Between Darkness and Light (6 page)

There was a chorus of approval from the Cabbarans present, enhanced by the deep humming from dozens of TeLaxaudin throats.

At last they begin to understand,
Annuur sent to Kuvaa.
This was discussed earlier?

As the noise died down, Azwokkuss stood, his draperies emitting a calming scent. “I spoke for Camarilla for this mission, therefore I claim last word,” he said. “What has happened will not be undone because our objective was achieved. Phratry Leader Annuur and his crew discharged our orders to the letter. His decision to leave the Children of his Phratry behind in light of our miscalculation of the sand-dwellers defensive capabilities cost us less than it would had he taken them with him. I Speak for ending this inquiry and losing no more time before sending them back to Anchorage. Is their ship repaired yet, Shvosi?”

“It is, Skepp Lord,” she said, answering him formally. “All that remains is for the nanobots to be recalled and the barriers around
Watcher 6
to be removed. The translocator's energy levels are already at maximum again and the nimbus due to be restored in three hours. Where and when shall they be returned?”

“To the jump point at Anchorage two days ago,” said Azwokkuss.

“This has cost us dearly, Azwokkuss,” warned Hkairass. “Returning them back in time will deplete us to unacceptably low levels. We have not yet recovered fully what was expended to bring them here.”

Azwokkuss stared at him till he subsided back to his cushion, then turned his attention back to the Cabbaran Captain.

“Place us in hyperspace near the Anchorage exit, then we emerge through the Alliance's own jump point,” said Annuur. “If we use the temporal one, they will be suspicious.”

“It shall be done, Phratry Leader,” said Shvosi, joining him at the lectern.

Annuur stepped back and as Shvosi operated the controls, with a wrenching sensation, he found himself with his crew on the cargo deck of
Watcher 6.

Around them they could hear the faint scuttling of millions of nanobots being recalled. Turning to look, he saw them pouring from the very walls of the
Watcher
, flowing like silver liquid down the loading ramp and onto the landing pad outside.

“I hate it when they do that,” Sokarr was grumbling as he trotted through the tide of 'bots to the grav shaft down to the navigation level. “It isn't that far to walk.”

The sound of the elevator coming down from the upper deck made Annuur turn his head to see two U'Churians dressed in the tunics of engineers descending. When it halted, they inclined their heads briefly in salute before stepping off it.

“The Rryuk family is back at their posts, Phratry Leader Annuur,” said the one wearing a badge of rank on his shoulder. “All is as it was when they arrived. They will wake as soon as our gate releases you into hyperspace.”

Annuur twitched his ears in assent, feeling suddenly disoriented as he watched them follow the last of the 'bots down the ramp. Already Unity was fading, isolating him from his family and leaving his mind echoing with the farewells of his friends. A weight on his side made him jump slightly until he realized it was Lweeu leaning against him, silently offering her comfort.

“They showed us the images they'd taken before starting work,” she said with a slight shudder. “They made good repairs. It looks as it did before, even down to the scratches on the deck where Sheeowl and Manesh dropped the tool chest when loading it.”

Gratefully, Annuur nuzzled her, his prehensile top lip curling back so he could lick her muzzle. “We should join Sokarr and Naacha,” he said as the ramp began to rise. “We've much to be grateful for, even if it means the Camarilla will use us again.”

“Picking up the Anchorage beacon now, Captain,” they heard Manesh say over the comm. Her voice sounded subdued.

“Disengage hyperdrive,” said Tirak. “Annuur, I need the coordinates for docking at Anchorage.”

“Routing to nav now, Captain,” Annuur said, glancing briefly at Naacha as the hologrid in their navigation chamber finalized the triangulation on Anchorage then showed their emergence point in its simulation of normal space.

“Captain, what caused the M'zullian destroyer to explode like that?” they heard Sheeowl ask.

“I've no idea, but at least we've got visuals of it,” Tirak replied. “The scientists can work it out, I've no doubt, just thank Kathan it did. A weapon that can dissolve ships like that . . .” He left the rest unsaid.

Lweeu, lying on the couch next to him, lifted her head from the cradle to look at him, her long muzzle creasing in worry.

Lifting his hand fractionally, he signaled a negative, making sure their link to the bridge was closed before answering her.

“Edited, like their memories,” he whispered as they felt the ship begin to decelerate. “They will only see the destruction of J'kirtikk and the final explosion of the ship.”

Through the transparent walls of their chamber, space seemed to shrink in around them, subtly changing color.

“All of them? Surely they'll suspect the recorders have been tampered with.”

“It has been done carefully. Nothing has been left to chance, Lweeu.”

Outside, space appeared to lurch, then expand violently before turning black. Tiny points of starlight began to twinkle in the distance.

From the bridge, a new voice rang out over the ship's comm. “Anchorage to
Watcher
Patrol. Well come home. You're cleared for immediate docking.”

“
Watcher 6
to Anchorage. Glad to be back,” said Tirak somberly. “It's been a long trip.”

“I understand, Ambassador Rhasoh,” said Konis patiently for the fifth time. “Believe me, I do understand. My own son was betrothed when he formed a Leska Link with a Human female. We have to accept it as Vartra's will and let the younglings make the best of it they can.”

“They're not the problem,” growled Gaerat, his hair still ruffled up in anger. “They're besotted! What do I do about his betrothed?”

“The betrothal will automatically be annulled, of course,” said Konis. “Your son, Khyan, must have the option of life-bonding to his Leska. He is gene-altered now, infertile with the rest of our species except those of the En'Shalla Clan.”

Gaerat opened his mouth only to hesitate as the full meaning of the Clan Lord's words penetrated his anger. “They won't let him leave the damned College or even speak to us,” he said in a more moderate voice.

“You can reach him mentally, though. What's his opinion on this?”

“He's barely sixteen! What does he know about anything! Had it been my daughter, it would have been another matter. Even at sixteen she was more mature than those officially adult at twice her age! But Khyan—he's still a kitling.”

Out of sight of the screen, Konis drummed his claw tips on his desk. This problem was not going to go away. His aide, Falma, had disturbed him and his family at breakfast to brief him on the incident. It was no small matter when the only son of the Sholan Ambassador to Britain had become Leska-bonded to a Human, and by doing so, had inherited a position of importance in one of the oldest Colleges in England. It was a position that prevented the youngling leaving the premises for any length of time until he'd been fully trained in the arcane arts of a group of ancient lawgivers known as Druids.

“I'll speak to Khyan myself,” Konis said at length. “And his Regent. There may be some room for maneuvering, but if they refuse to let him leave, there's little we can do.”

“Do? There's plenty I can do! I have a unit of troopers and four Warriors here at the Legation! I can send them to fetch him home, that's what
I
can do!”

“And start an interspecies incident when the situation on Earth is still so fragile?” said Konis gently. “I think you know better than that, Gaerat. Leave the matter with me and I'll see what I can do.”

 

It was with relief he closed the call and picked up the mug that his life-mate Rhyasha had placed beside him. He took a sip, discovering to his surprise it was coffee.

“I thought you needed something mildly stimulating,” she said, smoothing flat the hair between his ears. “I know Gaerat. He's got five daughters, three from their first family and two from their second. Khyan is their youngest, and the son he's always yearned for. He'll take his loss hard.”

“Other parents have heavier burdens to carry,” said Konis, reaching up to take hold of her hand. “We've no idea how or where our son Kusac is. With the Alliance preparing for war, Gaerat should be thankful his family is safe on Earth with him.” Even as he spoke, he felt her retreating mentally from him and her hand begin to withdraw from his.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I forgot we agreed not to mention it. How are the twins?”

“Fine. Beginning to get around quite well on their fours, and keeping their nurse even busier. You should call the College now, and get it over with, then you can come and see them before you leave for the Palace.”

He watched her retreating figure, glad that because of the early birth of the twins she'd been spared the worst of the public condemnation of their oldest son. Kusac's mission for the Brotherhood had been so secret that it had entailed stealing the Touiban delegation's ship and disrupting all communications in the spaceport for several hours and being branded a traitor in the process. What hurt more than him being called a traitor was the knowledge that Kusac had completed the mission to meet with General Kezule and returned to Haven, only to unaccountably leave again to rejoin his mortal enemy.

 

“I understand his father's concern, Clan Lord Aldatan,” said Euan, “but the College law is most explicit in this matter. Once a successor has been chosen, he cannot relinquish his post until the appointed time. Believe me, I wish it were otherwise.”

I expect you do,
thought Konis, instinctively disliking the Human from the first.

“For his family's sake,” Euan added.

“And when is this appointed time?”

Euan looked down briefly at his desk. “In something over a hundred years, so I am told.” His voice was bland now, no trace of the earlier sympathy.

“When he—or she—dies,” said Konis automatically.

“Actually, no, strangely enough. They tell me that both he and the girl will still be alive. Not that I believe this. We don't live as long as you Sholans.”

For the first time in weeks, Konis felt his heart lighten a little. “She'll still be alive?” He leaned closer to the comm screen. “How do you know this?”

Again the bland voice. “Something to do with an astrological prediction based on their birth dates. The position of the planets in our solar system and yours at the moment of their birth. I know it sounds far-fetched, but . . .”

“Divination?” he interrupted. If it were true, it meant that a Human Leska had their life extended to nearer the Sholan norm of one hundred and twenty.

“Yes. Our College practices many of the arcane crafts. That is just one of them.”

Konis relaxed, pulling his thoughts back to the issue at hand. “If you'll grant his family visiting rights once a month, then we'll agree to this—cultural exchange, as you call it.”

Euan nodded slowly. “I think I can persuade the council to agree when the alternative is explained to them.”

“And we're agreed that Khyan should continue his own Telepath studies twice a week on a comm link to his tutor?”