“No shields to protect you, you hear too many minds,” said Annur. “Is like ability new again. Have to relearn, Kusac. Torc regulates what you sense, more sensitive than your dampers. Not need damper after this. Rest now, Tirak get you food. We scan you after. Time for adjustment is needed.”
He nodded his understanding, but in truth, he’d taken in little after Annuur said he’d have to relearn how to use his Talent.
Valsgarth Estate, Zhal-Oeshi, 30th day (August)
The bed beside him moved and he opened his eyes to see Annuur leaning on it.
The Cabbarran’s crest of stiff hair was tilted toward him and his long top lip, the whiskers on his nose almost touching his hand, wriggled as he began to speak.
“This you must know. Scans and tests we did last night while you sedated confirmed many things. Psi abilities restored, neural damage caused by pain collar mostly repaired, torc recalibrated. But anomaly showed too. Not told us of sensitivity to la’quo and experimenting with temporal gates. Sensitivity affected neuro-viral regeneration, cause memory problems.”
“What kind of problems?”
A burst of static, then, “Like memory loop. Must find and reevaluate affected memories. If not, then they keep replay, nightmares follow. Likely most recent ones affected.”
“If I’ve lost them, how can I find them?” he asked, confused.
“Family help. They remember for you. Try see from outside, objectively. Bits of memories will come, cannot be avoided,” he said firmly.
There are some memories I could do without, he thought. “But my telepathy? You said I have it back.” That was more important to him than memories.
Annuur dipped his head once in a nod. “Is back. You get up now, eat. Practice you must. Naacha help you. His ability this is, not mine.”
“You have telepaths? I didn’t know that.”
“All are, is like, not same as telepathy. Much you learn here will not be remembered, Kusac. Rise. Dress. I take you to Sokarr for food.” Annuur got down and trotted over to the nursing station, climbing up on the chair to access the comm terminal there.
He pushed the cover back and swung his feet to the floor. He was a little unsteady perhaps, but that was all. “My family, can I speak to them?”
“Apologies, no. Three days it takes to stabilize you. Tirak will have told them all is well with you.”
“Where is Tirak?” he asked, going round to the night table for his clothes.
“With his own family. No nursing you need now. Only us.”
It dawned on him that he was alone with them. “Tirak said he’d stay with me.”
“He did, while you needed nursing,” confirmed Annuur. “Now, need practice new skills.”
Anger flared. He felt his pelt starting to rise. “Dammit, Annuur, that wasn’t part of what I agreed to,” he growled. “I wanted some contact with my family!”
Annuur looked across at him, tilting his head from one side to the other as he surveyed him. “You angry. No matter. We set conditions, not you.” He looked away and began speaking into the comm. The translator remained silent.
He began to snarl low in his throat, the need to get out paramount in his mind. Grabbing his tunic, he hauled it on. Fastening his belt as he went, he headed past Annuur and out into the corridor. They thought they could keep him locked in here, did they? Well they could think again! The air lock stood opposite. He was leaving here now.
His field of vision narrowed, focusing in on the access panel as he strode toward the exit. His mind was automatically thinking of numeric combinations even before he was within reach.
“That’s far enough, Kusac,” he heard Tirak’s voice say from behind him. “No need to leave. Annuur was testing your responses, nothing more.”
He stopped, his pelt rising about his face till it rivaled any U’Churian mane. So Annuur had lied, had he? Even more reason to leave, he thought, reaching for the panel.
A jolt of power surged through him, flinging him backward till he collided with the wall. Cold rage overtook anger as he turned on Tirak. He found himself looking down the short muzzle of a pistol.
“You trapped the panel and didn’t warn me,” he snarled, furious.
“To stop you leaving,” said the Captain. “Think, Kusac. Think of your anger. There’s no pain.”
He began to advance. He wanted that gun.
Tirak fired.
Something hit him in the shoulder, distracting him enough to glance at it. The short, brightly colored tuft of a dart protruded from his black tunic. His knees buckled under him and, as he fell against the wall, he looked back at Tirak in shock. He’d hit the deck before the U’Churian reached him. Anger evaporated to be replaced by confusion.
“It’s only a trank,” Tirak said, hauling him up to his feet. “We needed to demonstrate to you that the neural damage has been cured.” Tirak slid his arm under his shoulder and began leading him away from the air lock. “You’ve got one hell of a temper there.”
“Hell of a way to demonstrate your point,” he said, trying to control legs which refused to support him. “Where you taking me?”
“To the mess and Sokarr. You haven’t eaten in two days.”
“What day is it?”
“The thirtieth, and just after fourth hour.”
*
The food was good, though mainly vegetarian. Out of deference to him and Tirak, Sokarr had cooked a couple of meat accompaniments.
“You going to work hard next few days, need your meat,” the Cabbarran said, jumping down from his work platform to the floor.
“Have you spoken to Carrie and Kaid?” he asked Tirak as he sipped the strange cold malted drink.
“I told them everything was going well,” he said. “Sorry about the trank dart,” he began.
“I’ll survive,” he said ruefully, rubbing his shoulder where the tiny puncture wound still smarted. “I don’t understand why I got so angry. Everything about it was odd. I was using huntersight, but with unusual clarity.”
“Tell Annuur,” said Tirak. “I know nothing about this.”
He didn’t know what made him look up at the door, but when he did, he saw the third member of the Cabbarran crew, Naacha.
He was older than Annuur and Sokarr, his sandy pelt liberally shot with gray, as was the upright mane. It was the tattoos that drew Kusac’s attention. There were the usual ones of sept and rank, but those on his cheeks, executed in a bright, almost electric blue, were less formal, more swirling and free-flowing. They captured his gaze, drawing him into the pattern until he felt dizzy.
“Morning, Naacha,” said Tirak without turning round.
“Captain. Come, Hunter,” Naacha said before turning and disappearing into the corridor.
the Couana, Zhal-S’Asha, 20th day (October)
“Naacha took me to the cargo area and started teaching me how to use the torc and what remained of my Talent again,” he said quietly.
“You told me the torc mimics psi skills. Now you’re implying you got your abilities back. Which is it, Kusac?”
He realized he’d said too much. “The torc is a tool, a device to amplify others’ thoughts,” he lied. “I left Annuur’s shuttle afraid to trust it despite Naacha’s teaching.” Or was it because of it? he began to wonder. “Father Lijou knows this,” he said, glancing at Banner. “I needed to know how far I could trust you before telling you more. This mission hinges on the fact that Kezule assumes I’m no longer a telepath.”
“So that’s why he sent for you.”
“And possibly revenge for what Carrie did to him.”
“What did she do?”
“We were trying to get him to tell us how he called Fyak back to the past. She humiliated him through his fear of telepaths. In the end, she had to force a contact and read him, and even then we didn’t get what we wanted.”
“Annuur said you’d forget much of what you learned. Did you, or did Naacha make you forget?”
“There was a lot to learn, Banner. M
ind skills aren’t like learning a new craft. You can’t see someone else do it then copy them.” Banner was being too astute for his liking. He drained his mug and put it on the night stand. “There’s little left to tell you. I was afraid to use my torc-enhanced gift because when I did, it was erratic. I went to Stronghold because the dampers there made me feel more secure about trying to practice what I did remember of Naacha’s teaching. Lijou helped me as much as he could, but the nightmares and flashbacks had started by then. I found it difficult to cope with them, and couldn’t face the thought of reliving the past again.”
“So the memories and dreams were caused by the la’quo you’d taken to go back to the Margins reacting with the TeLaxaudin and Cabbarran treatment.”
“That, and the dose they’d given me on the Kz’adul.” Annuur had been right, he’d forgotten much of Naacha’s teaching, but every now and then, tiny portions would return. Like now.
He glanced at his wrist comm. “It’s late, we should get some sleep,” he said, stretching out his legs and taking off his bath robe before sliding down into the bed.
“Hadn’t realized it was so late.” Banner got up, taking off his own damp robe before climbing into the other side. “Good night.”
He lay in the darkness, unable to sleep, listening to Banner’s breathing gradually slow until he knew the other was asleep. Another thing he’d just remembered was how to control the torc.
Mentally, he reached for it, trying to find the active bio-component, attempting to turn it off. It wasn’t easy, taking all his concentration, but he knew instantly that he’d been successful when he could sense Banner’s dream thoughts.
Their discussion of the Cabbarrans was still at the forefront of his Second’s mind. He thought how easy it would have been before for him to just reach in and make Banner forget, except then his own ethics would have prevented him….With a start, he realized he’d already instinctively reached out and grasped the memory and was destroying it— just as he’d been shown. Moments later, it was gone, as if the conversation had never happened.
Shocked, he pulled away from Banner and focused instead on reaching beyond his room to the whole of the Couana herself. It felt like he was detaching a small portion of himself and setting it free to wander around the corridors. Where it went, so could his mind.
He could feel exactly where each member of his crew was and whether they were awake or asleep. Satisfied, he pulled back and began concentrating again on the torc. Gradually, his awareness faded as the torc once more took control.
Annuur had been right about the memories. The closer he came to completing and accepting them, the easier it became to use his Talent, and the more stable it was, though what he’d done to Banner had been on such an instinctive level that he doubted he could reproduce it at will. He fell asleep determined not to think of the row he’d had with Kaid before leaving on this mission. He couldn’t yet face that final memory.
Valsgarth Estate, Zhal-Nylam (month of the Hunt) 1st day (September)
“Phratry Leader Annuur, we received your report on the hunter. Concerned because of error we are. How long will it delay his full use of abilities?”
“Cannot say, Skepp Lord Aizshuss,” said Annuur. “Effect of la’quo on hunters not anticipated because not known it interact like this with temporal displacement. Not something we could have tested for.”
“This understood but Camarilla needs a time scale. Extrapolate.”
Annuur looked at Kzizysus.
“Eight or nine weeks more. Depends on him.”
“I heard,” said the Skepp Lord, mandibles moving agitatedly. “Not pleased. Too long.”
“When discover anomaly, tried to correct. Could not affect actual memories but corrected problem. Is stable now.”
“Have to wait, then. What of training? Have enhancements worked?”
“Yes, Skepp Lord, have worked well.” He hesitated, unhappy about admitting to further delays. “Lessons are blocked for now until he has dealt with memory problems.”
Annuur winced while Kzizysus made soft noises of distress at the Skepp Lord’s reaction. When Aizshuss had calmed down a little, Annuur leaped into the first lull in his tirade.
“If we hadn’t done this, disaster results! His mind affected by dark memories of time on Kz’adul, creates imbalance. Damage he did to our lab here. Chance of discovery of augmentation high if he continues practicing in this state. You and Camarilla say avoid this at all cost! All this was in our report to you.”
“He have no time left to practice skills! Your decision flawed!”
“Skepp Lord, I am also of the Camarilla,” he said icily. “I am in field. I make decisions. You disagree, you leave safety of Council Chamber and do my task. More important our cover be kept and he survives to practice later. Laws here prevent killing using mind powers. In his state, could happen had I not made this decision. No use to us in prison or mind-wiped. I have work to do, Aizshuss. I contact you when we have more news.” He cut the connection and turned away from the screen to look at Kzizysus.
“Can do no more than our best,” he said.
CHAPTER 16
Valsgarth Estate, Zhal-Nylam, 1st day (September)
CARRIE and Kaid were waiting for him as he emerged from the shuttle. Shielding his eyes against the glare of the morning sun, he nevertheless saw them exchange glances. He felt Kaid’s concern.
Holding up his hand, he backed off a little as they came to greet him. “No, don’t touch me. Everything’s too new, too raw,” he said. “I can sense you faintly, Kaid, but nothing else for now.” He laughed gently. “All the disadvantages, eh?”
“How do you feel?” asked Kaid.
“I feel all right. You’re wondering if they told me what’s gone wrong, aren’t you? Yes, they did,” he said, coming off the ramp onto the ground beside them. “That la’quo’s been more far reaching than we thought.” He reached out and touched Carrie’s face tentatively, then sighed with a relief tinged with sadness as he cupped his hand briefly around her cheek. “I can’t sense you because of the cub,” he said. He’d wanted to feel her mind so much, yet part of him had been afraid of what he’d find.
“They shaved your hair again,” said Carrie, distressed.
He put his hand to his neck, feeling the small patch of bare flesh for the first time. “It’ll grow back soon,” he said. “I’d like to go home, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course,” said Carrie. “Your parents are waiting. They’re very anxious about you. Everyone is.”
“There’s no reason to be,” he said, reaching for her hand and beginning to walk toward the village main street.
“What did they do to you for five days?” asked Kaid, falling into step beside him.
“I don’t remember anything about the treatment because I was sedated the whole time. After it, well, there were tests and one of the Cabbarrans, Naacha, he showed me how to use the torc.”
Kaid frowned. “Use your torc for what? I thought you already knew how to use it.”
“They had to remove the Touiban device to put in something else,” he said. “Annuur described it as a highly sensitive psi damper. It’s keeping nearly everything out right now. I have to be next to someone, or touching them, to pick up anything.”
“What happens if you take it off?” asked Carrie.
“I collapse in pain,” he said simply, glancing at her. “I’m swamped by the emotions of everyone around me.”
“Do you regret having it done?” Kaid asked.
He stopped. “No, not at all. I have some of my Talent back, Kaid, and by Vartra, that’s better than the nothing I had till now! Annuur says it will improve, once I’ve dealt with the memories.”
“How do you do that? Just sit down and remember what happened to you? And for how far back?” asked Carrie.
“I wait until the memories come to me. A few weeks, Annuur said.” He looked from one to the other of them. “I know it’s not as much as you’d hoped for me, but without the
torc on, I can’t cope. I need to grow into my Talent again, just as I did when I was a kitling. I think it’s worked out better this way,” he said. He’d have time to gradually get used to being aware of her mentally while still being excluded from her Link to Kaid.
Training center, evening, the same day
Kaid excused himself from the group around the table and followed Banner into the training center mess.
“Can I have a word with you?” he asked him quietly as they stood at the bar.
“Of course,” Banner said, collecting his change and drink before accompanying him over to one of the empty tables. “What is it?” he asked, sitting down. “Must be serious to want to speak to me in here. It’s as hot as an oven.”
It was, but there was less chance of being overheard than around the crowded tables outside in the cooler evening air. “I need someone to help me keep an eye on Kusac. I saw the fine job you and Jurrel did with Brynne.”
“Not me,” said Banner, taking a drink of his ale. “That was Brynne himself, with some help from Jurrel.”
Kaid raised an eye ridge. “I was still at Stronghold when you and Jurrel got together. I remember how he used to be.”
Banner grinned. “You rub the corners off each other’s personalities over the years. But I thought you and Kusac had gotten close. Why do you need me?”
“He’s changing again,” said Kaid, looking at his glass. “I’d gotten him over the worst while we were working at the Nezule estate, but Kzizysus’ cure wasn’t all we hoped. Wanting to come down here tonight, this isn’t like Kusac at all. He always preferred to stay in with Carrie, or with friends.” He lifted his glass and took a drink. “He needs to have his freedom, obviously, and I can’t follow him around like his keeper. So I need someone covering his back. I want you to do it, not least because he seems at ease in your company.”
Banner looked at him thoughtfully. “Do you want an undercover bodyguard, or someone to befriend him?”
Kaid shrugged. “Up to you. Play it any way that works. I just don’t want him getting in over his head. Pick another two for backup in case you need them, but keep it low key.”
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