The Final Key: Part Two of Triad (45 page)

Kurj smiled at Soz, and his inner eyelids retracted. "Are you coming up to the palace later?"

"You bet," she told him.

"We promised her food," Roca said. "I can't believe this girl eats so much."

"I need fuel," Soz said. "It's all that biomech."

Kurj's smile quirked. "What, your microfusion reactor doesn't supply enough?"

"No taste," Soz said.

He actually laughed. "You better get yourself to Hazard's, then."

"We're all going." Soz waved at Grell and Jazar, who looked dazed. It was a tradition as old as DMA that new graduates got drunk at Hazard's after the ceremony.

"Hazard's?" Roca asked. "You mean the pub?"

"Everyone will be there," Soz said.

Roca scowled at her. "Not you."

"Why not?"

"You're underage."

Ah, hell. Her mother would remember that; at eighteen, Soz had two years left before she reached legal age. It was annoying, because Lyshriol had no drinking age. The other seniors were twenty-one or twenty-two. Grell and Jazar were twenty. Although Soz doubted anyone would deny her the tradition, she wasn't about to argue with her mother in front of her friends and Kurj. Flustered, she said, "Oh, well, I'll have a virgin drink."

Grell spluttered a laugh. Jazar turned red and suddenly became interested in straightening his sleeve.

Denric sent Soz a shielded thought.
You'd certainly know about that drink.

For flaming sakes. Soz decided her resolution to be nice to him was premature. So she had more talent at shooting Anni-hilators than wooing men. Who had time to think about romance? She glared.
Some brothers would beat up anyone who dared besmirch their sister's Hue name.

You would beat them up first,
he thought.

He was probably right. She supposed if she tried a gender approach, she might have more success with men, but she doubted she could keep it up long enough to make a difference.

Even so,
he added.
I would defend your fine name always.
He even sounded like he meant it. He was still grinning, but she could be benign today.

They talked a while longer, and Soz arranged to meet her parents and Denric at the Ruby Palace for dinner. Althor would join the family as well, if his doctors agreed. His recovery had progressed enough that he would soon move into the palace.

Soz respected Grell and Jazar for their guts, because it wasn't until after her family left, along with their Abaj escort, that a group of other cadets migrated over, including Rex Blackstone, the first-year student she had met after she ran the Echo, the one who had challenged her to command the toughest, smartest, most notorious squadron in the J-Force. Several female cadets were looking in his direction. Soz didn't blame them. With his dark hair, chiseled features, and tall, muscled physique, the man was undeniably gorgeous.

As they headed out to the pub, Rex fell into step with her. 'Two years," he said.

"Two years?" she asked.

"Never heard of anyone going through DMA that fast." Soz smiled. "They wanted to get rid of me. I give them a headache."

His answering laugh was a throaty rumble. Gods. The man was devastating. "You remember what I told you?" he asked. "I'm already making plans for my squadron." "Good. I'm your Secondary." "You've got to be a Quaternary and Tertiary first." "No problem."

"What problem?" Jazar dropped back to walk with them. He wasn't smiling.

"Rex here is going to be the meanest Jagernaut pilot ever," Soz said.

Jazar gave Rex the once-over. "Lot of people say that"

Rex met the challenge in his stare. "You a cadet?"

Ouch. Soz suspected Rex knew perfecdy well Jazar was in the class ahead of him, regardless of Jazar's clothes.

"You should recognize me," Jazar told him. "My team whipped your sorry first-year butts in the last track meet."

Soz held back her smile. She had never heard Jazar come on so strong.

"We took pity on you," Rex said.

Soz couldn't help but laugh. "Second-year always whips

first-year. You remember, Jaz? We got our posteriors kicked last year."

"Posteriors?" His mouth curved upward. "You're getting verbose in your old age." "Old age, pah."

"That's right." He maneuvered closer, insinuating himself between her and Rex. "Pretty soon you'll need medical help."

Soz gave him a quelling look. "Only after you."

He didn't look the least bit quelled. "That's all right, Soz. I'll take it at your speed." He slowed down.

She whacked him across the shoulder. "You just wait!"

"Ah, no." He raised his hands. "I surrender." His grin flashed. "Do whatever you want to me."

"Oh, Jaz." They had fallen behind the others. Rex drifted away with the other cadets, taking a hint Soz hadn't even realized she had given. Dusk was setding over the academy and only a line of red remained on the horizon. A few stars glittered in the indigo sky.

"How does it feel to be a Jagernaut?" Jazar asked.

"Same as before." That wasn't true, though. She spread her arms wide. "It feels great." She knew ISC would face ESComm again, someday, but at least now they were better prepared. "It's frightening and exhilarating."

Jazar drew her to a stop. "Soz." The dusk shadowed his face.

She hesitated, puzzled. He was shielding both his mind and expression. "Yes?"

"When the invasion came and I knew you were out there, I—" He shook his head.

"What?"

"I kept thinking of one thing." "You going to tell me what it is?" "No."

She crossed her arms. "What, I'm supposed to guess?" "No." Sofdy, he said, "I'm going to show you." He grasped her elbows and pulled down her arms. "What are you doing?"

"This." Drawing her into his arms, he bent his head. Then he kissed her.

"Oh," Soz said. It came out like "Oomph."

Jaz lifted his head with a frustrated noise. "I swear, you have the romantic instincts of a rock."

"I'm in uniform. No public displays of affection." Her pulse was doing odd things, acting up even more than when she had gone into the Dyad Chair. "Ah, hell," she said. She pulled him down again and kissed him good and hard.

They stood that way for a while, on a path hidden in a maze of buddings. After a while, Jaz moved his lips to her ear. "I looked it up in the manual. After you graduate, it's no longer fraternization."

"When we're out of uniform."

His voice turned wicked. "I can take care of that."

"Heya, Jaz. Behave." When he laughed, she pulled back to look at him. "Will you come to the palace with me later, for dinner with my family?"

"Are you sure?" He spoke awkwardly. "I'm not any nobleman, Soz. I'm just a tech's son. I don't want to embarrass you."

She touched her fingertips to his face. Maybe this was the real reason she had never dated. She wanted Jazar. She couldn't have him until she graduated, so she had waited, grumbling and lonely, but patient.

"My family will like you just as much as I do." She thought of how the noble Houses had treated her father. "My father, especially."

He brushed his hps across hers. "In that case, Quaternary Valdoria, I would be honored to accompany you tonight."

"Good." She put her arms around his neck. "But let's not go anywhere with people right now. No pub, no palace, no nothing. Let's just walk for a while."

"I would like that."

Soz went and changed her clothes. Then they strolled through the academy grounds, enjoying simple moments they had never had the time or permission to enjoy before. It was a good night. Soz didn't fool herself that they faced an easy future, but it also held promise. She had seen what her people could do. She had no doubt they would endure.

Characters and Family History

Boldface names refer to Ruby psions, also known as the "Rhon." All Rhon psions who are members of the Ruby Dynasty use Skolia as their last name (the Skolian Imperialate was named after their family). The Selei name indicates the direct line of the Ruby Pharaoh. Children of Roca and Eldrinson take Valdoria as a third name. The "del" prefix means "in honor of," and is capitalized if the person honored was a Triad member. Most names are based on world-building systems drawn from Mayan, North African, and Indian cultures.

= marriage

Lahaylia Selei (Ruby Pharaoh) = Jarac (Imperator)

Lahaylia and Jarac founded the modern-day Ruby Dynasty.

Lahaylia was created in the Rhon genetic project. Her lineage traces back to the ancient Ruby Dynasty that founded the Ruby Empire. Lahaylia and Jarac have two daughters, Dyhi-anna Selei and Roca.

Dyhianna (Dehya) Selei = (1) William Seth Rockworth ITf (separated)

= (2) Eldrin Jarac Valdoria

Dehya becomes the Ruby Pharaoh after Lahaylia. She married William Seth Rockworth III as part of the Iceland Treaty between the Skolian Imperialate and Allied Worlds of Earth. They have no children and later separate. The dissolution of their marriage would negate the treaty, so neither the Allieds

nor the Imperialate recognize Seth's divorce. Both Seth and Dehya eventually remarry anyway. Spherical Harmonic tells the story of what happens to Dehya after the Radiance War. She and Eldrin have two children, Taquinil Selei and Althor Vyan Selei.

Althor Vyan Selei = 'Akushtina (Tina) Santis Pulivok

The story of Althor and Tina appears in Catch the Lightning. Althor Vyan Selei was named after his uncle/cousin, Althor Izam-Na Valdoria. Tina also appears in the story "Ave de Paso" in the anthologies Redshift, edited by Al Sarrantonio, and Fantasy: The Year's Best, 2001, edited by Robert Silver-berg and Karen Haber.

Roca = (1) Tokaba Ryestar (deceased)

= (2) Darr Hammerjackson (divorced) = (3) Eldrinson (Eldri) Althor Valdoria

Roca and Tokaba had one child, Kurj (Imperator and former Jagernaut). Kurj marries Ami when he is about a century old, in The Radiant Seas. Kurj and Ami have a son named Kurj-son.

Although no records exist of Eldrinson's lineage, it is believed he descends from the ancient Ruby Dynasty. Skyfall tells the story of how he and Roca meet. They have ten children.

Eldrin (Dryni) Jarac (bard, Ruby consort, warrior) Althor Izam-Na (engineer, Jagernaut, imperial Heir) Del-Kurj (Del) (singer, warrior, twin to Chaniece) Chantece Roca (runs Valdoria family household, twin to Del-Kurj)

Havyrl (Vyrl) Torcellei (farmer, doctorate in agriculture) Sauscony (Soz) Lahaylia (military scientist, Jagernaut, Imperator)

Denric Windward (teacher, doctorate in literature) Shannon Eirlei (Blue Dale Archer)

Aniece Dyhianna (accountant, Rillian queen) Kelricson (Keltic) Garlin (mathematician, Jagernaut, Imperator) Eldrin appears in The Final Key, The Radiant Seas, and Spherical Harmonic. See Dehya

Althor Izam-Na = (1) Coop and Vaz Majda

= (2) Cirrus (former provider for Trader emperor)

Althor has a daughter, Eristia Leirol Valdoria, with Syreen Leirol, an actress turned linguist. Coop and Vaz have a son, Ryder Jalam Majda Valdoria, with Althor as co-father. Althor and Coop appear in The Radiant Seas. The novelette, "Soul of Light" (Circlet Press, anthology Sextopia), tells the story of how Althor and Vaz met Coop. Vaz and Coop also appear in Spherical Harmonic. Althor and Cirrus also have a son.

Havyrl (Vyrl) Torcellei = Liliara (Lily) (deceased in 2266) = Kamoj Quanta Argali

i.

Havyrl and Lily marry in 2223. Their story appears in "Stained Glass Heart," a novella in the anthology Irresistible Forces, edited by Catherine Asaro, February 2004. The story of Havyrl and Kamoj appears in The Quantum Rose, which won the 2001 Nebula Award. An early version of the first half was serialized in Analog, May 1999-July/August 1999.

Sauscony (Soz) Lahaylia =(1) Jato Stormson (divorced)

=(2) Hypron Luminar (deceased) = (3) Jaibriol Qox (aka Jaibriol II)

Soz's experiences as a cadet at the Dieshan Military Academy appear in Schism and The Final Key.

The story of how Soz and Jato met appears in the novella, "Aurora in Four Voices" {Analog, December 1998). Soz and Jaibriol's stories appear in Primary Inversion and The Radiant Seas. They have four children, all of whom use Qox-Skolia as their last name: Jaibriol III, Rocalisa, Vitar, and

del-Keltic. The story of how Jaibriol III became the emperor of Eube appears in The Moon's Shadow. Jaibriol III married Tarquine Iquar, the Finance Minister of Eube.

Dearie's story of bis harrowing introduction to the world Sandstorm, where he teaches after graduation, appears in "The Edges of Never-Haven" in the anthology Flights of Fantasy, edited by Al Sarrantonio.

Aniece = Lord Rillia

Lord Rillia rules Rillia, which consists of the extensive Ril-lian Vales, the Dalvador Plains, the Backbone Mountains, and the Stained Glass Forest.

Kelricson (Kelric) Garlin = (1) Corey Majda (deceased) = (2) Deha Dahl (deceased) = (3) Rashiva Haka (Calani trade) = (4) Savina Miesa (deceased) = (5) Avtac Varz (Calani trade) - (6) Ixpar Karn (closure) = (7) Jeejon

Kelric's stories are told in The Ruby Dice (novella, Baen's Universe, 2006; novel to appear in 2007). The Last Hawk, Ascendant Sun, The Moon's Shadow, the novella "A Roll of the Dice" (Analog, July/August 2000), and the novelette "Light and Shadow" (Analog, April 1994). Kelric and Rashiva have one son, Jimorla (Jimi) Haka, who becomes a renowned Calani. Kelric and Savina have one daughter, Rohka Miesa Varz, who becomes the Ministry Successor in line to rule the Twelve Estates on Coba.

The novella "Walk in Silence" (Analog, April 2003) tells the story of Jess Fernandez, an Allied starship captain from Earth who deals with the genetically engineered humans on the Skolian colony of Icelos. The story of Dayj Majda, the Prince who was betrothed to Roca in Skyfall, appears in the novella "The City of Cries" in the anthology Down These

Dark Spaceways, edited by Mike Resnick. "The Shadowed Heart" tells the story of Primary Harrick, a Jagernaut traumatized by the Radiance War. It appears in the anthology The Journey Home, edited by Mary Kirk.

Time Line

circa 4000 bc Group of humans moved from Earth to Raylicon

circa 3600 bc Ruby Dynasty begins