Merkiaari Wars: 03 - Operation Oracle (12 page)

“James!” Shima cried in delight, and his aura brightened as he came forward to greet her. Chailen stepped away, making Shima sway a little before James hugged her. “I’m so happy to see you. How is Brenda?”

James hugged her tightly, pressing his cheek to the side of her face. “She’s fine, still busy as always. She sends her love.”

“Take mine back to her,” Shima said, clutching him and holding on. She hoped he couldn’t tell how desperate that hold was, but he probably did. She was shaking. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still following Tei’Varyk around.”

James stepped back a little but held her hands. “Oh yes, I’m still doing that. Not sure for how long though, now that the fighting is done. I expect the Council will give me the boot—err that is, replace me—anytime now. I’m sure the elders will be glad to see the back of me.”

“Nonsense!” Sharn said, and Chailen agreed. “Our people honour you highly, James. You will always be welcome.”

“Well,” James said and cleared his throat. “Yes well, it won’t be a Shan decision I’m afraid. Besides that, I’m no politician, Shima. I’m a teacher. You can’t really blame the Council for wanting a proper diplomatic mission here.”

Shima snorted derision. “Blame them? Perhaps not, but will this diplomatic mission be as useful as you’ve been? I doubt it.”

James laughed. “I know what you mean, but at least a proper mission will have the authority to make decisions that bind the Council. I really don’t have any at all, Shima. I can only advise and strongly suggest, not make binding agreements.”

“Do you miss your students then?”

James didn’t answer immediately, but then he sighed abruptly. “No, not really. There’s a very old saying among my people, Shima. It goes: those who can,
do
, those who can’t,
teach
. I’ve found watching history being made an addictive thing. I much prefer being part of it over teaching others about it after the fact.”

Shima could understand that. She turned toward Kazim where he stood watching. “So, you decided to show up did you?”

The others laughed.

“I’ve been busy!” Kazim protested. “Besides, the last time I visited, you ignored me.”

Shima spluttered. “That’s because you kept asking impertinent questions. I bet you have that camera in here right now!”

“Well...”

“You have?” Shima gasped. “You’re unbelievable!”

Chailen laughed. “He has the camera with him, Shima, but I made him switch it off until we give him permission to use it.”

“They always argue like this. They sound like an old mated couple,” Sharn whispered to Varya. “Do you think they will?”

“Mate you mean?” Varya said. “Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.”

Shima’s ears heated and she turned to Varya. “Be welcome to my home, Varya. May you live in harmony. What took you so long to visit me?” She knew his reasons already, but wanted to twit him like in the old days. “Replaced me quick, didn’t you.” The room went uncomfortably quiet and Shima cursed herself. She hadn’t meant them to take it seriously. “I didn’t mean that.”

“I know,” Varya said. “But there’s truth in your words. I did replace you, or a replacement was provided. His name is Justika, and he’s a fine warrior and hunter, but he’s not you, Shima. No one could ever replace you.”

“I...” Shima’s voice failed and she bowed to him. “I thank you.” She stepped further into the room to greet Gina and General Burgton, but stumbled into the table. Gina was across the room in a blink to catch her. Vipers were very fast. “Thank you. My own fault. I rarely come in here now and I forgot it was there.”

“You all right now?” Gina said in flawless Shan and still holding her. “Would you rather sit?”

“Yes I... yes I will sit,” Shima said in a small voice. Her confidence had taken a beating. She couldn’t even cross a room without help. Gina guided her to a mat and she sat. “Please, everyone sit and be comfortable.”

The harmonies showed Shima everyone moving to find places. Chailen left the room but came back inside just moments later with refreshments. Everyone took a cup and murmured their thanks.

“General Burgton, I did not mean to be rude. Welcome, may you live in harmony.”

“Thank you, Shima,” Burgton said. “No need for apologies and no need for ceremony between friends. I get way too much of that.”

Shima blinked uncertainly. “You’re here as a friend?”

“I am,” Burgton said. “I’m sure others will think of this visit as politics in action or will attribute some other nefarious reason to be named later, but be assured that I’m here to support you and a promise made to you.”

Shima’s heart pounded. “A promise,” she whispered, trying not to let hope overwhelm her.

“It’s time, Shima,” Gina said gently. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long, but the fighting on Harmony took longer than I thought. That’s done with now. We, vipers I mean, are going home within days. Fifth Fleet is staying of course, but it’s time for us to go home. We’re here to bring you with us to our ship.”

Shima reached to Chailen who was standing nearby. She clutched her sib’s hand. “I’m to go with you?”

“If you still want to, yes,” Gina said. “I promised you new eyes, Shima. You must come home with me to... for us to fix you.”

“Gina is correct. I’m sorry we can’t do the work here, Shima,” Burgton said. “My ship is equipped to repair my vipers not Shan. We’ll need to run tests and learn more about your people from a genetic standpoint before we can try to grow new eyes for you. Fifth Fleet does not have the expertise, but I have everything you need on Snakeholme. Will you come?”

“Yes,” Shima said managing not to shout the word. “I’ll come right now.” Chailen squeezed her hand.

“There’s time,” Gina soothed. “Our people are still loading our gear back aboard. The plan is to jump outsystem the day after tomorrow.”

“Can we come?” Chailen said abruptly, and Shima looked up sharply. “Sharn and I have talked about it. He and I are healer caste and although I’m still in training, he has passed his testing. We can help you, General, but even if you do not need us, Shima is my only sib. I want to be there.”

Shima didn’t allow Burgton to answer. “You and Sharn should stay here, Chailen. You’ve done enough for me already.”

Chailen growled angrily. “You... no, we have guests. I will not fight with you. Imagine yourself in my place, Shima. Imagine me blinded, or paralysed, or any other terrible thing that leaves me helpless. At what point would you say I’ve done enough for you, Chailen, you’re on your own now?”

“That would never happen!” Shima snapped without thinking. “I mean... I...”

“You see?” Chailen said smugly. “You can’t defend it. You cannot put limits on my love, just as I cannot put limits upon yours.”

“But your lives here!”

Sharn laughed. “What life?” he said bitterly. “Everything’s gone; everything I worked for is destroyed. I’m not even a healer anymore. I spend my days grubbing in the dirt and ruins looking for things to trade. That’s my life now.”

Shima was stunned. Sharn had said nothing about this! She realised now that Chailen and Sharn had been shielding her from the reality of life in post war Zuleika, and she hadn’t questioned it. By the harmonies what a fool she was. They had cared for her, fed her, and seen to it that they all survived in a city without power and she had spent her time in the garden. Oblivious.

“I’m so sorry,” Shima said. “If not for me you would still be in the keep—”

“Don’t start that again! Our lives don’t orbit yours, Shima. You’re not the centre of the harmonies cursed universe!” Sharn cried. Chailen tried to calm him, but he wasn’t having any of it. “Stop coddling her! It’s made her worse not better!”

Shima’s temper flared. “I’m blind, curse you! What do you want me to do, go out and trade with you? I can’t see!”

“And that’s all there is to you, true? You haven’t got a disability; you
are
a disability and a liability to those who love you.”

Shima spluttered. “How dare you! I’ll rip your ears out by the roots!”

Sharn laughed. “The Blind Hunter could certainly do it, but you’re just poor blind Shima aren’t you? Nothing to fear in you, is there? Woe, I can’t do anything, woe I’m blind I wish I were dead.”

“You’re baiting me?” Shima whispered feeling the rage building. It felt good. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Sharn was abruptly calm. “Do you know what it’s like knowing your mate will cry herself to sleep every night because her only sib wants to die?”

“No,” Shima whispered, chilled by his words. Chailen was doing that? Oh harmonies say it wasn’t so.

“Do you know how helpless and useless that makes me feel?” Sharn went on relentlessly. “How about you stop thinking about what you
can’t
do, and start thinking about what you
can
do for Chailen?”

“I’m sorry—”

“I don’t want your apology; I want to see some action!”

Shima’s rage slowly cooled, but what could she do? She didn’t want to be blind and helpless! It wasn’t her fault! That was all true, but perhaps she could try harder not to let Chailen see her despair, and if she really could be cured, it wouldn’t even be pretence any more.

The harmonies showed her that all the Humans were worried now. She could tell quite a bit about them after living and fighting beside James for so long. Their scent combined with the harmonies told her she needed to calm things down.

“General, what do you say?” Shima said turning toward him. “Would your invitation stretch to three?”

Before Burgton could answer Varya spoke up. “Earlier today you made elder Jutka an offer, General. I wonder would you consider making that offer directly to the warrior caste?”

“Well I...” Burgton seemed confused.

“What’s this about?” Shima said annoyed that her question had been derailed. This was about Chailen and Sharn, not the warrior caste. “And what does it have to do with me and my family?”

James answered. “On our way to you we visited with elder Jutka at her home, Shima. Kazim was there and recorded the meeting if you’re interested, but basically, it was about the debate between Tei regarding the reconstruction. General Burgton was asked his opinion, which he gave to them, and afterward he offered to allow some of your people to immigrate to his planet. He hasn’t said so to me, but I believe the idea was to strengthen the position of progressive Tei while underpinning Kajetan’s decision to join the Alliance.”

“Essentially correct, Professor,” Burgton said. “There’s more to it, however. I strongly believe in the idea of expansion, and that if a Shan colony were to be established outside of this system—whether that’s on Snakeholme or not—its colonists would become role models to your people. I believe that might kick-start a real drive toward exploration. As I said earlier, the Merkiaari are out there. They will be back. The entire Shan species is dependent upon the two habitable worlds of this system. That isn’t safe!”

Burgton calmed himself and went on in a milder tone. “We lost many worlds to the Merki two hundred years ago, and those worlds were cleansed of Human life. That could happen very easily to the Shan here. Think of that. Shan become extinct. They must scatter themselves throughout the stellar neighbourhood. Not should, not maybe will one day, but must and as quickly as possible!”

“Calmly General, calmly,” James soothed. “You’re right, but so are the Shan. Colonising nearby worlds should be a goal, but it cannot be an immediate priority. They do need to rebuild their worlds, their orbital infrastructure, and their fleet, before looking beyond this system. A half-arsed movement to colonise new worlds this soon would be worse than not doing it at all. Each colony will have to be defended and self-sufficient to make the effort worthwhile.”