by Chris Reher
She poked his chest. “Not jealous, are you?” she teased.
He turned to her and slipped his hand under her blouse. She purred happily when he leaned over to kiss her. “You’re here, aren’t you?” he said. “With me.”
She returned his kiss but stopped him when his fingers strayed to the waistband of the sheer skirt she wore over her tights. “We’re busy this afternoon, remember?”
He sighed. “I was hoping to make you forget that.”
“Come on, get up.” She helped him swing his legs over the edge of the lounger and put his feet on the floor. “Carras is already here. He’s waiting in the garden.”
Tychon grumbled when she handed him the cane he was using for now. Acie had removed the bullet from his thigh even before they had returned home but the damage was extensive and would take time to heal. The rebel attack on Delphi had already been averted when they arrived but several squadrons of planes were still deployed, nearly hostile when Seth’s response to their inquiries was not to their liking. Eventually, the Dutchman was allowed to land and medics stood by the airfield to whisk them away to the base hospital.
By the time they were released from there Seth had already left without revealing a destination to anyone, no doubt to avoid lengthy farewells and, Nova suspected, the even longer debrief the rest of them had to undergo before Air Command had their notes organized. Nova had not expected him to announce his intentions but Acie had been in tears over his sudden departure. Anders, immediately enamored by the quirky and sweet-natured Bellac, had managed to divert her attention, much to Vincent’s relief.
Colonel Carras was relaxing in the shaded arbor of the compound’s inner courtyard when they joined him there, chatting amiably with an aunt and one of the staff members. They excused themselves to leave the three alone over a platter of Delphian delicacies and pitchers of water flavored by local fruit and herbs.
“How’s the leg, Ty?” Carras said, pouring for Nova when she held out her cup.
“Mending,” he replied.
“It would mend faster in the enclave.”
Tychon looked up sharply. “You’re here for the boy, Tal,” he reminded the colonel, not unkindly.
“So I am. How are things here on Delphi?”
“Tense,” Nova said. “I think the Clan Council has learned a lesson, although they’re not likely to admit it. There will be a great deal of hand-wringing and debating before they’ll allow an expansion of the base. Phera will rant and carry on and then they’ll concede to the traffic monitors. I imagine that no plane will be allowed to land here unless it’s on the base. It’s doubtful that they’ll permit more relays but Ty figures they’ll spring for the additional satellites in orbit.”
“Anders has been busy!” Carras said.
Tychon nodded. “He knows how to work on both sides of the fence.”
“Any chance of Delphi actually joining the Commonwealth?”
“Not even a little.”
“Hmm, yes, well.” Carras picked a sprig of fruit from the platter. “Perhaps that’s for the best. What’s going to happen with the ANI? I see Nova has gone back to yesterday’s model.”
“It’s been set back by years. I think they’ve realized that it’s too much of a good thing,” Tychon said with a lopsided grin. “Too many vulnerabilities that come with it. Too easily exploited.”
Nova sipped her water. “The day will come when we master those keyholes,” she said. “But maybe we’ll take some time to boost our defenses. It’ll change everything.” She glanced at Tychon. “Tuain knew that. All of the Shantirs know that.”
“From what I’ve heard,” Tychon continued. “None of the ANI developers are interested in continuing on the project. Especially not those that lived through Gramor Bejo.”
“How many survived?”
“Eight of the ones that ended up on Rakh’s ship,” Nova sighed. “Out of dozens we took away from Dannakor.” It was only a small consolation to her that Rakh’s cruiser, with all hands aboard, had been destroyed by the Vanguard squadron the moment it emerged over Delphi. Spanners at every keyhole in Union territory had opened a passage to Delphi when Nova’s message had reached Targon and hundreds of Air Command ships had arrived within hours. A defensive net in Delphi’s air space, focused over the Chaliss’ya valley, ensured that few of the enemy craft made it anywhere near the surface. The Shri-Lan sustained quick and devastating losses before calling off the incursion. Nova gazed past the pretty arbor to the snow-peaked mountains at the edge of the valley, looking as constant and protective as they always had. Nothing ever seemed to disturb the peace here and few of Delphi’s civilians were even aware of what had occurred.
“The Arawaj got tossed out of Gramor,” Tychon added. “There weren’t many left, so it didn’t take long for the other hostages to be found. The archeologists can return now, I suppose. It’s a remarkable place.”
One of the staff members came into the courtyard to announce their visitor. Behind him followed Jovan, looking shyly around the well-kept estate. His steps faltered when he saw them gathered in the shade. Tychon had spent the trip back to Delphi deep in a pain-blocking khamal, oblivious to them all, and Jovan had still not overcome his awe of the officer.
“Jovie!” Nova called to him. “Come join us.”
A flush of color filled his cheeks, quickly hidden by his hair when he bent to sit down. She was glad that he had not dressed in the Shantir novice’s robe, nor the trendy garb he had when they first met over Dannakor. He was dressed simply in well-cut trousers and a long vest over his blouse. “I’m please to see you, Elder Sister.”
“Welcome, Jovan,” Tychon said. “We want you to meet Colonel Carras.”
Jovan turned to the retired colonel. “I’m grateful that you came to see me,” he said.
“I came to take you with me,” Carras corrected genially. “I’ve secured a place for you at one of our flight academies. For a Delphian, thirty-two is not too late to begin. It’s on Magra but there are always transports travelling between there and Targon, so you really won’t be too far from home.”
Jovan stared, speechless.
“It’s not Air Command and you won’t be asked to join the military. But you will learn aviation and you can study whatever they don’t teach you at the enclave. Languages, exo-sciences, politics. We are always glad to have another Delphian among us.”
Even Tychon smiled when he saw the undisguised joy on the youth’s face. “It is up to you to decide if you wish to return to the Shantir enclave,” he said. “They have no objections to letting you go.”
Jovan looked into Nova’s beaming face. “This is very generous of you. All of you.”
She put her hand on his. “I’m still alive because of you, Jovie. A lot of people are. You are capable of so much; it’s time for you to find out what you can do.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I was just scared the whole time.”
“That’s a good way to be, son,” Carras said. “It tends to keep you alive.”
Tychon studied Jovan carefully. “Are you recovered? It was harrowing for all of us.”
Jovan nodded but his eyes were on his hands. Taught to be a healer and a mental adept, he had used his gifts to kill; surely a tremendous shock for the young initiate. “The Shantirs have declared me well.” He hesitated before meeting Tychon’s eyes. “They send a message, Elder Brother. They are asking you to come to the enclave. To receive healing, nothing more.”
Tychon glanced at Nova’s hopeful and curious face. “I see that Nova has found yet another ally in her schemes.”
Jovan stood his ground. “Will you accept?”
“I have a message for the Shantirs,” Tychon said.
Nova winced, waiting for whatever cutting remark he was about to convey.
“We’ll make a deal,” Tychon said. “If the Shantirs will go to the Council and voice their support of Nova’s rightful place on Delphi as my wife and accept our daughter as Delphian I may consider a visit.”
He looked around the astonished faces. “With Cyann.”
Nova jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, not sure if she was happier because of his willingness to make amends with the Shantirs of Delphi or his somewhat peculiar marriage proposal. It didn’t matter. “I so love you, Ty!” she said and kissed him noisily.
He hummed and pretended pain in his leg to return her to her seat. “Yes, well, we’ll see how they do,” he said with a glance at the other two men. He focused on Jovan. “Mind this, though: I will have no talk about my son.”
Jovan leaned forward, about to voice some opinion when he saw Nova’s nearly imperceptible gesture of caution. He sat back again. “I am certain my brothers will respect your wishes, Shan Tychon.”
Carras pushed his chair back from the table. “And so young Jovan and I will make our way to the enclave. A few things to organize and you’re on your way to Magra, Jovan. What wonderful excitement lies in store for you!”
“Wait,” Nova said. “I want Jovie to meet Cyann!” She hurried into the breezeway to the garden and called for Pryca to bring the girl. The nurse was already prepared for this and emerged with a well-rested and fed baby. Cyann babbled happily and lifted her hands toward her mother. Nova took her into her arms and returned to the garden.
“Here she is,” she announced. “Doesn’t she look just like Tychon?”
“She does not!” Tychon declared at once. “Thankfully.”
Jovan looked up, uncomfortable with having a two-year old thrust at him but bravely accepted the child when Nova sat her on his lap. “She is sweet,” he said dutifully, admiring the pretty little face and the fluff of blue curls. She laughed up at him and he was struck by the deep blue of her eyes. His smile faded. “Gods,” he whispered, barely forming the word.
“What is it?” Tychon said at once.
Jovan could not take his eyes away from the child. “She...” he began. “There is...”
“Jovie?” Nova said, startled by the expression on his face.
The youth raised his hand and then stopped it to look at Tychon, a question on his face. After a thoughtful moment, Tychon nodded. Jovan cupped the baby’s head in his hand and closed his eyes.
“Ty...” Nova said nervously.
He took her hand and said nothing.
Cyann stopped wriggling and looked up at Jovan’s face. He opened his eyes again. Another moment passed while they regarded each other silently. “They were right,” he murmured. He seemed utterly unaware of any of them.
“About what?” Nova said.
Jovan blinked, startled from his thoughts. “She’s Delphian, in all ways that matter. I pledge my liege, Shan Tychon.”
Nova looked from one Delphian to the other. “Pledge my liege? What does that mean? Why do we need liege pledging?”
Tychon tilted his head. “So it will be, then,” he said. He turned to Nova. “As my affinity is to Phera, so this boy has asked to join our house.”
She looked to Jovan, astonished. “What? Why?”
“The reasons are his own. But it is a lifelong commitment that will not be broken.”
Nova looked from Jovan to the child on his lap, aware that she had missed something very important. Something very Delphian that she might never understand. But over these past few weeks she had come to know Jovan in ways people rarely saw each other. Her trust in him was absolute and her faith in his future unshakable. If nothing else, she thought, perhaps this was one small way for Tychon to regain the son he had lost.
But for a moment she had seen something else in Jovan’s eyes. When he had touched Cyann’s mind he had found something there that astonished him. Something important enough for him to pledge his life to her clan. She glanced at Tychon, her mate, and wondered if he had seen that, too.
“She will be a beauty, I’m sure,” Jovan said. “With a brain to match, just like her mother.”
Cyann grabbed his nose with a gleeful squeal, startling him.
“That maddening curiosity she also gets from her mother,” Tychon said.
* * * * *
*
Dear Reader:
I hope you enjoyed Rebel Alliances. If you did, please take a moment to leave a review to help others find this book, too. Or leave a comment on Twitter @Chris_Reher
Please see below for other titles in this series.
My web site www.chrisreher.com includes some additional information as well as links discussing the technology and scientific inspiration used in this story and the others in this series.
Click here if you would like to be notified about new releases.
Nova’s Story:
Sky Hunter, a prequel, taking place before The Catalyst
Air Command pilot Nova Whiteside is assigned to a remote outpost to guard the construction of a new sky tether against rebel sabotage. The difference between the well-ordered Union air fields and this dusty garrison is made painfully clear when she runs afoul a brutal commander of ground troops. When she uncovers the treacherous and illicit schemes taking place, it seems that local riots are the least of their troubles.
The Catalyst, Book 1
Lieutenant Nova Whiteside, on an apparently routine, finds herself the target of an assassination attempt. Her escape leaves her with no option but to rely on Seth, a former lover, for help.
In trying to find who is threatening her life, they discover a plot to destroy a distant planet - a world inhabited by creatures that are the key to Nova's survival - and a conspiracy that threatens the stability of the Union Commonwealth.
Only Human, Book 2
Captain Nova Whiteside is teamed up with Tychon, a straight-laced Vanguard commander. In their pursuit of a ruthless rebel leader to recover a dangerous, living weapon, the line between their personal lives and their mission quickly begins to blur.
Rebel Alliances, Book 3
Captain Nova Whiteside receives new technology designed to change the dynamics of the Commonwealth wars. Enemy factions conspire and so Nova finds herself aboard a rebel ship where her value as hostage isn't nearly as great as her value as a defector.
Also suspected of collaboration, her Delphian Vanguard partner Tychon sets out to track her down. He discovers a puzzling piece of Nova's past when a motley alliance of strangers comes to his aid and their search leads him deep into rebel territory.
Delphi Promised, Book 4
An immense asteroid field is on its way to deliver a torrent of pathogens into this galactic sector, guaranteeing the destruction of any civilization in its path. Cyann, astrobiologist and Human-Delphian hybrid, is eager to join the research expedition dispatched to investigate. She is not prepared when they are stranded among an alien species whose motivations are enigmatic at best.
Also by Chris Reher:
Quantum Tangle, Sethran Kada 1
This is Sethran’s own adventure where he meets a peculiar alien entity who takes him on a quest to save her very dangerous people from both rebel and Commonwealth interest. Seth previously appeared in The Catalyst and Rebel Alliances.
Terminus Shift, Sethran Kada 2
Seth is back, this time tracking a group of rebels. But before he can seize them, the rebels are captured by a powerful rival faction and spirited away. Seth manages to re-capture one of the rebels, a subspace navigator named Ciela, and soon realizes that her crew's origin and purpose are far more pivotal than anyone could have suspected.
Entropy’s End, Sethran Kada 3
Seth pursues a Dyad who has infiltrated a key research complex where he discovers that far more than a single planet is at stake. Failure to halt the inexorable subspace peril will mean the end of interstellar travel and the end of their Commonwealth.
Check out all Targon Tales titles at chrisreher.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter
Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue