strongholdrising

by Lisanne Norman

  “U’Churian allies taken in by young ones. Not their fault. I did no harm to them. Were free to do as wished. Not prisoners, honored guests.” He looked at the Sumaan representative. “Ask Hteiwossay. His people my guards.”

  The Sumaan lifted his neck to its full height, staring down at everyone there. “Those working for you are not being allowed involvement in legal matters. Disagreeing with you, Taira, is not permitted. Is in their contract. It is why we could not be telling the Alliance of Jalna and the Free Traders. Reprisals against us were promised.”

  “Let me get this straight,” said Jordan, leaning forward slightly to get a better view of Hteiwossay. “All Sumaan have to sign a contract preventing them from being called as witnesses? They’re prevented from discussing anything their employers do? Surely that’s illegal?”

  “Not illegal,” said Hteiwossay dryly. “Normal Chemerian business policy. I saying this only because I as Ambassador not contracted to Chemerians like many of my people. Reprisals cannot be taken against me or my family.”

  “I do nothing illegal! My guards go everywhere,” said Taira stiffly. “Hear much that’s confidential. I cannot have them telling anyone else what they hear. Am Ambassador. Would breach security for all of us! Would affect trade contracts!”

  “Damned convenient,” said Jordan in disgust, sitting back.

  Toueesut turned to his swarm companions and began conversing with them in a chorus of high pitched trills and riffs of sound. Faint perfumes permeated the air.

  After a few minutes, he turned back to the council. “Ambassador Taira is denying the accusations; therefore be bringing in those involved in the incident for the telling of their side of events.”

  “No need!” exclaimed Taira, leaning forward anxiously in his chair. “I tell you truth! Young ones misinterpret my actions! I take them to Chemer only for hospitality, not as prisoners!”

  Toueesut frowned, the bushy brows almost hiding his eyes. “You are changing your version to say the young ones now made mistake, they did not lie on purpose about your intentions?”

  Taira’s head bobbed on its spindly neck several times. “Yes! I say they made mistake, not say they lie. I make mistake in doubting them. No need to bring them in.”

  Toueesut signaled the Sholan guards at the door. “We bring them in anyway,” he said shortly. “Concerned I am that you are changing your side of this incident many times. Needing to hear the truth direct from them we are.”

  Taira slumped back in his chair, ears curling up till they were barely visible.

  Kate and Taynar, accompanied by Ruth, were ushered in.

  “Who she?” demanded Taira, rousing himself as the three were shown to seats at one end of the semicircle of tables. “This Human was not there!”

  “Ambassador Taira, I presume,” said Ruth, staring at him as she sat down and settled the folds of her long skirt. “I’m here because Taynar and Kate are minors. I won’t allow them to be intimidated by having to appear before this council of Ambassadors and Alliance officials. They’re entitled to have a representative with them, and I’m it!”

  Taira subsided again, muttering darkly.

  “You will tell us, if you please, what happened to you after your ship was found by Ambassador Taira,” said Toueesut.

  Nervously, Kate began to speak, recounting how Taira had at first been friendly, treating them well, feeding them and showing them to comfortable quarters on his ship. Then the next day, they’d been taken to the ship’s doctor to be checked out. That’s when they’d told him they were Leskas. From then on, everything had changed. Taira had questioned them closely about their abilities, getting angry when they couldn’t give him the answers he wanted because they knew so little about it themselves.

  Taynar added his bits in here and there, expanding on what Kate was saying, adding that it was only when they landed at Tuushu Station in the Chemerian sector that they’d realized they were prisoners.

  “Kate had been trying unsuccessfully to read the Ambassador’s mind, then she tried the doctor. She didn’t get much, just enough to know that they were planning to experiment on us, find out what caused our Link. They wanted to keep us, force us to work for them. Taira had the Sumaan on his ship guarding us,” he said, looking nervously at Hteiwossay. “When we got off, we were trying to find a way to escape when we saw Captain Tirak and his crew.”

  “We thought they were Sholans,” said Kate. “We yelled but they didn’t hear us, so we refused to move. Taira got mad and ordered the Sumaan to carry us if necessary. That’s when I reached out for Captain Tirak and made him come to rescue us.”

  “Not true!” exclaimed Taira, glowering at Kate and Taynar. “Guards did not touch them! U’Churian captain suddenly came running at us. He took the female and ran off carrying her! His crew followed and took young male! He kidnap them, not I!”

  Kate looked uncertainly at Ruth. “He didn’t. I made him take us off the station. I controlled his mind.”

  “She lies,” hissed Taira, ears furling and unfurling rapidly again in agitation.

  “He’s lying,” said Taynar, getting to his feet, tail swaying angrily. “I asked for a comm link to call my parents on Shola and he refused. He got so angry with Kate that he grabbed hold of her and his claws punctured her arm!” He began to advance on the Chemerian but Ruth brought him up short with a few warning words.

  “I want him prosecuted,” said the outraged youngling, looking at Toueesut. “No one harms my Leska and gets away with it!”

  Jordan developed a cough at about the same time Falma found he needed a drink of water.

  “I have heard enough to convince me that whoever is lying, it isn’t Kate or Taynar,” said Shaqee with a faint smile.

  Toueesut nodded. “Has anyone got any questions to ask of the young people?” He looked round the other members of the council as Taira continued to protest his innocence. “You excused are from this hearing and grateful are we for your coming here to answer our questions,” he said to Kate and Taynar.

  “This is conspiracy to keep valuable resource from rest of us!” blustered Taira as Ruth shepherded her charges out. “Why only Shola have Leska telepaths? Why they not work for rest of us?”

  “Our telepaths have worked for other Alliance members, Ambassador Taira,” said Falma. “I don’t, however, remember your people requesting such a service from us. Perhaps because of the bad blood you mention?”

  “Not want Sholan Leskas! Want hybrids,” hissed Taira. “More powerful. No argument with Humans from us. Less likely turn on Chemerian employers!”

  “You’ve certainly given us grounds to be cautious of further involvement with you now,” said Jordan sharply.

  “The mixed Leskas are very few in number, Taira, and most are still in training. They aren’t old enough or ready to accept private contracts yet.”

  “Not true! You prevent them from doing this! Are prisoners on Shola!”

  Shaqee looked at the Sholan. “Are the mixed Leskas free to take contracts from other Alliance species?”

  “Ambassador Shaqee, your people on Jalna aided a mixed Leska pair when one of them was seriously injured in a local insurrection,” said Falma. “You know we don’t keep them chained to Shola.”

  She nodded. “This is true. It’s hard to believe that given the chance to escape they would stay loyal to you if they were treated as prisoners. Or indeed, what such prisoners of Shola were doing on Jalna in the first place,” she added, looking back at Taira.

  “In fact,” said Falma pointedly, “they were on Jalna at the specific request of the Chemerian government.”

  Toueesut’s translator began to talk again. “Captain Tirak and his crew also are waiting outside, Ambassador Taira. Is there a need for them to be coming in here one at a time to tell us what happened at Tuushu Station?”

  “No,” muttered Taira, shifting restlessly in his chair. “I only asked questions of young ones. Not breaking the law, not kidnapping! Guards only escort us off ship, nothi
ng more. Is dangerous place, Tuushu Station. Free Traders come there.”

  “Now we want to know why you hiding Free Traders from us,” said Toueesut. “And why you allow them alone to visit Tuushu Station when none of Allied worlds but Sumaan allowed there!”

  “I not make Chemerian policy,” hissed Taira. “Not up to me who goes to Tuushu Station!”

  “As Ambassador to the Allied Worlds Council, it is up to you to keep us informed of any new species you meet,” said Falma. “You knew we were searching for the species responsible for killing millions of our people, yet even when we found them on Keiss you said nothing about the Free Traders. Instead you came and demanded we find ‘our enemies’ as you call them. Jalna held the key we needed! If we’d known about it earlier, we’d have found out about the Primes!”

  “And maybe caused us a war with them,” countered Taira. “We knew nothing of them either! Not been trading there long enough for Prime visit!”

  “Asking the questions is for me,” Toueesut rebuked Falma. “We finding out you trade at Jalna with Free Traders for twenty years, Ambassador Taira. Why your government not telling us about them? This second way you breach Alliance policy and is not acceptable to any member of council, be they Free Trader or Alliance.”

  “Not my decision,” repeated Taira, blinking rapidly as he looked at all the council members. “I not Ambassador twenty years ago. I not admit to kidnapping young ones either. Told you they misinterpret my intentions.”

  “You have responsibilities as Chemerian representative to Allied Worlds Council,” said Toueesut, frowning. “When you heard of tragedy of Sholan colonies, your responsibility was to advise your government to tell us all about the Free Traders. Quick in coming to the Council asking for protection from the Valtegans you were. Not so quick in sharing information.”

  “Obvious why they kept silent about us,” said Mrocca, her prehensile snout wrinkling with distaste. “Greed. Want to keep Trader market for themselves. We find many goods from our worlds they sell, claimed to be of Chemerian origin.”

  Shaqee nodded, her black mane of hair rising slightly in anger. “Home is not pleased either. Some items of ours were also sold as Chemerian goods. Action must be taken against you and your people, Taira, from all of us. On our world, to do this would result in imprisonment for a long time.”

  Toueesut looked at Jordan.

  “I agree,” the Human said. “What’s the point in having treaties if they’re broken without fear of reprisals? Your people have been exposed as kidnappers, liars, and frauds, Taira, and my government wants to see you held personally responsible for your attempt to kidnap Kate Harvey and her Leska.”

  Hteiwossay lowered his neck, looking around his fellow councillors before speaking. “Warriors are we, Chemerian. Pride ourselves on our honor. There is no honor in anything you have done. My government owes you much but is prepared to cancel all contracts with your people unless you swear this will not happen again.”

  “You can’t do that!” exclaimed Taira, his voice rising in pitch. “Your government owes us much for the ships we have leased to you!”

  “Paying off the debt we have been doing for many years,” said Hteiwossay with a deep hiss of anger. “Vast sums you have charged for the ships which take us into space. Knowing now we are that you hid the existence of Alliance until we had signed many contracts with you. Even if we have only those few ships we have paid for, finding work elsewhere with more honorable people should not be difficult.”

  As Taira began an angry reply, Toueesut gave a high-pitched trill that made everyone clap their hands to their ears in distress. While they recovered, he consulted again with his swarm companions.

  “Arguing is not what we came here for,” he said sternly, looking at Taira, who was still rubbing his ears and moaning. “Is it being agreed by us all that you did try to kidnap the young ones?” He looked around the semicircle, receiving nods and gestures of agreement.

  “Obvious it is that you purposely hid the existence of the Free Traders and the Alliance from us all, so a punishment must be set for these crimes you and your species have committed. I have decided you will be sent back to your world under escort and not allowed to return for two months. Your world will hand over to the Alliance Council the papers dealing with all the ships you have supplied to the Sumaan, the amounts you are charging and the amounts they have paid. They will be looked into by our auditors and fair prices determined. Long enough have you held the Sumaan to ransom over these ships and long enough have they been tied to only you as their suppliers and employers. The Chemerian homeworld and its colonies will also be made accessible to all Alliance members, not just the Free Traders. This is the price you will pay to the Alliance and the Free Traders for your duplicity.”

  He stood up as Taira began to protest loudly. “You can choose to leave the Alliance if that is more to your liking. This is my judgment. Does any member of the council disagree with it?”

  Again there was a quiet chorus of agreement from all present.

  Toueesut looked over to the two Sholan guards at the door. “See the Ambassador is taken to Lygoh Spaceport and boards his ship. Arrange for him to have an escort back to his homeworld.” With that, Toueesut, surrounded by his swarm, left in a cloud of scented air.

  Falma and Hteiwossay were the last to leave the council room. As the Sholan gathered his papers and looked over at the large Sumaan Ambassador, he said quietly, “That was unexpected. Hit the damned Chemerians where it’ll really hurt. In their banks. And it frees your people from them.”

  Hteiwossay shrugged, lips curling back from his teeth in a small grin as he got to his feet. “It is being to everyone’s benefit that we are no longer tied to the Chemerians. Fighting for them not appealing to Warriors such as us. They have little honor.” He lowered his neck until his head was close to Falma’s ear, then in what was for him a whisper, he said, “Our people let U’Churians take the Sholan hatchlings. Waiting for word still we are from Kusac, the son of your employer. Closer links with Sholan Warriors there will soon be.”

  Startled, Falma took a step backward. “Excuse me?”

  “Ah, knowing about this you aren’t,” he said, tilting his head from one side to the other. “No matter, soon you will. Toueesut’s judgment making this easier.” With that, he ambled off, leaving behind a very puzzled Falma.

  *

  Elsewhere in the Palace, Rhyaz was meeting with Raiban.

  “Cutbacks?” said Rhyaz. “I’ve heard nothing about cutbacks for the military. If anything, your budget was increased because of the Prime crisis.”

  “Call it economies, then,” said Raiban, sitting back in her chair. “You wanted independence, Rhyaz, I’m giving it to you. Your people will have to pay for their own arms and munitions if they’re working for the Forces.”

  “Then put their wages up, dammit!” said Rhyaz angrily. “Your budget includes cash to employ the Brotherhood as specialists and tutors to the Forces.”

  “Does it? I haven’t got that in writing. Have you?” she asked urbanely.

  “What is it you’re really after, Raiban?” he asked quietly, keeping a tight rein on his temper. “What is all this aggravation of my people in aid of?”

  “I’m letting you experience a few of life’s realities, Rhyaz. You’re more ambitious than Ghezu, I’ll give you that, but you’re still new at your post in the Brotherhood. Ambition without substance will get you nowhere, and you have no financial backing. You need the Forces. We’re your main employer. Trying to sustain that fleet and outpost of yours without the money your people get from us is impossible. All you have to do is become part of us and your problems will melt away.”

  He stared at her for a long moment. “I see,” he said quietly, then got to his feet. “You know, Lijou was right about you.”

  She frowned. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “He said the threat you made to Kha’Qwa wasn’t an empty one. I told him you wouldn’t be foolish enough to send t
roops to Stronghold to have him arrested.”

  “Look, that business with Kha’Qwa was unfortunate,” she said, sitting up, her indolent pose dropped. “I forgot she was pregnant. No one’s more glad than me that their cub was born safely.”

  “She nearly bled to death, Raiban. I don’t think you realize how ill she was. She’ll never have any more cubs,” he said coldly. “And all because you couldn’t speak to Father Lijou the instant you wanted.”

  “She only fell over, for Vartra’s sake!”

  “She had a medical condition that wasn’t discovered till then.”

  “That’s hardly my fault! Why has it suddenly become an issue, Rhyaz? This happened nearly a month ago!”

  “Kha’Qwa had to have further surgery yesterday, that’s why Lijou didn’t come to the ceremonies.”

  “Why didn’t you say so instead of giving us some other half-broiled excuse?” she demanded. “Your people are always trying to create an air of secrecy around you. It’s time you joined the real world, Rhyaz. You can’t survive without us.”

  “My friends’ private lives are just that. Private. And Hell will freeze over before the Brotherhood joins the Forces, Raiban. You don’t give a damn for my people. They do all the dirty jobs your Forces haven’t the training or the stomach for, and still you despise us. You haven’t even offered an apology to Kha’Qwa and Lijou!”

  “It wasn’t my fault, dammit!” she snarled, her short hair rising till it stood out like stiff bristles on a brush. “If you hadn’t been so damned secretive about what you were doing, none of this would have happened. You want to blame someone for Kha’Qwa’s fall, then blame yourself for running off to Haven!”

  “The Forces need us, Raiban; we don’t need you, as you’re about to find out,” he said quietly before turning to leave.

  “You pull any stunts, Rhyaz, and you’ll find your contract with us torn up!” she yelled out after him.

  “You can’t do it,” he said, opening the door and looking back over his shoulder at her. “Just as you haven’t the right to arrest the Father, only Kha’Qwa didn’t know that. Governor Nesul agrees with the contract, not you. Just make sure you’re prepared for the consequences if you carry on this war against us, Raiban.”