"Let me guess—you think they just joined the Prophet's army, don't you?"
"Oh, yeah. I sent their images to Quin after we got a head count with names and faces. So far, every one of them shows signs of the infection. If Randl hadn't placed a containment shield around the one who exploded last night, we'd be in even more trouble today."
"Do you think Caille recruited them?"
"That's all we have in the speculation department—that he managed to infect them somehow."
"What about others like Shella—the tourists?"
"Big problem," Kooper grimaced. "I've got somebody on those records now, but that will take time. Plus, we don't know exactly how long Caille has been infected, or whether he targeted other tourists aside from Shella Karp."
"Are you saying that Shella Karp could be an incidental infection, rather than a specific target?"
"I still think she was targeted for a purpose, to get close to Lebbon."
"And the mess just keeps getting bigger," I growled.
"We'll be looking carefully at every attendee to the Conclave. If there are others infected, we have to know names and faces soon."
"Or it can blow up in our faces, like it almost did last night," I said.
"Exactly."
BlackWing X
Randl
"He had a face full of angry, spitting, giant ocelot," I told Vik as we lifted weights in the exercise facility on the ship the following day. "It was funny—afterward."
"Most shifters are larger than their normal counterparts," Vik grunted. He lifted six-hundred-pound weights easily enough while I did leg-presses. "Winkler's wolf is huge. Probably stands about shoulder-high on you."
"She didn't have to attack him, but it was fun to watch," I admitted. "Her back claws are like razors."
"She isn't a BlackWing Captain because she's a wimp," Vik grinned.
"I understand that."
"Where were the remains sent, after Caille exploded?"
"Karzac has them."
"Good."
"Having fun without me?" David walked in dressed in workout pants only. Broad and muscled across the chest, I considered that David's owl could score a hit against anyone, if he chose to do so.
"We were just discussing the advantages of having shapeshifters for friends and co-workers," I said.
"And don't you ever forget it," David said before selecting hand-weights and beginning his workout.
Queen's Palace, Le-Ath Veronis
Winkler
"Didn't I just see you?"
Kooper frowned at my words before nodding absently. Karzac had been busy from the moment he'd received the blasted remains of Caille Morr hours earlier. He'd called a meeting with Kooper, Lissa and me, inside Lissa's office.
She and Karzac hadn't arrived yet, so Kooper and I were waiting.
Karzac walked in, a comp-vid in one hand. Lissa arrived seconds later. "What do we have?" Lissa asked. "We're taking a break from the meeting, so I can see this."
I could tell she wanted to drop her tiara onto the desk and unpin her hair, but she didn't.
"I was able to examine skin cells closely from Caille Morr's remains," Karzac began, while tapping his comp-vid. "What I found is a work of frightening genius."
"What's that?" Lissa peered at the comp-vid in Karzac's hand.
"I'll create a three-dimensional image," Karzac said. "Sit. Please."
"Well, I'll be skinned and made into a hat band," Kooper swore as the image appeared.
Two images appeared side-by-side. On one side was an insect, whose eyes were multifaceted and could see in all directions. It was something taught to young children, and fascinating enough on its own.
The other image reflected what Karzac had found in Caille's skin cells.
Organic, microscopic insect eyes had covered him head to toe, employing the same ability to see in all directions.
"He was a hybrid?" Lissa blinked in horror.
"It would take some power and imagination to create this," Karzac informed us as the images grew larger. "The eyes experience a symbiotic relationship with their host, and it appears the images are retained unless or until they are transmitted directly to a waiting recipient."
"That's not fucked up," I mumbled my sarcasm.
"The good news is that I think a scanner can be created that will reveal this anomaly," Karzac said. "I wish to employ Sabrina Kend for this project." He turned to Kooper then, who'd remained silent while he gaped at Karzac's images.
"She's yours," Kooper breathed. "How fast do you think," he didn't finish—he was back to examining the images.
"Soon, I hope, although it may not be in time for the Conclave."
"Unless time is bent," Lissa snapped.
"Are you saying?" I asked her.
"Yes, I'm saying," she replied. "We need this gadget as of yesterday."
"It won't detect all those infected," Karzac pointed out. "Just these hybrids."
"These hybrids look to be the Prophet's army officers, so anything we have to identify them is a step in the right direction," Lissa said. "Kooper, go collect Sabrina. I can bend time if it's necessary."
BlackWing X
Travis
"We need Sabrina to work with Karzac," Kooper said before I could greet him properly.
"All right. Did you find something important?" I asked.
"We did. Or rather Karzac did. That fool found a way to make hybrids out of some people, by implanting microscopic insect eyes into their cells."
"You're joking."
"No. I saw the images myself. Those eyes can see in all directions, and either record or transmit images directly to a recipient. In this case, it's the Prophet."
"Fuck," I said before sitting heavily at the desk in the Captain's cubby.
"The project will be done in secret on Le-Ath Veronis, and your mother has offered to bend time if necessary, to get this ready for the Conclave."
"Sounds like we need it," I agreed. "I'll get Sabrina packed up and bring her in a few."
"Thanks. This is top secret—make sure she understands that."
"I will."
Sabrina
"You'll be staying at the palace when you're not working on the project," Travis said. His dark eyes begged me to understand that this was not only top secret, but that my presence on Le-Ath Veronis had to remain secret, too.
"He knows you," Travis pointed out. He meant the Prophet; I was well aware of that. "He's taken you once, because he had alternative plans in place. Don't reveal your location and make yourself a target again."
"Believe me, I never want to be in his clutches again." I suppressed a shudder—without the medallion Zaria had given me, I'd have been killed or raped by the Prophet's jailer.
"Mom may provide a disguise, but that only goes so far. If somebody discovers what you're working on, it'll tip our hand."
"That's scary," I pointed out.
"Baby, I don't like scaring you, but this is scary business. You should know by now that Randl and Dori walked into a trap last night. If they hadn't had the talents they do, they'd be dead or infected right now."
I went still when he called me baby. With the mute in place, that seldom happened. "I love you," I blurted.
"I know. Trent knows, too. It'll kill us if you get hurt or kidnapped again. Don't let it happen, all right?"
"All right." I lowered my head—I couldn't bear to look at him any longer. My cheeks burned, too, at my admission of love.
"Hey," he tipped my chin up with a finger. "We love you, don't ever forget that." Travis leaned in to kiss me, and I savored every second of that seldom-offered affection.
Randl
"We'll reach Cloudsong shortly after lunch tomorrow," Trent announced at the crew meeting he and Travis called. "Sabrina is on special assignment, so I hope I don't have to remind any of you to keep that to yourselves."
"Any advice on approaching King Devarr?" Dori asked. "I heard he was something of a recluse."
"Isola
tionist," Travis corrected her. "His husband, Hulce, is better at meeting strangers than the King, per the dossier Kooper provided."
"He feels as if he's in a fishbowl since Cloudsong joined the Campiaan Alliance," I said. "As yet, Cloudsong hasn't signed the agreement to send troops to the army for training." I'd read the King's dossier after asking Travis for the information. Devarr's image was included in the material.
"Then we need to make Devarr feel comfortable," Jayna offered.
"Any ideas on how to do that?" David asked.
"He's about to be a father—he and Hulce found a surrogate for their child," I said.
"What? That must be a well-kept secret," Trent exclaimed.
"It is," I agreed. "That doesn't keep me from knowing about it. He doesn't want to make the announcement yet, since he and Hulce will be away from the planet for several weeks. They'll be forced to leave the surrogate behind with palace security. I think if Teeg offered additional guards for the surrogate during Conclave, Devarr would be more than happy."
"How do we approach him with this?" Travis asked.
"I can handle it," I offered.
"Then you're in charge of that. As for the rest of you, remember that you're acting as CSD employees. I trust you're well-versed in all things CSD?"
"Yes, Captain," we said.
"Good. That's how to refer to me during this mission. Trent is acting as my second-in-command, and he will also be addressed as Captain. If our guests prefer meals in their cabin, they will be delivered, and all things will be handled professionally, understood?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Good—you're dismissed. Dori, I'd like you and Randl to remain behind."
After the others were gone, Dori and I waited for Travis to tell us what he wanted. It didn't take long.
"I need you both to set aside your title and status for this mission," he said. "I need a representative from Teeg—an ambassador, if you will. I think Randl will fit that position very well. Dori, he needs an assistant. Are you willing to do that? If not, I'll ask Jayna or Terrett."
"That sounds fine," Dori shrugged. "I'm sure it'll get me into meetings and briefings that I normally wouldn't be a part of, because of my temporary title. Just don't let it go to your head," she lifted an eyebrow at me.
"No," I held up a hand in mock surrender. "I saw what you did to Caille's face. I will not let this go to my head, I promise."
She surprised me with a grin, which revealed a dimple in her right cheek. I doubted many people were fortunate enough to see it.
"Good, that's settled. We'll have proper CSD uniforms and clothing appropriate to your station brought to your cabins before we reach Cloudsong; Teeg had it delivered earlier, via special courier. Put your ASD uniforms away; you can keep any civilian clothes you have, provided they're suitable for the place and time."
"What about after we reach Campiaa?" I asked. "Will someone else take over as a liaison for Devarr?"
"That's the idea. Teeg will have someone in place to handle those duties, so we can concentrate on the Prophet and his plans."
"And I can get back to bossing you around," Dori teased me.
"Yes, Captain," I dipped my head to her. She laughed.
"Feel like a beer? I understand you didn't get your drinks last night before all hell broke loose in that pub." Trent stood and stretched.
"Sounds good," I said.
"I'll have a beer," Dori agreed. We left the meeting room behind and headed for the galley.
Avii Castle, Le-Ath Veronis
Quin
"All of them were infected," I told Kooper. It was late at night, and I was thinking about how good the bed would feel when I climbed into it. That's when Kooper arrived, asking about the images of all those who'd disappeared from Ba'Moru.
I'd gone through all of them quickly—it was easy enough to find the growing affliction in all of them.
"Are there any that appeared worse off than the others?" Kooper continued his questioning.
"A few. I've set those aside for Randl to study."
"It's really a moot point, since we have no idea where any of them are," Kooper sighed. "I'll have their images loaded into the security bots in both Alliances, but that may or may not do any good at all, considering the Prophet is well-versed in disguises."
"We have to try," I said. "These people could infect others. Where would we be if we didn't at least attempt to stop them at security checkpoints?"
"You're right as always," he agreed. "I'll go and let you get to bed; you look exhausted."
"As do you. Get some rest, Director. Healer's orders."
Kooper rose from his seat in my study and turned toward the door before turning back again. "I have a favor to ask," he said.
"What is it?"
"I have people working on a special project, and they need privacy and space to work. I thought there'd be something suitable at Lissa's palace, but it isn't working out so well. Too many distractions, I think."
"We have some empty workrooms on the other side of the bowl," I said. "Who needs the space?"
"Karzac and Sabrina. Mind you, I'm serious about the privacy thing. Make up some inane excuse that they need to have a laboratory set up there. Tell your people that they're studying a new disease. That ought to keep the curious away."
"I'll have it ready for them by lunch tomorrow."
"Thank you. I appreciate that more than I can say."
Chapter Six
BlackWing X
Randl
Dori and I were dressed in modified CSD uniforms, identifying us as Teeg San Gerxon's liaisons when we reached an orbit around Cloudsong.
"Cloudsong is hardly recognizable from what it used to be," Dori said as we watched the planet's surface race past our galley window.
Less than twenty years earlier, it had been a dead husk of a planet, with only a few weeds and stubborn bushes struggling to grow in dry soil.
Something happened to change all that, when King Devarr's original world, Carek Prime, was destroyed by Vardil Cayetes.
He and his people were transferred to Cloudsong, which had made a miraculous recovery in very little time.
"Zaria do this." Bekzi arrived to watch the planet with us as forests and farms slid past our view. While he'd answered my question, he was just as amazed as I at Cloudsong's transformation, and the ultimate kindness of a woman I still didn't fully understand. She'd saved an entire population from genocide.
Devarr and his people had received the gift of life. I hoped they were properly grateful for it.
"We'll dock at the unfinished space station and take the shuttle to the surface," Dori sighed. "It looks so pretty from up here. Every planet does, until you get to it and learn that the people there are no different from people anywhere else."
"Feeling cynical today, assistant Dori?" I turned to lift an eyebrow at her observation.
"Cynical Dori still has claws and we haven't reached the planet yet," she retorted, although she smiled when she turned away from me.
"Ah. I'll take that under advisement."
"Travis was right to name you the ambassador," Dori sighed. "I'm not suited to those things."
You're suited for what you do, Captain Dori, I informed her in mindspeech. I think you enjoy it, too.
She drew in a breath and squared her shoulders before dipping her head in a slight nod. She loved her work and missed her ship.
You'll get another ship soon, I told her. Even if I have to steal it myself.
She snickered aloud.
Founder's Palace, Campiaa
Wyatt
"If Devarr accepts Randl's offer of additional security for the surrogate, who should we send?" Dad asked. He, Tybus, Dormas and I were in a private meeting inside Dad's study, attempting to sort this new turn of events.
None of us had known that Devarr had a surrogate in place so he and Hulce could be parents. Usually those things were publicized.
Devarr was such a paranoid recluse that he was holding t
he information back from everyone, including his own people. Only he, Hulce and a handful of palace guards were aware that a royal child was on the way, until Randl saw Devarr's image on a comp-vid.
"I worry that Devarr will turn into Amlis—or the Amlis of the past," I pointed out.
"I'll take that under advisement," Dad said, steepling his fingers as he leaned back in his chair. "He certainly shouldn't pass those fears to his child, or we'll have another generation of it to deal with later."
"Can Quin help with that?" Dormas asked. He seldom offered advice or disagreed with the rest of us, but he usually had everyone's best interests at heart when he did.
"I don't know that Devarr will allow it, and it would be unprecedented in this case," Dad frowned.
"It's better than forcing him to get treatment for his fears and anxiety later," Dormas pointed out.
"We'll work on that," Dad said, "if an opportunity presents itself. We haven't heard anything from the Prophet lately, and that has me more worried than Devarr's predicament."
"Agreed," Tybus said. "Have we heard from Director Riffler?"
"Not since yesterday, and he didn't have anything then."
"Do we have a full report on the incident in Ba'Moru?" Tybus asked.
"I'll request it from Kooper. I'm sure he'll release it to us, especially since it involves Shella Karp in some way. We're taking a risk by allowing her to come to Conclave in the first place."
"I'm worried that we've tipped our hand where she's concerned," Dormas observed. "He's on alert; we knew that when his servants disappeared from the resort village."
"True enough," Dad blew out a frustrated breath.
P'loxett
V'dar
"They're ready," Varok informed me. "Three hundred soldiers, ready to take their assigned places within the logging industries."
"Good." We'd chosen employees from each of the six major logging concerns suitable for replacement—unmarried men and women who were in supervisory positions and kept to themselves most of the time.
Six of those held high positions in each of the logging concerns, and I had specific plans for each of their replacements. The rest would take orders from those select six, as they knew more of my plans than the others.
MindMage: BlackWing Pirates, Book 2 Page 7