“We’re celebrating,” she said, glancing at Dzaka with a huge smile on her face. “Khayal was born on the first anniversary of our becoming lovers, so we couldn’t celebrate then.”
“So this is to celebrate that, and Khayal’s birth two months ago,” finished Dzaka.
“Have you been together that long?” she said in surprise, thinking back. “Gods, it is that long! Congratulations to you both. How is Khayal?”
“He’s fine,” smiled Dzaka.
“He’s developing some brindled coloring like Dzaka’s, now,” said Kitra with a grin. “It looks really strange against his blond pelt.”
“It does not,” said Dzaka. “I think it looks fine.”
“She’s teasing you,” said Carrie.
“I know,” he smiled, taking Kitra’s hand in his.
“How did you manage to wrench him away from Khayal to bring you here?” asked Carrie, winking at Kitra.
“With great difficulty,” she said, keeping a straight face. “He’s so devoted to his son that I come a poor second these days.”
“One of these days I’m going to have to teach you how to lie convincingly,” said Dzaka with a laugh. “It was me who wanted to have you to myself as my mate rather than as Khayal’s mother for an evening.”
Carrie leaned forward to stroke his cheek, then Kitra’s. “I’m so happy for you both,” she said. As she sat back, she glanced at her wrist comm. “Gods, the time! I have to get back. Ray, where are you staying? I’m sorry, I don’t remember if you’re quartered on our estate or here, in town.”
“We’re staying with Ruth for the time being,” he replied, finishing off his coffee.
“Then we can drop you off,” she said. “You don’t mind us all going back together, do you?” she asked Dzaka, who shook his head.
“I’ll call Ni’Zulhu,” he said, activating his wrist comm. “He’ll have an aircar here in about fifteen minutes.”
He’s nice, sent Kitra as they got off at the main estate house. Are you planning to spend some time with him?
Good grief, no! she replied, hurriedly making sure Kaid couldn’t overhear their mental conversation. Why should I want to do that? Or he, come to that?
Because you’re unhappy and he makes you laugh. And he is interested in you. It would do you good, Carrie.
No it wouldn’t, she replied tartly. You wouldn’t do it if . . .
I did when Dzaka and I were separated because of that dreadful betrothal, she interrupted as Dzaka shut the aircar door.
You didn’t, did you? It didn’t exactly work, though, did it?
Well, it made the Chazouns mad, which was what I intended.
Well, I’ve no wish to make Kaid mad, so let’s forget about it!
As you wish. G’night, Carrie!
“Saying good night?” asked Ray as the aircar started up again and headed inland for their estate.
“What? Oh, yes. Kitra was saying good night,” she said, still distracted by what her bond-sister had said.
“You were right about them. They do make a great couple.”
“They do. Dzaka lost his first wife and child when their colony was destroyed by the Valtegans. It hit him really hard. We were all pleased when he and Kitra fell in love because they’re both so good for each other.”
An awkward silence fell until they reached the village and stopped outside Ruth’s.
“Thank you for suggesting a meal,” she said as he got out. “I enjoyed myself.”
“Maybe we could do it again,” he said with a smile.
“Perhaps,” she said. “Good night.”
Kaid was waiting for her when she got in. “You had a nice time,” he said. “I’m glad. It’s so cold outside I thought you might like a hot bath so I made sure we could have the communal bathing room downstairs to ourselves.”
“That would be nice,” she said, surprised, as he helped her off with her coat.
“I also thought I’d give you one of my massages,” he added, putting an arm around her waist and drawing her toward the bathing room. “It’s been a long time since I did that.”
“Why all the sudden attention?” she asked.
“No real reason, except I’ve been getting more stressed than I want to lately and a bath will help me as much as you.” His mouth parted in a very Human grin. “Besides, you know I like giving you massages.”
“I remember them,” she murmured. “It was when my leg and arm were healing after that Challenge I fought. Tonight has been an evening of memories, you know. Dzaka and Kitra were celebrating a year together, and Khayal’s birth on the same day as their anniversary.”
“I can’t believe I’m a grandfather,” he said, shaking his head.
She laughed, reaching up to ruffle his ears. “You have to be the youngest, and at times the oldest, grandfather I know!” she teased.
CHAPTER 13
Next day, Zhal-L’Shoh 27th day (January)
NEXT morning at first meal, Carrie again tried speaking to Kaid about the message from Kusac, but he refused to be drawn. When she got up from the table and walked off, he followed her.
“Carrie, don’t be like this,” he said.
“When you disappeared to go off after Khemu, then got caught by Fyak and Ghezu, we didn’t give up on you,” she said, rounding on him.
“That’s not fair,” he said, pulling back. “You know why I went. It was a matter of honor. She was Dzaka’s mother. I had to make it right for them both.”
“What makes you so damned sure Kusac hasn’t an equally good reason?” she demanded.
“We’d have known!”
“Like we knew about you and Khemu?”
“I admit I had secrets then, but Kusac doesn’t, you know he doesn’t.”
“Why has everything to be so black or white for you, Kaid, especially when most of your life has been nothing but shades of gray? Why can’t you admit there could be gray areas with him, too?”
“I refuse to be drawn into this conversation,” he said, backing away from her toward the dining room door. “When Kusac is found, if he has an explanation, then I’ll listen to it, that’s the most I’ll concede.”
Still fuming, Carrie headed into the main hallway, stopping only long enough to grab her coat from the closet before heading out into the village.
“Never thought I’d say you stupid,” T’Chebbi said, coming out of the kitchen carrying Rishu.
He swung around to face her. “Is there no privacy here anymore?” he demanded.
“Not when you argue so loud,” she said amicably. “You pushing her away. Stupid when are those who interested in her she can go to. Want that, Kaid? Want her to turn to a Human male instead of you?”
He stared at her, mouth hanging open in surprise.
“Common knowledge,” she said. “He asks many questions about her, about you.”
“No, I don’t want that, but it’s up to her, not me,” he said, a look of anguish briefly crossing his face. “I can’t watch Kusac’s message again, T’Chebbi.”
“Why? Because it mentions only her, leaves you on outside?” she asked. “You said her hurt worse than yours, is it? You making her choose between you and Kusac, Kaid, something you said would never do.”
“I am not!”
She nodded. “Yes. Is like you telling her, Forget him, forget what you shared, remember only me and my hurt, not yours or his.”
“Dammit! I am so sick of this matter!” he snarled. “You females stick together like nesting jeggets! I’m going out to find someone rational to talk to!” With that, he left.
Sighing, T’Chebbi hushed her whimpering infant and headed into the lounge to call Rezac, Kaid’s father.
Suddenly feeling the need for another Human to talk to, Carrie stomped off through the lightly falling snow to Ruth’s house. As usual, even though first meal was well over and Ruth’s daughter Mandy and fosterling Daira, a young male Sholan, were at the estate school, Ruth had a full kitchen—full of half the archaeological team,
including Josh and Mara, the only known Human Leska pair. Ruth’s home was a kind of halfway house for newly gene-altered young Human telepaths, a place for them to adjust more easily to their new lives among the Sholans. At the moment, she had none living with her so the two visiting Earth doctors were lodging there.
Today, Ruth had taken refuge in her lounge, and was sitting at her table with her comp running while looking through a pile of books.
“Carrie, come and look at this,” she said in English, beckoning her over. “They’ve brought out a book about Vartra’s Retreat, full of all the wonderful murals from before their Cataclysm on the walls there. They are so like Earth is now that you wouldn’t believe it!”
“I’ve seen them,” she said, nodding to Jurrel who was sitting in the middle of the floor working on the main vid unit. Taking off her coat, she threw it over a dining chair before joining Ruth at the table.
Looking up, Ruth shut her books and turned away from the comp. “Mara!” she called. “Bring us a coffee, would you, love?”
“Already done,” smiled Mara, coming in with two mugs which she put in front of them. “We’ll be off shortly, when Toueesut arrives to let us know his folk are ready.”
Ruth nodded. “Are you sure it isn’t too cold for you up there in that cavern? What about the snow? I heard there was going to be a blizzard later today.”
“There is, but not till after dark and we’ll be back long before then. And it isn’t too cold. Today we’re only going up to get some bits to work on in the hanger they put up at the side of the village parking lot.”
Ruth nodded. “Take care, nonetheless.”
“We’ll be fine. Rulla’s driving us.”
Ruth made a face. “Then be doubly careful!”
“Are you inferring I don’t know how to drive in snow?” asked Rulla, coming into the room and bending over to nuzzle Ruth’s neck. “I’ll remind you I’m Brotherhood, I got my pilot’s license at Stronghold and it rates as the most dangerous place to fly in and out of, even in high summer. A blizzard here is nothing compared to the whiteouts we have on the Dzahai Mountain ranges.”
“I know, I’m only teasing,” she said placatingly as she patted her Companion’s cheek.
“Well met, Carrie,” he said, smiling at her. “May the sun shine on you today.”
“And on you, Rulla,” she said, feeling a pang of sorrow that she and Kaid had lost that closeness.
“I’ll see you later, Rulla, ” said Ruth. “Now scat, and shut the door behind you and tell everyone else to stay out, I’m busy.”
“What about me?” asked Jurrel from the floor, hunting in his toolbox for something.
“I don’t mind you being here, Jurrel,” Carrie said. “Ruth needs her vid working.”
“Let me guess what the problem is,” said Ruth, picking up her mug. “Kaid and Kusac.”
Carrie nodded.
“Before you start, tell me what your deepest fear is. Forget all the niggles, little or large, they aren’t the issue.”
She took her tobacco tin and lighter out of her trouser pocket and rolled herself a cigarette, marshaling her thoughts. It was something of a relief to be thinking and speaking her native tongue after so long, made it a little easier to work out what was really at the heart of the matter.
“I’m afraid that Kusac’s message to me is a cry for help,” she said finally, lighting up. “And no one who could help me solve it will look at it for me. They all say I’m kidding myself.”
“No one primarily being Kaid,” said Ruth.
She nodded again.
“Well, how about showing it to me? I haven’t seen it before and I certainly don’t mind watching it.”
“I’ve got a transcript, too,” Carrie said, bringing the folded paper out of her pocket along with the crystal.
Ruth took the crystal and put it into the reader then started playing it.
Not far into it, Jurrel spoke up. “I didn’t know Kusac had been given a command yet,” he said.
“Excuse me?” asked Carrie, turning to look at him. “He hasn’t. What made you think he has?”
“The inlay on his knife. The Brotherhood awards us a brass-colored inlay mark on our knife hilt every time we get given command of a mission,” he explained, getting up and taking out his knife to show them. “Of course, I haven’t commanded a mission yet,” he said. “It’s the outward symbol of your rank since we don’t hold ranks normally.”
Carrie rubbed her hand across the hexagon-shaped black hilt. “Where would it be?” she asked, searching through her acquired memories for the reference.
“Here,” he said, pointing to the upper end by the flat lozenge-shaped pommel. “If you rewind the message to the beginning, I’ll show you.”
Ruth exchanged a glance with Carrie as she rewound it and set it to play again.
“Stop it right there,” said Jurrel. “Kusac’s fiddling with his knife. See? And there’s the mark.”
Shaped like a small claw slash, wider at the top than the bottom, they could clearly see it.
“You’d have to know to look for it,” he added. “If you start the message up again, you can see that when he puts it down, the mark’s hidden.”
“Hidden in plain sight,” murmured Carrie. “No, Kusac’s never commanded a mission. He led the Jalna one jointly with Kaid, but there was no mark on his knife then or after.”
“Seems to me you’ve found something,” said Ruth. “He was obviously drawing attention to the knife by playing with it, so he wanted you to notice it.”
“Not me,” she said thoughtfully. “Kaid. That was for Kaid.” She turned to Jurrel. “You better watch the rest of it in case there’s anything else I wouldn’t know about. Does it mean what I think it does, Jurrel?”
“It means that he’s had his knife marked to show he’s commanded a mission,” said Jurrel, dragging over a dining chair and putting his half-finished mug of c’shar on the table. “And given that Banner’s gone with him, it’s my bet they’re on a mission right now.” He looked at her. “I don’t think Kusac’s gone off on his own, Carrie. I think he and Banner were sent somewhere.”
“By Stronghold,” she said, aware of her heart suddenly beginning to beat faster. “That’s why they didn’t give me the message until I asked for it!”
“If it’s secret, and it must be, they’ll have crawled all over this to make sure he didn’t give away anything about it.”
“Then how did they miss the knife?” asked Ruth.
Jurrel shrugged. “It’s so obvious. The message would probably have been examined in the cryptography department and they wouldn’t have been looking for something so blatant. Had the message been Kaid’s, then Rhyaz would likely have gone over it too since Kaid’s known to be a devious bastard,” he grinned. “With someone like Kusac, a Clan Leader and Kaid’s sword-brother, cryptography would ignore that, assuming he’d already led his first mission.”
He put his hand briefly over Carrie’s. “Don’t get your hopes too high, yet, Carrie. We need more evidence of a hidden message, then we need to check with Kaid about the command mark on the knife. Until then, it’s still speculation.”
“It’s more than I’ve had till now,” she said. “And it would explain a lot of his behavior, like the sudden row with Kaid before he left.”
Ruth frowned. “How would it explain that?”
“Look at it this way,” said Jurrel. “The mission had to be top secret since Banner didn’t even drop me a hint about it. With Carrie’s twins due in a few days, the last thing anyone at Stronghold would want is Kaid demanding either to go with Kusac, or to follow him.” He reached for the keyboard. “May I?” he asked.
Ruth made a gesture of agreement. “Carry on.”
“What are we looking for?” asked Carrie as he started to play the message from the beginning.
“First of all, his inflection as he speaks, and any hand signals, but I don’t expect to find anything,” he murmured. “Not if cryptography have been
over it. Next, any break in sequence to show they cut out sections of it. Then we’ll look at your transcript for key words, like names, or dates and numbers, stuff like that. All of them can be used to give coded information.”
A couple of hours and several pieces of paper later, they seemed to be no further along than before.
“We’ve several instances of numbers,” said Jurrel, doodling on the margin of the top piece of paper. “Mainly references to two, like him and Ghyan, your twin, your two children, since he knew nothing about Dhaykin. Then there’s his five missing crew mates, and then again two for the two of you, and the reference to going sailing with Ghyan when he was ten, but if you tie them into letters in the alphabet, you don’t get any words that make sense. I don’t know what to make of it, Carrie.”
“Then it can’t be numbers,” said Ruth briskly. “Let’s face it, that’s so obvious Stronghold would get it immediately, wouldn’t they?”
“There is that,” admitted Jurrel.
“So given this is a one-off important message, we should look at what he does talk about. He mentions children several times. Why would children be so important to him?”
Carrie shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said, feeling near to tears now that her hopes seemed to be coming to nothing.
“He mentions your twin, Elise. What was the reference to her about?” asked Jurrel. “What did she do that could be similar to what Kusac’s done?”
“I have no idea,” Carrie said, rubbing her eyes with one hand. “Elise didn’t have any issues except she hated the Valtegans and joined the guerrillas to spy on them as her way of fighting back.”
“Maybe that’s it. Kusac was sent to spy on someone,” said Ruth. “But who?”
“Not the Primes or we’d have heard by now,” said Jurrel thoughtfully. “Nor the M’zullians, we have the Watcher ships doing that. Why send Kusac and Banner to do the same job?”
“Who’s left?”
“Kezule,” said Carrie, sitting up. “He’s gone missing from the Prime world.”
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