by Unknown
"I'll give you an hour," the man said finally. "And then we're coming in."
"Fine. As far as I'm concerned, you can come in and look like the conquering heroes. The credit for putting down this uprising will be yours."
"You're still a fugitive, Panera."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Miklos shut off the comm and turned to the airdefense commander. "What's going on at the barracks?"
"Someone apparently got trigger-happy, just like we feared, and attacked one of the Coven."
"The Coven were down there?" Miklos glanced at the comm. Obviously, Jalissa hadn't been able to control themor at least not all of them.
He rejected the notion of trying to contact her via comm. The visitors' quarters where they must be was only a few minutes away. He decided to go there. In all likelihood, Jalissa had had some success, because the miners hadn't gotten involved yet. But she could probably use his support right now, to convince them and any of the Coven who were there that he could be trusted and there would be no attack.
He left the tower and covered the short distance in one of the small solar-powered vehicles he found parked nearby. Even though his problems were far from being over, all that was on his mind as he braked in front of the visitors' quarters was seeing her again.
He pushed open the door to the visitors' quarters to face a cluster of black-robed Witches and Warlocks. They all turned to stare at him, and the magic fire glowed around the hands of several of them.
''Where's Jalissa?" he asked, guessing that she was probably in the miners' quarters, trying to keep them calm.
"Are you Miklos Panerathe Vantran?" one of them asked, a young woman who bore a faint resemblance to Jalissa.
He nodded impatiently. "Is she with the miners?"
"No. She went to find you." Miklos felt the first faint stirrings of alarm, but kept them in check. Probably she'd appeared in the tower right after he left.
"When did she leave?"
The young Witch frowned. "I'm not sure. It wasn't long before that explosion in the sky. Can you . . . ?"
Miklos cut her off. "Before the explosion? Are you sure?" He hadn't gotten to the tower until afterwards, and she wasn't there. Fear began to crawl through him like an icy snake.
"Are you all here? Did any of you go to the barracks?" he demanded, scanning the group.
"We're all here," the young Witch assured him. "Except for Jalissa. She told us to wait here and keep the miners from leaving."
But Miklos barely heard the last part as he turned and ran back to the vehicle. If none of them had been at the barracks and a member of the Coven had been attacked there . . .
No, he wouldn't let himself think about it. He knew how facts got distorted in situations like this. Besides, Jalissa was quite capable of protecting herself.
Still, as he pushed the little vehicle to its limits, he wished that he could 'port.
He could see the sporadic flashes of laser fire as he drove toward the barracks, and soon could hear the shouts. His stomach knotted with fear, he leapt from the vehicle, clutching his own laser gun. The battle was all but over by the time he joined it, and it was clear that the forces loyal to the Federation had won. Still, he had to dodge from building to building to avoid the fire of the traitorous troops who were now trying to flee, perhaps hoping to persuade the miners and the Coven to help them.
Bodies of soldiers littered the space around the barracks, and even though his conscious mind refused to consider it, he was subconsciously checking to be sure none of them could be Jalissa.
The nagging thought came to him that if she were here, she would have ordered the troops loyal to the Coven to stopand they would surely have obeyed her.
He came to a corner of the one barracks, and peered cautiously around into the space between it and the next one. And for one frozen moment, he could not accept what he saw. And then, in the next, he was running to her.
Falling to his knees, Miklos called her name. Then he carefully lifted her into his arms. But what he saw sent a wave of horror over him that paralyzed him.
Her skin bore the telltale gray hue that resulted from death by laser. He'd seen it too many times before to deny itand yet he did deny it, bending over her to feel her breath at the same time he pressed a trembling thumb against the base of her throat, seeking the throbbing pulse of life. Cradling her in his arms, Miklos Panera felt his own life draining away, gone with hers. And he thought about that dream they'd shared and the look on her face just before she left him. She'd said that they would be togetherbut she'd known that that would never happen.
Suddenly, he became aware of the presence of others, and when he looked up, expecting to see soldiers, he saw instead three black-robed members of the Coven: a woman and two men. Dazed, he stared at them. They weren't any of the ones he'd just seen back at the visitors' quarters because all three were much older.
A surge of hope welled up in him. The Coven had healing powers! "Heal her!" he commanded in a voice cracked by emotion. "You can heal her!"
The eldest of the three, a kindly-looking old man, stepped forward. "She is beyond our help, Miklos Panera. We have come to take her home to the gods."
"No!" Miklos clutched her lifeless body more tightly. "You can't have her! She belongs to me!"
The man gave him a sad smile. "She belongs to the gods now."
And then, once again, Miklos was holding nothing.
The members of the Federation Council, representing every inhabited world in the galaxy, were all in their ornate chairs around the curved table. In the center was the current president, a woman from Tevingi. The presidency rotated among the various worlds, but everyone agreed that it was most significant that Tevingi occupied that seat now.
Two ex-officio members of the Council were present as well, seated at opposite ends of the long table. They were the Directors, respectively, of the Special Agency and the Translation/Mediation Service. Their positioning at the tableas far as possible from each otherwas not coincidental.
Every seat in the hall was filled, with an overflow crowd spilling into the hallway beyond. There were journalists and other writers, highlevel employees of various Federation agencies, and such important personages as could obtain seats on their own. Cameras recorded the event to send it out over the airwaves to the far corners of the galaxy.
And yet, it was all for show. There was scarcely a person in the galaxy, save for some primitive worlds, who didn't already know the story. The fact that all were gathered here today, nearly two weeks after the incident, demonstrated that they all understood the historical significance of the moment.
The president read from the statement drafted by the Council. A more detailed accounting would be available in the Council's archives. She spoke, as was the custom, in Vantran, but with a readily discernible Tevingian accent.
"The Council wishes to issue a report on what has come to be called 'The Ker Incident,' but which, in a much larger sense, can be called the 'Return of the Coven.'
"First of all, the Council condemns the attempted destruction of the Coven by Vantran forces nearly a century ago. Nevertheless, that is not our purpose here today.
"The incident that occurred on Ker two weeks ago traces its origins to the emergence of a young Warlock who left the Coven to announce to the galaxy that his people had survived. Special Agent Miklos Panera and Translation/Mediation Specialist Jalissa Kendor were dispatched on a joint mission to find this young man and determine whether or not he was, in fact, a Warlock. They were told to capture him alive, if at all possible.
"Unfortunately, through no fault of their own, Panera and Kendor were unable to capture the Warlock before he was killed by a Federation soldier on Ker. That soldier has been sent to a penal colony and his immediate superior has been dismissed from the military.
"Digressing here for a moment, we must explain that during their joint mission, Agent Panera discovered that Specialist Kendor was in fact a Witch. Knowing, therefore, that the Co
ven did indeed still exist, Panera, accompanied by Kendor, set out to find the Coven in order to pre- vent a recurrence of the wars that had once plagued the galaxy.
"By so doing, they disobeyed a direct order from the Council to return to Vantra, but the Council has forgiven them this transgression, and now believes that they acted in the best interests of the galaxy.
"Unable to find the Coven, who had by then removed themselves from their underground home on an asteroid, Panera and Kendor went to Ker.
"The situation on Ker at that moment was desperate. Following the appearance and then the unfortunate death of the Warlock, a rebellion had occurred, and troops and miners loyal to the Coven had seized control of Ker. A contingent of elite Vantran troops was already on its way to Ker with the intent of re-taking that world at all costs. This action, it should be noted, was not approved by the Council. Under the Articles of the Galactic Federation, the military, controlled by the Vantrans, has the authority to act as it deems suitable in cases involving galactic security.
"Panera and Kendor arrived on Ker only hours before the Federation forces. Together, they managed to end the rebellion with only a minimal loss of life. Their bravery in the face of overwhelming odds has resulted in their being awarded the highest honor the Federation can bestow: the Order of the Galaxy. "Unfortunately, in the case of Specialist Kendor, this award was made posthumously. Jalissa Kendor was killed by a Federation soldier, who has since been convicted and sentenced to a life term on a penal colony.
"The Council wishes to state that it regards Jalissa Kendor as a remarkable womanboth a Witch and a Federation loyalist. The ultimate peaceful resolution of this crisis has depended to a large extent on the fact that she walked in both worlds and believed in both.
"One week ago, the Council met with the Priesthood of the Coven on Tevingi, its new home. The Coven has disavowed any intent to disrupt the Federation, and has sent its members to all worlds where it has been revered to encourage their cooperation with the Federation.
"The Coven will remain on Tevingi, and its interests will be represented in the Federation by the Tevingians. The Council has voted unanimously to give the Coven the designation of 'Special Entity,' a unique status within the galaxy for a unique people. Their desire to live separately on Tevingi will be protected by Tevingian forces and by the Federation as wellfor as long as the Coven chooses to remain apart.
"In closing, we would like to say that we are grateful that, at long last, a terrible blot on our galactic history has been removed. One century after that terrible incident, a Vantran and a Witch joined forces to save the Federation and bring into it a people who had suffered a terrible injustice."
Journalists pressed forward with their questions, buttonholing various Council members for their individual thoughts. Others in the audience gathered in small groups, talking in low tones about the matter.
Danto Kendor, who had come to Vantra to receive the Order of the Galaxy on behalf of his adopted niece, made his way across the room to a tall, gray-haired man who was engaged in conversation with the Director of the Special Agency.
"Ralus Panera?" he inquired politely as the man turned to him.
"Danto Kendor," the man acknowledged with a nod. "I had hoped we could meet."
"I had the pleasure of meeting your son on Tevingi and wanted to inquire after him. Will he be present for the ceremony tomorrow?"
A shadow crossed the taller man's handsome face. "I think not, although I've encouraged him to come. He has been in seclusion at our country home ever since his return from Ker."
Ralus Panera paused briefly, then went on. "I regret that I did not have the opportunity to meet herand I deeply regret that we will be unable to welcome her into our family." Then, when he saw Danto Kendor's startled look, he smiled.
"You didn't know that they planned to marry?"
"No, I didn't, although perhaps it shouldn't sur- prise me. It was apparent when I saw them together that they felt strongly toward each other."
"To be quite candid with you, Kendor, I am worried about my son. When Jalissa Kendor died, it was as though a part of him died with her." He indicated the Director of the Special Agency. "But as I was saying to the Director, I believe that in time Miklos will choose to return to his work, and will undoubtedly make it his life."
They parted a few minutes later, and when Danto Kendor left Vantra two days later, he carried his secret home to Tevingi with him.
Epilogue
Jalissa Kendor stepped from her small cottage to greet the first warm day of spring. There was work to be donebut then, there was always work to be done. Among the children of the Coven, she had discovered a surprising number who had an affinity for the crystals.
She lifted her face to the soft breeze and smiled, thinking of Bel. The work could wait. She had no classes scheduled this morning. So she 'ported herself to the Kendor home, where she found her adopted parents breakfasting on the terrace with Danto.
All three of them looked up and smiled when she suddenly materialized at the edge of the broad terrace. ''I was just saying that I expected you to put in an appearance this morning," Neesa Kendor told her with a laugh. "Bel is in the home paddock. Will you join us for a few minutes?"
Jalissa slid into a seat and accepted a cup of tea. "How have you been, Danto? I haven't seen you for quite a while."
"Too long, my dear," Danto Kendor said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "In fact, I was planning to visit the Coven this morning. How are your classes coming along?"
Jalissa's face lit with pleasure. "Wonderfully. I have six children at present, and they're all showing remarkable talent. Malvina will be here next week to evaluate them, and I think she'll be very pleased."
"At this rate, the Coven will be taking over Trans/Med," Joeb remarked. "That must be giving the Special Agency some headaches. How many Whisperers has the Coven contributed?"
"Eight in the past two years," Jalissa replied. "And according to Malvina, they're all doing very well. The only problem is that they are finding life on Vantra a bit difficult."
"It's only because they're the first," Danto said. "The novelty will wear off in time. I understand that it's been months now since anyone has tried to sneak into the Coven's compound."
"Yes, you're right about that. None of the intruders wished to cause us any harm, of course, but the Covenparticularly the older mem- bersfinds it unsettling." Jalissa finished her tea and stood up.
"I'm off to find Bel. I'll probably see you later, Danto."
The trio watched as she walked across the terraceand then vanished. Neesa saw the brooding look on Danto's face, and touched his hand gently.
"She is happy, Danto."
"Yes, but it's the happiness of ignorance. I had thought that if she came across his name on the news reports . . ." He shrugged. "Does she have no interest in leaving the Coven, even just to visit her old home on Vantra?"
Neesa shook her head. "Malvina says that she always asks about her old friends, but has shown no inclination to visit them. It's the will of the gods, Danto. They gave her back her life."
"But at a price," Danto said. "I picked up some interesting news on Vantra, by the way. I had dinner with Ralus Panera. We're considering a joint venture in the Outer Ring. He told me that Miklos will soon be named Director of the Special Agency."
"Oh?" Neesa replied. "I'm very glad to hear that. From the news reports, it seemed to me that he was doing everything possible to get himself killed."
Danto nodded. "Exactly what his father said. For the past two years, he's been involved in every dangerous mission there is. But perhaps now he's made peace with himself at last.
"Having him as Director will be very helpful to the Coven. The current Director has never quite reconciled himself to the new order, even though Ralus Panera has done his best to see that Vantrans treat the Coven well."
"I wonder if Miklos has found someone," Neesa mused.
"No. Ralus said that he has given up any hope of ever having g
randchildren from Miklos. According to him, Miklos has no interest at all in women." He clenched his fists.
"I tell you, I've never been so tempted to intervene in someone's personal life as I am with those two."
"But you mustn't, Danto," Neesa said gently. "Think about how hard it would be for Miklosto know that she's alive but has no memory of him."
Danto sighed. "You're right, of course."
But privately, Danto thought that the gods had treated Jalissa very badly. They'd ordered that she be sent away from the Coven simply because she was bright enough to ask difficult questions, and now they'd given her back her life, but taken away the memory of the only man she'd ever loved.
Jalissa soared into the heavens on Bel's broad back. Nothing gave her greater pleasure than these rare times when she could escape from her duties and ride with the wind.
As they caught the thermal and began to ride it up over the mountaintop, she turned to look off to her side, then quickly turned back again with a slight shiver. It seemed to happen every time she rode, and she didn't understand it. It seemed to her that she expected someone else to be there, though she had no idea who it might be.
It happened other times as well: strange interludes when she would look up expectantly, almost able to see . . . someone. She'd never spoken of this to anyone, because she didn't understand it, just as she didn't understand her strange need to remain with the Coven at all times.
When she let herself think about it, she thought maybe it had something to do with her return from the dead. She still had trouble dealing with that, though she didn't doubt that it had happened. She could recall quite clearly the terrible pain of the laser ripping through her body, although her memory of what had preceded it was rather murky.
She knew that she had been credited with preventing war and possibly saving the Federation, even though, for some reason, she'd never wanted to read the accounts of that incident. By the time she'd regained her senses, nearly two months had passed, and what she did know about it had come from Danto's account when he brought her the medal she'd been awarded.