Razor's Edge Read online

  He said nothing. What was there to say? Every time he was brought into the company of these females, they insulted him. Worse; he, one of the Emperor’s Faithful, had let his disgust overcome his senses. He’d made a tactical error in letting them realize just how much the presence of their females angered him.

  She made a gesture of dismissal and the guards pulled him away.

  “General Raiban, what do we feed him?” he heard her aide ask her as they left the room.

  “How the hell should I know! The data from High Command should be here by now. That’s your job, Myule, not mine!”

  As he was led through the echoing corridors to the detention area, he realized that he was on no military atmospheric vehicle. This craft was space going as well. He could feel his fear glands begin to tighten and fought to control them. The Sholans were capable of reading his scent messages, and he would be damned before he’d let them know he was afraid.

  So it hadn’t been the hairless female’s species who had found the Sholans as he’d surmised. It had been the Sholans themselves who had advanced to this technological level. Obviously his own kind had never returned to reclaim this world. Why not? The Empire had desperately needed the raw materials this system had to offer. What could have happened to prevent them returning?

  They knew his kind, though, and in this time, but they were obviously not a current worry of theirs. What did they want from him? What could he know that would be of use to them after all these years? If they found what they wanted, it would mean his end—ripped to shreds by an angry mob such as had dealt with Fyak and his companion in the desert before they left. There was no real difference between the sharpness of the Sholans’ teeth and claws and the ferocity of Valtegan females at mating time.

  Again he felt his fear gland muscles tighten, but this time he was unable to prevent them emitting their telltale scent. He tensed, waiting for the inevitability of their attack on him.

  “By Varta, he stinks!” said one of the troopers. “Another like the Touibans! Pity he doesn’t smell as pleasant!”

  “Shut up! You know he understands us,” warned the other, pulling him to a halt in front of a broad windowed cell. Slapping his hand on the palm lock, he gave a voice code and the door slid open.

  He was pushed into the cell, his clothing thrust into his arms, and the door sealed.

  “They’ll feed you soon,” said the first guard, his voice sounding slightly remote through the speaker. “Water’s in the faucet by the basin, and behind that half-door you’ll find sanitary facilities.”

  Left alone, he was confused at their reaction. They hadn’t turned on him as would his own kind. Why not? Still puzzled, he walked over to the bed. Doubtless he’d have plenty of time ahead of him to find out more about his captors. Now he regretted being stationed out in the desert rather than in one of the Sholan cities. At least if he’d been there, he’d have had more experience of this species. Throwing his clothes down on the bed, he turned his mind to other things and proceeded to check out his cell.

  Once they’d eaten, Carrie and Kusac fell into an exhausted sleep that was broken only by the need to feed their daughter. Rhyasha sat by the crib late into the night, watching her granddaughter, hardly any more able to credit the miracle of her existence than Carrie and Kusac themselves. She left only when urged to do so by Konis.

  But, Konis! Our first grandchild, she protested as he led her away.

  And their first child. Let them enjoy her alone. Soon enough they’ll want your help!

  By morning, Noni’s advice had proved to be sound, and the mother of a newborn on the estate was hired as a milk nurse. Just as Carrie had needed to supplement her own diet while carrying Kashini, so now did the cub need more than her Human mother’s milk alone provided.

  When Kusac finally awoke around the middle of the day, he left Carrie sleeping and went in search of Kaid. He found him sitting at his desk comm eating breakfast and writing his report

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Kaid indicated a chair with his fork. “Please do.”

  “What did Noni say about your injuries?” Kusac asked, sitting down beside him.

  “She says I’m fine now. Gave me a pot of ointment for my hand to help bring down the new swelling.” He indicated that Kusac should help himself from his plate.

  Kusac flicked an ear in a negative. “If I can use your comm for a moment, I’ll send down for some more food. D’you want anything?”

  Kaid’s ears pricked forward. “I could eat a second breakfast,” he said hopefully. “Don’t know when I’ve been so hungry.”

  “Time travel,” said Kusac. “Noni said it had depleted our energy reserves, so we have to eat as much as possible in the next few days to build ourselves up again. Carrie’s been hit worst by it. She hadn’t the weight to lose in the first place; neither has Kashini. She was developing at an alarming rate those last four days before she was born. Did I tell you that maintaining the gateway we used to come back destroyed the crystal Carrie wore?”

  “It did?” asked Kaid, eye ridges meeting in concern as he turned his comm round for Kusac. “It didn’t harm mine. What about the cub? Did it affect her?”

  “Not that we can tell. Both Noni and Vanna said she was as healthy as any newborn they’d ever seen. I can’t help worrying, though. If the energy drain could destroy Carrie’s crystal, it must have had some effect on them beyond Carrie’s weight loss.” He leaned forward and keyed into the kitchen, asking Zhala for hot food and coffee to be sent up.

  Returning the screen to its normal position, he sat back. “I think we should tell everyone concerned that the way to the past has been sealed.”

  Kaid nodded slowly. “Our success may encourage more people to try. We want to avoid that. Whatever the reasons, too many people have died that way already. And the gateway has been destroyed, in our time.”

  “Kezule will be able to tell us if other travelers arrived at the temple while he was there.”

  “It didn’t need Kezule and his warriors to kill them. All they had to do was arrive as the temple collapsed,” said Kaid. “But you’re right. We should say the way is closed. Apart from any other consideration, we don’t want the past altered any more than it has been.”

  “How much of the truth do we tell Lijou?”

  Kaid hesitated. “Let’s play that one by ear. See how our debriefing with him goes. The series of events that enabled us to go back are unlikely to recur, but if they become common knowledge, someone could try to duplicate them.”

  “They couldn’t duplicate your contribution, Kaid. It’s unique. There are no other telepathic warriors from the past living on Shola.”

  Kaid stopped what he was doing and reached for his pack of stim twigs. “There is one other. Rezac,” he said quietly. “If the message Carrie—and others—received is to be believed.”

  “He’s not on Shola. Who else is aware of the sending?”

  “I checked through the messages as usual this morning. Lijou heard it, and I’m pretty sure that your father did.”

  “What does Lijou say?”

  “To contact him as soon as possible. I wouldn’t bother. Given the time of day, I’ll warrant he’s on his way over here already.”

  Kusac grunted. “If he is, he can wait till we’ve eaten.”

  Some ten minutes later, true to Kaid’s prediction, Lijou’s imminent arrival was announced by Ni’Zulhu, followed by Lijou himself shortly afterward.

  “You both look thinner, not that that’ll last from the size of the meals you two are eating,” he said, staring critically at them.

  “Join us,” said Kusac. “You must be missing your second meal by coming out here.”

  “I am. Your young sister Kitra—who seems to be growing up remarkably quickly all of a sudden—appears to have assumed the position of house-head. She said she’d see a meal was sent up for me,” he said, pulling up a chair to join them. “Your son’s been good for her, Kaid—in fact, they’ve been good for ea
ch other. I’m glad. I was afraid he’d never recover from the loss of Nnya and his son.”

  “They’re only Companions, Lijou,” said Kaid. “It’s a little early to be seeing a long-term relationship.”

  “The Aldatan females know exactly who they want from the first, and tend to stay with that choice, unfortunately,” Lijou sighed. “Not that you males are much different! Mind if I have some coffee, Kusac?”

  “Help yourself. How do you mean ‘unfortunately’?”

  “Rhyasha broke many hearts when she forced her choice of Konis as a life-mate on the Clan Lord, that’s all.” He poured himself a drink. “Kitra’s so like her. She’ll have Dzaka, mark my words. I’d stake money on it.”

  “My sister’s barely left childhood, Lijou,” objected Kusac, helping himself to more bread. “She’s not ready to choose a life-mate yet.”

  “You’ve news for us, Lijou. What is it?” asked Kaid.

  “While you slept this morning, Konis and I’ve been busy,” he said, sipping his drink. “He convened a special meeting of the Clan Council and between us, we pushed through the ratification of your new Clan. It’s been done as you asked, you’re an official subsect of the Aldatan Clan and are to be known as the En’Shalla Aldatans or just the En’Shalla Clan. At the next meeting, you’ll be Invested and can take your seat on the Council of Seventeen.”

  “Seventeen?” Kusac frowned. “Oh. Sixteen plus ours.” Suddenly it felt like the society he’d grown up in was changing too rapidly—yet he realized he was the one who’d initiated the changes. He shook his head to dispel the somber mood and grinned over at Kaid. “We did it, Kaid. We won our freedom from the Guilds and Clans!” He turned back to Lijou. “How are the members of our Clan chosen?”

  “You choose those friends and colleagues you want to be part of your family. If they agree, they must formally accept your invitation and take the Aldatan name. Then they will have En’Shalla status like you. Choose carefully, Kusac,” Lijou warned. “Being a member of your Clan will confer great privileges which could be misused.”

  “You needn’t worry, Lijou. I intend to set it up so only the immediate family, those with Human Leskas, and our Brothers, will have the En’Shalla status. Apart from new mixed Leskas, we’re not recruiting for members. As you know, we have all the people I want living here on this estate. I also intend to set up a ruling council with myself as head to see to all matters of discipline and policy.”

  “That should help ensure that future generations will find it difficult to abuse the responsibilities that come with power. This afternoon, Governor Nesul will pass a bill giving all lay-Brothers and -Sisters the rank of priest. Unlike Esken’s priests, we all belong to one faith—the only faith with its own college of priests. We’re also being granted the right to wear black as our designated color. When acting as warriors of the Brotherhood, our people will wear gray trimmed with black and drop the use of the Warrior Guild’s red.”

  “I said this would happen,” Kusac reminded Lijou. “It’s going to mean a lot of reorganizing for you.”

  “It’s work I will relish,” said Lijou, sitting back in his chair. “Even as we speak, because you are now En’Shalla, your status within the lay-Brotherhood is being altered to show that you are priests. That includes you, Kaid.”

  Kusac watched his friend’s thoughtful expression. Had he realized that now Lijou could ask for his own Guild? The Guild of Priests? It would take yet another portion of Esken’s power away from him, making all priests subject to Lijou.

  Yes. It occurred to Konis, too, the Head Priest sent to him. And Nesul and Raiban. I’ve been told to apply for it at the next All-Guilds’ meeting.

  What about the joint leadership of the Brotherhood?

  It’ll remain unchanged. Esken’s priests will simply belong to me instead. Switching to speech, Lijou looked toward Kaid. “The council selecting the candidate for Guild Leader of the Warrior Brothers wish to reinstate you as a Brother.”

  Startled, Kaid stared at him. “Reinstate me?”

  “As if Ghezu had never expelled you,” agreed the Head Priest.

  Kaid was silent for a moment, then began to laugh softly. “No, thank you, Lijou. The past happened, it can’t be undone. Besides, being En’Shalla, what more do I need?”

  “I said that would be your answer. It’s never good to dwell on the past. Now,” he demanded sitting forward. “Tell me your news!”

  “Our news?” Kusac gave Kaid a humorous glance. “Who says we have news?”

  Lijou made an exasperated noise. “Don’t wrong-spoor me! I gave you my news. Start with Carrie and the cub.”

  “Both fine. Vanna’s scanner and Noni both agreed on that. About the only thing they did agree on,” said Kusac wryly, remembering the females’ attitudes toward each other.

  “Noni’s here?” Lijou looked startled.

  “For a day or two. She’ll be staying at the main house with my parents until after Kashini’s Validation.”

  “I’m impressed. Now the Margins. What did you find? Did you see Him?”

  “We found Vartra,” said Kaid. “He’s not what you’d expect, Lijou.”

  “Just tell me!” There was a glint in his eyes.

  “Things were different then, Lijou, very different. No Guilds. Instead they had places of learning where many things were taught all under the same roof. Vartra was a physician who worked there teaching genetics to younglings. Not a Physician like we have, but a doctor of research. There were a few telepaths then, too few in Vartra’s eyes. He was working on a way to enhance their abilities and increase the likelihood of Leska links happening so as to breed more. He thought himself unTalented, but he wasn’t. Carrie said he forced the genes into the patterns he wanted. Which is why the result was unstable, and also why no one can duplicate it.”

  Lijou let out his breath with a hiss. “So what are we, the very fabric of our being as Telepaths, is due to Him, and it’s unstable?”

  “Not necessarily,” said Kusac, putting a reassuring hand on the Head Priest’s arm. “When we left, he was working on a way to stabilize us. We may well be the result of that stabilization.”

  “Where do the Humans fit in?”

  “He took a blood sample from Carrie. Going back to the Margins contributed to our future and my own Link with her.”

  Lijou sat silently for a moment. “It’s ironic, isn’t it? Our fears of the future you and Carrie represented are what drove you back to the past to create what we feared.”

  “It had to happen, Lijou, because it did,” said Kaid.

  “I know,” he sighed. “And I was right about you,” he said, wagging a finger in his direction. “You were chosen before them!”

  “Not quite, but I won’t argue the point,” Kaid murmured, trying not to let Kusac catch his eye.

  “So how did He become a God—or is he?” This was Lijou’s crucial question and they could see and feel his anxiety. Was their whole faith based on sand—or rock?

  “He’s a God now, that’s indisputable,” said Kaid. “I believe it was a mixture of guilt and His Talent that caused it. I don’t know how Gods are formed, Lijou. That’s your department.”

  “Guilt?” Lijou looked from one to the other.

  “It wasn’t completely his fault,” said Kusac. “His students used the serum before it was fully tested. It’s as well they did, because that generation of enhanced telepaths were all that stood between Shola and the Valtegans. He had to send his best people out on what was virtually a suicide mission. He hated having to do that.”

  Kaid stirred in his seat. “Lijou, there wasn’t time to ask many questions. What we did gather was that the telepaths allowed themselves to be captured by the Valtegans, then somehow managed to place themselves next to important leaders. It was Rezac and Zashou who gave the signal for their attack to begin. What the nature of their attack was, we don’t know, but a Valtegan starship, out of control because the telepaths on board created dissension among the command crew, hit our
lesser moon. That caused the wholesale destruction on Shola that we call the Cataclysm.”

  “Fyak wasn’t that far wrong, was he? We were significantly involved in causing the Cataclysm,” said Lijou thoughtfully. “When you say Rezac and Zashou, you do mean the same Rezac who sent the message to Shola that Carrie intercepted, don’t you?”

  “The same,” said Kusac. “They’re on Jalna, with Jo, Davies, and Kris.”

  “Konis said they’d been captured by the Lord there. We must get them back safely to Shola. What they can tell us will be invaluable! Most of what we’ve discussed must not go beyond these walls,” he said, looking from one to the other. “These are matters for our Order, not for the world at large.”

  “Raiban will know about some of them already, Lijou. We brought back a Valtegan general—Kezule. The one who convinced Fyak he was a god.”

  “Then we must decide now what Raiban should be told,” he said. “More, we must talk, in depth, of what our Order should know of your meeting with Vartra.”

  A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Lijou’s meal.

  Carrie stood looking down at the freshly bathed cub lying on the padded nursery surface. The infant—her daughter—lay on her stomach, limbs splayed slightly out from her body, hands spread wide. Her skin, still pink from her bath, showed through the blonde down that covered her. The tiny tail, barely more than a short, stubby triangle, was held close to her rear. It was hard to think that she’d given birth to this small furred scrap.

  The cub lifted her head an inch or two off the mat and sniffed the air, blindly searching for her mother. She gave a soft mewl of distress.

  “Well, pick up your daughter, child,” said Noni brusquely. “Don’t let her get upset or she’ll not settle properly for her feed.”

  Leaning down, Carrie carefully folded the cloth around her cub, picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Noni watched as she settled herself.

  “So Tallinu delivered her, did he? A novel experience for all of you, I’ll not doubt! A useful male to have about.” She peered sharply at Carrie as she began to feed her infant. “You do intend to keep him, don’t you?”