Carnelians

by Catherine Asaro

  I didn’t even know this sector was still here, Kelric thought. I thought we had cleaned up all these old files.

  The ISC network has evolved for centuries, Dehya thought. This section was deactivated a century ago, but it ended up buried under newer systems and was never fully dismantled.

  Frustration tinged his usually stoic thoughts. It’s impossible to track it all, trillions of nodes, always changing. And that’s just the active mesh sections.

  We do our best, Dehya thought. What matters is that we found the breach.

  As did ESComm, Kelric growled.

  Eldrin’s thought came to them with a sense of distance created by his less powerful telop chair. Are you sure it was ESComm that used this breach? As much as I hate to say it, someone in ISC would have better access to this area than ESComm.

  Kelric’s mood darkened as if a shutter had closed. What you’re asking me to do is impossible. I cannot point to one of my top people as a traitor. Who? Naaj Majda? Ragnar Bloodmark? To accuse either, I would need iron-clad proof.

  Why Naaj or Ragnar? Dehya asked, troubled that he picked the two officers she most trusted. Brant Tapperhaven has always been a maverick. You like him because he was a Jagernaut. You relate to him, that whole taciturn fighter pilot thing. But he’s the one most willing to break rules.

  Oh, I don’t know, Eldrin said. Ragnar is a bloody asshole.

  For flaming sake, Dehya thought, irked.

  He interferes with our lives, Eldrin told her.

  This isn’t the time, she thought. It has nothing to do with Ragnar as a military officer.

  Are you sure? Kelric asked. You asked if my friendship with Brant affects my judgment. It’s a good question. You should ask the same about your friendships with Ragnar and Naaj.

  That gave her pause. He had a point. Have you noticed, she thought, that every time we try to discuss this breach in the web, we end up arguing about something else?

  Both Kelric and Eldrin were silent. Then Kelric thought, No.

  Actually, she’s right, Eldrin said. It happens whenever she and I talk about this business with Del and “Carnelians Finale,” but only when we’re in Kyle space.

  You think ESComm planted some sort of disruptive code that affects us when we broach the subject?

  You know what? Dehya said. I think yes, that’s exactly what they did. This business with “Carnelians Finale” is subterfuge. Someone released the song twice, and the second time, they linked it to Del. Maybe they tried to link it both times, but they couldn’t manage at first because they didn’t know what they were doing. Just look at this breach. A rip? They didn’t even hide it. She couldn’t imagine Naaj, Ragnar, or Brant doing such sloppy work.

  If ESComm is using untrained providers, Kelric thought, they probably knew they’d leave a trail. Maybe they booby-trapped the pathway to distract anyone who investigated.

  It’s possible, Dehya thought. Now came the big lie, because they needed to convince Eldrin. We were caught in it because of our link to Del. When they tampered with him, a backlash hit us. That was the story they would spread, to draw attention from a more probable scenario, that the backlash came from an attempt against the life of the third Triad member.

  It seems unlikely, Eldrin thought. If it were possible to affect the triad through Kyle space that way, nearly killing you and Kelric, they would have tried it before.

  They have Althor’s daughter, Kelric answered. A Ruby psion. She might be able to cause such an effect.

  Dehya’s relief vanished. Yes, the Traders had Aliana. ESComm had taken her into custody after Dehya and Kelric had nearly died, so she probably had nothing to do with what had happened to them. But the danger remained. Although ESComm couldn’t create their own web, they could steal web access and use Alaina’s power in Kyle space.

  A metallic thought intruded on them: Communication incoming.

  Identify yourself, Kelric thought.

  Node IMIN: Imperial Intelligence A5a.mil.

  IMIN, my staff can deal with messages, Kelric told it.

  This one is from Comtrace, IMIN answered.

  Kelric immediately thought. Transfer us to Comtrace.

  A new thought formed, powerful and inhuman, coming from Comtrace, one of ISC’s most powerful Evolving Intelligences. TRANSFER COMPLETE.

  What is the message? Kelric asked.

  IT COMES FROM THE PALACE ON GLORY, Comtrace said.

  Has it cleared the protocols yet?

  IT IS IN PROCESS. I CAN SPEED ITS PROGRESS, IF THE PHARAOH WISHES.

  Yes, do that, Dehya said.

  It was time to find out Jaibriol’s next move in their interstellar game of Quis.

  Aliana curled closer to Red under the velvety covers. He murmured in his sleep and pulled her into his arms. So strange, to have someone share her bed. Who would have thought it could be so nice.

  Red laughed drowsily. “Most of human race likes it.”

  “I can see why.” She had never trusted anyone enough to hold him at night or wake up with him in the morning. Given how fast night came and went on Glory, with its sixteen-hour day, she and Red had done a lot of that recently. They couldn’t leave this suite where the emperor’s guards had put them, but far worse fates existed than living in this gorgeous place with Red.

  “All Aristo live this way,” Red said.

  “It isn’t fair that so few of them get so much while the rest of us have so little.”

  “They Aristos,” he said matter-of-factly. “We nothing.”

  “I suppose.” She tickled him under the arm. “You definitely feel like something.”

  “Ai! Stop!” Red burst out laughing and grabbed her hands.

  “You seem happy,” Aliana said. “I never heard you laugh before we came here.”

  His smile faded. “Never have reason to laugh. Just cry.”

  “I don’t understand how anyone could hurt you that way. They’re monsters.”

  She expected some platitude about Aristos being exalted, but instead he said, “Emperor Jaibriol is different. I not feel his mind.”

  “Red, he’s the emperor. I doubt his brain is empty.”

  “I mean he different from other Hightons.”

  “I was too busy being intimidated to think about it,” she admitted. “But you’re right, being around him doesn’t hurt. I think he’s like us. His mind, I mean.”

  Red gave a surprisingly harsh laugh. “He Highton. Not like us. Never like us.”

  “Well, I think he is,” she said, feeling stubborn.

  “No Highton is ever provider.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Yes. You did.”

  “He’s left us alone. That’s what matters.” They had seen no one but the servers who brought them wonderfully sumptuous meals. The closets here were full of clothes and the cupboards full of anything else they could want. It was merciful respite. She didn’t know if executioners would come for Red in five minutes, tomorrow, five years, or never. It turned this refuge into a bittersweet dream, a tenuous interlude caught inside a bubble that might disappear any moment.

  Red stroked her hair. “Definitely alone.”

  She smiled and tickled him more, making him laugh, and then they were kissing. They played for a while, rolling in the silken sheets, teasing and caressing. Loving. Eventually, when they had worn each other out, they drifted back to sleep.

  A hum came from across the room.

  She lifted her head. “What was that?”

  “Someone outside,” Red mumbled.

  Aliana pulled on the soft blue robe she had thrown on top of the covers and slipped out of bed. She padded across the room to the wall with the entrance panel. Hesitating, she peered at its glowing buttons. Finally she said, “Greetings?”

  A familiar voice came out of the air. “Zina, let me in.”

  “Tide? Is that you?”

  “Yes.” Even with a mechanical cadence, his voice had a distinctive sound.

  She grinned. “Come in!”
/>
  “You have to open the door.”

  “Oh!” She paused. “How do I do that?”

  “Give it permission.”

  “Um, sure, I mean, yes, door, you can open.”

  The wall shimmered, a pearly light in the dark room, then faded, leaving an open archway with Tide in it, a looming man in black trousers and tunic, with heavy boots that came to his knees and a gun holstered on his hip. Aliana had been ready to throw her arms around him, but now she held back, confused. He didn’t look like Tide. He was a Razer.

  He walked into the room. As the wall solidified, he said, “Can we turn on the lumos?”

  “Oh. Sure.” She hesitated, uncertain what to do. She tried, “Lumos on. Not bright.”

  The light came up, diffuse and soft.

  “Aliana?” Red was coming across the room, dressed in a dark gold robe.

  “For flaming sake,” Tide said. “They put the two of you in here together?”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Aliana asked.

  “You’re children,” he growled.

  Aliana glared at him, forgetting she was intimidated. “I am not a child.”

  Red came to stand at her side and smiled disarmingly. “Am glad to see you, Tide.”

  The Razer exhaled as if his anger were leaking out a hole Red had poked in the balloon of his ire. “Thank you.” Then he added, “But you can’t call me Tide.”

  Aliana bit back her rebellious response. Blasting the Aristos for denying Tide his name after the emperor had given him back his life would be stupid. Besides, something else was going on with him, she didn’t know what. Something about Red hurt him. Aliana wanted to ask why, but she knew Tide wouldn’t tell her, especially not in front of Red.

  “You two better be taking precautions,” Tide said.

  “I won’t get pregnant, if that’s what you mean,” she said. This suite had everything they needed. Feeling clumsy, she said, “We’re good together. Really.” She took Red’s hand. “It’s nice.”

  Tide smiled then, though he seemed sad. “After everything you two have been through, you deserve happiness. If you can give that to each other, I’m happy for you.”

  Aliana felt her face heating. This was all too much personal talk. Besides, she was worried about Tide. “Are you supposed to be here? The emperor said we can’t see anyone.”

  “I’m assigned as the escort for both of you,” Tide said. “We’re leaving the planet at dawn.”

  “Leaving? For where?” she asked.

  “What His Highness told you. To Delos.”

  Her voice trembled. “I can’t do that.”

  Tide’s voice gentled in a way she was certain no other Razer would let happen. “I’m sorry. But you have no choice.”

  “I’m afraid,” she said. Red squeezed her hand.

  “I’ll look out for you both.” Tide raked his hand through his newly cropped dark hair. “None of this makes sense. I tried to defect, for gods sake. So the emperor tells everyone I was on a spy mission and puts me on his personal bodyguard. Don’t get me wrong; I can’t begin to say how grateful I am. But it’s crazy. I don’t understand.”

  “You look like his other bodyguard,” Red said.

  Aliana blinked. “What other bodyguard?”

  Red glanced at her. “Razer who save emperor’s life on Earth.”

  “How do you know that?” Tide asked.

  “Emperor say so.” Red answered. “He tell you.”

  “You weren’t there,” Tide said. “So how would you know?”

  Red hesitated, looking uncertain. “I’m not sure. From his mind, I think.”

  “I’m picking up his mind, too,” Aliana said. “Like words I’ve never heard before, but suddenly I know what they mean.”

  “Don’t say that.” Tide lowered his voice. “You can’t talk that way, either of you. Stay behind your mental walls or whatever you’re doing to hide. You’re going to be on a ship packed full of Aristos.”

  Red’s face paled. “I not go.”

  “You have to go,” Tide said.

  “No!”

  “Red, listen,” Aliana said. “They don’t know we’re psions. They won’t make us providers.”

  He shook his head with a sharp motion. “They know I am provider.”

  “But you don’t work anymore,” she said. “So they aren’t interested.”

  “They think neither of you have any Kyle ability,” Tide told them. “Eventually they’ll test you, but for now you’re safe.” He considered Aliana. “The problem is, you look like a provider, at least your coloring.” When she opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of that, he held up his hand. “Don’t get mad at me. I can’t help the way you look. But listen, don’t worry.”

  “Why not?” she growled.

  “They’re going to disguise you.”

  “Why? I don’t want a disguise.”

  Tide lifted his hands. “I don’t know why. One never questions Hightons.”

  “Why not?” Aliana asked crossly.

  “Because no one is paying attention to you two right now,” Tide said. “Not with everything else that is going on. You want it to stay that way.”

  “All they think about is Delos summit,” Red said.

  “That’s putting it mildly.” Tide grimaced. “It’s all going to hell. Everything was already a mess, and now some Allied group has kidnapped that damn Skolian prince and worked everyone up, just when the furor was dying down. I can’t believe anyone thinks this summit will achieve anything but disaster.”

  “What prince?” Aliana asked.

  “Angry singer,” Red said. “The one with the mad song.”

  “Oh, him.” Aliana wasn’t surprised someone had grabbed him. He had certainly caused a lot of trouble.

  Red frowned at her. “Zina, how you know he do anything? You think ‘He make trouble.’ Everyone thinks that. But maybe it’s not him.”

  “Sorry.” She didn’t really have any ill wishes for the singer.

  Tide looked from Aliana to Red. “Was that just a figure of speech?” he asked Red. “Or were you really responding to what she was thinking?”

  “Not speech figure,” Red said. “It was what she think.”

  “No!” Aliana said, remembering Lensmark had told her to protect Red. “He says that all the time,” she told Tide quickly. “He doesn’t really mean he knows what I think.”

  “Yes, I do,” Red said.

  “No you don’t!” She sent him a fierce look.

  Tide was watching them as if he were seeing an avalanche crashing down. “Is that the best you two can do to hide that you’re still psions?”

  Aliana tried to sound nonchalant. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Gods,” he muttered. “On the trip to Delos, I want you both to stay away from everyone. Stay in your cabin. Don’t interact with anyone if you can help it.” With difficulty, he added, “Keep each other company, if that’s what it takes to hide you.”

  There it was again, his pain. Aliana wished she understood what hurt him. He had his life back now, even better than before. Why would she and Red matter? They were nobody.

  “He already say why,” Red told her. “You child. Off-limits. To him.”

  Tide’s forehead creased. “What?”

  “It’s nothing,” Aliana said, flustered. She had no idea what Red meant, either. Too much was happening too fast. “This summit can’t be safe.”

  “It’s all confused.” Tide paced away like a boxer full of agitated energy. “The Skolians claim Prince Del-Kurj didn’t release that song and their military didn’t attack our merchants, that these are set-ups by people trying to disrupt the peace process.” He turned and came back to them. “The Allied Worlds of Earth claim these Minutemen have nothing to do with them. ESComm says it’s all nonsense, that the Allieds and Skolians are in collusion.”

  Red squinted at them. “Why they bother to have summit?”

  “Gods only know,” Tide said wryly. “Hell, mayb
e even they have no idea.”

  “Why does the emperor want Red and me?” Aliana asked. “We can’t help.”

  Tide spread his arms out from his body. “Truthfully, I’ve no idea.”

  Neither did Aliana. But they might soon find out, if they were leaving at dawn.

  Their respite here was coming to an end.

  XXIII

  Rocked Star

  “Damn,” Dehya said. “We were right about ESComm training telops.”

  She and Kelric were in the Mentation Room, bathed in starlight, playing the latest Quis session Jaibriol had sent them. Except this time the verbal message hadn’t been a bland non-statement. He had sent a detailed proposal: Meet on Delos. Their governments would build the amphitheatre for the summit together, each side monitoring the other, with the Allieds mediating.

  The Quis told a different story: ESComm had infiltrated the Delos mesh through Kyle space, using providers who had little idea what they were doing. The fact that ISC didn’t know gave ESComm a large advantage, one they intended to exploit.

  “So ESComm ripped that hole in our mesh,” Kelric said.

  “We need to decide whether to sew it up or leave it as a trap,” Dehya said absently, intent on the dice. “The intricacy of these patterns, the details—a lot is here, if we can figure it out.”

  Kelric shifted several dice. “Something is different. I’m not sure what.”

  Dehya worked with him, manipulating real dice while she ran Quis simulations in her mind. So many possibilities. So many paths.

  “Gods all-flaming-mighty,” she suddenly said. “This isn’t about the summit. It’s about Del!”

  Kelric looked up with a start. Then he returned to the game and worked his magic. As they deconstructed the patterns, a new story became clear.

  Jaibriol knew what had happened to Del.

  The siren jarred Del out of sleep. He sat up too fast and nausea surged over him. The hold was as dark as always, but an alarm screamed through the air.

  Del scrambled to his feet. “That’s an ESComm warning siren for a military attack!”

  Mac’s voice came from near him in the dark. “ESComm? As in, Eubian?”

  “Hell, yeah,” Del said. “These people are Traders!” He turned in the darkness, trying to orient himself. “We have to get out of here.”