“They made me think the forest was haunted. I never went back there after that happened.”
“Now what are you up to?”
“I’m studying veterinary medicine at the university. I hope to one day go out to other worlds and be responsible for taking care of wild animals.”
“That is a noble cause. I think my husband would appreciate that, with his love of hunting.”
“He limits himself to controlled environments with a permit, right?”
“Of course. Aerak has even made calls on multiple occasions to have animals rescued. There was an accident involving a family of kyaeris, and then there was a time where someone was poaching off the edge of a hunting zone; Aerak undid the trap and stayed an extra day to catch the poacher.”
Zoey said, “A family of kyaeris, you said? I’m trying to remember what that is. Oh, right, they’re called deer on Earth. Never mind.”
Bon’sinne giggled at her. “I guess I will settle for one of the butter cakes today, and a cup for jasmine tea.”
“Sure, I’ll get those for you. That will be eighty burras.” She prepared the cup of hot water, and a tea bag from a round container, while her mom proceeded to pay for her selection. Brach’geros handled the register. “By the way, Tonny has a thing on the 27th. She’s at the forefront of her team for her class’s debate.”
“Oh, good for her.”
“She wanted to know if you wanted to come watch with us that afternoon. It’ll be a couple hours after we get out of Martial Arts.”
“You said the 27th? Oh no, I wish I could. Your dad and I made an arrangement for that evening. He’s due to be in range for the evening, so the latency between video feeds will be minimal. We were going to have as close to a candlelit dinner as we can get without teleporting to one another.”
“Why do you not teleport then?”
“Well, he’s still in the middle of a mission, and will thus need to pick up speed and hurry along if the mission calls for it. It’s happened a few times before, for either of us. When work calls, it calls.”
“Good luck then, Mom. I hope you two have a wonderful evening.”
“Thank you, dear.”
* * *
A couple nights later, the sun was setting while Zoey sat in the living room of the condo. She had her sister’s computer in her hands and was working on her ever-growing research paper that might have gone above and beyond the requirements set by Doctor Evrahn. She had gone so far; how much further could she take it?
It continued to amaze her, actually, how this device was more powerful than any desktop computer she had seen on Earth, and yet it never once overheated during the warmer months she was here. The battery and motherboard remained cool. Charging it once every one or two days was still a must, though.
The door to Dasos’s bedroom opened. Zoey had forgotten that her brother had company inside his room since they were quiet until now. The Ginserei woman walked out, and Zoey waved at her. This must have been her third time here, and Zoey still didn’t know her name.
Zoey got up and crossed the living room. “Hi, I don’t think I caught your name.”
“He never told you?” said the young woman who appeared to be closer to the same age as she was. “It’s Shungdi. You must be his younger sister, Zoey.”
“That I am. I should ask if he’s a good boyfriend to you, if only so I don’t pester him about it later.”
“What, hey?” said Dasos from his room.
Shungdi giggled and said, “It isn’t quite like that between us. We keep running into one another is all. Today I wanted to tell him off about a kidnapping that happened this morning, involving a Ginserei child and a group identified as being Aelfs. He asked me a few very fair questions, and then I came to my senses not ten minutes ago. Don’t ask me about the hours in between.”
“Mind if I check something?” Zoey asked.
“Check what? What are you doing?”
Zoey pressed the back of her fingers on Shungdi’s forehead, and then against one of her forearms. She then said, “Maybe I’m wrong about that. Never mind. I feared for you for a moment there.”
“You are an odd one.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Still, I would appreciate it if you did not reveal so candidly how intimate your brother and I have gotten as of late. It’s taboo where I’m from.”
“Are you from a High House then?”
“That I am. I’m glad you are aware of this custom of ours.”
“My girlfriend told me a fair deal about it. She’s from Ginserei, actually.”
“Girlfriend? Wait, so you and one of my kind who’s also a girl? Stars beyond, that’s more than enough for me.” She let out a nervous laugh. “So, if I may ask, where is this girlfriend of yours now?”
“She is rehearsing for a debate on the 27th. She doesn’t like being anywhere near the center of attention when she can help it, but she’s leading her team for class.”
“Oh! I love debates.”
“You do?”
“It’s one of my favorite things. I suppose you might think I am the odd one now. I once debated with more than half of my family for seven consecutive hours about the ramifications of law for the ruler’s sake versus law for the people. By the end of it they were too exhausted to go any further. How long is this class debate set for?”
* * *
Weeks later, people who came in attendance to this series of debates filtered into the amphitheater to watch a handful of topics being discussed by university students. Tong-Chang’s group was up first tonight. She had told Zoey the night before that she was nervous, but Zoey gave her the confidence boost she needed.
After a recent string of bad news across the alliance territory, and growing unrest between all four races now, Zoey wondered if anyone was here to see reason and sanity prevail for one night. She wondered how many people hoped to see current events or issues discussed when these students spent the past month or longer researching other topics.
More than likely, however, many people attending were bound to be friends or family members of those performing upon the stage. The amphitheater appeared to be more packed than she had come to expect for this kind of event.
“It’s too bad Mom couldn’t come,” said Dasos as they picked a seat close to the front. They lucked out in that regard.
“Yeah, but she and Dad really wanted their dinner date to happen tonight,” said Zoey. “I’m glad you were able to come, Shungdi.”
Shungdi said, “Yes, thank you for inviting me. This should be fascinating. It’s a little warm in here, though, don’t you think?
“It feels fine to me. Dasos?” She watched him wave it off.
“How very odd. You know what, though? I’m not sure I’ve seen your girlfriend or asked for her name before.”
“I could have sworn I told you. It’s Tonny.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’ve said this much a couple times, but Tonny doesn’t sound Ginserei, or even Aelfen. I’m not sure yet if she’s real, or if that’s her actual name.”
“Good point. Her given name is Tong-Chang.”
“Tong-Chang?” Her voice trailed off into some unknown plateau of thought.
The students participating for the first round for the debates came onto the stage and took their bows. Tong-Chang was among them, wearing a sweater that hid the fact that her belly was growing.
“Tong-Chang of High House Leezu,” Shungdu said.
“How’d you get that much? Do you know her?” said Zoey, giggling at her for a moment.
Seconds later, Tong-Chang stepped closer to Dasos and Zoey to wave to them personally and blow kisses their way. She stopped when her eyes fell on Shungdi. Her hands raised to her mouth, and her eyes bulged. Her skin turned ashen. She heaved. Tong-Chang’s head shook.
Shungdi then said, “Hello, sister.”
[ 43]
The two siblings stared incredulously at Shungdi. Zoey felt the entire weight of her body press against her seat as
she leaned back. Shungdi smiled on, unflinching.
“You are of High House Leezu?” Zoey said.
“It would have been nice to know this sooner than later,” Dasos said.
Shungdi said, “I apologize. I suppose I could have told you, but the information was sensitive, especially given everything that has happened of late. As such, protocol demanded that I keep as much silence as possible, including the reason I came here. I understand if this upsets you, and I’m sorry.”
Meanwhile, one of Tong-Chang’s classmates walked to Tonny and comforted her. They talked to one another. Tong-Chang’s classmate looked toward the trio and back to her. In moments she was calm again and ready to go for her debate. The moderator, their class doctor, asked her if she was alright, as far as Zoey could tell with her limited and unimpressive ability to read lips. Tong-Chang nodded, her eyes closed as she took a while to breathe.
The moderator stepped forward with the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I welcome you to Elysium University’s semi-annual Live Debates in Trullwick. Tonight we have for you six groups, three discussions, presenting.
“Before we begin, every one of us, regardless of place of birth or gender, extend our condolences to the families reeling after the travesty that befell Natt Halvaegs. There can be no hurt greater than losing the ones we love, or to be betrayed by those whom we thought we could trust. Tonight, here in this bastion of life and knowledge, we call you all family.”
There were nods and applause around the room. It wasn’t anywhere near able to undo the devastating explosion that had racked one of the rings of the station situated halfway between Elysium IX and Ginserei Prime, but it was a satisfactory comment.
The moderator said, “As for our first topic tonight, we have a discussion on the ethics of advanced biomechanical engineering. As technology grows, and new ideas are tested, we find ourselves asking important questions in regards to whether or not such developments are worth pursuing, if laws should be updated, or if all caution should be interred toward the cosmos. Our two groups will explain their positions.”
He raised a hand toward Tong-Chang’s table. She took the microphone and said, “My name is Tong-Chang Leezu. Our position here is that . . .”
* * *
When Tong-Chang stepped out of the designated door for performers, into the surrounding hall of the campus amphitheater, Zoey spotted her on the verge of having a breakdown. Zoey called out to her from across the room and ran to her, giving her a tight squeeze and warm embrace.
“You did great,” Zoey said.
“Thank you, love” Tong-Chang said, “but what is she doing here?” She pointed toward Shungdi, who walked over to them alongside Dasos with a cup of iced tea in her hands. “I thought the two of you would never do a thing like this to me; never once in a million revolutions.”
“We didn’t know she was your sister. Both she and Das started having this thing one day, and we both kind of befriended one another without her telling us which High House she belonged to.”
“Really now? So was that you we heard getting it on with Dasos one time?”
Shungdi said, “I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell anyone, least of all our family.”
“It’s not like I talk to them very often. I barely talk to Mother. I’m the last person who would tell any of them that you’re getting it on with an Aelf, not to mention a boy who’s been more family to me than our actual brothers ever were.”
“That hasn’t exactly been their fault, Tong-Chang. You really should contact the rest of us more often. In fact, that is why I’m here.”
“Well, you’ve contacted me. You can go home now. Please go home.”
“Father is dying, sister.”
Tong-Chang stood there, raising a finger and preparing to fire a comeback or retort that wouldn’t come. She shook her head and walked away, toward the nearest exit. The rest of their group followed until they were all outside and Tong-Chang finally stopped. She held her hands over her ears.
She turned and said, “Dying? How?”
“We aren’t entirely sure,” Shungdi said. “A couple of our brothers suspected poison, which might have made sense if you looked at most of his symptoms alone. But there are more of them, and this has been ongoing for the last four months. Poisons aren’t exactly known to act this slow. Some of us thought he was ill until the day after the masquerade that you had attended in his place.”
“His place? Shungdi, Father never sets foot off of Ginserei.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. He did it once five revolutions ago, hoping to find you, but he was called away on business so often that he never got the chance to ask around for you before returning home. An admiral called him away for business every time he set foot outside of the embassy. For a few revolutions after that he represented our nation at that annual masquerade, and it broke his heart that he could not go to this one since it was on Elysium IX. Mother tells me that, had you not called and offered to take his place, his health might have deteriorated faster.”
“Don’t you dare. He never showed love for me when I was still on Ginserei.”
“He was strict; he still can be. Yet he can be kind and a romantic. Every time you used his yingbi, he suspected that you were alright, but he investigated the locations on each occasion to be sure. He bought two of those locations and made them better, but we don’t know if you had ever returned to them.”
“That was him? How could he? How can you defend him?”
“The owners needed help, Tong-Chang. They needed lots of money and better management. He stepped in and changed that, for you. He did it so that you could have somewhere better to go. As a bonus, the investment made our family back the yingbi with profit, earning him favor from the emperor. It’s favor he hopes will continue to serve you one day.”
“Stop it.”
“He loves you, and wants you to take over as head of the family. I was unsure of the decision at first, but then I saw you tonight. Above all, I wish I didn’t terrify you so, but you turned that fright around when you were on stage. You performed admirably. Well, no, I also wish you’d tell me why you’re wearing that sweater. Are you not as hot as I am?” Shungdi sipped on her iced tea. “It’s summer.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It has to be. I’m burning up.”
“We’re in the southern hemisphere, and it’s winter. Shungdi? Hey.”
Shungdi collapsed on the ground. She looked at her tea and chucked it into the night. “Poison,” she said. “I have been poisoned.” Her eyes widened, and both Zoey and Dasos crouched after her. Her body radiated with such heat.
Zoey said, “How long have you been feeling warmer than usual?”
“It started yesterday, I think. Why? Do you think it wasn’t the tea? Stars beyond, do I have what Father has?”
“Do you feel anything else? Numbness? Nausea? Anything at all?”
“I feel pride for my family, and the ongoing enjoyment of this taboo affair I’m having. It’s insatiable. Maybe I’m liking that a little too much, but I don’t see how that’s relevant. Why do you ask?”
Tong-Chang whispered, “Oh no.”
Dasos said, “Yeah, I’ve seen this before. Should I take her to the nearest hospital, Tonny?”
“No,” said Tong-Chang, “that won’t be necessary. Take my sister to wherever it is that she’s staying.”
“That would be the embassy.”
“Of course it is. Zoey, you may wish to come with me, but it’s up to you. I need to buy something from the pharmacy.”
* * *
“No, not here,” she said in a state of delirium, “it’ll make a scene. We don’t want another incident.”
They neared the Ginserei Embassy in the heart of the city of Trullwick. Shungdi stumbled every few steps while Dasos held her up by her waist. He could now see two men in Ginserei suits—complete with yellow and red pins on their collars to represent the world they hailed from—standing in front of the g
ate, and then the woman in front of the main doors. The three of them turned their gazes to Dasos.
One of them reached for a palistick at his waist. Dasos considered for a moment if he could take the Ginserei man in a fight. For one thing, he did not know the combat abilities of either of these guards. For another, starting a fight with any of them, for any reason, really would start an incident.
“We need help,” Dasos said. “We need to get her to her room immediately.”
“You will halt,” said the guard holding his palistick.
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