“Right now there are crewman searching the encampment for the relics,” Kevlin said. “When they are not found, Stalnek will believe that Magoa has them. He may even decide that Magoa killed the Brethren in order to acquire them. I know Stalnek well, Darck. When Magoa does not hand the relics over, Stalnek may destroy every living being on this planet.”
“He has the means to do such a thing?” Darck asked, shocked.
“Yes,” Kevlin said. “There is a weapon aboard the Chameleon that can render Onddo incapable of supporting life. Stalnek has nothing to lose, Darck. His son is dead, his people are dead, and he’d rather see the relics destroyed than in the hands of others.”
“Then I will give him the relics,” Darck said. “It will take me the remainder of this day to go to the village and return. Meet me here tomorrow, at this time, and I will have the relics for you. You can say you found them.”
“No,” Kevlin replied, thinking quickly. “Jarlek was far more intelligent than Stalnek gave him credit for. He gave them to you, and he certainly knew the risks involved in doing so. He must have had a good reason for it.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Darck said. “I will not risk the lives of my family, or the lives of our new people for a sack of objects.”
Kevlin looked into his nephew’s worried and determined eyes, and smiled. “I agree, Nephew, nothing must threaten any of you. The Brethren are no more, but you, my sons, and the others, are the legacy of what we
could
have been. You will not be harmed by Stalnek. This will be my gift to you, and your people, Darck.”
Darck’s eyes widened in understanding. He took a few moments to consider, then sighed. It was necessary. Stalnek would destroy everything otherwise. “Thank you, Uncle,” he said, hugging Kevlin tightly for the first time in his life. “I promise you, not only your sons, but all of our people, and our children, will know your name and the sacrifice you make for us. Never will you be forgotten.”
“Thank you, Darck,” Kevlin said, touched. “You are a good man. I confess I never thought so before, but you have changed. I hope that my sons will become as you are.”
“I wasn’t good, Uncle,” Darck said. “I know that. But now, I have reason to be a good man, and I’m determined to do what is right for those I love.”
“And that is what I shall do, too,” Kevlin said.
Just then they both heard distant footsteps and a voice calling Kevlin.
“I must go now,” Kevlin said. Darck nodded, hugged his uncle one last time, then vanished among the boulders. Kevlin turned around, composed his face, then walked calmly around the side of the high mound of boulders and into view.
“Calm yourself,” he said with obvious annoyance as he walked toward the crewmen.
“There you are,” one said.
“We were worried,” said the other. “Why were you over there?”
“Why do you think?” Kevlin retorted testily as he made a show of adjusting his pants.
“Oh,” they replied together.
“I’m finished here,” he said as he reached them and kept walking. “I want off this planet. Now.”
“But, we haven’t finished...,” one man began. Kevlin turned around and glared at the man.
“Then remain here. I will send the shuttle back for you.” Kevlin turned his back on them, and put them out of his mind. He imagined his sons living happily with wives and children of their own. Never before had such a future been possible for them. They were too reptilian for human women, and there were not enough
berezi
to go around. Now, their lives had changed drastically, and for the better. He would do absolutely anything to insure they lived to enjoy what they now had. Anything at all.
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Faith had spent as much time in her room as possible over the past few days, leaving only to take Bubbles down to the Roar Room to play, or to check new anomalies. All of the ships in the task force were now conducting sensor scans calibrated to the profiles of the anomalies as they traveled. With the detailed data obtained from high resolution scans of the different types of anomalies Faith identified, the search proceeded quickly. They only needed her to check those that they were unsure of, and to tell them where new jump points led. They found one new jump point to a primitive world called Rathira that Faith had never heard of, and another to a world called Marrazo, which was vaguely familiar to her. They didn’t find any more Xanti Doors though, which made sense as there weren’t any advanced worlds in the area.
This morning, the fourth day after the Falcorans’ blood rage, Summer Katre brought her friend, Darlene Flowers, to visit. Faith found that she liked Darlene a great deal. She was a quiet woman, and very beautiful in spite of the tiny scars that covered every bit of skin that Faith could see. They told her about Controllers, and their mission to find and free every woman who’d been kidnapped by the Xanti. When Summer began telling her about the network of professional aid they’d set up to help the women they’d rescued, Faith finally understood the real reason they were there.
“Summer,” she said, “I think the two of you have done some really amazing work. I’m impressed. I know that I’ll need to return to counseling on some level once we return to Jasan, so its nice to know the resources are in place. Unless they’re specifically for the women you rescue?”
“No, of course not,” Summer said. “They’re for anyone who needs them. So, you’ve had counseling?”
“Oh yes, absolutely,” Faith said, making a sudden decision. If she didn’t want to feel ashamed of what had happened to her, she had to stop acting as though she were ashamed of it. “The rape, and losing Grace, are actually only the tip of the iceberg.” She waited to see if they wanted to hear her story.
“We’d like to hear, if you feel like sharing,” Darlene said.
Faith took a deep breath, then told the two women all that had happened to her. After telling the Falcorans her story she’d felt as though a weight had been lifted from her. Now, as she told Darlene and Summer the same story, she felt the weight lighten further. When she was finished they glanced at each other and shook their heads.
“You’re doing amazingly well for all you’ve been through,” Summer said. “You’re very strong.”
“I don’t feel strong,” Faith admitted. “I’m afraid of things I shouldn’t be afraid of, and I can’t see how to get past that.”
Summer tilted her head, her dark eyes speculative. “You’re afraid to accept the Falcorans.”
“Yes,” Faith said. “I don’t want to be, but I am.”
“Is that your biggest fear?” Darlene asked.
Faith thought a moment. “Yes, I think so. I have other issues. Nightmares. A resistance to being touched by strangers. Post traumatic stress, obviously. But yes, three men coming at me all at once is the one thing that truly terrifies me.”
“But you aren’t afraid of the Falcorans,” Summer said. “I saw the way you looked at them. You trust them, and you care about them.”
“No, I’m not afraid of them, and yes, I do care about them,” Faith said. “Trying to imagine having sex with them is the sticking point for me.”
“I don’t give advice to the women we rescue,” Summer said. “I know that they need professional help, and I’m not a professional. But in your case, knowing you’ve had help, I think it might be all right to make a small suggestion to you.”
“Which is?” Faith asked, curious.
“Stop trying to imagine yourself having sex with the Falcorans, and just imagine
being
with them,” Summer said. “Your only experience was an abomination. Imagining the Falcorans doing the same thing can’t be anything
but
terrifying. I promise you, making love is in no way related to what you experienced.”
Faith was startled by the simple truth of what Summer’s words. “That’s so...logical,” she said. “Why didn’t I realize that myself?”
“There is no logic in fear,” Darlene said.
“I know, but this seems so simple,” Faith said.
“I don’t know that it will be simple,” Summer said. “But it’s a place to start.”
“Yes, it is,” Faith said. “Which is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
***
Magoa stood outside the door to the underground nursery and watched the two glittery skinned Xanti walk down the corridor toward him. He gave every indication that he was relaxed, calm, and unconcerned by their presence, though inwardly he was suspicious, tense, and frustrated.
Before he’d even had breakfast that morning the Brethren leader, Stalnek, had voxed from his ship demanding to know where his people were. Right after that, the Xanti had informed him they were coming to see him. Not asked.
Told
. It made Magoa want to gnash his teeth. He was far too busy to waste time dealing with the Brethren or the Xanti. But, as much as he hated the knowledge, he still needed the Xanti. Having a few more Brethren on hand wouldn’t be a bad thing, either. A soft noise from behind him caught his attention.
“Be still, Slater,” he murmured without taking his eyes from the Xanti. “If you show them your true feelings I will be very displeased.”
Slater did not respond, but there was no further sound. Magoa considered sending Slater away, as he did at least a dozen times a day, but he didn’t quite dare. Ever since their battle against the Jasani creatures on Earth he’d been secretly afraid to let Slater stray too far from him. He knew very well that he would have lost more than the battle had he fought the Jasani alone. Being paired with Slater during that fight had been all that had saved his life.
The Xanti known as Za-Grix paused a few feet away from him, the newcomer at his side. They both bowed to him, and nodded once toward Slater. Magoa waited a beat, then bowed the smallest possible fraction in return.
“Greetings, Magoa,” Za-Grix said. “I apologize for interrupting your work, but I’m afraid it was necessary.”
“I am always pleased to see you, Za-Grix,” Magoa lied genially.
“I am here to inform you that I will be leaving Onddo,” Za-Grix said without bothering to respond to Magoa’s obvious lie. “Xi-Rogi will be taking my place as your Xanti ambassador.”
Magoa nodded. This was the fourth time such a change had been made since he’d begun working with the Xanti. He really didn’t care much one way or the other so long as the Xanti didn’t leave and take their knowledge and technology with them. Yet. When he was ready, when he had no more use for them, he would send them on their way personally.
“I am pleased to meet you, Xi-Rogi,” he said, smiling politely.
“I thank you,” the new Xanti replied.
“Magoa,” Za-Grix said, “I wonder if you would mind verifying for Xi-Rogi the current number of sugea eggs.”
“At last night’s count, there are one thousand, five hundred and eleven,” Magoa replied.
“That seems low,” Xi-Rogi said. “According to the last report I read there were nearly fifteen hundred, and that was, I believe, ten days ago.”
Magoa smiled, hiding his true reaction to the Xanti’s statement. “Yes, yes, that’s correct,” he said. “Our females are not machines, Xi-Rogi. They must go through a biologic cycle between layings. There will be more soon.”
“Ah, I apologize for not thinking of that,” Xi-Rogi said. His eyes shifted to the door, then back to Magoa. “I am looking forward to viewing the eggs.”
Magoa forced another smile and, knowing he had no choice, he opened the door and led the way into the dim, cavernous room. The Xanti followed Magoa, with Slater bringing up the rear and closing the door behind them.
They stood for a long moment, gazing at the five hundred eggs which covered the floor in precise rows. Each egg was connected to a tiny digital transceiver which recorded every nuance of its development. The same device also fed a constant stream of recordings of Magoa’s voice into the egg.
“I understand that the sound of your voice will cause the hatchlings to imprint upon you before birth,” Xi-Rogi said.
“That is the hope,” Magoa replied. “The true imprinting will occur when they are born, though. I, alone, will be present at that time.”
“What if they hatch when you are absent?”
“Any sugea who do not imprint upon me will be destroyed,” Magoa said. “It is the only way to be certain that they remain in my control.”
“You are certain that imprinting will induce them to obey you?”
“Yes,” Magoa said. “In a natural setting, they would imprint upon their mother, and that connection would fade in time. These eggs are bio-engineered. Their imprint will be stronger, and will not fade until, or unless, I am killed. In that case, they will run amok.”
“Then we will have to be careful to keep you alive, Magoa,” Xi-Rogi said.
“Yes, that would be best for all concerned,” Magoa replied.
“I believe that we will work very well together,” Xi-Rogi said.
Magoa smiled again, then turned his back on the Xanti. “Would you like to see the other rooms? I assure you, they are all the same as this one.”
“No, thank you, I’ve seen enough,” Xi-Rogi said as he followed Magoa to the door. “When are the first eggs due to hatch?”