Shades of Gray (49 page)

“Irrelevant this is,” said Khassis. “Matters there progress well. No deviation from his path is there to be seen. This session is now closed.”

 

As they filed out, Aizshuss suggested they eat at a quiet U’Churian restaurant he’d discovered not far away.

“I have Giyarishis to contact first,” said Kuvaa.

“No, no, eat first you must, young one,” said Aizshuss, one fragile-looking hand grasping her harness and pulling her toward him. “Weak with hunger you are, from studying late last night. Not so, Shvosi?”

“Is so. Saw her light on I did myself.”

Too surprised to object any further, Kuvaa let the two TeLaxaudin and her fellow Cabbaran hustle her along the walkway to the small restaurant.

Despite the fact the U’Churians, at six feet tall, towered over both species, there was a room set aside with furnishings obviously made for them. Once settled comfortably and their orders given, Aizshuss turned to her.

“Occasionally, very occasionally, does this happen. The compound for wiping memories we will give you to send to Giyarishis before the one for sterilization is ready.”

“What do I do with the one that is the will of the Camarilla? Surely my substitution will be discovered?”

“No, for you will assume the one you are given is right,” said Shvosi.

“When the other arrives, put in place you forget, for it is an error, no? Already you have been given it.”

“Some things are just wrong, you said, Kuvaa, did you not?” asked Shvosi.

Unhappily, Kuvaa nodded. It seemed that being a full member of the Camarilla was far more complex than she had imagined. “I do it.”

 

It was late afternoon as Kusac and Shaidan crossed the Palace’s western courtyard. They’d been taking a break in the formal gardens there for Kusac to give his leg some gentle exercise as ordered and to enjoy some time outdoors with his son.

Shaidan!
The call was loud and clear, and they both swung around to see who it was.

“Dhyshac!” said Shaidan, waving back to his brother, who had left Tanjo’s side to run at full pelt toward them.

Shaidan turned a hopeful face up to his father. “May I?”

“Go on,” said Kusac, letting his hand go. “Just stay clear of the builders!” All around them the debris caused by the battle was being loaded onto hoppers and taken to be dumped. Reconstruction had already begun on weight-bearing walls and other high priority areas.

As if it had been a signal, the other six children left Tanjo’s side too and made straight for where the two younglings now stood looking at each other, unsure what to do or say next.

Gaylla had no such problems. She flung herself at her brother, winding her arms around his neck. “I missed you!” she cried, almost knocking him off his feet.

“Hello back,” he said, hugging her. Then he was at the center of them all, being hugged by each in turn, even Dhyshac.

Kusac watched for a moment or two, nodding to Tanjo as he hurried in their wake, then began to stroll over to them, pleased and surprised that Carrie had taken his advice and brought them down to the planet.

“You must be Captain Aldatan,” said Tanjo, holding out his hand in the brief Telepath’s greeting. “I’m Tanjo, Liege. I do apologize for the way they rushed over, but we only just landed, and they’re very excitable.”

“It’s good to see them behaving like cubs, especially Shaidan.” Kusac gave a brief nod to the two guards accompanying Tanjo.

The cubs were casting surreptitious glances in their direction now. Kusac could see apprehension in the lie of their ears and tails. Shaidan, however, had his set at a jaunty angle.

“I wonder what he’s telling them.”

“Probably of your Warrior prowess,” said Tanjo with a small laugh. “They’re as thirsty for knowledge of their parents as plants in a drought.”

Startled, he looked back to Tanjo. “Only Shaidan is mine, isn’t he? I couldn’t detect any of the others having my blood.”

“Only Shaidan,” agreed the Brother as the cubs came over to join them. “I’m glad Liegena Carrie brought them down to K’oish’ik. They need to be able to scamper around fields and streams and be young for the first time in their lives.”

“That’s what I told her. For now, though, perhaps you’d better head into the Palace with us and see M’kou about where he’s billeting you all.”

“That would be most helpful.”

“The Lieutenant is in the office next to the King’s,” offered one of the guards as Kusac led the way to the Supplies entrance.

No sooner than they had entered the Palace than Kusac was hailed by ZSADHI on his wrist comm.

“The
Va’Khoi
has taken up a parking orbit at the Weather Orbital, Captain. Commander L’Seuli sends his regards to you and says he will leave presently to rendezvous on the surface.”

“Pass the news to M’kou and Captain Kaid, please.”

“As you command, Captain, it will be done.”

Seeing Tanjo’s surprised look, he said, “Palace AI. It has a quirky way about it. It’s got nodes all over the Palace; so if you need anything, just call out for it. That’s right, isn’t it, ZSADHI?”

“As the Captain says, Brother Tanjo. Well come to the Palace of Light. You and your charges are now in my data banks, though I will need you to stop for a quick retinal scan at the first checkpoint. It is my duty to see that you are comfortable and secure and that your needs are met. You will be staying in the nursery on the King’s private floor, the fourth level. If you would proceed there now, I will guide you through anything else you need to know.”

“Thank you, ZSADHI,” said Tanjo.

“I’m on my way up there anyway, so I’ll take you. Now you’re in the data banks, you should have no problems at the various checkpoints. Security’s high right now,” he said, leading them all to the first checkpoint.

“Captain Aldatan.” The guards on duty saluted crisply, then relaxed a little.

“I see you met up with the party from the
Tooshu
,” said the officer in charge. “If your companions would mind just stepping on this marked tile one at a time, so ZSADHI can scan them, I’d appreciate it.”

“Certainly,” Kusac said, gesturing to Tanjo.

The process took only a few minutes, and then they were all crowding into the small elevator up to the fourth floor.

As they spilled out, Kusac gestured his son over. “Shaidan can show you the nursery from here. I have to go down to the Admin level now.”

“Thank you, Captain. No doubt we’ll see each other again soon.”

“I’m sure we will,” said Kusac, stepping back into the elevator.

 

L’Seuli got to his feet as the U’Churian and the Cabbaran were ushered into his lounge.

“Captain Tirak, and Annuur, a pleasure to see you again,” he said, offering his hand, palm uppermost, to them.

Tirak barely touched his fingers in greeting, but Annuur sat up on his haunches and put his hoof-tipped hand squarely into the Sholan’s and shook it before letting go.

“A telepath now, are you?” the Cabbaran asked, dropping back down onto all fours.

“I am, but how did you know?” he asked, a faint smile on his face as he gestured them to take a seat.

Annuur trotted over to the large pile of floor cushions placed specially for him, and after a moment’s pummeling them into a comfortable shape, dropped down with a sigh of contentment.

“You use Telepath greeting to Tirak, and you carry the scent of your partner. A Leska maybe?”

Tirak laughed, nudging the Cabbaran with his booted foot before sitting down. “Always so diplomatic, Annuur. Word travels, Commander. You have our congratulations on being gifted with a Leska.”

“Thank you. I’m blessed indeed,” L’Seuli murmured as he took his own seat again. “Can I offer you refreshments?”

“No, thank you, this is a quick visit. You’ll be expected down on the planet shortly.”

“What news have you, then?”

“We haven’t yet resumed trade with the Mryans and Vieshen in this sector because since we lifted our embargo on their goods, they’ve decided to put their prices up. Their regular traders have been behaving more moderately at our station, though, which is why we’ve allowed them back.”

“Some new undercurrent there is,” said Annuur. “They look at us and whisper now, or fall silent when either of our species comes near.”

Tirak nodded. “It’s like watching young ones at lessons—they know some secret we don’t, something that concerns us. Damned if we can find out what it is, though. Meanwhile, the raiding goes on as before, except that Chemerian ships are still least often hit by them.”

“Let me just recap on this,” said L’Seuli. “The Mryans and Vieshen were once slave races owned by the Valtegans.”

“Is so,” said Annuur, bobbing his long head, whiskers twitching at the end of his long, mobile snout. “They are least pleasant of the four races. Vieshen are feathered species not to be trusted. Young males secrete stones inside and are coated with secretions that made them most valuable to ancient Valtegans.”

L’Seuli look at the Cabbaran in horror. “You mean . . . they actually killed their own young to sell these stones to the Valtegans?”

“Regretful am I to say they did. But only for minerals do we deal with them.”

“I hate to ask what the Mryans did.”

“They were slaves, used to mine and do heavy work, nothing more. Argumentative they are and prone to fights. Like beings of nightmares they look and are behaving.”

“They sound like species to avoid, not trade with! Is it possible that the Chemerians are deep in with them? How do they behave around them?”

“Same as ever—rarely is a Chemerian seen in the station public bars and stores,” said Tirak. “We’ve been watching them closely, and agents of both species have visited the Chemerian Ambassador in his quarters there, but they have legitimate trade agreements with them. Unless we can prove some collusion over the attacked ships, we can’t move against them, even to putting recording devices in their quarters. There has to be trust there, the Matriarch says, or no one will come to trade with us.” Tirak pulled a face at that. “Sometimes diplomacy holds us back from proving what we know is happening.”

“Do you think it involves more than just raiding merchant ships?”

“No way of knowing yet. The raiders are sticking to the same space lines and patterns of behavior. Believe me, if we see a deviation from the norm, we’ll let you know and flag it as high priority.”

“Maybe we should send a few trader ships to your station, Tirak, ones with hidden armaments and crewed by Brothers. If we’re attacked, maybe we can get some useful prisoners.”

Tirak shrugged. “You’re welcome to try. We have, but they’re too fast, even for the
Profit
.”

“Raiders with expensive ships, not likely. They have backers, funding, so we think,” said Annuur. “Best we be watching them carefully and find out who—their own worlds or Chemerians.”

“Agreed. What of the M’zullians?”

“Watchers all see them continue plundering dead world,” said Annuur. “This interesting.”

“We’ve seen no reaction to K’hedduk’s departure from here as yet, but it would take some little time for them to respond. Plus, we don’t know exactly what the situation is on M’zull. Was there a coup? If so, then one assumes the Generals are in charge, but how loyal will they remain to an Emperor who failed to keep K’oish’ik?”

L’Seuli’s wrist comm buzzed discretely. “Time for me to head down to the surface,” he said, getting to his feet. “I have a meeting with King Zsurtul and his advisers to attend. Thank you both for updating me in person on the
Watchers
. We’ll meet again before I leave.”

Tirak and Annuur rose. “We have to get going too. I think there’s a banquet planned for this evening in your honor.”

“In that case, my Leska Jiosha’s coming. I’ll not suffer alone.”