“No more business,” said Banner. “Unless you found anything interesting in your translations?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. Yesterday and today all I was working on were inventories from various departments on the ship. Interesting only in that it adds another element to the biopic I’m building of their culture. Oh,” he said, remembering. “When Kezule’s finished with the Zan’droshi, he’s going to get his commandos to train the Ch’almuthians. He’d like you to help, and in a week or two, observe them and their trainees and assess how both are doing. He wants to make sure his people are capable of taking over from us when we leave.”
“So he really intends to stick to his bargain?”
Kusac frowned. “Of course.”
“Just good to hear him anticipating our departure after all his changes of plans. Are you intending to go to the rec tonight?” asked Banner.
“In an hour or two, yes,” he said. “I want to shower first as I may head up to the pool later on, when I know it’s going to be quiet.”
Banner grinned. “Gets crowded now, doesn’t it, despite Kezule’s schedules.”
He shrugged. He was meeting Zayshul and Ghidd’ah there later. Meeting her had become a little easier now that Ghidd’ ah was around to keep watch and make it look less obvious that they were trying to be alone. “That’s why I go later.”
Banner got to his feet. “I’ll let you get on, then,” he said. “Mind if I take my coffee with me?”
“Help yourself,” he said.
“Ah, Zhalmo,” said Kezule, getting up as his daughter entered. He gestured to the informal area. “Please, take a seat, and be at ease,” he added.
Zhalmo relaxed her military posture and walked over to sit on the sofa, wondering what this was about. She was on bridge duty right now, and with the Zan’droshi right outside their landing bay lit up as if for a festival, the General depended on their long-range scanners to give them advance warning if anyone was in the vicinity. Granted her shift was almost over, but it was most unlike him to take anyone off essential duties like this, even for an interview.
She noticed the jug of maush and the two glass drinking vessels sitting on the low table, and became even more intrigued. This wasn’t like him at all.
Kezule took the easy chair opposite her and picking up the jug, poured drinks for them. Lifting one dish, he handed it to her.
“I thought it was time we had a chat,” he said, obviously uneasy in this social role he’d imposed on himself. “Are you getting on well here? Making friends?”
Even more perplexed, she accepted the bowl and took a sip of the drink. “Yes,” she said, wondering what was expected of her. “Life here is good. The training facilities are far better than at the City of Light, and I’ve enjoyed learning from Captain Aldatan and his crew.”
“Good,” he said. “That’s good. How do you get on with our visitors?”
“I’ve never had a problem with them,” she said. “Except for the one called Dzaou,” she added. “But then even his own people have problems with him. He’s more than just disagreeable, it goes deeper than that.”
Kezule nodded, obviously ill at ease. He hadn’t touched his drink and he sat with his hands held restlessly in his lap.
“The Captain is containing him, though.”
“Yes,” she agreed, wondering where this was going. “Is there something wrong, General?” she asked. She could sense he was building up to something but had no idea what it was.
“How do you get on with the Captain?” he asked finally, his eyes catching hers briefly for the first time.
“Well enough,” she said, feeling a sudden chill of premonition. “Not what I’d call friends because he doesn’t give much away about himself to anyone.”
“You like him, though.”
“I’ve nothing against him, if that’s what you mean,” she said cautiously.
“M’kou said you will seek out his company in the rec.”
She put her drinking bowl down on the table. “If you’re asking me am I attracted to him, then yes,” she said. “What female wouldn’t be, even without that marker on him? He holds himself back and slightly aloof from everyone, yet when he is with you, he’s charming. What is it you want to know, General?” she asked, tired of beating about the bush.
Kezule looked at her again. “Has he shown any interest in you?”
“Some,” she admitted, thinking back to the night Zayshul had got so mad at her when Kusac had walked her back to her room after the rec session. “Why?”
Again he looked away. “You know about the scent marker,” he said. “And the fact it wasn’t my wife who put it there.”
“We’ve said nothing,” she said almost defensively, appalled that he could think any of them would disobey his direct orders. “If he’s found out, then it wasn’t one of us. If you want to keep him from finding out, the Ch’almuthians must be considered a security risk.” Privately every one of them was sure the Doctor had marked the Sholan Captain, but if their father decided to believe otherwise, it was not their job to question him.
“No one’s accusing you of anything,” he reassured her hurriedly. “And I spoke to our new settlers myself.” He hesitated. “Your brother, M’kou ... his female has scent-marked him. You know this?”
She nodded. “Yes. She’s a good match for him.”
“I know. Like me, you’ve all inherited the ability to know your natural mates so you can breed true.”
She cocked her head on one side, a slightly puzzled look on her face. Was that what this was about? “How can we breed true?” she asked. “Surely we’re half-breed Primes?”
“No. Certain Prime females still carry the extra glands that the Warrior caste carry. You do, as do all your sisters. In fact, you can utilize them as well as your brothers.”
Zhalmo stirred. This was unexpected. “How?” she asked.
“Biofeedback,” he said, waving his hand as if this was an irrelevancy. “I intend to show you all shortly. They chose your mothers because they carried these traits, as does Zayshul.”
“So what are we?” she asked. “Primes, or what?”
“Valtegans,” he said. “As we once were, not like those of my time, or even those of today. You’ll know instinctively those who are compatible with you.”
“Then at least our brothers have some choice,” she said dryly. “There are no such males among the Primes.”
“I know,” he said, finally reaching for his drink. “That’s one of the main reasons why we needed the Ch’almuthians. But none of this is why I wanted to talk to you.”
“Then what?”
“The Sholan Captain. I’m sure that because of your brother, you’re well aware of the effects of a marker on the other females.”
Again, as he took a sip from his drink, she could see he was becoming acutely uneasy. “Yes,” she said, the feeling of dread returning.
“Then you can appreciate the situation my wife is in,” he said, concentrating on his drink.
This time she said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
“I’d hoped our resident TeLaxaudin could have found some way to turn this marker off, but that’s not been the case.”
“As I understand it,” she said carefully, concentrating on picking up her bowl and taking a small drink from it. “It can only be removed by the female who put it there. Besides, it’s only an attraction—it can be ignored.”
“Maybe our species can,” he said sharply, looking up. “but the Sholan can’t! With him it’s created an obsession! Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. I want it stopped now, before it becomes a greater embarrassment, and before it goes any further!” He banged the bowl down on the table, making the contents slop over the rim.
She had noticed, which was why she’d backed off from Kusac—that and because as far as she could see, the Doctor was equally affected by it. “Why are you telling me all this?” she asked, replacing the bowl. “What has it to do with me?”
�
��You said you’re attracted to the Captain,” he said. “I just wanted you to know that I’m in favor of your interest. If I can make your ... pursuit of him any easier, by giving you a posting working with him, for instance, let me know.” He hesitated for a moment, then began to speak rapidly. “There are certain common medications that will make him more relaxed if necessary. All I’m asking is that when you do ... achieve your objective, you scent-mark him.”
She stared at him, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. “Are you asking me to seduce and scent-mark the Sholan Captain—against his will if necessary?” she asked, hearing the disbelief in her own voice.
Kezule winced but didn’t look away this time. “Yes. I’m only asking you to do something you want to do anyway. It’s Zayshul I’m thinking of here, as well as the Captain,” he said. “Hopefully, your scent marker will replace the one that’s on him now, ending what’s become an untenable situation for all three of us. Then, the next time you’re together, or even the same night, you turn it off.”
“Absolutely not,” she said, trying to keep the anger from her voice. “I may be attracted to him, but I have no intention of forcing myself on him, with or without his consent! You taught us that a Warrior should be as ethical as possible in his dealings with friends and allies—this is neither, and will turn Captain Aldatan from a friend into an enemy when he finds out! Besides, it won’t work. You can’t replace one marker with another, otherwise what would be the point of us being able to mark males at all?”
“It’s still worth trying. My wife is being drawn to him, Zhalmo. Every day that this damned marker remains on him, her attraction to him grows stronger, as does his to her!” said Kezule, leaning forward slightly. “It must be stopped.”
“Then may I respectfully ask why you canceled our orders to keep them apart and instead have them working in close proximity to each other?” she asked, getting to her feet and standing rigidly at attention. “I must refuse your request—unless it is an order.” She stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him. If all she’d wanted with the Sholan was one night, she’d have pushed her slight advantage home when they’d first met, but she didn’t.
Kezule sighed and sat back in his seat. “Relax, Zhalmo,” he said tiredly. “It wasn’t an order. I didn’t think you’d agree, if it’s any comfort to you, but since you’re the only one Kusac’s taken an interest in, I had to ask you. As to why I stopped keeping them apart, I needed to learn for myself how the marker was affecting them both.”
She relaxed her stance a little, accepting what was from him an apology.
“May I be excused now?” she asked.
Kezule nodded. “Yes. You’re off duty now, I had your relief report early.” He caught her gaze with his. “This conversation must remain private, Zhalmo.”
When she reached the door, she stopped briefly. “Captain Aldatan won’t show an interest in anyone else until the marker’s removed,” she said. “That’s the point of it.”
“I know, which was why I spoke to you. You were my best hope after Giyarishis said there was nothing he could do.”
“I’m sorry, General, but not even for worthy reasons could I do that,” she said awkwardly.
“Forget we even spoke about it, Zhalmo,” he said. “I didn’t realize you felt such loyalty to the Sholan.”
When she’d gone, M’kou came in from the Ready Room next door.
“Did you hear everything?” asked Kezule. The talk with his daughter had exhausted him because she’d been right. His whole plan was dishonorable in the extreme, beneath even his own contempt for one of his caste and principles, but he didn’t know what else to do.
“Yes, General,” said M’kou quietly, taking Zhalmo’s vacated seat on the sofa.
“Is there no one else he’s shown an interest in?”
M’kou thought for a moment. “There’s Ghidd’ah,” he said dubiously. “He’s been seen quite a few times going about in her company since we returned from Ch’almuth, but she’s a close friend of the Doctor’s. I wouldn’t recommend even talking to her.”
“Agreed,” said Kezule, rubbing his hand over his eyes. “Then we need to find a female willing to use subterfuge to seduce him. That’s going to have to be up to you, M’kou. You know everyone here. There must be the odd female from our original group who’s less principled than the rest.”
“There’s one or two,” M’kou agreed. “In fact, though the bet they had to see who’d be first to couple with a Sholan has been won, there’s still another that hasn’t—to see who’d be first to seduce the Captain. I know someone who’d like to win, regardless of how it’s accomplished, but she’s a Ch’almuthian.”
“Speak to her and get it set up as soon as possible,” said Kezule, closing his eyes. “I want this over with, for the good of both of them. Don’t forget, she needs to scent-mark him, then turn it off.”
“General, wouldn’t it be easier all round just to let the Doctor go to him and turn it off?”
“No,” he said unequivocally. “She didn’t put the marker there in the first place so it wouldn’t help, and I’m afraid if she tried, it would only make the situation between them worse.”
“You realize the Captain will probably have to be drugged if she’s to couple with him at least twice?”
“Just arrange it, M’kou,” he said tiredly. “I know you don’t want to do it any more than I do, but it has to be done.”
“It’s the Captain’s birthday today and they’re planning something for him in the rec,” said M’kou thoughtfully. “Tonight would be the ideal time. I’ll need some clothing of the Doctor’s. It will make it easier if he thinks it’s her to start with.”
“Go ahead. You know where everything is in our suite.”
When Kusac joined Banner in the rec, his Second was already sitting with Khadui and a small group of females that included Lorish and Kiosh. Looking round, he caught sight of Dzaou with Ghidd’ah and some of her friends, but of Jayza there was no sign.
“No Jayza?” he asked, flicking his loose hair over his shoulders then picking up his ale.
“Up at the pool with Shezhul,” said Banner with a grin. “Lirtosh says he’s becoming very popular.”
Lorish nodded. “He’s pleasant company, as well as being young and energetic,” she laughed. “We like that in him.”
“I don’t doubt it,” he murmured with a faint smile of his own.
“It won’t do him any harm,” said Banner, quietly. “He hasn’t chosen his specialist field yet. I was going to ask you to recommend him for the Diplomatic Corps.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” he said, making a mental note to observe Jayza more closely. Their experiences here would qualify all of his crew for at least a field rating in AlRel, were they in any other Guild.
“Kiosh has been telling us that they were helping the Ch’almuthians stock up the old store on this level,” said Khadui. “It should be open in a day or two.”
“I didn’t know they’d be ready to open so soon,” he said. “The Khalossa had several stores, but most of their goods were for the females because we had a mixed crew. What kind of goods will they be selling and how are we supposed to pay for them?”
“Kezule’s introducing a currency tomorrow,” said Banner. “Apparently he and M’kou have been working on the idea off and on for the last couple of weeks. We’ll all be issued with fifty credits at first meal tomorrow, and fifty more each week.”
“Even us?”
Khadui nodded. “Even us.”
“I suppose they’ll start charging us for the ale then,” Kusac said.
“Only a small, token amount, but the spirits will cost more,” said Banner. “As for goods, Lorish says there will be clothing, material, and threads, jewelry, foodstuffs and sweets, pottery—luxury goods and some basics, the usual mix though not on the commercial scale you’d get on our ships. And, of course, custom-made goods will be available as well. They’ve also got books, which is what I’m most intereste
d in, though accepting even credits from Kezule goes against my grain.”
“Definitely worth checking out,” he said, looking around as he suddenly picked up a stir of suppressed excitement.
“How’s your work with the Ch’almuthians going?” asked Khadui.
Surprised at the other’s inquiry, he looked back at him. “All right,” he said. “I’m beginning to form a good idea of the workings of their culture and it isn’t that far off the civilian side here.”
“How about their religion?” the older male continued. “Are they happy with the idea of a main fertility Goddess?”
He was formulating an answer when he saw Zayshul come through the door. They’d been together in his quarters the previous evening, under some pretext Ghidd’ah, who’d been with her, had thought up, but his senses were still heightened enough to pick up her scent immediately despite the crowded rec.
“They gave up Emperor worship immediately after their Empire collapsed,” he began, trying not to watch her as she crossed the room and passed him with a small nod and smile. “Being mainly an agricultural world, their fertility Goddess is about the only one they follow now.”
He could sense she’d stopped not far behind him, then a moment later, he could smell her scent getting closer again. Then she was leaning past him and placing a large plate, covered with small, round decorated cookies in front of him.
“Banner told us it was your birth day today,” she said, accepting the chair that materialized behind her and sitting down beside him. “This is what we have on that day, so Happy Birth Day, Kusac.”
Taken aback, he could say nothing as those at his table wished him well.
“I’d forgotten about it,” he said, his ears still tilted back in embarrassment. “Thank you.”
“You must eat the top one yourself,” said Zayshul, “but the rest are for you to give to your friends. For us, to be given one is good luck.”
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