by Pam Uphoff
The other man yelled in pain.
Arno’s attention jerked back to him . . . Or What had his practice sword in the man’s diaphragm, not sharp, but stiff enough to pack a punch as he slammed the man back against a shield.
Voyr wrenched loose and bolted. Or What backed away, sword out, watching both men.
Voyr spun and glared at her former captor. Jerked the gag out of her mouth. “You actually think you can force a marriage on me and survive?” She spread her arms out and palms up, wiggled her fingers. “You think I can’t do anything without magic? My stepdad’s a doctor. The stories he brings home when he’s on emergency room duty? I know all about improvised weapons and what they can do.”
“Stupid bitch.”
“Did you know you could use a spoon to scoop out an eyeball?” She smiled sweetly. “Or two.”
The man flinched and backed up a step.
“Why are you doing this?” Jay glared at them
“Because we want women with power. So our children are at least as powerful as we are.” The one on the right glared over at Gior. She returned a rude gesture.
“We can’t even see what you kids are doing when you try to make corridors.” The guy on the left rubbed his stomach.
“If you can’t see it, that means you don’t have any dimensional ability.” Yrno yelled over his shoulder, then looked back at the trio feeling along his shield.
“Yeah. We figured. So we want the girls.”
“Can’t have us, you stupid jerks.” Ryol glared, turned to look at the other three. “Nor you.”
The confrontation had collected a small crowd of onlookers, mostly Oner office workers. A sudden disturbance and Master Xen dodged through them . . . slowed and swept a narrow-eyed look around the street. He was nearly glowing with power and everyone was shrinking away.
He gaze swept the area, paused at Or what, again at Gior tugging at her gag. Power shimmered as he looked back at the kidnappers.
Movement from the Oner Embassy, Rael arrived at the run, in uniform. "Don't kill them in front of the kids. I can make sure they have unfortunate accidents later. It’s what Princesses are trained for."
Xen glanced at her . . . then stepped up to Or What, put a hand to Or’s head.
“Scalp wound, they always bleed freely. Minor concussion. Methalformalin.”
Arno blinked as Or What’s glow brightened.
I wasn’t even looking for it, I guess I just automatically see glow without realizing it.
Or What straightened and blinked. “Oh. Wow, that’s better.”
Master Xen turned to Gior, helped her get the gag off, and her glow snapped back on. He reached to touch Voyr, and she sagged in relief as her glow returned as well.
Master Xen visually checked the rest of them, did a double take as Lala faded in out of nowhere. Still holding her shield. Then looked at the two kidnappers, trapped in the corner of Lala’s and Ryol’s shields. Turned and eyed the trio on the east, who were backing away warily.
And south, where the two black-clad fellows were nearly around the corner.
And back to the kidnappers.
Master Xen stalked closer. “All right you two. You are persona non grata. Go back to Discordia. If you set foot outside your embassy, you will die. Tell your Ambassador we will discuss this in the forum tomorrow at ten in the morning. He is invited to be there.”
He looked them up and down. “I will not risk a third kidnapping attempt. If you wish to survive . . . go away. Far, far away from me. Ryol, let them go.”
He glanced at the trio of men retreating eastward.
Arno cleared his throat. “There’s three more down in the tunnel. At least one of them is injured. I don’t know where they’re from.” He looked at his handful of power, and let it evaporate into a slow drift of warm air.
“Neo Helios. I’ll suggest their ambassador attend tomorrow’s meeting.” A glance south. “And Nuked One as well.”
He strolled over and looked them over. “So, what happened and what would you like me to do to them?” His glow was minimal now . . . but still angry.
An uneasy silence. He wants our opinion?
Broken by Ryol, of course. “These jerks from . . . everywhere! They want children with dimensional abilities, and they think kidnapping us for their wives is the best way to do it!”
Yrno stepped up beside Ryol. “Much though it pains me to say it—that stuff that removes their rape genes might be a good idea.”
Arno felt the others stir behind him, heard murmurs of agreement. He swallowed. “Or we could give them a potion to add the dimensional genes.”
“What!” Gior yelped. “That’s . . . that’s . . . actually rather clever.”
“But,” Lala’s quiet voice. “I thought they didn’t know which genes did it?”
Master Xen nodded. “It seems to be a combination of three to five genes. We’ve identified one for certain.”
“That peacock gene.” Ryol scowled.
Arno straightened his shoulders. “Well, how about both potions?”
“It would be highly illegal to dose them without their consent.” Master Xen flashed his teeth in something that was not at all like his usual grin.
Oh . . . what have I gotten myself into now?
Chapter Thirty-five
In the Assembly
Xen eyed the uneasy crowd.
What? Are they surprised that I finally got pissed enough to look dangerous?
“Thank you all for coming. Yesterday we had a serious . . . problem. Starting with assault—the three victims, all civilians, all minors, shot with poisoned darts, one hit over the head, and two kidnapped—with simultaneous stalking of four other minor civilians.
“We need some concordance as to the handling of criminal matters, not simply . . . whatever the responding Disco Agent feels like doing.
“This is beyond a single meeting’s scope, so today I will address the Ambassadors of the three . . . trouble makers . . . and see if we can reduce the basic cause of this unacceptable behavior.”
Xen stepped away from the lectern and circled to the steps down to the barely raised stage area below it.
“Ambassador Mubera of Discordia, Ambassador Haemon of Neo Helios, Ambassador Ipti of Other One, if you would join me down here?”
He didn’t even glance at them, just pulled a long narrow table out of nowhere and set it on the stage. Fastened the bubble he’d removed it from to the top of the table.
Of course they didn’t come alone. Bodyguards and advisers glaring at each other, glancing a little nervously at him. They managed to arrange themselves in three clumps. Discordians on the left, glaring. Helios dead center, apprehensive. The Other Oners on the right, embarrassed and defensive.
“I would like to start by pointing something out. Three groups of adult men, ten total, versus eight fifteen-year-olds.
“The kids not only won, they were sufficiently disciplined—and powerful—that they didn’t even think of using deadly force. Your people had no idea of what the were risking, and that’s without adding me, their father, to the equation.
“You really need to think about the downside of those kids losing their nice civilized restraint.
“You need to fear what I will do.
“Yes, Ambassador Ipti, I do realize that your pair were acting on the spur of the moment. I suggest that you send them home, and request non-rapists guards for your embassy. Ask the first One World what happened when attacking girls got to be a habit.”
The people in front of him looked more aggressive than defensive. Pity. Sooner or later I’ll kill someone and the diplomatic consequences will be . . . interesting. Thank God the kids aren’t in that position.
“As you know, Comet Fall is well known for spells, potions, and genetic engineering.” He pulled out a bottle of wine and set it in front of Mubera. “And we’re well known to have deliberately spread a gene altering von neumann’s potion on the One World.
“Well, the Wine of the Gods, o
r Joy Juice or whatever you call it is well known. But the only genes it changes are defective ones. This is not it.”
Another bottle in the center. “There’s another von neumann’s potion around, that extends lifespan. That does alter genes. This isn’t that either, and you lot aren’t getting it.”
He smiled thinly. Brought out a third bottle, set it down in front of Ipti. He reached back into the bubble. “But what you three polities, or at least a number of your people, appear to be willing to commit capital crimes to get is this.” The fourth bottle was small, holding a clear blue liquid.
Xen held it up. “The genetics that allow some of the Fallen to manipulate dimensional phenomena requires what we call the peacock gene.” He nodded to Ambassador Ursine, out in the audience. “Comet Fall has two versions. One is only active during fetal growth and turns off shortly before birth. The other is always active and produces the blue pigment, that, in conjunction with the natural red pigment produces the famous coloration of Planet Purple. The inactive version is more common on Comet Fall.
“Either version, plus a lot of magical ability and power collecting ability is necessary for a person to have dimensional abilities. We suspect that other genes are involved, but we haven’t been able to isolate them.”
He eyed the three men in front of him with considerable disfavor.
Got out the corkscrew And opened all four bottles.
Reached back into his bubble for a funnel and a glass.
Poured a half cup or so from each of the wine bottles into to the glass.
He raised the blue bottle. “There are no von neumanns in this. It will not spread.”
Then used the funnel to top off the three bottles from the small blue bottle.
Recorked them. Tossed the funnel and empty bottle back into the bag.
“The blue dye was for dramatic purposes. The ribozymes that will change genes so that they create the blue pigment are in there. It is the embryo-only type, so no one is going to turn purple. There’s enough in each bottle to dose eight adults, or twice that number of children, more or less, by weight. Because it is known to work if turned on during fetal growth, I doubt any of you who drink this will develop dimensional abilities. It is your children who will be able to make corridors and gates.”
He forced the corks back into the bottles, and stepped back and eyed the ambassadors and their entourages, glaring at each other.
“Do you understand that these are going to change your genes, and that we do not understand all the interactions?”
Shrugs and nods.
“Then take them away, and try them if you dare.”
Xen folded his arms. “And if you want more, or anything else,” a nod around the crowd, “you or anyone else can damn well go ask for it at the Comet Fall Hospital. Kidnapping. Is. Not. Allowed.”
Three quick snatches, glares at the Helios ambassador who’d made a blatant attempt to scoop up all of them.
Ambassador Haemon glowered. “We need women.”
“Then you ought not to have slaughtered five worlds full. We are watching you.” Xen picked up the glass of wine. Took a sip. “Waste of a good Chianti.”
He set the glass down, leaned on the table and stared at Haemon. “You can send volunteers to the hospital for the male-to-female potion. Fully functional. Now go away.”
He picked up the glass, turned and walked back up the steps, looked at Lon, who shook his head.
Xen stepped back to the lectern and watched the protective, wary retreats of the three parties. He took another sip.
“So. It appears that we are going to need a police force, on top of the firefighters, and departments of education, public works, and transportation.” He looked around the chamber. “Is there any more business? Right. Then send all suggestions to Director Hackathorn. Meeting adjourned.”
He stalked off, ignoring the clamor of questions from the newsies. Popped up the stairs, to where the kids, under Rael’s protective eye, had watched the brief meeting from the balcony.
He stepped into the break room and poured the glass of wine down the sink. Threw a spell on himself to break up the variously purposed assemblers, ticking down to their starting time. He rinsed the glass and let the water run. Not that there was anything too dangerous in there, but I don’t want to mess with my co-workers.
Rael glowered at him. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you never actually said that none of those scary spells you mentioned weren’t in the wine bottles. And you emphasized that there were no von neumanns in the blue bottle. And after you mixed that you warned them there were gene altering spells in the wine.”
“Oh, they won’t affect more than eight or so people . . . on each world. I’m just hoping the actual agents of that debacle get dosed.” He glanced over at the kids. “Not to worry, it will just make them a little less belligerent, a little slower—epigenically blocks the Speed gene and removes the rape genes. I can remove the block and replace the rape genes . . . if they ask nicely.”
Rael eyed him. “But only the Oners have those.”
“Eh, hard to say what the Helaos have picked up, all over the place. Personally I hope they are unable to do magic of any sort. The Discordians, on the other hand, have a lot of Action Teamers in their ancestry. That’s where you lot trained your native army.”
“Oh . . . One! There and our embassy was in Fascia, right?”
“Right. They raped some women in Karista as well, before something unfortunate happened to them.”
Arno eyed him. “You?”
“Actually that was before I was born. You guys worked slowly, cementing your ties with the Auralian Empire. I think you discovered us . . . seventy-five years ago, give or take a few years. So there are plenty of second and third generation mixes with native witches and wizards, and of course, with even more Oners. In the Kingdom of the West, you had a Post Head . . . I have no idea for how long, then the Info Teams fifty years ago, Action Teams a bit later.”
Gior hunched her shoulders. “We’re not all like that. Like Action Teamers.”
Xen nodded. “Very few of you are, actually. I was quite surprised, when I was infiltrating, at how few violent brutes and rapists I encountered.”
Rael eyed him. “Hmm . . . but you met some?”
He laughed, couldn’t help himself. “Oh, I’m definitely not referring to the trained assassin Princesses. You lot would never count as brutes. No, we set up in the slums, and there were some unsavory types in the neighborhood.
“So, why don’t we spend the day at the beach. I’ll show you how to make a gate, even though you probably won’t be able to do it yourself for another decade, if not longer. Hopefully I can show you enough that you’ll be able to work it for yourself, if for any reason I can’t keep teaching you.”
He felt Rael’s eyes on him. :: Yeah, so if they get stolen again, they can eventually escape even if I can’t find them. ::
“Dress for the beach. I’ll go pack food.”
***
“. . . kill him.” Diuc glanced around as they trooped back through.
Arno eyed her, and the priest, Unvu, she was talking to. Kill the Discordian kidnappers? Surely no one else!
Behind him, Rael called out “We’re heading for the beach.” In cheerful tones.
“Again?” Diuc rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs. Arno sidestepped into the library . . . should I try to find out what they’re up to?
He looked at the adults’ usual table. In the corner by the little wetbar with the big coffee urn. Up against the front wall. A corridor with illusions over both sides, right there, and they could stay outside and listen. Ryol and Jay spotted him.
“What are you up to?” Ryol actually looked curious rather than accusatory.
“I think I want to eavesdrop on the babysitters. They were plotting something when we came in.” Arno looked out. No one in sight. He trotted over to the wet bar, grabbed a bubble and pinned it to the wall beside the coffee urn. Pushed it through the thi
ck wall and pinned the corners. “Now . . . illusions . . .”
“Let me do them.” Jay grinned. “It’s the only thing I do better than you.”
Ryol nodded. “And it’s just a small patch of bare wall. I’ll go do the outside.”
Arno strolled out to a spot that was more or less in between Jay and the rest of the building, pulling out his phone and looking at it. Me? Blocking your view? No, no, nothing going on here.
Then Jay strolled up beside him and Ryol bounced in a moment later.
“See you guys at the beach.”
Chapter Thirty-six
Gate
Arno settled down in the hot sand and lowered his mental shields. I do them automatically, now. I hadn’t even noticed.
Master Xen was a deep well of power . . . restrained, fenced off somehow, so they wouldn’t slide in too deep. “Okay. We are not going to join up, like a compass or triad. I’m just going to open up enough that you can clearly see what I’m doing.”
:: Look at the bubbles, and close your eyes. Pull back until the bubbles looks like the carbonation in a blue soda. ::
:: Or doped wine. :: Yrno’s quick thought.
:: No bubbles . . . I ought to have used Champagne. However, this blue is the inbetween. I’ve heard theories about whether it’s the Dark Matter that some worlds have hypothesized, or whether the unexplained mass is the closest other worlds and the inbetween is the Dark Energy that is also hypothesized. ::
:: Do you know? :: Arno asked, eyeing “things” in the fizzy blueness.
:: No. But what the astrophysicists are measuring, is the same among many worlds, whether they’re in a close book, with lots of nearby worlds, or zinging off alone. So if it is, the inbetween must affect worlds in the same way, to the same extent that other worlds do. ::
:: What is that? :: Ryol mentally poked at something that looked more like a cylinder than a bubble.
:: For obvious reasons, I call them cylinders. You can use them to make weak gates, that don’t last more than a few hours. They spontaneously attach to worlds, then move on. I’ve often wondered how often seeds, critters, bacteria and virii get passed around between worlds, randomly. ::