“Then tell me what your Leska saw.”
“She saw a temple very like this, with the statue of Vartra,” said Kusac reluctantly. “He spoke to her, asking if she was content and telling her that too many lives had been lost because of our Talents.” Even as he spoke, he could sense his friend’s surprise.
“A vision of this type is often seen by new Leska pairs when they stay at the Valsgarth Guild, but usually the God only asks if they are content,” said Ghyan thoughtfully, taking a drink from his mug. “This mention of lives lost is new.”
“I only heard Him ask if I was content,” said Kusac. “What does it mean, Ghyan?”
“We don’t know, I’m afraid. It doesn’t happen to every pair, only a few, and only when they are living at the guild. I’m intrigued that He should appear to someone from another species, even though she is your Leska.”
“There’s a lot of crossover of abilities between us, so much so that it worries me.”
“Worries you? How?”
Kusac got to his feet again, turning away from his friend, unsure how much to tell him. He’d already said more to Ghyan than perhaps he should, but he needed someone to talk to. Walking over to the window, he twitched the curtains aside while he considered what to do. Making up his mind, he returned to the chair. “When the Link formed, we exchanged the experiences of our lives up to that point in time. We’re linked so closely that I know what she’s doing and thinking all the time, as she does with me. Ghyan, I’m finding my outlook is changing. I question everything, especially the things I took for granted before I met her. Nothing is sacrosanct any more, everything has to be proved to me.” He hesitated before voicing his deepest fear. “I’m afraid I’m becoming less Sholan and more like her.”
Ghyan was silent for a moment. “I’ve known you a long time, Kusac. I know the feel of your mind. Yes, you’ve changed. As you say, your mind is so closely meshed with Carrie’s that change was inevitable. But you’ve always questioned everything, you’re no different in that respect. Remember, if you feel influenced by Carrie’s human mind, she is equally influenced by your Sholan one.”
“I’m not so sure,” Kusac said. “It was easier before. I knew that my decisions were made from the foundations of training based on my experience and were not against the interest of our Clan. Now my decisions are based on her experiences and knowledge, too. How can I be sure they’re right any more?”
“Was your decision to join the Forces taken for the benefit of the Clan?” asked Ghyan with a smile.
Kusac’s ears flicked and he glanced away. Remembering his c’shar, he hid himself behind his mug as he took a drink.
“As I said, the essential you hasn’t changed that much,” said Ghyan. “The God has given you each other. More than that, He has acknowledged both you and your Leska. There must be a reason for it, and in time we will know. Meanwhile, you have each other, be content.”
“What about this marriage? I’ve got to stop it happening, Ghyan. You were studying law before you came here, can’t you see if there’s a way we can have the contract set aside?”
“I can check for you,” Ghyan admitted, “but I honestly think it’s most unlikely. Think carefully before making a decision. If you marry Rala, you’d still be free to live with Carrie. Do anything else and you’ll both be outcasts with nowhere to go, nowhere to live. Our civil laws concerning the ruling families of Clans are very strict. You know that.”
“There’s got to be something I can do,” Kusac said, putting down his mug and getting restlessly to his feet again.
“Have you thought of meditating and asking Vartra what you should do?” asked Ghyan, turning round in his seat to follow him with his eyes. “If, as you feel, He has caused the problem, then surely He can provide the solution.”
“I’ve no faith in any Gods at the moment, Ghyan, only in people, and then only a very few.” He stopped by the door, hand on the lever. “I’ve got to go. She’ll waken soon.”
“I’ll check the archives for you, but don’t get your hopes up,” he said warningly. “I doubt that there are any loopholes that would fit your circumstances.”
“I know you’ll do what you can,” Kusac said, opening the door. “Thank you for listening to me. I’ll be in touch again soon.”
*
When Ghyan knew Kusac was well on his way back to the guild, he activated his comm. The human female’s vision had him concerned. She had seen so much more than any of their people ever had. If she was to be believed. But then why should she lie, or Kusac for that matter, since he had experienced at least her memory of the vision. No, it had to be true.
“Ghyan, it’s somewhat late to be hearing from you. I trust there’s nothing wrong?”
“Father Lijou, my apologies for disturbing you, but you have told me to contact you concerning the God visions experienced by our new Leskas here at Valsgarth.”
“The Aldatan cub,” said Lijou succinctly.
“Not exactly,” said Ghyan. “It was the human female, not Kusac, who experienced the main vision.”
Lijou frowned, his brows drawing together thoughtfully. “The Keissian? What did she see?”
“It was different from the usual vision, Father. Kusac came to see me tonight, and he told me that the God said too many lives had been lost. Why should Vartra say that?”
“Offhand, I’ve no idea, Ghyan. Are you sure he was reporting the vision accurately?”
“Do you doubt my judgment?”
“Not when I have your assurance to the contrary. We haven’t been cataloguing the God visions for long, Ghyan. It takes time to build up an image of what really happened in the years following the Cataclysm. All we know for sure is that we’ve found no records in existence before then, and the legends tell us that Vartra was responsible for uniting those Sholans who survived the planetwide disaster that almost wiped us out. Though it doesn’t take long for a charismatic male like that to pass from legend into divinity, we’re still no nearer knowing why there are visions and why they only happen at Valsgarth!”
Ghyan sighed. “I know we have to move slowly, Father, but there are times when I despair of us ever finding the answers. It saps the spirit when you hear another ruin has been ‘blessed’ to prevent unholy items from corrupting our souls. We’ve lost so much of our past it’s a wonder any still remains!”
“Every loss is a tragedy,” Lijou agreed, “but the ancient cities were numerous and large. Each time Esken orders a ‘blessing’ only a small portion of the whole is lost.”
“That small portion could contain unrepeatable treasures which would tell us what caused the cataclysm in the first place!”
“Don’t get things out of proportion, Ghyan,” warned Lijou. “Our past isn’t the end result in itself. It’s merely a tool to enable us to break the stranglehold people like Esken have on our future. With the discovery of the Terrans, it’s even more important that we have the freedom to evolve as a species. If we don’t, then these humans with their multiple Talents could end up dominating the Alliance, and they’re too young a species for a position of such importance. Dzahai Stronghold is the last hope for us. The Gods help us if Esken realizes the true nature of the Brotherhood before we’re ready to reveal it! Your friend Kusac Aldatan and his human Leska may be the key to us attaining full guild status. Once we have that, if there are more like them, then we can Challenge the Telepath Guild with a hope of winning.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Remain apparently neutral for now. We have agents in the field watching them, passing us information regarding their Link, keeping them safe. We’re doing what we’re best at, watching and waiting.”
“Just remember Kusac is my friend,” said Ghyan, an ear flicking in concern. “I won’t sit back and see them come to harm.”
“No harm is intended toward them, quite the opposite in fact,” said Lijou. “Thank you for your report. If you can find out any more from either of them without arousing their suspicions, then
let me know.”
“Yes, Father,” said Ghyan.
*
The next morning brought Konis Aldatan two puzzling messages— messages that he accepted on his wife’s behalf as surrogate Clan Leader. The first was from Master Esken stating that he was informing him out of courtesy that he’d lodged a formal complaint against Rala Vailkoi with her Clan Leader about her behavior the previous night. The second was an apology from Clan Leader Vailkoi concerning his daughter’s behavior at the Telepath Guild on the same night, and assuring him that it would not be repeated as he had set two more Warriors to guard her.
Perplexed, he decided to call Esken for a more detailed explanation of the events.
“Esken, what happened at the guild last night?” he asked as soon as the Guild Master’s face came on the screen.
“I thought I made it clear in my communication, Konis,” said Esken. “Rala Vailkoi visited your son last night.”
“Alone, at night, without an appointment? What is Vailkoi up to allowing her that kind of freedom when he’s pushing for an early marriage between them?”
“You need have no fear, Konis,” said Esken dryly. “Rala is no reluctant bride turning to a lover to make her pregnant so the marriage can be delayed. Quite the opposite in fact. Vailkoi had no need to keep her closely guarded— till now.”
Konis sat back in surprise. “I’m not sure I follow you,” he said.
“She arrived toward the end of Kusac’s Link day with the intention of seeing him while he was still vulnerable.” Esken’s brows met in a frown. “I have my doubts as to the wisdom of your choice of a bride for your son, Konis. The Vailkoi female is unprincipled and manipulative. Hardly a suitable wife for one of the Contenders as heir to your title and position. You’ll have trouble making Kusac keep this contract. He is already dissatisfied with her, and with good reason. Her disgraceful behavior last night may well have brought the matter to a head.”
“He has a Leska now,” said Konis. “He doesn’t need love in his marriage. The combination of his and Rala’s genes will make it more likely that all their children will be highly Talented, even if she has no usable Talent herself. That is more important to the Clan than whether or not he likes his wife.”
“You take too practical a view of life, Konis,” said Master Esken sadly. “You are too harsh with his feelings. He isn’t like you.”
“I brought him up to have a sense of responsibility to the Clan,” said Konis. “He knows what he has to do. I have to be hard, Esken, else how could I arrange the marriages within the Clans? Few of them will ever be love matches. At least Kusac will have a wife slightly younger than himself. What of Soola Kayan? She has a husband a good thirty years her senior.”
“We’ll see,” said Esken. “Just remember that when the God takes a hand in our lives, events don’t always work out as we planned them.”
“Now you’re being superstitious,” said Konis uncomfortably. “I have to go, Esken. I can’t sit here discussing theology with you, I’ve work to do.”
“Before you go, I have some advice for you. Don’t push Kusac into marriage yet. Leave it for now until he has forgotten this incident with Rala. Perhaps then you’ll find him more amenable.”
“Your advice is noted, Master Esken, but I will choose my own time to speak to Kusac about his marriage. Good day to you.”
Konis had reason to remember Master Esken’s advice later in the day when Kusac also lodged an official complaint about Rala’s behavior. It gave him pause to consider that perhaps he didn’t know his son as well as he had thought and that the advice was not so misplaced after all.
*
Carrie sat at the comm unit reading through her brother’s message.
“Kusac, Richard’s sent me a copy of the encyclopedia that we had on board the Eureka! His message says to check the section on psychics because it mentions all of the gifts that people on Earth were thought to have, and the tests they used to check if the gifts were genuine.”
“Let me see,” he said, joining her at the desk. “Put the section he mentions onto the screen.”
“Hold on. I haven’t quite got the hang of this computer yet.”
“It’s a lot more than a computer,” Kusac murmured as he watched her struggling to remember which keys to press. At least physically it was easier for her now that her fingernails had regrown.
She grunted in reply as she tried several key combinations, managing to connect into the library system, then the public news network, neither of which she wanted.
Kusac leaned forward. “Try this,” he said, pressing a couple of keys to take them back to the basic function choice and then to the textual message display. “Put your brother’s complete message into a memory crystal, then you can access it properly.” He reached into the desk drawer and drew out a spare crystal, slotting it into a square aperture at the side of the keyboard.
“I wondered what that was for,” said Carrie as the cube was briefly illuminated from underneath.
“Now you can see the contents and choose the section we want,” he said, moving back so she could finish.
“I don’t remember it being arranged like this,” said Carrie as she scanned through the contents.
“It was probably done when your brother had the encyclopedia put into a format we could read. There, that’s what we want,” he said, pointing.
Carrie turned round to look up at him. “How come you can read my language so easily when I can’t read yours?”
Kusac grinned, his lips curving slightly. “I’ve had more practice with languages,” he said.
With another grunt, she turned back to her encyclopedia and selected the section on psychical research. She found it crossreferenced with extra-sensory perception, psychokinesis, psychometry, object reading, dowsing…
“This list is huge! I haven’t heard of half the things they’re talking about,” she said. “Where do we begin?”
“Try looking up the first item.”
They skimmed through the document, finding it a history of the study of what was termed ESP. It was divided into two distinct skills, PK or psychokinesis, which was the ability to move objects with the power of the mind, and ESP, which included telepathy and the ability to have foreknowledge of events.
“I don’t think we should read any further,” said Kusac, putting a hand on her shoulder. “We might prejudice the tests.”
“How could we do that?”
“By assuming in advance whether or not we can do what they ask us.” Reaching into the drawer, he took out another cube and began copying the data from one to the other. “How are we for time?”
“We should leave now,” she said, finishing her coffee hurriedly. “They’re expecting me for the aura scan in ten minutes.”
“I’m finished,” said Kusac, switching off the comm and getting up. He reached for his uniform jacket, shrugging it on over the tunic he wore.
Carrie looked up at him. “You’ll need to change your jacket, that one’s got mud on it,” she said.
Kusac rubbed ineffectually at the mark on his left side. “You’re right,” he said, taking it off and flinging it back over the chair. “I won’t be a minute.”
Carrie was waiting by the door for him when he returned, her unasked question loud in his mind despite her efforts to the contrary.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went to visit a friend,” he said, opening the door for them. “Kaid watched you while I was gone. I went across country and the ground was damp.”
“I was only curious. No Kaid?” she asked as they passed his door.
“We decided there wasn’t any need for someone to accompany us around the Guild House,” said Kusac.
As they headed along the corridor and down the stairs, Carrie looked around her for referents, trying to make sure she could recognize the route back to their rooms. Reaching the ground floor, they made their way past the main hall toward the office, then along the corridor to the new wing.
Ahead o
f them was a transparent door bearing a sign in the cursive Sholan script.
“It says ‘Medical Center,’” Kusac said quietly, pressing the panel set into the wall beside it.
The door slid back, admitting them to a small foyer. Ahead of them was a curved counter behind which two Sholan females dressed in medic blue were working. To their left was an external entrance for nonguild patients.
Old fears returned and Carrie began to walk more slowly, wishing she were anywhere else but here. Hospitals were hospitals to her no matter which world she was on, and she hated them.
An involuntary shiver ran through her. The hospitals on Earth had treated her like a mentally deranged child until they had tested the truth of what her parents had told them about her and Elise.
Kusac’s hand touched hers, his fingers curling round her palm as he mentally reassured her. It wasn’t enough. The cold feeling continued.
They were directed to the seats nearby and asked to wait until someone came for them. As they sat there, Carrie began to shiver again. Kusac’s arm went round her shoulders, drawing her up against his side. She leaned against him gratefully, feeling the warmth of his body through the thin tunic he wore. It helped counteract the chill.
It’s all right, Carrie. You’re an accepted telepath here. You’ve nothing to prove to them. Just relax, it’ll be fine, he sent.
Vanna’s coming, she replied just as the door to the right of the counter slid open.
“Hello again,” said Vanna, coming forward to greet them. “I had a feeling you’d arrived.” She briefly touched Kusac’s outstretched hand as he stood up, but turned to Carrie and embraced her.
“When did you arrive?” Carrie returned the hug.
“Yesterday, but you were busy, so I left it till today. Come with me, they’re ready for you now,” she said, turning toward the doorway.
They followed her through into the main part of the medical center, turning left down a short corridor to the aura reading room.
“The whole hospital is heavily shielded,” she said, “otherwise the telepath medics would find it almost unbearable to work here.”
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