“Right, kitlings, this time we’re going to show you what to do if someone comes up behind you and locks an arm across your throat.”
Jerenn this time demonstrated on Shaidan.
“Now where is the weak point in his attack?” asked M’Nar.
“His hand?” asked Vazih.
“No,” said M’Nar. “It’s his elbow. What’s happening now is Shaidan is getting choked by the pressure of that arm against his throat, so the first thing we need to do is to get rid of that pressure. Turn your head, Shaidan, so your neck is in the crook of his arm where his elbow is. Immediately you do that you can breathe again, right?”
“Yes, much better,” wheezed Shaidan.
“Now reach up and grab that elbow, digging in your nails. For the real thing, you’d make your nails into claws and dig those deep into his elbow, but don’t do that now!”
“Ouchie, that would hurt a lot,” said Gaylla.
“It would,” agreed M’Nar. “Now as you dig in those nails, pull down on his elbow and turn your body slightly away from him so your hips press into his stomach. Keep turning and you’ll find you can face him. While doing this, you lift up your right foot and claw-scrape down his shin. He or she will soon let go! Remember, no claws for real, just use your toes for now, and fingers.”
“Be careful to not hurt your partner too much!” said Jerenn. “Your shins are very lightly covered bone and any downward scrape is going to really hurt.”
“Once more, you two, without me talking you through it this time if you can manage that,” said M’Nar.
Shaidan executed the move perfectly again, this time making sure he didn’t hurt Jerenn.
“Right, pair up again and practice. Then we’ll take you one at a time to try the move with one of us so you know what it’s like to use it on an adult.”
Half an hour later, M’Nar and Jerenn were herding them to the Sholan camp’s temporary bath house to wash the dust and dirt off themselves before heading upstairs.
* * *
After dinner, Shaidan chose to head to the pool to relax and further indulge his curiosity about Unity. He no longer needed to be beside a node, as Unity had told him, but he did like to be in a quiet place where he’d be undisturbed. At least when he was in the pool, Aunt Kitra and Uncle Dzaka knew he wasn’t outside at night and so weren’t checking up on him every few minutes. They were giving him some free time during the days now so that he could go into the grand courtyard with an escort of one of the Brotherhood, or one of Kezule’s commandos.
No sooner was he settled in the bubble pool and tuned in to Unity than he was aware of another presence. Instantly he tried to back away, but this time he was mentally held firmly in place.
You must be Shaidan. I’m Kuvaa, sent an alien yet undeniably female thought. I’ve noticed you before but never been able to talk to you.
You’re holding me against my will, he sent. Let me go and then maybe I will talk to you.
I need to talk to you. What you’re doing is dangerous. I’m in charge of Unity, I control the security for it. Somehow you are getting into our databases and interacting not only with Unity itself, but our data.
You left nodes for me to find, they’re how I access Unity. If you had them protected, perhaps I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of them.
I thought all the nodes were closed down. It seems someone has opened some of them up again. I will see to closing them. I also need to thank you for your help in solving the problem we had with how I was duplicated.
Oh! It was you, was it? Let me see you. I don’t get images.
Kuvaa allowed an image to form of herself.
You’re a Cabbaran, and one of those with tattoos. I heard they can mesmerize people if they look at them too long.
They show my clan affiliations, my profession, and my rank within it, sent Kuvaa. But what you’re doing is dangerous, Shaidan. Many thousands of people are constantly using Unity every day. It’s quite possible that another user, one not as friendly as I am, will discover you. That would not be to your advantage.
So you aren’t always in agreement? Is that with each other, or just with the TeLaxaudin? he asked. Which faction are you?
He had the satisfaction of seeing Kuvaa wince slightly, at least he interpreted it as a wince.
Reformist, she said. How do you know this? How did you find out?
The same way I found out how you were duplicated. I asked Unity for information and worked it out for myself.
You . . . you’re in communication with Unity?
Even he could sense the shock in her voice. Yes. We talk to each other a lot.
This should not be possible, she muttered. Nothing shows up on the potentialities, even though you are a nexus.
Maybe because it’s not that important that I talk to Unity. What are these potentialities?
Not important, Shaidan. Just know that it would be better for you not to talk to Unity anymore in case the wrong people find you chatting.
Unity wouldn’t let that happen to me, he said confidently.
I found you, she reminded him.
Only because you’re in charge of security for Unity. He warned me about you a while ago, and I have been careful. He’d warn me if someone was watching.
He would, would he?
He warned me about you, said Shaidan defensively.
What do you discuss? she asked in a sudden change of topic.
Anything, Everything, he sent. What bothered me today, what I couldn’t get right, what Unity is trying to discover.
So you help each other?
Yes. It isn’t always about being clever, sometimes it’s about thinking in a different way. All of my brothers and sisters, we all think alike because of how we began.
You did have a strange beginning, didn’t you? The sand-dweller bred you to serve him, but you became part of his downfall.
How do you know all about us? Have you been watching us all this time? Shaidan demanded.
No, we couldn’t see you, we heard about you after the events. I have to go now, Shaidan, and you should, too. Remember what I said; what you are doing is dangerous.
I have to do it, Kuvaa, because my father can’t, and I can. It’s my Clan duty to find out things, like about you. With that, Shaidan cut off his connection to Unity and was suddenly back in the bubble pool. He was shaking a little from reaction and the realization of just what he was finding out. It also occurred to him that he couldn’t tell anyone else about this and he desperately needed to. There was just no one he trusted enough that would let him carry on getting the information despite the danger. At least he could write it down and tell Gaylla if anything happened to him to give it to Uncle Dzaka. That was his only option right now,
Sighing, he got out of the pool. At least writing it down would make him organize what he’d found out in a logical way.
M’zull Palace, Zhal-Oeshi 5th, Month of Harvest (August)
Kusac got a summons from Inquisitor Ziosh to be in his office at noon that day. The Inquisition offices were attached to the temple as the ones on the Prime world were, but there the resemblance ended. Heavy with the scent of incense from the temple, the atmosphere was intimidating. Crimson and black were the main colors in the carpet, the drapes, and the furniture.
The Inquisitor sat at his desk, and looked up as he entered. “Nayash. So you finally condescend to present yourself to me,” he said, putting down his pen.
“I’ve been busy for his Majesty, as I’m sure you know,” said Kusac, sitting down opposite him.
“I know I gave you the opportunity to work for me and you didn’t even have the manners to turn me down.”
“I knew you would understand where my loyalty had to lie.”
“You forget, Nayash, who has the power here. I can arrest you on charges of blasphemy, and there is nothing your
Emperor can do to prevent it. What is K’hedduk planning to do about this civil unrest? He might have tamed the workers for a while, but they will rebel again the next time one of their leisure facilities is hit. Another brewery, another brothel, and who knows what could happen?”
“You talk as if you would enjoy the conflict it would cause between the workers and the soldiers.”
“I enjoy anything that embarrasses him!”
“A dangerous thing to admit to me,” said Kusac, curious to see where this was going.
Ziosh lifted the paper in front of him and held it up for Kusac to see. “This is an arrest warrant for you for the crime of blasphemy. It states that you willfully set light to your father’s coffin, consigning his soul to utter darkness instead of eternal life in the Western horizon. Such a crime carries with it the death penalty, if you are found guilty—and you will be.”
“Unless? There’s always an unless with you.”
“Unless you work for me and pass me information on what his Majesty is planning. You are in the perfect position of trust now. I could not have arranged it better had I tried.”
Kusac got angrily to his feet. “If you think you have me backed into a corner, Ziosh, think again. I refuse to spy for you!”
“You have two days and then I expect a report from you, Nayash. Remember, you’re only of use to me if I don’t have to arrest you.”
Barely restraining himself from banging the door behind him, Kusac stormed down the corridor until he joined Cheelar.
“Apartment, now,” he said tersely, leading the way at a fast pace. Once inside, he waited until Cheelar shut the office door, then he exploded.
“That snake wants me to spy on K’hedduk, or he’ll arrest me for burning my father’s coffin, he says. It’s basically a death sentence!”
“You can’t play one against the other?” asked Cheelar quietly.
“Not this time. I have two days to come up with the first information on what K’hedduk plans to do to prevent another attack on a workers’ entertainment facility—a brewery or brothel. Whatever I tell Ziosh, I get the feeling he could use it to start his own series of raids! We’ve launched a snowball here, and it’s just getting bigger the farther downhill it rolls.”
“Snowball?” asked Cheelar.
“We did cold weather training on the asteroid—remember the snow? Remember my people making balls of it and throwing it at each other and you?” Getting a nod in reply, he said, “Snowballs. If you roll one along the ground, it gets larger as it gathers more snow.”
“So what can we do about Ziosh?”
Kusac pulled out his desk chair and sat down. “I don’t know yet,” he said. “Ziosh said the Emperor couldn’t help me if he has me arrested because he’s autonomous. Since he admits I’m useless to him if he has to have me arrested, then it’s likely if I don’t come to heel within the two days, he’ll not come after me but at one of my staff, or Mahzi. It’s what I would do.”
“Can you tell the Emperor?”
“If I do and he does nothing, it leaves me unable to do anything permanent to Ziosh. I’ll be the immediate suspect.”
“So either you spy for him, or kill him within the next few days.” Cheelar went over to the sideboard where a jug of cold maush sat and poured it into two bowls, bringing one over for Kusac.
“I don’t suppose there is any way the Zsadhi could hit at him, is there?”
“The only deaths so far have been of necessity,” he said thoughtfully. “Ziosh was enjoying the thought of more anarchy among the workers. If I didn’t know better, I would put him as one of those responsible for the Zsadhi attacks.”
“Can you denounce him to K’hedduk?”
“All he needs is to have alibis for the nights of the raids and he’s off the hook, and my credibility suffers. No, we have to strike directly at him.”
“Pity we can’t make him forget he threatened you at all.”
“Forget! That’s it! The TeLaxaudin had some device that could make us forget what had happened on that science ship, and on the Prime world. If they could use it on Ziosh . . .”
“Ask them,” said Cheelar.
Digging in the concealed pocket, he brought out the small transmitter and activated it. Within a few minutes, Annuur answered.
“What you be needing?”
Quickly and quietly Kusac described the problem.
“Can do, but it will only give you a few days of his forgetfulness. Is major issue for him, he will think of it again.”
“Gives me time for a more permanent solution. When can you do it?”
“Tonight we will do it, best done as soon as possible.”
“Can you destroy that arrest order, too? If he sees that he will remember.”
“Can do, but you need help as you know document, we don’t. We take you when he’s asleep.”
“I’ll be here.” He cut the connection.
The rest of the day passed slowly until it reached midnight, then Annuur and Azwokkus came for him.
“Cannot do just his room,” said Azwokkus’ translator. “Have to do area of Palace so need to wait till most asleep. If not, might catch them in bad situation and they know something happened to them.”
“How did you do us on the ship?”
Azwokkus glanced at Annuur.
Annuur sighed. “Area your crew were in isolated from rest of ship, had control over only your area,” he said. “Understand, was Lassimiss and his people, not us. I and my family prisoners, too.”
“Just take us to Ziosh so we can get this done,” said Kusac tiredly.
“Wear these,” said Azwokkus, handing him a pair of dark glasses. “Will prevent you being affected.”
Taking them, Kusac put them on.
“We activate device now, then go to target who is like one hypnotized.”
As Azwokkus said this, there was a sudden flash of light, then around him the room dimmed until it was pitch-black, then very slowly, as colors seeped back into his vision, he realized he was in the Inquisitor’s office. Ziosh stood like a statue, staring into space, not moving, barely breathing.
“Find papers you need while we see to him,” said Annuur. “Can take off glasses now.”
Cautiously, he removed the glasses and began to move toward Ziosh. “You’re sure he won’t wake?”
“No, but hurry,” said Azwokkus.
Kusac pushed past the priest, stopping to stare at his vacant face for a moment. He shuddered and moved on to the desk, rifling through the papers there till he found the one for his arrest.
“Be sure you have all you need,” warned Annuur. “Cannot come back for several days if you forget something.”
More slowly, Kusac checked all the papers on the desk, finding several of interest which he quickly read, One was a report from General Nazhol, obviously one of Ziosh’s spies. He filed the information away for future use.
As he passed Ziosh again, he stopped, fingering the hilt of his knife. “I could kill him now and be done with it.”
“No,” said Azwokkus firmly. “Do that and he wakes and we all discovered. Other ways to take him down, we look into it. You ready? Two weeks and nanites ready to activate, just two weeks left.”
“I’m ready.”
“We leave now.”
Next thing he knew, he was back in his bedroom alone with the arrest warrant.
“As quick and as easy as that,” he said quietly, thinking of the times he’d forgotten what he knew about being spied on in the Palace between one step and the next. Lassimiss and his people—the whole Camarilla—had a lot to answer for, and by the Gods, they would answer once this was over.
Zhal-Oeshi 7th (August)
The next day he was wakened by a call from the Emperor’s office telling him to report to the estate village of Lord Lorishuk to investigate the latest
Zsadhi raid on his brewery.
“Since you wrote such an excellent report for his Majesty on the state of the other raids, he’s decided to put you in charge of the investigation,” said Zerdish. “He’ll expect you to have a full report on his desk within the next two days.”
At least it got him out of the Palace and Ziosh’s sight for the next couple of days, definitely a plus in his mind, and at Rezac’s estate, too.
Getting up, he dressed and headed for his dining room where he knew his breakfast and his staff would be.
Grabbing a plate and serving himself from the sideboard, he said over his shoulder, “You’re with me today at Lord Lorishuk’s estate. I’ve been asked to investigate the latest Zsadhi attack at his brewery. You’ll need that camera again, Cheelar.”
“On it,” he said, gulping down the last of his breakfast and getting to his feet. “Will Lord Lorishuk be there?”
“I expect so. If my estate had been raided, I would certainly be there.”
“Shall I call ahead and warn his people we’re on our way over?”
“Good idea. This will likely take more than one day to record everything that has been broken or damaged. The other raids certainly did.”
* * *
It was almost noon by the time they arrived at the estate. Lorishuk’s steward met them at the door and escorted them to the Lord’s office where Rezac greeted them warmly, complaining loudly about the depredation to his brewery which, he said, had been all but destroyed by targeted small explosive charges to the mash tub, the kettles, and fermenters.
After lunching, they drove down to the village where the brewery was situated. It had been a medium-sized establishment that made one of the most popular beers drunk by the worker and soldier castes alike. Its loss would be felt hard by many people.
The smell of half-fermented beer mixed with a sulfurous odor hung over the area like a sour miasma. Inside, the floor was littered by copper-and-steel pipes, tubing, and sections of the giant cylindrical containers.
“Looks like they targeted exactly what they wanted to destroy rather than blowing up the whole building,” said Kusac.
Circle's End Page 23