strongholdrising

by Lisanne Norman

  “We all are. And so will you if you’re with us,” the medic said calmly. “This is only another small risk, of not much matter to you. Take one of your contracts for a year. That would be enough. A year of your life in return for her being able to look our family in the eyes when she returns Home with you beside her. She’s prepared to stand by you without it. Can you do less for her now that you know what it will cost her?”

  Angrily, he jerked his arm free. “I’ll think about it,” he snarled as he left.

  “Don’t take too long! We leave the day after tomorrow,” Mrowbay called out after him.

  *

  “He has to be debriefed, Sister T’Chebbi,” said Vriuzu, refusing to be intimidated by the tabby gray-pelted female blocking the door into the IC unit. As Stronghold’s chief telepath, on Brotherhood business, he knew his orders outweighed anything she could say. “What happened to Kusac is unlikely to be of much use to us, but for his sake, he needs to talk about it, get it out of his system and realize his mission is over. You should know that.”

  “Kaid did that last night. Commander has his report,” she replied, staring fixedly at him.

  “That wasn’t a formal debriefing. This is being done on Master Rhyaz’ orders. Now stand aside and let us enter.”

  T’Chebbi gave a small hiss of displeasure as she caught sight of Doctor Zayshul behind Dzaou. “Why are Primes involved if only a debriefing? You got no jurisdiction over us, we’re En’Shalla, in the hands of the Gods,” she growled, holding her ground.

  “The Brotherhood as a whole is En’Shalla.” He was trying hard to remain patient, but Vartra knew, she wasn’t making it easy for him.

  “Only we are En’Shalla Clan. Kusac is our Clan Leader, you know that.”

  “The mission was for the Warrior side of the Brotherhood. It’s in your contract, Rhyaz has jurisdiction. Stand aside, T’Chebbi, or I will have to authorize the use of force.” Behind him, he heard Dzaou powering up his gun.

  T’Chebbi’s lips pulled back, exposing her teeth in a snarl. “I move when Clan Leader Carrie arrives and tells me to,” she said, raising her arm to use her wrist comm.

  “Hold it right there,” said Dzaou, stepping past the telepath priest, his pistol trained on her. “I’ll take your comm.” Imperiously, he held out his free hand. “There’s no need for anyone else to be present.”

  As Vriuzu watched, the hair not captured by T’Chebbi’s long plait began to bush out in anger. He was glad he’d brought the Brother with him.

  Snarling her fury, T’Chebbi held out her arm for Dzaou to remove the comm.

  “I’ll take your gun while I’m at it,” he said, pocketing the wrist unit and reaching for the firearm that hung in the holster at her waist. “Your Liegena is sleeping right now. Circumstances are hard enough for her without disturbing her rest.” He gestured to everyone to precede him into the IC room.

  “Not fooling anyone with this fake concern over my Liegena, Dzaou! You’re too xenophobic to care for anyone but Sholans!”

  “Bring him round,” Vriuzu instructed Physician Vryalma, as he accompanied Doctor Zayshul over to Kusac’s bed.

  “Is this necessary?” asked Zayshul. “Surely this could wait until he awakens naturally.”

  “My orders are to wake him, Doctor,” Vriuzu replied firmly.

  *

  Carrie woke abruptly, knowing instinctively something was wrong. Her conversation with her bond-father Konis some half an hour before had not been easy. That on top of her lost night’s sleep, had thoroughly exhausted her. With Kusac still sleeping, she’d let T’Chebbi persuade her to take a much needed nap.

  She lay there, wondering what had awakened her when suddenly a wave of excruciating pain exploded from her neck down her spine and out to her limbs. It was gone almost instantly, leaving her with the sure knowledge that Kusac was in trouble. Reaching out mentally, she sensed immediately what Vriuzu was trying to do.

  Even as she threw back the covers and scrambled from the bed, Kaid sent a questing thought in her direction.

  Vriuzu’s attempting to scan Kusac against his will, she replied, grabbing her shoes and stuffing her feet into them. I’ve dealt with him and am on my way there now. He’s got Dzaou holding T’Chebbi at gunpoint.

  Rezac’s on his way as backup. He’s met Jeran and is taking him too. Get Kusac out of there— take him to our room. Guard him from everyone but us. I can’t leave this meeting yet. His mental tone was one of suppressed fury.

  She left the room at a run.

  The anteroom was guarded by Ngio, one of Dzaou’s people. She slowed down, approaching him as if to talk, lightly scanning his surface thoughts all the while. When the door behind her burst open to admit Rezac and Jeran, it gave her the opportunity she needed: he never saw the blow that laid him out.

  Rezac gave a grunt of approval as he and Jeran drew their guns before flinging open the door into the IC room. Unexpectedly, it was Vriuzu, ears flat against his skull, who was being helped to his feet by the physician. The stench of fear— Sholan and Valtegan— filled the small room. Carrie remained near the door, guarding it as the two males moved in to secure the room and disarm Dzaou.

  “You bastard!” Kusac snarled at Vriuzu, as, holding onto the chair beside his bed for support, he tried to stand. “You had to force me, despite what I told you about my mental blocks. Now you know what a Valtegan punishment collar does when you try to use your Talent!”

  “I had my orders, Kusac,” Vriuzu said, his voice unsteady. “We needed to know what you’re hiding behind those blocks. Now we do. There’s not a damned thing wrong with your Talent! How else could you have attacked me…”

  “Shut up, Vriuzu,” Carrie snapped, going over to help her mate. “I made sure you experienced the pain you caused Kusac. You had no right to do that! You violated his privacy— put his health, possibly his life, at risk! Even we don’t dare touch his mind!”

  “He’s a security risk! We don’t know what else Chy’qui programmed into him!” exclaimed Dzaou as he, along with Vriuzu and the physician, was herded to the far side of the room under the watchful eyes of Jeran and T’Chebbi.

  “That’s not true,” interrupted Zayshul. “I’ve examined the tape. Chy’qui was only interested in killing Prince Zsurtul, nothing more. Kusac is no threat to you. Had my request on behalf of my TeLaxaudin colleague to give him a postoperative examination been granted, I could have told you that. There was no need to subject him to this treatment. I shall be telling Commander Q’ozoi about this!”

  “Your objection is noted, Doctor,” said Vriuzu, still holding onto the Sholan physician for support.

  T’Chebbi meanwhile, treated Dzaou to an openmouthed Human grin as she held out her hand. “I’ll have my comm back, too,” she purred.

  Angrily, he reached into his pocket and gave it to her.

  Carrie turned to look at the Valtegan female, noticing that her usually light green skin had darkened considerably. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were involved in the Treaty talks down on the flight deck.”

  “Our respective Commanders decided I should be at the debriefing so I could make a full report on what Kusac said.” She hesitated. “And explain what I could of the events to him.”

  “And did you?”

  Kusac’s hand closed on Carrie’s wrist. “There wasn’t time. Vriuzu did the scan almost as soon as I woke.”

  “The bastard!”

  “I want this debriefing, Carrie. I need to know what happened to all of us, not just me. But not with him…” he indicated Vriuzu with a flick of his ear. “Not with him or the others here.”

  “Let Vriuzu stay,” said Rezac unexpectedly, keeping his eyes as well as his gun trained on the Brotherhood Telepath. “He has to or the debriefing won’t be official. I’ll see he doesn’t step over the line again. I know a trick or two that will make sure he doesn’t.” He gave a gentle laugh that held no humor.

  Kusac looked at her and she could tell by his expression that he
was asking her mutely if they could trust him.

  Her heart went out to him as she leaned down to whisper in his ear. “That’s Rezac, remember, Kaid’s father? Yes, we can trust him. He’s like us now, En’Shalla, and part of a Triad with Jo from Keiss. Remember, Vartra said he was one of the first telepaths that he enhanced.” She hesitated, then standing up said more loudly, “Kaid wants us to leave the debriefing and take you to our room so we can keep the likes of Vriuzu away.”

  “There can be no debriefing without me present and able to vouch for the truth,” said Vriuzu.

  “You’re experienced enough to know the feel of the truth without actively scanning,” said Carrie, glancing over at him. “And you can drop your link with Jiosha: she’s no business being involved. Tell her not to bother sending reinforcements. It would hardly do for Kaid to disrupt the peace talks over this internal matter, would it?” She had the satisfaction of feeling his shock at her knowledge of the link.

  “I want to know what just happened to me, why I felt the pain from the collar again,” said Kusac, leaning heavily on Carrie as he started to sway. “It comes at other times. When I’m angry.”

  Zayshul began to move toward them but brought herself up short as Rezac swung round, gun aimed at her. Carrie snapped out a reminder that they were now allies and he dipped his ears in apology and lowered his gun.

  “Sorry, Doctor,” he mumbled. “Old habits.” He turned back to Vriuzu.

  “He needs my help,” said Zayshul, still keeping a wary eye on Rezac as she came closer. “I think I know what happened, Kusac. The collar Chy’qui put on you wasn’t a regular punishment collar. It was one modified to inhibit telepathy as well. He must have brought it with him from the City of Light. We haven’t used them since the days before the Fall. I can only assume he must have gotten it from a museum.”

  “I remember them,” said Rezac with a rumble of anger. “The pain they caused whenever you used psi abilities was excruciating. Like fire coursing through your veins.”

  “Just so,” Zayshul agreed. “When Vriuzu tried to push past those blocks, you probably responded automatically, using those areas of your brain where your abilities were. You expected pain, therefore you felt it.”

  Kusac groped for the bed behind him and sat down.

  Carrie could see his nose creasing in pain as he put his hand carefully to the side of his neck. “You can conduct the debriefing if Doctor Zayshul says he’s fit enough,” she said to Vriuzu. “You,” she said, turning to Vryalma. “Some physician you are! What happened to your oath of healing, to putting the patient first? You were the one who wanted him kept calm to prevent any more seizures! Get out of my sight! And see the ventilation is turned up in here. The place stinks! T’Chebbi, go with him. Bring what drugs you think we might need.”

  “Aye, Liegena,” she said.

  “Take them outside,” said Zayshul, indicating the group T’Chebbi was guarding. “I can’t conduct a medical examination with them in here.”

  “You heard the doctor,” Carrie said.

  “You, too,” added Zayshul.

  Carrie’s eyes narrowed as she looked up at the Valtegan female. “No,” was all she said.

  Kusac’s hand tightened round hers. “Please.”

  She hesitated, torn between what he wanted and what her instincts told her was wise. “I’ll wait by the door, but I won’t leave,” she said. “If I hadn’t been persuaded to rest, this never would have happened.”

  “The debriefing was inevitable,” said Kusac, his voice full of pain as he gently massaged his neck. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Debriefing be damned! This is an official inquiry!” she said angrily. “They had no right to hold one with neither Kaid nor myself present!”

  He squeezed her hand again as T’Chebbi returned, carrying a tray for Zayshul. “Go, I’ll be fine. It’ll only take a few minutes. Zayshul was the one who helped me on the Kz’adul, remember?”

  “I’m not leaving the room,” she repeated mutinously, returning the squeeze before reluctantly letting him go and following T’Chebbi to the door.

  *

  “I’ve been hoping to see you,” Kusac said in an undertone as Zayshul placed herself between him and Carrie’s line of sight.

  “You mustn’t touch the wound,” she said, her voice equally quiet as she moved his hand aside and began unwrapping the bandage around his neck. “It will take longer to heal if you keep disturbing the dressings.”

  “No one must know that you came to me the night before the exchange of hostages.”

  She continued unwrapping the bandage before replying. “I told you, it wasn’t me, Kusac,” she said, laying it aside. Bending over him, she lifted the dressing off. “They did a neat job. Not much swelling. It should heal quickly.”

  As she reached for the fresh dressing, he caught hold of her wrist. “Why are you lying? I know it was you, I recognize your scent!” Her behavior confused him.

  “Be quiet!” she hissed. “Let me go now, before your mate sees you!”

  “Why are you lying to me?” he demanded. “I know why I’m hiding it from my people, but why won’t you at least admit it to me?”

  She froze, green eyes blinking slowly at him, the ridges surrounding them meeting in the middle of her forehead. “That’s why the mental blocks, why you don’t want to be scanned,” she whispered. “That’s what you’re hiding from them!”

  “What’s wrong?” Carrie called out from the doorway.

  Kusac dropped Zayshul’s hand as if scalded, noticing as he did that her nonretractile claws were much shorter than J’koshuk’s had been. “Nothing,” he said loudly as Zayshul straightened up and reached for the dressing pack and a new bandage. “She says it will heal quickly, that’s all.”

  Once more, Zayshul bent over him, placing the dressing over his wound. She began to wrap the fresh bandage over it. “You recognize my scent?”

  Her voice was barely more than a whisper and he had to strain his ears forward to hear her. He made a small, exasperated noise, noticing her skin had paled. “How could I not? You came into my bed, Zayshul. I may have been drugged and tortured, but I’m not stupid, despite appearances at the time!”

  “I know you’re not,” she said, sealing the end of the bandage to itself. She took a small flashlight from her pocket, reaching out to take hold of his chin with her other hand. Briefly, she shone it into each eye. “I’ve said nothing, nor will I,” she whispered, letting him go. “I’ve no wish for anyone to know about the…” She faltered briefly. “Our night together.” She placed her hand against his neck, feeling for his pulse. “You’re in pain.” She took hold of him by the chin again, turning his face into the light. “Quite a lot of pain.”

  He sighed with relief. “You admit it, then.”

  She reached for the hypodermic, checking the vials of drugs on the tray before choosing and loading one. “It isn’t easy for me,” she said, administering the shot. “That should take care of the pain. No matter what you’ve seen the M’zullians do, we Primes do not have a recent history of cross-species— liaisons. When did you last eat?” she asked in a more normal tone.

  Kusac blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. “I haven’t been awake long enough for them to give me anything.” As he said it, his stomach growled in hunger.

  Zayshul looked across at Carrie. “He’s weak because he needs food. The last meal he had was on the Kz’adul, a day ago. Have something light brought for him. Once he’s eaten, the debriefing can go ahead.”

  *

  Carrie pushed the door behind her open and spoke to T’Chebbi.

  As Zayshul replaced the hypodermic on the treatment tray, she noticed her hand was shaking slightly with a mixture of anger and fear. How could that damned female N’koshoh have been stupid enough to scent-mark him? It wasn’t as if she could have been under any illusions that he’d be kept on the Kz’adul. Everyone had known they were exchanging the hostages the next day. What insanity had
prompted her to do that?

  A surge of satisfaction that N’koshoh was dead, likely at the hands of Chy’qui, flooded through her, shocking her with its intensity. She wasn’t normally a vindictive person, but for N’koshoh to go to Kusac in the night, callously drug him into compliance, then virtually rape him, just to further Chy’qui’s mad scheme to breed hybrid Sholans, was morally unforgivable. Even worse was the fact that she’d been unable to find a trace of the samples she knew had been taken. Now that she knew for sure what had happened, she’d have to tell the Commander.

  N’koshoh’s marker could be turned off, but not here and now with all his family around them. Besides, she wasn’t sure she could be that intimate with him, even if the opportunity had presented itself. At least the changes scent-marking instigated in males did lessen with time. He wasn’t remaining among her people, he was returning to his own world, likely to live out the rest of his life there now that he’d lost the telepathic skill that had made him so invaluable to his own kind— unless the TeLaxaudin came up with some cure. The thought wasn’t as comforting as it should have been as she remembered that he’d already been subtly altered by the implant. There was no way she could check what effect the pheromone transfer would have on him in the long term, unless they confessed the whole matter to the Sholans. And there was no way they could do that without risking the treaty.

  *

  Alerted by Jiszoe, Commander L’Seuli was prepared for Kaid’s anger when the latter requested a ten minute recess.

  “Just what the hell kind of stunt was that, sending Vriuzu in to force a mental examination on Kusac?” Kaid demanded in a low voice, grasping him by the arm and pulling him out of earshot. “He’s got neural damage, dammit! The physician’s still trying to assess how much, and we’re being warned that getting him agitated could trigger a seizure! Now you go and do this!”

  “It had to be done, Kaid,” said L’Seuli calmly, avoiding eye contact as he extricated himself from the other’s grasp. “And for exactly the reasons you were given.”