thefiremargins Page 20

  "If Shola was in danger, Father would tell us instantly. We'll find out soon, don't worry," Kusac reassured her, sensing her fear through their Link.

  He gave her a little shake, knowing how deep her fear of the Valtegans went despite her attempt to hide it.

  "Carrie, this isn't Keiss, or the two colony worlds we lost. This is our home world. We've got the best military force in the Alliance sitting out there protecting us. There is no way the Valtegans can get anywhere near us. Not just that, we'd feel their presence if they were near Shola, wouldn't we?"

  She nodded reluctantly as she leaned back against him, drawing strength from his presence.

  "How's the research going?" he asked. "Are you back up to date with what you'd done before?"

  "I've just finished reading through it."

  "Have you found anything that could refer to the presence of the Valtegans?"

  She gestured toward the comp pad she'd brought with her. "I'm checking through the last of the Telepath Clans' family records now," she said. "Most of them are genealogies. Did you know the Aldatan Clan records go back well over a thousand years?"

  "I know we're one of the oldest clans on Shola, and that this land has always been ours."

  "Funny thing is, all the records stop about fourteen hundred years ago, about the same time that the Valsgarth Clan died out. So I started doing some cross-referencing with the records of the other guilds. Yes," she said, forestalling him, "I did remember to use the security code your father gave us. My calls can't be traced."

  "What did you find?"

  "All guild records come to a stop at the same time. Or," she said, "to put it another way, all the records I've looked at begin around fifteen hundred years ago."

  "That must be when we came out of the Cataclysm."

  "Taizia mentioned it. What actually happened? Could it have anything to do with the Valtegan bones Vanna was shown?"

  "I've no idea. No one knows exactly what happened, but there are records at the temple and Stronghold of dreams similar to the one that your Healer, Noni, told you about. I contacted Ghyan yesterday and he's researching them as well as the En'Shalla rituals. All that is certain is that at some time in our past, an immense disaster struck the planet, wiping out civilization as it was at the time. I'd be very surprised if it involved the Valtegans, though."

  "Then what was that skeleton doing in the ruins? I suppose it's possible those remains are the only ones, but I'm sure that's highly unlikely. Haven't any ruins ever been excavated just for the sake of finding out what's there?" she asked.

  "Not as far as I'm aware. They're certainly only used now as a rich source of ancient refined metals. I don't know that much about it, I'm afraid. It wasn't the province of my Guild."

  "So you have a Dark Ages in your past, but one that hasn't been studied."

  "As far as I know, very few people are interested in such ancient times. It's the achievements since then that concern our Guild Historians."

  "This has me intrigued. Why is there no interest in your far past? Has it been suppressed? Your racial history only exists as the individual records of each guild. There isn't an overview of it. What happened that was so awful that a whole planet of people conspired to cover it up?"

  "Not a whole planet," said Kusac. "The Guild Leaders, perhaps, but more than likely we're looking at the Telepath Guild again. If the priests on your world carried the burden of recording major events of the times, then likely ours did, too. They had the time and the learning to do it, after all."

  "And all priests are Telepaths," added Carrie. She hesitated a moment. "An outrageous idea, I know, but what if this had been a Valtegan world and Sholans were the aliens here? If they'd overthrown the Valtegans and wanted to claim the world for themselves, then they'd suppress the past, wouldn't they?"

  Kusac's ears flicked in amusement. "An interesting idea, Carrie, but we definitely evolved on this world. Look at the other species here— the jeggets for one. They may be only animals but they have a rudimentary form of telepathy. And how do you account for the fact that had this been a Valtegan world, there was no retributive action taken against us for wiping them out here?"

  "Maybe it's taken them this long to find you again," she said with a grin. "I said it was only a theory, I didn't say it was a good one!"

  Kusac laughed and flicked her nose gently with a finger. "Did you find out what you wanted to know about the Telepath families?"

  "Oh, yes, I'd almost forgotten. There is a pattern," she said, reaching out to pull the comp pad closer. "I made my own notes which are easier to look at than flipping between the records." She touched the buttons, bringing several sets of figures and diagrams up on the small screen.

  "When the records start, you can see that there were far more telepaths and Leska pairs. However, over the generations, despite a definite breeding program among the families, the numbers of Talented offspring has fallen. It's continuing to fall even today, though at a slower rate. No wonder the Guild and your father are concerned."

  "I hadn't realized it was quite so bad," said Kusac. "Then along come the Terrans and now several of our telepaths are finding Leskas from your species rather than our own. If this trend goes on, in a few generations there may be no more pure Sholan telepaths."

  Carrie broke the silence. "What's happened to cause the changes in our genetic structure until we're each apart from our own species? Has it been in us all along and we didn't realize it till we met?"

  "I don't know, Carrie, but we'll show your findings to Father and Vanna. She and Jack have already started work on our genes, trying to find out which key ones have been altered."

  "What do we do if they find a way to reverse what's happened?"

  "They won't," he said firmly. He touched the bronze torc at her neck, then the bracelet on her right wrist. "You don't wear these because of our genes," he said, wrapping his arm around her.

  "No, I don't," she said, smiling.

  "I'm convinced, like you, that there's got to be a reason for our Link. Maybe if we dig deep enough, we'll find it. It's got to be something to do with Vartra if those dreams we've had are anything to go by."

  "It may be worth finding out if the Telepath Guild has actual physical records from the past rather than this computerized stuff," said Carrie. "With every guild's records suddenly starting at around the same time, and being very detailed from the looks of the data I have here, it tends to suggest they were using a well established system. Therefore, somewhere there must be records that go back even farther. Would your father have access to any hidden files that might exist?"

  "I doubt it, but Ghyan certainly has paper files on various ancient rituals. Maybe they hold something more. I'll get in touch with him tonight."

  Carrie was looking out across the bay at a hill that was surrounded by the Valsgarth forest.

  "What's that?" she asked, pointing.

  Kusac followed her finger. "The hill?"

  "No, the ruins on top of it."

  "Your eyesight's very good," he said. "It's an old monastery or something. Hardly anything left now, just a few feet of old walls showing above the ground. When you're better, I'll take you there if you like."

  "What kind of monastery?"

  "I believe local legend has it that it was the primary one for the cult of Vartra. It's been a ruin for centuries." He stopped, eyes opening wide as he realized what he'd said. "There might be something left up there among the ruins," he said. "Esken and his people can't stop us investigating it because it's on our own land. I'm also pretty sure it's never been blasted for the same reason. Nobody's ever been in there to salvage metals and the like as far as I know, so there'd be no need."

  "I wonder if the Telepath Guild House was always in Valsgarth town. I wonder if it could have started out in that monastery. Perhaps that's why priests have to be telepaths, too. What was Vartra the God of again?" she asked, squinting up at the ruin as the sun came out from behind a cloud.

  "He wasn't the God o
f anything as such," said Kusac. "He was worshiped, and still is, mainly by Telepaths and Warriors. Some say he's the peaceful Warrior who fights only when there's a real need. He's the Telepaths' and Warriors' patron God."

  "The two Guilds that are also clans," she murmured, looking back to her pad and making a note on it. "And Valtegan remains in your ruined cities. Interesting. I wonder why those two Guilds specifically. There's got to be a deeper link between them. And what were Valtegans doing here all that time ago? I think I'll have a look at the public records of the Warrior Guild, too. Then there're the dreams."

  "I wouldn't waste any more time on the records," said Kusac, stretching out for the plate of cooked meat that lay between them. "I don't think they have anything to do with this genetics business, and if in the past there had been Valtegans on Shola in any large numbers, when we found them on Keiss, someone would surely have remembered seeing or reading a reference about them."

  Carrie helped herself to a piece when he held the plate out to her. "Call it a hunch," she said.

  * * *

  T'Chebbi stood alongside her fellow Brotherhood members Nyash and Lasad, waiting for the arrival of the cruiser from Earth. On it were Zhyaf, who'd been the Interpreter for the Rhyaki, and his Human Leska, Mara.

  A couple flanked by two Warriors, emerged from the air lock onto the deck of Chagda Station.

  "That's them," T'Chebbi said quietly to her companions.

  The Human was taller than Carrie, she noted, and dark-haired where her Liegena was fair. Dressed in Sholan robes, she walked close by the side of her Leska, putting her hand on his arm as they approached. When they stopped in front of them, T'Chebbi saw that she was pale-skinned with eyes of a bright, piercing blue.

  The older Warrior saluted T'Chebbi as seniormost before speaking.

  "Sister T'Chebbi, I presume you are the escort we were told to expect. I thought we were due to dock at the passenger bays rather than the military section. I trust you've no objection to letting me see your orders?"

  T'Chebbi took the letter, sealed with the AlRel logo, from her pocket and passed it to him.

  He opened it, quickly scanning the contents before looking up and handing it back to her. "Very well, Sister. Despite the changes, all is as it should be. Let me present Interpreter Zhyaf and his Leska, Mara Ryan." He turned back to his charges. "Sister T'Chebbi and the Brothers will escort you to the Aldatan estate where the Clan Lord will meet you personally."

  As she stepped forward, T'Chebbi watched Zhyaf raise an eye ridge in surprise.

  "Interpreter Zhyaf, if you would come with us," she began, only to be cut short by Mara.

  "You're a female!" she said, her tone surprised. "I thought you said the Brotherhood were your special forces, Zhyaf. How come a female is one of them?"

  "Nothing to prevent Sholan females from becoming Warriors or Brothers, if the God calls us," said T'Chebbi smoothly, seeing a brief look of panic cross the Interpreter's face. "Please, follow us. There's a private shuttle waiting for us at the next berth." She stood aside, pointedly waiting for them to move toward Nyash and Lasad.

  The couple started walking and as T'Chebbi fell in behind them, she heard Mara say to Zhyaf, "That's what I want to do, Zhyaf. I want to be one of the Brothers."

  "I'm afraid it's not quite that easy, Mara," said the Interpreter gently to his obviously younger Leska. "But that's all in the future. For the moment you need to get used to our home world. It's very different from anything you've seen so far."

  She nodded, then turned to look at T'Chebbi again. "I heard there's more of my people on Shola. Where are they staying? Will I meet them? Zhyaf said you'd be able to tell me."

  "Twenty Humans," said T'Chebbi as they walked the short distance to their docking bay entrance. "Most are at Telepath Guild. The Clan Lord will tell you more."

  "Why the change of destination, Sister?" asked Zhyaf, turning his head toward her.

  Beyond them T'Chebbi could see Chief Tutor Sorli accompanied by four armed Warriors coming through the door that divided the passenger area from the military bays.

  "Clan Lord will tell you, Interpreter Zhyaf," she said, moving smoothly past them to Nyash and Lasad. "Lasad, get them on board," she said quietly. "Nyash, stay with me. We'll deal with Sorli."

  "This way," said Lasad, ushering the Leska pair up the ramp leading to their shuttle. Abruptly Zhyaf stopped, then looked at the group hurrying toward them.

  "Sister, why are you taking us to the Aldatan estate against the wishes of Guild Master Esken?" he demanded.

  "Interpreter, please board the shuttle," said T'Chebbi, closing the gap between them and herself. "Once we're on board I'll give you my orders, direct from Clan Lord Aldatan himself. He is now the head of the Mixed Leska Program, appointed by Governor Nesul."

  "I must protest ..." Zhyaf began, then abruptly stopped as he saw the Brothers swing their rifles into a ready position and form a barrier between them and the Guild party.

  "Interpreter," said Lasad, crowding the pair forward, "this is no place for such a discussion. Please board now."

  T'Chebbi cast a glance behind her as she and Nyash continued to back up the ramp, rifles at the ready.

  Sorli and his Warriors stopped at the Base of the gangway as Zhyaf and Mara were herded on board.

  "We're missing all the excitement," Mara protested, her voice growing fainter.

  "What are you doing, Sister T'Chebbi?" asked Sorli, trying not to appear too out of breath after his dash across the deck. "You know Master Esken wants Interpreter Zhyaf and his Leska brought to the Guild."

  "I have my orders from the Clan Lord, Tutor Sorli," said T'Chebbi, continuing her backward progress up the ramp. "Master Esken's wishes are secondary in this instance."

  "Do the Aldatans now dictate what the Brotherhood should do?" he asked.

  "No, Tutor Sorli. The Brotherhood obeys the wishes of the head of project. Your request had to be cleared with the Clan Lord. He wished them brought to his wife's estate."

  "T'Chebbi, let's discuss this under more civilized conditions," said Sorli, signaling to his Warrior escort to lower their pulse rifles. "There's no need for us to wave weapons at each other."

  T'Chebbi smiled to herself. The Warriors wouldn't fire lightly on the Brotherhood, and all four of them were looking distinctly uncomfortable.

  "Not at liberty to discuss this issue with you, Tutor Sorli. I have my orders. If you wish to negotiate, contact the Clan Lord."

  "Are you saying you refuse to release Interpreter Zhyaf and his Leska into our custody?"

  "I am, Tutor," said T'Chebbi, feeling the slant of the ground under her bare feet changing. She risked a quick glance behind her. They were almost level with the air lock door.

  "In!" she hissed to Nyash as she took the last few steps herself. "Good day, Tutor," she said, backing through the hatch.

  As she did so, Nyash hit the door mechanism, sealing them off from the station.

  "Good work," said T'Chebbi, reslinging her rifle over her shoulder as she turned to run into the passenger section of their craft.

  "I'm not sitting down until I know what's going on," said Zhyaf, standing in the aisle, a hand on the back of the seat that Mara was sitting in.

  "Interpreter, your letter from the Clan Lord," said T'Chebbi, handing him an envelope. "For you in case there was any trouble. These are my orders." She handed him a second letter. "Perhaps you could sit to read it. We need to take off before anything else happens to delay us," she said, moving past him to reach their pilot.

  CHAPTER 6

  "I must protest, Clan Lord," said Guild Master Esken, his brows meeting in a deep frown. "Had you told me you intended your people to meet Interpreter Zhyaf and his Leska at Chagda, then I wouldn't have bothered to send Sorli. We had made preparations to receive them here."

  "I wouldn't feel so put out, Esken," said Konis, his tone silky. "As head of the project, had you contacted me when you should, you'd have been told. You can take it as understood that
any new Leska pairs will be brought straight to the estate for evaluation. Those who have a normal Sholan Leska Link will be brought to the Guild as soon as possible, the rest will stay here."

  Esken's expression didn't change but Konis could feel the anger radiating toward him from the screen of his console.

  "As you wish, Clan Lord. In that case, I have another matter to take up with you."

  "Certainly. How can I help?"

  "Since we no longer have any mixed Leska pairs here, I tried to dismiss the Warriors who've been guarding the Guildhouse for the last several weeks. They tell me I have no jurisdiction over them and that their orders are to remain guarding the Guild and its grounds until told otherwise. When I checked with the Warrior Guild, they told me their personnel are taking orders directly from you."