Kezule looked round the group again. “Anything else?” he asked.
“Yes, paper goods,” said Zayshul. “We need them for a variety of purposes—drawing, writing, our festivals.”
“You need to trade,” said Kusac, pushing his empty plate to one side. “Have you anything to offer in exchange for the goods you need?”
“That’s why you’re here,” said Kezule.
“Apart from needing someone to trade with, you need to be able to offer goods, services, or money,” Kusac said. “Have you any of these?” He looked at Lirtosh. “Trade comes under civilian affairs.”
“We have found some money on the Zan’droshi,” admitted Kezule, “but it’s the coin of my Empire, not in use even on the Prime world.”
“What’s it made of?” asked Banner. “If the metal is valuable, it may not matter.”
M’kou drew a small packet out of his pocket and spilled the contents on the table. There were ten coins of different sizes and denominations, and made of at least three different metals.
“Alloys,” M’kou said. “Their face value doesn’t reflect their actual value. I’m told it’s the same with most currencies.”
He leaned across, picking up several of the coins, handing two to Banner, and examining some himself.
“They look ordinary to me,” said Banner, after examining them and handing them back to M’kou.
“Unless you can find anyone else still using them, I think they’re worthless, Kezule,” he said, using a claw tip to scratch the surface of the gold-colored ones. He slid them back across the table to M’kou. “You will never be totally self-sufficient. You need to offer services, since at this time, unless you have an excess of produce from the hydroponics area, you have no goods to offer in trade.”
As the two servers returned with a selection of whole fruit and to remove the empty plates, Kezule began drumming his claw tips slowly on the table.
“How’s morale?” he asked when they were alone again.
“Not bad,” said Lirtosh. “Opening the pool helped a lot, and getting the other rec room running will be another boost. There’s some grumbling about the long shifts caused by salvaging the Zan’droshi, but nothing serious since everyone has seen some benefits for themselves.”
M’kou nodded agreement. “Morale among the military side is also high.”
Stilling his hand, Kezule looked at him. “Captain?”
“We’re here to do a job, Kezule,” he said. “Morale is not an issue. Do you have a problem with the salvage operation?”
“There’s more wreckage on the Zan’droshi than I first thought. Getting to what we need is taking longer than I anticipated and we’re falling behind schedule,” he said. “Not by much, as yet, but it’s increasing daily. The state of our medical supplies also concerns me. I don’t want them to fall any lower.”
“You’re thinking of making an official approach to Ch’almuth,” he said, breaking the small silence that followed. “You may get the people you need, but if they’re an agricultural world, you shouldn’t assume they have the medicines and other goods you need to spare.”
“Medicinal plants were also grown there,” said Kezule. “I’ve been checking the databases from my ship.” He reached out to take a brightly colored oval fruit from the bowl, using his knife to peel off the outer skin.
“What services can we offer in exchange?” asked Lirtosh, helping himself to a bunch of small round, dark fruits.
“Engineers, programmers, advanced medical treatment,” said Banner. “They’re bound to need one of them. Services can always be negotiated.”
“And there’s always the chance they’re still using the same monetary system,” Kusac said.
“I need you to draft me a First Contact plan, Kusac,” said Kezule, quartering his fruit and beginning to eat it. “I want you and your crew to accompany me. We’re leaving in three days. M’zynal, you’ll be in charge here. M’kou, Zayshul, you’ll come with me. Send me a list of what each department needs, and a list of those with skills we can use for trading. I’ll post a list of the personnel we’ll take tomorrow. In the center of the table, you’ll find a folder for each of you with a briefing of what was on Ch’almuth in my time—details of the main crops, the personnel distribution according to castes, where they were located, and on the spaceport and technical level overall. Work on the Zan’droshi will continue while we’re away.”
“If I remember, my earlier research showed they had an enclave of ruling Intellectuals, Kezule, as well as the obligatory military presence. Approaching them might not be the open and shut scenario you expect. You may even find yourself dealing with some of your relatives.”
“I expect you to take that into account,” said Kezule.
“You’ll be well over your deadline by the time we get back,” he warned. “Six weeks it will take us, not counting any time spent there.”
“We could be there and back in a week,” said Kezule. “We now have the means to move even more quickly between our Outposts and worlds. M’kou will brief you shortly. Are we ready to test the device from the Zan’droshi, M’kou?”
“The final test is scheduled for tonight at eighteen hundred hours, General. The N’zishok is already anchored outside Kij’ik. Boarding is at seventeen hundred.”
Kezule nodded, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. “Until later,” he said before leaving.
“What’s this device he’s talking about?” he asked M’kou.
M’kou, busy peeling a citrus fruit, looked across at him. “As I understand it, the Zan’droshi had just been fitted with a prototype device,” he said. “It created passageways through space to predetermined destinations. Each of the four Empire worlds had a receiver, and they were being installed at the Outposts. There’s one here, which is how the General was able to track the Zan’droshi , and there appears to be one at Ch’almuth. The one on the Prime world is no longer operational, as far as we know.”
“How does it work?” asked Banner.
“I’m afraid I don’t know, it’s not my field,” said M’kou.
“The test tonight is to see if there’s a receiver at Ch’almuth?” he asked.
“There is a receiver,” said M’zynal. “The General’s attempting to open a passageway and send a probe from the N’zishok through.”
“I hope we don’t emerge too close to the planet when we go,” said Banner. “I’m not sure I like the sound of this. Why didn’t they develop it fully?”
“The Fall happened,” said M’kou, looking across at him again. “The General told me a handful of your people managed to overthrow the Empire in less than a week.”
“The receivers are not on the actual worlds, or Outposts,” said M’zynal. “The one here is set into one of the defense asteroids.”
“Excuse me?” asked Banner, turning to look at him.
“There’s a network of partially automated asteroids out there, all bearing weapons emplacements,” M’zynal elaborated. “Some need to be actually manned, and are capable of supporting a team of three for several days. Like Kij’ik, they’re all powered. We haven’t had the time to check them out yet, but none of them are responding to signals from the bridge.”
“Powered?” he asked.
“Kij’ik can be moved, Captain,” said M’kou with a small smile as he popped a segment of fruit into his mouth. “But not very far.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he said, picking up his coffee and taking a drink. “How far out is the General taking the N’zishok for this test?”
“Not far. You should be able to see the passageway opening if it’s successful,” said M’zynal. “Would you like me to send the images to the vid coms for you?”
“Yes. It’ll be a sight worth seeing,” said Banner.
“I suggest you view it in either the mess, the Assembly Hall, or the rec lounge as they have the largest screens.”
Lirtosh got up from his seat, muttering something about needing to go check his files
on civilian skills and ambled off, followed by M’zynal.
“Is it wise to take us with him?” Banner asked M’kou. “The Ch’almuthians may be as paranoid of us as the M’zullians are.”
“Then we need to know that now,” said M’kou. “Because it will affect whether or not they can work with you here. You’ll not be exposed to any danger, that I promise you.”
Banner sighed and reached out to snag an applelike fruit with a claw tip. “I better get going too,” he said, taking a bite out of it before pushing his seat back and leaving.
“You heading back to the data lab?” Kusac asked Zayshul, finishing off his coffee.
“Yes.”
“I’ll wait for you, then. Has Kezule said what he plans to do with Shaidan while we’re all away?”
“He’ll stay here with Mayza’s nurse,” she said, drinking her kheffa. “He’ll be fine, Kusac.”
“I can ask Lazaik to spend some time with him every day, if you wish, Captain,” offered M’kou, licking his now very sticky fingers in an effort to clean them. “She’s been spending time in the nursery lately so he knows her.”
“I’m sure it isn’t necessary, but thank you, I’d be glad of that,” he said, surprised at the young male’s gesture.
“It’s not a problem,” M’kou said with a smile. “He is your son, and I’m beginning to understand how important family is.”
He stared at him in shock.
“I was with you and the General when you were discussing the arrangements for Shaidan’s visits to you, Captain,” the young Prime reminded him. “No one knows but us.”
“I’d forgotten,” he said, relief flooding through him.
“I’m ready,” said Zayshul, getting up.
Camarilla council chamber, Ghioass
In the Camarilla council chamber, a small group watched the holographic projection as space itself in front of the N’zishok began to distort and bend. At the center of the distortion, a shimmer began to coalesce. As the passageway established itself, the shimmer became a glow that exploded outward in a circle, forming the entrance.
“This technology the sand-dwellers should not have been allowed to keep,” said Hkairass in disgust.
“Is limited,” said Kuvaa, wrinkling her long snout at the TeLaxaudin. “Only works with receiver, only goes to Ch’almuth, M’zull, and Haven. Cannot develop it further. If try, will find cannot replicate either part of it. This was ensured even in their time.”
“Is necessary they reach these destinations quickly,” said Azwokkuss. “Is it not? Binding other sand-dwellers now is part of pattern we foresaw.”
“Is done,” said Khassiss, touching the lectern control and turning off the image. “All proceeds as it must.”
Assembly hall, Kij’ik, 18:00 hours
“If that device could be reverse engineered,” began Banner, as they watched the passageway finally being closed.
“We’ve spent a week trying, Lieutenant,” interrupted M’kou. “Certain elements of the technology are beyond us now. We’ve no idea how it was constructed, and dismantling it was not an option.”
“Did you scan it?”
“Of course, but several components are sealed units that none of our scans could penetrate. The General says there were only four made in his time.”
People were beginning to drift away now that the test was over.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to go and fetch Shaidan for you, Captain.”
He nodded absently, his mind on Zayshul’s whereabouts now that her scent was more noticeable in the emptying room.
“You realize Dzaou could be right about Kezule and this Outpost,” Banner said, catching hold of his arm. “It is heavily fortified, and it can move.”
Banner had his attention now and he extracted his arm from his Second’s grasp. “That’s Dzaou’s paranoia talking, not yours. Have you any idea how much energy it would need to move this any distance?” he asked. “I don’t, but I know it’s more than this Outpost could produce. Yes, it’s heavily armed, but everything M’kou said it has in the way of armaments is defensive, not offensive, even I know that.”
“We still need to take that into account, Kusac. What if one day he’s a threat to Shola and we need to attack Kij’ik? I’ll be watching to see if he takes that finished fighter with him.”
“He won’t.”
Banner sighed. “When will you take a realistic view of what’s happening under your nose, Kusac? We must talk properly about this.”
“Later,” he said distracted again as he opened his mind, trying passively to locate Zayshul. “I have Shaidan to see, things to do before we leave. I may go to the library, or the lab.”
“Then I’ll see you later, in your quarters.”
She’d already left the hall and was heading toward the main elevator. With an effort, he drew his attention back to Banner. “Perhaps. I want to start work on drafting a plan for contacting the Ch’almuthians,” he said.
“Later, then.”
“I’d like to play squares,” said Shaidan when asked what he wanted to do after they’d eaten.
“You know where the box is,” he said, clearing the dishes into the disposal unit. “Shall we sit here or on the sofa?”
“Here,” said Shaidan, slipping down off the high stool and heading over to the sideboard.
He was pleased with the way his son was progressing. It had taken a long time, but by dint of giving him small choices every visit, Kusac had gradually got him to the point where he could make a choice of his own when offered one.
Shaidan pushed the box onto the meal bar and began to clamber up onto the stool again. Once up, the cub opened the box, tipped the pieces out and, turning the opened box over, began to lay them out on the squared surface.
“You’ve got new ear studs,” he said, noticing the small silver-mounted stones his son wore in each ear.
“Yes, blue ones.” He stopped laying the pieces out to reach into a pocket in the side of his tunic. “There’s one for you.” He held out a small package. “So we can be the same, Aunt said.”
He took it from the cub, opening the package up to find one blue-stoned stud. “I don’t wear them,” he said awkwardly.
“It’s a present. Aunt will be sad if you don’t,” Shaidan ventured hesitantly, resuming laying out the counters, black for him, white for his father, one set on each side of the board.
“I’m sure she’ll understand.”
Shaidan looked up at him. “She will be sad. She likes you,” he insisted.
“I know she does.” He hadn’t, but he did now.
“I’ll put it in for you,” the cub offered, reaching out to take it from him.
“I don’t think you can,” he said, leaning forward to let his son look at his ear. “I took the other one out soon after she made the hole.”
“I can see it,” Shaidan said.
He felt a slight prick as the stud pushed the skin apart again, then it was in, and his son was fitting on the back piece.
“It looks nice,” Shaidan said, head on one side, examining his father appraisingly.
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said dryly, sitting back. He’d only let Shaidan try because he believed the hole had closed up completely.
“She can hear your mind, like I can,” said Shaidan, pushing the board around ready to play.
“What?”
“Aunt is like us, she can hear minds. You go first.”
As the floor dropped out from his world, automatically he pushed one of his center disks forward two spaces. “You’re mistaken, Shaidan. I can’t use my mind like that any more.”
“I’ve felt your mind, and I spoke to Aunt the other night and she heard me.”
Gods, which did he answer first? He chose the safer one, hoping it would divert him. “Aunt heard you telepathically? You spoke to her?”
Shaidan nodded. “Your move,” he reminded him. “Some of the other females can, too.”
He pushed another disk forward o
ne space. “How many?” he asked, wondering at his son’s unaccustomed communicativeness this evening.
“Aunt asked me to write her a list. I put four down but I only know them because they’ve touched me.”
“You can tell when they touch you?”
“You can, too. I remember how to do things every now and then.”
“What kind of things?”
Shaidan screwed his face up in thought as he jumped his disk over one of his father’s, setting the captured one to one side of the board. “How to find people.” He looked up. “I can only really do it with you, and only when you’re near. You’re not concentrating,” he said accusingly, pointing to the lost disk.
Kusac tried to gather his thoughts and failed. “Let’s talk first. Is there anything else you remember?”
“Sometimes I think I remember people, but not very well.”
“Which people?”
“A female, with yellow hair on her head. She’s not like anyone here I think, but it’s not very clear.”
He closed his eyes and tried not to groan aloud. How in Vartra’s name had Shaidan got an image of Carrie?
“He said I had your memories.”
“He? Which he?” he asked sharply, opening his eyes again.
“The Sholan who wears gray. I don’t see him very often, and usually he’s lost because he’s on our level and he’s not allowed there.”
Gray? None of them had brought their grays with them. “My memories? He said you have my memories?”
Shaidan nodded.
“That’s how you knew how to use your Talent,” he said, realization dawning. “But how did they get my memories to give you?”
Between Darkness and Light (Sholan Alliance) Page 44