Diamond Star (70 page)

Emeralds

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro

Green as the bitter nail
They drove into my name
I won't try to fail
Just to satisfy their game
Don't listen to their lies
I'll never turn my back on you
Never wait 'til someone dies
To promise my heart is true
Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you they see
In their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds
On their green-bladed fears
Night veils the secret hollow
In the silvered lagoon
Body rising from the water
Under silent moons
They waited in whispering reeds
Green within, predators without
But my brother intervened
He answered my crying shout
Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you that they see
In their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds
On their green-bladed fears
I didn't desert you
Despite what they crowed
You still believed I was true
They learned what our love knows
Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you that they see
In their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds
On their green-bladed fears
Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you that they see
In their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds
On their green-bladed fears

Sapphire Clouds

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro

Running through the sphere-tipped reeds
Suns like gold and amber beads
Jumping over blue-winged bees
Don't catch me, please
Cause I'm
Running, running, running
Running, running, running
Running, running, running away
Flight of bubbles everywhere
Pollen dusting in my hair
No more troubles anywhere
Sapphire clouds above the air
And I'm running, running, running
Running, running, running
Running, running, running away
Memories fade in life's strain
Winds of age bring falling rain
Cornucopia of lives
Of years and joys and grieving sighs
Recall sapphire clouds on high
Drifting in an endless sky
Childhood caught and kept deep inside
To treasure after days gone by
And I'm running, running, running
Running, running, running
Running, running, running away

Rubies

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro

Born to live in a Vanished Sea
Lost to seeds of a banished need
Caged in desperate hope for all days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways
Living bound by your empathy
Shelter found in your trinity
Love imprisoning hope for your days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways
Hiding deepest vulnerabilities
Cursed by your mind's abilities
For within you lies the hope for all days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways

Carnelians

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro

You dehumanized us; your critics, they died
You answered defiance with massive genocide
Hunt us as your prey, assault, and enslave
Force us bound to stay, for pleasures that you crave
I'm no golden hero in the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius hiding in disguise
I'm only a singer; it's all that I can do
But my voice is rising; I can sing the truth
They strangled our summers, your Carnelian Sons
You anguished the mothers in your war of suns
With a heart that freezes, you shattered my kin
You thought you were leaving no one who could win
I'm no golden hero in the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius hiding in disguise
I'm only a singer; it's all that I can do
But I'm still alive; I'm coming after you
I'll never kneel beneath your Highton stare
I'm here, I'm real; I'll lay your guilt bare
I'll never kneel beneath your Highton stare
I'm here, I'm real; I'm your nightmare

Carnelians Finale

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro

You dehumanized us
Your critics, they all died
You answered defiance
With massive genocide
You hunt us as your prey
You assault and enslave
You force us bound to stay
For pleasures that you crave
You killed my brother
You Carnelian Sons
You tortured my mother
In your war of suns
You shattered my father
You broke my brothers
You murdered my sister
Expecting no others
Well, I'm no golden hero
In the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius
Hiding in disguise
I'm only a singer
It's all I can do
But I'm still alive
And I'm coming after you
I'll never kneel
Beneath your Highton stare
I'm here and I'm real
I'll lay your guilt bare
I'll never kneel
Beneath your Highton stare
I'm here and I'm real
Your living nightmare

Starlight Child

Lyrics by Catherine Asaro
(To my daughter, Cathy)

When the forever snows
Tightened their embrace
While my dreaming thoughts froze
You rose with newborn grace
Nothing ever will compare
Nothing ever will come close
Your eyes, your skin, your shining hair
Starlight child, my heart knows
You're starlight, starlight child
You're starlight, my lovely child
When your laugh stills the world
Miracles arise
Unexpected, a hidden pearl
Heals my stricken eyes
Nothing ever will compare
Nothing ever will come close
Your eyes, your skin, your shining hair
Starlight child, my heart knows
You're starlight, starlight child
You're starlight, my treasured child
The ices of sleeping death
Melt within your candle's light
Your trust, your smile, your lilting breath
Starlight child, my heart flies
You're starlight, starlight child
You're starlight, my starlight child
You're starlight, miraculous child
Streaming starlight, my starlight child

Boxcar Madness

Lyrics by Hayim Ani

This is the first day on your dimming stage
This is the last smile you'll ever see
Look at all the widespread hate
Comes from the anger that fuels our race
Would you love me if I was somebody else?
Would you hate me if I choose to be myself?
Turn away as struggles take me better learn to pray
Gone insane from crossing out this bitter memory
Leaving a loved one ignoring the pain
Holding your hand out despite all shame
Lying on cold stone rather than on dreams soft
Jumping high fences not to get caught
Scream to the whole world but nobody's there
Even if they were I doubt they'd care
Turn away as struggles come I hear you scream my name
Gone insane from crossing out just what you meant to me
I can't go home. I can't go home.
Love me.
Quietly you walk right in and out of my dreams
No need to sing I hear your eyes hum everything
I can't go home. I can't go home.
Would you love me if I was somebody else?
Would you hate me if I choose to be myself?

Etch-a-Sketch

Lyrics by Hayim Ani

Writing little notes on the Etch-a-Sketch of life
Carving secret hopes on sand dunes in your mind
Water will come now and wash it down the drain
Oh the sketch will shake and your thoughts will fall away
Leaves turn brown and fall to the ground
Fading lights you're all alone tonight
Well I want to be hated
That would justify my world of pain
And I know you feel like Satan
Protective hands watch the candles wane
Sliding slowly down on the slip-n-slide of time
Looking for footholds now on the glass wall passing by
Where's the lifeguard? Is that the sound of loneliness?
Coming from my heart, my heart of emptiness
Trees fall down without making a sound
Angry eyes lie
Well I want to be hated
That would justify my world of pain
And I know you feel like Satan
Protective hands watch the candles wane
Hold back the storm and close your eyes waiting for the light
You pawn away forgotten dreams for thought provoked misery
Always seem outnumbered against the star filled sky
But wait the late sun is rising when it shines begin to fly
So fight no more and raise your hands in the rain we'll dance
Turn to east with heads held high watch the new sunrise
. . . whoa in your eyes.

Breathing Underwater

Lyrics by Hayim Ani

Now I know, with all the blood that's on the floor
Things will never go back to the way they were before
And there may be a man who says tomorrow's not today
But I know no joy that will take this pain away
Yet when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched, you're loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater
Just a little boy left in a house of pain
Wondering where all the ashes went
Now I'm standing in a spotlight of shame
Staring at my black and empty frame
Yet when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched, you're loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater
And when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched, loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater
Your arms are outstretched as warm as the sea
Just hold me girl together we'll breathe

Characters & Family History

Boldface names refer to Ruby psions, also known as the "Rhon." All Rhon psions who are members of the Ruby Dynasty use
Skolia
as their last name (the Skolian Imperialate was named after their family). The
Selei
name indicates the direct line of the Ruby Pharaoh. Children of
Roca
and
Eldrinson
take Valdoria as a third name. The del prefix means "in honor of," and is capitalized if the person honored was a Triad member. Most names are based on world-building systems drawn from Mayan, North African, and Indian cultures.

= marriage

LahayliaSelei
(Ruby Pharaoh: deceased) =
Jarac
(Imperator: deceased)

Lahaylia
and
Jarac
founded the modern-day Ruby Dynasty.
Lahaylia
was created in the Rhon genetic project. Her lineage traced back to the ancient Ruby Dynasty that founded the Ruby Empire.
Lahaylia
and
Jarac
had two daughters,
DyhiannaSelei
and
Roca.

Dyhianna(Dehya)Selei
= (1) William Seth Rockworth III (separated)
= (2)
EldrinJaracValdoria

Dehya
is the Ruby Pharaoh. She married William Seth Rockworth III as part of the Iceland Treaty between the Skolian Imperialate and Allied Worlds of Earth. They had no children and later separated. The dissolution of their marriage would negate the treaty, so neither the Allieds nor Imperialate recognize the divorce.
Spherical Harmonic
tells the story of what happened to
Dehya
after the Radiance War.

Dehya
and
Eldrin
have two children,
TaquinilSelei
and
AlthorVyanSelei.

AlthorVyanSelei
=
Akushtina(Tina)SantisPulivok

The story of
Althor
and
Tina
appears in
Catch the Lightning.
AlthorVyanSelei
was named after his uncle,
AlthorIzam-NaValdoria.
The short story "Avo de Paso" in the anthologies
Redshift,
edited by Al Sarrantino, and
Fantasy: The Year's Best, 2001,
edited by Robert Silverberg and Karen Haber, tells the story of how Tina and her cousin Manuel deal with Mayan spirits in the New Mexico desert.

Roca
= (1) Tokaba Ryestar (deceased)
= (2) Darr Hammerjackson (divorced)
= (3)
EldrinsonAlthorValdoria

Roca and Tokaba had one child,
Kurj
(Imperator and Jagernaut), who married Ami when he was a century old.
Kurj
and Ami had a son named Kurjson.

Although no records exist of
Eldrinson's
lineage, it is believed he descends from the ancient Ruby Dynasty.
Skyfall
tells the story of how
Eldrinson
and
Roca
meet. They have ten children:

Eldrin(Dryni)Jarac
(bard, consort to Ruby Pharaoh, warrior)
AlthorIzam-Na
(engineer, Jagernaut, Imperial Heir)
Del-Kurj(Del)
(singer, warrior, twin to
Chaniece
)
ChanieceRoca
(runs Valdoria family household, twin to
Del-Kurj
)
Havyrl(Vyrl)Torcellei
(farmer, doctorate in agriculture)
Sauscony(Soz)Lahaylia
(military scientist, Jagernaut, Imperator)
DenricWindward
(teacher, doctorate in literature)
ShannonEirlei
(Blue Dale archer)
AnieceDyhianna
(accountant, Rillian queen)
Kelricson(Kelric)Garlin
(mathematician, Jagernaut, Imperator)

Eldrin
appears in
The Final Key, Triad, Spherical Harmonic,
and
The Radiant Seas.
See also
Dehya
.

AlthorIzam-Na
= (1) Coop and Vaz
= (2) Cirrus (former provider to Ur Qox)

Althor
has a daughter, Eristia Leirol Valdoria, with Syreen Leirol, an actress turned linguist. Coop and Vaz have a son, Ryder Jalam Majda Valdoria, with
Althor
as cofather.
Althor
and Coop appear in
The Radiant Seas.
Vaz and Coop appear in
Spherical Harmonic.
Althor
and Cirrus also have a son.

Havyrl(Vyrl)Torcellei
= (1) Liliara (Lily) (deceased)
= (2) Kamoj Quanta Argali

The story of Havyrl and Lily appears in "Stained Glass Heart," in the anthology
Irresistible Forces,
edited by Catherine Asaro, 2004. The story of
Havyrl
and Kamoj appears in
The Quantum Rose,
which won the 2001 Nebula Award. An early version of the first half was serialized in
Analog,
May-July/August 1999.

Sauscony(Soz)Lahaylia
= (1) Jato Stormson (divorced)
= (2) Hypron Luminar (deceased)
= (3)
JaibriolQox
(aka
JaibriolII
)

The story of
Soz
at seventeen, when she enters the Dieshan Military Academy, appears in
Schism,
which is Part I of the two-book work
Triad.
The second part,
The Final Key,
tells of the first war between the Skolians and the Traders. The story of how
Soz
and Jato met appears in the novella, "Aurora in Four Voices" (Analog, December 1998).
Soz
and
Jaibriol
's stories appear in
Primary Inversion
and
The Radiant Seas.
They have four children:
JaibriolIII,Rocalisa,Vitar,
and
del-Kelric.
The story of how
JaibriolIII
became the Emperor of Eube appears in
The Moon's Shadow.
JaibriolIII
married Tarquine Iquar, the Finance Minister of Eube. The story of how Jaibriol and Kelric deal with each other appears in
The Ruby Dice.