He was right of course, but I hated to bring it up so soon after the twins were born. I felt April had been through enough lately. I debated for several seconds, and then said, "You're right. I should probably go talk to April."
Tersa nodded, and then said, "Vandahar and I are going to return to Earth, and talk to Dona about what is going on with the investigation into Carl's death, and his plans for Earth.
"I've taken a personal interest in making sure Carl's plans for Earth aren't thwarted," I remarked directly to Tersa. "Please render any aid that Dona requests."
Tersa nodded again, and said, "Dona's taken a real interest in this herself. I think she's aware of our support, but I'll give her your message." Then Vandahar and Tersa both bowed very slightly, and disappeared as they folded space.
Jasmin smiled at me and said, "I'm going to follow them if you don't mind. My father will wish to be advised as to what is happening." It was my turn to simply nod an acknowledgement. Then she folded space, and disappeared as well. After a few seconds, I went in the house to talk to April.
I found April, Cindy, and the twins, all upstairs in the spare room we had converted into a nursery. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces, and it felt good to see April so happy. For just an instant, April picked up my thoughts in the link. Her eyes sobered for a moment, but her smile remained in place. I decided to wait, and say nothing for now.
The rest of the day was very quiet. I tried to spend as much time as I could with April and the Twins. In the late morning, Tersa returned. About an hour later, April and I took the twins for a leisurely walk. We ended up headed down by the riverbank. Tersa and Cindy had joined us, and everyone was busy talking as the river came into view. I was surprised to see a large number of the students sitting on the bank across the river, with their feet in the water.
"Aren't they afraid of what might be in the water?" I asked, half joking.
"I guess not," Tersa replied smiling. "Some of them saw April sitting on the riverbank, cooling her feet. Ever since then, it been the popular thing to do for most of the students. They come down here to study, and talk."
"It sure looks like fun," Cindy observed. I could tell she was thinking of joining them. Just as Cindy got done speaking, a huge head appeared in the middle of the river. It was the size of a large car back on Earth, and had two huge eyes, one off to each side of the head. The entire student body appeared to stand up, all at the exact same instant. Several of them screamed, and I instantly reached out and scanned the creature.
On Earth it would have been called a frog. I suspect one of the students had created the thing, and it got away from them. There are no life forms on Remaca, except what we create, or bring here. This huge creature wasn't one of my creations.
In mere seconds, my scans showed that the creature was basically harmless. It might fall, and crush you. But short of falling in the thing's mouth, I was pretty sure we were safe. Al had alerted for just an instant, but I could sense his scans had already confirmed mine.
"I don't really like frogs very much," April noted in a distant voice.
Cindy giggled for just an instant. Then said, "Bet it keeps the insects away." The creature seemed to focus on us for a second, and then it silently slid back under the water.
Several seconds passed, and Tersa asked, "Should I have the thing destroyed?" April's eyes locked on mine, and I could tell at once she didn't wish the creature harmed.
"As long as it leaves everyone alone, I see no reason to harm it," I replied. "You might warn the students to use more caution in their creations. Not all creatures are passive by their nature." Tersa just nodded her response. We continued on our walk, but it seemed to me that the conversation was a little more subdued for the rest of the time we were out.
By the time we got home an hour later, April and the twins were exhausted. After settling the twins in bed for a nap, April went and laid down as well. I laid down next to her, and tried to let her rest. After a few minutes, her breathing steadied, and I thought she was asleep.
"When are we leaving?" She asked abruptly. Her voice, almost a whisper, seemed distant in the quiet room.
I was caught off guard for a moment, and then asked, "You can see what I've been thinking in the link I take it?"
"I still have problems scanning people," April replied. "You and Tersa are pretty easy to read, but I don't understand everything I see."
"What don't you understand?" I wondered aloud.
"You've changed since you left, and spent time with the Guardian you call Satu-Ra," she explained. "I can see you are learning to control your abilities, but they seem so powerful, I don't understand how you manage the things you do."
"I don't really understand all of it myself," I told her truthfully. "I often seem to fail, yet things just work out. I can't always claim credit for my survival, so I know I still have a lot to learn."
"And the whole time, you just keep becoming more powerful with each passing day?" She asked.
"That's what I've been told." I agreed. "I don't feel any different, but I can tell I'm changing. I do things I never would have dreamed possible just two years ago."
"It kinda scares me," April confided. "I'm afraid you'll change so much, you'll forget me."
"You are my beloved!" I assured her. "I could never forget you! Neither time nor space will ever separate us for long. I will always return to you, no matter what it takes!"
"Because you're my beloved," she agreed in a sleepy voice. I could tell she was finally relaxing, and going to sleep.
"We'll talk of this later," I told her. She snuggled closer, and in seconds, we were both asleep.
Chapter 10
Donald Morgan
I awoke several hours later. April was gone, and I couldn't remember her getting up. I reached out in the link, and could sense her downstairs in the kitchen talking to Tersa. I took a shower, got cleaned up, and went down to join them.
Tersa and April were talking quietly as I stepped into the room. They were drinking coffee, and it appeared April hadn't been up long. She smiled at me, and said, "I was starting to think you were going to sleep all day." I could tell she was teasing me, and played along.
"It requires vast amounts of sleep to be a powerful Magi!" I boasted. Tersa and April looked at each other, and both burst out laughing.
"I'll keep that in mind," April responded. "The great Magi's children will awaken soon, and need to have their diapers changed. Can you make that problem disappear?"
"I have studied diapers," I admitted. "The concept seems pretty simple to me."
"I sense disaster lurking in the shadows," Tersa observed. "Perhaps I should handle this problem for you. I've changed a diaper before."
"Don't be silly," I said. "How difficult can it be?" Tersa and April looked at each other, and started to giggle. I got the feeling I was getting into trouble, but continued on, saying, "Why don't you show me the proper way, so I don't injure one of my children."
"Fine!" April agreed. "It's time for them to feed. Why don't you two go get the twins, and bring them down here?" I hadn't expected this, but it sounded interesting, and I try to be open to new experiences. One minute later, Tersa and I were upstairs, waking up the two little bundles of joy.
I should note they didn't appear to be happy that we woke them up. Their little faces were contorted from sleep, and they looked distinctly displeased as the process continued. Before I could pick one of the children up, Tersa said, "Watch what I do, and we should be done in a jiffy."
"What's a jiffy?" I asked. I suspected it was a joke, but wasn't sure of the reference.
"Just watch what I do!" Tersa asserted sternly. She took Dot, and laid her onto her back. In less than a minute, Tersa had her all cleaned up, and a new diaper put on. I was pretty impressed with the efficiency of the entire process.
I turned to repeat the chain of events I had just seen on my son. As soon as I removed the old diaper, the cold air hit Carl, and he proceeded to spray the room. I hadn
't anticipated this, and simply stood there in shock, as he continued to hose down the area. I couldn't see how one small child could contain so much fluid.
It was Tersa who finally reacted, tossing a clean diaper over Carl. "I'll finish here, and bring Carl down in a minute," she told me with obvious irritation. "You take Dot down, and let her start feeding." I just nodded, and left the room wondering if this was a common problem. I could see I had a lot to learn.
As soon as I walked in the door with my daughter, April started to giggle. She could see what had happened as she scanned me, and quietly said, "Perhaps you could wear a rain coat in the future."
"You could have warned me he would do that," I noted.
"He's never done it before," She informed me. "You must rate special treatment, being a great Magi." Then she giggled again, rather loudly.
As I stood there holding my daughter, I happened to look down into her eyes. Our minds linked in a special way only a telepath will appreciate. There is a sense of blood in the contact. A telepath knows a family member at a glance. They share the same blood, and the link is far stronger than normal.
Dorothie's eyes were very focused, and I had the impression that wasn't exactly normal in newborn children. Then she clearly pinged, "Love you!" in the link.
"I love you too," I replied aloud. I was pleasantly surprised, and yet still caught off guard. I hesitated, and then handed Dot over to April. My beloved had decided to breast feed for the first few months, and Dot was obviously hungry.
A few seconds passed, and then April said, "I was talking to Tersa about Drevins Spraug. She said you have a sanctuary there that might be a good place for me to stay with the children till this is over."
"It might be safer there," I acknowledged. "Bitsy and the other dragons are pretty formidable. I doubt anyone could harm you on their home planet."
"I don't think of Drevins Spraug as being a very good place to raise children," April noted. "Are you sure it's the best thing to do?"
"It's a decision you should make," I told her. "It's going to affect you and the twins more than me. You should have the final say in the matter."
I could tell April was debating the matter over. She was silent for several seconds. Then she said, "I'd like to go see this place you created before I decide."
"The place was created by Tersa," I explained. "I have come to think of it as her home. It is a beautiful place, even if it's on a harsh planet. I believe you'll like it there."
April smiled, and asked, "How soon can we go look at the place?"
"We can leave now if you wish," I responded. April looked down at Dot, and then back up at me.
"How about tomorrow?" she offered. "I need some time to plan things out." At that moment, Tersa stepped in carrying Carl.
"April and I were discussing going to Drevins Spraug tomorrow to see your home," I informed Tersa. "Would you care to join us?"
"What about the twins?" Tersa inquired. "You're not taking them, are you?"
"Selena can watch them," April replied. "We won't be gone long. I'm looking forward to seeing your home."
"It's not really my home," Tersa explained. "It's more of a recreation of the place where I was born. Bitsy asked me to create a place where humans would feel safe. It was the only place I ever felt safe, so I used it as a model."
"What happened to the place where you were born?" April asked. "You sound as if it doesn't exist anymore."
"It was destroyed long ago," Tersa confided. "It made a strong impression on me."
"Then I hope you'll go with us," April noted. "It should be you showing us around."
April adjusted her hold on Carl as he fed, and Tersa said, "If you're sure that's what you want, then I'll be there."
Vandahar walked in, and said hello to all of us. Then he asked to speak to me privately. I knew at once something was wrong. I glanced at April, and she waved at me to go. Seconds later, Vandahar and I were standing on my home's front porch, talking.
"There has been an incident back on Earth." Vandahar told me. "Dona and several of her people have been badly injured. They are in serious need of an empath, and I thought of you."
"I'll come with you," I assured him. "Just give me a minute to tell April."
"Make it quick!" He advised me. "Several people are badly injured." I turned, went in, and told April what was happening. She looked slightly concerned, but made no effort to hold me back.
I could sense that Tersa wanted to follow me, and told her, "Please remain here and protect April and the children! I entrust you with their lives! Do you understand?"
She was obviously torn, but simply replied, "I'll guard them with my life!" I nodded my acknowledgement of her response, and went to rejoin Vandahar outside. Within seconds, we had folded space, on our way to Earth. I followed Vandahar, since he knew where he was going. He led me into a real mess.
We arrived to find smoke pouring out of a warehouse. Guardians were everywhere, easily identified by their uniforms. I could tell that there had just been a firefight, and as Vandahar led me inside, I realized just how fierce the attack had been. Bodies were laying everywhere, and most of them were dressed head to toe in grey.
The first injured Guardian I saw, was Dona. She was sitting on the floor, with her back against a wall. She had been shot twice, and stabbed at least six times, yet she was still issuing orders as I stepped up to her.
"I want a full sweep of the area within the hour!" she instructed a Guardian standing next to her. "Lock this place down! Make sure we don't have any of them left hiding in the escape tunnels!"
"Yes Prefect!" the man replied. He spun and disappeared into the rapidly growing crowd.
"What happened here?" I asked. "You look as if you could use a vacation." Dona laughed slightly, and blood appeared on her lips. She was hemorrhaging internally, and I saw she was getting ready to pass out. I took her pain, and her eyelids fluttered closed as the pain subsided. She took a deep breath, and for a moment, I thought she had passed out. Then I realized she was just relieved to be free of the pain.
"I hate pain!" she groaned loudly. Her eyes opened again, and she almost whispered, "Help my injured people if you can. They deserve a chance to survive after the battle they fought today." She began to stagger to her feet, and I helped her get to a standing position. As I took her hand to help her up, I poured all the energy I could into her weakened body. She closed her eyes again for a moment. Then she pulled her hand free, and said, "I'm fine now! Help my people!"
She wasn't fully healed, but I didn't argue. Twenty minutes later, I had saved the lives of a dozen Guardians. I was treating the worst of the wounded, and it was draining my energy reserves quickly. If Tersa had been there, she would have reminded me to be careful, and not overextend. I could almost hear her saying, "Remember your limits, Kaltar!"
I really tried.
Almost an hour after I arrived, I had just helped a Guardian with a bleeding kidney, when I almost passed out. It wasn't the pain, or the injuries themselves that affected me so much, as it was the shock the people I treated were falling into. It was a bottomless hole that seemed to swallow one man's life after another. Their eyes would darken, and they would fade away. I could treat the injuries, but sometimes, that just wasn't enough.
Then I heard Tersa say, "Stand away Kaltar! You need a break!" I was so delighted to see her. Her advice seemed brilliant at that moment."
"How long have you been here?" I asked.
"Long enough to know you're at the limits of your energy reserves!" she scolded me. "April would have a fit if she saw you right now!"
"You're supposed to be guarding April and the twins!" I reminded her.
"April was who sent me here!" Tersa noted, almost cutting me off. "You haven't stopped since you arrived, have you?"
"Not once," Dona confirmed. "He's been going nonstop."
"That's what I thought," Tersa observed. "Take a ten minute break! Don't make me tell April what you've been up to."
Sinc
e Tersa wasn't giving me much choice, I sat down, and took a minute to watch Tersa work as an Empath. As I sat there, I asked Dona what had happened here.
"The greys swarmed us." Dona told me. "They almost overran us totally." I had seen the bodies of over two hundred greys as I worked to help the injured Guardians. Not one of the greys was alive. They had all fought to the death. For the first time, I began to wonder why they had attacked this place.
"What happens here, that this place presented such a target?" I asked.
"This is a computer server center we set up to release information on solar power and other renewable resources," Dona explained. "I hadn't thought of it as a high risk asset, but apparently I underestimated Mr. Donald Morgan."
"You feel he was behind this?" I asked.
"His personal empire is built on making people slaves," Dona replied. "We're giving away information on free energy. We're putting him out of business. He's not happy with us."
"Perhaps we should pay him a visit," I wondered aloud. "He might listen to reason."
"Don't you dare go near him!" Dona insisted. “He’s as dangerous as a rattlesnake, and I'm not having you get killed on my watch!"
"I'm immune to snake venom." I informed her. "Magi are usually able to fight off most poisons."
"I don't care!" Dona growled at me. "He's extremely dangerous, and I want you to stay away from him!" It was obvious she was upset over the attack, but I felt there was more to this than just simple anger.
"Why are you so sure it's Donald Morgan who did this?" I asked again.
"I've been investigating the man since Carl was killed," Dona noted. "Donald Morgan is about as close to pure evil as you can get. He's very sensitive to scans, so he's difficult to track. I've begun to suspect he may not be human. He's not under the influence of a rider tick, so he does what he does out of free choice."
"Doesn't he understand what he's doing to Earth and its people?" I questioned.
"He just doesn't care," Dona explained. "He's building an empire, and doesn't give a shit about consequences."
The Books of Kaltar Farsara Boxed Set - Books 1 through 3 (The Kingdom Kaltar Farsara Built) Page 39