessment of numbers, and an immediate mobilization of soldiers."

"Yes, Xe. Shall I coordinate with other Base Commanders for a full assault?"

"Do as I say and don't ask questions." Kavin sat down in the only undamaged chair. "Get someone in here to clean this up!" It chopped Its hand in the direction of the dead underling. "We have much to do."

Reports trickled in to Kavin. Small dots of various sizes and colors marked the locations of Republic outposts and troop placements in an ever-widening arc of Republic space over 1,200 kilometers across. This new information they used to flesh out older maps of settlements and cities.

For Kavin, the initial setback was somewhat mitigated by the sheer volume of infiltrations that occurred during the following week; they were, in effect, small rituals of subjugation where Kavin and the Choxen Subjugated the Republic; where each successful infiltration represented a superior soldier subjugating the weaker opponent. The infiltrating soldiers felt it, too, and when they returned to the base, their blood full of combat hormones, they flooded the base with their smell.

Inside the base, the preparations for war had brought about their own base-level of hormone release in the soldiers left behind. As the scouts returned, bringing with them the smell of their success, all that palpable tension, all the hormones trapped within the underground complex had nowhere to go. The mix of expectation and success created near orgiastic conditions.

All of this was expected, and Kavin, Brixaal, and Its other officers had to divide their time between planning for war and stalking the hallways and corridors to frighten the others into action.

A few had even engaged Kavin — to which It looked forward. Except they just weren't a challenge, and the combat that should have heightened the experience left Kavin dissatisfied. The ease with which Kavin had subjugated them had in turn left Its needs for true domination — and subjugation — unfulfilled. Even as Kavin reveled in Its position as the dominant actor in the ritual, that small part hardwired into Its brain by the Siloth geneticists longed to be subjugated, physically, mentally. It needed to engage in the ritual with someone Its equal or better; Kavin needed to feel fear again, to overcome that fear and conquer — or be conquered.

The previous Princip had warned Kavin of just this paradoxical situation wherein the achievement of power resulted in dissatisfaction. They had remained together for several years afterward, the older Choxen acting as Kavin's constant companion, mentor, and subjugated partner. As the old Princip's strength had waned, Kavin had kept Xe honor intact, taking Xe life before Xe could be subjugated by another.

Kavin shook Its head, the few remaining strands of hair tickling Its neck and ears. It needed to keep Its mind on the events of the present and the future, not the idle dreams of a time when life was better.

Brixaal slid a new handful of data chips across Kavin's desk, and It put Its mind into scanning through these new data. Two reports in particular made Kavin take notice. Its excitement and interest was accompanied by a hormonal surge.

The first report detailed a Human invasion force besieging one of their smaller settlements. The interesting part was not that the besiegers were Republic troops — the Republic could be as heavy-handed as the Choxen against their own citizens — but that the scouts had sighted four Maharatha walking amongst the besiegers. Presumably they were the same Maharatha that had stalked and killed the Quislings.

The second report described a special mobile arm of the Republic that specialized in escorting IGA dignitaries while in contested space. Kavin knew of this unit and had fought them on a number of occasions; Its first-hand memory of their vehicular makeup, markings, and deployment patterns matched the report's.

Together, the reports solidified in Kavin's mind the location of the relic. The Maharatha, having stumbled upon the relic by accident, had contacted their Oniban about it. Their response was to forward the information up to the IGA diplomats who sent one of their own to retrieve it.