Oblivion's Peril

by M. H. Johnson

  "Nope. She would say it was Father's Russian blood, for all that he's second-generation American, and he'd always laugh. Now, though, it doesn't seem quite so funny. I used to think she was being extremely clever, but now I think she just doesn't quite understand me, or normalcy, or exactly what it means to be, well..."

  "Human?"

  Julia sighed and nodded.

  Val squeezed her hand sympathetically. "I made some good friends when I first came here, but when I originally met them it seemed everything I said or did offended them. Honestly, I think it's just sort of culture shock. Our worlds are different, our assumptions are different..."

  "Our brain chemistry is different?"

  Val shrugged. "We're hybrids, so I'm not sure what that makes us, but yeah, sure. Imagine a 21st-century kid waking up in Feudal Japan. If he could survive the first year without getting killed for committing some grievous offense, I'd call him extremely smart or extremely lucky. And this isn't just a different culture. It's a different world."

  Julia smirked. "And Mother's home theater just happened to be playing a movie that looked so much like Nova Wars I was getting chills."

  Val nodded. "That too."

  "And the Psiblade you use. You know damn well that's just like a..."

  Val smiled and shook his head. "Don't say it. It makes everything too weird."

  "And our spells, and our Psionic powers, and if your Shadowmind isn't the dark side of things, I don't know what is."

  Val nodded. "And if Highlords and Dauda have been hopping between worlds for who knows how many years, maybe a couple decided to get into the movie business. God knows it's a hell of a lot easier to make and see movies on Earth than Jordia, so maybe it is an artist's paradise. I really don't know."

  Val frowned, realizing there were questions that needed answering even as Julia grinned in relief, leaning against his side.

  "Val?"

  "Yes?"

  Julia suddenly lowered her gaze. "Are you mad at me?"

  Val blinked. "For what?"

  Julia swallowed, suddenly blushing. "For not being, well, pure, when I came to your bed?"

  Val grinned, this time looking straight into her eyes, hiding nothing. "What do you think?"

  She flushed and smiled, her beautiful eyes wet with tears. "Thank you, Val." She pulled away after a fierce kiss. "But we need to tell Mother that damned Carlito was trying to plant fake evidence in our lab. And a Dauda was here? Shit. That's serious. At least now I know why you were crouched, looking so silly behind that Highlord's chair. I'm glad that Dauda took a shine to you. I'd hate for you to have to fight your own people. What if he's related to your mother?"

  Val grimaced, knowing that bearing his soul had been a risk. "Please," he said.

  Julia swallowed, jerking a nod. "You're right. I'm sorry. That thought was private. Well, I certainly don't want to get on his bad side. Okay, you can decide if you want to tell Mother or not. What's our next move?"

  Julia's eyes suddenly widened, she swallowed and turned around.

  "What's wrong?" Val whispered, but he could feel it too.

  Trouble had just arrived.

  Excited murmurs and too many pairs of silver and gold eyes were peering at Christine with coldest calculation, enjoying her discomfort as she raced toward Julia, her rictus of a smile in place. "Go to your quarters, children. Your Terran friends should already be there."

  "Mother, what's wrong?"

  Christine's glare made Julia flinch, then she softened it into a smile. "I was wondering what our mysterious opponent's next move would be. First letters of announcement sent out the very night we arrive, and thank goodness you and your friends trained so frequently, so your coming out party was not a complete botch. But this?" Her delicate brow furrowed. "Someone is truly out for blood, summoning an inquisitor to our home, less than a day after my portal was destroyed." She shook her head. "Never mind that, children. Go to your quarters with all haste."

  "But mom..."

  "Now!" Her cold gaze froze Julia to silence. Val bowed his head, grabbed Julia's hand, and quickly dragged her back towards the hallway.

  "But Val..."

  Val shook his head. "No. Now's not the time. Besides, it's best if she acts natural."

  Julia's eyes widened. "What are you planning?"

  Val smiled, already feeling himself fade into the dim, portrait-lined hallway, Julia's brilliant eyes alone pinning him before her. She paled. "Be careful, Val. If anyone catches you..."

  "I know." A soft kiss to her cheek. She closed her eyes and smiled. When she opened them, he was gone.

  6

  Val seeped through the murmuring Highlords as soft as darkness falls, and not a single one of the distracted men and women noticed his presence. All eyes were focused on the crimson gaze of the pale-faced man before them, chiseled features hardened with fanatic discipline or zealous hate. It was hard to tell. But his potency blazed. No one doubted his station, even without his jet-black shimmering armor, or the Psiblade and forceshield at his hip. Yet even as other lords wore their armaments like accessories, this man wore his own like the killing tools they were, his black-gloved hands never far from caressing his blade or the silver grip Val knew would activate his forceshield as well.

  He was a man prepared for trouble, and his hot glare alone came close to piercing Val's guise.

  Test of skills engaged. Shadowmind holds!

  Though his frown only deepened, unable to pierce the shadows all around a dozen murmuring lords.

  Val felt no alarm. Such a sensation was alien to a state of nothingness filled with burning focus, the night given function and form. Even if a coldly smiling part of his psyche knew his gentler side would be horrified at finding an inquisitor whose eyes illuminated nearly as well as a certain fallen Overlord, for all that he had only a fraction of the other man's power. Yet to pierce a Dauda's veil was all one needed to lay one of Val's kind low. No towering ego did they have to ward their psyches. It was only the absence of that fearsome pride given psychic form that allowed them to slip through the cracks within other people's minds.

  In that strange moment of potency and humility, Val knew he must grow in ways dark and profound if he was to survive playing the perilous games he embraced even now. But play them he must, for the sake of those he loved.

  He had been incredibly lucky facing down Tytus. He would be a fool ever to take it for granted.

  "Christine, why in the world is an inquisitor here now, the day of your hybrid daughter's coming out gala?" Carlito said. His mind might have been warded, but his lips gave his true feelings away, curling in a mocking grin he could barely hide.

  So intently was he gazing at Christine's flustered form as she did her best to chat up their unexpected guest who immediately began asking questions about her daughter, much as Carlito had no doubt intended, that the man spared only an angry glance for the fool who had just jostled him. His ire garnered a quick apology from the younger lord, and Carlito seemed completely unaware of the odd breeze that had just brushed against his other side.

  "A Terran daughter, you said?" The inquisitor's icy gaze pinned Christine's own, his frigid smile for formality's sake alone.

  Christine solemnly nodded. "Yes, Inquisitor Veri Koira. I was given mandate by Overlord Tytus to engage in longevity research as well as determine the best means of improving Highlord fertility. I am exceedingly pleased to say that I have made significant strides in life extension treatments and, should all go according to plan, will be able to prolong our lives by an average of fifty percent at the very least."

  The inquisitor's demeanor instantly changed. "Ah. I have heard rumors regarding that affair. Some claimed that it was but a ruse to avoid Tytus's planned extermination of your clan." He gazed intently into a trembling Christine's eyes, inhaling deeply. "But I can tell that in this, at least, you do not lie." He gave a satisfied nod. "Our High Council will no doubt offer a generous contract for the implementation of your advances as soon as circumstance
s permit. Perhaps a place at the table as well."

  Christine swallowed, bowing her head. "It would be a great honor to serve the High Council."

  "Of course it would." Inquisitor Veri's dry chuckle caused more than one nearby lord to grimace. "I myself look forward to examining our premier rejuvenation facility firsthand. I would dearly love to give it a golden review."

  Christine nodded. "I will personally oversee your treatment, as I would any council member who requested it."

  Veri gave a bemused nod, patting her shoulder almost fondly. "I have no doubt. Now a few more questions, and hopefully we can put all raised concerns behind us. Your daughter. Effectively a hybrid, yes?"

  "Yes, Inquisitor Veri. For all that I have made extensive strides in rejuvenation, our concerns regarding fertility have proven to be but one head of a dilemma of hydratic proportions."

  Veri smiled his agreement. "You are correct. There is no greater concern than increasing the fecundity of our people. It is in fact the favored justification for why claiming a harem of young nubiles has become the norm of late."

  More than one lord grimaced, adjusting his collar at that.

  Christine nodded. "Indeed. We Highbloods pride ourselves on our fertility, yet I myself only had two offspring in the span of two centuries."

  "Somewhat better than average, Lady Highblood," the inquisitor allowed.

  Christine nodded. "Yet within five years of coming to Earth, just five years, I conceived my third child!"

  More than one animated whisper at that, though Lord Carlito only glared, no doubt less than pleased that the inquisitor was taking an amicable stand with someone who did, after all, hold the keys to a longer life for him and everyone else in the room.

  "Impressive," Veri allowed. "Even if she is of mundane potential, fertile exotics imported from our newest acquisition into the harems of countless lords just might prove the edge we need to continue our expansion."

  Now Christine beamed with pride. "Not only is she literate, as literate as any nineteen-year-old child can be expected to be, she is gifted in the arcane arts as well! In fact, it is my pleasure to concede that I have secured a half-stable of brilliantly talented Terran prospects that may prove the beachhead we need to finally secure the south, as well as enhance our line!"

  Now Veri's smile was genuine. "Of course I investigated the intriguing demise of the battle-mech outside. One fool actually suggested that you had unlawfully used exothermics." His dry chuckle echoed strangely in the deathly silent room. "Utter hogwash, I have no doubt. If your daughter has truly mastered a tactical battle spell before she has even reached maturity... yes, I can see the potential hybrid Terrans offer. Even if they will never be a match for their Highlord sires, they can still serve our people honorably and well."

  "Precisely!" a relieved-sounding Christine concurred. "That is exactly my hope as well."

  His warm smile turned hard once more. Christine paled. "Of course I will want to see your daughter perform her arcane feat once more. I assume she can repeat it as necessary?"

  "I don't see why that would be a problem, Lord Inquisitor," Christine swallowed.

  "Excellent." He dropped his smile. "Now let us proceed to your lab. Accusations have been made, Christine. Extremely serious accusations implying treason, sedition, and an alliance with the Terran Resistance."

  If it was silent before, not a pin drop could be heard now.

  "My men are already headed to your personal quarters." He gazed intently at Christine. "With collars."

  Christine trembled. "Please don't hurt my child."

  Veri quirked one thin eyebrow. "Why would I want to do that? I am sure she will not struggle, and the restraints will be removed once this misunderstanding is cleared up."

  And the shadows began to burn, the fierce howl of a storm growing in the distance causing more than one man to glance toward one of the stained glass windows, clear middle panes giving a perfect view of the suddenly overcast day.

  Veri frowned, sniffing like a hound, peering intently at the dark corners of the room they were in, sensing only shadow. "Very well then, come. To the laboratory we go. You do not have any problem with that, I trust?"

  A pale-faced Christine could only shake her head as they made their way down the hallway.

  Her guests' animated gossip increased in pitch, cold smiles and hungry eyes making them look more like vultures than men.

  It was all Val could do to hold to the icy objectivity of Shadowmind. He did not fear for himself as much as he did Julia, forced to wonder how she would react as cold-eyed men rounded her up with whatever dark artifact would allow them to bind a mage's power. Val could only imagine how she would respond.

  He was running out of time.

  "And this, I take it, is the lab?" Veri asked as Christine forced trembling hands to search for her card, eyes widening with growing horror as she found no trace. Veri's cynical smile grew. "Are you missing your card, Christine? Allow me." Pulling out a jet-black card, Veri pressed it to the scanner which began to beep shrilly before the spark of fried circuits could be heard, faint smoke trickling from the door as Veri himself forced it open. "Of course, we shall bill the accuser on your behalf for all damages accrued during the course of our investigation. I trust such will be satisfactory?"

  Christine jerked a nod. "Of course."

  "Excellent." After Veri forced his way in, Christine’s guests did not hesitate to follow, eager to see the grand finale to this unexpected twist to the soiree.

  Veri frowned, gazing carefully at his surroundings, multiple workstations each with a pile of computer crystals organized in a fashion that only the staff on hand would understand. "I shall have to begin cataloging everything immediately." He turned around, glaring at the onlookers. "You may stay to witness inspection and judgment as is your right, but you are to touch nothing on these desks under pain of censure, is that understood?"

  Nods and smiles, gossiping increasing in pitch.

  "I wonder what he'll find?"

  "It is rather unexpected, a soiree just hours after Christine's return. And why did she not properly test and register her daughter first?"

  "How, by Jordia, did she manage to imprint such a powerful spell on her own daughter's brain? So young. I'll bet the techniques were deliciously unorthodox. Poor dear's probably scarred for life."

  "No doubt to become an inquisitorial weapon along with Christine's other assets once they take her head, I'm sure. No other reason to bring mage-guards with collars."

  "Whatever she's hiding, nothing will escape the gaze of that man, I'm sure..."

  "Friends, friends, I'm sure there's no reason to think the worst!" a smug-looking Carlito insisted, walking boldly towards the inquisitor. "Good Inquisitor Veri, you are interrupting the coming out party of our dear Christine's youngest child. Being as she's a hybrid and there is no telling how stable those creatures may or may not be, particularly when forced to wield magics that pose a direct threat to Dominion infantry if used by anyone not sworn to service, I think it would be best if we did as little to upset that living weapon as is possible. Come, good sir. A quick inspection of Christine's workstation and I'm sure we'll find that all is in order."

  He flashed Christine a cold smile. "I can only assume her look of terror has nothing to do with contraband or treason, but rather by the thought of her daughter proving untameable by any hands save her own, and the gods only know how easily that child's Titan's Blast spell could slaughter everyone within this very room. Funny, I could have sworn such dire magics were limited only to a select few Dominion battlemages sworn to lifelong service! But no matter. So long as we act as expeditiously as possible, I'm sure the risk of our being butchered by a storm of armor-piercing shrapnel is minimal. Isn't that right, Christine?"

  Christine trembled with a hate so fierce it radiated from her in waves. Speechless before the crowd gazing so intently at her, none of them needing the details to sense how deliciously cruel was the trap that had been sprung.
<
br />   The inquisitor furrowed his pencil-thin brow, nodding once. "This is acceptable. Let's start with the supervisor's desk. Then Lady Highblood will make sure her hybrid is properly constrained, and we will continue our investigation from there." He turned to Carlito. "If you would be so kind?"

  "Of course, Lord Inquisitor." Carlito's grin was feral as he stepped forward to lead the inquisitor straight to the desk, checking himself a moment too late.

  Tripping over shadows that were not there, contents splaying from his pockets as his face cracked against the tiled floor.

  Blood streaming from his crushed nose, his eyes tearing with outrage and pain, the Highlord cursed as he stumbled to one knee, as if looking for whatever force or foe had jerked his arm before he could even catch himself.

  Then he caught sight of the inquisitor's gaze in that room of dead silence, everyone staring at Carlito in sick fascination. He hissed, eyes widening in horror as he caught sight of the two silver cubes upon the floor, as if realizing only at that moment that they had spun out of his pocket with his fall.

  "No," he whispered, "no, that's not possible." He swallowed, looking around for allies or sympathy in a room full of hungry gazes. "I'm being set up... someone's setting me up!" he shouted.

  Inquisitor Veri Koira bent down, smiling into the trembling Highlord's gaze. Even as he spoke, he casually wrenched free Carlito’s Psiblade hilt before the other could blink, a move so fast and effortless it chilled even shadow to see. "I always allow my suspects as much rope as they could desire. You never know what they'll do. Sometimes they weave nets of impossible complexity, enmeshing endless co-conspirators and earning themselves considerable reprieve from the justice I would love to deliver." He gazed down at the Highlord's trembling legs, his thin-lipped smile widening. "And sometimes, sometimes they're allowed just enough rope to trip over themselves."

  He turned to Christine then. "Lady Highblood, has Highlord Carlito ever been given permission to enter your lab before?"

  Christine slowly shook her head.

  Veri Koira nodded, turning back to a shaking Carlito. "Yet you moved with such confidence, eager to show me where Lady Highblood's station was. Which begs the question, how in the world would you even know which station is hers?"