The Gate to Futures Past (36 page)

“U
P TO ME,” Lemuel Dis stated, raising nes glass to the dour shadow that was the Tikitik Thought Traveler, “you'd be up on charges of endangering the system.”

“Bah.” The insufferable creature gestured disdain, bells tinkling. “The system survived.”

“Despite us. Despite me.” Emelen Dis held his glass with both hands. The fourth in the Director's private office, Koleor Su, sat hunched in a corner, scribbling notes. The former Keeper glanced at him. “What you write, historian? Who will understand it, once we're gone? Who will remember this?”

Those being evacuated from Brightfall, a birthplace now unlivable. Those beginning the rehabilitation of Hilip, Yont, and Oger, for gaping wounds marked where those worlds had had their buried ruins, too. Coordinated through the Hub, of course. Ne needed more staff, critically.

Tomorrow. Lemuel shrugged. “Maybe it's better to forget,” ne mused. “When we rebuilt after the Fall, we couldn't move without stepping on the past, one too many wanted back again. Now we've a fresh start.”

“There's no such thing.” Thought Traveler barked its laugh. “We are our past, Director. Every cell of your body holds it.”

Emelen put down his glass. “You can change that. Change us. Make us—”

“Better?” The Tikitik's eyes bent to stare at Lemuel. “Is this a formal request, Director? How delightful.”

They would, too. For all ne knew, the Makers of Tikitna were planning their next “question” to ask of the Hoveny and the Oud, willing to wait generations for the answer.

Not this time. Ne leaned back, swirling the amber liquid in nes glass, and smiled. Cherish the bonds between, Sira'd said. As dis, most assumed Lemuel had none of nes own. Far from it.

Being SysComPrime meant having bonds to everyone—everything—that orbited this star.

And protecting them. “Your kind will be too busy, Thought Traveler,” ne said, experiencing a rush of freedom as ne let nerself chuckle. “I've authorized the reversion of Tikitna to the Oud.”

Aghast silence.

“Just need to pack,” Lemuel assured it. “The Oud are willing to reshape their world. We'll supply transport.”

The Tikitik rose to its feet. “And where shall we live?” it roared.

Smiling felt good. “There's an empty world suited to your skills.” So did losing that smile to glare. “Or you're welcome to leave the system.”

They wouldn't. Together, as the Cooperative, they were more than any of their species alone. The Tikitik, no less than the Oud, were harmless if occupied. As were the Hoveny.

And this time?

Ne'd be watching.

J
ASON MORGAN set down his pack, ordering on the lights. He was vaguely surprised they worked.

Even more surprised he was alive. The M'hir hadn't been a beach, with waves. It had been a river, wild and infuriated. He might have been part of why.

A river that carried him here, nonetheless. A river of light, illuminated by Power. By love. That, too.

Sira. He'd seen it, felt it, the moment she'd flared like a sun—then gone dark.

Where she belonged was cold and empty. He'd never be warm again.

As you love me.
She'd made him promise, Morgan thought wearily. To live, for her sake, when he wouldn't for his own.

Together, they'd given him a chance. Barac's idea, at a guess, sending him here. Ettler's Planet. His hideaway—inside the hangar, to be exact, redolent of oil and sand. No one would find him here.

Good. He didn't want to be found. Not yet. Maybe never. He hadn't decided.

What he did want was simple. Why not? “Should be some beer,” he said aloud.

Something rattled in a shadowed corner of the hangar.

The Human twisted his wrist, felt the small handle hit his palm, and threw in one swift motion.

The knife clattered against the something and fell harmlessly to the floor, the sound immediately dwarfed by louder rattles and clangs as part of the shadow heaved and rose.

Dozens of black eyes caught the light, dust and sand sliding to the floor.

“There's no beer,” Huido Maarmatoo'kk informed him, waving the stub where a great claw had been. “I got thirsty waiting for you.” His eyes bent this way and that. “Where's Sira?”

“Sira's where she belongs. Happy.”

Then, Morgan folded without grace to the floor, buried his head in his arms, and wept.

P
AUVAN DI slipped his arm around the other half of his heart, tipping his head to touch hers. “We'll be docking soon.”

He felt Alisi's smile, as he felt her
strength
and
resolve.
“That's good. Isn't it, sweetling?”

Milly didn't look up from her tank of Oud. “I thought we were going home. You promised. I want my room and my things.”

A room and things—and home—dropped into one of the thousands of craters scarring Yont and the other Hoveny worlds.

Among the casualties—Alisi stiffened, fighting
grief
.

Understanding, sharing it, Pauvan let her go. He went to sit on the floor by their daughter. Pebbles in the tank edged his way, ever-hopeful. “Not yet. We'll live on a station for now.”

Milly looked sideways at him, lower lip caught between her teeth, then pulled the little trowel from her belt. “Will there be an excavation?”

“Not—for a while.” When there was, he thought with determination, it wouldn't be to find the past, but to recover from it.

“Milly not bored. Milly has Tap Tap! Best is!” The Oud-Key spun in a dizzying circle until nes ends touched and ne toppled on nes side.

The display made the child giggle, as usual.

The strangers had brought their children. He could see their
faces when he tried to sleep. Pauvan sighed. “They came with such hope. Wanted what we have: home. Family.”

Alisi laid her hand on his shoulder. “It's very sad,” she agreed.

“Why? Andi isn't sad.”

Her parents exchanged puzzled looks. “Milly, Andi's gone,” her mother explained gently, “with all her people.”

“No, she isn't. I
hear
her.” The child went back to staring into the tank. The pebbles of Oud rolled into a line in front of her.

Tap Tap stood nearby. “Milly
hear
others?”

A careless shrug. “When I want. They're all busy, busy. Happy busy.”

The little Oud dropped, tiptoed closer, then rose again. “And Sira? Best is?
Hear
Sira?”

Pauvan held his breath, felt Alisi's hand tighten.

Another shrug.

“No.”

T
HE 'FRESHER CLEANED ME of dust and debris. I stepped over the clothes I'd dropped on the floor, too tired to fuss with them.

Foam ran down my spine. I reached around, feeling a soggy mass. How odd. My hair dried itself. Didn't it?

The cabin was as it should be. Leaves and flowers covered every possible space. One section was unfinished, and I wondered what it would become. They were always a surprise, his paintings.

His—

I sat on the bed, running my hand over the blanket. I didn't need one, usually.

He—

Forget me, Witchling.

“Morgan.”

But he wasn't in here. He wasn't with me. How odd. Why?

I went to the door, cued it to open.

It stayed shut. It stayed shut because he wasn't on the other side. The way the com wouldn't fill with his voice.

The way my mind was now empty of his.

Forget us.

I sat on the bed, running my hand over the blanket.

Let go and live.

“Never.”

The Great Ones moved in their endless dance, AllThereIs bending and flowing and forever part of it, while singers flew and sang.

The Watcher waited.

Not her duty, this vigil. Nor was she alone in it.

The buds of Between shone and grew, those within them closer and closer to coming home. To becoming what they had been, again. Eager loved ones flew past and around, singing their anticipation.

Some shriveled, hanging loose. A warning those within would take longer to be free, caught in a dream of their own making. No matter. They'd loved ones, too, here.

None were her concern.

This was, for it was . . . new.

A single bud, armored in
darkness
that
boiled
and
hissed
and would allow no approach. Violent flashes of light illuminated it without touching, revealing something—someone—inside.

The Watcher waited.

She feared in vain.

M'HIRAY

Ahur sud Vendan, Chosen of Sennis, Healer

Andi sud Prendolat, child, Birth Watcher

Arla di Licor, brother of Asdny, Looker

Aryl di Sarc, once Chosen of Enris, great-grandmother of Sira, inhabits her unborn

Asdny di Licor, brother of Arla

Barac di Bowart, Chosen of Ruti, former First Scout, cousin of Sira

Celyn sud Lorimar, Chosen of Kele

Cha sud Kessa'at, Chosen of Deni, died on Cersi

Degal di Sawnda'at, Chosen of Signy,
Sona
Council Member

Deni sud Kessa'at, Chosen of Cha, died on Cersi

Elba sud Parth, Chosen of Lakai

Enris di Sarc, Chosen of Aryl, great-grandfather of Sira, died on Stonerim III

Ermu sud Friesnen, Chosen of Oseden

Holl di Licor, Chosen of Leesems, mother of Arla and Asdny, scientist, Healer

Inva di Lorimar, Chosen of Bryk, Council Member

Illis sud Friesnen, child

Jacqui di Mendolar, Chooser, Birth Watcher

Jarad di Sarc, father of Sira, died on Garatis 17

Jorn di Annk, Chosen of Risa, father of Noson, Healer Apprentice to Ahur

Josa sud Prendolat, Chosen of Nik, father of Andi, scientist

Kele sud Lorimar, Chosen of Celyn

Kita di Teerac, Chosen of Vinar

Lakai sud Parth, Chosen of Elba

Lees di Annk, Chosen of Susi, father of Rasa

Leesems di Licor, Chosen of Holl, father of Arla and Asdny, scientist

Luek di Kessa'at, Chosen of Nyso

Nik sud Prendolat, Chosen of Josa, mother of Andi,
Sona
Council Member, scientist

Noson di Annk, child, son of Risa and Jorn

Nyso di Kessa'at, Chosen of Luek, (went by Gersle Nape as Human)

Oseden sud Friesnen, Chosen of Ermu

Ped di Serona, Chosen of Vidya

Pirisi di Mendolar, Chosen of Ru

Rasa di Annk, child, son of Susi and Lees, friend of Andi

Rael di Sarc, sister of Sira, died on Deneb

Risa di Annk, Chosen of Jorn, mother of Noson

Ru di Mendolar, Chosen of Pirisi

Ruti di Bowart, Chosen of Barac, formerly of Acranam

Sennis sud Vendan, Chosen of Ahur

Signy di Sawnda'at, Chosen of Degal

Sira di Sarc (Sira Morgan), Chosen of Jason Morgan, former Speaker,
Sona
Keeper

Susi di Annk, Chosen of Lees, mother of Rasa

Tle di Parth, Chooser,
Sona
Council Member

Vidya di Serona, Chosen of Ped

Vinar di Teerac, Chosen of Kita

OM'RAY

Alet di Uruus, Chooser, Tuana Clan

Charo di Nemat, Chosen of Ruis, Rayna Clan

Dama di Lorimar, sister of Tal, Tuana Clan

Destin di Anel, Chosen, former First Scout, Sona Clan

Dre di Eathem, child, son of Gricel and Oluk, brother of Yanti, friend of Andi, Amna Clan

Eand di Yode, Chosen of Moyla, former Council Member, Healer, Sona Clan

Ecra di Annk, Chosen of Hap, Rayna Clan

Elnu di Anel, Chosen of Destin, Sona Clan

Eloe di Serona, unChosen, Tuana Clan

Ghos di Eathem, Chosen of Worra, father of Gricel,
Sona
Council Member, Healer, Amna Clan

Gricel di Eathem, daughter of Worra and Ghos, mother of Dre and Yanti, Amna Clan

Gurutz di Ulse, Chosen of Merr, Scout, Sona Clan

Hap di Annk, Chosen of Ecra,
Sona
Council Member, Rayna Clan

Japel di Rihma'at, Chosen of Odon, mother of Noil, Sona Clan

Klor di Edut, Chosen of Nyala, Sona Clan

Kunthea di Mendolar, Chosen of Nockal,
Sona
Council Member, Tuana Clan

Merr di Ulse, Chosen of Gurutz, Sona Clan

Moyla di Yode, Chosen of Eand, former Council Member, Sona Clan

Nockal di Mendolar, Chosen of Kunthea, Adept, Tuana Clan

Noil di Rihma'at, unChosen, son of Odon, Sona Clan

Nyala di Edut, Chosen, former Council Member, Sona Clan

Odon di Rihma'at, Chosen of Japel, father of Noil,
Sona
Council Member, Sona Clan

Oluk di Eathem, Chosen of Gricel, father of Dre and Yanti, Amna Clan

Ruis di Nemat, Chosen of Charo, former Keeper, Healer, Rayna Clan

Taisal di Sarc, mother of Aryl, Speaker Yena Clan, died on Cersi

Tal di Lorimar, brother of Dama, Tuana Clan

Tekla di Yode, Chosen of Ures, Sona scout, died on Cersi

Teris di Uruus, Chosen of Vael,
Sona
Council Member, Sona Clan

Ures di Yode, Chosen of Tekla, died on Cersi

Vael di Uruus, Chosen of Teris, Sona Clan

Worra di Eathem, Chosen of Ghos, mother of Gricel, Amna Clan

Yanti di Eatham, daughter of Gricel and Oluk, sister of Dre, born on
Sona

HOVENY

Alisi Di, Heart-kin of Pauvan, mother of Milly, Seesor

Aracel Dis, edican

Emelen Dis, Goesen's Sanctum Keeper, Sect of the Rebirth

Gerasim Su, Emelen's helper

Koleor Su, Historian

Lemuel Dis, Director, SysComPrime, Hub

Milly Su, daughter of Alisi and Pauvan

Nermein Dis, Senior Tech, Brightfall Comm

Oncara Su, Emelen's pilot

Pauvan Di, Heart-kin of Alisi, father of Milly

Sorina Din, Head of Reclamation, Raynthe (moon)

Susibou Di, Lemuel's scantech

OTHER SPECIES

Jason Morgan, Human, Chosen of Sira

TapTap, Oud, Oud-Key Prime

Thought Traveler, Tikitik