Fortune's Wheel

by Lisanne Norman

  Kusac watched them go, feeling strangely bereft after the intensity of the last couple of hours. His fathertook him by the arm, urging him along the colonnaded walk to his study. "She'll be fine," he assured Kusac as he closed the door be-hind them. He indicated a chair for his son, taking the one opposite him.

  "You'll need to keep her away from the Terrans until the cub is born," he said. "Among us she feels safe and pro-tected; among the Terrans she fears criticism and censure, even if at the moment it's imagined. After the birth she'll be fine because she'll belong to herself again, a separate entity, not sharing her body."

  "Do you doubt her sanity at present?" asked Kusac, fin-gertips tapping unconsciously on the chair arm as

  his tail tip flicked.

  "Unless she stays here, frankly, yes. How could her father have been so unyielding, so lacking in

  understanding toward her?"

  "The consequences of losing a wife and daughter through taking a chance for a better life," said Kusac. "I

  can see his point of view, though I don't agree with it."

  "You're too generous," growled his father. "I had word from the Alien Relations Council while you were at the guild. They aren't prepared to grant Carrie diplomatic im-munity. They argue that because she's life-bonded to you, she's now a Sholan citizen rather than a Terran visitor."

  "It's no more than I expected," said Kusac with a sigh. "It looks as if she has no option but to fight the

  Challenge."

  "If you remember, I'm hoping the newly formed Keissian and Sholan Council will prohibit the fight on the grounds that she's still a Keissian subject and as you're the first Leska pair of your kind, Carrie's life and that of your child are more important than the law in this case."

  "I assume you haven't heard anything yet."

  "Nothing. I plan to contact her father again later today when he's available. I believe we may be lucky since I'd be surprised if the Keissians would want Carrie to be put at any risk at all. However, you know how things move through diplomatic channels—with the greatest resistance."

  "I won't build up our hopes, then," said Kusac.

  "I think you're wise. Now about Vanna. You said she's pregnant?"

  "Yes, by Brynne."

  "That's impossibly fast. Even detecting a pregnancy chem-ically takes longer than a week from the date

  of conception."

  "All I can tell you is that once Brynne told her, I checked and it was obvious."

  "So why didn't you know with Carrie?"

  "She's not Sholan. I'd be able to tell now that I know what to look for in a human. There were little

  differences about Vanna, things I can't name. I just knew," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

  "How could it have happened so fast?" asked Konis, ears flaring slightly so he picked up every nuance of

  what his son was saying.

  "The call for help that we heard owed its strength to the gestalt that Vanna triggered. She believes that

  when we've triggered it in the past it's initiated the changes in us. If she's right, then it must have

  accelerated them to the point where they were fully compatible almost from the first."

  "I presume Vanna knew nothing about it."

  Kusac's tail flicked. "No, it was a shock to her. If she'd considered it at all, she would have thought it fartoo soon."

  "Well, at least Carrie is no longer unique, which should be a comfort to her. I wonder if the Sholan interpreter from Earth and his human Leska will find themselves compatible so quickly. They're due to arrive within a few days. I issued instructions that they were to be kept from as much stress as possible so as to avoid triggering the gestalt. Dammit! I want to know why, and how, we're losing the breeding ca-pacity of some of our best minds! If this goes on we could end up with no pure Sholan telepaths at all!"

  "I think that's unlikely, Father," said Kusac, ears flicking uncomfortably.

  Konis grunted, his tail tip rising and falling rhythmically. "We'll see," he said. "That's my worry, not yours. You go and join your mate. Forget about training, take the rest of the day to yourselves, it'll do you bothmore good in the long run. Go on," he ordered, feeling his son's hesitation, "be a family. Show her howwe males feel about the females who choose to bear our cubs. She needs the reassurance. After I'vecontacted Mr. Hamilton again, I'm going to see Gover-nor Nesul personally. His aides can't put me offso easily when I'm standing mere."

  * * *

  "Rhaema!"

  She looked up from her comm unit as she heard her sec-tion head call for her. "What're you workingon?"

  "Not a lot. A couple of court cases, one of them to be de-cided by a Challenge at twelfth hour today."

  "Give it to Druthi. Momma wants you downstairs. Move your tail!"

  "What's all the fuss about?" she asked as she dug hur-riedly in her desk drawer for her audio-comp pad.

  "You've landed yourself a juicy little job," he said as she hurried toward him. "Special interview. The

  Liege refuses to speak to anyone but you."

  She came to an abrupt stop beside him, the claws on her toes catching hold of the wooden floor to giveher greater purchase. "The Liege? Literally a Liege?"

  "Yep."

  "So tell me who!" she demanded, ears fully swiveled to-ward him so as not to miss a word.

  "Only Clan Leader Aldatan. Seems you made an impres-sion with your article earlier today. This puts us

  ahead of Centralnet."

  "Doesn't it just," she purred, mouth opening in a huge grin.

  "So what're you standing round me for?" he demanded. "Get going! Momma doesn't like to be kept

  waiting!"

  "I'm gone!"

  * * *

  Immediately after he broke the connection with Kusac's father, Peter Hamilton contacted his friend Jack

  Reynolds.

  Jack's tousled face appeared on the screen, yawning hugely.

  "This is an uncivilized hour to pull a fellow out of his bed, Peter," he complained. "What's so urgent at this

  time of night?"

  "I need your help, Jack. Carrie's got herself into some sort of bother—a challenge or something—which

  is complicated by the fact she's pregnant. There's a real fear she could mis-carry."

  Jack's face froze.

  "Pregnant, you say?" he repeated cautiously.

  "Something wrong with your hearing, Jack?" Peter asked caustically. "Yes, I said she's pregnant. It's this fight that's the problem. His father just called me to say he's been un-able to get the authorities on Shola to intervene and stop the challenge. I've been trying to bring the matter up in the

  Council since he first contacted me last week, but the Sho-lans keep giving me the runaround by sayingthere are more pressing matters than the outcome of one civil challenge. I need the medical evidence fortomorrow. I presume that doc-tor of theirs—what's her name?—has been keeping you in-formed."

  "Vanna," said Jack. "She contacted me about a week ago for some human medical information, but she didn't mention anything about Carrie being pregnant. I'll have to get in touch with her to get the current notes on their case."

  "Do it. I need something concrete to put before the Coun-cil tomorrow."

  "Peter, I can't possibly have the information ready for you for tomorrow," protested Jack. "I've got to call

  Shola and get them to send the data before I can even begin to corre-late it!"

  "Just call her now," insisted Peter. "Get it to me as soon as you can. We've only got three days left."

  * * *

  Rhaema towed her autovid out of the aircar, then released it to bob behind her at head height as shewalked up the cov-ered staircase to the entrance. An attendant was waiting for her, and he escorted herto Rhyasha's study. The Clan Leader sat in a comfortable chair, a mug of c'shar on the ta-ble by herelbow.

  "Well come, Rhaema Vorkoh," she said, indicating the re-porter should take the other chair.

  "Clan Leader Aldata
n," said Rhaema, "it's very good of you to talk to me like this."

  "C'shar?" Rhyasha asked, pouring a mug for the reporter when she nodded in the affirmative. "There's nothing so de-structive as speculation. I thought it time that the facts were known. Now, how do you want to conduct this interview? Do you want to ask me questions, or shall I tell you the facts as we know them?"

  "It would be easier for me to ask questions," said Rhaema, taking the proffered mug from her.

  "Then, whenever you're ready."

  As Rhaema pressed her wrist unit, the autovid began to hum gently and a small red light set on the topbegan to pulse.

  * * *

  The interview took perhaps half an hour, at the end of which time Rhaema switched off her autovid.

  "Thank you for your cooperation, Clan Leader," she said, finishing off the dregs of her drink. "I don't

  suppose there's any chance of speaking to either Kusac or Carrie, is there?"

  "None," said Rhyasha firmly, getting up to escort Rhaema down to the waiting aircar. "As I explained,

  today has al-ready been stressful enough for them."

  Rhaema shrugged, her ears flicking her acceptance of de-feat. "I had to ask," she apologized.

  Rhyasha smiled. "Of course, and I had to refuse. When will you broadcast this?"

  "On the late news tonight," Rhaema replied as they walked along the balcony to the stairs.

  From below them in the central courtyard, squeaks of de-light drifted up to their ears. Rhaema turned acurious face to her hostess.

  "My youngest, Kitra, and unless I'm mistaken, Carrie and Kusac playing with her."

  Rhaema was at the rail and leaning over it before Rhyasha could stop her. The two adults were throwinga soft ball over Kitra's head while the kitling jumped up, trying to catch it.

  "Why, she's not so very different after all," said Rhaema, surprise evident in her voice.

  "Of course not," said Rhyasha, joining her. "What did you expect?"

  "I've never had the opportunity to speak to any of them," she said. "The males go out into the town, but they won't let any of us reporters near them. The females never seem to leave the guild, except for your son's mate, and she's so well guarded, no one gets near her!"

  "As I explained earlier, no matter how adventurous their souls, it can be terrifying at times to realize just

  how alone they are on our alien world."

  "I hadn't thought of it in quite that light before," Rhaema said quietly, watching while Carrie held the ball

  up in the air and Kitra danced round her trying to reach it.

  As she turned around, keeping the ball at arm's length, Carrie looked up, her eyes locking onto

  Rhaema's.

  "That's enough for now, Kitra," said Kusac, reaching out to take the ball from his mate. "Carrie's been

  energetic enough for today. She needs to rest."

  "Can we play again later?" the young female asked hope-fully.

  "We'll see," he said, putting a protective arm around Carrie as he looked up, too. After the flick of an ear

  to the two on the balcony, he drew her away out of sight.

  "I guess that's a no. How can he let her fight a Chal-lenge?" she asked, turning back to look at Rhyasha. "She's so vulnerable, so easy to hurt. All this Rala needs to do is hit her once with her hand and it would be over."

  "We know. That's why we need your help. Not just for Carrie, but for all the mixed pairs. The Challenge has to be stopped. Their unborn cub mustn't be put at risk, and never again can the Telepath Guild be allowed to wield the power they did when they drugged Vanna and Brynne. People like you shape public opinion, so make the people aware of what is really happening."

  She hesitated, then gave a small smile. "My son says you may use the images you recorded of themplaying with Kitra for your broadcast, but they would have appreciated being asked first."

  Rhaema's ears lay back in embarrassment. Damn, but he was good! She'd not felt anything when he'dprobed her mind. "I triggered it without realizing, Liege," she said in apology. "I'll certainly do what I canto help."

  As she left, she gave herself a mental shake in an attempt to dispel the look of fear she had seen in thehuman female's eyes.

  * * *

  Back at the guild, Vanna had long since finished process-ing the data she had obtained from Carrie'sscan. Ahead of her lay the task of collating it. There was no need for her to remain in her office. Shecould do it just as easily, and more comfortably, in her apartment.

  She found it empty as she had expected. The last two Link days, Brynne had come over late, stayed onlyas long as was necessary, then left until the next time. At the moment she could sense him in the refectorywith the other Terrans. This suited her since their relationship was very basic: he stayed with her only longenough to satisfy the demands of their Link, then he left for the more pleasant company of one of his Sholan bed companions. She didn't mind that either as only then did she feel comfortable being with Garras.

  She set about making herself a meal. Something elaborate for a change, she thought.

  Very shortly she lost herself in the task and while she waited for the food to cook, she loaded Jack

  Reynold's data into her comm.

  After she'd eaten she returned to her studies, comparing his data with hers. Every now and then a straythought about what Brynne had said would force its way into her mind only to be banished as being hisidea of a cruel joke. Some time later she got up to make herself a cup of coffee, notic-ing with a start thatit was very late. Filing her work, she switched the comm off and began to get ready for bed.

  As she dropped off to sleep, her mind, unguarded for the moment, turned to Kusac and Carrie. It wasenough that he had found a Leska he loved, but now that Carrie could bear his children, that small placethat might have been hers was irrevocably gone. That she herself should now have a similarly compatiblehuman Leska—and not one who loved her—was the final irony. As tears began to form in her eyes,sleep gently claimed her.

  She woke suddenly, blinking because of the unexpected light. After a moment's confusion she sensed Brynne sitting beside her. Trying to sit up, she found herself pushed back on the bed by his firm hand.

  "Lie still a minute more," he said, not unkindly. "I'm tak-ing those tests you conveniently forgot to do."

  Looking at her left arm, she found it encased in the test unit.

  "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, trying to push him away. "You've no idea how to use it."

  "Patience, Vanna. I've been learning to use the knowledge I got from you," he said, checking the readings

  and moving her arm so she could see them, too. "There you are, the proof that you're pregnant."

  Angrily, Vanna sat up and snapped the unit free from her arm, setting it aside on the bed. "Not for long,"she said flatly.

  Brynne shook his head slowly, an amused look on his face. "You've lost that convenient ability. Ichecked out the standard female Sholan physiology and compared it to yours. That's another area ofchange. Your mind can no longer affect whether or not you conceive or remain preg-nant in the first fewdays. You're as trapped as I am, Vanna."

  For the first time she felt his sympathy for her.

  "Poor Vanna, the career medic caught in the oldest human trap, and not even by the male of her choice." He gave a short, dry laugh. "Pity you carry a torch for Kusac; it doesn't exactly give us much of a chance even if circum-stances were different. I can't say I enjoy living in an accel-erated relationship with a female who loves someone else, and who has yet a third male for a mate!"

  Vanna pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them protectively, her ears flat against her skull.

  "You've no right to pry into my private thoughts or life," she said angrily.

  He reached out to touch her face, stroking the short fur. She jerked her head away, but his handfollowed. Cupping the back of her head in one hand, he ran the fingers of the other gently through thecropped curls that grew down the side
s of her neck.

  "I'm afraid you're not very good at blocking your thoughts whenever he's around. I'd be very surprised if

  he isn't as aware as I am of how you feel."

  Vanna's pupils widened as her panic increased.

  "Pity," he continued, "you're really rather beautiful. Huge green eyes and amazingly soft fur. It's such a

  waste."

  He leaned forward, pulling her face closer and kissing her.

  She put up her hands to push him away, but they were grasped and held firmly by the wrists.

  He continued, forcing her mouth open, his tongue flicking across her lips and teeth, then just as abruptlyhe released her and stood up.

  "Sleep well," he said, leaving.

  Vanna put a hand to her mouth, utterly surprised, unable to sense anything of his feelings through their Link. He had never kissed her before. Stunned, she sat there for a few minutes, then got up to checkwhether he had really left. Perplexed, she locked the door on the inside then returned to bed. As she laythere in the dark she began to panic anew, trying to recall if she'd been too obvious to Kusac about howshe felt.

  He's got no illusions about your feelings for him, came Brynne's amused thought.

  * * *

  "The Leska Link has always been considered a gift from the Gods," said Rhaema Vorkoh as she looked out at them from the main comm screen, "so what justification have the authorities for treating these young telepaths from both our species as if they were experimental animals? After seeing Liegen Kusac Aldatan

  and his human Leska, even I could feel the touch of the God on them and I'm not a religious person. To be able to truly experience what's it's like to have been born and grown up on an alien world, to win the trust—perhaps even the love—of someone from such a rad-ically different background is an achievement of no small order. Those whom the God chooses to do this are indeed special." Rhaema paused and her image was replaced by that of Carrie and Kusac playing with Kitra.