Angara nodded. “That was what I was thinking. Alab Oo’juto is here. He would make an excellent candidate.”
Bha snorted. “He will not thank you. You know what Virri and his predecessors did to the reputation of this office.” She shot another look at Marcus, but this time it seemed to be shaded more with distaste and less with fear. “And he will not thank you, even if he can see the value, for any gift that comes from the hand of a Human.”
“Wait.” Justin raised a hand before Marcus could spit a comment back. “What kind of possible link could extraterrestrial wannabe dolphins have with Humans?”
Angara sighed. “The Aijians are not wannabe dolphins. All creatures you call dolphins are Aijians. Any who serve on Earth have been … genetically modified to carry the codes and markers for what your scientists believe is ‘Earth’ DNA, so as not to arouse suspicion.”
“But … why?” Justin was shaking his head, and Marcus did the same. “Why would an alien race want to be genetically altered to go to Earth? What is there to gain?”
Angara and Iphini shared a look, and then both turned to the Humans. “You would not understand that level of racial focus.” Iphini’s words were probably more hurtful in their matter-of-fact delivery than if she had been trying to insult them.
“The racial commitment to purpose shared by nearly all Aijians is ancient. They have been on Earth for almost as long as you have.” Angara seemed to be speaking more on the subject than she ever had, and that made Marcus suspicious.
Iphini turned back to Angara. “What if Oo’juto refuses to serve? It is a distinct possibility.”
Angara sighed. “I know. I am still trying to think of alternatives. I had thought, maybe K’hzan Modath?”
That brought a bark of laughter from Bha, and the bodyguard bowed her head with a nod. “Although it might do the Council some good to have their noses tweaked in such a fashion, I fear they would make quicker work of us with K’hzan at the helm than if we had these Humans announce to the galaxy their intention to burn the entire thing down!”
Angara looked disturbed by that, and Iphini Bha stopped laughing, an embarrassed look crossing her porcelain features. “I’m sorry.” She shot the two Humans another fearful look, as if she might have given them an idea.
Marcus shook his head and fell into one of the chairs. It molded itself to his body, almost bringing him jumping right out again. It wasn’t as quick or as complete as the furniture on the Yud’ahm Na’uka, but it was comfortable almost instantly. He had no interest in comfort at the moment, however.
“Listen, if you guys know the real story, and you’re still concerned about us being Human, how do you think you’re going to sell this to the rest of the city?” He didn’t like the idea of being thrust out into a galaxy of hostile aliens who hated him for no reason at all.
“I was thinking we would keep you hidden, actually.” Angara had the manners to look uncomfortable. “If we were to keep you isolated, keep knowledge of your actual origin a secret, we should be able to hold things together until a suitable replacement can be arranged.”
“If Oo’juto declines, we will most likely have to send a request to Omiaye and hope another Aijian can be found who will be more amenable.”
“That’s not entirely true. There are countless Children here, many of them will share enough of a link, I believe.” Angara looked distinctly distressed at having made the suggestion.
The suggestion upset Iphini as well. “No Child has been an administrator in the history of Penumbra.”
Angara tilted her head to one side. “Maybe there’s a reason for that.” She looked at Marcus and he felt his skin grow warm under her gaze. “There’s never been an administrator as deeply bonded to the medallion as him, as far as I can tell.”
“Who the hell are the Children?” Marcus snapped, sensing the capitalization. “And what is a Child?”
“It would be easier if it was this one.” Iphini Bha gestured at Justin, who looked as uncomfortable as Marcus now. “Change his eye color, keep his head shaved, shave the face? There would be very little problem with that.”
Angara nodded. “I know. I had thought that. He did not bond with the medallion, however. The pale one did. And so he is the being with which we must now deal.”
“Wait,” Justin raised a hand. “What’s this all about now? Change my eye color? Keep my head shaved?” He slid one hand across his smooth dark scalp as he settled into a seat. “That’s the plan, by the way. But why would it matter?”
Another frustrating gaze passed between the two women, and Iphini Bha answered. “With your midnight skin tone you look very much like a Mnymian, a race familiar throughout the civilized galaxy.”
“We saw those in the docking bay from afar, if you will recall. Although they have bright red hair and completely white, featureless eyes.” Angara included. “Both easily addressed. Alas, it does not matter. The Skorahn bonded to Marcus Wells.”
“Dude, someday you are going to owe me so bad!” Justin snarled.
“Yeah, that’s fine.” Marcus launched himself out of the seat and began to pace. Not caring at all when Iphini Bha jerked back behind the desk, raising a marbled hand to her mouth. “Hide me in a closet for all I care. The sooner you get me out of here the better. I’ve only dealt with you two, and it’s already been too much.”
The pent-up frustration had pushed him to the breaking point. His pacing became more and more erratic. He could not honestly have said if he was going closer and closer to the desk to serve his sudden need for motion, or because it was making Iphini Bha more and more uncomfortable. “I don’t care why you hate Humans, or what you think I did, or why he,” he jerked a thumb at his grinning friend, “will make such a great … Nya-mumbo-jumbo, and so a better Human being.”
“Not, actually, a—” Bha began, but he cut her off.
“Just find a replacement as soon as you can so I can go home. I’m only going to be able to stay under lock and key for so long, before I go insane.” The threat struck home with Iphini Bha for sure. And the effect was entirely ruined as he moved to settle his back at last against the wall.
It was not the wall he was standing before, but the secure door. A door, furthermore, that should only open at the express desire of a duly-delegated executive of the city.
As he moved toward it, the door opened smoothly, dropping him on his ass just outside, into the bustle of the outer office.
All of the movement and commotion died away as the menagerie serving the many stations stopped their work to turn and stare. The array of creatures gaping at him would have been impressive under different circumstances.
He almost expected it when the first scream echoed off the low ceiling of the bunker-like room. When others joined the chorus, he couldn’t stop himself from nodding with a sigh.
Several beings rushed past him and out through the massive blast doors, their cries fading into the distance down the bending corridor outside.
Iphini Bha and Angara rushed out after him, lifted him up by his arms, and dragged him back into the office.
“Everything is alright, everyone!” Bha’s voice was far more commanding than he would have expected. “This is not what it appears to be. Everything will be set to rights soon enough.” They had Marcus settled back in a chair, where he could start to realize that his back hurt from his unanticipated fall. “Please, go back to your duties, and I will let you all know exactly what is happening as soon as the situation allows. But I promise you, all is well.”
“Where’s Administrator Virri?!” One of the creatures shouted the question. Marcus saw that it was the big hulking green brute sitting in the fancy chair on the low stage.
“Please,” Bha was begging now. That wasn’t a good sign. “Go back to your duties, and I will explain everything in due time.”
Before anymore comments could be launched, Bha jumped back into the office and waved the door closed behind her.
“Well, we could have done without that.” Mar
cus couldn’t help the small smile on his face. These two women had been speaking about him as if he wasn’t even in the room since he had arrived. It was nice to see they didn’t know everything.
Of course, his own safety might very well be in jeopardy now …
Angara and the smaller woman stood staring at the closed door, their breathing heavy, their eyes wide.
“Maybe they’ll stay quiet.” Angara didn’t sound like she thought that was likely.
“No. Several ran off down the corridor in a panic. There will be no hiding them now.” Bha shot Justin and Marcus a poisonous look.
“Okay,” Justin pushed himself up from his chair, hands raised in surrender. “This is insane. Why in the name of all that’s holy on God’s green earth are you people so against Humans? We haven’t even made it off our own planet! I mean, sure, we can generally screw things up pretty good when we’ve got a mind to, but we haven’t even had a chance to mess around with your corner of the galaxy yet. What gives?”
Marcus nodded. “You’ve been treating us like animals since you forced us onto your ship.” He waved away the look Justin shot him. “And now, between this air-raid siren and the freak show out in the office there?” He gestured first to Bha and then to the closed door. “I’m not going another step until you tell me what the hell’s going on.”
Bha and Angara exchanged a worried look. By the writhing of their expressions and the twitching of their eyes, it was clear they were trying to decide how much to tell the two Humans, and who would have to do the talking. The silent battle ended with Bha collapsing onto the little stool by the door and the tall bodyguard sighing in frustration.
Angara rounded on Marcus and Justin with iron in her eyes. Her fists rested upon her narrow hips, and her lips curled into a half-snarl that set them both back into their chairs.
“The Humans on Earth are not the only Humans in the galaxy.” She held up a hand to silence their rush of questions at that. “There are small, vicious, nomadic splinter fleets that wander the galaxy, sewing violence and death wherever they go.” Her eyes burned as she continued. “The Humans left roaming at large are not beings you would want to associate with, trust me. They are a barbaric, malicious race of killers trying to resurrect a past they cannot possibly understand through unspeakable acts of horror.”
“What did they splinter from?” Justin was as angry as his friend now.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of past? Where’d these splinter fleets come from? How far back are you talking?”
“Not far enough.” Bha spat the words, then shook her head as Angara gestured for her to take over.
With a sigh, the dark woman finished. “You will not be well-received. That’s really all you need to know.”
Justin and Marcus looked at each other, then back to Angara. She would not meet their eyes.
“It is a truth you must accept.” She said it with authority, but Marcus had the distinct impression that this was even more an evasion than it seemed. “Suffice it to say that Humans are nearly universally reviled, and our work now will be much, much more difficult because of that last little stunt.”
Marcus wanted to object to that. He hadn’t consciously asked the door to open and drop him into the outer office! But he was so close now to so many of the mysteries that had plagued him since Angara Ksaka had whisked them away.
“I assume this splintering happened a long, long time ago?” He shook his head. “How long ago, that you folks still hold such a grudge? And Justin’s right: what did they split from? Where are those Humans?”
Angara’s eyes rose to meet his, and tightened as she looked at him. “I understand your anger; I am more likely to empathize with you than any other being in Penumbra. But the truths you seek do not exist. They are myths and legends now, woven into the very fabric of the galactic society you will have to contend with.”
It was Justin’s turn to shake his head. “Bullshit. This makes no sense. We’re going to be damned for something someone did thousands of years ago that obviously has nothing to do with those of us who grew up on Earth?”
Again the women shared a hooded glance, and then looked away. Angara cleared her throat, and moved to the desk. “Well, do not forget that those feral Humans are still a threat today.” She glanced at Iphini Bha and then continued. “There are many, even here in Penumbra, who live with the scars of their attentions. As for the deeper, more general animosity you will experience, I am afraid I am not qualified to speak to that. It will have to wait for another day. We need to get the two of you situated, and try to consolidate our position with the command staff before fear and rumors carry us all away.”
Bha nodded, standing. “Our task will be much harder now. We will need to move quickly if we are to have any hope at all.” She moved to the desk and two spheres of colored mist rose up from the surface. She stuck her hands into the light and began to twist them about.
“We will need to schedule a full public audience. It is the only way we can hope to curtail the pressure that will be building against us.”
Angara looked back to the Humans. “We will get you to suitable quarters, and then make the preparations for the public audience.”
Marcus felt his heart beating faster. He was great with small groups, but he had never been overly comfortable in front of a large crowd. He was terrified to think of what might be at stake for both of them this time around.
He shook his head. “I don’t get it. What if they find out there’s a Human in charge? What’s the worst that could happen?”
The look Angara gave him was icy cold. “The resulting panic could cause a mass exodus from the city, destabilizing everything and throwing all of Penumbra into a spiral of chaos and destruction. But before that, there are many in the city whose violent natures are not nearly so suppressed as galactic society would like to believe. They could well kill you both out of hand long before the city itself perishes.”
He swallowed, unable to take his eyes from hers, and nodded. “We’ll do what we have to do.”
Bha looked up. “You will do better than that, Human.” She shot a sour look at Angara. “All of our fates are tied to yours, now.”
The bodyguard looked like she wanted to deny this, but then her proud shoulders slipped, and she only nodded.
He hadn’t thought it was possible, but that made Marcus feel even worse.
Chapter 10
Menials bustled about the Central Council Chamber, cleaning the various chair-like pedestals designed for the manifold shapes and sizes of the delegates that would shortly be sitting there. Iphini Bha watched them from the dais, her mind numb. The vast majority of the galaxy did not employ sentients in menial positions, using the latest technologies to create a raft of mechanical servitors that were better suited, cheaper, and faster. Sadly, this was just another thing about living in Penumbra. Without the infrastructure needed to build and maintain an army of automatons, it often felt like she was living in some strange, twisted museum.
She sagged against the raised podium. Due to its unique place in the galaxy, ironically, it just so happened that Penumbra was replete with sentients willing to fulfill these menial tasks. In her mind, it was one of the many shortcomings to being the one location where these misfits and eccentrics could run from the central control of the Galactic Council.
It was all well and good for scholars, philosophers, and exiled bureaucrats to discuss the importance of individual initiative and the power of self-determination. It was quite another for the beings that followed their rhetoric out to the very edges of civilized space with no concrete plan for how they were going to support themselves. And so many of them ended up like these small, fur-covered Kot’i and their big, slick-skinned Tsiikis companions, shuffling around, preparing the chamber for those great thinkers, when and if they deigned to attend.
That made the uneasiness in her stomach surge again, and she backed into one of the chairs lining the rear of the dais. No one was paying any attention to he
r anyway. She was just the deputy, right?
Word had flashed through the city as soon as the pale Human had fallen out of the office. Rushed official announcements had been made of Administrator Virri’s death and the appointment of a new administrator to be introduced at this open session. But rumors had outpaced the proclamations, and the people of Penumbra knew something was terribly wrong. Savage, ridiculous rumors that the new administrator might actually be Human were the wildest tales being told, but they also had the benefit, she thought with a sour twist to her mouth, of being entirely true.
One of the massive doors to the chamber slammed open and Ambassador Taurani came sweeping in. His personal servant, the Eru Iranse, and two Ntja guards followed, taking up positions on either side of the door.
Taurani’s glittering eyes flashed above the pale cream of his robes, his smooth gray complexion shiny beneath the bright lights. It was almost impossible to read the hard, immobile lines of a Kerie face, but something about the glimmer in the ambassador’s eyes suggested the heat of terrible anger.
Iphini stood, pulling her tunic straight as she forced herself up out of her despondent crouch. She forced herself to pocket the stylus. No need to give him any additional proof of her discomfort. She had been hoping to avoid this. Part of Angara Ksaka’s plan, if it could be called a plan, had been to isolate the Humans until the moment of the announcement, hoping that the Penumbran taste for drama and intrigue would carry them all through the initial reaction to the nightmarish revelation.
She should have known Taurani was not going to wait on anyone else’s timeline.
“Deputy Iphini Bha.” Taurani’s voice was a rolling boulder, driving timid menials out of his way. There was no doubting the towering fury of his anger.
“Deny these rumors, Bha.” The words were an open challenge as the ambassador swept down to the edge of the dais and glared up at her, his hands folded in the sleeves of his robe. “Tell me Virri did not bring a Human back to the city to replace him.”
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