by T. A. White
Loudon sat, pacified for now, but there was no doubt in Graydon’s mind the Tuann would pursue this line of thinking again.
Harlow focused on Maida and Wren. "The Haldeel have called a quorum."
Silence fell, the issue of Kira's future forgotten in the wake of the news. It had been more than fifty years since the Haldeel had last called a quorum. Humans hadn't even been a player on the galactic stage then.
The quorum was a highly anticipated series of events in the Haldeel’s culture. Holding more in common with the Olympics of old Earth, it took place over ten days and nights. It consisted of physical events as well as difficult puzzles. Any could compete. Those who did won favor for their cause.
It was said a House's or empire's fortune or fate could be won or lost during a quorum. The amount of political maneuvering that took place during one was astonishing.
That they had called a quorum now couldn't be a coincidence. Not with the Tsavitee beginning to move in the shadows.
"Have the humans received an invitation?" Makon asked.
Graydon was the one to answer. "They have."
Surprise echoed in the room. No one had expected the humans to be extended such an honor. That they had been would be something to keep an eye on.
It also answered the question of why Harlow was considering shortening the training of those who showed talent. Roake was smaller than many Houses and wouldn't be able to send many to the quorum without sacrificing their security. Nor could they abstain from attending.
"I don't have to impress on you how important it is we present a strong showing," Harlow continued. His gaze shifted to Maida and Wren. "Begin incorporating the groups. Learning each other's strengths will be important when it comes time to deciding their readiness. We have time before the quorum takes place but not much."
What went unsaid was having initiates who’d already passed the uhva na would be extremely useful in such a situation.
Harlow regarded them steadily. "Dismissed."
His council stood, acknowledging the order with a wordless assent.
Caius's attention settled on Graydon, a sardonic smile tugging at his lip. "Should you find yourself bored, know that you and your oshota would be welcome on my battlefield any time."
Graydon inclined his head in acknowledgment. "I'll keep that in mind."
Caius's threw his head back, his laugh warm and carefree.
“Any news on the unidentified ships I sent you?” Graydon asked.
Caius sobered and shook his head. “I’ve had my people checking into it. None of the planets in my sector have been visited by the Tsavitee. Nor have any of Roake’s other commanders seen any suggestion of an incursion.”
“Then we still don’t know their destination,” Harlow said.
Caius hit a few buttons on his armor before sending the data through. “Not in a way that is meaningful. However, a few of mine were able to analyze likely trajectories.”
Harlow brought up the information Caius had sent, his expression darkening as he put it in the holovid. The planet of Ta Sa’Riel shimmered into being.
“You think they’re coming here?” Graydon asked.
Caius’s expression was serious as he nodded. “My person isn’t often wrong. It won’t get you proof enough to have the emperor launch a full-scale search of all Houses’ territories, but it can give you an idea of what you’re dealing with.”
“The Tsavitee are here,” Harlow stated, sprawling in his chair.
“The question is why and what do they want?” Graydon said.
Caius shook his head. “I’ll leave that for you to discover. Try not to die, won’t you?”
With that the commander signed off, leaving Graydon and Harlow to sit in silence as they studied the information Caius had sent
“I will inform the emperor of this. Caius was right in that it isn’t enough proof to justify trespassing onto House territory, but he can put some of his own resources on this,” Graydon said, standing. “I trust you will do the same.”
Harlow nodded. “In addition to Caius, I have a few people I can place on this. See if we can pinpoint where they landed. If they’ve infiltrated our House, we will find them. The same can’t be said if they’ve infiltrated one of the other Houses.”
“Leave that to the emperor. He has contacts he can reach out to. It’s not a perfect solution, but tensions are already high because of Ta Da’an,” Graydon said.
“Before you go, there’s one last matter I want to discuss,” Harlow said, tapping a button on his desk.
Information scrolled above it.
"Care to explain this?" Harlow inquired.
Graydon's frown morphed into a scowl. "I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out."
Harlow gaze held Graydon's for several long seconds before the corner of his mouth twitched. "I expect you will."
Graydon was on his feet and out the door in the next instant. He had a certain woman to track down and demand information from. This time he planned to get it.
TEN
Kira dangled upside down, patiently waiting as she basked in the crisp morning air that contained more of a bite than normal. Snow was in their future.
She shook her hands and cupped them to her lips, blowing on them as she trusted the cable attached to the harness around her waist would hold her. The movement caused her to twist slightly, changing her view from the rock face of the monolith she hung next to, to the forest stretching below.
"I don't know how you can be so calm with only a few pieces of wire to hold you up," Jin grumbled in her ear.
Kira's grin was brief. This from a being whose antigravs enabled him to reach heights much higher than her current one.
"It's safe enough," Kira assured him.
"Tell me that again after you've been splattered into a pancake," he snapped.
Kira touched one foot to the cliff, halting her rotation. "If the nets work the way Wren said they did on the first day, it shouldn't be a problem."
Jin blew a raspberry, his lack of faith in Tuann technology unmistakable.
"I don't understand your fascination with heights," he said.
"They make me feel free and remind me that limitations can be circumvented."
Movement came from below, and Kira placed a second foot along the wall, straightening her legs until she stood parallel to the monolith’s surface as she faced the ground and those below.
Kira noted with interest Wren’s initiates wouldn’t be the only ones attempting the monolith today as Maida and her little lambs, Joule among them, joined the group.
Jin continued to grumble. "Only spiders lurk like you currently are. Disgusting, terrifying creatures. I can’t believe humanity has reached the stars and still not eradicated those annoyances."
"Spiders play an important role in the ecosystem," Kira murmured, her gaze caught on a familiar figure, one taller and broader than the rest, arms folded over his chest as he frowned at those present. "What's he doing here?"
"Who?" Jin said, sounding alert.
"Graydon."
"Hmm. Maybe he's bored," Jin pointed out. His tone shifted. "They're not necessary on space stations or ships."
Kira paused, puzzlement crossing her face. "What aren't?"
His sigh was gusty. "Spiders."
Kira's head tilted as she considered. "I guess that depends on if you have a bug infestation or not."
People would be surprised by the tiny critters that managed to stowaway in goods shipped through merchant ships. Some of the planet critters were downright terrifying. All the safety protocols and clean rooms in the universe hadn't managed to solve the problem.
Jin hummed in thought.
"Looks like they're starting," Kira said.
Those below were warming up as they began to prepare for their ascent. This time Wren's initiates weren't the only ones, Maida's were doing the same on their side of the field.
Jin chortled with glee. "This is going to be so much fun."
Kira agr
eed.
"Remember the plan," she told him.
He grunted in confirmation as the first of the initiates started up the wall. Kira wasn't surprised to see Devon and Rheya sprint to the front, competing against each other, their movements bordering on reckless as they left the others behind. There was a distinct lack of coordination or teamwork present.
Humans might be a lot of things, but they understood success in battle often depended on your weakest link. Rarely your strongest. Cut it and you could strike a strategic blow to the enemy.
Kira started bouncing against the wall, the cable keeping her in place. "This is going to be too easy."
"I'm ready when you are," Jin said.
While Kira would do most of the heavy lifting, Jin would decide the flow of the next few minutes. He was a shadow in Kira’s mind, riding her senses and using what he picked up to parse information about the world around her.
In addition to seeing out of her eyes, he’d also had her place several sensors around the base and top of the cliff that fed him data. They were as ready for the coming battle as they could be.
"They're spread out, it should make it easy to pick them off," Jin said, analyzing the situation. "There's one drone ten feet below. As long as you don't touch the wall within five feet of it, you won't wake it up."
"Understood," Kira acknowledged.
"Prepare to drop," he told her.
Kira pushed off lightly.
"Drop."
The harness released, the cable spooling out as she descended rapidly.
"Drone is behind you. You're good to go for the next twelve feet."
Kira planted a foot, changing her trajectory. The contraption controlling the cable clicked over with her, allowing her to run down the cliff instead of being pulled to her original spot.
"Jump away from the cliff," Jin ordered.
Kira did; the horizon of the forest shifting before the cable and gravity brought her back to the cliff.
She landed in a crouch above Devon. Shock descended, his expression almost comical as he froze.
She grinned at him. "Hey, there."
"Move," he snapped, coming out of his stupor.
Kira made a tsking sound. She didn't think so. "Do you know what you're doing wrong?"
It was a rhetorical question. If he did, she wouldn't be there.
She didn't wait for him to answer, pouncing. She hammered both feet into his chest, knocking him off the cliff with ease. "Guess you'll have to try again."
He tumbled, his body hitting Aeron and sending both careening into a grav net. It sagged under their combined weight, before slowing their descent.
"Two strikes for the price of one," Jin crowed.
Kira bounced in place on her toes. "That was fun. Who's next?"
"Rheya is coming up on your left side. She'll pass you in five seconds."
"We can't have that, now can we?"
His laugh this time was diabolical. "No, we most certainly can't."
Kira raced horizontally across the cliff, spotting Rheya several feet above. When she was directly below the other woman, Kira exploded away from the cliff, executing a twirl as the cable caught Rheya and yanked her free. She sailed past Kira with an angry shout.
Kira's feet landed on the rock again, where she began to bounce, occasionally flipping or twirling at the apex of the move.
"Look alive, Raider and Blue are on the move," Jin told her.
She glanced down, spotting the last two. "Looks like Blue made a few modifications to her mag boots."
"I don’t think anybody has thought of that application for them before," Jin said, sounding interested.
"You can ask her about it after this," she promised him.
Kira studied the Curs closely. They would be a more difficult foe than the other initiates. With Blue, they were guaranteed to have a trick or two up their sleeve, and their teamwork would make them that much more dangerous. And they’d seen the others fall to her machinations.
Kira bared her teeth in a crazy grin; one echoed on the faces of her former companions. She wasn't the only one anticipating the coming confrontation.
"Our fearless heroine on one side and her worthy foes on the other. Who will come out the winner?" Jin's tone adopted that of a race announcer, playing up the drama.
Kira crouched. "Us. Always us, Tin Man."
"Ten-four, Phoenix."
Kira breathed deep, springing forward as she exhaled. She propelled herself at the two in the blink of an eye.
Raider straightened from the cliff, his boots clinging to the stone. He reached for Blue, a tracery network of azure lines sprang into existence between the two of them, crackling with electricity.
"Now," Blue shouted.
Raider heaved. Blue's feet left the cliff as he slung her toward the top.
"Oh, that is clever," Kira said as Blue passed her. "But not clever enough. Jin."
"Already on it."
The cable whirred as Kira raced up the cliff as if she was running, chasing Blue. Raider appeared at her side, a maniacal grin on his face. "Not today, Phoenix."
"Now," Jin cried.
Kira stopped, grabbing the wall and finding a toe hold as she hit the release on her harness. It popped free. She grabbed the wire and slammed it into the rock face.
Startlement registered on Raider's face at the unexpected action. It quickly changed to understanding as camouflage leaked out of a drone seven feet above Blue's new position.
"Shit," he hissed.
Blue jerked back as the drone fired. A short squeal accompanied her plummet to the ground.
Kira leaped, landing on Raider's back, one arm wrapped around him below his armpit, the other over his shoulder. Her hands met in a fist at his chest.
"I expected the initiates to have trouble with his challenge. I'm more surprised you haven't figured out the secret of it yet," Kira said into Raider's ear.
"What?"
Kira didn't respond, planting a foot against the wall and shoving off, taking Raider with her.
His protest was drowned out by her laughter as they followed Blue down, Jin singing a song of victory the entire way.
*
Graydon stared in disbelief at the woman who was entirely too pleased with herself as she hit the grav net and bounced. She grabbed the edge, using it to flip herself up and over, hitting the ground in a crouch.
"Suck on that landing," she muttered.
"Kira!" Raider shouted as he fought his way over the edge of the net.
"Uh oh." She sounded slightly guilty as she stuck her hands in her pockets and started to amble away.
It wasn't going to be that easy, coli.
Graydon folded his arms over his chest and settled in to watch the scene unfold, anticipation curling through him.
Raider wasn't the only one of Kira's victims to lock onto her. Devon and Rheya not far behind.
"Abort, abort," she muttered, picking up her pace slightly.
The rest of the field watched with varying levels of interest. Graydon's oshota were amused, having come to expect the unexpected from their former charge. They had the luxury of feeling such since they weren’t humiliated so thoroughly.
Graydon expected the lesson she'd taught the initiates was liable to sting, especially since he knew they viewed her with varying levels of pity or disdain.
From here on out, they’d forget the challenges they’d been throwing at the humans and focus on the real threat in their midst. Kira.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so thoroughly circumvent your test," Solal remarked to Wren.
The other man grunted; his gaze focused on the monolith as he tried to figure out how she'd managed her ambush.
"What was that?" Devon demanded, cutting Kira off.
She cocked her head, her expression one of innocence. "Were my actions unclear? I can always demonstrate the lesson again if you'd prefer."
Joule lifted a hand, his shoulders shaking suspiciously. Despite being one of those Kira
had knocked off the cliff, he seemed to be taking his fall with good grace.
Rheya shoved closer. "You had no call to force us to fail."
Kira raised an eyebrow. "Is that what I did?"
Their glares were fulminating.
Kira speared each of the initiates with a penetrating look, her resemblance to her uncle clear enough in that instant that it was startling.
"Or did you do that to yourself?" Her voice was hard, her stare flat.
The humans traded a look, communicating with unspoken words. They weren't the only ones who caught her hint. Joule glanced up at the monolith with a puzzled look. His face cleared seconds later as his lips parted, and his attention swung back to the spectacle.
"Hmm. He's not bad at reading a situation," Maida murmured, her gaze locked on the young Tuann.
"Of those present, he and the humans are the ones who've acquitted themselves best this morning," Amila agreed.
The rest of them were silent as they watched the initiates deal with this latest development.
The test of the monolith wasn’t only meant to test the initiate’s manipulation of their soul’s breath. It was also meant to force them to recognize that there were some hurdles they weren’t yet ready to face alone. Its purpose was designed to get them to work together and figure out a way to best utilize each other’s talents.
What none of those present realized was that none of them would be deemed ready until all of them had reached the top.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Devon demanded.
An angry exhale escaped Kira, her patience visibly evaporating. "It means you need to learn to listen to what is not being said as closely as you do to what is being said."
Wren's gaze locked on Kira as she pointed at the monolith.
"When did he ever say this was a solo mission? Why haven't one of you tried working with the rest to conquer that piddly wall?" Each word came out forcefully as her voice raised so everyone could hear her. "You would have been done weeks ago if you'd bothered to capitalize on each other's strengths."
Devon looked ready to spit, unwilling to retreat. Rheya held herself stiffly, not any more inclined to listen than him.