Between Darkness and Light (72 page)

Their table was one of the few two person ones, and inside a small alcove which gave them a degree of privacy.

She watched him with amusement as he tried to get comfortable in a chair obviously not designed for the more rigid-limbed Humans.

“I give in,” he said at last with a slight grin. “How do I get comfortable in this chair? Come to think of it, how do you make it look so easy?”

She laughed, suddenly feeling a lessening of the tension that had dogged her for so long. “For me, it is. Another result of my change, I think. My joints move more easily than yours, and I'm used to them. Just fill the dip in the center of the chair with the cushions, then pile them behind your back until you can sit on the chair as you would normally do. It's designed for curling up in, not sitting.”

He turned and began moving the half dozen small cushions around until he'd achieved something he was comfortable with.

Sighing, he leaned back slightly. “That's better. I take it they're used to us Humans in here.”

“They're used to our Clan members coming now and then,” she said, picking up the menu in front of her. “But few non-telepath Humans come here. Several Human specific outlets have opened up in Valsgarth. Not many, because the town caters to our needs.”

“You keep saying that. What does it actually mean? That they're run by telepaths, or they sell things telepaths need?”

“Kind of a mixture. Some establishments are run by non-telepath members of the main Aldatan Clan, but many are just run by traders prepared to have telepaths as customers.” She looked up at him. “This is the heartland for telepaths. The Telepath Guild is here, also the main Temple to Vartra, and the hospital has the main branch of telepath medics working in it. Not everyone is comfortable in our presence, some people actively dislike us because they're afraid we're constantly reading their minds. We need the town nearest to us to be sympathetic.”

“So the traders here are all happy to serve you,” he nodded. “I understand now. It's not that obvious when you read about it.”

She smiled. “I don't suppose it is.”

Having decided what she wanted, she put the menu down and relaxed back in her seat, waiting for Ray to choose. Opposite, Dzaka made a few sparse hand gestures, asking if all was well with her. She replied in kind, assuring him they were fine.

“Uh, a little help would be appreciated,” he said after a few minutes, as a waiter approached and put down a pitcher of lightly fruit-flavored water then hovered near her elbow. “I can read Sholan fine, but menus are slightly different.” He grinned up at her, his smile self-effacing. “It's the first time I've been to a restaurant here. The inns, yes, but not somewhere as classy as here.”

“Do you like Sholan food?” she asked, and receiving a nod in reply, tilted her head at the waiter who came forward instantly. She reeled off a selection of dishes and handed him the menus.

“Sharing a meal has social significance here,” she said as Ray poured out a glass of the water for each of them.

“I read about that, too,” he nodded. “It's a hospitality and friendship issue.”

There was a small commotion at the other side of the room as a group of people got to their feet and began to leave. Carrie glanced up at them as they came level. The lead male, a local community leader, stopped dead and snarling, began to spit out a string of insults at her, aimed at how Kusac had betrayed them all.

Instantly Dzaka was there, gripping the male by the arm and firmly escorting him to the door. At the same time, Kitra bounced over to greet her enthusiastically.

“Carrie! It's good to see you out again!” she said, leaning forward to embrace her. “How are you?”

“I'm fine, kitling,” she said, hugging her one-handedly, still a little shaken by the encounter. “This is Ray, one of our two visiting Earth doctors.”

As Kitra let her go and turned to look at Ray, she surreptitiously replaced her stunner in its holster. “Ray, this is Kitra, my husband Kusac's youngest sister—and this is Dzaka,” she added as he returned. “He's Kitra's husband.”

Ray tried to rise from the chair and gave up, holding out his hand instead as Kitra giggled at his efforts.

“Pleased to meet you,” he said as they brushed fingertips. He offered his hand to Dzaka who did the same. “What was that all about? Nothing to do with me being here, I hope.”

“Absolutely not,” reassured Dzaka. “It was politics. Some people just can't leave them at home when they come out to enjoy themselves.” He smiled, displaying his canines.

I'm sorry, Carrie,
he sent.
Would you like us to join you? You'll be less vulnerable to incidents like this with four of us here.

Carrie looked round the room. Everyone else was concentrating on their food.
No, thanks. I don't think from the looks of it anyone else is wanting to make a scene.

True, they are eating,
he chuckled mentally. “Looks like they're bringing our meal, Kitra,” he said to his mate, putting an arm round her shoulders. “See you later, Carrie.”

The owner was bustling over to them, full of apologies. “That this should happen here,” he said, shaking his head, his ears held at half height. “I have told them they will never be welcome here again, Liegena. Please, accept the meal as a gift to make up for the insult.”

“That's all right,” she began.

“No, I insist,” he said firmly before disappearing again toward the doorway.

She looked at Ray who was sitting watching her. “It isn't usually like this,” she said. “I do apologize.”

“Not your fault,” he said slowly. “I didn't realize that you carried a gun.”

“A stunner, nothing more lethal,” she reassured him.

“You drew it. I saw you.”

She shrugged, settling back in her chair. “You never know with some people.”

“Not exactly the usual response.”

“I'm Brotherhood,” she said quietly. “In case you don't understand just what that means, let me explain. We're Shola's Warrior Elite, independent of any other force of arms or law on this world. We're sworn to protect the Sholan species, telepaths particularly, at all costs. When I first came here, there were threats against my life. I don't take chances. Some Sholans still resent the fact I have Sholan Leskas. He was one of them. I told you eating had a social significance. It's also a time of truce between enemies. He and his party left because they didn't want to eat in the same place as me. If you'd like to leave now, I'll understand.”

“No,” he said hurriedly. “It was just a bit of a shock, that's all.”

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell until their meal was brought out. As well as a serving of a stew rich with meat and applelike fruit, served in a creamy sauce, there were side dishes of various vegetables placed in the middle of the table, and a bottle of wine, also courtesy of the owner.

“You said that couple who came over to us were married. I'm not that good at judging Sholan ages, but she looks very young,” he said. “And he looked rather old to be her husband.”

“Dzaka? His gray pelt makes him look older than he is,” she said, pouring out wine for them both. “He's only just into adult-hood, despite his coloring. Yes, Kitra is young compared to him, only just fifteen, but they're very much in love.”

He looked at her in shock. “She's a child! He's got to be twice her age.”

“Kitra, a child?” She grinned. “Don't let either of them hear you say that. You wouldn't believe the lengths they both went to in order to get each other! She may not have reached her majority, but she's an adult in all that matters. They even have a young cub.”

He shook his head. “It's sad when that happens.”

“No, you're getting it wrong,” she said, passing the glass over to him. “They're Leska life-mates, joined mind and body for life. Their cub was very much wanted by both of them, and they're still of an age when having a family is everything to them. It's not like it is on Earth.”

“Obviously,” he said, glancing round the side of his chair at them for a moment. “They certainly look happy together.”

“They are.”

“And they're one of your dynastic marriages?”

“Not exactly,” she said, amused, looking up at him from her food. “They chose to marry, I told you. But Kitra is from a Clan Leader's family. Under normal circumstances, as a member of a Telepath Clan Leader's immediate family, she'd have been betrothed by now, to be married in two or three years, but not expected to have cubs for several more years.”

“And this Leska Link thing, it can happen to all telepaths?”

“No, only those with the strongest Talent, level ones, and it doesn't happen for everyone, thankfully, only a few of us.”

“And how does it happen?” he asked, helping himself to the side dishes of vegetables and cooked fruits.

She stopped eating momentarily, fork poised in midair. “No one really knows. It's a breeding imperative, though, so we think it has something to do with meeting your perfect match genetically.”

“Yet you're of totally different species, and you said you both change—Humans become more Sholan, and Sholans more Human.”

“Vartra knows,” she shrugged, with a little smile at the truthfulness of what she'd said. “We're a new species, Ray, the best of both our people.”

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly. Ray's questions continued to be thoughtful ones, showing he was making an effort not just to understand the Sholans, but also her people, the gene-altered ones. By the time they were ready for coffee, she decided to invite Kitra and Dzaka to join them.

“So what brings you here tonight?” she asked them eventually when the general conversation died down.

“We're celebrating,” she said, glancing at Dzaka with a huge smile on her face. “Khayal was born on the first anniversary of our becoming lovers, so we couldn't celebrate then.”

“So this is to celebrate that, and Khayal's birth two months ago,” finished Dzaka.

“Have you been together that long?” she said in surprise, thinking back. “Gods, it
is
that long! Congratulations to you both. How is Khayal?”

“He's fine,” smiled Dzaka.

“He's developing some brindled coloring like Dzaka's, now,” said Kitra with a grin. “It looks really strange against his blond pelt.”

“It does not,” said Dzaka. “I think it looks fine.”

“She's teasing you,” said Carrie.

“I know,” he smiled, taking Kitra's hand in his.

“How did you manage to wrench him away from Khayal to bring you here?” asked Carrie, winking at Kitra.

“With great difficulty,” she said, keeping a straight face. “He's so devoted to his son that I come a poor second these days.”

“One of these days I'm going to have to teach you how to lie convincingly,” said Dzaka with a laugh. “It was me who wanted to have you to myself as my mate rather than as Khayal's mother for an evening.”

Carrie leaned forward to stroke his cheek, then Kitra's. “I'm so happy for you both,” she said. As she sat back, she glanced at her wrist comm. “Gods, the time! I have to get back. Ray, where are you staying? I'm sorry, I don't remember if you're quartered on our estate or here, in town.”

“We're staying with Ruth for the time being,” he replied, finishing off his coffee.

“Then we can drop you off,” she said. “You don't mind us all going back together, do you?” she asked Dzaka, who shook his head.

“I'll call Ni'Zulhu,” he said, activating his wrist comm. “He'll have an aircar here in about fifteen minutes.”

 

He's nice,
sent Kitra as they got off at the main estate house.
Are you planning to spend some time with him?

Good grief, no!
she replied, hurriedly making sure Kaid couldn't overhear their mental conversation.
Why should I want to do that? Or he, come to that?

No it wouldn't,
she replied tartly.
You wouldn't do it if . . .

I did when Dzaka and I were separated because of that dreadful betrothal,
she interrupted as Dzaka shut the aircar door.

“Saying good night?” asked Ray as the aircar started up again and headed inland for their estate.

“What? Oh, yes. Kitra was saying good night,” she said, still distracted by what her bond-sister had said.

“You were right about them. They do make a great couple.”

“They do. Dzaka lost his first wife and child when their colony was destroyed by the Valtegans. It hit him really hard. We were all pleased when he and Kitra fell in love because they're both so good for each other.”

An awkward silence fell until they reached the village and stopped outside Ruth's.

“Thank you for suggesting a meal,” she said as he got out. “I enjoyed myself.”

“Maybe we could do it again,” he said with a smile.

“Perhaps,” she said. “Good night.”

 

Kaid was waiting for her when she got in. “You had a nice time,” he said. “I'm glad. It's so cold outside I thought you might like a hot bath so I made sure we could have the communal bathing room downstairs to ourselves.”