by S. L. Viehl
After putting the cats in their carriers, Reever sat down across from me. He never once looked away from my face.
“I had to do it. More than your life was at stake.”
“I know.”
“You’re still mad.”
“You broke your promise to me.” He didn’t crack a smile. “I will be mad for some time.”
“I guess you’re entitled. Do you think you’ll forgive me by the time we get to Joren?”
“Perhaps.”
I hid a smile and gripped the armrests as Dhreen initiated the flightshield. “Dhreen, how are you going to get us through the security grid?”
“No worrying, Doc. This baby is equipped with a full camouflage array.” Dhreen’s spoon-shaped fingers danced over the pilot’s console. “Once we’re in the upper atmosphere, I’m going to enable it.”
“What does a camouflage array do?” I asked Reever. “Make us disappear?”
“Not exactly.”
We lifted off and headed straight up. G-force kept me plastered to the seat, until the shuttle’s flightshield altered the molecular composition of the ship, and we started slipping through gravity. That was when Dhreen yelled, “Watch this!”
I looked out the viewport, and suddenly we were surrounded by hundreds of shuttles. All identical to ours.
“I get it. Camouflage as in try to guess which one is real,” I said.
“They’re all real,” Reever assured me. “As real as we are.”
Which, given the peculiar mechanics involved with flightshielding, meant we were all visible—and invisible.
I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes. “Wake me when we get the signal.”
“What signal?” Reever asked.
“Didn’t I mention it?” I yawned. “The cavalry is coming.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
A Gift for Duncan
The League had mustered all the ships within the Sol Quadrant, and sent them after us. Dhreen didn’t seem worried about that, even when I pointed at the converging blips on the sensor screen about an hour later.
“No worrying, Doc. I already signaled our friends the Jorenians, and the Sunlace is waiting for us, just beyond Jupiter. Right where you said they’d be.”
Reever glanced at me. “You sent for the Jorenians?”
“It was my last request—you know, my Speaking. I asked them to come to Sol as soon as they’d finished repopulating the slaves. I told Xonea we’d find a way to rendezvous with them.” Seeing the familiar nautilus shape of the Sunlace made my eyes sting for a moment. Then I saw two more Jorenian ships hovering just beyond HouseClan Torin’s star vessel.
“Three Jorenian ships?”
“Xonea probably figured we could use the extra firepower.” Dhreen flew directly at the Sunlace, and signaled for permission to dock.
“If you have my ClanSister on board, you may,” Xonea’s deep voice said over the audio. “If you don’t, go back and get her off that miserable world she was mistakenly born on.”
I went to the helm. “Hi, Xonea. You don’t like my homeworld?”
“Of course I do—but your homeworld is Joren.” He made a gesture that blended affection and relief. “Welcome back to your family, Cherijo.”
“Xonea, we’ve got about twenty League ships on an intercept course with us. You’d better prepare to transition—quick.”
“As soon as you land in launch bay, we will transition. Sunlace out.”
The Sunlace and the two flanking ships transitioned a few minutes after we landed in launch bay. I got to go through the dimensional shift while clutching my seat harness and swearing to join the Hsktskt just so I didn’t have to watch reality melt around me.
Once we were cleared to disembark, I walked out and saw Salo and several large Jorenians waiting for us. They were armed and not smiling.
“Isn’t anyone happy to see me?” I demanded.
Salo nodded, but his eyes were fixed on a spot beyond my right shoulder. “We have some HouseClan business to attend to here, healer. You and Duncan should go to your quarters.”
I turned around and saw he was staring at Dhreen, who was having a hard time blinking. Then I recalled how my adopted family felt about people they thought had harmed me.
“Oh, no.” I backed up until I bumped into Dhreen. “I shield the Oenrallian Dhreen, Salo.”
Slowly the killing rage left the grim expressions of the Jorenians. Salo lowered the huge, curved sword he’d been ready to use and gave me a frown.
“You never allow us to carry out ClanKill against anyone, Healer Cherijo.”
“I can’t stand the sight of all those ripped-out intestines.” I let out a sigh, walked over and nearly dislocated my spine giving the Sunlace‘s second in command a hug. “Good to see you, big guy. How are Darea and Fasala?”
“The light of my life, as always.” He touched his brow to mine. “Eager to see you as well. But I think perhaps you should go to Medical first.”
Medical. Yes, I definitely was ready to go to Medical.
“Make sure no one chops up Dhreen while I’m gone.” I grabbed the cats and Reever and headed directly for a gyrlift.
“I want Squilyp to look at those electrical burns on your hands,” Reever said as I pushed him into the gyrlift. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
“You’ll see.” I tapped my foot on the floor of the lift. “Can’t this thing go any faster?”
Squilyp was waiting for us at the entrance to Medical Bay. So was Alunthri.
After I gave the Chakacat a hug and exchanged relieved greetings, I turned to my former resident. “Well?”
He looked at my hands. “You’ve been burned again.”
“Minor.” I flicked my fingers to show him. “What about the experiment?”
“What experiment?” Reever asked.
Squilyp hopped over and put two of his three hands on my shoulders. “Cherijo, it was a complete success. It worked.”
At least, I think that’s what he said. A moment later, I was flat on my back, with someone waving an ampule of ammonia under my nose.
“Okay, okay!” I slapped the hand away. “I’m up.”
Alunthri paced nervously around me. Reever didn’t let me stand, but picked me up instead. “She’s endured more than burns. You’ll need to do a complete workup on her, Senior Healer.”
“I should live long enough to see the day she allows me to do one,” Squilyp said. “Put her on the trauma table and I’ll start my scans.” He saw my expression and shook his head. “We can discuss the experiment after I bring you the results. Let me make sure you’re all right, for Duncan’s sake.”
“Hurry up,” I said. “I’ve been waiting almost a year and I’m not going to wait another second more than I have to.”
Reever jumped right on that. “A year? For an experiment? What sort of test was this?”
Alunthri muttered something about its thesis and beat a hasty retreat.
I didn’t want to tell him until Squilyp brought us the results. I bit my lip and stretched out on the table. “Let Squilyp scan me first.”
That took only a few minutes, and then Squilyp left us to go to get the test results. I couldn’t sit still, so I got up and did his rounds for him. Reever trailed after me, still looking puzzled.
“Cherijo, this experiment, what is it?”
“You can’t stand being in the dark, can you?” I grinned. “Well, you’ll just have to wait this time. Because I don’t think you’ll believe me until you see it with your own eyes.”
Xonea came in a few minutes later, and nearly crushed me with one of his brotherly hugs.
“I never want to go through this again,” he said against my hair. “First we thought we’d lost you to the Hsktskt, and now to the Terrans. You cannot leave us again. I will not let you.” He held me at arm’s length. “You are thinner. You are burned.”
I saw the familiar, kin-have-been-harmed, get-the-swords expression and patted him on one muscular blue arm.
“
I’m fine. I burned myself. Come and sit down and tell us what’s happening with the war. Reever and I have been out of touch for months.”
Anything to keep me from thinking about what Squilyp was getting.
Xonea shook Reever’s hand and led us into Squilyp’s office, where he updated us on the League’s escalating war with the Hsktskt. Started by my own creator in order to retrieve me from the Hsktskt, the war had exploded across a dozen quadrants throughout the galaxy. It was moving forward, like a deadly tide, and getting close to Terran space.
“We should return to Joren at once,” he said. “We can better safeguard you on our own territory.”
Reever and I exchanged a glance. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Xonea. Remember what happened the last time?”
He looked a little annoyed. “We have improved our planetary defenses.”
“Great. I hope you never have to use them. Joren is still remaining neutral in the war, isn’t it?”
“Yes, for now. However, news of atrocities on both sides may compel Joren and some of our allies to form a third defensive force to protect our homeworld quadrants.”
That wasn’t such good news. “Neutral usually means staying out of the fighting, Xonea.”
“We will do what we must. If League or Hsktskt forces enter the Varallan system, we may have no choice but to fight.”
“Well, Reever and I are going to stay away from Joren, just as a precaution.” I recalled my promise to Maggie, and to Dhreen. “There are some other places we need to go.”
We debated just where to go for a few minutes. The boys wanted to fly to the other side of the galaxy, and find a nice, unoccupied fertile world for me and Reever to settle down on.
Gee, just what I’d always wanted: to build a house I’d have to clean myself. My patience, which had been thinning ever since Squilyp left, reached a breaking point. “According to what you’ve told us, the war isn’t likely to reach Oenrallian space. Why don’t we head that way?”
“I’d heard you shielded Dhreen.” Xonea glared at me. “Why?”
“My creator basically blackmailed him into doing what he did. It really wasn’t his fault. Besides, even if everyone stays mad at Dhreen, you can’t blame his people for his actions.”
“True. We have yet to explore that particular quadrant.” Xonea tapped his finger against his lips. “I think it may be a viable alternative.”
I wasn’t going to mention that Maggie’s homeworld was in the same quadrant—there would be time enough to analyze the discs and tell everyone about that later. “Where are our other passengers?”
“Waiting for us at the reception.”
I groaned. The Jorenians loved to throw parties. “Not another one.”
“You are a popular member of our HouseClan, Healer. Get used to it.” Xonea looked up as a nurse called him over to the main console. “Excuse me.”
I started pacing again. My ClanBrother came back a minute later.
“It seems Squilyp needs my assistance.”
“With what?” I demanded.
“A minor problem, easily dealt with.” Before I could say anything, he shook his head. “Patience, ClanSister, you will soon have all you desire. I will meet you both at the reception in a few minutes.”
The reception was held on level seven, in the new environome someone had put in around the galley. Now everyone could dine in the simulated surroundings of whatever world they chose. It disoriented me for a moment, to step off the gyrlift and into Marine Province on Joren.
“Wow, someone has been busy.” I took Reever’s hand in mine. “Listen, no matter what happens when Xonea comes back, I want you to remember something.”
“What is that?”
“I love you.” I smiled at him, then stepped forward to greet what looked like the entire crew.
Everyone had missed me, judging by the number of times my ribs were compressed. Wonlee made me put on a plas-lined frontal engineering shroud so he could give me a squeeze without impaling me on his spines. I spotted Dhreen and Ilona over in one corner, talking to a couple of the nurses, and left Reever to see how my Oenrallian friend had fared with my adopted family.
He had his arm around Ilona and was making jokes about water on Terra. “It looks clear enough, until twelve hours later, and then the microbes hit you—”
“Hey, you two.” I stepped into the circle. “Anyone seen Hawk?”
“Not since we left the shuttle.” Ilona snuggled up to Dhreen. “We have been busy.”
“So I see.” I gave her a stern look. “You are not allowed to breed for at least two months. We’ll discuss why when I give you your followup exam.”
“Yes, patcher.” She gazed at the big warrior men and women surrounding us. “Your tribe is most impressive. I have never seen such people.”
I thought of my own reaction when I’d landed on the mostly nonhuman colony of K-2. “Another reason it’s good to leave Terra. Are you okay with that?”
“I am bonded to Dhreen. Where he goes, I follow.”
Dhreen gave her waist a squeeze. “And where you go, I follow.”
“Keep that up and you two will go in circles.” I spotted Hawk on the other side of the galley and smiled. “I’m going to go check on our other guest. Behave yourselves.”
It took me a few minutes to work my way through the crowd over to Hawk, who had his wings to a hull panel and was gingerly sampling some Jorenian tea.
“Awful stuff, isn’t it?” I whisked the server from his hand. “It took me a couple of months before I could manage to drink more than a few sips.” The professional side of my brain kicked in and I glanced at his back. “How do they feel?”
“Sore. But good, too. I don’t think I could go back to binding them down again.” Hawk stretched them out slightly. Many of the Jorenians were eyeing him with open curiosity, and it was making him nervous. “Your tribe, they will allow me to accompany you and Nilch’i‘ to your destination?”
“Of course. They’re always happy to welcome friends of the family along for the ride.” I went to a prep unit and dialed up more familiar Terran tea, and handed it to him. “Try this, it’s chamomile and mint.”
The taste of the unsweetened tea seemed to relax him. “No one seems to mind that I have wings.”
“Or fur.” Alunthri joined us. “The Jorenians aren’t like Terrans. They enjoy the diversity of life in the universe.”
I looked at the door panel for the hundredth time. If my ClanBrother and that damn Omorr didn’t show up soon, I was going to go hunt them down myself.
“One of the pilots told me we’re going to the Liacos Quadrant.”
Hawk was talking to me again. “That’s right.”
“My father’s homeworld lies along our route there. Would it be possible, I mean—”
“Can we make a stop? Of course.” Reever came over, and I automatically blocked my thoughts. I patted Hawk’s arm. “You’re among my friends now. I hope you’ll give them a chance to be your friends, too.” I smiled at Alunthri. “They’ve enriched my life quite a bit.”
“Cherijo, may I have a moment?”
I excused myself, then went with Reever to another unoccupied corner. As I looked back, Hawk began having a conversation with Alunthri, and two fascinated Jorenians who had approached them in my wake.
“I think we have another potential member for House-Clan Torin.” I looked back at Reever. “What’s up?”
“Why are you acting so agitated?”
“I’m just, uh, excited to be back where I belong.”
“If that’s so, why are you blocking your thoughts from me?”
“Because I’m thinking about killing two crew members with my bare hands.”
Duncan turned to the viewport and made a frustrated sound. “I could understand why you were blocking your thoughts on Terra. But we are among friends now, Cherijo. It isn’t necessary.”
Maybe it was time I went to find Xonea and Squilyp. “Stay here and I’ll—”
The crowd between us and the corridor door panel suddenly parted, forming a wide gap between them. I saw why, and froze.
Xonea was standing at the other end of the gap. In his huge arms he was holding a yawning, blond-haired toddler.
There she was.
“I know you think my telepathic abilities are an intrusion, but if you would only consider how they deepen our intimacy—”
She was a tiny thing. Of course the Jorenians made everyone look dinky. Her hair was so blond it was almost white, dead straight, and nearly touched her shoulders. Her features were rosy and yet not baby-pretty. No, she looked like a miniature adult.
“Uh, Duncan?” I blindly swatted at him, unable to take my own eyes away. “Turn around.”
Xonea started walking toward us. The sleepy child rested her cheek against the wide vault of his chest, making her look even smaller. Given her rapid gestation, the six months I’d spent in sleep suspension on the League ship, plus the time on Terra, she would be about a year old now.
Reever took me by the arm. “I love you, Cherijo. I don’t want there to be any more walls between us. Let me in.”
“I will, in a minute. Would you please turn around?”
“Even now you are distracted. Has someone—”
I grabbed his arms and shoved him around. He went very still. “Xonea.”
Xonea stopped a few feet away, and the entire room fell silent. “I regret I was not able to join you sooner. My ClanNiece Marel often becomes grumpy when woken from a sound sleep.”
I could sympathize with that.
“One of the disadvantages of being gestated in an embryonic chamber,” I said, my voice cracking a little. “You get spoiled.”
At the sound of my voice, the child lifted her head and looked at me.
Xonea gave me an indignant look. “She is not spoiled.”
Squilyp hopped down the gap after Xonea. “Yes, she is. In fact, she’s terrorized the entire ship since emerging from the chamber I raised her in.”
Marel reached out to the Omorr and smacked him lightly on the arm.
“She likes to hit people, too,” Squilyp said in a dry tone. “Just like her mother.”