The Vulpirans' Honor: The Soul-Linked Saga (15 page)

“What of her husband?” Lance asked.

“We will extend our invitation to him, as well,” Jackson replied.  “Our greatest concern
right now is for Honey and her daughter.”

“Jackson, I ask that you or one of your brothers speed-travel me to the lab,” Vikter
asked.  “I must discuss this with Michael as he is her husband.”

“Of course,” Jackson said.  “I will take you myself.”

***

After Hope took Nica, Michael went to the Research Center and spent his morning recording
the impressions he had gotten from the Xanti the day before.  It had only taken him
a few moments to figure out the recording system, so once he began, the morning flew
by quickly.  He kept going back to the Xanti’s bio-suit as he spoke, a nagging sensation
in the back of his mind.  There was something there, something about the bio-suit
that was important, but he couldn’t quite see it.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door, and spun around just as
it opened.  He turned off the tiny portable mic clipped to his collar and smiled at
Vikter as he entered the lab with another man behind him.  The newcomer had long,
white blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and was built like a mountain.

“Good afternoon, Vikter,” Michael said, frowning at the expressions on the faces of
the two men.  “Is something wrong?” he asked, suddenly thinking of Honey.  “Is Honey
all right?”  Vikter nodded, though his expression remained grave.  “What is it?” he
demanded.

“Honey used her psychic talents to save the lives of the sons of the Lobo Consuls,”
Vikter said.  “It cost her a great deal of energy and pain.  She has been healed,
but will need to sleep for at least twenty-four hours to regain her strength.”

“Are you certain she’ll be all right?” Michael asked.

Vikter and Jackson both saw and scented Michael’s worry and were relieved by it. 
“She will be fine,” Vikter assured him.  “Michael, this is Consul Jackson Bearen,
one of Arima Hope’s Rami.”

“Good to meet you,” Michael said.  “Thank you for allowing Nica to stay with you today.”

“It is no trouble, Dr. Davis,” Jackson said coolly.  He had nothing personal against
Michael.  He didn’t even know him.  He just didn’t like the cavalier way he behaved
in regards to his wife.

“Michael,” Vikter said, “Honey is going to need care around the clock.  A nurse has
been arranged for her, but the Bearens have offered to take her to their home until
she is well.  He extends his invitation to you, naturally.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Michael said.  “But if there’s a nurse watching over her,
I don’t see what I can do to help.  I’ll probably just get in the way.  I’ll remain
at the guesthouse.”

“Very well,” Vikter said, hiding his irritation.  His respect for Michael fell a few
notches.  Honey deserved better than that, he thought.  There was nothing in the Thousand
Worlds capable of preventing himself or his brothers from remaining at Honey’s side
until she was fully recovered, had they the right to do so.  They would certainly
never be concerned about being underfoot.  As it was, they would oversee her care
as closely as they were able to without crossing any lines.  They had to remember
at all times that Honey was not theirs to care for.

“Actually, I think this would be a good time for me to go examine the other bio-suit,”
Michael said, interrupting Vikter’s thoughts.  “There’s something here, something
important, but I can’t quite grasp it.”

“What do you mean?” Vikter asked.

“I was recording my impressions from my session with the Xanti yesterday,” Michael
explained as he turned and walked slowly toward the bio-suit again.  “There’s something
here that’s just niggling at me.  Maybe examining the other bio-suit will help.”

Vikter nodded, setting his personal feelings aside.  This was why they’d brought him
here.  Michael Davis had an uncanny talent for this sort of thing.  “All right, Michael,”
Vikter said.  “When would you like to leave?”

“As soon as possible,” Michael said.  “I know that Honey and Nica will be safe and
cared for, so now is the best time.”

“All right,” Vikter said.  “Finish up here and I’ll make the arrangements and vox
you.”

“That’s great,” Michael said.  “Thanks Vikter.  I’ve only got a few more minutes here,
then I’ll go to the house, pack a bag, and wait for your call.”

When Jackson and Vikter returned to the Lobos’, everyone noticed their tension.  Lance
and Hunt wanted to ask Vikter, but not in front of the others. 

“Lance, make arrangements for Michael to travel to Berria to examine the bio-suit
and the Xanti,” Vikter said.  “Tonight.”

“Today?” Lance asked in surprise. 

“Yes, today,” Vikter replied.  “He will be ready to go in about an hour.  Once the
arrangements are made, vox him, and make sure he has a ride to the airfield on time.”

“He doesn’t want to stay with his family?” Lance asked.

“No,” Vikter replied shortly.  “He’s decided that since Nica and Honey are in good
hands, it’s best for him to work.”

Lance clenched his jaw angrily as he turned and reached up to tap his vox.  The words
he wanted to say could not be said in honor.  One did not interfere between a male-set
and their Arima, or a husband and wife. 

“Let the council know he’s coming,” Vikter continued.  “They will need to retrieve
the bio-suit from the Hidden City so he can examine it.”

Lance nodded, but Vikter barely noticed.  “Michael wishes to accept the Bearens’ generous
offer for Honey and Nica,” Vikter finished.  “As do we.” 

***

Xi-Kung’s eyes opened suddenly at the soft, pinging sound coming from the vid-terminal
on the desk below him. 
Finally!
he thought as he unfolded his legs and walked down the wall to his
makina
.  He climbed inside, closed the hatch, and booted the system.  It would be far easier
to work at the vid-terminal using the
makina
than it would be using his legs.  Like almost everything in his quarters, in the
entire ship in fact, vid-terminals were designed for use by humanoid forms.

Once his
makina
was fully functional he walked over to the desk and sat down.  It took only a moment
to confirm that the alarm had not been a mistake, and that the Receiver was, finally,
sending information in short data bursts.  Xi-Kung did some rapid calculations on
the vid-terminal.  Assuming that the Receiver had collected all of the data from the
Messenger as it was programmed to do, it would take several hours to upload nearly
two months worth of recordings. 

Xi-Kung pressed a button on the control panel at the top of his desk, connecting him
to the bridge.  He put the entire ship on high alert.  Just because the data bursts
were supposed to be untraceable didn’t mean they were.  It was possible someone could
stumble onto them.  Once the transmissions were complete, they would move to a new
location entirely while he reviewed the data.

He checked the calendar, though it was habit rather than necessity.  He knew down
to the minute how much time he had left before making his report to Xaqana-Ti.  For
the first time in weeks he felt a sense of relief as he looked at the count down. 
The data was being transmitted, he would have plenty of time to review it and, if
necessary, implement actions before reporting to his Ruling Female.  Life was good,
after all.

***

“I’m not sick,” Saige said, trying not to sound irritated with her men.  After all
that had happened that day, she understood their worry.  “I’m Clan Jasani, remember? 
I don’t get sick.”

“Indulge us, please,” Faron said.  “This has been a difficult day for all of us. 
It may take a while before we get over our fear.”

“How long is
a while
?” Saige asked.

“Two, maybe three hundred years,” Dav replied, sitting down on the foot of the bed. 
“Maybe longer.”

“Get over it faster,” she said with a scowl.  “I’m not going to put up with being
treated like a Begonia blossom for more than a few hours.  If that.”

“We know,” Faron said, smiling faintly.  “We love you exactly as you are,
amada
, but please allow us a little time to assure ourselves that all is well.”

“All right, but just a little time,” Saige said, giving in.  After all, she thought,
this had been as difficult a day for them as it had been for her.  “How is Honey?”

“She’s still sleeping,” Faron replied.  “Jareth said she would likely sleep until
tomorrow.”

“But all of the burns are healed, right?” Saige asked anxiously.  She would never
forget the sight of the welts appearing on Honey’s smooth skin, or the blisters and
deep burns that followed.  She’d wanted to look away from the sight, especially when
the burns crept up Honey’s arms to her neck and face, but she had forced herself to
watch every horrifying moment of it.  She would not turn away from the sacrifice Honey
Davis was making in order to heal her unborn sons.  She owed the woman that much.

“Yes,
amada
,” Faron said, “all of the burns are gone.  She is perfectly healed, thanks to Jareth
and the Eternal Pack.”

“We owe them so much, and Honey as well,” Saige said.  “How can we ever begin to thank
them enough?”

“Jareth told me that for a Healer such as himself, and Honey, the real thanks is in
successfully healing their patient,” Dav said.  “I do not think any of them desire
more than a heartfelt thank you.  Should we attempt to reward them in some way, it
would make them uncomfortable.”

“I understand that,” Saige said with a sigh.  “It would be like someone trying to
reward me for being a mother, or for protecting someone who needs protection.”

“Yes,” Faron said.  “That is exactly right.”

“Even so, Honey’s personal sacrifice, the pain she endured, requires more than a simple
thank you,” Saige said.

“The Elder Pack agrees,” Ban said.  “They have given her the power to heal injuries
in future without drawing them onto herself.”

“That’s perfect,” Saige said, smiling.  “I would like to tell her of the Eternal Pack’s
gift, if she doesn’t know already, so that I can thank her myself at the same time.”

“Of course,” Faron replied.  “We will ask the Vulpirans and the Bearens to keep it
to themselves so that you can tell her.”

“Thank you,” Saige said.  “Still, the Elder Pack’s gift is not our gift.  I think
I’ll speak with Riata.  Maybe she’ll tell me something that would be helpful to Honey.”

“That’s a good idea,” Faron said.  “But please, we ask that you rest tonight and wait
until tomorrow to contact Riata.”

Saige started to reply when there was a knock on the bedroom door.  Ban went to answer
it, opening the door to reveal their daughters, all dressed for bed, and their nanny,
Dia.

“I apologize for interrupting,” Dia said.  “The girls would like to say goodnight.”

“That’s fine, Dia,” Ban said, smiling as the girls ran into the room while he spoke.

“Momma, are you sick?” Varia asked as she hurried toward the bed, Mari and Bree right
behind her, their braids bouncing on their shoulders.  Saige smiled indulgently at
her daughters.  Varia, the eldest, had Faron’s dark blue hair.  Maria had Dav’s lighter
blue hair, and BreeAnna had the same pale blue hair as Ban.  Aside from that, they
looked like miniatures of Saige with her bone structure, her athletic build, and her
light green eyes, down to the gold flecks.  They were also quite fearless, though
that trait could have come from any one of their parents.

Faron scooped Varia up in his arms and set her on the bed beside Dav.  Ban picked
the other two up from behind, one in each arm, and set them next to Varia, then knelt
down on the floor beside the bed.  Faron sat next to Saige, all of them ready to stop
the girls from climbing on top of their mother as they generally liked to do.

“We was afraid Mama was sick,”  Varia said.

“I’m not sick, so there is nothing to be afraid about,” Saige said.

“Are the babies sick?” Mari asked.

“They were, but they’re fine now,” Dav replied.  “We want you girls to be careful
about climbing on Mama from now on.  All right?”

“Yes,
Dede
,” they all replied. 

“
Ata
, will it hurt Mama if we kiss her goodnight?” Varia asked Faron.

“It will never hurt to get kisses from my angels,” Saige answered.  “Come on up here.”

Varia smiled with relief and crawled up the bed to kiss her mother, careful not to
climb on her.  “I love you, Mama,” she said after kissing Saige’s cheek.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Saige replied, kissing Varia’s forehead.  Ban lifted
Varia off the bed and held her while Mari got her kiss.  Faron picked her up, and
they all watched as Bree got hers before Dav got off the bed and lifted their youngest
daughter into his arms.

“
Popi
, will you read us a story tonight?” Varia asked Ban.