“Oh, uh…” Cory’s face was a mask of regret, almost to tears, but she, too, came back to herself, and in seconds, both twins were bowing in contrition before the Commander General.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Peter hastily said, reaching for their hands and drawing them over to the sitting area. “I think ‘Mother’ is a good name for… her? You feel feminine energy from the Freen?”
Guiltily, the twins exchanged a glance. “Well, she’s just so big, she’s like a Big Momma Freen, you know?” Cory said shyly. “Sir, we’re sorry we barged in and ignored you like that.”
Peter chuckled easily. “It’s okay, really. She’s a Freen and you’re Dracons. It happens.”
“Starguard Litzer,” Story murmured gravely, affording the woman a little half bow. “It’s good to see you again.” Qe was relieved to see a Starguard, a friendly face. Maritza had often visited them when she was on Draco, though not often on Orbglen.
Cory looked up and down the attractive blonde in Starguard gray and white, relaxing minutely when the woman smiled widely at her. Maritza was tall though not nearly as tall as an adult Dracon. The General, on the other hand, was disappointing in appearance, significantly shorter than the Starguard, plain in appearance, even drab in Fleet navy blue. Somewhere in his early forties, his hair was short, a kind of light mousy-brown, his eyes gray.
“Oh, relax, you two,” Maritza said, chuckling. “What?” she couldn’t help but ask at Cory’s expression.
Hastily Cory shook her head. “N…nothing! Thanks for seeing us, General Cenntl, ” she said fervently, bowing her head again in the Draconic custom.
Peter copied the gesture. “Of course, Velcor, I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner.” He ignored Maritza’s quick glance of curiosity. “And Vestor… you both know that your father took the Defender Andromedea to the Gozgazel System to track the aliens that had been in the Aldebaran System, right?”
Aware that it was time to get down to serious business, both twins nodded wordlessly.
“Please, let’s sit down.” Peter sat in the central upholstered chair and indicated a chair beside him for the Starguard and a sofa for the two children. “Isn’t this better?”
“Yes,” Story murmured, then responded to the General’s question. “Yes, we know the Andromedea went to the Gozgazel System.”
“And I understand that you inadvertently intercepted a message from him.”
Peter Cenntl had spoken as if he was addressing subordinate officers, not children, and gently at that. It won him a lot of points with them. They relaxed minutely. “Yes, General,” Story replied gravely. “I’m so sorry we caused a fuss! We were expecting him to call us.”
Peter nodded, looking on Vekta Rentclifv’s amazing children, compassion in his eyes. “Of course you were anxious to hear from him. It’s only a mark of the seriousness of his situation at Gozgazel that the message did not go through properly. He did successfully get his call through the second time, but I’m afraid he won’t be able to contact you now. However, he did leave me some instructions concerning you two.”
Cory, wringing her hands in her lap, blurted out suddenly, “Bapa’s in danger, isn’t he?”
Leaning forward to regard the twins closely, Peter murmured, “We don’t know that, Velcor.”
“Don’t lie to us! Tell us the truth!”
Story hastily took her hand in qers, squeezing it for support, though qe could feel her trembling. Frowning, qe noted that the General was not in the least alarmed by Cory’s emotional reaction.
“That is the truth,” the Commander General replied calmly. “Your father did not explain the entire situation. Major Tauscher will not be able to contact us until the Andromedea leaves Starlock — hours from now. All we know is that Colonel Rentclifv and Major Aurand stayed behind in the Gozgazel System to deal with a recalcitrant Taree Imperial Khagan. They sent the Andromedea back because they didn’t want the Tarees to have access to it. And to deliver someone to you who will give you your telepathy training. As far as what danger there may be, I can’t say. The Colonel would hardly risk himself unnecessarily, much less Major Aurand. He has you and the Craters to think about.”
Cory had stopped trembling; now she was just stunned, frozen into silence. Story’s eyes were wide. “Ah… sir… what was that you said about—”
Peter gave them a comfortable smirk. “Oh, telepathy training? I’ve known Vekta Rentclifv for thirteen years. Long ago I learned not to be surprised at anything he says or does. Your father is a remarkable man. It stands to reason that he should have remarkable children. I know about the Draconic restriction against developing telepathic powers in children before the age of sixteen, of course, but it seems logical that Vekta Rentclifv’s remarkable children might have need of that sooner.”
While the General was speaking, the twins went very still, their throats dry, a buzzing in their ears, heads beginning to spin from the impact of the words. Telepathy training! They were really going to get it; in fact, it was so important that their father was sending someone to Althaea specifically to work with them. Could they handle the responsibility?
Their Bapa must think so; that realization both cheered and chilled them.
3: Maritza
Telepathic powers in Dracons, they were marginally aware, went way beyond mere transmission of thought — menttransing. Or reading thoughts — mentreading. It meant teleportation of matter — mattporting or self-teleportation — autoporting. Powers of perception — cepting — and fine control of timing to avoid accidents were essential to autoporting.
Then there were the forms of mental control: mentform, emform, mattform. The first was possible but never done by Dracons due to their high moral code. To alter another person’s thought patterns or to insert thoughts into another's mind was a horror. Emforming was considered a personal power, controlling one’s emotions — autoemforming — but it was never done on another. Mattforming was used for simple alterations of material things, even surgery when performed by a High telepath who had the requisite control and skill.
Being that the Draconic subspecies — Homo sapiens draconis — was 100% telepathic, the Dracons had developed a high moral code to manage their society because of their powers. Perception was such a powerful tool that telepathy training strictly trained teenagers to exercise mature discretion always, the value of high responsibility deeply instilled in them. That went also for mentreading and emreading, though the latter was actually used as frequently as one would read body language. Needless to say, learning how to mentshield was critical as well.
Above all, Dracons bore a strong sense of protectiveness toward nontelepaths. The planets Draco of Alsafi Community and Chidrac of Chidraconis Community both were considered “nonvoided” planets. Use of telepathy was freely allowed, though discretion was always practiced around children and nontelepaths. All Fleet starships and a few facilities on Fleet Bases under high security were also nonvoided. Even here, however, Dracons and other High telepaths were careful to void — shield — against low and nontelepaths. It was considered improper to even menttrans to a nontelepath who could not respond in same, though all Humans were telepathic receivers.
All facilities of the High telepathic Perseus Guard were of course nonvoided, but Guard Associates and Starguards were equally strict observers of caution around those of lesser powers.
Heady powers indeed for a sixteen-year-old, whose powers would normally be newly touched into activity through a simple merge1 with a trained High telepathic counselor after a month of initial training which was only done on Draco or Chidrac. But for eleven-year-olds, the prospect could be overwhelming and even a burden to them.
“You’re twins and children of a Level 8 telepath,” Maritza said quietly, sensing though not reading their questions. “Vekta said that he realizes he should have been monitoring both of you more carefully, for years, even. The two of you thinking back and forth… it just happened, didn’t it?”
Cor
y nodded minutely. “We always seemed to know what the other was thinking… and somewhere along the way it just became more active.”
“Then, only recently though, we cheated.” Story looked down at qer hands.
“Cheated?”
“We couldn’t access any information on telepathy on the Nexus,” Cory explained wryly. “Um, but Crater could. He let us read a few articles. Just a couple!”
“We can void. That’s what you call it, right?” Story spoke up, qer eyes wide. “We only think between ourselves, but we learned enough about how to keep it from others.”
Peter and Maritza exchanged a glance, wondering. Because of their special working relationship, the Starguard had permission to menttrans to her superior even if he couldn’t respond in same. “Sir, the security protocols on the Nexus on Orbglen would have prevented the children from being able to access any secured information. Crater, I suppose, had no such restriction, though I have no idea why he would have needed such information. Vekta must have given him free rein. And he must not have realized the twins would even know to pump Crater for information on telepathy.”
Peter nodded, then turned to the children again. “I trust your father. I accept that he feels strongly about not waiting until you're older for your training,” he explained. “And I believe he knows that you can handle the responsibilities. So are you two ready for what’s coming? Do you want to do this?”
Both nodded vigorously. “Bapa would not have asked for this if he didn’t think we could handle it,” Cory said quickly.
“But why right now and why the urgency?” Maritza menttransed to the General, who nodded.
“All right then,” Peter responded, giving them a quick smile. “Return now to your apartment with the Starguard. She’ll get you started right away while you’re waiting for the Andromedea to return.”
The twins looked at one another, their dark brown eyes flashing fierceness. “I’m glad we don’t have to wait anymore,” Story murmured. “I think we’re ready!” Then they gave the Commander General a deep bow of respect.
When they’d all gone, Peter returned to his desk, sitting down heavily. Unnoticed, the large Freen extended a tendril to him hesitatingly. Vekta… you’re so brilliant, the general thought, then glanced over. Freen, do you think so, too? But there’s that dangerous craziness to him, that ‘Starguard disease’ as they call it. Maritza’s right — can’t take that out of him. I don’t like this but as usual I’ll trust him on this…
*
Since someone from the Guard would be staying with them for now — Starguard Litzer then whomever their father was sending — Maddi Hewatt’s guardianship had come to an effective end. All concerned were ecstatic.
“Go to your doom, Black Demon of the Evil Force,” Cory chanted at the officer, fingers stretched before her as if weaving a spell.
The Starguard, who had returned with them, only raised an eyebrow at the odd statement, then turned her back on the conversation, gazing out the window at Althaea Base, and sprawling Fleet Headquarters beyond.
“You two are so weird,” Maddi spat back. “Stop that!” She pushed Cory’s hands away, then shivered. “How did Crater ever get along with you nuts? I’m going to have to ask him if I get the chance.”
Cory threw her head back and laughed. Story, lounging across the room on the sofa, glanced up from the Sixtheye display qe was reading. “You have no power over the light of the Far Stars, Marduk. Leave and be seen no more!”
Maddi glanced from one twin to the other, exasperated. “Are you two this strange around your father?”
“Bapa,” Story went on emphatically, stabbing a finger in her direction, “is the Commander of the Far Stars Force.”
“Oh, right, how could I forget?” Maddi said sarcastically, then shook her head, sighing. “Fine. Well, I’m going over to Base, hopefully to pick up a new assignment, not the Andromedea. You know, I tried my best with you two, but...” She waved a hand toward the woman by the window in exasperation. “Eh, maybe the Starguard can figure you out.”
She was pointedly ignored. “Right… that’s what you guys do. If you don’t like it, you shut it out. Telepathy training, ha! You need counseling and therapy.”
“You are dead to us.” Cory muttered.
Glancing at the tall, blonde figure of the Perseus Starguard staring out the window across the room, Maddi took a deep breath. “All right, I’m out of here, then. Starguard Litzer, sir… good luck.” Maddi quickly gave her the Fleet salute.
Maritza turned then to give the other woman a sunny smile and a wave — emphatically not a Fleet salute — before the Fleet officer disappeared.
*
“Cory,” Story menttransed to qer twin; qe frowned with the effort. “This telepathy business… you know what I think it’s going to mean?”
Cory had been furiously thinking of dark endings to the Evil Maddi when the unexpected menttrans from her twin came. She straightened, looking over at qer. “What’s that?”
Story waved closed the Sixtheye display, pushing away the node, then came over to where Cory was sitting on the floor, flopping down beside her. Qe laid back and crossed qer arms over qer head, sighing deeply. “You know… this is a great responsibility Bapa is allowing us. Maybe some games should come to an end. We will not be returning to the Far Stars again.”
Maritza Litzer bit her lip; she couldn’t help but notice the menttransing of the twins. Their thoughts are all over the place, barely contained — and it’s gotta hurt. Even a little bit will give them massive headaches without training! I’ve got my work cut out for me. I wonder who Vekta is sending? Since the twins had had no training, they also did not know how to shield, though they knew enough to keep a tight hold onto their emminds.
Cory copied her qother’s position, and then plopped her ankle over onto qer nearest one. “Yes, it’s that serious,” she agreed somberly. “No matter what the Commander General says, Bapa seems to be in great danger. He may need us, need our powers! This is too important for games.”
Then something impinged upon their mental senses at the same time. They sat up and looked toward the Starguard, who came over to them finally.
“There’s a lot to learn,” the Starguard menttransed to them drolly, smiling as she crouched down beside them. “Don’t menttrans again until you learn to shield. You have no idea whom you’re affecting when you do or how. And it’s going to hurt until your pathways have been properly opened. So… shall we get started?” She sat down with crossed legs, regarding them with amusement.
A chill, no, a thrill ran through them as they “heard” the rich mental voice of the Level 7 High telepath. Then they became aware of a diamond-hard shield rising up around them. Impressed, they nodded wordlessly.
4: Pelan
When Vekta came to, his first sensations were of something gritty against his face, and the awareness that his right arm and foot were encased in something wet. As he slowly opened his eyes, he realized it was sand and the wetness was water; he was sprawled face down on a sandy beach, half in the water, half out. But not exposed to sun. When he rolled over onto his back, he realized he was just under the shelter of a narrow cave, facing away from the opening. He wondered how long he’d lain unconscious or how he got that way. Or for that matter, where he was.
Despite his curiosity about the beach and the cave, he had to close his eyes against the incredible brightness that assaulted him the moment he turned his head toward the light just outside. He glimpsed the deep blue expanse of an ocean, but immediately turned his head back around, the light too intense to bear. Sitting up, he cracked his eyes back open, spying the rest of the piece of sand. It was not a beach at all, but a crescent-shaped spit exposed out of the water within the cave, featureless except for a few scraggly pieces of a blue-green, grass-like plant.
A blazing inferno burned outside. Vekta discovered he could only look briefly in intervals at the sand or the blue water. Even the water held too m
uch glare, though, so after squinting, he closed his eyes again, a headache already starting up. There was nothing to hear, not even waves because the water was absolutely still. No tides?
I didn’t get here on my own, he thought grimly, wondering about the powerful mental presence he’d felt before. Whatever, whomever that was, they brought me here… and where is this? Is this Gozgazel? He was pretty sure the one large planet, Gozgazel Primary A, didn't have oceans on it. This close — should there be water at all? Something was definitely peculiar here.
Unbidden, he thought of Novella Aurand. Is she here, too? But I definitely sensed that the entity wanted me alone. He heard himself groan audibly in his silent, watery world. I didn’t want to leave her alone with Tesirax, he told himself, then corrected the conclusion. I didn’t want to leave her alone… I didn’t want to leave her! That thought was sobering. Because of the mental merging? Novella meant more to him than a companion or colleague. And to be cast out here on a tiny sandy spit in an expanse of water with too much brightness outside and even inside… He could still see spots and his eyes hurt as if now his eyelids were no protection from the brilliance. He could only have been here moments, then. A cruel loneliness, indeed.
Something supple and smooth brushed against his ankle which still rested in the water. Using his perception — at least his mental faculties were all intact — Vekta noted with amazement that it was a long, thin fish, half his own size, with ribbed sails for fins. As it swam near him, it put its mouth up out of the water and issued a series of whistles. He wondered if the noises comprised some sort of speech. Could there be intelligence here? He remained motionless as the fish slowly swam around the crescent spit, still whistling.
Curious, Vekta reached out to contact the mind of the fish. To his surprise, there was considerable intelligence, more than he’d expected to find, though clearly this was not his High telepathic captor. But then the fish flipped its tail around and darted away, disappearing out of the cave under the bright surface of the sea.
Eye of the Gazelle Page 3