by Julie Ishaya
"What am I really?" Kieriell whispered and wondered why he'd felt compelled to ask. He wondered if the nervy, living walls that could read his mind were trying to answer the way they apparently spoke to his father.
His vision blurred, the stars fading into a single field of dull light, and he stumbled over his breath when he realized that he was seeing his own reflection on the glossy surface of the screen. His entire form was aglow so that it became almost androgynous, nothing but a light silhouette of a young man. His pulse rushed, invigorating and so alive. It was the first time he'd seen his reflection while in partial teleportation mode even though he hadn't determined a destination and had not intended to invoke the ability.
Could he hold on to this half-state of being? he wondered, but even as he doubted himself the light started to fade into flesh. He opened his mind again, testing whether or not he could really control the light shift.
Then he was looking at more than his reflection.
A great void of light opened up before him, and it felt so familiar. So vast and consuming. The vertigo came again and suddenly he recognized the connection. He had seen this before, during the evaluation. He had stood on the edge of a cliff in his mind, almost teetering over the side. A hand had pulled him back—his grandsire's powerful, mental hand—but now he was alone in his own mind.
Curiosity brought him just to the edge, looking straight down and somehow it made him also think of the grid maps he had just been studying. But he drew back from it and shook his head, clearing his vision, now seeing the glass of the screen again and his lighted reflection. He denied what he saw, convinced himself that he was imagining it all.
Ludicrous!
Retreating from the window, the last of the light faded in him, and he started getting dressed, attempting to forget what he had seen.
Afraid of what he had seen.
11
Within hours after Asmodéus' announcement, eight galleons lined up outside Dyss' Imperial Harbor located on the opposite side of the asteroidal from that where Adam's shuttle first brought Kieriell in over the colony.
Kieriell and the chamberlain took a shuttle to watch at dockside. They docked against a tubular corridor that encircled a cavern exposed to space when the aperture door gaped open. Cold lights ran along the ceiling of the tube, and the outer wall was made of thick sealed glass. From here Kieriell could watch each ship glide in to dock, its side hull aligning with an extension tube to secure an airtight disembarking.
Along the lower fringes of the harbor, which were riddled with cavern passages into smaller docking bays, a range of fighter craft sat, while guide ships flew out to meet the consulate ships and see them to their assigned docks. Small squadrons of raptors flew past to go out on patrol, while the hunched vessels called raiks, used specifically for combat, remained in their respective bays.
Kieriell's gaze came to rest upon the Imperial Command craft, Dyss' largest combat galleon. It outsized all of the others, hovering in its port at the fore end of the cavern. The ship's glossy, black shell appeared to move with a wash of color patterns depending on the angle of light. The stylized wing sails graduated from smaller to larger and angled downward along the lower sides of the hull. Obvious weapon mounts protruded from the underbelly, sides, and nose, and the rear of the lower hull had a soft blue glow from the tachyon propulsion system, always active with energy even when not in full operation.
The other ships took their places one at a time, some of them black, others more silver, all equipped with propulsion systems that issued the same blue glow. Each craft slowed down upon entering the harbor and took its place.
Beside Kieriell, the chamberlain uttered a soft curse.
"What's wrong?" Kieriell asked, glancing up at his quiet companion and then back down at the gathering.
"The Shiv representative is late. They are required to deliver the consulate an explanation for their activities."
Movement within the extension tubes indicated that the other lords and their attendants were entering the main tube's lower sectors.
"Come along," the chamberlain said, gesturing for Kieriell to hurry. "You aren't ready to meet them yet. Not here. Not now."
Kieriell nodded a solemn agreement as they departed through the nearest lift. Earlier he had glossed over the consulate's structure. He understood now that three of the nine orders were considered adversary. These were Iona, Mirrai, and Sheolan, which existed primarily to test the emperor's authority, but their practices extended to other issues throughout Nex. This form of governmental examination was called adversarial challenge, and Kieriell had yet to fully comprehend its purpose and extent.
The lift stopped somewhere high up in the rock, and the doors opened upon a room where a wide, half-circular table dominated the center floor, and a drapery of deep red bearing the symbol of an elongated nine-point star overlapped in the center by an inverted triangle. Kieriell figured that each point represented an order, excluding the Shiv who would not be official until the final ballot for unification passed.
The chamberlain ushered him past the table to a smaller lift on the other side. From there they were taken up to an enclosed balcony that looked down on the table facing the solitary emperor's chair.
Kieriell took a seat close to the glass and looked around the little room, finding several com-systems set in the walls. There were also clear, individual magnifier screens set before each chair. He asked, "Can they hear us up here?"
"No, so you may ask all the questions you like. Angle your screen however you need to observe clearly."
Time passed, and one by one the lords moved into the room to take their places on the circular side of the table. They all wore hooded cloaks and silver masks. Different colors of uniforms showed through their cloaks.
Among the last two to take their places was Asmodéus, who moved to the chair reserved opposite the others. After him came a figure of almost the same seven-foot height, wearing no hood so that his hair hung free, silky and yellow, almost touching the floor. His shoulders were perfectly square and composed, his chin held high and proud.
"Who is that?" Kieriell whispered. His stomach turned slightly with the feeling of power that emanated from this lord.
"Nehmon," the chamberlain said under his breath.
"He's one of the adversaries, right?" Kieriell didn't take his eyes off the figure.
"The worst. If any of them can get under the emperor's skin, it's Lord Nehmon. He works at it constantly. See how his mane mocks the Crown?"
Kieriell nodded. "What about Astar'Æth?" he went on. "Which one is he?"
"That one, on the right." The chamberlain pointed.
The figure there was little more distinguishable from the others. The hood draped low over the mask so that only part of the nose, lips, and chin showed. From what Kieriell could see of those features, they mirrored his grandsire's perfectly. "Would I call him Lord Uncle?"
"No, simply my lord will do."
The emperor stood cloaked in his own opaque shadow, while the others took their seats. "Let this meeting begin with the opening of the Nexian log at date 14,351, Post Colonization," he said aloud.
Kieriell straightened in his seat in surprise to hear his grandsire's actual voice, deep and steady, roll through the room. "He's actually speaking," he said under his breath.
"Only because it's more diplomatic," the chamberlain explained. In the eye holes of his mask, Kieriell saw the counselor's lower lids rise and a glitter of amusement at his reaction.
"We are here concerning the matter of a psionic disturbance detected in Shiv space. We await the arrival of the Shiv representative with an explanation for this occurrence—"
"We've all monitored that disturbance," Nehmon interrupted, and Kieriell immediately marveled at the audacity. Nehmon's voice bore a natural growl, and he sat statue-still. His mask described features of a cutting sharpness, cheekbones high, tapering down to full lips. "And we know why we are here. Why don't we talk about the underlying reas
on?"
Kieriell could imagine the emperor's own features tightening beneath his mask, teeth gritting. Asmodéus appeared to ignore the remark and continued. "But how many of you have noted the growth of the pattern?" As he spoke, the surface of the table came to life, and projected a holographic map of Nex and Shiv space. The image depicted the disturbance in yellow, its edges swelling in and out, uneven in circumference.
"What underlying reason?" Kieriell asked.
The chamberlain only nodded toward the floor, quietly directing him to pay attention.
"The source is the heart of the Shiv world," the emperor continued. "As far as the Nexian sensors can estimate, it appears to be feeding itself. It's not drawing from any of the titan forces." Asmodéus pointed to the craft activity around the focal point. "At first General Kallian and I thought that the Shiv fleet patterns were swarming as some means of defense, but now it's estimated that the energy emitted from that disruption seems to influence them. Within that range, any being with psionic skills would find its brain patterns greatly altered. Shiv ships—living creatures that they are—are affected as well as the pilots. It's madness that makes the shaikin swarm, not flight techniques. Early after the disturbance, many of them turned against their own. For all we know, they could turn for Nex."
"Blind paranoia," a new voice cracked from the entrance. Its smooth, low pitch held mockery and distain as well as a guttural accent.
They all looked to the being who stood bare-faced and proud in the entrance.
Kieriell's gaze tracked the voice to the source. The newcomer was male in build, but his slender frame indicated something more undefined by gender. His dull, gray skin was molded taught over corded muscle, and the face was angular and narrow. Coarse, white hair hung down around his shoulders in dozens of tiny plaits, giving the illusion of thin tentacles resting. His ears, slender and sharply pointed, barely protruded out from the head and had a very small hole of an ear canal near the lower lobe, which graduated down into the jawbone. The narrow upper ears were heavily pierced with silver rings and other ornaments.
The eyes fascinated Kieriell the most as he observed them from the magnifying screen before him: liquid yellow irises, larger than usual, centered with horizontal ellipses for pupils. They were clear even from this angle and distance.
"That's a Shiv, isn't it?" he whispered.
"Rai Jinn, the Shiv kai's representative," the chamberlain said as he sat forward.
Kieriell continued his examination with the newcomer's uniform. His bare arms were ornamented with silver bands that seemed melded with that gray skin. A dark green jerkin and a belt set with circular medallions hugged his waist. A long cloak was pulled up from behind and draped in arrogant fashion over one slightly bent arm.
"Rai Jinn," Asmodéus greeted with a level tone not to be trifled with. "I was beginning to suspect you would not attend."
"Ah, but you jump to conclusions as usual, Asmodéus." The Shiv representative stepped up to the table at the corner of the half-circle, closest to the emperor's seat. "We were aware from the beginning that our activity patterns would upset you. How typical."
Nehmon tilted his head as if amused by the needling remark.
"You are squabbling over little more than an experiment which doesn't affect Nex's boundaries in the least," Rai Jinn finished in a low, almost purring tone.
Asmodéus faced him full on. "Then you won't mind explaining to us how your capital could be generating so much psionic energy that it sends your fleet into a feeding frenzy." Within the eye sockets of the mask, red spokes emerged in the irises.
"That is a mistake," Rai Jinn replied almost apologetically. "A recently developed protein was introduced into the neural core of our security system to fortify and restore the central lobe structure. You are familiar with such practices with your palace's own neural core. The result was more overpowering than expected. That is all."
"You see, Asmodéus," Nehmon added, "there is a reasonable explanation."
"No," the emperor countered. "There is never a reasonable explanation where the Shiv are concerned."
Instantly offended, Rai Jinn snarled, "Don't you dare condescend to us. Nexian codes have no bearing on what we do with our own resources."
"Your resources are so heavily depleted," Asmodéus argued, "that you live in nothing but darkness and fire and you appeal to us for aid. You've just now told me that an experiment on your neural core has clearly caused your own fighters to swarm at each other. Please tell me, for all intents and purposes, how that is reasonable."
"You have no idea how we live," the other replied tritely. "It was an unfortunate situation, but it is now under control."
In the balcony room, Kieriell uttered an ill-amused chuckle and whispered, "Is this a consulate meeting, or a vendetta?"
"Both," the chamberlain replied. "The emperor and the entire consulate could have heard this explanation easily via transmitted statement without moving from their orders, but it shows better faith for the Shiv to send someone to explain it in person. Believe me, your grandsire would much rather be attending other duties."
"Perhaps," one of the other lords added mildly, "the Shiv would be willing to submit a sample of this protein for our examination. That would, at least, support their claims." It was a woman's voice, firm but lilting
Kieriell had not noted any definition to the cloaked figure that indicated the feminine, and he threw a glance at the chamberlain.
"She's the current Lord Mantus," the chamberlain quickly explained, "the most reasonable of the adversaries."
A deadly silence fell, and all eyes rested on Rai Jinn.
Another lord spoke up. "It would benefit the Shiv position in the eyes of this consulate." He stood, and Kieriell saw that it was the figure whom the chamberlain had identified as Astar'Æth, whose voice was generally calm but also matched the low vocals of Asmodéus. "Remember," he continued to Rai Jinn, "that the next review for unification is in less than three years. If the consulate is to approve unification, then it's crucial that we have full cooperation. Delivering a sample of the protein would show good faith on the part of the Shiv and would strengthen their favor."
"I will have to discuss that with my kai," Rai Jinn replied.
Asmodéus stood firm. "Very well, do so. We will await a response. But also remember the more your kai fails to cooperate, the more I'll tighten the watch over your system until none of your kind will be able to breathe freely without the Nexian regime knowing about it."
"Ouch," Kieriell commented softly. He couldn't restrain the notion to drop his voice in mockery of Asmodéus. "You've been warned," he said as if speaking to Rai Jinn.
The chamberlain frowned with disapproval at the youth's tone.
Then as if he had heard, Rai Jinn slowly looked up. His yellow gaze passed through the glass of the balcony and made contact with Kieriell, who looked past the magnifying screen and straight down through the main glass. The distance had no bearing on the power in the Shiv representative's gaze. A gasp escaped Kieriell before he could steel himself.
"Be still," the chamberlain whispered, "and don't make eye contact with him. It's like inviting him right into your mind."
But the warning had come too late
Kieriell already stared down into those elliptical pupils, past the rancid irises. The murk therein fascinated him, pulled him closer. An engulfing presence held out its hands to him and smiled. His mind started to reach for it, drawn by curiosity and a compulsion like that he had experienced the first time he met Asmodéus.
Who are youuuuuuuuuu?
The question flooded through Kieriell, not in spoken form but a coaxing thought pattern, a tug at his will, opening up his mind like some ripe fruit, revealing the seed of his core-being and plucking it out for examination. He lost all sense of the present, of himself and his surroundings. "Uh. . ." he muttered, trying to find something to say—anything—that would focus his mind back into place and free him.
"No!" the chamberlai
n hissed. He reached up and clamped a hand over Kieriell's eyes and turned him away, forced him to look into the room. "Look at me, boy. Look at me!"
Kieriell blinked and tried to focus, while he could still hear the exchanges below continuing over the room's sound system.
"Tell me," Rai Jinn's voice crooned. "Who is the young one? He has your eyes."
Kieriell shook his head and pulled free of the chamberlain, turned to look down into the gathering, finding that the other lords had turned their attention up toward the balcony. "Gad," he whispered and then cupped his hand over his mouth as a wave of nausea hit.
Asmodéus' eyes glared full red. "My grandchild," he admitted, "Kieriell Shyr'ahm."
Nehmon chuckled. "You never informed us that Adam Asmirrius had a son. Why, this is extraordinary!"
"He only arrived recently from Nall and is still adapting," the emperor continued quietly.
"Yes, but certainly you should have given us all a formal introduction," Nehmon insisted, and then gradually a low growl began to ooze into his voice. "Instead, now he's been exposed to the Shiv in a most serious way. I think at this rate we should know more about him. Go on, my lord, tell us everything."
"Stand down," Asmodéus warned him. "Don't test me here, Nehmon."
"Who was his mother?" Nehmon went on. "Adam's little childhood flame from Valtaer? Tell me, did she survive giving birth to a mongrel child?"
The question, obviously intended to cut the emperor, hit its mark deeply enough that Asmodéus didn't bother to fully restrain the growl that rumbled out of him. He planted a fist down on the table so hard that the screen images and hologram flickered. He leveled his gaze at the adversary and held it there. "Kieriell is not ready for you. Understand?"
The hands-off warning went ignored. "You cannot protect him," Nehmon said evenly. He sat forward, the angle of his mask aligned perfectly with the emperor's. "I know that is what you want to do, after what happened last time." He tilted his head arrogantly before adding, "You know, with Prince Adam?"