Circle's End

by Lisanne Norman

  “Have you tried to force a way into it? Have you done anything other than complain that you don’t know what it is or how it works?” asked K’hedduk.

  “We tried to take readings of it with our instruments, but we couldn’t find anything. No power source, no activity of any kind,” said the other scientist. “We can’t get it to manufacture the flowing metal nanites. It’s as if it is dead. Maybe because we lost part of it out by J’kirtikk.”

  “We did try to force our way into it, but we couldn’t even scratch the surface,” said the engineer. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s dead, Majesty, and nothing we can do will activate it.”

  “Then it’s a giant paperweight,” hissed K’hedduk. “Get it taken up topside to the outer courtyard where you can at least try to blow your way into it with small charges!”

  “How can we do that? It’s so heavy?”

  “That’s your job, not mine! My brother’s scientists got it down here somehow, so you can get it out. I want it moved within two days,” he snarled, storming out of the lab, leaving the three males looking hopelessly at each other.

  “We could call General Shayazu and get his soldiers to haul it topside,” said the engineer.

  The other two nodded their agreement enthusiastically. “That’s the best solution,” agreed Dr. Valger. “His people were in charge of cleaning up after the attack, after all. They have the facilities to do heavy moving.”

  “It’s on a plinth at least,” said the engineer. “That should make it easier for them to move it.”

  Palace of Light, K’oish’ik, Zhal-Oeshi 13th (August)

  “So you’re going to examine the cubs today?” asked Conner as he finished his breakfast.

  “I thought I would talk to them, and to the Brothers and Sister working with them,” Noni replied, sipping her bowl of c’shar. “I wish they would get us some real mugs,” she grumbled. “I really don’t like these wide-rimmed bowls at all.”

  Conner laughed gently. “I’ll ask for some to be sent down for us from the Khalossa,” he said, reaching across the table to pat her hand.

  “Well, I’d better get going before the adults all head out. I know the cubs are in today with their lessons,” she said, patting his hand in return and getting to her feet.

  * * *

  Noni made her way upstairs to the fourth floor, being passed through seamlessly by Security. She stopped, not at the nursery door, but at the open one leading into the central common room that Jerenn and M’Nar had arranged for themselves and N’Akoe.

  She stood there watching the two males, scrambling about turning cushions over and looking under chairs until one of them noticed her.

  “Um, Noni!” said M’Nar, standing almost to attention. “Sorry, didn’t see you standing there. What can we do for you?”

  “You haven’t found your brush yet, have you?” she said, entering the room. “It’s in the bottom of the wardrobe where you dropped it last night. Go get it, or you’ll never concentrate on what I want to know,” she said, gesturing to the piece of furniture that stood in the far corner of the room.

  “Noni,” said Jerenn. “May the sun shine upon you.”

  “And you, youngster. It’s you I want to talk to first. Now that M’Nar’s found his favorite brush, clear that sofa so I can sit down,” she said, leaning on her cane as she made her way into the room.

  “What can I do for you, Noni?” asked Jerenn as he watched M’Nar beginning to back out of the room in what he thought was an inconspicuous way.

  “Oh, no, you don’t, youngling!” said Noni, grasping him firmly by the arm. “You can go fetch us a cup of coffee. And I do mean a cup not a bowl,” she added. “Ask the kitchen for a couple of their sweet pastries while you’re at it.”

  “I don’t know that . . .”

  “This is me you’re talking to, young M’Nar! I know you wouldn’t have been here five minutes before you knew the name of every cook and chef in the Palace, and how to get into their good graces! So off you go and don’t hurry back. Take about ten minutes at least.”

  “Yes, Noni,” he said, hurrying off as soon as the older female let him go.

  “You, Jerenn, can sit and talk to me,” said Noni, taking a seat on the sofa and waiting expectantly for Jerenn to sit down opposite her.

  “I never saw much of you when you were at Stronghold,” she said when he’d settled himself. “Was there a reason for that?”

  “Not really. I just never had the need to come to see you. Most of my aches and pains were settled at Stronghold or I worked through them. I was away for long periods of time,” he added.

  “What about that incident on your last termination? You got involved with your target and almost became a victim, didn’t you? Who did you go to for help over that?”

  “It was classified,” he said stiffly. “I wasn’t able to go to anyone outside the Brotherhood.”

  Noni waved her hand dismissively. “It isn’t about that that I want to talk. Now you are working with potentially one of the biggest threats to Shola. Have you been given instructions to assess the cubs?”

  “If I had, you know I couldn’t tell you, Noni,” he said.

  “Then I’ll ask you about your personal assessment of them. Do you see them as dangerous?”

  “Dangerous? Yes, they have the potential to be a devastating weapon in the wrong hands—if anyone could make them act against their natures.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “They were made to be a weapon for K’hedduk, now the Emperor of M’zull, but even then they had other ideas. If not for Shaidan, they would have become his creatures, but he held them together as a group and fostered independence of thought where he could. He fought his conditioning.”

  “With Vartra’s help,” Noni murmured.

  “With Vartra’s help,” Jerenn agreed. “But he had the strength of mind to listen to Vartra and strive to be free.”

  “So Shaidan is their natural leader. Does he exercise his control over them?”

  “No, the only one he looks to influence is Gaylla, and that only because she is so simplistic in her outlook on life.”

  “Simplistic, eh?”

  Jerenn hesitated. “The general feeling about Gaylla is that she’s a little slower than the other cubs. Something certainly affected her when she was born. Rumor has it that if General Kezule hadn’t personally asked for Gaylla as a ‘pet,’ then K’hedduk planned to terminate her. That would have been despicable. She’s perfectly able to live a long and meaningful life.”

  Noni heard the hint of anger in his voice as he spoke of K’hedduk and what had nearly been Gaylla’s fate.

  “Are they a danger to Shola?” she asked. “How do you assess their potentialities?”

  “Firstly, they aren’t weapons; they are cubs, and individuals. Once you get to know them, you can see they each have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes. Every day their development becomes more and more like that of normal ten-year-old cubs.” He stopped for a moment, obviously gathering his thoughts.

  “Could they be used as weapons against us?” he continued. “Yes, the same way any telepathic cub could be used against us—they are no different in this than any youngling would be. Are they special? Well, they started out special because of their early training with sleep tapes as telepaths. Now, however, all they care about is the next outing to the river, or to the farm, or their next sugary treat! They are becoming more and more normalized as time goes on, and it’s down to good parenting by all of us involved in their education and training.”

  “You speak like one too invested in their continuation to be impartial, Jerenn.”

  He looked Noni straight in the eyes, setting aside all the stories about her and how she could manipulate people. “I dare you to get to know them and remain impartial,” he said. “They are cubs who want to be looked aft
er and loved, not impassive, soulless little people, forged by some mad doctor to be weapons against us.”

  Noni smiled and nodded, sitting back in her seat. “So if I ordered you to terminate them, what would you do?”

  Jerenn looked aghast at her, mouth opening in shock. “First, I wouldn’t believe you because you haven’t the authority to do that. Second, I would protect them with my life. They are innocents and don’t deserve termination just for the circumstances surrounding their genesis.”

  “And going against what you have been ordered to do wouldn’t bother you?”

  “Once again, you don’t have the right to order me to do that. I am of the En’Shalla Clan, beyond the rules of others, as are they. Neither you nor Commander Rhyaz has dominion over me or the cubs. Djana Kitra Aldatan has entrusted these cubs to me, and I will ensure they remain safe,” he said firmly.

  “Well, well, they have gained your loyalty,” she said. “Not an easy thing to do, I am told. It seems I must meet these cubs for myself, and make my own mind up about them.”

  Jerenn gave her a long look. “You were testing me,” he said. “You have no intention of ordering me to terminate them, have you?”

  “As you said, I have no jurisdiction over you—or them. You can come back in now, M’Nar,” she said, raising her voice. “I know you’ve been standing there listening.”

  M’Nar came in carrying a tray of drinks and pastries, a stubborn look on his face. “I’d protect them with my life, too,” he said, putting down the tray with its three mugs between Jerenn and Noni. “They’re no different from my own berrans, Noni, and I defy anyone to say otherwise!”

  “Peace, M’Nar! I pose no threat to the cubs,” said Noni, holding up her hand. “I had to know how you felt about them, and how deep that feeling went, that’s all. Sit. Pour the coffee and tell me why you are secretly training Shaidan in the use of weapons and combat skills.”

  Jerenn’s ears flattened as did M’Nar’s, but only momentarily.

  “We’re teaching them all combat skills, Noni.” said M’Nar smoothly as he lifted the coffee jug to pour it into the mugs. “Brother Dzaka gave us permission to do so. After all, he was raised in the Brotherhood and was practicing the skills we’re teaching the cubs at the same age they are now.”

  Noni waited till he put the jug down, then reached out to rap his knuckles with the head of her cane. “Don’t treat me like an idiot, boy! You are teaching Shaidan special skills! Why?”

  “He has a premonition of danger, Noni,” sighed Jerenn. “If we didn’t teach him in a controlled situation, he might sneak out and try to get someone with less morals than us to teach him what he wants to know. At least he is learning the correct way to use weapons and martial arts, along with the knowledge of when it’s right to do so.”

  “Hmm. What’s so special about Shaidan? Gaylla I can see; with her huge eyes and that smile, she would touch a stone heart. But Shaidan?”

  “He’s so serious, and cares so much for his little sister and the others,” said M’Nar. “He’s put himself in the firing line to save them many a time, whether it be to face down an adult’s anger with one of them, or . . .”

  “. . . to push them aside and face a herd of stampeding cattle,” said Noni drily. “Let’s keep the knowledge of that escapade between us, shall we?”

  Jerenn hissed in a breath, ears flattening briefly.

  “Think I can’t pluck information from you without you knowing it?” she asked. “It was at the front of your mind, that’s how I knew. I don’t go poking about in your mind without an invitation, or a damned good reason!”

  Put in his place, Jerenn focused on adding creamer and sweetener to his coffee.

  “Shaidan’s not always serious,” said M’Nar, handing a mug to Noni. “You should see him when he’s just being a ten-year-old cub, playing in the pool, splashing his brothers and sisters with water. It changes his whole personality. We like to think that as well as helping him face this sense of danger with practical training, we’ve helped them all to just have fun.”

  “I can think of no one better than you to teach them about fun,” said Noni, accepting her drink and adding her own creamer and sweetener.

  “Thank you, I think,” grinned M’Nar, holding the plate of pastries out to her. They were small, bite-sized ones. “The pastries were for an official meeting this afternoon between the King and some of the town leaders from farther away. I was able to persuade the cook we needed them now.”

  “And so we do,” said Noni, resting her cane against the sofa and taking one of the delicate pastries. “Now, tell me about the other berrans.”

  * * *

  Noni left the two Brothers and headed down to the library where she knew the cubs were either sitting reading or choosing books. It had been decided to keep them fluent in both Sholan and Valtegan, the latter having been their first language under K’hedduk.

  She was met at the door by a rather frazzled Kitra, with Dzaka hovering just behind her.

  “You’re not to do anything to the cubs that my brother wouldn’t approve of,” she said defensively. “They’re family, En’Shalla clan cubs, and responsible only to us and Father Lijou.”

  “I know, child,” said Noni, patting her on the shoulder and sending soothing thoughts her way. “I just want to meet them, nothing more. Come, introduce me to them one at a time. Leave Shaidan and Gaylla for last. You’re welcome to stay, you know.”

  Reluctantly, she went to fetch Vazih first, telling the young female to sit on the floor cushion beside Noni as she wanted to talk to her.

  As Noni chatted to the cubs, she kept her eyes on Shaidan and Gaylla, watching how their demeanor echoed how the conversations with the others went. At first nervous, then gradually gaining in confidence, the other cubs quickly chattered away quite freely with her. In fact, she realized, it wasn’t just Gaylla and Shaidan who were aware of the feelings of the others, they were all aware of each other, echoing all their fears and finally their confidence. Although definitely distinct individuals, there was a unity about them that had them always aware of each other, at least when they were in close company like this.

  At last it was Gaylla’s turn.

  “Would you like to ask your brother Shaidan to come over, too?” Noni said.

  “Yes, I’d like Shaidan to be wif me,” she said, taking her thumb out of her mouth and looking over to him. Without being asked, he joined them, sitting on the floor with his sister at Noni’s feet.

  “So, Gaylla, what’s the name of your doll?”

  “Shishu,” she said, putting it on her lap and patting down the dress so she was tidy.

  “Why Shishu?”

  “Cos she’s a Prime like Shishu,” she said, “not Sholan like me ’n Shaidan.”

  “Why’s she a Prime?”

  “Doctor Zayshul gave her to me when we first left the bad man. We didn’t have toys with him, only with Doctor Zayshul and the Gen’ral.”

  “What did you and Shishu think of that?”

  Gaylla gave her an old-fashioned look. “If you mean Shishu the person, I dunno, but my Shishu is only a doll. She finks what I tell her to fink.”

  Noni smiled. “Of course she does. So what did you think of Doctor Zayshul?”

  “She’s nice, so is the Gen’ral. He says he’s strict, but he isn’t really, at least wif me an’ Shaidan. He likes us.”

  “He kept me close because I got hurt badly when he rescued us,” said Shaidan. “It got . . . complicated when my papa came to get us. He was allowed to take the others away but not me as the General wanted him to come back and help him.”

  “What did you think of that time?”

  Shaidan shrugged. “Papa says I was programmed by Dr. K’hedduk and no one could undo it until Vartra helped me. And I was where my papa was, which was what he wanted.”

  Noni nodded. She had hea
rd the story of how the Entity had helped to free the cub from his programming.

  “What did you think of Vartra?”

  “He was strange. He could come and go unlike me and Papa, but I liked him. Where is he? I haven’t seen him in a long time.”

  “Where, indeed?” murmured Noni. “I hear you are a bit different from the other cubs, Shaidan.”

  Shaidan stuck his chin up and looked her squarely in the eyes. “Papa says I am part Valtegan as well as Human and Sholan, and that I should be proud of that.”

  “As you should be,” Noni agreed with him. “When do you notice your Valtegan self?”

  “I don’t, really,” he said. “Lieutenant M’kou has shown me how to use that part of me to go into a healing trance if I need it, but I haven’t needed to do that yet.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” said Noni. “What about you, Gaylla? Do you have anything special you can do?”

  She thought for a moment then smiled up at Noni, her whole face lighting up. “Aunty Kitra says I’s good at giving hugs!”

  “That’s a very important thing to be able to do,” agreed Noni seriously. “And what is Shaidan good at?”

  Gaylla turned to look at her brother, tail flicking happily beside her. “Looking after me,” she said, leaning against his side. “He looks after us all, but ’specially me.”

  Noni leaned forward to stroke Gaylla along the jaw, then to pat Shaidan’s cheek. “Thank you for talking to me,” she said. “Run along and play now, before it’s time to pack up for second meal.”

  She watched as they scrambled to their feet, Shaidan helping his sister until she ran off on her own. He began to walk away, then turned back to look at her, a look that reminded her vividly of his father, Kusac.

  “Did you find out what you wanted?” he asked. “Papa promised me we’d never be used as weapons. We just want to be kids.” Then he turned and walked over to Kitra, leaning up against her.

  Noni felt a sense of desolation come briefly from him before it was firmly suppressed and Shaidan began to smile up at his aunt and answer some question as Kitra looked anxiously over at her.