fortuneswheel (35 page)

* * *

Kaid had instructed Personnel not to allow any incoming calls from her father, but according to the Mentor, he had now been exposed to enough of the Sholan culture to be able to reevaluate his opinions concerning them. So it was that a couple of days before Carrie and Kusac were due to leave the
Khalossa,
an early morning call came in from him.
Kusac nudged Carrie with his knee.
"Mmm?" she mumbled, snuggling her back closer into the curve of his body, enjoying the silky warmth of him against her skin.
"It's your father," he said, gently shaking her shoulder. "You'd better get up and take the call in the other room."
"Don't want to get up," she mumbled sleepily.
"He's waiting. Asking him to call back will hardly improve his temper."
Carrie groaned and surfaced enough to glower at the screen on the night table. Leaning out of bed, she flicked it on.
With a reproachful hiss, Kusac moved back from her but not before her father's image had appeared.
Peter Hamilton frowned slightly, disapproval evident on his face.
Kusac sensed that she was throwing her father in at the deep end, forcing him to face the fact of their intimacy.
"Good morning, Carrie. Kusac," he said stiffly. "I was hoping to come over and see you this morning."
Kusac could feel her reluctance. She didn't want the repeated hurt of her father's rejection.
Maybe he's changed,
sent Kusac.
We'll never know if you
refuse to see him. It would be better to try and make our
peace with him before we leave for Shola.
"We'll be up within the hour," she said reluctantly. "If you wish to come, bring the duty interpreter with you. I don't want any more misunderstandings."
"I've seen the telepaths at work," said Peter Hamilton slowly. "I understand more about your Link now. I don't intend to make a scene, Carrie. I love you too much to lose you." He stopped, looking faintly embarrassed. "I'll see you in an hour." He blanked the screen.
Kusac leaned across Carrie, switching their unit off.
You're tracking upwind of him,
he warned, sliding his arms round her.
I understand, but I don't think it's wise.
I won't live in shadows, Kusac,
she said, turning round.
Surely I'm no less his daughter for loving you? I won't let
him make me feel it's wrong.
Kusac held her close, feeling her need for him as a person. It felt good. His tail curled protectively round her legs.

* * *

An hour later, Kaid showed Mr. Hamilton and the interpreter into the inner lounge.
"Liegen Aldatan," said the interpreter, saluting him with arms crossed over his chest.
Kusac, caught in the midst of brushing Carrie's hair, mentally swore a few choice epithets and put the brush down hurriedly. Why did her father always have to catch him at a disadvantage?
Hamilton hovered near the door, obviously unsure as to how to address Kusac and unwilling to give him the benefit of his rank.
Unable to ignore Carrie's unspoken plea, Kusac reluctantly eased the situation by going to greet him.
"Come in, Mr. Hamilton, Serif. Well come. Be at ease with us, we don't hold with ceremony here," he said, escorting both of them over to the settee.
Mr. Hamilton sat down on the edge. "Is it really necessary for us to have Interpreter Serif and Kusac here?" he asked his daughter. "I'd like to talk to you on your own."
"Even if Kusac left the room, he'd know what you said," she replied, playing with her hairbrush and keeping her eyes down.
"I realize that, but Serif?"
"I've assured the Ambassador that I can only pick up surface thoughts," said Serif.
His mood seems calm. I'll take Serif to the other end of
the room. Then he can feel he has his privacy with you,
sent Kusac.
Carrie shot him a frightened look.
No! Don't leave me
with him, I need you close.
We're always close,
came the reassuring thought.
Serif rose to his feet, following Kusac.
"I find the telepaths a little unnerving," said her father suddenly. "I can usually tell when they're talking to each other."
Carrie wrinkled her forehead in surprise, tucking her legs up into the chair. "Perhaps you should be tested for telepathic abilities then."
Her father shook his head. "No, I'm too old for that sort of upheaval in my life. One prodigy in the family is enough," he said, smiling wryly. "The Commander made sure I realized how important the two of you are to both our species, and I accept what has happened between you."
"I'm glad, but what about us? Can you see us beyond the political implications? Doesn't it bother you that we're important to each other? Where do Carrie and Kusac fit into your life— if at all?" she asked.
"I can't say it's what I want for you, Carrie, it isn't," he said, looking acutely uncomfortable. "I understand your need to be defensive, but if you feel this relationship is right for you, that's all that really matters, isn't it?"
"You don't understand at all, do you? I can feel it, so don't tell me I'm wrong. You think I'm making the best of an intolerable situation, don't you?"
"Carrie, I want you to be happy," he said, leaning forward to take her hand. "I just think that you aren't going to be happy with him. I don't see how you can. Think of all the differences between his people and ours; their customs, morals-everything will be different."
"When our Link was completed, I understood everything Kusac knew as if I was him," she said softly, still keeping her eyes down. "I know what it's like to grow up on Shola, to walk under a sun brighter than ours or Earth's, to run on all fours across the fields of the estate chasing game. I'm no longer just a human from Earth, or a colonist from Keiss. Part of me is totally Sholan, and the Terrans feel as alien to me as you feel the Sholans are to you." She looked up at him, forcing eye contact.
Her father frowned, glancing uneasily away. "You're talking rubbish, Carrie. Just because you know what it feels like, it doesn't make you Sholan."
"Have you seen my eyes, Father?" she asked quietly. "Look at them and tell me again there's nothing about me that's Sholan."
He lifted his gaze to hers, a perplexed frown giving way to an expression of shock. "What the hell have you done to them?"
"They've been like that since the night of the reception. I don't know how or why it happened, but it marks me apart, an external sign of what I feel inside."
"They told me you were all right," he said. "They didn't say anything about this. What caused it? Is it some kind of illness or disease?"
"No, I'm fine. I told you, we don't know what caused my eyes to change, but they're Sholan eyes now. I've never fitted in anywhere before, Father. I belong here, I can have a life of my own with them. I never could on Keiss."
Kusac, aware her mood was becoming too introspective, returned to her side and placed a hand protectively on her shoulder. As he did, he felt her lower her shield enough to let her feelings leak out to her father through their hand contact.
Divining her purpose, he took control, bringing her father briefly into their Link, allowing him for a moment to experience what it was like to share such a mental bond.
White-faced, her father snatched his hand away. "My God! What was that?"
"That's our Link," said Carrie. "Now you know what it feels like."
"I could feel what both of you were thinking, like a constant stream running through my mind. How can you live like that, so aware of each other?" He sat there, face still pale, hands shaking.
At Kusac's unspoken request, Serif brought over a mug of c'shar from the unit on the desk and handed it to him.
Kusac moved to sit beside Mr. Hamilton, wrapping the human's hands around the cup. "Drink this," he said. "It'll help."
Her father took a gulp, then another, the tremors beginning to steady. "I didn't realize people could be that close," he said quietly. "How can you stand it?" he asked, looking up at his daughter. "It's so intense, so... dominating."
"Only to you," said Kusac, standing up and moving back to Carrie. "For us, life would be unbearable without it. What we have isn't an ordinary Sholan Leska Link, though. It's more demanding."
"And more rewarding," added Carrie. "Now do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand, and I felt your commitment to each other, but I still can't say I like it," he said, putting down the cup. "What about your father, Kusac? Can you honestly say he's overjoyed? Or your mother?"
Kusac shifted restlessly. "I've told him, and like you he would have it otherwise, but he's prepared to accept Carrie as my Leska," he admitted.
"You can appreciate it isn't an ideal situation," said her father.
"I don't think you can believe that either of us would have chosen this relationship if it could have been avoided, Mr. Hamilton," said Kusac, part of his mind shushing Carrie's mental exclamation.
"Fathers worry more about their daughters," he said, getting to his feet. He leaned over Carrie, giving her a hug. "I do wish you happiness in your new life," he said. "Don't forget me while you're on Shola. I don't want to lose you, Carrie. Call me, or whatever it is they do there."
She returned the hug. "Bye, Dad. We aren't due to leave for a couple of days yet, so I'll see you before we go."
He held out his hand to Kusac who shook it briefly. "We'll see ourselves out," Hamilton said.

* * *

"Here's the report from Intelligence based on Lieutenant Mito Rralgu's findings, Commander," said Myak. "With the help of the human Jo Edwards, she's managed to translate the Valtegan's deep-space message."
"About time," said Raguul, taking the document from him. He scanned it quickly. "This was sent several days before the base was taken.
<'Loshul to Ghaikkuir base. Investigation of alien cube continuing (?). Cannot confirm (?) it is a data storage unit (?) at this time. Will keep you informed. (?)>
Hm, there are several words she's had to approximate, but it looked like they never did manage to access our code. Intelligence concludes that, in their opinion, it was destroyed when we liberated Keiss if not earlier by the attack on the base. Now that's good news." He handed the document back to his adjutant. "See the information is transmitted to Sholan High Command, Myak."
"Yes, sir." He hesitated.
"What else is there to tell me?" asked Raguul.
"It looks like we may have run into another delay with the treaty."
Raguul groaned. "What is it this time?"
"Captain Jordan and Mr. James Blackwell of the
Erasmus
have been making representation to Sub-Commander Rhuk that they want to be included in the treaty talks."
"Just what I need," muttered Raguul. "What do our current Keissian delegates say?"
"All Hamilton and Skinner are concerned with is having our help to protect their world from the Valtegans. As Hamilton pointed out, Earth's interests are entirely different from theirs, and the people from the
Erasmus
know nothing about life on Keiss or under the Valtegans. They've been in space so long that they aren't even representative of the current Earth attitudes."
"Does that mean they want to exclude them from the council?"
"No. They've no objection to them having a representative-they suggest Mr. Blackwell— so long as it's understood who's in charge. Skinner and Hamilton are more concerned by Earth's attitude that after all they've been through, they haven't the right to autonomy."
"They seem to have settled it between themselves so there's no need for us to become involved. Any news from High Command on that Valtegan craft that escaped? Have they managed to track down where it was headed?"
"Nothing yet, sir. One more thing, Commander. The Brother is waiting to see you."
"He is, is he? Any idea what he wants?"
"You did say you wanted to see him when he was recovered."
Raguul nodded. "So I did. A small matter of seven deaths, wasn't it? Ask him to come in." His ears flicked with annoyance.
Kaid entered, only a slight limp betraying his injured leg. "Commander," he said, sitting down.
The Commander nodded. "There have been four incidents in the last few days that have resulted in the deaths of members of my crew. I don't suppose you know anything about them, do you?" he asked, tapping his claws on the surface of his desk.
"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information, Commander, and you know that," Kaid murmured.
"Dammit, your contract didn't mention anything about killing!" exclaimed Raguul.
"My contract gave me the authority to take what steps were necessary to ensure the safe delivery of Liegen Kusac Aldatan and his Leska to Shola. You wanted me to wind up my investigation of the dissidents. That's what I did."
"I didn't expect you to take the law into your own hands!" said Raguul angrily. "Those people should have been brought into custody, not killed!"
"Had the movement been more widespread, I would have perhaps acted differently, but there were only a small number of people involved as far as I knew. As it is, I have to report that my undercover contact has been approached by yet another member of this movement. She was due on bridge duty tonight and was asked to intercept an incoming message from the
Rhyaki— a
message that was arranged by Chyad."
"I'll have no more killings," growled Raguul. "Draz will deal with it from now on!"
"That is exactly what I've done, Commander," Kaid said quietly. "Unfortunately, I am hardly in any state to deal with the matter myself. I contacted Draz and he arranged for your officer to be reported sick with some Terran ailment. She's been quarantined for the next five days and her replacement is one of Draz's people. I won't place Lieutenant Rralgu in any further danger. I suggest you post her to Keiss as soon as possible to keep her out of the way of these people. On Keiss she is of no use to them. They play hard, as I found out to my cost," he said wryly. "The scouter crash was none of my doing."
"You planned to kill Chyad and Maikoe," said Raguul.
"I never endanger the innocent," said Kaid stiffly.
"You took the law into your own hands when you decided the others were guilty," growled Raguul.
"Their continued existence constituted a threat to the lives of those I was hired to protect. I assure you my judgment has never been questioned before," growled Kaid. "Check with the Brotherhood if you wish. I had their blessing, and their instructions for this mission, as you well know."
"I want your promise that there will be no more killings on the
Khalossa,"
Raguul demanded.
"I can't give you that. If their lives are threatened again, as they were by Jakule, then I will kill to protect them."
"Dammit, you know full well what I mean!"
"No, Commander, I don't. I have my instructions, and you have yours. Let's just follow them, shall we?" Kaid stood up. "If you have a complaint, you know the procedure. Contact Dzahai Stronghold and request a tribunal. Good day, Commander."
As Raguul watched him leave, he realized that the room about him was starting to darken.
"Commander," said Myak, taking hold of his shoulder and shaking him. "Leave it. He's in the right. His primary contract was to ensure their safety."
Raguul took a deep breath, aware that Myak was trying to prevent him from going into a hunter/kill state.
"I know," he growled, "which is why it annoys me!"
"At least he's put Draz in charge now," said Myak. "And he's removed Lieutenant Rralgu from danger. I think it would be wise to follow his advice and have her posted planet-side as soon as possible." He left the Commander's side and went over to the drinks cupboard.
"I think you'll enjoy this, Commander," he said, picking up a small bottle and a glass. "It's from Keiss, a human drink. They call it brandy. I've tried it and it's rather pleasant. It's said to have a settling effect on the stomach."