Hathor Legacy: Burn (18 page)

"No, I'll take care of it."

Azure waited until Maji had left before she came over and sat on the bed. Settling herself, she grasped Nadira's hand. "I'm sorry about what happened to Jonathan. I know what he is to you. I've felt it since the Gathering."

"What happened, Azure? Is he all right?" She wanted to hear it, but she didn't want to. Not if she was going to hear the words she feared. "Please tell me."

"Brant checked with the Security Chief. She said they were a
dvised to deport Jonathan from Hathor because of security concerns."

"No! Mikal did that. I know he did." She pulled away from A
zure, but the woman put her arm around Nadira's shoulders.

"He's just Elder Dakar's assistant. He doesn't have that power."

"I know he's responsible, Azure. They both are," Nadira said.

"My child, I don't know what's happening right now. I'm afraid that we are on the edge of a precipice. Dakar's behavior has b
ecome erratic and I don't know if we can trust him to continue to lead us."

"Why isn't anyone stopping him? Why aren't the Elders doing anything?"

Azure patted her shoulder. "Because we trusted him not to be like his father. And that was a mistake."

Maji came back into the room carrying Nadira's clothing. "Get this on. We have to get moving."

"What about Jon?" Nadira took the items from Maji. "We have to get him back here."

"First, let's get out of this place," Maji said as she paced. "When Mikal comes back he'll have others with him and not that little friend of his."

"Elder Dakar wouldn't do anything to harm Nadira," Azure said.

"Perhaps not. But I doubt he'll feel the same about us," Maji r
eplied.

"Varyn! We have to get Varyn from the medi-evac." Nadira pulled on her pants. "I don't want to leave her."

"Varyn?" Azure asked.

"Varyn Renzi. She escaped the fire at the Service House," N
adira said.

"The Deshtu who accused the Guardians? Are we responsible for them now too?" Maji asked. "Everyone has heard her accus
ations by now."

"Isn't she being protected, Nadira? Do you really believe sec
urity will let us take her?" Azure asked. "Especially after those officers were killed. They're probably thinking we did that too."

"No, they'll trust me. I worked with Lt. Lin." Nadira slipped on her jacket. "We can't leave her without protection."

"She is protected by security," Maji insisted.

"I don't trust it. Not after what happened to Lt. Lin's team. Please," she addressed Azure. "We have to get her."

"And take her where?" Maji asked.

"To your house," Azure replied. "And Nadira can stay there, too. No one would expect one of the Kasema to take either of them in."

"You are correct. And I'm not starting now," Maji said.

"Maji, you can look after them both. You're a healer. That should come naturally," Azure said. "Let's go."

23
Protection

It took an hour for them to get over to the medi-evac where Varyn was being treated. As Azure had feared, the security there were not willing to have them take the young woman away from their pr
otection. It took a while for Tragg to clear it with his command, but with Nadira's repeated reassurances, they finally let Varyn go.

From there they took a transport to Maji's home in one of the residential districts. As they travelled on the main boulevard that cut through the Palatine, they passed by the Diamond Star. The silver and glass tower had an ugly gash on one of the upper floors, where the windows had blown out in Matt's apartment. At the e
ntrance, security transports were parked haphazardly, and grey-clad security officers stood around on the marbled sidewalk talking among themselves.

The boulevard was congested with vehicles stopping off at the various towers. It was even more crowded since this street led d
irectly into the Entertainments District.

Next to Nadira, Varyn stared out at the city, her eyes glued to the jewel-toned buildings and the sleek transports that were lined up along the curb.

"I've never been to this part of the city," she said. "It's beautiful."

But Nadira couldn't reply to her. Seeing the scene of the crime had only reminded her of what Jon had gone through. Jonathan. Where was he now? It would take almost three days to get to A
starte. And she couldn't talk to him until his ship docked.

Keeping her attention on the window next to her, she wiped her eyes. Her world had been blown to bits in the past couple of days, and she didn't see a way to put it back together again.

"Did you see how that Tragg person acted?" Maji asked, as she crossed her legs. "He looked like he wanted to spit in our faces."

"His team was killed," Nadira said. "He's only alive because he was protecting Varyn."

"Maybe so, but I have no doubt he and the other officers will be watching us. We'll be on every security cam between here and my house."

"It's beginning again." Azure was sitting next to Maji, her hands folded in her lap. "We were allies and now we are becoming enemies. This was how it was before Dakar's father returned."

"Returned from where?" Nadira asked. Unfortunately, she'd never heard about the history that the Elders already knew.

"He was exiled when the other company was in charge of Hathor," Azure replied. "Joachim fought for us when no one else did. They expelled him for his trouble."

"He fought for himself," Maji sniffed. "He was allowed to return because he made a deal with Novacorp. They wanted to take over and he promised them that the Guardians would help them."

"There were no Guardians then, Maji. He organized us and set up the Elders. Without him, we would've been destroyed during the Corporate Wars."

"Azure, with all due respect, Novacorp gave Joachim control over all of you. The Elders were just created to make it look like he was not the only one in charge." Maji ran her fingers though her silky brown hair. "That's why the Kasema broke away from you all. We saw what was coming."

"So, Dakar's father made the deal, then came back and fought against the other company?" Nadira asked.

"Yes." Maji ignored the sharp look Azure gave her. "At the time there were no Guardians. He worked with the executives to draw up the corporate directives and create the Guardian Affairs Office. And he's why the Deshtu aren't included."

"Maji!" Azure grabbed the healer's arm and shook it. "Enough."

"That's the problem. You've never wanted to hear the truth."

"The truth according to you," Azure retorted.

"Opinions change history. You must consume it without interpretation." Maji kicked her crossed leg back and forth, the pointed toe of her boot aimed in Nadira's direction. "The facts are that Joachim's actions speak for themselves."

Both women turned away from each other, directing their gazes to the opposite windows of the transport. Other than the sound of the vehicle's metal wheels rolling over the hard surface of the tra
ffic lane, it was quiet. For once, Nadira was glad that she couldn't pick up on the emotional energy around her.

They were passing through the Entertainments District now. Not too far from the warehouse where Lt. Lin and her team had been killed. Screams and the smell of burning flesh surged through her memories. Even though she had on a shirt and jacket, Nadira trembled like she'd been dipped in a vat of ice water.

"Maji, why aren't the Deshtu included?" Nadira asked.

"When that other company ran things here, they didn't try to protect the people who had abilities. All they cared about was u
sing the resources." Maji leaned forward like she was about to share a confidence. "Joachim left the Deshtu off the agreement as a compromise."

Azure shifted in her seat, but kept her gaze on the window next to her.

"They're not descendents of the original settlers, the ones we call the First Families. They're descendants of the workers and settlers who came decades later. When Novacorp took over, after the Corporate Wars, no one stood up for them. They were expendable."

"But not long after the original settlers came here, the sickness broke out. A lot of people died. Why did they send more settlers here after that?" Nadira asked.

"Earth is millions of light years away. They didn't know what had happened until some time later. Besides, they'd found resources here that they wanted. I don't think they would've stopped, even if they knew the risks," Maji replied "So when they sent additional people here, the same sickness spread through their group too."

"Our abilities are because of a sickness?" Varyn asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes," Maji continued. "From the terraforming of Hathor."

"You have no proof of that," Azure interjected.

"Elder Azure, you worked in Novacorp Labs when you were younger. You should know more than anyone here what the truth is," Maji replied.

"I did. But the cause of the sickness was never proven."

Maji sucked her teeth. "Toxins were released when they were preparing Hathor for the settlers from Earth. All of the excavating and other destructive acts threw things out of balance here."

"It had to be prepared to support human life so that we could have an Earth-like home."

"Oh, of course. Change a place to make it like the one you left, and expect no consequences." Maji's leg continued to kick furiously, the point of her shoe just missing Nadira's leg. "We're the way we are because of their carelessness."

Silence again. Maybe it was better than having them snap at each other. But everyone was on edge and not in the mood to hold back.

"Before Jon was picked up, he gave me some information about the fires." Nadira looked from Maji to Azure. "Matt Bento told him about it."

"Bento is the one who was killed?" Maji asked.

"His body hasn't been found." But it had to be a matter of time. Seeing the damage to that building, he couldn't have survived the blast. "He told Jonathan that Ron Duvol was involved in the trafficking. I believe it because that warehouse belonged to a company called Montaigne Holdings, and Ron is a member of that family."

Nadira noticed that all three women were staring at her. Azure's mouth had dropped open.

"I've never heard of him," Varyn said. "Are you sure?"

"He's been controlling things in the background," Nadira r
eplied.

"Montaigne? Half of the elite on Hathor are in that family," Azure said. "But then, a lot of people have that name even if they don't have the DNA. I think some of them say they're in that family just for the influence."

"Dakar and his sister, Jen do have the DNA," Maji said. "Their mother was a Montaigne."

"Do you think Dakar's sister would try to protect Ron?"

"No." Both Maji and Azure replied in unison.

"Is he a Guardian?" Varyn asked.

"Ron Duvol is a very important executive here," Azure replied. "Nadira, you'll have to be able to prove these accusations."

"I know," Nadira said. "But I'll need help."

And now that Jon was gone, she didn't have that help. But there was someone who she could ask. Unfortunately she didn't know how much she could trust Karin Luke. Would she help to bring down her own brother?

24
Help Me

A half hour later Nadira was climbing out of the transport in front of Maji's home. It looked like Dakar's, with the same boxy appea
rance. The stone walkway was made up of dark blue tiles that stood out against the plain, grey-speckled stone of the sidewalk.

She followed Maji inside and walked into a large rectangular living area. The walls were the same color as the door and wal
kway. Other than a pair of short couches, and a low table, there were no other items. Not even art or fabric hangings. A dining table sat at the rear of the room.

"Nadira and Varyn, you come with me." Maji ran up the stairs that almost looked to be floating in the middle of the room. Act
ually they were just the treads, with a metal beam in the middle that connected them, as they twisted around like a coil.

Upstairs was a bright and airy foyer, with rooms on either side. Above them was a clear skylight that allowed bright sun to illum
inate the entire area.

"You can stay here, Nadira." Maji led them to a room at the rear of the house.

Large and full of light due to the huge window that took up the back wall, the room immediately lifted her spirits. A simple bed covered with a multicolored blanket sat opposite the window, with a basic wooden table and a built-in cabinet across from the bed.

"It looks very comfortable," Nadira remarked. On the wall o
pposite the cabinet, there were a few pieces of pottery arranged on two wooden shelves. Painted in bright colors like yellow, red and blue, the cups, bowls and vases stood out against the beige walls.

"Did you make those?" Varyn asked.

"They're decoration," Maji replied, not really answering the question. "Come with me, your room is back by the stairs." She briskly walked out into the landing, forcing Varyn to hurry to keep up.

From the window, Nadira could see limbs that reached up from the tree in the backyard. Covered with lush, green and purple leaves, they blocked part of her view. But she managed to look through and see a bit of a garden below. Unlike Dakar's garden, this one was a wild mix of plants, flowers and grasses that didn't have any order.

Just looking at the bed was making her want to take a quick nap. Her limbs felt like heavy lead, and putting one foot in front of the other had been a major effort. But she'd never admit that to the others. They were fussing over her enough. She ran her fingers over the coverlet. Made with a patchwork of colored fabrics, pieces with textures from satiny soft to burlap rough were next to each other, with patterns mixed in the same haphazard fashion. It was interesting, and as unpredictable as its owner.

She pulled off her jacket and threw it on the bed. That wasn't like her. If she'd been back home, she would've folded it up at least. Home. Where all her things were…and Jonathan's.

She tried again to connect with him, but her energy failed her. Just as when she'd been in the warehouse, when she'd needed her power the most, it hadn't been enough.

*****

A little while later, when Nadira came back downstairs, Maji was standing at the front window, her arms crossed. She'd obviously been so focused on what was outside she didn't acknowledge that Nadira had walked into the room.

"What's out there?"

"Huh?" Maji replied. Still looking out, she shifted from one foot to another, like she was trying to get a better view. "Not sure. It looks like a security transport is parked at the corner. But I can only see part of it."

"Maji, what are you preparing for our meal?" Azure asked, as she came to stand next to Nadira. "You don't have much in that kitchen."

"Cook? You're not serious," Maji said. "I'll order something."

"Then why do you have a cooker?" Azure rolled her eyes.

"I use it to order my meals, Azure. You're not back on your farm now." She balanced on one foot as she shifted to get a better view of what was outside.

"What's out there?" The Elder went over to the window. "Wait--isn't that the officer who was guarding Varyn?"

Both women mirrored each other's body language as they craned their necks. Watching them made Nadira want to laugh. They'd disagreed for most of the trip over here, yet they were so similar in other ways.

Finally she went over to join them at the window. "Where is he?" she asked. There was a black transport parked at the corner, but she didn't see anyone by it.

"I don't see him now." Maji sighed.

"Wait, there he is," Nadira said. Someone dressed in security clothing came to the corner and stood there. With the helmet it was impossible to tell who it was, but the body type and stance looked familiar.

"This is what I have to put up with. Azure, I don't know about you, but I'm not used to security watching my home." Maji glanced out the window again.

"It's only a precaution. I'm sure," the Elder consoled her.

"I'll find out." Nadira went to the door and before either of the women could protest, she headed down the walk and across the street.

As she walked up, the officer took off his helmet. "Guardian. I hope you don't mind my being here," Sgt. Tragg said. "I just wanted to check."

"On Varyn? I gave you my word she'd be safe."

"I'm here to look after both of you." He tucked his helmet u
nder his arm. "I feel responsible for you heading over to that warehouse where…where the LT and the others…" He wiped his large hand across his face. "I shouldn't have let you go alone. But you…you were brave to run into danger like that."

Brave or foolish? She still wasn't sure which it was. "I had to go. Especially after what I saw in Varyn's thoughts. Those people have to be stopped."

Tragg shifted his helmet to his other arm. "Look, until I get reassigned, I'm on my own for a couple of days. They're letting me be for a bit."

"Sergeant, you should take a few days off." Shivering, she rubbed her bare arms. Damn it. She'd run out without her jacket.

Tragg nodded towards the transport. "Come over here."

Stealing a glance back at Maji's she followed him to the corner. The officer opened the door to the transport and put his helmet inside. Then he reached in again, this time when he straightened up, he was holding a dark grey jacket.  "Sgt. T Tragg" was stamped above the pocket. He shook it out and put it around her shoulders.

"There," he stepped back, hitching his fingers into his utility belt.

"Thank you." Pulling the jacket around her, she smelled a co
mbination of a woodsy scent and a spice, like the soap Jonathan liked to use when he showered. Her stomach dropped like she'd been accelerating on a lift, then had abruptly stopped.

Tragg shifted his feet back and forth, stamping them like he was cold and was trying to stay warm. But even without being able to pick up on his emotions, she knew he was feeling the loss of his team. Restless and guilty because he hadn't been with them, he was looking for a purpose.

Her experience at the warehouse connected them. She'd been in the thick of it where he would've been if he'd gone with the team. And she also knew that he wanted to know what happened to his fellow officers. He wanted her to describe it to him, so he could get closure.

"Sergeant, I'm sorry about the loss of Lt. Lin and the team. What happened was horrible." She grabbed the front of the jacket and pulled it tighter around her. "I could use your help. Can you get word to someone for me?"

"Sure. Who is it?" Tragg inclined his head towards Maji's house. "Is there a problem?"

"I have to talk to someone who might be able to help me with the investigation. But the others want me to rest and won't let me contact her. So, I could use your assistance."

"Okay."

"Locate Karin Luke and have her meet me at the Nova Star café tomorrow at 13:00. Since you're an officer, you can make it an official request…just in case she claims she's busy." Karin had mentioned that she wanted to talk privately. Well, now she'd get her chance.

"I can do that." Tragg's lips curved up at he corners. "Your friends inside aren't in agreement with this plan?"

"They want me to rest. After what happened in the warehouse, they probably won't be happy about me doing this either. So, if you'll come back tomorrow and say I have to come in for questions about the warehouse."

"They won't be able to stop you." The Sergeant grinned. "Brains, beauty and courage--Guardians don't go to dinner with regular guys, do they?"

Dinner. Jon's invitation to dinner had started them on the road they were on now. Where was his ship right now? How long would it take before she saw him again? She smiled in return. "We do, but I have someone I go to dinner with. He's just…off world right now."

"Ah, well. He'd better hurry back," Tragg said. "I'll contact Ms. Luke and be back tomorrow at around 12:45 to get you. How's that?"

"Fine. Come to the door and I'll take it from there." She started to pull the jacket off. "I'd better get back."

"No, keep the jacket until tomorrow. I'm about to head out."

"Thanks. See you then." She waved and headed back across the street. When she got to the door, she turned to see him standing there waiting until she got back into the house.

*****

Later after dinner, she sat on the bed and stared out the wi
ndow. There wasn't much too see with the trees blocking most of her view. But she could see a bit of the night sky, including one of the moons. Was it Isis or Osiris? They were identical, and from this angle she wasn't sure which one it was.

Sitting there with her legs pulled up to her chest, she felt like she was just trying to hang on. Would Karin be able to help? It was hard to say. But Nadira had to do something other than sit around.

At dinner Azure and Maji had pressed her for details of her conversation with Tragg. Neither of them was satisfied that the officer just wanted to check on her. And seeing how cold the two other officers had been when they'd picked up Varyn, she could understand their apprehension.

"Nadira?" Varyn stood in the doorway, her thin frame ove
rwhelmed by a long, blue sleeping gown. "Can I come in for a moment?"

"Sure. Is your room comfortable?"

The young woman sat on the edge of the bed. "Yes, it's very nice. Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course." Nadira stretched out her legs and let them dangle over the edge of the bed. She was still wearing her regular clothing, leaving the gown Maji had given her folded up on the chair.

"When you went out, Maji and Azure talked about your partner, Jonathan."

"Really? What did they say?"

"Azure was worried he might have been badly hurt. But Brant told her that Jonathan was conscious. The Chief told him that Jonathan was examined by a medic. They said he could've died."

Nadira bit her lip and looked away. Dakar, Mikal and who knows who else--maybe even Zina--had been prepared to have Jon killed to get him away from her.

"Did they talk about anything else?"

"Maji said you should go bring him back. And Azure said you couldn't. That you'd be stopped from leaving Hathor without pe
rmission."

"Permission? From who?"

"She didn't say," Varyn replied. "Is that true? You can't leave?"

"They told Guardians that if they left, they'd die. But that's not true." Nadira drew her legs back up again. "How are you feeling?"

The regen skin patches on her face and arms were grafting into her skin and were looking less like patches of yellow fabric. Varyn sighed as she continued to rub her arm. "This is still itching. How long will this take before it's healed?"

"Not long. You were badly burned. Don't worry, the skin is grafting and you won't be able to tell after a while."

"I hope not."

"When this is all over, don't you want to go visit your family?" Nadira asked.

"I don't want them to see this." She held up her patched up arm.

"Then we'll wait until you're healed. We'll go together. Okay?"

Varyn dropped her arm into her lap. "Are most Guardians like you?"

There was a time she would've said, yes. She would've believed it with her whole heart. "I thought they were. I'm not so sure an
ymore."